Posts filed under 'collecting'
We’re excited to take Books Tell You Why on the road this week! We’re heading to the 52nd Annual New York Antiquarian Book Fair at the Park Avenue Armory, April 12 – 15. Stop by Booth #A-22 to peruse our offerings.
For a sneak peek at what we’ll be bringing, check out the website. The selection includes outstanding items from our inventory in a wide variety of genres, such as fine press and modern first editions. You’ll also find works by many legendary authors from Charles Dickens to Umberto Eco, some rather rare J.R.R. Tolkien titles (e.g., The Songs for the Philologists), a small collection of signed Dalai Lama titles. A handwritten fire log of the New York Fire Department from 1889. Items are subject to prior sale, so advance reservation is suggested.
If you have questions about items, feel free to contact us! We look forward to seeing many of you in person.
April 10th, 2012
We’re proud to present Occupied by Colour, the third in Heavenly Monkey’s color series. This fine press book goes beyond the two-dimensional page, truly engaging the reader with constructions, movements, and models.
The color project began in 2007, when Heavenly Monkey’s Barbara Hodgson (author, artist, and book designer) and Claudia Cohen (professional bookbinder) decided to explore their shared passion for color. The Temperamental Rose, the first volume, was published that year. After Image followed in 2009.
Occupied by Colour delves into color in a variety of occupations. The book, like the others in the series, require significant handiwork and a variety of artistic techniques: embellishment, cutting, and even hand coloring. The edition also features a beautifully intricate binding and box created by Cohen.
These books are so detailed and intricate that only thirty copies of each volume have been published. The final volume is set to be released in 2014.
About Heavenly Monkey
Launched as an imprint of publisher Rollin Milroy, Heavenly Monkey is a fine press “dedicated to creating books for people interested in contemporary applications of traditional book crafts,” such as letterpress printing, handmade paper, and bookbinding techniques that marry both structural and aesthetic integrity.
The press focuses on creating books as objects that can be experienced both physically and intellectually. The team consistently applies technology from multiple eras both innovatively and creatively.
To date, Heavenly Monkey and HM Editions has published 24 different titles. Heavenly Monkey publishes books based on a rather whimsical criterion: they must interest Milroy enough that he wants a copy for his own shelf. Books are chosen for HM Editions by invitation only.
April 5th, 2012
Today marks the start of the 2012 Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia. Golfing legends Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods will face off with exceptional newcomers like Rory McIlroy. The tradition and prestige of the tournament are often reflected in the books dedicated to golf. Meanwhile, golf remains an incredibly accessible activity for people with varying backgrounds and levels of expertise—much like collecting rare books. Book collectors can learn a few lessons from the game of golf!
- Avoid the water at all costs: Everyone knows water and paper don’t mix, so keeping your rare books dry is a pretty obvious rule to follow. But you might not have thought about humidity, a less apparent cause of damage to books. High humidity makes the perfect environment for mold and mildew, while low humidity can make book pages brittle and dry. Aim for a relative humidity of 40-55%. If you live in a particularly humid climate, you may even want to invest in a dehumidifier.
- Find a caddy you can rely on. Professional golfers count on their caddies for advice on course conditions, which clubs to use, and other critical aspects of their golf game. The rare book collector also needs a resource and ally. Build relationships with reliable rare book dealers who are experts in your area of book collecting.
- It’s tough to play without a full set of clubs. It’s tough to putt with a driver or sand wedge, right? A golf bag needs a variety of clubs for different functions. An excellent book collection should be similarly well rounded and cohesive. You’ll want to choose a theme or key subject area for your collection and build your library around that. That theme might be a particular author, specific topic, or even a broader category like fine press or signed first editions. Each book in your collection should complement the others, just as different clubs in a golf bag complement one another.
- Youth doesn’t preclude greatness. We’ve come to expect greatness from many seasoned players of the PGA tour, but sometimes young stars like Ricky Fowler steal the show. The same is true in the rare book world; people generally assume that the older the book, the more it’s worth. However, some old books have little or no value, while newer books can carry pretty hefty price tags.
What lessons have you learned from the game of golf?
April 2nd, 2012
If you’ve chosen a theme or focus for your rare book collection, eventually you’ll want to move beyond only books and collect related items. These may include magazines, posters, or other paper objects. Known as ephemera, these items can add depth, interest, and value to a personal collection.
The Ephemera Society of America defines “ephemera” as everyday documents created for single or short-term use: think newspapers, flyers, bookmarks, and even matchbooks. Generally made of paper or other less expensive materials, ephemera weren’t designed to stand the test of time; they require careful preservation as part of your rare book collection.
You may discover ephemera serendipitously, among the pages of your rare books. Common finds include pressed flowers, letters, and bookmarks. If your rare book is an association copy, the ephemera could actually add more value—don’t discard it! A few suggestions for maintaining ephemera found in your rare books:
- If you find an item of ephemera in an association copy, leave it where it is if possible. Document where the item is located in the book.
- Isolate items from the book’s pages with acid-free tissue or a Mylar envelope. That will protect both items from chemical damage.
- Some items are thick enough that they may damage the book’s spine if left in place. If that’s the case, remove the item, document its location, and preserve the item as appropriate.
Meanwhile, many collectors find that they want to bring exceptional depth to their already-focused collections. For instance, if you’ve built a collection around Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Tarzan series, the 40th-anniversary issue of Argosy All-Story Weekly would complement your collection wonderfully; it features artwork and mention of Tarzan of the Apes. Just as rare books require special care, so do your ephemera.
- Store items in containers and tissue made from acid- and lignin-free materials. No plastic!
- When storing items flat, stack items largest to smallest. Place acid-free tissue between items.
- You can also use archival manuscript boxes, to store items upright in folders.
- When the manuscript box isn’t completely full, place a stabilizer in the box to keep items from leaning or slouching.
- If items are displayed, use archive-quality materials for encasement.
- Protect your ephemera from UV light, especially sunlight.
- When labeling items, use pencil and write on the acid-free paper around your item. That way no ink can bleed through.
- Larger ephemera can be rolled into an archival core and secured with string.
If you have questions about preserving your ephemera, it’s best to ask an experienced preservationist. To enhance your collection with ephemera, consider a subject-specific bibliography that includes related ephemera.
March 29th, 2012
In March 1959, the people of Tibet were in revolt, rallying for independence from China. But the Chinese government squashed the revolt. The Dalai Lama fled his country and sought refuge in India, where he has resided ever since. Jump forward about fifty years, to March 2011: the Dalai Lama officially announced his retirement as the head of the Tibetan government.
During the intervening decades, Tibet did not gain independence, but the tiny region did gain additional sovereignty. The Dalai Lama has been a critical figure in this transition. Meanwhile, he’s also played a central role in carrying the message of peace and hope around the world.
Dalai Lama as Author
In addition to traveling the globe, the Dalai Lama has spread his message through the written word. Here’s a partial bibliography; you’ll find several of these titles among our new arrivals:
Intriguing History and Tradition
The relative obscurity and intricacy of Tibetan culture have long fascinated the Western world. Austrian mountaineer Harold Harrer’s Seven Years in Tibet documents his days in Tibet from 1944 to 1951. The book was so popular that it was made into a 1997 film starring Brad Pitt. Numerous mountaineers and adventurers have also chronicled their expeditions through Tibet with Sherpa guides.
For the rare book collector, the Dalai Lama’s books and books about Tibet offer an incredible glimpse into a history, culture, and tradition that still holds untold mystery.
March 27th, 2012
Fine press books have remained popular among rare book collectors since the genre emerged in the late nineteenth century. William Morris, who came up with the concept of fine press, wanted to recall the “golden days” of printing and publishing. Fine press books embody artistic taste and beauty.
Shanty Bay Press of Ontario has certainly maintained Morris’ ideals. Established in 1996, the press is devoted to publishing livres d’artists; that is, books where the text and illustrations contribute equally to the book design and aesthetic. Janis Butler is the mastermind behind Shanty Bay Press type-setting, presswork, and binding, while Walter Bachinski is responsible for illustrations.
This month we’ve added a few items from Shanty Bay Press to our inventory.
Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite
Translated by Susan C. Shelmerdine, this piece features a preface by Bachinski. With 3 full-page pochoir illustrations and 3 two-colour woodcuts by Bachinski, Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite is handset on Somerset Satin paper 250 gsm using Bembo type. Only 100 copies were printed.
CIRCUS: The Artist as Saltimbanque
The circus has long fascinated artists and writers alike. Designed jointly by Butler and Bachinski, CIRCUS contains writings and art loosely based around this theme, including excerpts from Apollinaire, Baudelaire, and Twain. The book is hand-set Deepdene on 200 gsm Arches cover. The book is quarter bound in cloth and Somegami paper and is housed in a cloth-covered slipcase. The 4 full-page pochoirs and 8 multi-coloured linocuts created and executed by Bachinski.
Virgil’s Georgics
Translated here by English poet Robert Wells, Virgil’s Georgics is a lengthy poem that evokes agriculture and animal husbandry. A joint effort by Butler and Bachinski, Virgil’s Georgics features 5 pochoirs reflecting the poem’s themes. It is set in Bembo printed on 225 gsm Arches cover with woodcuts printed on Japanese Kurotani 5. Only 67 copies were printed.
March 22nd, 2012
For some people, New Jersey is synonymous with Snooki. But discerning readers and collectors also know it as the home of legendary author Philip Roth. Today is Roth’s 79th birthday, a perfect time to take a fresh look at his literary contributions and achievements.
Roth grew up in Newark, New Jersey, the son of first-generation American parents who were Jews of Galician descent. His family’s heritage—and his childhood in New Jersey—featured prominently in many of his literary works. Indeed, Roth’s writing is often highly autobiographical. His first marriage, to Margaret, Martinson, for example heavily influenced his female characters in several novels including When She Was Good (1967) and My Life as a Man (1974).
When Roth published his first book, Goodbye, Columbus, in 1959, the work immediately earned critical acclaim. The novella and collection of five short stories earned Roth the National Book Award in 1960. He then ventured into novel writing with Letting Go (1962) and When She Was Good. But it was Roth’s third novel, Portnoy’s Complaint (1970) that earned both critical and commercial success. The novel pushed Roth to the forefront of American literature.
Over the next decade, Roth would experiment with various genres like political satire (Our Gang, 1971). He would later address aspects of politics in I Married a Communist (1988), The Human Stain (2000), and The Plot against America (2004). During this period Roth also developed recurring character Nathan Zuckerman, who showed up in several novels and made his final appearance in Exit Ghost (2007). Over the years Roth has remained incredibly productive; his 31st book, Nemesis was published in October, 2010. It was the fourth in a series that includes Everyman, Indignation, and The Humbling.
In total, Roth has earned the National Book Award twice and has been named a finalist four times. He is the only author to win the PEN/Faulkner Award three times, and the first to win the PEN/Saul Bellow Award. His novels have earned two National Book Critics Circle Awards, and another five were finalists. American Pastoral (1997) Roth earned the National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters in 2002. Among his most recent accolades was the 2011 Man Booker International Prize.
March 19th, 2012
March 18 is the birthday of legendary American author John Updike. Best known for the Harry “Rabbit” Angstrom series, Updike published in a variety of genres beyond fiction, including poetry, literary criticism, short stories, and even children’s books.
Updike’s writing career began while he was a student at Harvard University, where he often wrote for the Harvard Lampoon. He aspired to be a cartoonist, and after graduation Updike headed to the Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art. When his family moved to New York, Updike took a position with The New Yorker. He worked there full time for only two years but continued to contribute to the magazine long after, undoubtedly earning him the attention of America’s literati.
Updike and his family eventually relocated to Ipswich, Massachusetts. It was here that Updike wroteRabbit Run (1960), which was later named to Time’s list of All-TIME 100 Greatest Novels. Updike also penned The Centaur (1963) during his Ipswich years, and the novel earned him the National Book Award. Updike would win the award again for Rabbit is Rich 1980). This novel also earned the National Book Critics Circle Award and the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, making it one of very few novels to win all three major American literary prizes.
Rabbit at Rest (1990) completed the Rabbit series—and garnered Updike a second Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. Only William Faulkner and Booth Tarkington have also won the prize twice. Updike often credited the Rabbit character with inspiring him to greatness, nothing that Rabbit was “a brother to me, and a good friend. He opened me up as a writer.”
Meanwhile Updike built a reputation as a writer who documented the infidelities and marital disharmony of middle America, a topic that won him criticism from many different camps. The short story”Couples” (1968), his most famous work on this theme, landed him on the cover of Time under the headline “The Adulterous Society.” Updike addressed the subject of romantic relationships differently in the Maple short stories, which reflect his own marital struggles.
In 1978, Updike broke new ground as an author. He penned The Coup, a novel chronicling an African dictatorship. His next novel, The Witches of Eastwick (1984) also represented new territory for the author. The novel was adapted for the big screen and made its way to Harold Bloom’s list of canonical 20th-century literature. Its sequel, The Widows of Eastwick (2008) was Updike’s last published novel.
Because Updike was both talented and prolific, his works are fertile ground for discerning collectors of rare books. Jack DeBellies and Michael Broomfield published a bibliography of Updike’s works, an instrumental tool to any Updike collector.
March 15th, 2012
Ever hear of “The Turnip Princess”? This unlikely fairy tale is one of over 500 recently discovered in Germany. Compiled by Franz Xaver von Schönwerth in the mid-1800’s, the stories have been locked away in an archive for over 150 years.
Though “The Turnip Princess” may not be the next “Cinderella,” the stories certainly represent hidden gems of cultural history and illustrate the rich tradition of the fairy tale. The canon of children’s literature and folklore are always evolving; our canon will soon undoubtedly include several outstanding authors and illustrators, most notably Charles van Sandwyk.
Charles van Sandwyk’s Exceptional Illustrated Literature
The works of Charles van Sandwyk transcend even the traditional fairy tale. His richly illustrated books have earned recognition not only among children’s book lovers, but also among rare book collectors. Even among fine press books, van Sandwyk’s books stand out for their whimsical illustrations, delicate construction, and captivating stories.
His tales follow the tradition of Aesop’s fables and Beatrix Potter’s stories; van Sandwyk creates charming worlds populated by animals. Simple, elegant prose complements the fine illustrations.
Collectors of Charles van Sandwyk’s books rely on Charles Van Sandwyk: An Interim Bibliography 1983 to 2000. The first book published by Heavenly Monkey, the bibliography itself is a lovely work, collectible in its own right.
March 13th, 2012
Today is the 85th birthday of legendary author Gabriel García Márquez. The Nobel laureate began his writing career as a journalist but established himself as one of the most important authors of the twentieth century. Here’s a look at a few facts you probably didn’t know about Gabriel García Márquez.
- His mother and father’s courtship inspired Love in the Time of Cholera. His father wooed his mother ardently—over the objections of her father, who eventually relented and gave the couple his blessing.
- García Márquez’s grandfather was a Liberal, a war hero, and an incredible storyteller. He would tell young Gabriel stories of civil war, political upheaval, and revolution rather than fairy tales.
- Meanwhile, his grandmother filled his head with stories of magic, omens, and superstitions. It was in her stories that García Márquez found the roots of magical realism.
- García Márquez began his education in law at the University of Cartagena. He soon began writing for the local newspaper and eventually left his studies to pursue journalism.
- García Márquez sparked national furor with his 1955 The Story of the Shipwrecked Sailor, which upended the government’s official story that a storm had caused a tragic shipwreck. The story first appeared in installments in El Espectador, but was published as a book in 1970.
- It took seven years for García Márquez to find a publisher for his first book, Leaf Storm. He has said that this is his favorite of his novels because it’s the most spontaneous and sincere.
- To support his family during the composition of One Hundred Years of Solitude, García Márquez sold his car. But the novel took much longer than expected, so the family lived on credit and owed the landlord nine months’ rent by the time the book was finished.
- García Márquez calls Autumn of the Patriarch a “poem on the solitude of power.” He was moved to write it after watching Venezuelan dictator Marcos Pérez Jiménez—the first dictator in Latin America to fall.
- Though he resolved not to publish again until after Pinochet lost power in Chile, García Márquez finally published Chronicle of a Death Foretold before Pinochet was ousted because he “could not remain silent in the face of injustice and oppression.”
García Márquez will undoubtedly continue to influence and inspire people in all walks of life, all over the world.
March 6th, 2012
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