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Rare Books in the Arts and More from Charles Wood One Hundred Nine Rare Books from Charles Wood. By Michael Stillman Charles Wood Antiquarian Booksellers' latest catalogue, One Hundred Nine Rare Books, or "Catalogue 122," lives up to its name and Wood's reputation. Certainly these are rare books, all 109 of them. And, most fit within the types we have come to expect from Charles Wood, high quality printing and illustrating, with a concentration of titles in artistic realms, such as architecture, perspective and gardens. A few of the items we found in this collection of uncommon books follow. Item 12 is a 300-year-old book that is very current as it is filled with images we were watching on television for days. The title is Numismata Summorum Pontificum Templi Vaticani fabricam...by Filippo Buonanni, the 1700 edition of a book first published in 1696. This is described as the first thorough survey of the architectural history of St. Peter's. Buonanni used unpublished manuscripts, published literature, medals minted over the centuries, as well as other sources to reconstruct the history the site. The book includes many illustrations and plans (not all actually put in place) to reconstruct the building as it has appeared over the ages. Priced at $4,500. Item 46 is a rare American architectural book on Newport, Rhode Island. Newport is one of those very pricey communities where the wealthy of an earlier generation built summer homes, or "cottages." Indeed the price of the book indicates it was intended for the well-heeled - $50. That may not sound outrageous, but the year was 1875. I cannot imagine what $50 was worth then, but rest assured it was more than most people could spend on a book, probably on a house. The writer was George Champlin Mason, the premier resident architect of Newport at the time. This book was limited to 100 copies and is an elegant production (according to Mason, it cost $30 a copy to produce not including any payments to the author). The title is Newport and its cottages. $4,000. Here is a book for those who love to dance: The Rudiments of Genteel Behavior by Francois Nivelon. This 1737 book was designed to introduce the British to the subtleties of dancing the minuet, things better understood by the French. The steps and movements were supposed to exude an air of class. Sort of Sunday afternoon fever. The book comes in two parts, one for women, one for men. Women are taught how to curtsey, walk, dance, and give their hands. Men learn how to salute, bow, and, of course, dance. Not that men pay attention to directions. Item 56. $8,750. Stealing other authors' material is neither genteel nor polite, but that is evidently what was done in The Polite Academy; or school of behavior for young gentlemen and ladies intended as a foundation for good manners and polite address in Masters and Misses... The book offers detailed instructions on how to behave in public, and includes plates demonstrating how to bow, give your hand, etc., when dancing the minuet. Wood notes that "the similarity of some of these plates to the...[preceding book]... is so striking that one may safely say they were copied (although badly...). This is a later edition (circa 1823) of a book first published in 1762, but all editions are now rare. Item 74. $1,350.
Rare Books in the Arts and More from Charles Wood Early poster album from Ault & Wiborg. Francis Osborne penned a very popular book of advice for young men entitled, Advice to a son; or, directions for your better conduct, through the various and most important encounters of this life. While now considered rather stiff and full of platitudes, it went through five editions in its first year of publication (1656). It is somewhat controversial for its advice. When it came to women and marriage, the author's counsel was, essentially, stay away from them. However, what got him in greater trouble at the time was that his section on religion was evidently not strong enough, causing some to accuse Osborne of being an atheist and to boycott his books. Item 59. $1,250. For those who like posters, here is a book full of them. It is called a Poster Album, published by the Ault and Wiborg Company in 1902. This was a catalogue for a producer of poster inks, but when their supply of posters ran out, they decided to produce a book of them. Fifty-four posters are illustrated in this collection (see image with this article). Item 3. $2,500. Item 34 offers a collection of early photos from the American West. Andrew Joseph Russell produced the photographs on behalf of the Union Pacific Railroad at the time the transcontinental railway was completed. While the purpose was to document the building of the railroad, the photographs are really items of landscape art. Published under the name of Ferdinand Hayden, who was head of the U.S. Geological Survey, in 1870, the book is, Sun Pictures of the Rocky Mountain Scenery...containing 30 photographic views along the line of the Pacific Railroad, from Omaha to Sacramento. $9,000. A Book of Architecture, containing designs of buildings and ornaments was likely the most widely used English architectural book of the 18th century, being popular both in Britain and America. James Gibbs published the book for those living out in the country where professional advice was not readily available. It was evidently quite successful at its intended purpose, but was also a source of inspiration for the design of the White House in Washington. Thomas Jefferson owned a copy. First published in 1728, item 29 is a copy of the 1739 edition. $8,500. Item 13 is a serious sounding title: Advice from a lady of quality to her children, in the last stage of a lingering illness, in a series of evening conferences on the most interesting subjects. It wasn't so serious. Supposedly written by a noble 39-year-old lady on her deathbed, the real author was Louis-Antoine Caraccioli. The spoof offers advice on women's conduct, treatment of domestics, etc. It does not encourage female enlightenment. "It is a mistake to pretend that our sex ought to study," advises the ill "lady." This is a first English edition of the fantasy published in 1778 (the original was in French). $1,000. Charles Wood Antiquarian Booksellers may be found online at www.cbwoodbooks.com. Their phone number is 617-868-1711.

Rare Books in the Arts and More from Charles Wood

One Hundred Nine Rare Books from Charles Wood.

By Michael Stillman

Charles Wood Antiquarian Booksellers' latest catalogue, One Hundred Nine Rare Books, or "Catalogue 122," lives up to its name and Wood's reputation. Certainly these are rare books, all 109 of them. And, most fit within the types we have come to expect from Charles Wood, high quality printing and illustrating, with a concentration of titles in artistic realms, such as architecture, perspective and gardens. A few of the items we found in this collection of uncommon books follow.

Item 12 is a 300-year-old book that is very current as it is filled with images we were watching on television for days. The title is Numismata Summorum Pontificum Templi Vaticani fabricam...by Filippo Buonanni, the 1700 edition of a book first published in 1696. This is described as the first thorough survey of the architectural history of St. Peter's. Buonanni used unpublished manuscripts, published literature, medals minted over the centuries, as well as other sources to reconstruct the history the site. The book includes many illustrations and plans (not all actually put in place) to reconstruct the building as it has appeared over the ages. Priced at $4,500.

Item 46 is a rare American architectural book on Newport, Rhode Island. Newport is one of those very pricey communities where the wealthy of an earlier generation built summer homes, or "cottages." Indeed the price of the book indicates it was intended for the well-heeled - $50. That may not sound outrageous, but the year was 1875. I cannot imagine what $50 was worth then, but rest assured it was more than most people could spend on a book, probably on a house. The writer was George Champlin Mason, the premier resident architect of Newport at the time. This book was limited to 100 copies and is an elegant production (according to Mason, it cost $30 a copy to produce not including any payments to the author). The title is Newport and its cottages. $4,000.

Here is a book for those who love to dance: The Rudiments of Genteel Behavior by Francois Nivelon. This 1737 book was designed to introduce the British to the subtleties of dancing the minuet, things better understood by the French. The steps and movements were supposed to exude an air of class. Sort of Sunday afternoon fever. The book comes in two parts, one for women, one for men. Women are taught how to curtsey, walk, dance, and give their hands. Men learn how to salute, bow, and, of course, dance. Not that men pay attention to directions. Item 56. $8,750.

Stealing other authors' material is neither genteel nor polite, but that is evidently what was done in The Polite Academy; or school of behavior for young gentlemen and ladies intended as a foundation for good manners and polite address in Masters and Misses... The book offers detailed instructions on how to behave in public, and includes plates demonstrating how to bow, give your hand, etc., when dancing the minuet. Wood notes that "the similarity of some of these plates to the...[preceding book]... is so striking that one may safely say they were copied (although badly...). This is a later edition (circa 1823) of a book first published in 1762, but all editions are now rare. Item 74. $1,350.

Rare Books in the Arts and More from Charles Wood

Early poster album from Ault & Wiborg.

Francis Osborne penned a very popular book of advice for young men entitled, Advice to a son; or, directions for your better conduct, through the various and most important encounters of this life. While now considered rather stiff and full of platitudes, it went through five editions in its first year of publication (1656). It is somewhat controversial for its advice. When it came to women and marriage, the author's counsel was, essentially, stay away from them. However, what got him in greater trouble at the time was that his section on religion was evidently not strong enough, causing some to accuse Osborne of being an atheist and to boycott his books. Item 59. $1,250.

For those who like posters, here is a book full of them. It is called a Poster Album, published by the Ault and Wiborg Company in 1902. This was a catalogue for a producer of poster inks, but when their supply of posters ran out, they decided to produce a book of them. Fifty-four posters are illustrated in this collection (see image with this article). Item 3. $2,500.

Item 34 offers a collection of early photos from the American West. Andrew Joseph Russell produced the photographs on behalf of the Union Pacific Railroad at the time the transcontinental railway was completed. While the purpose was to document the building of the railroad, the photographs are really items of landscape art. Published under the name of Ferdinand Hayden, who was head of the U.S. Geological Survey, in 1870, the book is, Sun Pictures of the Rocky Mountain Scenery...containing 30 photographic views along the line of the Pacific Railroad, from Omaha to Sacramento. $9,000.

A Book of Architecture, containing designs of buildings and ornaments was likely the most widely used English architectural book of the 18th century, being popular both in Britain and America. James Gibbs published the book for those living out in the country where professional advice was not readily available. It was evidently quite successful at its intended purpose, but was also a source of inspiration for the design of the White House in Washington. Thomas Jefferson owned a copy. First published in 1728, item 29 is a copy of the 1739 edition. $8,500.

Item 13 is a serious sounding title: Advice from a lady of quality to her children, in the last stage of a lingering illness, in a series of evening conferences on the most interesting subjects. It wasn't so serious. Supposedly written by a noble 39-year-old lady on her deathbed, the real author was Louis-Antoine Caraccioli. The spoof offers advice on women's conduct, treatment of domestics, etc. It does not encourage female enlightenment. "It is a mistake to pretend that our sex ought to study," advises the ill "lady." This is a first English edition of the fantasy published in 1778 (the original was in French). $1,000.

Charles Wood Antiquarian Booksellers may be found online at www.cbwoodbooks.com. Their phone number is 617-868-1711.