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

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Limited Editions and Small Quantities from Oak Knoll Books Limited Editions from Oak Knoll Books. By Michael Stillman Oak Knoll Books has published a catalogue for those who collect limited or small-run editions. With the title Limited to an Edition of ...(A Selection of Books Printed in Small Quantities), it is limited to books with original print runs under 250. These books are by definition scarce, having been uncommon from the day they were printed. Now, some of them were printed in very short runs for good reason. Their topic may be of only specialized interest, their subject may be of virtually no interest (boring), they may be of interest only to a particular small community, club or family. However, the largest part of these short-run books were printed in small quantities because they came from private presses. This catalogue will be of as much interest to those who collect the private press as those who collect limited editions. Over the past century, the private press has become the major source of high quality printing as well as limited editions. Oak Knoll's latest catalogue is filled with works run off of these small presses. The names represented in this catalogue are something of a who's who of the private press, along with a "who's that?" of private presses, many being small and obscure even by private standards. Many of the better-known private presses are represented, such as Grabhorn, Golden Cockerel, Bird and Bull, Red Ozier, Whittington, Tern and Incline. Others are perhaps not so well known, like Previous Parrot, Inky Parrot, Woolly Whale, Weather Bird, Black Sparrow, Lark Sparrow, Doves, Heron, Catfish, Boss Dog, Katydid, Rampant Lions, Swan, and Tiger. Naturally, you will find a few items published by the Oak Knoll Press as well. There are also numerous publications of book collecting societies. Among those whose publications are offered are the Grolier Club, Zamorano and Roxburghe Clubs of California, the Philobiblon Club, the Quarto Club, the Rowfant Club of Cleveland, the Pittsburgh Bibliophiles and the Baltimore Bibliophiles. Following are a few of the nearly 800 uncommon items being offered by Oak Knoll Antiquarian Booksellers. Item 458 is an item described by Oak Knoll as "one of the earliest examples of private press printing in America." The book is The Epithalamium by Joannes Secundus, and the publisher of this 1856 reprint was The Press of Bizarre, located in Philadelphia. Only twenty copies were printed, and this is one of but three on large paper. Adding to the rarity is that this was the only book from this press, whose owners must not have become wealthy for their efforts. They also published a magazine called the Bizarre, between 1851 and 1855. This book certainly is a rarity. Priced at $2,000.
Limited Editions and Small Quantities from Oak Knoll Books A Grabhorn from 1952. Here is a book that is undoubtedly quite rare, though you may have another one of this genre. Item 51 is The Sun's Gift, a collection of poems by the fourth, fifth, and sixth graders of the Beaver School, published by the Beaver School Press. This collection was published in 1930 in an edition of just 125 copies. I'm guessing there were about 125 students in grades four through six at the Beaver School. The imprint is Chestnut Hill, which I suppose is the one in Massachusetts, though I am not certain. This undoubtedly contains some long-lost poetry, perhaps most deservedly so, but maybe there are a few gems. The Depression was just beginning, and misery makes great poetry. $35. Item 716 is A Bibliography of the Writings in Verse and Prose of George Noel, Baron Byron. Don't rely too much on it for accuracy. The writer and private publisher of this 1932 bibliography was Thomas J. Wise, master forger. Wise had the habit of not only creating forged copies of well-known rarities, but creating entirely new publications, which he attributed to dead writers. He was a master counterfeiter and made a fortune over several decades with his forgeries, many of which he sold to collector-friends. By 1932, however, the ruse was about to come falling down upon him. This copy is a particularly interesting one as it carries a presentation from Wise to Wilfred Partington. Partington would publish "Forging Ahead" in 1939, a biography which revealed the actual inner workings of the once highly respected collector, dealer, and bibliographer. $950. Item 223 is a 1952 Grabhorn, Catalogue of the Choice Books Found By Pantagruel in the Abbey of Saint Victor. This catalogue is as filled with frauds as anything by Wise, but this was intended to be a humorous, satirical work, not one to be believed. The author was 16th century writer Francois Rabelais. $350. You will find Oak Knoll Books online at www.oakknoll.com. telephone 302-328-7232

Limited Editions and Small Quantities from Oak Knoll Books

Limited Editions from Oak Knoll Books.

By Michael Stillman

Oak Knoll Books has published a catalogue for those who collect limited or small-run editions. With the title Limited to an Edition of ...(A Selection of Books Printed in Small Quantities), it is limited to books with original print runs under 250. These books are by definition scarce, having been uncommon from the day they were printed.

Now, some of them were printed in very short runs for good reason. Their topic may be of only specialized interest, their subject may be of virtually no interest (boring), they may be of interest only to a particular small community, club or family. However, the largest part of these short-run books were printed in small quantities because they came from private presses. This catalogue will be of as much interest to those who collect the private press as those who collect limited editions. Over the past century, the private press has become the major source of high quality printing as well as limited editions. Oak Knoll's latest catalogue is filled with works run off of these small presses.

The names represented in this catalogue are something of a who's who of the private press, along with a "who's that?" of private presses, many being small and obscure even by private standards. Many of the better-known private presses are represented, such as Grabhorn, Golden Cockerel, Bird and Bull, Red Ozier, Whittington, Tern and Incline. Others are perhaps not so well known, like Previous Parrot, Inky Parrot, Woolly Whale, Weather Bird, Black Sparrow, Lark Sparrow, Doves, Heron, Catfish, Boss Dog, Katydid, Rampant Lions, Swan, and Tiger. Naturally, you will find a few items published by the Oak Knoll Press as well.

There are also numerous publications of book collecting societies. Among those whose publications are offered are the Grolier Club, Zamorano and Roxburghe Clubs of California, the Philobiblon Club, the Quarto Club, the Rowfant Club of Cleveland, the Pittsburgh Bibliophiles and the Baltimore Bibliophiles. Following are a few of the nearly 800 uncommon items being offered by Oak Knoll Antiquarian Booksellers.

Item 458 is an item described by Oak Knoll as "one of the earliest examples of private press printing in America." The book is The Epithalamium by Joannes Secundus, and the publisher of this 1856 reprint was The Press of Bizarre, located in Philadelphia. Only twenty copies were printed, and this is one of but three on large paper. Adding to the rarity is that this was the only book from this press, whose owners must not have become wealthy for their efforts. They also published a magazine called the Bizarre, between 1851 and 1855. This book certainly is a rarity. Priced at $2,000.

Limited Editions and Small Quantities from Oak Knoll Books

A Grabhorn from 1952.

Here is a book that is undoubtedly quite rare, though you may have another one of this genre. Item 51 is The Sun's Gift, a collection of poems by the fourth, fifth, and sixth graders of the Beaver School, published by the Beaver School Press. This collection was published in 1930 in an edition of just 125 copies. I'm guessing there were about 125 students in grades four through six at the Beaver School. The imprint is Chestnut Hill, which I suppose is the one in Massachusetts, though I am not certain. This undoubtedly contains some long-lost poetry, perhaps most deservedly so, but maybe there are a few gems. The Depression was just beginning, and misery makes great poetry. $35.

Item 716 is A Bibliography of the Writings in Verse and Prose of George Noel, Baron Byron. Don't rely too much on it for accuracy. The writer and private publisher of this 1932 bibliography was Thomas J. Wise, master forger. Wise had the habit of not only creating forged copies of well-known rarities, but creating entirely new publications, which he attributed to dead writers. He was a master counterfeiter and made a fortune over several decades with his forgeries, many of which he sold to collector-friends. By 1932, however, the ruse was about to come falling down upon him. This copy is a particularly interesting one as it carries a presentation from Wise to Wilfred Partington. Partington would publish "Forging Ahead" in 1939, a biography which revealed the actual inner workings of the once highly respected collector, dealer, and bibliographer. $950.

Item 223 is a 1952 Grabhorn, Catalogue of the Choice Books Found By Pantagruel in the Abbey of Saint Victor. This catalogue is as filled with frauds as anything by Wise, but this was intended to be a humorous, satirical work, not one to be believed. The author was 16th century writer Francois Rabelais. $350.

You will find Oak Knoll Books online at www.oakknoll.com. telephone 302-328-7232