Rare books from Eclectibles

Glass lacking on frame.. A grouping of materials belonging to John D. Ripley found by a descendant among papers in the of the Putnam-Houser House in 1981. Contents include:A 12" x 15" scherenschnitte or cut-work paper valentine with elongated floral design and circular decorative elements at border. Center has a hand-penned verse reading "This Valentine I sent to You As evidence of high respect, And when you read if e'er you do, Don't treat this missive with neglect. Intricately cut from one sheet of paper. Few separations and light water stains. Housed in mahogany frame. It is accompanied by a silk punch paper sampler bookmark depicting a rose and the name John Ripley. The punch work measures 2 1/4" x 5". The bookmark was found in the family Bible, 1857. Also includes a polished stock visiting card and embossed envelope addressed to John Ripley Esq. Accompanying the material is a note card signed by J. H. Houser Jr., describing the materials. This is all accompanied by a typewritten genealogy… Read More

Philadelphia: David McKay Co, 1932. The overall condition is very good. There is the slightest hint of wearing on the spine and corner of the cover. Binding is tight. The pages are discolored due to age, otherwise minimal damage.. In a darker story for Beatrix Potter, she retells the classic folk tale of Bluebeard. It is told from the perspective of Anne, the sister to the eighth wife of Bluebeard. 154 pages. 12 full page illustrations done by Katharine Sturges. First edition, first issue. The frontispiece illustration incorrectly tipped in opposite page 7, instead of the title page, as it was in later copies. It is one of the lesser known of Beatrix Potter's work, and is different from her famous stories, like Peter Rabbit, in both style and subject. Blue cloth binding, hardcover, with glint stamping on spine and front board. 7 3/4" x 5 1/4" Sister Anne was the last story written by Beatrix Potter and published while she was alive. It was only published in the United States.

Paris: H. Camus, 1870. Overall condition is good. This six piece wooden puzzle with applied depicts a critical scene in the life of little Tom Thumb. The color lithograph is done by H. Jannin depicts the two parents at a table by a fire with sad expressions, as the caption reveals that the mother and father have decided to "loose" Tom in the forest. The mother has her hands clasped beneath her chin and the father with a hand over his heart to convey the difficult decision they made. All the while, Little Tom is eavesdropping right behind them. The puzzle is simple and is doable for a small child. Measures 6 3/4" x 5

1900. Strong color. Well executed.. An elegantly designed 6 1/8" handmade watercolor paper doll in the style of Marie Antoinette and her eight (8) elaborately detailed costumes, six (6) with accompanying hats. Predominantly court dresses; one is "playing a guitar". Reverse is blank. "Marie Antoinette paper dolls - Costumes copied from portraits and paintings" penned on envelope the paper doll was found in.

1910. Light edge wear from handling.. Childhood Architecture, Paper Playthings, Paper Dolls, Pretend Play, Made by Hand Executed in watercolor, pen and ink with pencil narrative and instructions. Each room includes an exterior wall with windows appropriately adorned, furnishing to construct and in three instances the paper doll occupants, including costumes for "sister" who is in the sitting room with her friend. The instructions are comprehensive and the designs intricate. The nursery includes the nurse with baby and one costume. Furnishings include a cradle, carriage changing table and dresser. The Dining-Room, again in the Arts & Craft style includes a table and chairs and sideboard with tea service for placement on the table. The maid is sweeping. The bedroom includes a bed, dresser and chairs with accessories including stand of pictures of mother and father and flowers for the dressing table. Each sheet measure 16 1/2" x 11

Light wear.. A collection of 29 different rebus puzzles found in ephemera of everyday life. Rebus puzzles are used to catch the eye, draw attention to the subject at hand, to educate and help develop language skills or strictly for entertainment. The collection includes Lottery ticket - 1817 - A 7 3/4" x 4 1/2" UK New Year's lottery announcement with a comprehensive rebus and a printed translation at base. - All Sterling Money - No Stock Prizes Christmas & New Year Greetings - from 1870s-80s a very simple two pictogram card and a second elaborate message both wishes seasons greetings. Advertising trade cards - 1860s-1880s An array of 9 trade cards including an 1860s white on black rebus of almost exclusively pictograms, cards that incorporate the product into the rebus such as the 1880s Durham Smoking Tobacco card, French Shoe black or Chart Oak Stove a card incorporating the address of The Briggs Excursion Fleet in the rebus as a holiday greeting for 1881 generic rebus cards with merchant… Read More

Esslingen bei Stuttgart: J. F. Schreiber, 1888. A portion of the left brick archway is lacking. Separations at base where cover attaches to fold-down pop-up. A vibrant triptych of three (3) pop-up scenes including the three Wisemen, passersby, shepherds, sheep, the cattle and an angel holding a palm branch. The actual crib scene and the Star of Bethlehem are part of the background scene. Brick and wooden building tier separates the pop-ups from the manger. The stable on the left houses the cow and hay. There is a seated camel and wiseman pop-up in the foreground The second the manger scene. There is a wiseman atop a richly draped camel on the right. All depicted in four layers. Measures 14" x 31" when standing upright.

Barcelona: 1911-1929. Very good to fine. Light wear/short tears to wrappers, with little to no text loss.. A robust run of El Consultor de los Bordados, a Barcelona periodical that began in 1905 and was popular throughout the first half of the twentieth century. Here, we offer 62 numbers ranging in date from June 1911 to May 1929. Each issue is in its original printed wrappers (13" by 9") and contains one or more large (approx. 17.25" by 26") folded lithographed transfer embroidery patterns. Offered together with 50+ loose supplements, some colored, dating from the same period. Strikingly visual, together the issues paint a picture of the ubiquity of Catalan Modernisme in Barcelona at this time. Influences from local folk culture, Japanese art, and even Ancient Egyptian art are also present. A full listing of numbers is available on request. Full listing of numbers: 1 June 1911 16 June 1911 1 July 1911 1 Sept 1911 1 Oct 1911 1 Dec 1911 16 April 1912 16 Feb 1918 16 May 1918 1 and 16 July 1918 [rest… Read More

Augusta, Georgia: Scottish Rite Guard, 1933. Very good. Center crease, minor dust soiling.. Printed program advertising a 1933 performance given by Hungarian hypnotist Fulop Voros in Augusta, Georgia. The performance was divided into two parts: "Experiments in Telepathy", and "Hypnotics". The latter includes psychic healing and group hypnotism; the former consists of audience participation, "finding [a] hidden object", "spontaneous tests", and "Re-enacting [a] complicated murder scene carried out by members of the audience during the absence of Mr. Voros." A note to the audience is included at the end of the program: "Due to the enormous strain to which Mr. Voros is subjected during his demonstration, it is requested that the audience remain quiet and given him their absolute attention." Bifolium (9" by 6"), with photographic reproduction of a charcoal drawing of Voros on cover, and advertisements on back. The strange talents of Fulop Voros are described in the program as first appearing during a… Read More

Baltimore, Maryland: Bolgiano Water Motor Co, 1894. Fine. Some rust to grommet.. Printed receipt (5.5" by 8.5") acknowledging the sale of a gas iron from the Bolgiano Water Motor Company of Baltimore, Maryland, to the Hendrick Manufacturing Company of Carbondale, Pennsylvania. Depicts a clever water-powered sewing machine in upper left-hand corner of the receipt, powered by the company's proprietary water motor that "will run Sewing Machines, Fans, Scroll Saws, Coffee Mills, Lathes, Printing Presses, Grindstones, Ice Cream Freezers, Washing Machines, etc." (recto). Attached with small grommet to receipt acknowledging the same transaction on Hendrick letterhead, measuring 7" by 8.5

Boston, Massachusetts: Draper and Hall, 1871. Very good. Short tears at horizontal letter folds; in delicate condition.. Illustrated advertising bifolium (8" by 5.25") for Draper and Hall's Riding School, "The Largest Riding-School in New England" (back). Features illustration of an elegant women riding on the front. Rules, terms, prices, and boarding services are advertised within, as well as musical evenings for the public.

1930. Very good to fine; minor wear to extremities.. A quirky illustrated facsimile of an eighteenth-century treatise written as a hoax. The disgruntled author had been rejected by the Royal Society for membership in 1750, and his response was to publish proof "that a Woman may conceive, and be brought to Bed, without any Commerce with a Man". A facsimile of the 1750 edition was published in 1885 (edited by Edmund Goldsmid), and this edition is a facsimile of THAT edition, with added in-text illustrations. Only some of the illustrations pertain to the subject matter (there is a cartoonish gynecologist which vaguely relates to the topic, but there is also a stick figure on a sail boat that appears to be random?), but all exude a playfulness and derision that echoes text's origin as a hoax/satire. No copies of this edition are recorded in OCLC (March 2022). 8vo (9.5" by 6.5"), pp. [6], 32, [2], with in-text illustrations, stapled in original illustrated blue wrappers.

Cincinnati, Ohio: The Palm Brothers Co, 1920. Fine.. A colorful booklet advertising the decals, window signs, and transfers produced by the Palm Brothers Company: "The purpose of this Brochure is to explain to you the trade-marking, advertising and decorative uses of PALM BROTHERS DECALCOMANIA TRANSFERS. They assure perfect reproduction, in colors; are easily applied and their cost is moderate. The knowledge herein is of value to you" (title-page). Aside from serving advertising or branding purposes, the transfers can also be used as transfer patterns for china, linens, or silks. Each product is illustrated with multiple examples. 8vo (7.5" by 5.25"), pp. 12, with chromolithograph illustrations in-text. Stapled in original illustrated wrappers. The Palm Brothers Co. was incorporated in 1868, and sold to the American Decal Manufacturing Company in 1956.

[Chicago, Illinois]: Western News Co, 1870. Toned, one small water stain to plate 9, else fine. Lacking original printed wrapper. Plate 7 appears to be from a different printing.. First printing of "The Heathen Chinee", subtitled "Plain Language from Truthful James", a series of nine (9) lithographic plates based on the narrative poem by Bret Harte (1836-1902). Steeped in Anti-Chinese sentiment, the plates tell the story of a Chinese immigrant named "Ah Sin" who cheats at cards, instigating a violent mob. Plate No. 6 summarizes the overall message of the tale: "We are ruined by Chinese cheap labor". Each plate measures approx. 7.25" by 5.5"; versos blank. Lacking original printed wrapper. OCLC - 7 (Mar 2022). Ironically, Bret Harte (1836-1902) opposed Anti-Chinese sentiment publicly in the 1860s. One reading of "The Heathen Chinee" argues that, as the white men are cheating too, the message is more ambiguous than it appears. Institutional sale only - to be contextualized for educational purposes.

New York & Chicago: O. L. Schwencke, 1907. Cover wear. A 66 pp. salesman sample of deeply embossed gilt embellished cigar labels produced by O. L. Schwencke. Elaborate and intricately designed. Elegant women, royalty, spotted trout, privileged gentlemen, road houses, cigarette in progress (silver ash), scenes from nature, Indigenous peoples , Cuba, Puerto Rica, Transportation and much more. Each with a label number and pricing information. Measures 6.5 by 9.75 inches. Gilt stamped boards. Only Schwenke and Schlegel were the only two independent cigar label printers who stayed independent from the American Lithographing Company. Schwenke was an important producer of elaborate embossed chromolithographed cigar box labels.