A Variety from James Cummins Bookseller, Including Fine Bindings and Works by Churchill

For those who love the violin, Cummins has a ready-made collection to get you started. Item 82 consists of 115 pieces ranging from 1723-1976. The archive is described as including “works of reference and scholarship, biographies and memoirs of famous luthiers and violinists, catalogues of notable collections of rare violins, rare violin dealer catalogues, violin method books, the iconography of the violin, and works on the construction and maintenance of violins.” For those who (like me) aren't familiar with the term “luthier,” a luthier is someone who makes or repairs stringed instruments. A complete accounting of the items in this collection is available from the bookseller. $30,000.

Item 3 is a large poster calling to Bust The Cabora Bassa Dam. It was published by the Support the Dam Busters Committee of London. The group sought to discourage British investment in the dam, then proposed to be built in Mozambique, at the time still a Portuguese colony. FRELIMO, the anti-colonial revolutionary group in Mozambique, supported the movement to stop the dam. Its purpose was to provide electricity for South Africa, then controlled by the apartheid government. Ultimately, the movement failed and the dam was built. $750.

James Cummins Bookseller may be reached at 212-688-6441 or info@jamescumminsbookseller.com. The website is www.jamescumminsbookseller.com.