Original portrait photograph by the American photographer of the great Finnish architect. Photographer's stamp to verso, in fine condition. 8 x 10 inches. From the private archive of American photographer David Gahr, one of the pre-eminent photographers of American folk, blues, jazz and rock musicians of the 1960s and beyond.
Hartford, Conn.: Park Publishing Co.. 1883. Third Edition. 8vo. Title; (Copyright); Contents [5-15 pp]; (Illustrations list); 17 - 618 pp. Includes 18 plates, but lacking the frontis portrait of Douglass. Fully rebound in crimson percaline with partial original decoratively stamped black and gold front cloth binding integrated to front board. A bit musty, with moisture stains to the modern endpages, scattered light foxing and light stains/toning around edges, small abrasions to the foredge, otherwise very good. Contemporary editions of Douglass' autobiographies are increasingly difficult to come by. Read More...
8vo. Engraved portrait frontispiece and a profusion of additional portrait plates. 549 pages, 7 pages of plates; index pages 557-565, plus advertisements. Fully rebound in crimson percaline with partial original decoratively stamped black, crimson and gold front cloth binding integrated to front board. A bit musty, scattered foxing and light stains/toning around edges, 4 leaves with a cup base moisture stain, extensive abrasions and small tears to the foredge, but only very slightly sometimes affecting the page margins themselves. Read More...
13892. [Americana]. Collection of Early American Tintypes
A collection of 23 small tintype portrait photographs, dating from ca. 1860-1880 and housed in a blue cloth-covered box. The portraits depict adults and children, apparently of various social classes; most are individual portraits, with two photographs of pairs. Several are duplicates or close duplicates. 16 of the tintypes are mounted in identical small pink card frames. One larger tintype, a three-quarter-length portrait of a man, is unmounted. Also included is one small later photograph, clipped to size. Light wear and scratches, some foxing and creases to the mounts; overall in very good condition. Each tintype ca. 1 x 1.5 inches (2.5 x 3.5 cm); mounts 1.75 x 2.5 inches (4.2 x 6.6 cm); larger tintype 2.5 x 3.25 inches (6 x 8.5 cm). In a blue cloth-covered cosmetic box with snap closure, with the logo of cosmetic company Palmer and their product name Gardenglo stamped in gold inside the lid. Wear and partial tear to the flap closure; overall in good condition. 4.5 x 2.75 x 1.5 inches (11 x 7 x 4 cm). Read More...
A chilling example of anti-Semitic Nazi writing on music (in German). Berlin: Bernhard Hahnefeld, 1939. 94 pp. Handstamp of George Perle to front endpaper. Handstamp of Adolf-Hitler-Schule Köln Aachen to p. 4; shelf mark of its library to upper board and p. 4. 7.25 x 5 inches (18.5 x 12.5 cm). Browned; boards bumped; spine lost. Otherwise in good condition. From the collection of American composer George Perle. Read More...
Rare signed original Pach Brothers portrait photograph of one of the most important and influential thinkers of the twentieth century. Signed "Hannah Arendt" in blue ink on the mount beneath her image and in pencil by the photographer. Image ca. 9- 3/16" x 6-3/16" on bevelled photographer's studio mat, overall ca. 15-1/2 x 11". Mount lightly age-toned with small repaired tear lower right, otherwise in very good condition. Read More...
Paris: J.-B. Baillière et fils. Le Problème Des Hydravions Destinés A La Traversée Aérienne Sans Escale France États-Unis D'Amérique. Extrait de la Science Aérienne Janvier-Février 1938. An extraordinary copy of this publication by the French aircraft designer and builder, one of the early aviation pioneers especially known for his development of reconnaissance aircraft used by the French in World War I and through the 1920s, inscribed to fellow pioneering aviation engineer Igor Sikorsky, who developed the first four-engine airplane and the first modern helicopter to be put into widespread use. A separately issued offprint extract of this article by Breguet from a 1938 issue of the aeronautical journal Science Aérienne, inscribed on the front cover in ink "A Monsieur Sikorsky / hommage trés sincere - / Louis Breguet" and additionally inscribed by Igor Sikorsky to the inside cover "This paper was discussed with Mr. L. Brequet on the way from Paris to Villacoublay on Nov. 16, 1938." and signed "I.S." With numerous annotations throughout in pencil, including small drawings, underlinings, mathematical notations etc. likely the hand of Sikorsky. 4to. 44 pp. Pale green cardstock wrappers. 7.25 x 10.5 inches (18.4 x 26.7 cm.). Mild wear and spotting to exterior cover, toning to pages; overall in fine condition. An extraordinary association copy. Read More...
Large format original portrait photograph of the German pianist, who has boldly signed and inscribed to the lower mount in ink: "My most warm regards to my esteemed friend Frau Hofrat Hanfstaengl / Wilhelm Backhaus" and dated May 1, 1936. In fine condition, mount with verso borders reinforced, signed by the photographer lower right in pencil "Veresky"(?). Portrait 6.8 x 9.25 inches (17.3 x 23.5 cm.); mounted to an overall size of 10.25 x 13.3 inches (26 x 33.8 cm.). Read More...
A intriguing group of three ballooning flyers advertising the United Kingdom's most famous balloonist of the 19th century. Experimenting with coal gas as a cheaper and more readily available alternative to hydrogen for lifting power, Green's first ascent was in a coal gas balloon on 19 July 1821 and he had made 200 ascents by 1835. In 1836, he set a major long distance record in the balloon Royal Vauxhall, flying overnight from Vauxhall Gardens in London to Weilburg, Duchy of Nassau (Germany), a distance of 480 miles (770 km). By the time he retired in 1852, he had flown in a balloon more than 500 times. The present broadsides are all very rare, with only a few recorded similar examples in WorldCat. As follows: Read More...
Paris: Chez Cuchet. 1783. First, 1st issue. 8vo. 19.5x12.5 cm (7¾x5"). [i-iii] iv-xl, [1] 2-299, [3], 9 engraved plates (plate v as frontispiece). Contemporary full vellum with five raised bands, pages edged in red. With the ownership signature “Dutillet” to the inside front board in a contemporary hand, raising the intriguing possibility that this copy hails from the family of Évrard Titon du Tillet (1677-1762), great patron of the arts and secretary to Louis XIV, whose family mansion “La Folie Titon” was the sight of the first tethered balloon flight on October 19th, 1783 (Réveillon, de Rozier and de Villette). A later ownership signature “Allonneaud” in pencil, on the blank recto of the frontis engraving. A few pages slightly irregularly cut, including one partially separating from the gutter, else fine. References: Dibner, Heralds of Science 179; PMM 229; Norman 769; Sparrow, Milestones of Science 179; Tissandier p.21. Read More...
Autograph letter from a M. Royer to French doctor and anthropologist Louis Bertillon. 1 p., n.d. ("Mercredi 28"). Translated from the French, in part: "My dear comrade, I saw Mr. Couneau this morning; he is leaving tomorrow morning; [...] please be at his house in Rue honoré 216, today at five. He will be awaiting you." Light toning; notes added in another hand; remnants of a seal to the verso; overall fine. 5.25 x 8 inches (13.4 x 20.8 cm). Read More...
21966. [Black Americana]. "Colored Man is No Slacker" - WWI Enlistment Poster
Chicago: E.G. Renesch. 1918. Original chromolithographic poster. 19 x 15 1/2 in. (483 x 394 mm). One tiny corner chip upper right, else very good. A rare World War I enlistment poster, published in an effort to recruit African Americans into the U.S. Army. In this poster, a young Black man bids farewell to his sweetheart as his regiment bravely marches past in the background off to war. Patriotism is both literally illustrated and subtly implied with notes of red and white punctuating the flowers around the woman's blue dress. Read More...
An elaborate musical portfolio, red leather with fine silvered decorations. In fine condition. 8.75 x 12.25 inches (22.2 x 31.1 cm.). Together with two autograph letters of provenance, one signed "J. Lagarde," the other on his printed visiting card, relating that the portfolio was obtained by descent from a family member who obtained it from an aide de camp of Napoléon III, apparently formerly the musical portolio of Hortense Eugénie Cécile Bonaparte, Queen consort of Holland, stepdaughter of Emperor Napoléon I as the daughter of his first wife, Joséphine de Beauharnais. The heavy folder is richly decorated with metal border fillets to both front and rear panels, the front surrounding an elaborate lyre with tree branch motif, the rear surrounding a laurel wreath and sceptre motif. The folder opens to two halves, each with it's own locking panel (open, no key present): the left is a fully enclosed folder lined in green silk; the right with further document panels, likewise in red leather and green silk, layering to permit enclosures of varying sizes and formats. Read More...
Hamburg: S. Berendso. Original map of Hamburg, owned by the important composer and titled in his hand on the outer slipcase label "Plan von Hamburg" and with the printed title "Grundriss von Hamburg / nach dem unglücklichen Brande von 5ten May bis den 9ten 1842" ("Plan of Hamburg / after the unhappy fire of May 5th to 9th, 1842"). The map shows Brahms' birthplace, with a fold-out flap, outlined in red ink, bringing attention to the affected central area before and after the fire. Folding creases, light toning and edge wear, overall very good. 19.5 x 14.75 inches (49.5 x 37.6 cm), 4 x 5 inches (10.5 x 13 cm) folded and in slipcase. Read More...
Interesting group of four press photographs from post-WW2 Britain. Shown are: King George VI with members of the new Labour Government Herbert Morrison, Clement Attlee, Arthur Greenwood, Ernest Bevin and A. V. Alexander at Buckingham Palace on August 15, 1945 (9.5 x 7.25 inches); Queen Elizabeth coming down the steps of an airliner on her return from Kenya on February 7, 1952 (6 x 8 inches); aviator Sir Geoffrey de Havilland with Prince Philip on an airport runway on November 13, 1952 (8 x 6 inches); and Winston Churchill shaking hands with Prime Minister Anthony Eden at the front door of 10 Downing Street on November 22, 1955 (8 x 6 inches). Photographs from working press archives, with stamps and annotations to the verso; surface wear, corner creases, one small corner loss; overall very good.
22955. [Brooklyn Bridge]. Invitation to the Opening Ceremonies of the Brooklyn Bridge
New York: 24 May 1883. An invitation on thick card engraved by Tiffany & Co., 9 x 6 7/16 in. Engraving to upper portion features boats passing along the East River beneath the new bridge, flanked by two coats of arms. Matted with the embossed flap of the original mailing envelope and nicely presented in a gilt wooden frame. Would benefit from a fresh matting, a few bumps and spots to the card, else fine. Read More...
Lovely vintage "hold-to-the-light" postcard showing a detailed drawing of the Brooklyn and Williamsburg bridges in New York, with various cut outs to allow light to pass through. Postmarks dated January 16 and January 19, 1907. Slight toning throughout and some stray marks, overall in fine condition. 5.5 x 3.5 inches (14 x 8.9 cm.).
21039. [China]. Chinese Decree from the Qing Dynasty, 19th century
Graphically striking Chinese governmental decree in both Mandarin and Manchu. Silk brocade on paper. The decree, four panels mounted to a single scroll, is rendered in four strong and striking colors; green, red, brown, and yellow. Two red governmental stamps to yellow panel. Overall in fine condition. 10.5 x 68.5 inches (27 x 174 cm.). Read More...
Original Chinese 2000 Yen stamp showing Chairman Mao and the flag of the Cultural Revolution. Cancelled at the upper left. Fine. 1.25 x 2.25 inches (3.5 x 6 cm.)
17260. [Church]. "Living for Jesus" - Original Photograph
Original ca. 1940's photograph of a group of teenagers in white dresses and black suits, grouped together with two clergymen under a sign that reads "Living for Jesus." Photographed by Morton Photo of San Francisco and stamped by the photographer on the verso. Very fine. 8 x 9.75 inches (20 x 24.8 cm).