Ray Boas, Bookseller

I purchased 68 Edgar Rice Burroughs titles from the son of the original owner. Included were 22 Burrough’s Tarzana imprints, 33 different titles in wraps, and a number of Grosset and Dunlap early reprints. The history of this collection follows these images.

COLLECTION HISTORY

George Sr. was an amazing book collector with focused interests in military, nautical, aviation, mystery, and fantasy genres. Almost 20 years ago when he died, his son, George Jr., started cleaning out his Dad’s home which was packed with books. I bought van loads, but Jr. kept many of the books. Now Junior is moving west, and cannot take all the books, and is allowing me to continue purchasing his Dad’s books. George Jr., told me he would come home from school in the 50s and 60s, and everyday there were packages of books, a good majority from London booksellers. He could not touch his Dad’s books unless he wore white gloves. It has been thrilling to purchase for almost 2 decades from this wonderful collection.

My guess is that George Sr.’s passion began with reading TARZAN titles with Grosset & Dunlap red cover reprints in 1930. Among these ERB titles are a number of G&D reprints, and George Sr. often would put his name and date in his books. Some of the G&D titles have 1930 and 1931 on the front free endpapers – the earliest dates I have seen from this vast collection.

Below are the front covers of the Tarzana imprints which include:

CARSON OF VENUS — SOLD
ESCAPE OF VENUS — SOLD
PIRATES OF VENUS – SOLD
LOST ON VENUS — SOLD
A FIGHTING MAN OF MARS — $70 (Order No. 68149)
MASTER MIND OF MARS — $70 (Order No. 42356)
THE WARLORD OF MARS — $70 (Order No. 42350)
SYNTHETIC MEN OF MARS — SOLD
THE CHESSMEN OF MARS — $65 (Order No. 42355)
SWORDS OF MARS — SOLD
THUVIA MAID OF MARS — SOLD
THE GODS OF MARS — SOLD
A PRINCESS OF MARS — SOLD
TARZAN AND THE FORBIDDEN CITY — $75 (Order No. 68988)
TARZAN THE MAGNIFICENT  — $60 (Order No. 68983)
TARZAN’S QUEST — SOLD
TARZAN THE INVINCIBLE — $50 (Order No. 42359)
TARZAN AND THE LEOPARD MEN — SOLD
TARZAN AND THE LION MAN — SOLD
TARZAN AND THE CITY OF GOLD — SOLD
TARZAN TRIUMPHANT — $25 (Order No. 68987)
TARZAN AND THE FOREIGN LEGION — SOLD

EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS – 9 UNREAD TITLES – COVER ART – ACE BOOKS – 40 CENT SOFTCOVER EDITIONS — SOLD

Offered here as a lot are these ACE BOOKS nine titles from the SCIENCE FICTION CLASSIC series, with 40 cent cover prices. All are unread, appear to have never been opened, and each has fantastic cover art – just the reason you want to add them to your ERB collection or a vintage softcover (wraps) vintage cover art collection. REMEMBER when thinking value — these are unread and unopened softcover books – not seen in this condition.

In this lot, all with 40 cent cover prices and unread are:

F-156 – AT THE EARTH’S CORE
F-157 – THE MOON MAID
F-159 – THE MOON MEN
F-182 – THE MONSTER MEN – hard to find
F-213 – THE LAND THAT TIME FORGOT
F-220 – THE PEOPLE THAT TIME FORGOT
F-232 – THE LAND OF THE HIDDEN MEN
F-233 – OUT OF TIME’S ABYSS
F-234 – THE ETERNAL SAVAGE

EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS – 8 UNREAD TITLES – COVER ART – ACE BOOKS – MOST 40 CENT SOFTCOVER EDITIONS – SOLD

Offered here as a lot are these ACE BOOKS six titles from the SCIENCE FICTION CLASSIC series, with 40 cent cover prices; and, two additional titles (one with 60 cent cover price the other at 95 cents). All are unread, appear to have never been opened, and each has fantastic cover art – just the reason you want to add them to your ERB collection or a vintage softcover (wraps) vintage cover art collection. REMEMBER when thinking value — these are unread and unopened softcover books – not seen in this condition.

F-235 – THE LOST CONTINENT
F-245 – BACK TO THE STONE AGE
F-256 – LAND OF TERROR
F-270 – THE MAD KING
F-280 – SAVAGE PELLUIDAR
F-282 – BEYOND THE FARTHEST STAR
and
N-6 – Richard A. Lupoff, EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS: MASTER OF ADVENTURE (95 cent cover price)
90190 – THE WIZARD OF VENUS, INCLUDING THE FIRST PUBLICATION ANYWHERE OF PIRATE BLOOD – BURROUGHS’ LAST GREAT ADVENTURE NOVEL

Ordering Information
Please mention order number – Feel free to email with any questions

RECORD OF SERVICE OF CONNECTICUT MEN
IN THE
I – WAR OF THE REVOLUTION
II – WAR OF 1812
III – MEXICAN WAR

Compiled by Authority of the General Assembly under direction of the Adjutants-General: Brig. Gen. Stephen R. Smith; Brig. Gen. Lucius A Barbour; Brig. Gen. Frederick E. Camp; Col. George M. White – Hartford, 1880,

Massive tome (about 9 1/2 inches by 12 inches and 2 1/4 inches thick) packed with information and details of servicemen and service records. Pagination varies with section. First section is The Record of Connecticut Men in the Military and Naval Service during the War of the Revolution 1775-1783 edited by Henry P. Johnson.

As you can see in the images, sadly the spine has been taped with clear packing tape. Some signatures a tad loose. Overall a serviceable working copy for your research and reference. Sold as is with all faults.

same two page spreads

$50 – Order Number eb1186
Shipping for this item – $7.50 (heavy) packed in cardboard and with tracking
Ordering Information

75 MILITARY HISTORY MAGAZINES with OTHERS

Here offered as one lot is a great deal of reading pleasure on military history. Listed after the illustrations are the issues of MILITARY HISTORY magazine – the majority of this offering – and a few copies of other military history publications as listed below.

I would prefer this to be a local pickup because shipping will run about $30. But, I am happy to ship (will be in two boxes) if you so desire – provide zip code for a quote.

above are all the magazines in two piles, and below the covers of just a few years of MILITARY HISTORY

MILITARY HISTORY – 6 issues per year usually
1993 – February, June, August
1994 – April, August, December
1995 – April, June, August, October, December (2 copies)
1996 – February, March, April (Special Issue), June, August, October, December
1997 – February, April, August, October, December
1998 – February, March, April, June, August, October, December
1999 – April, June, August, October
2000 – February, June, August, December
2001 – February, April, June, August
2002 – June, August, October, December
2003 – February, April
2005 – March/April, May, June, July, December
2006 – January/February, March, April, May, June, September, October
2007 – Jan/Feb, March, May, September
2008 – July/August, September/October

MILITARY HERITAGE
April 2002 – June 2002 – August 2003 – April 2004

AMERICAN HISTORY – August 2006

QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF MILITARY HISTORY
Winter 1997 – Summer 2006 – Winter 2006

$65 for the lot — pick up for free — provide zip code for shipping quote (but could be costly)
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In 1982 I found a collection of about 140 Magic Lantern slides in a box at the Berlin Farmers Market and Flea Market in Berlin, NJ. Curious, I purchased the heavy box of slides. All the slides had titles on the ends, and further most had descriptions of the activity shown, location, and people’s names. Looking through I learned these images are of the Park Island Canoeing Association from Trenton, New Jersey, and were dated from 1889 to 1899. I needed to learn more to be able to tell the story of what I had found.

Canoeing was brought to the Delaware River (between Pennsylvania and New Jersey) in 1876, and became popular in the 1890s with the establishment of several canoe clubs. In 1889, a group of twenty-eight prominent Trentonians purchased Whites Island in the Delaware River, changed its name to Park Island, built an elegant club house, and enjoyed camping on and canoeing from the island for 25 years. (continued below)

Below is the box of magic lantern slides as I found it. I spent hours sorting the images by subject, name, location for further study.

In the summer months the canoe enthusiasts paddled from the island south down the river to work in Trenton. Leisure time was spent in canoe meets, races, trips and family camping on the island. One favorite pastime was racing the club’s war canoe, “Wah-Wah-Tay-See.” This craft, which was thirty feet long and weighed about 400 pounds, was claimed to be the first of its kind owned by a canoe club in the United States.

But, as with so many social institutions dating from the late 19th century, interests changed. The automobile wooed many away from their canoes. The club closed in 1914 after twenty-five years, and the island was sold to the Rotary Club in 1918 for a children’s camp. The island was almost erased from memory in the 1960s when its earth was sought for fill for new road construction. That did not come to pass, and the island was still there on my last drive through in the early 1990s.

As luck would have it, the original scrapbook of the club is preserved in the Trenton Historical Society. I spent a day with the scrapbook, and was able to copy over 30 pages of articles about the club pasted into the album. Many of the magic lantern slides have the name of William C. Lawrence on them. I learned he was a noted photographer in the area, and these slides were used for talks about the canoe club during the winter months when members and guests could not be paddling. In my research of the club, canoeing and the area, I have an equal number of photocopies of material I used to research and write about the club. Below is an image of the document copies I have.

Below are two sample magic lantern slides that were used for the winter lectures (as mentioned in the newspaper articles I found)

Using a light box (in the old darkroom days), I was able use my 35mm camera to copy many of the slides, and then make enlargements. Below are the prints I made from the above two slides. You can see the captions I attached (from the slides) for use when I submitted these for publication.

Just some of my prints – I must have the negatives somewhere, yet to look for and find them.

And, CANOE: THE MAGAZINE OF SELF-PROPELLED WATER TRAVEL, readily accepted my submission of the halcyon days of Victorian sport on the Delaware River, and published it in the March 1985 issue of the magazine

If you would like to read my article – CLICK ON THIS LINK.

It would be nice to have this collection return to New Jersey and the right collection or repository. Because of the weight of twenty pounds of glass, and the possibility of cracking, I would prefer not to ship the slides and my archive (which I will include), but would be happy to meet the buyer (following payment) part way – possibly in the West Point, NY area. Price – $1250. Feel free to email me, and if you would like to visit to inspect, we can arrange that. Thank you, RAY

ALL ORIGINAL COLUMBUS GUM MACHINE WITH BARREL LOCKS – Model M circa 1928

I have had this original chewing gum ball dispenser made by the Columbus Vending Company in my country store collection for many, many decades – long enough that I do not recall when or where I found it. Complete with two original rare barrel locks that came with it. No key, but when I got this vending machine I worked the locks open as I recall with a paper clip – and I have never been to lock picking school.

I would prefer local pickup, but we can talk about shipping. thank you, RAY

Price – $695

THE LENSMEN: A PORTFOLIO FOR RAILROAD PHOTOGRAPHY – FIRST 17 ISSUES – 1972-1976

A quarterly publication for the Railroad Photographer. Published and edited by John R. Taibi, Brentwood, NY. This publication measures about 8 1/2 by 11 inches – the earlier issues are portrait in orientation, the later issues landscape. Each is packed with photographs with detailed descriptive captions. Page are not numbered, but there are 16 pages in each issue. But first here is the front cover of the last issue I have.

Now, for a list of what is in the lot or the first 17 issues, followed by images of all the covers.

Volume 1 – Number 1 – May, 1972 – 16 pages
Volume 1 – Number 2 – August, 1972 – 16 pages
Volume 1 – Number 3 – November 1972 – 16 pages
Volume 1 – Number 4 – February 1973 – 16 pages
Volume 2 – Number 1 – May 1973 – 16 pages
Volume 2 – Number 2 – August 1973 – 16 pages – letter laid in on how to submit photos
Volume 2 – Number 3 – November 1973 – 16 pages
Volume 2 – Number 4 – February 1974 – two letters from editor laid in
Volume 3 – Number 1 – May 1974 – 16 pags
Volume 3 – Number 2 – November 1974 – 16 pages
Volume 3 – Number 3 – February 1975 – 16 pages
Volume 3 – Number 4 – May 1975 – 16 pages
Volume 4 – Number 1 – August 1975 – 16 pages
Volume 4 – Number 2 – November 1976 – 16 pages
Volume 4 – Number 3 – February 1976 – 16 pages
Volume 4 – Number 4 – May 1976 – 16 pages
Volume 5 – Number 1 – August 1976 – 16 pages

Price – $85 for all 17 issues
SORRY — SOLD
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c1910 OLD KING COLE BOOKENDS – GORHAM CO. FOUNDERS – EDWIN E. CODMAN, SCULPTOR

When buying estates of books, I often buy the bookends. This set I purchased probably 25 years ago, and have had it standing guard over some of my personal books, sadly out of sight in a closet. Time for someone else to enjoy this uncommon set from the Gorham Co. Foundry. Sculpted by Edwin E. Codman, this set probably dates from about 1910. Cast most likely in bronze with a lovely patina, this set is Number 10 of the production. The number is separately etched, and not cast. In my research I can only find one other OLD KING COLE bookend by Gorham, but a single only, and Number 7.

These bookends stand 8 inches tall. The base is 5 inches across, and 2 3./8 inches deep.

above, the casting of the maker’s mark – Gorham Co. Founders – 0525 — and etched or stamped to the right is #10. Below you can see E. E. CODMAN on the top of the base of the casting. These markings are on both bookends.

original felt except on one base which I replaced ages ago. At least on the bottom and not really showing.

SORRY SOLD

COLLECTING DELAWARE BOOKS – JOHN P. READ – NEWSLETTER 1992-1995 – 19 ISSUES

Published for a number of years, this newsletter covered a variety of topics related to books published in Delaware, by Delaware authors, or related in some way to the state. Offered as a lot are 19 issues as listed below. Individual issues are still available from a long-time Delaware bookdealer at $12 an issue. This is my own personal collection from when my book shop was in Haddonfield, New Jersey. I am sorry, I cannot locate the one issue to make this a straight run. See list below image:

I will list the issues included, date, and lead article:

Volume 1, Number 1, February 1992, 8 pages – A CHECKLIST OF CLINTON A WESLAGER TITLES

Volume 1, Number 2, April 1992, 8 pages – HENRY BROOKE, GENTLEMAN POET

Volume 1, Number 3, June 1992, 8 pages – GILBERT VALLIANT BYRON (1903-1991)

Volume 1, Number 4, August 1992, 10 pages – DELAWARE’S FIRST PUBLISHED BOOK

Volume 1, Number 5, October 1992, 10 pages – DELAWARE DINES

Volume 1, Number 6, December 1992, 8 pages – DELAWARE IN FICTION

Volume 2, Number 1, February 1993, 10 pages – DIRECTORIES

Volume 2, Number 2, April 1993, 10 pages – WHAT HATH “GATH” WROUGHT”

Volume 2, Number 3, June 1993, 10 pages – DELAWARE’S PIONEER PLAYWRIGHT

Volume 2, Number 4, August 1993, 10 pages – GERTRUDE KRUSE OF THE GREENWOOD

Volume 2, Number 5, October 1993, 10 pages – THREE WRITERS TO COLLECT: HAROLD B. HANCOCK, DUDLEY C. LUNT, AND JOHN A MUNROE

Volume 2, Number 6, December 1993, 10 pages – SUSSEX COUNTY SHIPBUILDING

Volume 3, Number 1, February 1994, 10 pages – DR. LEON deVALINGER, JR.

Volume 3, Number 2, April 1994, 10 pages – BOOKS OF OUR METHODIST PENINSULA

Volume 3, Number 3 — SO SORRY – I CANNOT LOCATE THIS AFTER OVER 20 YEARS

Volume 3, Number 4, August 1994, 10 pages – C. A. WESLAGER, 1909-1994

Volume 3, Number 5, October 1994, 10 pages – RUNK’S HISTORY OF DELAWARE

Volume 3, Number 6, December 1994, 10 pages – THE FOREST OF APPOQUINIMINK

Volume 4, Number 1, February 1995, 10 pages – BOOKS BY CAROL E. HOFFECKER

Volume 4, Number 2, April 1995, 8 pages – THE TOP DELAWARE COLLECTIBLE BOOKS

$125 – Order Number 65088
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THE “POP-UP” TERRY AND THE PIRATES IN SHIPWRECKED by Milton Caniff

The Illustrated Pop-Up Edition: A Blue Ribbon Press Book; Please Books, Inc., Chicago, Ill., Copyright 1935 Famous Artists Syndicate. “With 3 Pop-Up Pictures” A tight copy of this harder to find popup book measuring about 7 3/4 inches by 9 1/4 inches. One pop-up is in the centerfold, and the other two on the front and rear boards. The pop-up on the front board of this copy has some breaks, but could possibly be repaired – up to you.

The front and rear boards have the same cover illustration

as you open up this copy, you can see the first pop-up does not open out

but possibly it could be repaired

the title page – all pages and illustrations are black and white, except for the pop-ups

the centerfold pop-up

and the rear pop-up

Price – $70 – Order Number eb815
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EXHIBIT A: THE RABBIT REPORT by Edward H. Hutchins – Number 11 of 20 Made

 A silk-screened parchment scroll that unwinds and retracts from the torso of a painted papier-mâché rabbit, which tells the tale of a city invaded by rabbits. Approximately 6 inches high, 5 inches wide. published by Editions, Chatham, NY in 1989. Comes in its own original custom made box. Hutchins experimented with alternative ways to tell a tale. UNCOMMON.

FROM – Minnesota Center for the Book Arts catalog, 2003 — Only 20 copies. “These papier-mâché rabbits, each containing a screen-printed scroll, eschewed conventions of fine binding and printmaking at a time when editioned artists’ books were largely produced within the province of craft and industrial processes (evolving from private press tradition or commercial offset printing technologies). Hutchins exploration of alternative methods of reproduction . . . including rubberstamping, photocopying, simple relief printing and silkscreen . . . have continued to combine with the playful sensibility and structural variability that define his work” — Swann Auction May 5, 2009 – Sale 2179 Lot 99 – Realized $510 – only sale record found.

included are two postcards (albeit bent from storage in the rabbit’s box). One card illustrates all 20 “Rabbit Reports”, and the other “Do Sit Down, which Hutchins did in 1992.

and here is the box the rabbit lives in.

SORRY – This Unique Item Sold,
and back to its original home.