Rare books from Lorne Bair Rare Books

Urumqi, XinJiang Uyghur Autonomous Region: Cultural Revolution Committee of Urumqi / Xinjiang Army Divisioni, 1967/8. Two extraordinary hand-crafted parade banners, ca. 110" x 84" (9 feet x 7 feet), one slightly smaller. Each entirely composed of hook-work with colored yarns on white muslin backing. Slight age-toning and soil; a few threads loose but no significant losses; Near Fine condition overall. Folded and stored in original velvet draw-string carrying bags, as found. Both banners bear the inscription "Chairman Mao Reviewing the Great Army of the Cultural Revolution," and depict the August, 1966 mass rally at Tiananmen Gate, where more than 10 million Red Guards from all over China converged to express their solidarity with Mao and his second-in-command, Lin Biao. Additional text on the lower banner reads "Long Live Chairman Mao for ten thousand years" and "Sailing in the ocean requires a helmsman" -- both quotes from Lin Biao. The agencies responsible for the banners are identified in lower… Read More

[Baghdad: S.i., ca.1943-44]. Original illustrated poster, offset printed in five colors on beige stock, measuring 56.75cm x 72.75cm (22.25" x 28.5"). Signed "FAIK H" (in plate) at lower left corner. Two old folds smoothed out, trivial wear to intersection of folds at center, with a handful of short marginal tears and attendant creases; unbacked; Very Good+. Superb example of this agricultural-themed wartime propaganda poster designed by Iraqi painter Faeq Hassan (1914-1992), widely heralded as "the father of Iraqi modern art." Born poor in Baghdad, Hassan showed an early aptitude for art. When he was 12 he visited his uncle, a gardener in the royal palace for King Faisal I; when the King saw his drawing of a horse drinking from a river, he recognized his talent instantly, and offered him a scholarship. Faisal died in 1933, while Hassan was still in high school, though his successor, King Ghazi, carried out his father's will and send him to the École des Beaux-Arts, Paris, in 1935. After returning… Read More

Paris: Maurice Lachatre et Cie, [1872-1875]. First French Edition. Large octavo (28.5cm.); original parts bound in early 20th century blue cloth, gilt-lettered spine; 351pp.; pictorial half title and title pages, full-paged steel-engraved portrait and facsimile, additional vignettes throughout; text printed in double column. Boards a bit rubbed and corners bumped, foxing and toning to preliminaries as well as minor dampstaining to last few leaves of text, light foxing to rear cover; overall Very Good and sound. First appearance in French of Marx's "Das Kapital," the translation the only such to have been executed with the collaboration of the author, whose letter to Lachatre appears in facsimile on p. [7]: "J'applaudis à votre idée de publier la traduction de 'Das Kapital' en livraisons périodiques. Sous cette forme l'ouvrage sera plus accessible à la classe ouvrière et pour moi cette considération l'emporte sur toute autre" ("I congratulate you on your idea to publish the translation of 'Das… Read More

New York: Reynal and Hitchcock, 1944. First Edition. First Printing. Octavo (21.25cm); yellow cloth, with titles stamped in black and red on spine and front cover; dustjacket; [x],179,[3]pp. Signed by Miller in blue ball-point pen on the title page. Spine ends gently nudged, some trivial wear to lower board edges, with a hint of sunning to upper board edges, and a faint, shallow stain to lower edge of rear cover; Near Fine. Dustjacket is unclipped (priced $2.00), with two tiny tears at crown, and a faint vertical crease along left joint; a bright, very Near Fine example. Laid into this copy is an untitled seven-page carbon typescript on onionskin (8" x 10.5"), written by Miller in 1943, relating details about the book's conception; horizontal fold at center, staple holes at upper left corner, with two neat punctures along left margin; Very Good+. Attractive copy of the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright's first book, based on his experiences researching the war correspondence of journalist Ernie Pyle.… Read More

V.p.: 1946-47. Archive of six TNS (typed notes, signed), five TLS (typed letters, signed), and one Western Union telegram from Upton Sinclair to the Paris literary agent and translator Jean-Robert Lamour (better known by his pseudonym, Yves Malartic). Together with ten of Lamour's retained carbons of communications to Sinclair and others. Correspondence spans the period January, 1946 to December, 1947, and deals with Lamour's efforts to secure publishing contracts for French-language translations of Sinclair's works including The Jungle, They Call Me Carpenter, Our Lady, and others, as well as Sinclair's ongoing work on the Lanny Budd series. Sinclair's letters range from notes of as few as four lines to letters of two pages, the entirety comprising approximately 2500 words, with numerous hand-corrections and signatures in blue or black ink. Lamour's letters to Sinclair comprise nine pieces of correspondence (of which three are partial) and one draft contract, with a total of approximately 3000… Read More

[N.p.: S.i., 1934]. Holograph manuscript, composed in dark blue ink on 152 numbered leaves (rectos), and housed in a bespoke chemise and slipcase by Barrieri. With presentation inscription from Cobb to MGM film produced and screenwriter Samuel Marx (in pencil) at upper right corner of title leaf: "Original manuscript copy for Sam Marx Esq / with my compliments / Irvin S. Cobb." A heavily-revised draft, with extensive holograph additions and elisions (in pencil and in pen) throughout, marking substantial textual differences between this and the final draft of the screenplay. Mild wear and handling; preliminary leaves with faint creasing to extremities, with subtle toning to title leaf; Very Good+ or better. Slipcase with some light wear and minute board exposure to points around opening, else Near Fine. Early, unpublished manuscript treatment of the 1939 Paramount Studios film Our Leading Citizen, directed by Alfred Santell, with a screenplay by Jack Moffitt. A "Capital vs. Labor" story, set in a… Read More

New York: Cameron & Kahn, 1955. First Edition. Original illustration, composed in ink, gouache, and drybrush on art paper, measuring 30.5cm x 31.5cm (12" x 12.5"); titled by Kent in pencil along the lower margin ("Jacket design for The Judgment of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, by James Wexley"), and signed by him (in pencil) at lower right corner. Faint trace of soil to margins, with a small patch (5cm x 1cm) of correction fluid applied toward upper left corner of image; mounted on mat board along upper edge, tastefully double-matted behind glass and gallery frame. Offered together with a first printing of the book. Octavo (22cm); brown paper-covered boards and beige cloth backstrip, with titles stamped in black on spine; dustjacket; xiv,672pp. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author to the Sobell family on the front endpaper: "To Helen and Morton, Sidney [sic] and Mark / For that great day soon! John Wexley." Extremities worn, with board exposure along lower edges, and some soil and staining to… Read More

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, xviii-xxi]. Putney, VT: 1839-1842. Seventeen individual issues (30cm), each 8pp. Some disbound, with sewing holes and remnants of thread, others never bound. With one leaf from vol. I no. vi. Largely whole, with small clippings excised from vol. I nox. xxii and vol. II no. xii; vol. II no. xviii lacking two leaves. Condition varies, with some issues clean and fresh, others battered at edges, with splits along folds, occasional foxing and minor dampstaining: overall, Good and sometimes better. DARE 1543. The Perfectionist [later issues titled: Perfectionist and Theocratic Watchman] [vols III-IV complete, vol. V nos 1-2, 5, 8, 11, 13, 15, 16, 24]. Putney,… Read More

Paris: Dufour et E. D'Ocagne, 1825. Third edition. Quarto (32cm). Seven volumes, complete, in modern half black morocco, green cloth over boards, titled in gilt on spines and fronts; modern marbled endpapers; vol. I: [vi],194,340pp; vol. II part I: [iv],IV,237,[1],[229]-232pp; vol. II part 2: [iv],[239]-648pp; vol. III: [iv],412pp; vol. IV: [iv],514pp; vol. V part 1: [iv],405,[1]pp; vol. V part 2: [iv], 547,[1]pp; 277 engraved plates (including frontispiece, one plate with hand color, and 2 maps), 1 letterpress folding table. Straight and sound, with occasional scattered browning and soil, a few page corners neatly restored, one plate margin trimmed close to image area, but largely clean and bright: Very Good. Third edition of the work in which Cuvier demonstrated the reality of extinction, through detailed examination of fossils; a cornerstone work in paleontology, biology, and geology. Earlier editions appeared in 1812 and 1821-24. When Cuvier began his research in the late eighteenth century, it… Read More

[Garden City]: Doubleday, Doran & Company, 1941. Limited Edition. No. 148 of one thousand sets, signed by Kipling in the first volume. Twenty-eight octavo volumes; red gilt-blocked beveled cloth, top edges gilt, fore- and bottom edges untrimmed; in uniform dustjackets. Front endpapers with printed bookplates of Harry Bishop Clapp (to each pastedown) and James Glen Mead (to each free endpaper). The latter have caused some mild rippling to the endleaves, else a fresh, fine set in the original printed dustwrappers, uniformly fine and free of darkening or wear. The authoritative edition of Kipling's works, rarely found in the original dustwrappers and almost unheard of in this condition, certainly the finest set to reach the market in the past twenty or more years. RICHARDS D25.

Palo Alto, CA; Rome; Holllins, VA, 1957-1970. A small but substantial archive of Cowley family correspondence, comprised of 44 items (38 letters and six post cards) on 56 pages, mostly 4to, various places (Palo Alto, CA; Rome; Hollins College) but primarily from the Cowleys' principal residence in Sherman, CT. All addressed to their son Robert and his wives, first Blair, and then Susan (Cheever), Nov. 30, 1957 - Sept. 17, 1970. 23 letters and all 6 post cards are in Muriel's hand, the remaining 15 letters in Malcolm's, though almost all of the letters are written as from both parents. All the letters are in Very Good to Fine condition, many with original mailing envelopes. Also included are five retained carbons of letters from Robert to Malcolm, and six miscellaneous items including the engraved invitation to Robert and Susan Cheever's wedding as well as notes from Robert's children and first wife Blair. An extensive, widely informative and intensely personal series of letters from the Cowleys to… Read More

Camden, NJ: By the Author, 1876. The so-called "Author's Edition," actually the third printing of the fifth edition (600 copies). Second issue, with integral title leaf. Signed by Whitman in ink on title page; additionally inscribed in Whitman's hand on front free endpaper: "Henry King / from the author." Original cream leather spine and corners over marbled boards; bright yellow coated endpapers; 384,[3] + 1pp ads. Evidence of old professional strengthening to front and rear joints (external); leather spine and corners have darkened to tan, as usual; a few leaves with brief marginal tears, not affecting text. A generally clean, Very Good copy in the original binding. BAL 21412. MYERSON A.2.5.c.(2). The Author's edition of Leaves of Grass was issued uniform with Two Rivulets in August, 1876, and the two titles were advertised for purchase separately or as a set. Many if not most copies were signed by Whitman on the title page, and it is not altogether uncommon to find copies with additional… Read More

Edinburgh: J. Ruthven for G. G. J. and J. Robinson, 1790. First Edition. First printing. Quarto (30cm). Five volumes bound in contemporary acid-sprinkled calf, board edges and spine bands tooled in gilt, titled on leather spine labels, all edges sprinkled blue; plain endpapers; I: [xii],lxxxiv,535,[1]pp; II: [iv],viii,718pp; III: [iv],viii,759,[1]pp; IV: [iv],viii,695,[1]pp; V: [iv],xiv,230,[12]pp; 61 plates, including 3 folding maps, intaglio headpieces, and 7pp of Ethiopian languages (Ge'ez, Amharic, etc.) in vol. I. Complete, including half-titles. Generally an appealing set, lightly rubbed, with leather over joints cracking but cords generally sound (front joint of vol. V tender); two spine labels detached, on vols I and III; vol. I with tidemarks more or less throughout, other volumes clean apart from occasional scattered foxing and offsetting; f.f.e.p. of vol. I partly detached: Very Good. James Bruce of Kinnaird (1730-1794) spent five years attempting to locate the source of the Nile. He… Read More

Boston: Ticknor, Reed, and Fields, 1850. First Edition. First and only printing, with the contents listed on pp.iii-iv and without the preface added in the second edition. Octavo (19cm). Blindstamped brown cloth, titled in gilt on spine, pale yellow endpapers; iv,322pp. Title page printed in two colors. With Hawthorne's signature clipped from a Salem Custom-House document, and tipped in facing title page. Bookplate of Francis H. Underwood to front pastedown. Former dealer's pencil notes to front free e.p. A skillfully rebacked copy, with original backstrip laid down; expert conservation to board corners; straight, sound, and complete, the text quite fresh; Very Good. An appealing copy, despite the repairs, with Hawthorne's signature clipped from a customs document. Hawthorne famously wrote the novel while working at the Salem Custom House, and opened it with a frame narrative in which the narrator discovers the preserved scarlet A itself. A significant association copy, bearing the bookplate of the… Read More

New York: The Viking Press, 1939. First Edition. First edition, with "First Published in April 1939" on copyright page and first edition notice on front flap of dust jacket. 8vo., publisher's heavy grain decorated beige cloth. A near fine copy in like dustjacket, bright, clean and fresh. Housed in a tailor made leather spined case. Inscribed by the author to the front flyleaf: "For Jules and Joyce and also Joan with love John Steinbeck." Beneath the signature is one of Steinbeck's irreverent flying pig sketches (or "Pigasus" if you prefer), generally an indication that the recipient of his presentation was a close and valued friend,or someone he held in high esteem. In this case it was Jules Buck, and Joyce Gates, with their young daughter, Joan. Jules Buck started out as John Huston's camerman for his wartime documentaries ("Winning Your Wings", "Let There Be Light" etc.) and then grew into an influential producer, both in the US and abroad. Although having a sketchy working relationship with… Read More