By Michael Stillman

This month we received our first catalogue from Seth Kaller, Inc., Civil War Catalogue. Offered is a collection of truly exceptional items. Here you will find handwritten Lincoln papers, and not just obscure personnel appointments but important historical documents. There are also items written by or related to Ulysses S. Grant, Robert E. Lee, and John Brown as he prepared for his raid at ...more

By Michael Stillman

Maggs Bros. Ltd. has issued their 1,416th catalogue: Travel and Voyages. That astonishing number is explained by the fact that Maggs has been around longer than many of the antiquarian books they sell. The firm was founded over a century and a half ago, when Sir John Franklin was newly missing, Richard Burton was just beginning to travel, and explorer David Livingstone's name was not ...more

By Michael Stillman

Eveleigh Books and Stamps has issued a catalogue of books from the Guthman Collection. William H. Guthman, who died at age 81 in December of 2006, was a collector and seller of early American antiques. His major specialty was military related items, particularly from Colonial and Revolutionary America. His expertise led to a five-year stint as an appraiser during the early years of Public ...more

By Michael Stillman

Americana bookseller the William Reese Company goes back to America's earliest days with their 260th catalogue, Colonial Americana. A few items even go back to the pre-Pilgrim days, such as accounts of Champlain's explorations. From there we go to the Jesuit Relations of life in the west, while the Mathers (father, son, and grandfather) make numerous appearances in late 17th, early 18th ...more

By Michael Stillman

The Lawbook Exchange has released Catalogue 55 of Law and Legal History. It runs the gamut from scholarly technical texts to accounts of sensational murders. Naturally, we will describe some of the most interesting works, which means the technical stuff gets the short shrift. All of you scholarly legal types will find lots of Blackstone's Commentaries and the like, but we'll ...more

By Michael Stillman

Thomas Goldwasser Rare Books has issued their Catalogue 21. The catalogue is untitled, but it contains primarily literary works, generally first or other rare editions, some signed or inscribed. There are also a number of manuscripts and personal letters from literary figures. However, there are some items outside the walls of literature, such as an inscribed photograph of Thomas Edison. ...more

By Michael Stillman

List 24 has been published by Boris Bruton's Plaza Books of Santa Rosa, California. Offered are 41 items relating to Mexico, although many of these will interest those who collect the northern side of the border too. Texas, in particular, is well represented, as that state was for many centuries a part of Mexico. There are books that cover events from the earliest days of Spanish occupation ...more

By Michael Stillman

Studio Bibliografico Lex Antiqua published a catalogue for the recent International Antiquarian Book Fair in Milan. Listed were books in five categories: Manuscripts; Incunabula; 16th Century Editions; 17th-19th Century Editions, and Rare Legal Texts. This catalogue is written in the Italian language, so, as I can attest, it is a challenge for those unfamiliar with the language. However, many of the ...more

By Michael Stillman

Recently released was Catalog 933 of Americana, The West, and General from Clark Rare Books. This is a catalogue of just over 250 items overwhelmingly of Western Americana. There are some exceptions, such as books about journeys to Vinland or Columbus' visit to the New World, which would definitely be better described as Eastern Americana, but still, this is mostly a catalogue for ...more

By Michael Stillman

Frits Knuf Antiquarian Books has issued a catalogue of Reference Books on Incunabula and Early Printed Books. Those who collect, sell, or are interested in the earliest of printed books will find much in the way of useful reference here. There are books about early printing, biographies of Gutenberg and the early printers, bibliographies, and numerous bookseller and auction catalogues ...more

By Michael Stillman

Catalog 147 from Ken Lopez Bookseller offers 260 items in the field of Modern Literature. Included are numerous first editions, pre-publication proofs, signed copies, letters from authors, and even one or two later editions of pre-modern writers (such as Mark Twain). Most material, however, is second half of the 20th century or later, and suitable for collecting. Here are some samples.

Item ...more

By Michael Stillman

Alexander Rare Books has issued their Catalog Fourteen of Literary Firsts and Poetry. While the heading Winter 2008 indicates we may have received this a bit late, winter does last longer in Vermont. Offered are 150 items, and this time, the great majority are from the field of poetry. Even more specifically, the works are primarily modern poetry. However, there are a few exceptions. ...more

By Michael Stillman

James Pepper Rare Books has issued their Catalogue 172. It is their latest collection of items mostly either associated with film or theater, or first editions of literary works. Many of these items are signed, and a few include comments or inscriptions. Particularly interesting are a couple of works by well-known writers that never were published. Here are a few selections from this most ...more

By Michael Stillman

The latest collection from David Schulson Autographs has arrived, simply titled 136. It contains signatures of notable figures from all walks of life - politics, music, art, architecture, science, literature, film, aviation, military and law. Some are simple signatures, others signed photographs, and many are letters and other documents written by their notable signers. There are both ...more

By Michael Stillman

Recently received from Michael Graves-Johnston is Egypt and the Sudan, Catalogue 99. This is a land of incredible history, great civilizations that have come and gone. It seems almost incomprehensible that a land with such history, once one of the most advanced civilizations on earth, could have the problems of today's Egypt, or the downright horror of the Sudan. Graves-Johnston's catalogue ...more

By Michael Stillman

We recently received a beautiful catalogue from Librairie Thomas-Scheler of Paris entitled Pierre-Joseph Redoute Le Raphael des fleures (the Raphael of flowers). This is not a typical bookseller's catalogue. There are no prices and it is somewhat vague as to exactly what is being offered. Nonetheless, it is filled with illustrations from Redoute's works, a biography of his long and fascinating ...more

By Michael Stillman

Oak Knoll Books has issued its Catalogue 286 in its continuing series of books about books and the book arts. Titles cover book collecting, selling, design, printing, binding and just about everything else pertaining to the book. There are also numerous items from private presses, and a section on bibliography. Here are some of the almost 400 items available in this latest collection.

Color ...more

by Michael Stillman

Bernard J. Shapero Rare Books has issued a new title in its series of fifty fine books: 50 Fine Travel Books 2008. Along with numerous travel narratives this catalogue includes some navigational guides, maps, manuscript logs, broadsides, and many signed items. These are English language works, though a few were translated from other tongues. They are all, as the title says, fine works, ...more

By Michael Stillman

The Antiquariaat Forum attends numerous book fairs over the course of a year, and prints up small catalogues for each show. Last month was a particularly busy one as they participated in shows in both New York and Paris. First it was the New York Antiquarian Book Fair at the beginning of the month, followed by the Salon International du Livre Ancien in Paris two weeks later. That is a lot of ...more