Rare books from James Cummins Bookseller

Paris: Librairie des Amateurs, A. Ferroud, 1903. Number 49 of 60 copies printed on Japan Paper, with the etched plates in three states, two of which are colored by hand, with an ORIGINAL WATERCOLOR FOLLOWING THE TITLE, SIGNED BY ROCHEGROSSE. 18 compositions de Georges Rochegrosse gravés à l'eau-forte en couleurs par E. Decisy. iii, 82 pp. 1 vols. 4to. Bound in full blue crushed levant, gilt stamped spine in 6 compartments, covers decorated in an open double fillet border, interlaced to form lozenges of various shapes, outer border of 4 fillets; doublures of brown levant morocco decorated with fan shaped gilt tooling, endpapers of brocade silk, gilt over rough edges, original covers bound in, each leaf mounted on separate hinge, by Affolter. In half blue morocco slipcase and chemise. Bookplate of Thomas B. Lockwood. Number 49 of 60 copies printed on Japan Paper, with the etched plates in three states, two of which are colored by hand, with an ORIGINAL WATERCOLOR FOLLOWING THE TITLE, SIGNED BY… Read More

London: Grant Richards, 1899. First edition. Illustrated with 27 full-page engravings after drawings by the author, printed in color by Edmund Evans. 1 vols. 16mo. Original light green cloth ruled and lettered in dark green. Contemporary owner's signature dated Nov 1 1899 on title. Front hinge repaired, some rubbing and soiling of covers, a few spots in margins. Overall, a good copy of this notoriously fragile book. In green half morocco slipcase and chemise. First edition. Illustrated with 27 full-page engravings after drawings by the author, printed in color by Edmund Evans. 1 vols. 16mo. First edition of one of the most celebrated titles in children's literature, a work whose small illustrated format heralded a change in children's publishing, and a book that has achieved classic status while remaining explosively controversial. Hay, Sambo Sahib (Paul Harris, 1981); Schiller, "The Story of Little Black Sambo," in The Book Collector 23, No. 3 (Autumn 1974), pp. 381-386; Blockson 101, no. 50

London: Bradbury & Evans, 1857. First edition, with early issue points as per Smith (pp. 467-474 uncorrected, etc.). Illustrated with 40 etched plates after drawings by H.K. Browne ("Phiz"). 1 vols. 8vo. Publisher's green cloth stamped in blind and lettered in gilt, spine darkened, covers a little rubbed and faded; plates with usual darkening at margins, title and frontispiece slightly foxed and darkened -- still, quite a good copy and infrequently seen in publisher's cloth. First edition, with early issue points as per Smith (pp. 467-474 uncorrected, etc.). Illustrated with 40 etched plates after drawings by H.K. Browne ("Phiz"). 1 vols. 8vo. In Original Cloth. Smith 12

Los Angeles: Bright Dot Publications, 1980. First edition. Photographs in color by Susie Tracy (daughter of SPENCER TRACY). 1 vols. 8 X 8 inches. Printed pictorial wrappers, with color reproduction of Pritt on upper cover. First edition. Photographs in color by Susie Tracy (daughter of SPENCER TRACY). 1 vols. 8 X 8 inches. From Hepburn to her Agent: Tracy's Daughter's Cat Photos. A touching copy, rich with Tracy-Hepburn associations, featuring the photographs of Spencer Tracy's daughter Susie (b. 1934), to illustrate the life of a favorite deaf cat. This copy is inscribed by Hepburn to her agent, Freya Manston: "For Freya & her Cats "with affection "Kate" Spencer Tracy's first-born son, John, was born deaf; Tracy's wife Louise, with Spencer's support and encouragement, founded the famous John Tracy Clinic in honor of their son. It opened in 1942, the same year that Hepburn and Tracy began their legendary association.

[Venice: Aldus Manutius, 1495. First Aldine edition, and the first complete edition of Theocritus (printing 12 of the 30 Idylls here for the first time); the first edition of HESIOD'S THEOGONY; second edition of his WORKS AND DAYS; and first editions of most of the other minor works (enumerated below); and first setting of quires £I °E F and £K °E G.. Title in Greek and Roman, introduction by Aldus in Latin;, text entirely in Greek. Woodcut decorated initials and floral or strapwork headpieces, ILLUMINATED THROUGHOUT IN COLORS AND GOLD IN A CONTEMPORARY HAND. [140] leaves. 1 vols. Folio, (315 x 210 mm.). Bound in early 18th-century mottled calf, spine in 7 compartments with citron morocco lettering piece in one and ornamental tooling in the rest; title soiled and shaved along fore-edge, extensive neatly penned marginalia in Greek and Latin, in two different hands; gilt edges, gauffered to all-over pattern of intersecting diagonal fillets and fleurons. Bookplate of St. Benedict's Abbey, Fort… Read More

Silver Lake, NH, 1962. Surface abrasion, not affecting text. Airmail postcard to Howard Rothschild in London, dated shortly before Cummings' death: "thanks immensely for the priceless information about Norway - & for the 2handedswordlifting Swedish hero. Let us know how you like guided tours in the proletarian paradise; & don't miss Lenin! Marion sends love." [With:] Four page Autograph Letter, signed, from Cummings' wife, Marion Morehouse, reading in part: "Thanks so much for the clipping, though I'm always dismayed by the way journalists misquote. C did say to Sonia [Orwell] that artists should be in the opposition but as for saying he'd not been happy since Roosevelt was elected, not only did he not say it but it's no the sort of thing he would say ...".

Boston: American Stationers Co., John B. Russell, 1837. First edition. Publisher's circular device on title-page. [4, ads], [5]-334, [2], [16, catalogue] pp. 1 vols. 8vo. Publisher's brown embossed cloth, title stamped in gilt to spine. Light wear and staining to covers, cloth split at rear joint, foxing throughout. In a custom blue morocco pull-of case, gilt, by Stikeman. First edition. Publisher's circular device on title-page. [4, ads], [5]-334, [2], [16, catalogue] pp. 1 vols. 8vo. His Second Book. Hawthorne's second book, and although it was not the dismal failure that Fanshawe had been, it attracted hardly any notice when it was issued thus in 1837. Now, of course, it is one of the most famous collections of short fiction in American literature. Vincent Starrett said of the story "Mr. Higginbotham's Catastrophe": "it comes close to becoming a detective story in the purest sense" and Edgar Allan Poe said the story is "vividly original and managed most dexterously" (see Queen's Quorum, p. 10).… Read More

Reading: Gottlob Jungmann, 1805. [iv], 1008, [6 (family records)], 277, [3] pp. 1 vols. 4to. Contemporary sheep, red morocco spine label. Clasps lacking, boards lightly scuffed, hinges with old cellotape repair, textblock dampstained, toned and foxed. Bookplate of C. G. Weissman. [iv], 1008, [6 (family records)], 277, [3] pp. 1 vols. 4to. Important German-American Bible. A landmark in American bible printing, this is the first German-American Bible printed outside of Philadelphia, and the first Bible printed in Reading. A significant edition, both in size and scope, this marked the spread of German printers and the more local production of bibles in the Pennsylvania-Dutch back country. With family record leaves accomplished in contemporary manuscript, earliest date 1812. Shaw & Shoemaker 7984; Bötte & Tannhof 1467; O'Callaghan pp. 78-79

London: Bradbury and Evans, 1848. First edition. With engraved frontispiece, engraved title-page, 38 engraved plates, and numerous engravings on steel and textual wood illustrations by the author. xvi, 624 pp. 1 vols. 8vo. Bound in full red morocco, with oval Cosway-style portrait on the upper cover, a.e.g., by Aspreys. Skilfully rebacked preserving spine. Fine. First edition. With engraved frontispiece, engraved title-page, 38 engraved plates, and numerous engravings on steel and textual wood illustrations by the author. xvi, 624 pp. 1 vols. 8vo. With a fine Miniature Portrait. Van Duzer 230; Grolier English 87

New York: Charles L. Webster and Company, 1885. First American edition, later Issue. With One Hundred and Seventy-Four Illustrations by E.W. Kemble. 366pp. 1 vols. Square 8vo. Bound in full modern brown calf. First American edition, later Issue. With One Hundred and Seventy-Four Illustrations by E.W. Kemble. 366pp. 1 vols. Square 8vo. Issue points: Title-page BAL #2 of 3 p.13-BAL2 p.57-BAL 2 p.282-BAL4 p.155-BAL 3 Portait-BAL3. BAL 3415

London: Methuen, 1928. First edition. Illustrated by Ernest H. Shepard. 8vo. Original salmon cloth stamped in gilt, illustrated endpapers, t.e.g., illustrated dustjacket. Endpapers toned from jacket flap, some darkening and wear to jacket, very good. E.H. Shepard. First edition. Illustrated by Ernest H. Shepard. 8vo. First Edition. First edition of the second collection of Pooh stories.

Oxford: Clarendon, 1925. First edition. 8vo. Green cloth. Spine lightly sunned, occasional foxing. Neat pencil annotations throughout. Ownership signature and address to front free endpaper. First edition. 8vo.

Brooklyn, New York, 1855. First edition, first issue. Engraved frontispiece portrait of Whitman by Samuel Hollyer after a photograph, printed on thick paper. xii, [13]-95 pp. 1 vols. Small folio (11-1/8 x 7-3/4 in.; 284 x 197 mm). Original green cloth, boards with floral decorations in blind, gilt-lettered ornamental title within a triple-fillet border, spine gilt with title and floral ornaments, marbled endsheets, a.e.g. Title-page very lightly toned, gilt title of upper board a bit dull. Tiniest of repairs to spine (scuffs at center and ends, conserved with no loss). Old description slip tipped to front flyleaf. A fine copy. Half green morocco slipcase, chemise. First edition, first issue. Engraved frontispiece portrait of Whitman by Samuel Hollyer after a photograph, printed on thick paper. xii, [13]-95 pp. 1 vols. Small folio (11-1/8 x 7-3/4 in.; 284 x 197 mm). 'I see and hear the whole'. "He was and is the poet and prophet of democracy, and the intoxication of his immense affirmative, the… Read More

Peking: Foreign Language Press, 1966. First edition in English. Portrait with tissue guard, illustration of calligraphy in facsimile with translation on verso. [viii], 312, [1, imprint] pp. 1 vols. 16mo. Red plastic, stamped in blind on upper cover. Fine. First edition in English. Portrait with tissue guard, illustration of calligraphy in facsimile with translation on verso. [viii], 312, [1, imprint] pp. 1 vols. 16mo. First Edition in English. First edition in English of Mao's Little Red Book. 720 million copies of the Chinese text of Mao's Little Red Book were printed over a four-year period beginning in 1964; only the Bible has had a larger print run. "Its idea was originally conceived by Lin Bao (1907-71) as a book of inspirational reading... For several years Lin promoted a campaign that everyone should study Chairman Mao's thoughts, and the PLA [People's Liberation Army] newspaper printed daily extracts from his selected texts that often formed topics for evening discussion groups"… Read More

London: William Heinemann, 1915. First edition, Deluxe Issue, one of 525 copies signed by Rackham. 12 full page mounted illustrations in color and 20 drawings in black and white by Arthur Rackham. 4to. Original full gilt-decorated vellum, t.e.g. Silk ties renewed. Housed in custom vellum backed box with chemise. Rackham, Arthur. First edition, Deluxe Issue, one of 525 copies signed by Rackham. 12 full page mounted illustrations in color and 20 drawings in black and white by Arthur Rackham. 4to. Fine Dickens Christmas Carol Illustrated by Rackham. Notes Hudson: "[Rackham] is not usually remembered as an illustrator of Dickens, but A Christmas Carol was decidedly successful, for he contrived to adapt the tradition of 'Phiz' and Cruikshank to his own characteristic style in the pictures of Victorian London and at the same time found scope for his fantasy in the ghost scenes. We also find him here developing his special talent for silhouette, rare among illustrators...He was well qualified by sympathy… Read More