Utopian Thought from Lorne Bair Rare Books

Findlay, OH: New Columbia Publishing Co, 1909. First Edition. Octavo (20cm); light grey pictorial cloth stamped in dark green and orange; vii,[3],99,[1],[1](ad)pp. Inscribed by the author on the front pastedown: "Otto D. Donnell / I want you to read the / last chapter and ask / your good wife to read the / first. I want to make her… Read more about this item

[NY]: [Oneida Community], [n.d. but ca 1886]. Single sheet (20x13cm) steel engraving. Slightly rubbed with minor dirt to extremities: Very Good. Vignetted head-and-shoulders portrait of John Humphrey Noyes (1811-1886), founder of the Oneida Community, as a mature man. J. C. Buttre (1821-1893) was a prolific line engraver, based in New York from 1841 (Stauffer, American Engravers I, p. 38-9).… Read more about this item

London: Saxon & Co, 1887. First Edition. First printing. Octavo (20cm). Blue cloth stamped in gilt; light green floral patterned endpapers; xx,483,[3]pp; one-page publisher's advertisement at rear; frontispiece, black and white plates. Lightly rubbed, corners bumped, minor marks to cloth, but generally Very Good. "Metlakatla Pass, Canada, is at an ancestral Tsimshian village where William Duncan (1832-1918)… Read more about this item

N.p., n.d. [Boston?: 1838]. Broadside, 53cm x 39cm. Text in five columns beneath headline. Issued without imprint, but introduced as follows: "To the Members of the Legislature of Massachusetts, now in Session..." Old folds; a few thin splits, with no loss to text; complete and Good. A large and substantial broadside, printing the text of Owen's address… Read more about this item

Superior, WI: Työmies Society, n.d. (ca 1940s). First Edition. Octavo (21cm); light blue card wrappers, printed in red and navy blue; [4],5-143,[1]pp; text is entirely in Finnish. Gentle sunning and light wear to spine and extremities, with some dust-soil to lower front wrapper; contents clean; Very Good+. Uncommon novel (in Finnish) set in the Kalevan Kansa Colony,… Read more about this item

[n.p.]: [Oneida Community], [n.d.]. Octavo (21cm). Stapled pamphlet, text beginning on front page; [4]pp. Whole and sound, with many small spots of discoloration, minor chips and short (1/8-inch) tears to lower margin: Good or better. Reprinted excerpt from The Berean, an 1847 collection of Noyes' theological articles sometimes called the "Perfectionist's Bible" (Wells p.11).

New York: Holton Publishing Co, [n.d.]. Second and Abridged Edition. Octavo (24cm). Original orange paper wraps, printed on front; 8pp. Complete as issued, though text ends mid-sentence. A whole and sound copy, bumped at lower edge, with minor dirt to wrapper: Very Good. Revised excerpts from John Humphrey Noyes' The Berean, an 1847 collection of Noyes' theological articles sometimes… Read more about this item

[n.p.]: [Oneida Community], [n.d., but ca. 1889]. Octavo (21cm). Stapled pamphlet without wraps; 8pp. Minor discoloration around staple, occasional spots of foxing, gently rubbed, but overall: Very Good. An account of a visit to the Oneida Community's Mansion House after its transition to a Joint Stock Company in 1881, including chats with former members, a short history of the… Read more about this item

Oneida, NY: Office of Oneida Circular, 1872. First Thus. Second edition. Octavo (23cm). In printed blue paper wraps; 24pp; list of other Oneida publications to rear wrapper. Gently rubbed, staining to wrappers and first two leaves, else Very Good. A singular aspect of Noyes's Pefectionist philosophy, as practiced by his followers at Oneida, was the sanctification of… Read more about this item

Kenwood, [NY]: [Oneida Community], 1903. First Edition. First printing. Pamphlet (20x13.5cm) on white paper; 4pp. Apparently never circulated: Near Fine. Seymour, an original member of the Oneida Community, describes the Community's practice of complex marriage, as a response to an account of NYC prostitution. He asks whether the "Oneida Community's method of bringing the sexes together is preferable [.… Read more about this item

Putney, VT, 1844-45. Folio (40cm). Bound volume in tan card wraps; 96pp. Minor wear and rubbing to binding, dampstaining to first eleven issues: Good. Bi-monthly organ of Noyes's community of Bible Communists, a successor publication to The Witness (and beginning at vol. III, where the Witness had left off). "Theological articles defending Noyes's theological position predominated," along with reports… Read more about this item

Putney, VT, 1843-44. First Edition. Folio (40cm). Issues stitched together in plain paper wraps. Minor dirt, browning, and occasional dampstains to wrappers; internally clean and crisp: Very Good. Bi-monthly organ of Noyes's community of Bible Communists, a successor publication to The Witness (and beginning at vol. III, where the Witness had left off). "Theological articles defending Noyes's… Read more about this item

Oneida, NY: Oneida Community, 1876. Single octavo issue (36cm). 8pp, with ads for community publications and products. Whole, with sewing holes, browned: Good or better. From the newspaper of the Oneida Community, with articles on arctic exploration, the acquisition at Wallingford of a Turkish bath, community news, jokes about the coming millenium utopia, and an excerpt from John Humphrey… Read more about this item

[Oneida, NY]: Oneida Community, 1874. Second Edition. Octavo (22cm). Stab-sewn pamphlet in light brown paper wraps; 39, [1]pp; list of Oneida publications on rear cover. Wrappers heavily toned at margins, one or two tiny chips to wraps at edges, else Very Good. William Hepworth Dixon had visited the Oneida Community in 1866 and published descriptions of it… Read more about this item

Oneida, NY, et al.: Oneida Community, 1839-1879. First Edition. The Perfectionist [vol. I nos 1&2 condensed]. New Haven, CT: 1835. Second edition. One folio issue (40cm), 4pp. Split along fold, with damage to margins, small spots of discoloration: Good. DARE 1517. The Witness [vol. I nos xx, xxii, xxv; vol. II nos ii, iv-vi, viii, xi-xii, xiv-xvi,… Read more about this item

Oneida Reserve: Oneida Community, 1848-50. First Edition. Octavo (22cm). Disbound textblock; [193]-382pp. A sturdy copy, though lacking a binding, final leaf browned and worn but generally clean aside from dampstaining to fore-edge: Good or better. Successor to The Perfectionist and Theocratic Watchman, intended to circulate and review Noyes' ideas on perfectionism as well as "other and all… Read more about this item

Putney, VT, 1844-45. First Edition. Folio (40cm). Bound volume in blue card wraps, backed in sheep, with printed label to front; 96pp. Minor wear and rubbing to binding, minor dampstains to boards, internally lightly browned, largely clean aside from dampstain to upper corner of first third of textblock, and crisp: Very Good. Bi-monthly organ of Noyes's community of Bible… Read more about this item

[n.p.]: Manawatu Herald, 1908. Broadside (22x14cm). Printed on one side of white paper. Rubbed, with small creases and tiny tears at edges: Very Good. Anecdotes about "Father Noyes," founder of the Oneida Community in upstate New York, describing his charisma and "queen-bee quality of attracting all to him"--a useful trait in the leader of a commune. Not in DARE;… Read more about this item

Oneida Reserve, NY: Oneida Community, 1851. First Edition. First printing. Octavo (24cm). Each issue 16pp. Some with sewing holes, some without. Rubbed, with some soiling, foxing, and occasional dampstaining, but largely whole: Good. A complete run of vol. IV of the publication, which succeeded The Spiritual Magazine. Noyes wrote that the name change was more cosmetic than substantive, as… Read more about this item

Oneida, NY: Oneida Community, 1861. First Edition. Single folio issue (46cm). 4pp; ads on p.1 for Community products and publications; wood engraving of the Community Dwelling at Oneida. Whole, though rubbed, browned, and chipped at edges: Very Good. Special issue describing the Community's structure, habits, and doctrines, for questioners. Includes explanations and discussions of Bible Communism, mutual criticism, the… Read more about this item