Ray Boas, Bookseller

1928 – CHILD LIFE MAGAZINE – TWO (2) ISSUES The Children’s Own Magazine

I purchased a large collection of CHILD LIFE in the early 1990s for the cover art. I had display windows in my Haddonfield, New Jersey, bookshop, and each month changed my displays, and often used one of these magazines with the appropriate holiday theme. Moving my shop in 1995 from there to New Preston, Connecticut, in 2002, I had no shop windows, and my collection of these magazines went into storage – UNTIL NOW.

I have issues from three years, not complete runs. It would be nice to keep these lots together, but if not selling as lots at lower prices, I may catalogue these in my shop from $15 to $25 each depending upon the cover artist, and the great color ads on the rear pages. And, then there are the contents to enjoy.

For 1928 I have only two months – January and February. The magazines measure about 9 inches by 12 inches.

Price for two 1928 issues – $20  –  SOLD

1936 – CHILD LIFE MAGAZINE – NINE (9) ISSUES The Children’s Own Magazine

For 1936 I have nine months: March, April, May, June, July, August, September, November and December. The magazines measure about 9 inches by 12 inches.

Price for nine 1936 issues – $85   SOLD

1937 – CHILD LIFE MAGAZINE – SIX (6) ISSUES The Children’s Own Magazine

For 1937 I have the first six months of the year: January, February, March, April, May and June, as shown below. The magazines measure about 9 inches by 12 inches.

Price for six 1937 issues – $50  SOLD

Ordering Information

1835 – RHEINISCHER SAGEN-KREIS. EIN CICLUS VON ROMANZEN, BALLADEN UND LEGENDEN DES RHEINS, NACH HISTORISCHEN QUELLEN BEARBEITET – by Adelheid Stolterfoth

Translates to: Rhenish legend circle. A ciclus of romances, ballads and legends of the Rhine, edited according to historical sources. 

Hardcover with decorated cloth (see images below), measuring about 8 7/8 inches by 10 1/2 inches. 65 pages and with 21 plates (all present) after drawings by A. Rethel of Dusseldorf (his first book contribution), and lithographed by Dielmann. Published by Frankfurt Karl Jügel. Text in German.

Overall good with some foxing. NOTE sometime in history the title page and following dedication page to “His Royal Highness…” were torn, and have been repaired (see image). UNCOMMON.

below showing the tape repairs on two pages (on the reverse side)

some sample two page spreads – text one side – illustration of legend or ballad opposite

another illustration

the covers – back at an angle then front

Price – $125 — Order Number 73050
Ordering Information

1928 THE TRUE STORY OF MARY, WIFE OF LINCOLN – ABRAHAM LINCOLN FAMILY SIGNED

THE TRUE STORY OF MARY, WIFE OF LINCOLN – Containing the Recollections of Mary Lincoln’s Sister Emilie (Mrs. Ben Hardin Helm), Extracts from Her War-Time Diary, Numerous Letters and Other Documents now First Published. By Her Niece, Katherine Helm.

Harper & Brothers Publishers, New York, 1928 first edition, 309 pages, good+, maroon cloth (hardcover), lacks its original dustjacket. This copy at one time owned by the Abraham Lincoln Bookshop in Chicago with the shop’s small book tag on rear pastedown.

Warm inscription by the author, and counter signed by Emily Todd Helm. Dated November 10, 1928, in Lexington, Kentucky.

Putting the lineage to President’s Lincoln’s wife, Mary.
1 – Robert Todd had 16 children with two wives
2 – Mary Todd Lincoln (1818-1862) was born of Robert’s first wife
3 – Emilie Todd Helm (1836-1930) was born from Robert’s second marriage (thus Mary Todd’s half-sister). Emilie Todd married Ben Hardin Helm, a Confederate General, who died at the Battle of Chickamauga.
4 – Emilie was three years old when her half-sister left their Kentucky home. Mary went to live with her sister in Illinois, where she met her future husband, Abraham Lincoln.
5 – Katherine Helm (1857-1937) was the daughter of Emilie Todd Helm and Ben Hardin Helm. Thus, Katherine was Mary Todd Lincoln’s niece.
6 – Emilie and her daughter Katherine stayed with the Lincolns at the White House following the death of General Ben Hardin Helm.

Thus a unique Abraham Lincoln association signed piece.

besides this trade edition, this book was published in a limited edition of 175 copies There is an inset on the front cover with a panel of original damask drapery from the Robert Todd home in Lexington, Kentucky that hung there when Mary Todd Lincoln was a child. Usually the limited edition includes a printed letter, signed by Helm in type, attesting to the damask panel.  drapery panel that hung in the Robert Todd home in Lexington when Mary Todd Lincoln was a child. The Limited Edition is currently valued at $2,500.

SORRY — SOLD

THE SNOW BABY – IN SCARCE DUSTJACKET – By Josephine Diebitsch Peary – 1901 – 14th Printing
A TRUE STORY WITH TRUE PICTURES

In my now almost 40 years of bookselling, I have owned maybe a dozen copies of this title, BUT, never have I owned or seen a copy in DUSTJACKET.

Very good, with chipped dustjacket, bump to lower corner of front and rear boards. Frederick A. Stokes Company, Publishers, NY, 1901, 14th printing, 84 pages, B&W illustrations.

front board which is bright and sharp having been protected by the dustjacket all these years.

the rear cover of the dustjacket below

the complete dustjacket opened up – it is now in a dustjacket protector for protection

and, this illustration to show you the bump to the lower corners of the boards only, not impacting on the book block

Price – $200 – SORRY SOLD
Ordering Information

1953 – TURANDOT AND OTHER POEMS BY JOHN ASHBERY
with four drawings by Jane Freilicher
Editions of the
Tibor De Nagy Gallery
New York – 1953

A scarce booklet, measuring about 6 inches by 9 1/4 inches, in sewn wraps published in an edition of 300 copies. THIS PIECE IS NOTED FOR ITS OVERSIZE AND FRAGILE COVER, accounting for the limited number remaining. The few copies for sale currently range from $1500 to $2500. Three of the four copies for sale have had the covers strengthened, rebacked or rebound. Here is an untouched, unrepaired copy that you can have professionally repaired if you wish. AGAIN, the paper used on the cover, and its oversize from the book block is what has caused the problems with this publication

I am showing two of the four black and white illustrations in the sample spreads below.

Price – $1150 – (Order Number 70197)
Ordering Information

“THE PRINTER’S HELPER” – 47 ISSUES – 1964-1973 – KELSEY PRINTING PRESS COMPANY
THE KELSEY COMPANY, MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT

“PRINT YOUR OWN” – PRINTING PRESS – LETTERPRESS

Oh, the “good old days.” Different businesses had small printing presses for their own needs, and boys were encouraged to start a printing business. I was hooked by the Popular Mechanic’s ads, and did get my first 3×5 Kelsey Press in 1957 at age 11. The Kelsey Co. was the leader with presses, supplies, all paper needs (wish I could find a similar source today) and publications, including its house organ THE PRINTER’S HELPER. This four page publication contained tips, lessons, business hints, and of course some ads. I still have my own issues from 1956 and 1957 that came with my press, and then were mailed to me. I just purchased a print shop and included were these 47 issues of THE PRINTER’S HELPER. I cannot keep everything, and know some new hobby printer, or artist, will enjoy and cherish these. Full list of issues included follows below.

At this time I also have two Kelsey Press outfits for sale. A 3×5 and a 5×8 – email me. And, I have made a PDF of THE PRINTER’S GUIDE BOOK, Published by The Kelsey Company, Meriden, Conn. 8th Edition. This PDF is from my own copy that I obtained in 1957. Forty pages (32 plus 8 supplemental), and everything you need to know to operate your letterpress shop. Happy to send you the PDF for $5.95. Email me, and I will send you a PayPal invoice. thank you, RAY

“WHAT TO PRINT AND HOW TO PRINT IT”

“FOR THOSE WHO PRINT FOR OTHERS OR FOR THEMSELVES”

INCLUDED ARE – Years and Numbers

1964 — 372, 373, 374, 375, 376, 377, 378, 379, 380
1965 — 381, 382, 383, 384, 385, 386, 388, 389
1966 — 390, 391, 392, 393, 394, 395, 396, 397, 398
1967 — 399, 400, 403
1968 — 404, 405, 406, 407, 408, 409, 410
1969 — 411, 412, 413, 416
1970 — 417, 418, 419, 420
1971 — 422
1973 — 431, 432

Some issues have binder three-ring binder holes. Below are three same covers

SORRY – SOLD TO A MAJOR MUSEUM

c1900 – ANGLING BY LEON F. DOUGLASS – UNCOMMON RECENTLY SOLD FOR $406 at Auction (see below)

Leon Forrest Douglass (March 12, 1869 – September 7, 1940) was an American inventor and co-founder of the Victor Talking Machine Company who registered approximately fifty patents, mostly for film and sound recording techniques.

He obviously enjoyed fishing, and wrote this poem on ANGLING. Sharing it with others, who enjoyed it, he published this small book of his poem with lovely illustrations saying in an “Apology – With the hope of an increased salary, or in fear of discharge, some of the employees were kind enough to say this poem was good, and asked for a copy. Therefore I felt it would no longer be right to withhold its publication, owing to this unquestionable popular demand. AUTHOR”

DOYLE Sale SALE 19JJ04 – Lot 136 -Estimate: $200 – $300
August, 13, 2019 Sold for $406 (includes buyer’s premium)
Below is Doyle’s catalogue listing for this scarce book gift

DOUGLASS, LEON F. Angling.
[Philadelphia: privately printed by Ketterlinus, circa 1900]. Original cloth-backed wood veneer boards with engraved title and decoration. 6 5/8 x 4 1/4 inches; [12] pp.; vignette title page, frontispiece and illustrations after photographs, illustrations after drawings.
An unusual and attractive little book. Douglass was an inventor and co-founder of Victor Talking Record Company, as well as the producer of Cupid Angling (1918), which may have been the first American feature-length color film. Likely published as a keepsake for friends.

DOYLE described their copy as – Extremities worn with minor loss, text block pulling away from binding, some pale staining to lower margin of text leaves, but attractive.
The copy I am offering is GOOD to VERY GOOD without the faults of the copy sold for $406.

Price – $300 – Order Number – 70121
Ordering Information

1903 THE BOOK OF THE CAT – with Facsimiles of Drawings in Colour by Elisabeth F. Bonsall; and, with Stories and Verses Written for the Pictures
by Mabel Humphrey

Large square folio measuring about 13 7/8 inches by 15 inches – BOOK BLOCK IS LOOSE FROM THE BINDING — an uncommon title

Copyright 1903, by Frederick A. Stokes Company  – Published in October 1903. This book purchased from the original estate with a companion volume THE BOOK OF THE CHILD by Humphrey and illustrated by Jessie Willcox Smith and Elizabeth Shippen Green

With a few faults besides loose from binding – because of improper page turning (most likely by a youngster) there are about 8 pages of text with small tears at the lower gutter, and one half of one page of text is missing. There are black and white illustrations at the beginning of chapters, and 6 full page color illustrations of which two have tears as mentioned below.

showing the book block loose from binding

below image – note tear at bottom left of picture

the image below has a tear (hard to see) from the gutter over to the left leaf on the right

$225 – order number eb1092
Ordering Information

1903 THE BOOK OF THE CHILD – Jessie Willcox Smith and Elizabeth Shippen Green (illustrations); text by Mabel Humphrey

Large square folio measuring about 13 7/8 inches by 15 inches

Frederick A. Stokes Company October 1903, New York, 1903.  “With Facsimiles of Drawings in Colour by Jessie Willcox Smith and Elizabeth Shippen Green — And with Stories and Verses Written for the Pictures by Mabel Humphrey.” Internally a very good copy, externally the boards exhibit edgewear and and some waterstaining that never got inside. Inscribed on the FFEP “Merry Christmas to Barbara from Aunt Jessie 1903.” This signature is not quite what you see from Jessie Willcox Smith, unless it changed over time which happens, and I have not found that she has a niece, Barbara. Of course, Barbara could have been a favorite child that Jessie, who never married, may have known. Two very small tears at the bottom of seven pages (from not having been properly turned), not affecting anything. Headspieces by both Green and Smith. All seven full page illustrations present and sharp – four by Green (including the frontis) and three by Jessie Willcox Smith. Smith also did the charming front cover, the same illustration repeated on the rear board. UNCOMMON – Good+, pictorial boards (hardcover).

This book purchased from the original estate with a companion volume THE BOOK OF THE CAT also by Mabel Humphrey and illustrated by Elisabeth F. Bonsall.

Subject to prior sale in our shop, in which case this listing will be deleted.

above – bottom lines – “Copyright, 1903, By Frederick A. Stokes Company – Copyright, 1902 by C. W. Beck, Jr. Published in October, 1903

closeup of the inscription

text and illustrations only on one side (recto)

below, hard to see, piece of tape over tear at the bottom of the gutter

Sorry, two of the images came out with a pinkish tone – only on images, not book itself
Below you may be able to see the small tear at the bottom of the gutter – nothing missing.

$2350 – (order number 67903)
Ordering Information

GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC – GAR 1900 CHICAGO REUNION – COMMEMORATIVE SILK FLAG

An outstanding example of this souvenir from the GAR ENCAMPMENT in Chicago, Illinois – the 34th National Encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic which was held between August 26 – August 30, 1900.  Measuring about 15  1/5 inches by 24 inches, the colors are bright and sharp. I have had this packed away at least 40 years, and maybe more. It was folded when I obtained it, and I have had it loosely kept in a drawer. You can see the folds which a professional could probably get out for you.

45 star US Flag surrounded by Army badges, and in the corners are GAR medals, the Encampment medal, and the medal of the 1883 Women’s Relief Corps. This could be the centerpiece of your Civil War Veteran’s Collection. There appears to be a maker or vendor’s name in the lower left corner, but it has been marked out with the original inks.

and the back side

I will ship it folded to this size as it has been stored – you can see on the lower left where the manufacturer’s or vendor’s name was marked out

SORRY SOLD and back in Chicago

I have had for well over twenty years put away in the shop a collection of Golden West Books and Pacific Railway Journal calendars, and never before offered them. I have 25 fully illustrated, unused calendars broken into three logical lots. UNUSED, they are spiral bound (measuring about 11 inches by 8 1/2 inches), and each calendar has a full page railroad, train, steam engine, or trolley, or interurban photographic illustration suitable for framing. But, I would recommend you keep the calendars intact.

5 RAILROAD CALENDARS – GOLDEN WEST BOOKS – STEAM LOCOMOTIVES and NARROW GAUGE

In this lot of Golden West Books calendars are:
1966 – AMERICAN STEAM LOCOMOTIVES – this is the only smaller calendar measuring about 9 inches by 6 1/4 inches – the illustrations in this calendar are line drawings from early locomotive catalogues – LIMA – BALDWIN, and other

1972 – STEAM RAILROAD CALENDAR

1973 – STEAM RAILROAD CALENDAR

1975 – STEAM RAILROAD CALENDAR

1976 – NARROW GAUGE RAILROAD CALENDAR

and, sample calendar pages from the smaller 1966 and a larger normal size calendar

This lot of 5 calendars – $30

4 TRAIN and RAILROAD CALENDARS – PACIFIC RAILWAY JOURNAL and Two Others

In this lot of unused calendars are:
1963 – STEAM RAILROAD CALENDAR – PACIFIC RAILWAY JOURNAL – massive steam locomotives

1963 – ELECTRIC RAILWAY CALENDAR – PACIFIC RAILWAY JOURNAL – great trolley cars and interurbans

1981 – NINETEENTH CENTURY STEAM LOCOMOTIVES – promotional give-away from a stock brokers office. Full color illustrations suitable for framing, and with descriptions and historical information

1984 – TOY TRAIN CALENDAR by WARD KIMBALL, the noted photographer. Whimsical photographs. Laid in is some Greenberg Publishing Company information.

and some sample calendar and illustration pages from each

This lot of 4 calendars – $25

16 ELECTRIC RAILROAD CALENDARS – 1964 AND 1968 through 1982 – GOLDEN WEST BOOKS
AN AMAZING COLLECTION of 192 PHOTOGRAPHS

This is the largest lot of unused calendars that I have to offer, 1964 and a straight run from 1968 thru 1982 with black and white photos of trolleys and interurbans in both city and county scenery. A collection not to be missed. When (if) you can find individual calendars they will be priced from $10 to $30 each. I have illustrated the covers of all below in groups of four, and then a sample interior view.

This lot of 16 calendars – $95

Ordering Information from Ray Boas, Bookseller