The Lantern Carnival in Switzerland -  in a slipcase that lights up!

Hänni, Romano.
The Basel Carnival Lantern Picture Book.
Basel: Romano Hänni, 2022.

Number 27 of 30 copies, each unique. This is a remarkable production from Basel book artist and printer Romano Hänni. It celebrates the famous annual Basel Carnival Lantern Exhibition. The Exhibition has existed since 1921 and was inducted into the UNESCO list of the Intangible Cultural Heritages of Humanity in 2017. This work is comprised of three parts: a lavish digitally printed photo picture book in eight languages with over 600 lantern pictures and with hand painted elements; a unique hand painted actual lantern; and a custom slipcase. The lanterns represented in the photo book are a selection from the carnival years 2003 -2019. Many lanterns focus on polical themes and human rights issues worldwide.

Romano writes: "Basel’s three most beautiful days, as the Basel Carnival is called locally, begin promptly each year, on the Monday after Ash Wednesday, at four in the morning. This year there was a colorful sea of lights from February 24 to March 26 2022. An international public of thousands moved around some 200 works of art - lanterns - that reached up to four meters in height." The lanterns in this production were individually hand painted by four lantern artists and then lacquered to a satin finish. Their frames were made of hemlock covered in cotton. The interiors of the lanterns are illuminated by a battery powered LED bulb. The book is found inserted into the lantern. They are housed in a slipcase made from handmade cardboard. Thus each three part Lantern Picture Book contains original work by the four lantern artists. The lanterns measure 23.8 x 21.8 x 6.4 cm. The slipcases measure 24.4 x 23.3,x 7.2 cm. In fine condition. (#35525)

Price: $3,400 

A Guide to D.C. from the 1880s

Keim, De. B. Randolph.
Keim's Illustrated Hand-Book of Washington and Its Environs: A Descriptive and Historical Hand-Book of the Capital of the United States of America.
Washington City: For the Compiler, 1884.

The nineteenth edition of this popular guide to the city of Washington and surrounding areas. It is organized by general information, a description of the city, public buildings and grounds, places of general interest, the environs of Washington, and a history of Washington. There are two fold-out maps, one of Washington City and the other of the District of Columbia and surrounding country. The DC map has a closed tear but both maps are in very good condition. There are black and white engravings throughout. Bound in red cloth with gilt titling to front cover and spine. the covers are spotted, rubbed, and bumped. The gilt titling has faded. Interior pages are clean. Very good condition overall. Measures 4.25 x 6.25 inches. 250 pages including index.  (#35542)

Price: $25 

Tips for Being a Princess

[More, Hannah].
Hints Towards Forming the Character of a Young Princess. In Two Volumes.
London: T. Cadell and W. Davies, 1805.

Hannah More (1745-1833) was a well-known English religious writer, poet, and playwright. She wrote this interesting work to offer her views on the education of the young Princess Charlotte of Wales (1796-1817), the only child of the George IV and heir to the British throne. Her untimely death following the birth of her stillborn son ultimately paved the way for Victoria to become queen in 1837.

Bound in contemporary leather with gilt rulings and gilt ornament and title label to spine. Leather is chipped, abraded, and bumped. Gilt is worn and faded. Some foxing to pastedowns and free front endpapers. Interior pages are in very good condition with light browning to text. Ownership signature dated 1844 to front pastedowns. Small octavo volumes. Volume I: 330 pages plus 6 pages of ads; Volume II: 403 pages. Very Good. (#35516)

Price: $150

Kelmscott Press - Love is Enough

Morris, William.
Love is Enough, Or the Freeing of Pharamond: A Mortality.
Hammersmith: Kelmscott Press, 1897.

One of 300 paper copies. There were an additional 8 vellum copies. A lovely copy of one of the Kelmscott Press's most beautiful books. This was the last but one of the books issued by the press. It was only the second book to be printed in three colors, with the addition of blue to the usual black and red. It includes two illustrations by Edward Burne-Jones, engraved on wood by W.H. Hooper. The frontis illustration was designed for this edition. The second illustration at the end of the text was originally intended for an early illustrated edition of this work that was never produced. Bound in limp vellum with the six fragile silk ties present. Love is Enough is stamped in gold on the spine in Golden type. Some light discoloration on covers but still about fine. The text is printed on Perch paper in Troy type, with stage directions in Chaucer type. With ornamental borders and initials throughout [Peterson bibliography A52]. An exceptionally nice copy in fine condition. Housed in a serviceable clamshell box covered in red cloth with gilt title to spine. Large quarto. 91 pages. Fine. (#35554)

Price: $8,500 

Rare in Dust Jacket - The Goblin Market

Rossetti, Christina; Laurence Housman, illustrator.
Goblin Market.
London: Macmillan & Co., 1893.

First edition of this beautiful version of Christina Rossetti's famed poem with the influential illustrations and cover design by Laurence Housman. It remains one of the most noted illustrated books of the late nineteenth century. The scarce dust jacket is present but in barely good condition. A previous owner saw fit to use tape along the upper and lower edges, and there is fraying along top of jacket and a piece missing from the bottom of the spine. Protected by a commercial mylar cover. Bound in green silk cloth with the gilt repeating design to both covers. Very slight bumping and light wear to spine edges. offsetting to front and rear endpapers from the dust jacket. Interior pages have some mild aging to margins, and the gutters are exposed in a few places where the book was opened flat. With twelve full page illustrations and numerous text decorations. Still a nice copy in very good condition. Small octavo. 63 pages. Very Good. (#35576)

Price: $500 

A Whimsical Creation Story - Filled with Fish Illustrations

Schwartzott, Carol, book artist; Natalie Belting, text.
The World is on a Fish's Back: A Creation Tale from Tales of Beginnings.
Freeville, NY: Carol Schwartzott, 2022.

Number 6 of 6 copies signed and numbered by the book artist. A charming little book from noted book artist Carol Schwartzott that ponders the beginning of the earth but concludes that one might say that the in the beginning the earth was on a fish's back...in the beginning it was thus. Letterpress printed with digitally printed images of charming fish decorated the cover and many of the pages. Printed on Japanese and decorative papers and with a binding design originated by Hedi Kyle. Housed in a blue box covered with decorative paper and a fish image. In fine condition. Book measures 4.25 inches square. Box is about 4.75 inches square. Unpaginated.  (#35585)

Price: $150 

An Artists' Book on Traveling - out of the USSR and within Mexico

Akhmadeeva, Ioulia.
Vuelo Directo / Direct Flight.
Aguascalientes, Mexico: National Engraving Workshop, 2017.

Number 3 of 10 copies housed in a special box with a handmade wheat figure. There are also 10 copies without a box. This book "contains a personal, playful story without a specific sequence about the author's freedom to travel, originally from the USSR where leaving the country was a very restricted matter. It includes images of baggage bands, numbers of some routes and real flights, along with the images of handmade airplanes and helicopters made of wheat fiber (panicua) from the region of Lake Pátzcuaro in the state of Michoacán, where the author currently lives. She talks about her own sense of horizon, travel and journeys" (Ioulia Akhmadeeva).

Bound in red cloth covered boards with silk screened illustrations to front board. The binding was done by Alternativa Ediciones in Morelia, Michoacan, Mexico. An accordion book produced using the algraphy technique (a form of lithography), printed in ink on cotton Hahnemühle paper with interventions in watercolor and electrographic transfer. Printed on both sides. Printed paper belly band and four page signed colophon are included. Housed in a red cloth covered clamshell box that features a handcrafted hummingbird figure in wheat to front of box. Magnetic closure. [14 pages]. Fine. (#35550)

Price: $2,250 

Was Snow White a monster? Neil Gaiman's dramatic retelling of the classic tale ... includes a CD

[Biting Dog Press]
Gaiman, Neil; Jack Zipes, introduction; George Walker, wood engravings.
Snow Glass Apples. A Play for Voices.
Toronto: Biting Dog Press, 2002.

Number 246 of 250 copies. Signed by Gaiman, Zipes, and Walker. From the introduction: "There are hundreds if not thousands of versions of 'Snow White' tales...but the one we remember most is the Disney version Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs....the virginal, graceful and modest Snow White...has warmed the hearts of children and adults ever since the film appeared in 1937. But what if Snow White were really a monster? This is the question Neil Gaiman asks in his chilling play, Snow Glass Apples....This exquisite reproduction of Gaiman's play by Biting Dog Press is particularly artful and appropriate in the manner in which it brings out the key disturbing questions of the story through unusual design, typography, and images."

Bound in black cloth with title embossed in relief on front cover. Book is printed on Zephyr Laid paper using wood engraving, letterpress, and lithographic techniques. The engravings were impressed directly onto handmade Japanese paper from the original wood blocks. The binding is handsewn. Housed in a black slipcase with the title in silver on the cover. Includes a CD of the play. A wonderful production in fine condition. 7 x 9 inches. 63 pages.  (#35533)

Price: $400 

Cyber Themed Tarot Deck

Coron, Béatrice; Mick Stern, writer.
Tarot From Cyberia.
New York: Béatrice Coron, 2022.

One of 99 copies. An inventive set of cyber related tarot cards from artist Coron and writer Stern. There are 22 cards plus a card with the user manual that describes how the set can be used. The instructions state: "For MEDITATION, you can study the vanities and follies of humans nature. Please see the 1440 AD OS. For DIVINATION, you must be certified to read the hidden meanings of fate. Please contact a magus, shaman or warlock for instruction and apprenticeship. For all other purposes, such as paradigm shifting, game changing, inventing the future, and causing disruptions of all kinds, we make no guarantees. You AGREE not to hold this tarot deck liable for any surprises."

The cards are boldly printed in black, orange, and yellow. Each card has a black skeletal figure that illustrates the term on that card, e.g., online wanderer, hacker, influencer, gamer joystick, cyber security, troll. Each card is 3.3 x 2.16 inches. The deck is housed in a white box that is signed and numbered by Coron. Drawn in Illustrator and printed by Moo. In fine condition.  (#35582)

Price: $150

A Book for Local Birders - previously owned by Robert Franklin Ringler

Robbins, Chandler S. [Sr. Editor] and Blom, Eirik A.T. [Project Coordinator].
Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Maryland and the District of Columbia.
United States: University of Pittsburgh Press, 1996.

This is a unique copy of this publication. It is inscribed by Chandler and Blom to a contributor on the team: "Many thanks for your many hours of hard work on this Atlas, Bob!" This appears to be Robert Franklin Ringler (the name Ringler is handwritten on the front end paper), who passed away in 2022. According to his obituary, Ringler joined the Maryland Ornithological Society (MOS) in 1975 and served as President from 1988-1989. He was also a member and President of the Baltimore Bird Club and the Carroll County Bird Club. He is considered to be one of the founders of the Breeding Bird Atlas Project, from which this book emanated. The book is also inscribed by a member of the Editorial Board, and several others who were apparently members of the project. The Atlas provides data on 199 species that breed in Maryland and DC. Quarto. Glossy yellow paper-covered boards with black title to cover and spine. Bird print on cover. Text is bright and clean with no markings or blemishes. Minor rubbing to bottom of pages. Cover is bright and clean. 479 pages, including index. Fine. (#35601)

Price: $50 

The Devil - printed in English, Spanish, and P'urhepecha

González, Raul Eduardo, et. al. Chamuco.
El diablo anda suelto / Chamuco, the Devil Is Around.
Mexico: Michoacan University of Saint Nicholas of Hidalgo, 2020.

Second edition. Number II of X artist copies. Limited to 25 copies of which 20 deluxe copies were issued in a special box with additional items. There are also 10 author / artist copies. In English, Spanish, and P'urhepecha. Includes 10 linocuts and 10 poems printed in three languages. Portrayals of the devil range from members of ICE to sex workers to millionaires. This book was created as part of a university collective project between young artists, poets, and craftspeople. "The characters from the book Chamuco, visually inspired by the polychromatic pottery of the artisans of the Ocumicho community in Michoacán, México, were engraved by 10 artists from the Michoacan University of Saint Nicholas of Hidalgo; these are accompanied in this book by the verses expressly written for this project by six poets from the same university" (page 3). The project was coordinated by Ioulia Akhmadeeva. Bound in black cloth covered boards with silkscreened illustration and paper title label to front cover. Letterpress printed with linocut illustrations on De Ponte Tamayo 300 gm paper. 24 pages. Fine. (#35551)

Price: $900 

A Celebration of London - literary and historical

Jesse, J. Heneage.
Literary and Historical Memorials of London Two Volumes.
London: Richard Bentley, 1847.

First edition. An interesting and amiable "antiquarian ramble" about London by John Heneage Jesse (1809-1874), a noted English historian. Chapters are organized by areas of London and landmarks such as the Tower of London and Westminster Abbey. Bound in three quarter brown leather with marbled boards, page edges, and endpapers. Gilt ornaments and title labels to spines. Wear, rubbing, and bumping to leather, and a few small marks to marbled boards. Interior pages are clean. With two foldout maps(one in rear pocket) and three plates in Volume I, and three foldout maps and two plates in Volume II. Very good condition. Octavos. Volume I: 448 pages; Volume II: 456 pages.  (#35522)

Price: $90