1862 2-vol National Portrait Gallery of Eminent Americans - Evert A. Duyckinck

Available is a two Volume Quarto Set of National Portrait Gallery of Eminent Americans: Including (152 Illustrations of) Orators, Statesmen, Naval and Military Heroes, Jurists, Authors, Etc., Etc., from Original Full Length Paintings by Alonzo Chappel with Biographical and Historical Narratives, by Evert A. Duyckinck.

FEATURES 152 ILLUSTRATIONS! From full length paintings by Alonzo Chappel.

Evert A. Duyckinck was a prolific editor of historical American reference works in the mid 19th century, and this National Portrait Gallery collection is among his best and most favored works. Contained herein are over 150 striking steel engravings of various famous American historical personages plus brief biographical sketches by Duyckinck.

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1875 HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW - The Hanging of the Crane 1st Edition

1875 Henry Wadsworth Longfellow - The Hanging of the Crane

I
The lights are out, and gone are all the guests

That thronging came with merriment and jests

To celebrate the Hanging of the Crane

In the new house,--into the night are gone;

But still the fire upon the hearth burns on,

And I alone remain.

O fortunate, O happy day,

When a new household finds its place

Among the myriad homes of earth,

Like a new star just sprung to birth,

And rolled on its harmonious way

Into the boundless realms of space!

So said the guests in speech and song,

As in the chimney, burning bright,

We hung the iron crane to-night,

And merry was the feast and long.

II
And now I sit and muse on what may be,

And in my vision see, or seem to see,

Through floating vapors interfused with light,

Shapes indeterminate, that gleam and fade,

As shadows passing into deeper shade

Sink and elude the sight.

For two alone, there in the hall,

As spread the table round and small;

Upon the polished silver shine

The evening lamps, but, more divine,

The light of love shines over all;

Of love, that says not mine and thine,

But ours, for ours is thine and mine.

They want no guests, to come between

Their tender glances like a screen,

And tell them tales of land and sea,

And whatsoever may betide

The great, forgotten world outside;

They want no guests; they needs must be

Each other's own best company.

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1866 MARK TWAIN'S first nationally published story (Harper's Monthly Magazine)

Available is an original, intact copy of Mark Twain's first nationally published story, "Forty-three Days in an Open Boat", by Mark Swain (pp. 104-113). As originally found in (paper wraps) Harper's Monthly Magazine, December 1866. This is an extremely rare and sought-after Twain first; published anonymously and in the individual issue, most collectors settle for the 6-month bound volume, as it is less rare and far less fragile (yet still very desirable - one bound volume recently sold on Ebay for $334).

Book Description: Harper & Brothers December 1866, New York, 1866. Volume 34, Issue #199. General soiling. Good or better and scarce in wraps. Original printed wraps. Usually found, when at all, in the bound volume with other issues, this is very scarce in original wraps and notable for containing Mark Twain's first appearance in print in a national magazine, predating his first book. Published anonymously in the individual issues, the story is attributed in the table of contents in the bound volumes to "Mark Swain," as Twain had yet to gain national recognition, though his "jumping frog" story was just beginning to spread in newspapers throughout America. First Edition Printed wraps.

A description of the events by Twain himself, taken from 'My Debut as a Literary Person':

"This was in 1866. I prepared my contribution, and then looked around for the best magazine to go up to glory in. I selected the most important one in New York. The contribution was accepted. I signed it 'MARK TWAIN;' for that name had some currency on the Pacific coast, and it was my idea to spread it all over the world, now, at this one jump. The article appeared in the December number, and I sat up a month waiting for the January number; for that one would contain the year's list of contributors, my name would be in it, and I should be famous and could give the banquet I was meditating.

I did not give the banquet. I had not written the 'MARK TWAIN' distinctly; it was a fresh name to Eastern printers, and they put it 'Mike Swain' or 'MacSwain,' I do not remember which. At any rate, I was not celebrated and I did not give the banquet. I was a Literary Person, but that was all--a buried one; buried alive."

CONTENTS:
The original contents of articles included in this issue:
Ballad of Uncle Joe, by Alice Carey (pp. 1-4)
The Secrets of Sable Island, by Charles Halleck (pp. 4-20)
A Reminiscence of Sleepy Hollow, by E. Guilbert (pp. 20-27)
Burglary at Faustel Eversleigh (pp. 27-35)
The Work of Salvation, by Caroline Chesebro (pp. 35-47)
Gilbert Charles Stuart, by Mary Titcomb (pp. 47-50)
Vine Lane, by Wm. Wirt Sikes (pp. 50-57)
Good Looks (pp. 57-61)
Twenty-third of July, by Mary N. Prescott (pp. 61-67)
Jones's Impudence, by W. H. Davenport (pp. 67-72)
The Virginians in Texas, by George F. Harrington (pp. 72-83)
Last Day on the Porch, by Arthur Hastings (pp. 83-87)
Drifting, by N. G. Shepherd (pp. 87-88)
Santa Rosa of Lima, by Mrs. E. G. Squier (pp. 88-94)
John Bright, by M. D. Conway (pp. 94-99)
John Eccleston's Thanksgiving, by Nora Perry (pp. 99-104)
Forty-three Days in an Open Boat, by Mark Swain (pp. 104-113)
Hohenbaden, by C. C. Cox (pp. 113-114)
Behind the Scenes, by Arthur Fleming (pp. 114-118)
To Beginners in Bookwriting, by John Home (pp. 118-120)
Editor's Easy Chair (pp. 120-124)
Monthly Record of Current Events (pp. 124-128)

CONDITION:
The paper binding in wonderful conditon. Binding tight and complete. Cover shows minimal aging - top edge of cover written on in pencil (listing illustrators). Text tight and clean throughout with no markings. Spine fully intact and readable - pages rough cut. No interior writing of any kind.

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1950 ITALIAN PAINTING - CREATORS OF THE RENAISSANCE - Lionello Venturi

Available is a 1st edition book entitled "Italian Painting - The Creators of the Renaissance" by Lionello Venturi, with 100+ color tipped-in plates, all intact and in wonderful conditon.

Book Description:
Geneva: Albert Skira: Printed in 1950, 1st edition. 4th Volume of the Painting / Colour / History Collection. Published by L'Imprimerie Centrale, Lausanne. Finished October 25, 1950. Hardcover with blue cloth, 13.5" x 10". Fine, silver gilt title on spine. Slightly worn / spotted covers. 205pp. 105 large, beautiful tipped-in plates - 102 color and 3 black & white - verified by hand (all present and no tears). Not an ex-library or academic book - no marks within whatsoever

In 1950 Skira launched the Trilogy of Italian Painting with critical studies by his father-in-law Lionello Venturi, and historical survey by his wife Rosabianca. The scholarly work includes history and tipped-in plate examples from numerous Renaissance painters: Cimabue, Cavallini, Di Buoninsegna, Giotto, Maso, Simone Martini, Lorenzetti, Monaco, Da Fabriano, Pisanello, Sassetta, Fra Angelico, Masaccio, Uccello, Lippi, Veneziano, Francesca, Da Messina, Bellini, Carpaccio, Del Castagno, Pollaiuolo, Verrocchio, and Botticelli to name a few. A wonderful read, if only to look at the amazing color reproductions of the beautiful artwork.

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1937 AE'S LETTERS TO MINANLABAIN - Lucy Kingsley Porter - SIGNED - Dr. Adolf Meyer (Psychiatrist)

Available is a first edition, signed / inscribed copy of Lucy Kingsley Porter's "AE'S LETTERS TO MINANLABAIN". Inscribed by Porter to Dr. Adolf Meyer, a well known Swiss psychiatrist, who was one of the most influential figures in psychiatry in the frist half of the twentieth century.

Book Description:
New York: Macmillan, printed February, 1937. 1st Edition. Hardcover 8vo. Light blue covers with dark blue text on light blue (sunned) spine. Very good in chipped dust jacket. Dust jacket spine has chips with missing fragments. Dust jacket now in Brodart archival dust jacket cover. Bottoms and corners chipped. Text tight and clean. No writing or marks of any kind (beside signature). Corners rubbed. Yellowing to front and rear free endpapers. Signed / inscribed on front free end paper - signed "To Dr. Meyer - Who always understands - Lucy Kingsley Porter - March 7, 1937".

Background Information:
George William Russell who wrote under the pseudonym AE (Æ), was an Anglo-Irish supporter of the Nationalist movement in Ireland, a critic, poet, and painter. He was also a mystical writer, and centre of a group of followers of theosophy in Dublin, for many years.

Dr. Adolf Meyer was a Swiss psychiatrist who rose to prominence as the president of the American Psychiatric Association and was one of the most influential figures in psychiatry in the first half of the twentieth century. His focus on collecting detailed case histories on patients is the most prominent of his contributions; along with his insistence that patients could best be understood through consideration of their life situations.

Meyer was a strong believer in the importance of empiricism, and advocated repeatedly for a scientific approach to understanding mental illness. Meyer introduced the possibility of infections (then viewed as the cutting edge concept of scientific medicine) being a biological cause of behavioral abnormalities, in contrast to eugenic theories that emphasized heredity and to Freud's theories of childhood traumas.

Meyer was Professor of Psychiatry first at Cornell University from 1904 to 1909 and from 1910 to 1941 at Johns Hopkins University, where he was also Director of the Henry Phipps Psychiatric Clinic from its inception in 1913.
This book comes from Dr. Meyer's personal collection - (which is now in my possession). I also have other medical / Psychiatry books signed by him (he never wrote books, but published numerous papers.) These other books will become available from time to time...interested parties may email me for a list.

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1853 CHARLES DICKENS - Bleak House - 1ST PRINTING

Available is a first edition, true first printing of Charles Dickens "Bleak House". This four volume set was rebound from the original Harper's Monthly Magazines. "Bleak House" is serialized in its entirety in these volumes. Published between April, 1852 (Vol 4) and October 1853 (Vol 7), the serial fiction is found within 18 different issues (all present within the 4-vol set). The chapters are illustrated with 37 different 3/4 page and full page illustrations. These issues predate the "1st American Edition" Harper & Bros. 2 vol set printed at the end of 1853. *(See Podeschi E97-E105a, p.308). These sets are becomming increasingly scarce in complete conditon due to the other articles written within the volumes. They are becomming even more scarce in a complete and beautiful binding, with great shelf appearance - these volumes fit both needs. As a bonus, the volumes not only include other Charles Dickens stories, but also have a large portion (21 issues) of John Abbott's "Napoleon Bonaparte", Jacob Abbott's "Memoirs of the Holy Land", an article on Benjamin Franklin, another on the American Arctic Expedition, Mormons, fashion plates, political cartoons, and many other interesting topics. Each volume averages approx. 878 pages.

*Reference book used: Podeschi, John B. DICKENS AND DICKENSIANA: A Catalogue of the Richard Gimbel Collection in the Yale University Library. New Haven Yale University Press 1980 1st edition. The catalogue includes major and minor book editions, illustrated editions, periodicals, manuscripts, autograph letters, and the many other related items of Gimbel's vast Dickens collection. Reference listing E97-E105a, p.308

CONDITION:
These four hardcover volumes are library bound in dark blue cloth with gilt titles on spine in wonderful condition. Overall, contents are very clean and presented in exceptionally tight bindings. Although these are ex-library copies, its only evidence is a few green stamps "Winnetka Public Library - Withdrawn" found on title page and a few other interior pages. Other than writing in pencil on title page, no other interior marks present. Light speckling of foxing found on some interior pages. No moisture damage visible within any of the volumes. Corners and spine in great shape on all volumes! Volume 6, first story page "Auld Robin Gray" has 2 interior tears and heavy staining. Also, pages 321-322 & 329-332 removed (within "Napoleon Bonaparte"). Overall, you would be very happy in displaying this 4 Vol. set on your shelf. See pictures for great shelf presence!

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