A couple of literary first editions caught to eye this week, along with an original WWII propaganda poster, and an entertaining and very honest description of a first edition Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. THE COLOSSUS AND OTHER POEMS by Sylvia Plath New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1962. First edition. Hardcover. Fine/Fine. 84 p. First American Edition. With this startling, exhilara... [more]

What new additions to the abaa.org website caught the eye this week? An interesting endorsed letter to President Andrew Jackson, a very early collection of medical recipes, and first editions of books from Virginia Woolf and Richard Fariña, among other items... The Waves (First Edition) by Virginia Woolf New York: Harcourt, Brace and Company, .. Octavo, original blue cloth, spine panel stamped in... [more]

Which books and pieces of ephemera caught the eye among this week's crop of new listings? First editions of The Lord of the Rings, a medieval manuscript in a 15th-Century binding complete with library chain, and a contemporary fine-art binding of Sinclair Lewis' classic, It Can't Happen Here, among others... THE LORD OF THE RINGS comprising THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING, THE TWO TOWERS & THE RETURN O... [more]

A selection of rare books and print ephemera newly listed or catalogued by members of the ABAA. The Island of Doctor Moreau by H.G. Wells London: William Heinemann, 1896. Pictorial ochre cloth, stamped in black and red. Frontis. Rear inner hinge cracked (but sound), some rubbing to cloth and small offset spots to lower cover, some shallow splashmarks along the top edge of the front free endsheet a... [more]

A selection of rare books and print ephemera newly listed or catalogued by members of the ABAA. Micky Maus: Die Größte Jugendzeitschrift Der Welt (First Edition/First Printing) Schweiz, Österreich, et al. Very Good+. 1969. First Edition; First Printing. Hardcover. First edition/first printing Micky Maus magazines in overall very good+ condition. The seven issues each have some light soiling. He... [more]

What caught the eye while exploring the website and perusing new catalogs this week? Why these colorful items... Group of 19th Century Cuban Cigarette Labels This set of slightly risqué 19th-century cigarette cards from Cuba caught the eye. What a perfect gift for the collector of print ephemera or advertising gimmicks! From the description: Description: “Complete series of twelve chromolithogr... [more]

Q: What stopped me in my tracks as I perused this week's batch of new catalogs? A: Everything from the national importance of a presidential inaugural address to the particulars of a menu from a dinner in 1959. Menu: A Dinner in Honor of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (1959) Given that I am a sucker for The Crown, Downton Abbey, and most other British television shows, spotting a menu from a forma... [more]

Over the course of my week, I read through most of the new catalogs published by ABAA member and survey items newly listed on abaa.org. The books detailed below are the ones that caught my eye this week for various reasons. Le Temple de Jérusalem et la Maison du Bois-liban : Restitués d'Après Ézéchiel et le Livre des Rois Chipiez, Charles; Georges Perrot Paris: Librairie Hachette, 1889. First... [more]

We're debuting a new recurring feature this week, in which I detail the top items that caught my eye as I perused new listings on the website and new catalogs announced by members. This is no more than a reflection of my idiosyncrasies, interests, and unfailing ability to be distracted by colorful photos and vintage adverts, but hopefully they will highlight the range of amazing books and other it... [more]

Items of interest for the week beginning June 1, 2015. Beatles' Autographs The Beatles are on people's minds -- and radios -- this week because on June 1, 1967, they released Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, one of the first concept albums that was more than just a collection of singles or potential-singles. It was a massive hit, spending six months atop the charts. Between the Covers Rare B... [more]

A few select items offered by ABAA members for the week of May 4th 2015, also known as (Intergalactic) Star Wars Day... Star Wars: From The Adventures Of Luke Skywalker by George Lucas Ballantine, 1976. First Edition. Mass Market Paperback (Offered by Yesterday's Muse, Inc.) A long time ago, in a childhood far, far away, many of us read this novelization of a new movie called Star Wars. Although c... [more]