New website launch!!! nwpressbooks.com

Hello all -

Announcing the launch of Northwest Press Books online store, found at www.nwpressbooks.com. The site has slowly come together over the last few months, and has been 'planned' for about four years or so...this blog was created as a gateway to get me to actually proceed with the next step.

For now the website is a gateway to my eBay store, Northwestbookbuyer. Soon it will be completely independent of eBay and hopefully will phase out 'northwestbookbuyer' as a seller, and go back to its roots: as a buyer.

Thanks all,
Eric

1891 Jules Verne 'Mistress Branican'

Available is a first American edition of Verne's rare book, 'Mistress Branican' - which precedes the First English edition by one year. This undated Cassell edition was published in November, 1891. It is the first Jules Verne book to be published in the United States after the July 1, 1891 International Copyright Act took affect. Sampson Low's First English (British) edition was published one year later in November, 1892.

Book Description: New York: Cassell Publishing, 1891. Later edition of 1st edition. Olive green cloth with maroon decorated hardcover with gilt title and maroon decoration on spine and front cover. 377 pp. with 15 pp. of advertisements in the back. Measures 7-1/2" tall x 5-1/4". Translated from the French by A. Estoclet; illustrated with numerous black and white plates by Leon Benett. (Myers, 41)

*Edition described as thus: Listing #41: New York, Cassell Publishing Co., (1891) later edition measuring approx 13 x 18 centimeters, printed on thinner paper, illustrated on both sides to reduce the number of leaves used in the illustrations by one half.

* Bibliography noted: New Hartfotd, Connecticut: Country Lane Books, 1989. Myers, Edward and Judith. A Bibliography of First Printings of the Writings of Jules Verne in the English Language Together with Information on Numerous Reprints, and a Key to Title Interpretation. Page 50

To view more information about this book, or are interested to know its value, go here.

Hemingway's KEN magazine appearances

Ken Magazine stated in its first issue a disclaimer (actually written by Hem) "Ernest Hemingway has been in Spain since KEN was first projected. Although contracted and announced as an editor he has taken no part in the editing of the magazine nor in the formation of its policies. If he sees eye to eye with us on KEN we would like to have him as an editor. If not, he will remain as a contributor until he is fired or quits." Hemingway stayed on and contributed 14 articles and stories between April 4th, 1938 and Jan 12th, 1939. Notable stories include 'Dying, Well or Badly", Treachery in Aragon", "My Pal the Gorilla Gargantua" and the short story 'The Old Man at the Bridge".

These are scarce appearances of Hemingway, during his 'non-fiction' time in Spain during the Spanish Civil War. Since Hemingway was on the side of the Loyalists / Republicans, he was reporting on the atrocities committed by Facists / Nationalists (even though both sides committed these horrible atrocities). Much of the idea and body from For Whom the Bell Tolls was composed at this time, even though he would write it a few years later.

SOLD: 1888 JACK THE RIPPER illustrated / bound news articles

Recently sold is an interesting and highly desirable (by Ripperologists) volume containing five different (now famous) articles regarding the gruesome Whitechapel murders of August - November 1888, now known by the title "JACK THE RIPPER"! The volume contains full articles of the British weekly publication of "Punch - or the London Charivari", a humerous and satirical magazine published from 1841 to 1992. Contains five highly detail and gruesomely honest illustrations - many full page.

Book details:
London: Published at the Office, 85 Fleet Street. Volume 95, contains July 7 - December 29, 1888. Hardcover, measures 8-1/2" x 11" tall. 312 pp. Bluish-grey boards w/ 1/4 black leather spine. Leather spine chipped, gilt title missing; front cover loose, back cover detached but present (unfortunately it detached when I was writing this). Corners worn. Interior contents tight and clean; illustrations crisp and bright.

To view more information about this book, or are interested to know its value, go here.

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

Recently sold 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."

To view more information about this book, or are interested to know its value, go here.

Hemingway Esquire Magazine: December 1935

Hemingway's featured story for December, 1935 is "Million Dollar Fright: A New York Letter" - Hemingway's account of the Joe Louis - Max Baer prizefight, held on September 24, 1935 in New York. Plus, you cannot forget about George Petty and his 'Petty Pin-up Girls' both with an illustration and Old Gold Cigarette ad.

Hemingway Esquire Magazine: May 1935

Hemingway's featured story for May, 1935 is "a.d. Southern Style: A Key West Letter", along with F. Scott Fitzgerald's fiction, "Shaggy's Morning". Plus, you cannot forget about George Petty and his 'Petty Pin-up Girls' both with an illustration and Old Gold Cigarette ad. A fun Hemingway article, which focuses on his famous article concerning him and his case of amoebic dysentery ("a.d.")

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Hemingway Esquire Magazine: July 1935

Hemingway's featured story for July, 1935 is "The President Vanquishes". Plus, you cannot forget about George Petty and his 'Petty Pin-up Girls' both with an illustration and Old Gold Cigarette ad.

Hemingway Esquire Magazine: March 1935

Hemingway's featured story for March, 1935 is "Sailfish Off Mombasa: A Key West Letter". Plus, you cannot forget about George Petty and his 'Petty Pin-up Girls' both with an illustration and Old Gold Cigarette ad.

Hemingway Esquire Magazine: February 1935

Hemingway's featured story for February, 1935 is "Remembering Shooting Flying", along with F. Scott Fitzgerald's fiction, "The Night Before Chancellorsville", taken from Taps at Reveille. Plus, you cannot forget about George Petty and his 'Petty Pin-up Girls' both with an illustration and Old Gold Cigarette ad.

Hemingway Esquire Magazines: January 1935

As I've noted on previous posts, Hemingway populated the pages of Esquire Magazine numerous times in his career - 31 times to be exact - but only a few also contained F. Scott Fitzgerald stories as well. Ego may have played a part, but Hemingway articles always takes priority in the pages, being that his stories always came first before Fitzgeralds.

Here's one example: January 1935 Esquire magazine, containing Hemingway's article "Notes of Life and Letters: Or a Manuscript Found in a Bottle"; and Fitzgerald's short story "The Fiend" (from Taps at Reveille).

The Scott Fitzgerald ESQUIRE Magazine collection

F. Scott Fitzgerald knew and exploited the "system". The "system" being selling his short stories to magazines such as The Saturday Evening Post, Scribner's Magazine, Collier's, Redbook, Women's Home Companion, McCall's, and later Esquire Magazine. He had an extensive magazine showing, later turning his short stories into full chapters of is very popular books - starting this as early as January 1920 with a one act play which would later be found in Flappers and Philosophers (1920). He had a long run with Esquire Magazine from December 1934 – July 1941, exclusively filling up all of 1940 and up until he died in Dec 1940. He would have only nine more magazine appearances in the year following his death (although he had more in later years).

These magazines tend to be highly collectible, especially when you cross-populate certain months with inclusions by Ernest Hemingway, John Steinbeck, John Dos Passos, or others - and that doesn't even include the George Petty pin-up girl collectors, or the vintage advertisement seekers.

Fitzgerald had forty-two items (plus three later) published in Esquire, and see examples from twelve here:

December 1934 Sleeping and Waking," Crack-Up.

January 1935 “The Fiend,” Taps at Reveille.

July 1936 “Author’s House,” Afternoon of an Author.

August 1936 “Afternoon of an Author,” Afternoon of an Author. (w/ Hemingway)

September 1936 “An Author’s Mother,” The Price Was High.

October 1936 "I Didn’t Get Over," Afternoon of an Author.

November 1936 “‘Send Me In, Coach,’”

June 1937 “The Honor of the Goon,”

September 1937 “The Long Way Out,” Stories.

October 1937 “The Guest in Room Nineteen,” The Price Was High.

December 1937 “In the Holidays,” The Price Was High.

Extremely rare 1923 HEMINGWAY poetry published before THREE STORIES & TEN POEMS

This rare bound Poetry Magazine volume contains six very early Hemingway poems, found within the collection titled "Wanderings" - "Mitrailliatrice", "Oily Weather", "Roosevelt", "Riparto D'Assalto", "Champs d'Honneur", and "Chapter Heading" (Hanneman #C 121). This is an extremely early (and rare) magazine appearance by Hemingway. Published in Chicago by Poetry, A Magazine of Verse. Published in October 1922 - March 1923 issues #1-6. These six poems make up six of the ten poems featured in his first published work, THREE STORIES & TEN POEMS. This collection of poems was published six months BEFORE the first and only limited edition publishing of TSTP in Paris by Contact Publishing - 300 copies of TSTP was published in July, 1923.

A biographical note, on page 231 of Poetry Magazine, states "Ernest M. Hemingway, a young Chicago poet now abroad, who will soon issue his first book of verse."

The acknowledgement found on p. [xi] of TSTP states: "Five of these poems were first printed in Poetry A Magazine of Verse." This is incorrect. Six of the poems were printed. In this offered bound magazine, "Mitraigiatrice" (July printing of TSTP) was spelled "Mitrailliatrice" (January printing, Poetry Magazine).

Any serious Hemingway collector knows THREE STORIES & TEN POEMS is the "holy grail" of the EH collection. At a limited printing of only 300 copies, it is the most sought-after publication by Hemingway, and ranks on the top ten list of most-sought after modern literature today. A signed & inscribed copy of TSTP is available by an online seller for $225,000, or pick up an unsigned copy from another seller for $65,000. A 'bargain price' copy is also available from another online seller, unsigned for $45,000. In January 2006, PBA Galleries (a powerseller auction house also on eBay) sold an unsigned copy in a live auction for $20,700 without their 22.5% fee (final total $25,350). Also, on November 13, 2008 Christie's Auction House will auction this same unsigned TSTP with a pre-auction estimate of $14,000 - 20,000 - but you could own 6/13 of this important Hemingway piece published six months prior for a fraction of that cost.

Other noteworthy poets included in this volume are D.H. Lawrence, Edgar Lee Masters, and Malcolm Cowley (a future editor of Hemingway and 'Lost Generation' authors' collected works).

Bibliography cited: Ernest Hemingway A Comprehensive Bibliography by Audre Hanneman, 1967. Listed in Section C, #121 (Contrubutions to newspapers and periodicals).
This is a very rare and extremely early appearance of Hemingway. Only the second publishing by him, besides articles written in his high school yearbook, Tabula, or any articles written for Toronto Daily Star or Toronto Star Weekly. His first publishing found within Double Dealer, a literary magazine in June 1922. This would make a wonderful early edition to any serious Hemingway collection.

To find out more about this Hemingway title, or find out more about its value, email me.