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

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More Books From The Book Arts By Oak Knoll Catalogue 277 from Oak Knoll Books. By Michael Stillman Catalogue number 277 from Oak Knoll Books will not break any new ground for the Delaware bookseller, but that is probably just fine with people who appreciate the material they offer. Oak Knoll is a specialist in the field of "books about books," and their catalogues usually provide large selections of material in this field. Catalogue 277 lists over 800 items, and most pertain to the book arts -- printing, binding, paper, limited editions, type, book selling, book collectors and the like. There is also a separate section dedicated specifically to bibliography. Here are just a few samples from this extensive collection of titles from the world of book arts. We will start with an old item about a much older written work. Item 211 is The Moabite Stone, a report about this very early writing by Christian Ginsburg. The Moabite Stone, discovered in 1868, tells about the triumphs of Moabite King Mesha in the 9th century BC. Mesha claims victory in a rebellion over the Israelites, who still controlled this territory in present-day Jordan at the time. Since this writing evidently presents Mesha's point of view, it may exaggerate that King's exploits. This book, published in 1871, just three years after the stone's discovery, includes translations in several languages, maps, and a lengthy introduction. Unfortunately, there is little else known about King Mesha, so the accuracy of the stone's claims is uncertain. Priced at $150. In another time, one of the more adventurous of occupations was that of the whaler. George Francis Dow presents a look at this livelihood in Whale Ships and Whaling. A Pictorial History of Whaling during Three Centuries… It includes photographs of ships, spears, scrimshaw (carvings from whalebones) along with accounts of whaling expeditions. The book was published in 1925 by the Marine Research Society of Salem, Massachusetts. While we weren't sure how this exciting book made its way into this catalogue, we imagine it is because of its connection to a collection, the "Allan Forbes Collection of Whaling Pictures." Forbes was a collector in the field, and his collection was donated to the MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) Museum in 1940 (now part of the Hart Nautical Collection). Item 154. $85. Here is a set of Hawthorne's works that comes with a most impressive provenance. It is the 13-volume Complete Works of Nathaniel Hawthorne, published in 1883. This large paper edition was limited to 250 copies. It contains the bookplate of Robert Hoe III, one of the foremost book collectors America ever saw. Hoe inherited R. Hoe & Co., the foremost manufacturer of printing presses in America during the 19th century. This innovative manufacturer, formed by his namesake grandfather in 1805, earned Hoe the money to put together one of the greatest private collections America has seen. Two years after he died in 1909, Hoe's collection went up for auction. It was spectacular. The proceeds exceeded those of any previous American book auction by several times. It is still regarded as one of the most important book auctions ever. So what ever happened to Hoe's company?
More Books From The Book Arts By Oak Knoll none Eventually, time and competition passed it by. It went into bankruptcy in 1969 and never recovered. However, a side business, making saws (originally needed for cutting the large wooden frames for the presses) survived, and was bought up by a company which still retains the Hoe name, Pacific/Hoe Saw and Knife. Item 243. $1,500. In the days before computers and word processing, even before typewriters were common, writing was actually done by hand. Austin Palmer realized that clerks, to be efficient in the era when records were kept by hand, had to write quickly. He developed a method of writing quickly and efficiently. It was evidently quite effective, as the Palmer Method of handwriting would be widely adopted in schools across America in the early 20th century. Item 92 is a collection of material from the A.N. Palmer Company of New York, from 1913-1918, including a cover letter and price list for books and supplies, paper samples and part of a specimen book. $25. If none of these are exactly what you want, that's all right. There 811 other items in the catalogue. Oak Knoll Books may be found online at www.oakknoll.com, telephone 302-328-7232.

More Books From The Book Arts By Oak Knoll

Catalogue 277 from Oak Knoll Books.

By Michael Stillman

Catalogue number 277 from Oak Knoll Books will not break any new ground for the Delaware bookseller, but that is probably just fine with people who appreciate the material they offer. Oak Knoll is a specialist in the field of "books about books," and their catalogues usually provide large selections of material in this field. Catalogue 277 lists over 800 items, and most pertain to the book arts -- printing, binding, paper, limited editions, type, book selling, book collectors and the like. There is also a separate section dedicated specifically to bibliography. Here are just a few samples from this extensive collection of titles from the world of book arts.

We will start with an old item about a much older written work. Item 211 is The Moabite Stone, a report about this very early writing by Christian Ginsburg. The Moabite Stone, discovered in 1868, tells about the triumphs of Moabite King Mesha in the 9th century BC. Mesha claims victory in a rebellion over the Israelites, who still controlled this territory in present-day Jordan at the time. Since this writing evidently presents Mesha's point of view, it may exaggerate that King's exploits. This book, published in 1871, just three years after the stone's discovery, includes translations in several languages, maps, and a lengthy introduction. Unfortunately, there is little else known about King Mesha, so the accuracy of the stone's claims is uncertain. Priced at $150.

In another time, one of the more adventurous of occupations was that of the whaler. George Francis Dow presents a look at this livelihood in Whale Ships and Whaling. A Pictorial History of Whaling during Three Centuries… It includes photographs of ships, spears, scrimshaw (carvings from whalebones) along with accounts of whaling expeditions. The book was published in 1925 by the Marine Research Society of Salem, Massachusetts. While we weren't sure how this exciting book made its way into this catalogue, we imagine it is because of its connection to a collection, the "Allan Forbes Collection of Whaling Pictures." Forbes was a collector in the field, and his collection was donated to the MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) Museum in 1940 (now part of the Hart Nautical Collection). Item 154. $85.

Here is a set of Hawthorne's works that comes with a most impressive provenance. It is the 13-volume Complete Works of Nathaniel Hawthorne, published in 1883. This large paper edition was limited to 250 copies. It contains the bookplate of Robert Hoe III, one of the foremost book collectors America ever saw. Hoe inherited R. Hoe & Co., the foremost manufacturer of printing presses in America during the 19th century. This innovative manufacturer, formed by his namesake grandfather in 1805, earned Hoe the money to put together one of the greatest private collections America has seen. Two years after he died in 1909, Hoe's collection went up for auction. It was spectacular. The proceeds exceeded those of any previous American book auction by several times. It is still regarded as one of the most important book auctions ever. So what ever happened to Hoe's company?

More Books From The Book Arts By Oak Knoll

none

Eventually, time and competition passed it by. It went into bankruptcy in 1969 and never recovered. However, a side business, making saws (originally needed for cutting the large wooden frames for the presses) survived, and was bought up by a company which still retains the Hoe name, Pacific/Hoe Saw and Knife. Item 243. $1,500.

In the days before computers and word processing, even before typewriters were common, writing was actually done by hand. Austin Palmer realized that clerks, to be efficient in the era when records were kept by hand, had to write quickly. He developed a method of writing quickly and efficiently. It was evidently quite effective, as the Palmer Method of handwriting would be widely adopted in schools across America in the early 20th century. Item 92 is a collection of material from the A.N. Palmer Company of New York, from 1913-1918, including a cover letter and price list for books and supplies, paper samples and part of a specimen book. $25.

If none of these are exactly what you want, that's all right. There 811 other items in the catalogue. Oak Knoll Books may be found online at www.oakknoll.com, telephone 302-328-7232.