American History

Halle: Johann Justinus Gebauer, 1752, 1753. 1st. Hardcover. Very good. Compiled and translated by Johann Friedrich Schröter. The introduction by Baumgarten is first published here and contains footnotes that are a list of books published on the Americas prior to the publication of this work. In original paper boards with titles stamped on leather labels on the spines. Complete with eight maps and sixty one plates, including frontispiece in volume one. Plates are bound into the rear of each volume on blank leaves and pull out of the text block. Each single page plate is folded once into the text block and were designed not to rest against any other printing so that none of the plates have any offsetting and have remained clean and bright. Part One is mainly a translation of MOEURS DES SAUVAGES AMERICAINS COMPARES AUX MOEURS DES PREMIERS TEMPS by Joseph Francois Lafiteau and published in Paris in 1723, which describes with great detail the customs, religious beliefs and social organization of… Read More

Folio, recently rebound in calf, consists of 7 books in one volume, folding map (linen-backed), [30], map, 38, [2], 75, 238, [2], 128-222, 100, 88, 118, [4] pp. As usual, lacking errata leaves, and first two blanks, left half of map made up in facsimile, first signature A (AN ATTESTATION, which should be bound after the title page is placed before the map) is bound incorrectly after D (per Church and Holmes). All preliminaries are present. Minor marginal annotations, dampstaining affecting upper inner quarter of the first three books, some chips and folds in corners, occasional soiling, and wax remnant on title, leaves 6L2 and 6L3 with smaller margins, apparently taken from another copy; modern bookplate tipped in on front pastedown. First ad leaf out of register and trim, the other worn and extended at the inner margin, both with slight loss of text. Handsomely rebound in full panel calf, sewn endbands, title label on spine. The first edition of Cotton Mather's (1663-1728) Magnalia Christi Americana… Read More

Boston, MA: Prentiss Whitney / Boston Bewick Company, 1835. Broadside. Fine. 26 x 21 x 1.0. Broadside. Condition: Fine. Prentiss Whitney / Boston Bewick Company, Boston, MA 1835. 1 pages. Paper on cloth backing, hand-colored, covered with a thin ancient layer of protective lacquer or varnish. No folds or tears. Short wrinkles on the untaut paper surface. Framed in glass. Size: 26 x 21 x 1.0. An imposing and beautiful broadside document! Prentiss Whitney of Boston, Massachusetts published this beautiful copy of the Declaration of Independence. It is approximately 26"" tall by 21"" wide. It has a four-line title printed in 4 different fonts. The text of the document is primarily in a handscript font, with some words enlarged and bolded in print type of four different fonts. Bottom section contains the signature replicas. The entire document is surrounded by two intertwined vines which encircle 13 state medallions (filled with symbolic vignettes) and an eagle and shield Federal medallion. Vines and… Read More

NP. No Date. Circa 1925. FIRST, AND ONLY, EDITION. Oblong octavo. Illustrated with 8 hand blocked, hand coloured cocktail napkins mounted into the book among text pages. White printed boards with later plain burgundy cloth tape spine. Light soiling to binding and the glue a little loose on a few napkin corners but overall in very good condition. An amusing cocktail recipe book with eight richly hand-coloured napkins tipped in. Produced during Prohibition (with "non-alcoholic" wryly inserted after every alcoholic ingredient). "Dedicated to serious drinkers everywhere" with history and recipes for the following cocktails: Manhattan, Blue Blazer, Deadwood Duck, Rip Van Winkle Sleeper, Belmont Park, Alabama, Barbary Coast, New Orleans Drip. An extremely attractive and rare piece of Prohibition Americana.

George Wingate entered the Civil War as a private in the New York State Guard. He soon discovered that the militia had very poor shooting skills, and devoted himself to correcting that failing. By the end of the war he had been promoted to Captain, and was recognized as a leading expert on marksmanship training. William Conant Church was the editor of the Army and Navy Journal. After the war he recognized Wingate's expertise and asked him to write a series of articles on marksmanship and rifle training which he published in the Journal.
These articles were immediately widely and highly acclaimed. Church and Wingate decided an organization was needed to facilitate the spread of this knowledge, and together founded The National Rifle Association. The articles from the Army and Navy Journal were collected, and along with additional material were published in 1872 as "Manual for Rifle Practice".
Wingate makes reference following the Preface that this is the Second… Read More

1804. Philadelphia: Printed and Sold by James Humphreys. Philadelphia: Printed and Sold by James Humphreys. First American Edition of Montefiore's Fascinating Commercial Dictionary Montefiore, Joshua [1762-1843]. A Commercial Dictionary: Containing the Present State of the Mercantile Law, Practice and Custom. With Very Considerable Additions Relative to the Laws, Usages, and Practice of the United States. Philadelphia: Printed and Sold by James Humphreys, 1804. Three volumes. li, [2], 54-562, [6]; [ii], 481, [3]; 479, [1] pp. 4 pp. publisher advertisements at rear of each volume. Subscriber list at beginning of Volume I. Octavo (8-1/2" x 5"). Period-style speckled goatskin, lettering pieces, gilt fillets and gilt volume numbers to spines, speckled edges, endpapers renewed. Moderate toning, light foxing and ink spots to a few leaves in each volume. A handsome copy of a scarce title. $4,500. * First American edition, based on the 1803 London edition with a considerable addition of American material.… Read More

A New and Complete System of Universal Geography; Describing Asia, Africa, Europe, and America; with their Subdivisions of Republics, States, Empires and Kingdoms; the Extent, Boundaries, and Remarkable Appearances of each Country; Cities, Towns, and Curiosities of Nature and Art. [1798, 1800, 1799, 1799 sequentially]Also giving a general account of the Fossil and Vegetable Productions of the Earth, the History of Man, in all Climates, Regions, and Conditions; Customs, Manners, Laws, Governments, and Religions; the State of Arts, Sciences, Commerce, Manufactures, and Knowledge...To Which is Added, A View of Astronomy, as Connected with Geography; Of the Planetary System to Which the Earth Belongs; ...with a Copious Index annexed to each volume, Being a large and comprehensive Abridgement of Universal Geography.By John Payne. with Additional Corrections and Improvements from the Latest and Best Authors. by James Hardie, A.M. Author of Principles of Latin Grammar, the American Remembrances, and… Read More

Rare books, documents, correspondence, and ephemera, 1964. Chambers, Whittaker: Witness: New York: Random House, 1952. First edition, first printing. Octavo. Original black boards and red top-stain and original dust jacket (not price-clipped). Faint toning to endpapers and spotting and dusting to page block; minor rubbing and edgewear to dust jacket, else near-fine. A bright and exceptional first printing of this notoriously brittle classic. Chambers, Whittaker: Cold Friday: New York: Random House, 1964. First edition, first printing. Octavo. Original blue cloth with gold titling to spine and green top-stain and original dust jacket (not price-clipped). Small abrasion to front free endpaper and minor rubbing and edgewear to dust jacket with small closed tear to top hinge, else near-fine, which is uncommon for this increasingly hard to find book. Chambers, Whittaker: Can You Hear Their Voices? A Short Story: New York: International Pamphlets, 1932. First edition. Stapled pamphlet. 5 x 7 inches, 31… Read More

London: Printed, and are to be sold by the Booksellers of London and Westminster, 1698. First edition. Folio (310 x 200 mm). Modern brown quarter calf, red morocco spine label and raised bands, with marbled boards, edges sprinkled red. Comes in a blue, flat-back cloth box. Ownership signature of "Adam Brown, 1797," and shelf mark to title page, several annotations and ink marks to contents, including sig. 302 verso. Contents occasionally spotted with small nick to top edge of S4 and short closed tear to lower edge of 2V2, else a very bright and clean copy housed in a nice custom box.. First edition of this major work of republican theory by English politician and republican theorist Algernon Sidney (1623-1683). Sidney wrote his Discourses Concerning Government between 1681 and 1683, and it originally circulated in manuscript form as a polemical refutation of Sir Robert Filmer's Patriarcha (1680), which defended the divine right of kings under absolute monarchy. Sidney opposed absolute monarchy as a… Read More

New York: Random House, 1952. First edition, first printing. Octavo. Original cloth and dust jacket (not price-clipped). Inscribed by Whittaker Chambers on the half-title page: "For Randy and Florence Crosby, with best wishes from Whittaker Chambers." Light rubbing, near-fine in a very good dust jacket that is in uncommonly great condition. A scarce and desirable first printing of this landmark work inscribed by Whittaker Chambers.. First printing of Witness inscribed by Whittaker Chambers (1901-1961). Chambers was an American writer, translator, and editor who, after years acting as a Communist Party member and Soviet spy, defected from the Soviet underground in 1938 and testified before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) in 1948 about the Ware Group, which ultimately became the "trial of the century" when, from 1949 to 1950, Chambers was called as a witness to testify against Alger Hiss in the infamous Hiss perjury case. Chambers first published Witness in 1952 after the Saturday… Read More

History of the United States, or Republic of America, by Emma Willard, 1828 first edition, ACCOMPANIED BY A Series of Maps to Willard's History of the United States, First Edition. Housed in custom slip case.
Willard's book details key United States historical events from the discovery in 1492 through 1826, the 50th anniversary of America's independence. The book contains a Chronological Table that outlines the historic events using 10 time epochs. Historical information is based on the plan developed by Willard for teaching history to students at the Troy, New York Female Seminary. The appendix contains primary reference documents such as the U.S. Bill of Rights, The U.S.Declaration of independance, articles of Independance, Articles of Confederation, The Constitution Of the United States of America and other documents.
The "Series of Maps to Willard's History of the United States" contains five double and seven single-sheet engraed maps, most with original outline color. Bound in 1/4 red leather… Read More

There thosands of book on the life of Abraham Lincoln. This ten volumes are RARE AND HISTORICAL. "This has full and Authorized Record of his Private life and Public career. By his two private secretaries. John G. Nicolay and John Hay. With the assistance of Robert Todd Lincoln and the private papers and manuscripts in his possession."Rare Photographs, Maps, Private and Official Papers in Facsimilie.
The ten volumes are in very good shape. Vol. 6 has a slight tare on the top of the spine. The insie papes are all in good condition. This collection is a treasue of American History.

Artist book in the "International mail art event and simultaneous exhibitions in three cities--NYC, Denver, Seattle." Presented in 1990 with Women's Studio Workshop (NY) in an edition of 60, "distributed to 50 people around the world in the fields of politics, art, the media, science, education, and religion who held positions on both sides" (Sollod Studio, 2023).
A unique and provocative piece of American political history, art activism, third-wave feminism, and the continued struggle for human rights and reproductive freedom. Owned by a selection of world leaders and policy and public-opinion influencers* (see the complete distribution list below), this artifact is scarcely offered for purchase. As relevant now as ever, this exceptionally rare volume is an exhilarating addition to any collection.
This is the signed artist's proof. Twenty-four accordion-fold leaves bound in cloth cover boards. Lithography, relief, and hand-coloring printing methods with Bembo typeface on Rives heavyweight paper.
27 x… Read More

This is a rare, signed first edition first printing of Truman Capote's "In Cold Blood" from 1966. The hardcover book is in impeccable condition and looks like new. Unlcipped dust jacket.
This true crime novel is a classic that investigates the brutal murder of a Kansas family. The author's signature adds a unique value to this already collectable item. The book is in English and has no personalisation.

Macmillan, 1978 Stated first edition 1978. Inscribed/SIGNED and dated by author. David Atlee Phillips is widely considered to be one of the main players in the JFK assassination. He is also thought to be the elusive "Maurice Bishop" cover agent that was Lee Harvey Oswald's handler seen conferring with Oswald in Dallas in early November 1963. He was also heavily involved in the 1973 Allende coup and the Bay of Pigs leading the pre-invasion training in Guatemala. Phillips was recruited to the CIA in the early 1950s while running an English language newspaper in Chile. Phillips had a 25-year career with the CIA ultimately becoming the Western Hemisphere Chief in 1973. Fluent in several languages he retired and founded the retired CIA agent association. Inscribed and signed by Phillips to some Texas friends. (Phillips was a native of Fort Worth, Texas. A big spook town.) In my 35 years of book selling, I have never seen another signed copy of any of his books and his signature is quite distinctive. It… Read More