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<b>Bonhams:</b> MANDELSHTAM, OSIP. 1891-1938. Autograph Manuscript, 2 pp, [Petersburg,] January 1913, entitled

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Rare Books and Ephemera from Ian Brabner Ian Brabner offers a wide variety of material. By Michael Stillman This is our first catalogue review for Ian Brabner, Bookseller. Brabner is an ABAA-ILAB bookseller from Wilmington, Delaware, who has been selling books since 1995. His specialty is antiquarian and rare books, manuscripts, and ephemera. In other words, just about anything in the field of collectible books and related material can show up in an Ian Brabner catalogue. Here are a few of the items we found in his Occasional List 3, but we caution that it is hard to categorize Brabner's offerings from a few samples as the material he sells covers a very wide spectrum. Item 55 is Evan Allen Bartlett's story of a not very nice man, Love Murders of Harry F. Powers. Beware Such Bluebeards. Actually, there wasn't much love displayed by Mr. Powers, except for money. "Bluebeard" is a term used for men who marry women for their money, and then dispose of them in the most unpleasant of ways. He attracted women by sending appeals to "lonely hearts club" publications, snaring lonely and trusting women into his web of false romance. Powers was no great catch. Time Magazine described him at the time as "small, pudgy, pig-eyed Harry F. Powers." I will admit that I don't always understand women, but that doesn't exactly sound like a spectacular catch to me. Nonetheless, he did entice at least two women into marrying him, and there was speculation that there could have been dozens more (unlikely). He was eventually convicted of killing Mrs. Dorothy Pressler Lemke, described by Time as a "matronly divorced nurse." Probably the key evidence which swayed the jury against Mr. Powers was the fact that Mrs. Lemke, along with another woman and her three children, were found buried next to his garage. Evidently Powers was not able to come up with a good enough explanation for that one. Supposedly, he enjoyed killing them. The jury convicted, and according to a contemporary newspaper, the "West Virginia Bluebeard's" life "snapped away" (he was hanged) on March 18, 1932. Bartlett's scarce account is priced at $250. It's hard not to look at a Tourists' Guide to New Orleans a little differently than we would have, say, a year ago. This is a look at the city in 1902, complete with photographs, map and places to visit. See the photo on the front cover of this catalogue. So much has changed in the intervening century, especially the past year. Item 59. $85. Item 24 is a colored lithograph of Congressman and Major General Nathaniel Prentiss Banks, circa 1861. Banks led a long and varied political career, interspersed with a very mediocre military career, which is memorialized in this picture of Banks, hand on his sword. He was first elected to the Massachusetts legislature in 1849 on his eighth try. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives as a Democrat and Free Soiler in 1852, a Know Nothing in 1854, and a Republican in 1856. In 1856, after a long battle, he was elected Speaker of the House, the first Republican to achieve a national office. In that role, he supported anti-slavery positions. In 1858, he was elected Governor of Massachusetts, and it was his ability to raise volunteers and financial support for the Civil War in that state that led President Lincoln to appoint this nonmilitary man Major General. This part of his career was not marked by success.
Rare Books and Ephemera from Ian Brabner Pig-eyed, pudgy Harry Powers was a most unpleasant man. He was routed a couple of times in Virginia by Stonewall Jackson, and earned the moniker "Commissary Banks" from the Confederates, based on his losses of supplies to the enemy. He would later lead troops in the Deep South, but was removed from command before war's end. After the war, Banks returned to politics in Massachusetts. He was elected as a Republican five times from 1864-1872, as an independent in 1874, and once more as a Republican in 1888. Banks died in 1894, but he will live on in the heart of at least one of his countrymen, whoever buys this picture. $275. There are countless 19th century American travel books, but Ray Barker was not the typical explorer. Ray was a mere 14 years old when he created his Sketches of a Trip to Niagara Falls, N.Y., and Toronto, Ont. This trip won't rival Lewis and Clark, since he only started from Cleveland, but apparently this book provides an entertaining look at these places through the eyes of a young man in 1877. Item 60. $95. Joshua R. Giddings was an Ohio congressman in the two decades leading up to the Civil War, who was censored and resigned as a result of his powerful principles. He was first elected in 1838, but the resignation came in 1842, here recounted in An Expose of the Circumstances which Led to the Resignation by the Hon. Joshua R. Giddings... The cause was the seizing of an American slave ship, the Creole, by the slaves onboard. Though it was illegal to import slaves, it was legal to transport them by sea, which the Creole was doing, moving 135 slaves from Virginia to New Orleans. The Captain was killed during the revolt, after which the slaves steered the ship into Nassau, a British island. Those who participated in the revolt were tried, but the majority of slaves were set free. Secretary of State Daniel Webster sent a protest to the British, unsuccessfully demanding their return, but with the mutineers themselves tried, both sides decided it was better to just let the issue slide. However, Congress was not pleased with Giddings or the nine resolutions he presented to inhibit the trade in slaves, and slavery in general. They censored him, whereupon Giddings resigned, stood for re-election, and was easily re-elected by his constituents. He remained in the House until 1858. President Lincoln appointed Giddings Consul General to Canada, where he served until his death in 1864. Item 65. $250. Here is an item for Woodstock, Vermont, collectors. It may not be of much interest to others, but item 92 is a collection of over 50 1860s to early 1900s Woodstock items, handbills, circulars, small broadsides, pamphlets and the like. They cover dances, plays, lectures, school exhibitions, spelling bees, and graduations, and many other small town activities. For those interested in Woodstock activities or printers, this is a one-of-a-kind opportunity. $750.
Rare Books and Ephemera from Ian Brabner none Item 102 is a children's story with a commercial appeal. The author is Hugh Lofting, better known for Dr. Doolittle, but this is the story of Zingo and the Magic Beasts. Zingo was a monkey, and he attempted to sell Colgate toothpaste to the magical beasts of fairyland. This enterprising monkey, or his creator, anyway, was in the employ of the Colgate people, this booklet having been published by the Colgate Company. Zingo undoubtedly knew to brush after every banana. $75. While Zingo has been forgotten, his brother in species, Curious George, has not. Item 21 is a copy of Curious George Learns the Alphabet, including a drawing of George by H.A. Rey, and signatures of authors H.A. and Margaret Rey. George was a clever monkey, but I don't know whether he ever learned to brush his teeth like Zingo. $250. You may find Ian Brabner, Bookseller, online at www.bookgarden.com, phone number 302-998-2886.

Rare Books and Ephemera from Ian Brabner

Ian Brabner offers a wide variety of material.

By Michael Stillman

This is our first catalogue review for Ian Brabner, Bookseller. Brabner is an ABAA-ILAB bookseller from Wilmington, Delaware, who has been selling books since 1995. His specialty is antiquarian and rare books, manuscripts, and ephemera. In other words, just about anything in the field of collectible books and related material can show up in an Ian Brabner catalogue. Here are a few of the items we found in his Occasional List 3, but we caution that it is hard to categorize Brabner's offerings from a few samples as the material he sells covers a very wide spectrum.

Item 55 is Evan Allen Bartlett's story of a not very nice man, Love Murders of Harry F. Powers. Beware Such Bluebeards. Actually, there wasn't much love displayed by Mr. Powers, except for money. "Bluebeard" is a term used for men who marry women for their money, and then dispose of them in the most unpleasant of ways. He attracted women by sending appeals to "lonely hearts club" publications, snaring lonely and trusting women into his web of false romance. Powers was no great catch. Time Magazine described him at the time as "small, pudgy, pig-eyed Harry F. Powers." I will admit that I don't always understand women, but that doesn't exactly sound like a spectacular catch to me. Nonetheless, he did entice at least two women into marrying him, and there was speculation that there could have been dozens more (unlikely). He was eventually convicted of killing Mrs. Dorothy Pressler Lemke, described by Time as a "matronly divorced nurse." Probably the key evidence which swayed the jury against Mr. Powers was the fact that Mrs. Lemke, along with another woman and her three children, were found buried next to his garage. Evidently Powers was not able to come up with a good enough explanation for that one. Supposedly, he enjoyed killing them. The jury convicted, and according to a contemporary newspaper, the "West Virginia Bluebeard's" life "snapped away" (he was hanged) on March 18, 1932. Bartlett's scarce account is priced at $250.

It's hard not to look at a Tourists' Guide to New Orleans a little differently than we would have, say, a year ago. This is a look at the city in 1902, complete with photographs, map and places to visit. See the photo on the front cover of this catalogue. So much has changed in the intervening century, especially the past year. Item 59. $85.

Item 24 is a colored lithograph of Congressman and Major General Nathaniel Prentiss Banks, circa 1861. Banks led a long and varied political career, interspersed with a very mediocre military career, which is memorialized in this picture of Banks, hand on his sword. He was first elected to the Massachusetts legislature in 1849 on his eighth try. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives as a Democrat and Free Soiler in 1852, a Know Nothing in 1854, and a Republican in 1856. In 1856, after a long battle, he was elected Speaker of the House, the first Republican to achieve a national office. In that role, he supported anti-slavery positions. In 1858, he was elected Governor of Massachusetts, and it was his ability to raise volunteers and financial support for the Civil War in that state that led President Lincoln to appoint this nonmilitary man Major General. This part of his career was not marked by success.

Rare Books and Ephemera from Ian Brabner

Pig-eyed, pudgy Harry Powers was a most unpleasant man.

He was routed a couple of times in Virginia by Stonewall Jackson, and earned the moniker "Commissary Banks" from the Confederates, based on his losses of supplies to the enemy. He would later lead troops in the Deep South, but was removed from command before war's end. After the war, Banks returned to politics in Massachusetts. He was elected as a Republican five times from 1864-1872, as an independent in 1874, and once more as a Republican in 1888. Banks died in 1894, but he will live on in the heart of at least one of his countrymen, whoever buys this picture. $275.

There are countless 19th century American travel books, but Ray Barker was not the typical explorer. Ray was a mere 14 years old when he created his Sketches of a Trip to Niagara Falls, N.Y., and Toronto, Ont. This trip won't rival Lewis and Clark, since he only started from Cleveland, but apparently this book provides an entertaining look at these places through the eyes of a young man in 1877. Item 60. $95.

Joshua R. Giddings was an Ohio congressman in the two decades leading up to the Civil War, who was censored and resigned as a result of his powerful principles. He was first elected in 1838, but the resignation came in 1842, here recounted in An Expose of the Circumstances which Led to the Resignation by the Hon. Joshua R. Giddings... The cause was the seizing of an American slave ship, the Creole, by the slaves onboard. Though it was illegal to import slaves, it was legal to transport them by sea, which the Creole was doing, moving 135 slaves from Virginia to New Orleans. The Captain was killed during the revolt, after which the slaves steered the ship into Nassau, a British island. Those who participated in the revolt were tried, but the majority of slaves were set free. Secretary of State Daniel Webster sent a protest to the British, unsuccessfully demanding their return, but with the mutineers themselves tried, both sides decided it was better to just let the issue slide. However, Congress was not pleased with Giddings or the nine resolutions he presented to inhibit the trade in slaves, and slavery in general. They censored him, whereupon Giddings resigned, stood for re-election, and was easily re-elected by his constituents. He remained in the House until 1858. President Lincoln appointed Giddings Consul General to Canada, where he served until his death in 1864. Item 65. $250.

Here is an item for Woodstock, Vermont, collectors. It may not be of much interest to others, but item 92 is a collection of over 50 1860s to early 1900s Woodstock items, handbills, circulars, small broadsides, pamphlets and the like. They cover dances, plays, lectures, school exhibitions, spelling bees, and graduations, and many other small town activities. For those interested in Woodstock activities or printers, this is a one-of-a-kind opportunity. $750.

Rare Books and Ephemera from Ian Brabner

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Item 102 is a children's story with a commercial appeal. The author is Hugh Lofting, better known for Dr. Doolittle, but this is the story of Zingo and the Magic Beasts. Zingo was a monkey, and he attempted to sell Colgate toothpaste to the magical beasts of fairyland. This enterprising monkey, or his creator, anyway, was in the employ of the Colgate people, this booklet having been published by the Colgate Company. Zingo undoubtedly knew to brush after every banana. $75.

While Zingo has been forgotten, his brother in species, Curious George, has not. Item 21 is a copy of Curious George Learns the Alphabet, including a drawing of George by H.A. Rey, and signatures of authors H.A. and Margaret Rey. George was a clever monkey, but I don't know whether he ever learned to brush his teeth like Zingo. $250. You may find Ian Brabner, Bookseller, online at www.bookgarden.com, phone number 302-998-2886.