Rare Book Monthly

Book Catalogue Reviews - May - 2017 Issue

A Variety of Exceptional Material from Raptis Rare Books

The latest from Raptis Rare Books.

Raptis Rare Books recently issued a new catalogue. While I have not been able to locate a title, it does provide a useful guide to what is inside – a table of contents. Here are the subjects covered within: New Arrivals, Modern Literature, Children's Literature, History & World Leaders, Philosophy & Religion, Science & Exploration, Economics & Finance, Art & Architecture, Sports & Leisure. My guess is you will recognize most of the books or their authors. This is important and highly collectible material, condition generally excellent. Serious collectors in a variety of fields will appreciate what is offered. Here are a few samples.

 

We begin with a work of which Printing and the Mind of Man said "No other work of the sixteenth century equals it." The author was Andreas Vesalius, who quite literally, looked inside ourselves as no one had before. Vesalius was a physician and professor at the University of Padua who studied human anatomy. At the time, physicians still relied upon the teachings of Galen, 1,400 years old, much of which was speculative rather than based on observation. In Roman times, Galen was only permitted to dissect animals, not humans. Vesalius had the advantage of a local judge making the bodies executed criminals available to him for dissection, which he was willing to undertake. The result of his investigations was this book, De Humani Corporis Fabrica Libri Septem (on the fabric of the human body). The book not only contains Vesalius description of the human anatomy, but over 200 woodcut illustrations. The accuracy of both illustrations and text was exceptional. Printing and the Mind of Man further explains, "Galen was not merely improved upon, he was superseded; and the history of anatomy is divided into two periods, pre-Vesalian and post-Vesalian." Offered is a first edition, published in 1543. Item 30020. Priced at $145,000.

 

Next is an autographed personal letter from Mark Twain to Bram Stoker, best known for his novel Dracula. You might assume this is a case of one notable author writing to fellow writer, but that was not the case. The letter reads, "My Dear Stoker: It is a wonderful picture. I have never seen one of Irving before that could at all compare with it. I don't know how to thank you enough, Sincerely Yours S.L. Clemens December 27, 93." While he wrote other books, Stoker's by far best known work is Dracula, and that was not published until 1897. Rather, Stoker was better known at the time as the business manager of the Lyceum Theatre of London and the personal assistant of famous actor and manager of the theater Henry Irving. It was in this role that Stoker accommodated Twain with a picture of Irving, for which the latter was very grateful. Item 31008. $6,000.

 

Here is another letter signed by a most notable American, and one that seems very odd today. The writer was President Abraham Lincoln, and in the midst of his challenging presidency, he seeks a free one-way railway pass for a man he didn't even know. It is amazing what was expected of presidents in those days. The recipient was some sort of medical volunteer during the Civil War, and as such, Lincoln figured he deserved a free train ride home. So, he wrote a letter in hopes of securing one, though his tentative endorsement of the recipient himself and lack of knowledge of what he did indicates he knew nothing about the man. Writes Lincoln, "I suppose this man has been doing something for our sick soldiers, and I should think it would be no more than fair that he should have a Railroad pass to his home in Albany, New York. A. Lincoln. July 2, 1862." Item 32009. $16,000.

 

If that is a strange message from a president, this one is stranger still. It comes from Richard Nixon, and it is considerately inscribed by a President whose national reputation wasn't much better than that of Lincoln in the South. Writes Nixon, "To Ward Thompson, with appreciation for his service to the nation and best wishes for Christmas 1978." Actually, it is a tribute to Nixon that he wrote such a polite letter to Thompson, rather than saying what he must have truly felt about the man. Thompson was an IRS agent. Prior to the more notable Watergate scandal, Nixon was involved in one involving his taxes. Nixon opened his tax returns to the public, starting a tradition that was in place all the way until this most recent election. Nixon paid a price for his openness - $67,000 to be exact. Further examination revealed that Nixon owed $67,000 in taxes. Thompson was the agent put in charge of auditing Nixon's taxes, and had to receive an authorization from the IRS (a photocopy is included) to ask Nixon for his autograph. The inscription comes within a copy of Nixon's 1978 book, The Memoirs of Richard Nixon. Item 4510. $2,200.

 

It probably wouldn't be all that surprising to hear that the all-time best selling children's book is The Tale of Peter Rabbit. What is the second best selling such book? Raptis provides the answer, and it was a major surprise to me. Perhaps it shouldn't have been, as I had a copy when I was young and so did my children, but it is still not one that immediately comes to mind. The answer is Pat the Bunny, by Dorothy Kunhardt. It is not the writing that makes this book so popular, but its interactive nature, designed for the youngest of children. It contains a few very simple things a young child can do, and when you are very young, they are exciting. You can, as the title says, pat the bunny, which is to say touch a piece of cotton shaped like a bunny. You can peekaboo with a mirror, feel Daddy's scratchy, unshaven face, put your finger in Mommy's ring, or poke a ball that squeaks in return. The presence of the ball reveals this to be a first edition, first issue from 1940. The ball was quickly replaced by perfumed flowers as the squeaker regularly failed. Sadly, I have never seen a copy listed where the squeaker still worked, and, alas, that is true of this one too. Item 30007. $5,500.

 

Of all the comic book superheroes, none has matched the reputation of the original, Superman. The Man of Steel first appeared in a 1938 issue of Action Comics, and this creation of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster has made his way to books, television, and the big screen in the years since. In 1942, he found himself in the pages of a book, in this case written by George Lowther and illustrated by Shuster. The title is The Adventures of Superman, and this copy is inscribed by Lowther. Collecting Superman in books is much less intimidating than collecting him in comics, as that first edition of Superman in comic book form can cost you almost 100 times what the book sells for. Item 32042. $4,000.

 

Raptis Rare Books may be reached at 800-727-3266 or mail@raptisrarebooks.com. Their website is found at www.raptisrarebooks.com.

Rare Book Monthly

  • Bonhams, Mar. 22 – Apr. 2: A RUTH BADER GINSBURG BEADED JUDICIAL COLLAR. $80,000 - $120,000
    Bonhams, Mar. 22 – Apr. 2: ONLY KNOWN COPY OF THE ONLY BOOK BY THE REMARKABLE EVE ADAMS. $8,000 - $12,000
    Bonhams, Mar. 22 – Apr. 2: A COMPLETE RUN OF VISIONAIRE MAGAZINE THROUGH 2010. $6,000 - $9,000
    Bonhams, Mar. 22 – Apr. 2: LAW REVIEW OFFPRINT SIGNED AND INSCRIBED BY RUTH BADER GINSBURG. $3,000 - $5,000
    Bonhams, Mar. 22 – Apr. 2: META REBNER'S WORKING SCRIPT OF THE LOVED ONE. $1,500 - $2,000
    Bonhams, Mar. 22 – Apr. 2: A KATHY GROVE PORTRAIT OF CYNDI LAUPER FOR THE FEBRUARY 1989 DETAILS COVER. $800 - $1,200
    Bonhams, Mar. 22 – Apr. 2: A PLASTIC COAT BY MILLIE DAVID FEATURED IN SOHO NEWS STYLE SECTION, FROM THE COLLECTION OF ANNIE FLANDERS. $500 - $700
    Bonhams, Mar. 22 – Apr. 2: A RUTH BADER GINSBURG JEWELRY BOX. $600 - $900
    Bonhams, Mar. 22 – Apr. 2: A SET OF JONI MITCHELL LYRICS FOR "IF I HAD A HEART." $2,000 - $3,000
  • 19th Century Shop
    Catalogue 198 just published
    19th Century Shop. Darwin and Wallace, first printing of the first paper on natural selection
    19th Century Shop. Shakespeare’s Poems, first collected edition
    19th Century Shop. Walt Whitman portrait inscribed with a Leaves of Grass poem
    19th Century Shop. Major Elizabeth Barrett Browning manuscript notebook
    19th Century Shop. Spock's Baby Book, original MS
    19th Century Shop. Cellarius, Harmonia Macrocosmica, the great celestial atlas
  • Potter & Potter Auctions
    How History Unfolds on Paper:
    Choice Selections from the Eric C. Caren Collection
    Part IX
    April 18, 2024
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: [RUTH, George Herman “Babe” (1895-1948)]. Signed photograph. Circa 1930s. 191 x 248 mm. $1,500 to $2,500.
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: HARRISON, Benjamin. Document signed (“Benj Harrison”) as governor of Virginia, certifying the service of Daniel Cumbo, a Black Revolutionary soldier. $6,000 to $9,000.
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: ONE OF THE FIRST PRINTED ANNOUNCEMENTS OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. $4,000 to $6,000.
    Potter & Potter Auctions
    How History Unfolds on Paper:
    Choice Selections from the Eric C. Caren Collection
    Part IX
    April 18, 2024
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: FIRST PRINTING OF LINCOLN’S IMMORTAL GETTYSBURG ADDRESS. $4,000 to $6,000.
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: HIGHLY IMPORTANT MORMON ARCHIVE. ALLEY, George. Archive of 23 Autograph Letters Signed by Mormon Convert George Alley to His Brother Joseph Alley. $10,000 to $20,000.
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: [AVIATION]. [ARMSTRONG, Neil A.] Aviation Hall of Fame Gold Medal MS64 NGC, Awarded to Neil Armstrong in 1979. $2,000 to $3,000.
    Potter & Potter Auctions
    How History Unfolds on Paper:
    Choice Selections from the Eric C. Caren Collection
    Part IX
    April 18, 2024
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: NEWLY DISCOVERED FIRST PRINTING OF "WITH MALICE TOWARDS NONE... " FROM THE ONLY NEWSPAPER ACTUALLY ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE IN LINCOLN’S SECOND INAUGURAL PROCESSION. $4,000 to $8,000.
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: THE MOST IMPORTANT GEORGE WASHINGTON DOCUMENT IN PRIVATE HANDS; GEORGE WASHINGTON’S COMMISSION AS COMMANDER IN CHIEF, 1775, ONE OF ONLY TWO ORIGINALS. $150,000 to $250,000.
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: A VERY RARE ACCOUNT OF BLACKBEARD’S DEATH AND ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PIRATE ITEMS EXTANT. $3,000 to $5,000.
    Potter & Potter Auctions
    How History Unfolds on Paper:
    Choice Selections from the Eric C. Caren Collection
    Part IX
    April 18, 2024
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: EDISON, Thomas. Patent for Edison’s Improvements on the Electric-Light, No. 219,628. [Washington, D.C.: U.S. Patent Office], 16 September 1879. $2,000 to $3,000.
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: [VIETNAM WAR]. The original pen used by Secretary of State William P. Rogers to sign the Vietnam Peace Agreement, Paris, 27 January 1973. $10,000 to $15,000.
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: SONS OF LIBERTY FOUNDER COLONEL BARRÉ ANNOTATED TITLE-PAGE, “WHICH OUGHT TO ROUSE UP BRITISH ATTENTION”. $4,000 to $6,000.
  • Forum Auctions
    Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    28th March 2024
    Forum Mar. 28: [Langland (William)]. The vision of Pierce Plowman, nowe the seconde time imprinted..., Roberte Crowley, 1550. £8,000 to £10,000.
    Forum Mar. 28: [Shakespeare (William)]. [Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies], second folio edition, [by Tho.Cotes, for Robert Allot], [1632]. £30,000 to £40,000.
    Forum Mar. 28: Bible, Czech Biblia Bohemica, first complete Bible printed in the Czech vernacular, Prague, August 1488. £30,000 to £40,000.
    Forum Auctions
    Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    28th March 2024
    Forum Mar. 28: Shabthai Tzvi.- Collection of four printed and illustrated broadsides detailing the appearance, rise and fall of the false messiah, Shabthai Tzvi, Augsburg, 1666-67. £40,000 to £60,000.
    Forum Mar. 28: Leaf from the Beauvais Missal, in Latin, illuminated manuscript on parchment, [Northern France (perhaps Beauvais or Amiens)], [fourteenth century (c.1310)]. £4,000 to £6,000.
    Forum Mar. 28: Aubrey (John). [Remaines of Gentilisme and Judaisme], manuscript in English, Latin and Greek, [c. 1693]. £30,000 to £50,000.
    Forum Auctions
    Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    28th March 2024
    Forum Mar. 28: Byron (George Gordon Noel, Lord). Poems on Various Occasions, first edition, Harriet Maltby's copy, Newark, Printed by S. & J. Ridge, 1807. £30,000 to £40,000.
    Forum Mar. 28: Tolkien (J.R.R.) The Hobbit, first edition, second impression with dust-jacket, 1937 [but 1938]. £7,000 to £10,000.
    Forum Mar. 28: Blake (William).- Thornton (Robert John). The Pastorals of Virgil, 2 vol., engraved plates by William Blake, 1821. £8,000 to £12,000.
    Forum Auctions
    Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    28th March 2024
    Forum Mar. 28: America.- Mount (William J.) & Thomas Page. The English Pilot…, [bound with] The Fourth Book, describing The West Indies Navigation from Hudson's-Bay to the River Amazones, 1721. £20,000 to £30,000.
    Forum Mar. 28: Oldfield (Henry Ambrose), Rajman Singh Chitrakar & others. An album of 160 photographs and 13 original artworks, (1833-1919), [c. 1850s-1880s]. £20,000 to £30,000.
    Forum Mar. 28: Audubon (John James) [and William MacGillivray]. Ornithological Biography…, 5 vol., first edition, presentation copy inscribed by Audubon, Edinburgh, 1831-49 [i.e. 1831-39]. £10,000 to £15,000.
  • Sotheby’s
    Modern First Editions
    Available for Immediate Purchase
    Sotheby’s, Available Now: Winston Churchill. The Second World War. Set of First-Edition Volumes. 6,000 USD
    Sotheby’s, Available Now: A.A. Milne, Ernest H. Shepard. A Collection of The Pooh Books. Set of First-Editions. 18,600 USD
    Sotheby’s, Available Now: Salvador Dalí, Lewis Carroll. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Finely Bound and Signed Limited Edition. 15,000 USD
    Sotheby’s
    Modern First Editions
    Available for Immediate Purchase
    Sotheby’s, Available Now: Ian Fleming. Live and Let Die. First Edition. 9,500 USD
    Sotheby’s, Available Now: J.K. Rowling. Harry Potter Series. Finely Bound First Printing Set of Complete Series. 5,650 USD
    Sotheby’s, Available Now: Ernest Hemingway. A Farewell to Arms. First Edition, First Printing. 4,200 USD

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