Rare Book Monthly

Book Catalogue Reviews - April - 2018 Issue

Wonders from the Curious to the Mundane from Zephyr Used & Rare Books

Wonders from the Curious to the Mundane.

Wonders from the Curious to the Mundane.

Zephyr Used & Rare Books has issued a catalogue of Wonders from the Curious to the Mundane. And that is what you will find! It's hard to otherwise explain what is in this catalogue as it is a mix of different, but fascinating items. For example, for those of us who love old cars, there are brochures and dealer promotional material for some very old models, several of which no longer exist. Do you remember the Cartercar? I don't, but it's here. Old cars is just one of many subjects, which range from African Americana to travels to some obscure old novels. Or, how about the adventures of a Royal Canadian Mounted Policeman "in the largest and loneliest police district in the world," Baffin Island? Does anyone live there, and if so, aren't they too busy keeping warm to commit crimes? This sounds both curious and mundane. Here are a few other selections from this catalogue, with something of a bias of one who loves old cars.

 

We begin with an illustrated color brochure for the Imperator: the world's largest ship, embodying maximum comfort and safety for all, 50,000 tons, Length, 919 feet... 50,000 tons? Why didn't this thing sink? This brochure was published in 1913, when the German luxury liner was new. It even outstripped in size the late Titanic. Indeed, since the ship was top-heavy, they had to pour an extra 2,000 tons of cement into the bottom as ballast. Still she floated. Unfortunately, the timing of this ship was terrible. Soon, World War I broke out, forcing the Hamburg-American line to keep her in port for safety. After the war, the Germans were required to surrender the ship to Britain as war reparations. It went into service for Cunard Lines until retired from passenger service in 1938. She was demolished in 1946. Item 149. Priced at $275.

 

If you've tried "everything" to cure your illness without success, maybe you haven't. How about chromotherapeutics? Not chronotherapeutics, that is a different thing. Chromotherapeutics somehow uses colors and vibrations to cure your illnesses. I'm not sure how, but the answer can be found in Ernest Stevens' Vibrations: their principles, light and colors, their uses, essays, lessons, health hints and flash-lights... This book was printed by the Stevens Light and Color Research Studios of San Francisco in 1920-21. Even then, San Francisco was ahead of its time. The therapy was pretty if not effective. Item 15. $295.

 

Next we have the brochure for the Cartercar. The Car With the Gearless Transmission. The gearless transmission allowed for "a thousand speeds," rather than a few set gear ratios. The company was formed in 1905 by Byron J. Carter, who split from Jackson Automobile in a disagreement over transmissions. At first, sales grew handsomely. Unfortunately, in 1908, Byron Carter was injured when the crank shaft used back then to start cars kicked back, striking him in the jaw. He developed gangrene and died. The following year, General Motors, in a buying spree, purchased Cartercar. They were intrigued by its transmission, but sales never developed as hoped. It was discontinued in 1915. Item 33, published in 1914. $295.

 

The Rickenbacker had no more success than the Cartercar despite its famous name. It was founded by America's leading World War I flying ace, Eddie Rickenbacker, a name still well known. His car is not. It began production in 1922, and in 1923, it was the first car to feature four-wheel brakes. Today, all cars have them, but at the time, braking of two wheels was deemed sufficient. The cars were noted to be advanced for their time, but the price was too high for the market. The company folded in 1927. Item 45 is a brochure for the Rickenbacker Six, A Car Worthy Of Its Name. It was published in 1922. $175.

 

So where could you park your Rickenbacker when you went to Chicago? Westinghouse had the answer. Evidently, even by 1932, cities had their problems providing enough parking spaces. Westinghouse's solution was the Westinghouse Vertical Parking Machine. This was a much finer invention than today's parking garages where you drive up ramps to higher floors filled with parking spaces. With the parking machine, you drove into your slot, exited your car, and paid the fare. The vertical parking machine would elevate your car out of the way. However, it didn't function so much like an elevator as like a ferris wheel, except instead of being round, it had up and down sides with a short turning ratio at top and bottom. The result was that it could hold 48 cars in the same amount of space as just six parking places. Westinghouse even offered a version that was coin operated. Other than the one in Chicago, and at Westinghouse's facilities in Pittsburgh, there is no sign that any others were built. The one in Chicago operated successfully, but the idea never caught on, soon to be replaced by conventional parking garages. Item 25 is Westinghouse vertical parking machine. A practical solution of the parking problem and an aid to traffic congestion... Published in 1932, it will tell you all about this amazing device. $275.

 

Item 157 answers the age-old question, how do you eat canned salmon? The answer is not "reluctantly." Rather, the answer can be found in the Salmon Cook Book: how to eat canned salmon. This book provides various recipes, sauces to enhance (or mask) the flavor, along with illustrations of salmon fishing, Alaska natives, polar bears, boat building, and more. It was published by the Alaska Packers Association in time for the Panama Pacific International Exposition of 1915 in San Francisco. And, if the stuff made you ill, it was just a short trip from there to the Stevens Light and Color Research Studios for some chromotherapy. $200.

 

Zephyr Used & Rare Books may be reached at 360-695-7767 or zephyr@worldaccessnet.com.

Rare Book Monthly

  • Fonsie Mealy’s
    Rare Books & Collectors’ Sale
    April 30th & May 1st
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Apr 30-May 1: Taylor (Geo.) & Skinner (A.) Maps of the Roads of Ireland, Surveyed 1777. Lond. & Dublin 1778. €500 to €750.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Apr 30-May 1: Messingham (Thos.) Florilegium Insulae Sanctorum seu Vitae et Acta Sanctorum Hibernia, Paris 1624. €350 to €500.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Apr 30-May 1: Heaney (Seamus). The Haw Lantern, L. (Faber & Faber) 1987, First Edn., Signed and dated. €225 to €350.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Apr 30-May 1: Valencey (Lt. Col. Chas.) Collectanea de Rebus Hibernicis, Vols. I-IV, 4 vols. Dublin 1786. €400 to €600.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Apr 30-May 1: Powerscourt (Viscount). A Description and History of Powerscourt, Lond. 1903. €350 to €500.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Apr 30-May 1: Moryson (Fynes). An Itinerary ... Containing His Ten Yeeres Travel Through the Twelve Dominions of Germany, Bohermerland, Sweitzerland…, Lond. (John Beale) 1617. €700 to €1,000.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Apr 30-May 1: After Buffon, Birds of Europe, c. 1820. Approx. 120 fine hd. cold. plts., mor. backed boards. €125 to €250.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Apr 30-May 1: Dunlevy (Andrew). An Teagasg Criosduidhe De Reir Ceasda agus Freagartha... The Catechism or Christian Doctrine by Way of Question and Answer, Paris (James Guerin) 1742. €400 to €700.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Apr 30-May 1: The Georgian Society Records of Eighteen-Century Domestic Architecture in Dublin, 5 vols. Complete, Dublin 1909-1913. €500 to €750.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Apr 30-May 1: Scale (Bernard). An Hibernian Atlas or General Description of the Kingdom of Ireland, L. (Robert Sayer & John Bennet) 1776. €625 to €850.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Apr 30-May 1: [Johnson (Rev. Samuel)]. Julian the Apostate Being a Short Account of his Life, together with a Comparison of Popery and Paganism,L. (Langley Curtis) 1682. €300 to €400.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Apr 30-May 1: Nichlson (Wm.) Illustrator. An Almanac of Twelve Sports, Lond. 1898. €300 to €400.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Apr 30-May 1: Heaney (Seamus) trans. The Light of the Leaves, 2 vols., Mexico (Imprenta de los Tropicos/Bunholt) 1999. €1,500 to €2,000.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Apr 30-May 1: Fleming (Ian). Moonraker, L. (Jonathan Cape) 1955. €1,500 to €2,000.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Apr 30-May 1: Heaney (Seamus) & Egan (Felim) artist. Squarings, Twelve Poems, D. (Hieroglyph Editions Ltd.) 1991. €1,750 to €2,250.
  • Bonhams, Apr. 21-29: ANDERSEN'S EXTREMELY RARE FIRST APPEARANCE IN PRINT. "Scene af: Røverne i Vissenberg i Fyen." in Harpen, 1822.
    Bonhams, Apr. 21-29: FIRST ISSUE OF THE FIRST THREE FAIRY TALE PAMPHLETS, WITH ALL INDICES AND TITLE PAGES. Eventyr, fortalte for Børn. 1835-1837.
    Bonhams, Apr. 21-29: THE FIRST FAIRY TALES WITH A SIGNED CARTE DE VISITE OF ANDERSEN AS FRONTIS. Eventyr, fortalte for Børn. 1835-1837.
    Bonhams, Apr. 21-29: KARL LAGERFELD. Original pastel and ink drawing in gold, red and black for Andersen's The Emperor's New Clothes (1992), "La cassette de l'Empereur."
    Bonhams, Apr. 21-29: PRESENTATION COPY OF THE SIXTH PAMPHLET FOR PETER KOCH. Eventyr, Fortalte For Børn, Second Series, Third Pamphlet. 1841. Publisher's wrappers, complete with all pre- and post-matter.
    Bonhams, Apr. 21-29: HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN RARE AUTOGRAPH QUOTATION SIGNED IN ENGLISH from "The Ugly Duckling," c.1860s.
    Bonhams, Apr. 21-29: HEINRICH LEFLER, ORIGINAL WATERCOLOR FOR ANDERSEN'S SNOW QUEEN, "Die Schneekönigin," 1910.
    Bonhams, Apr. 21-29: FIRST EDITION OF ANDERSEN'S FAIRY TALES IN ENGLISH. Wonderful Stories for Children. London, 1846.
    Bonhams, Apr. 21-29: ANDERSEN ON MEETING CHARLES DICKENS. Autograph Letter Signed ("H.C. Andersen") in English to William Jerdan, July 20, 1847.
    Bonhams, Apr. 21-29: PRESENTATION COPY FOR EDGAR COLLIN. Nye Eventyr og Historier. Anden Raekke. 1861.
    Bonhams, Apr. 21-29: DOLL HOUSE FURNITURE BY HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSON, DECORATED WITH FANTASTICAL CUT-OUTS, for the children of Jonna Stampe (née Drewsen), his godchildren.
    Bonhams, Apr. 21-29: PRESENTATION COPY FOR GEORG BRANDES. Dryaden. Et Eventyr fra Udstillingstiden i Paris 1867. 1868.
  • Jeschke Jádi
    Rare Book Auction 155
    Saturday April 26, 2025
    Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 26: Lot 962. Baird. United States Exploring Expedition. Philadelphia 1858.
    Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 26: Lot 772. Edith Holland Norton. Brazilian Flowers. Coombe Croft 1893.
    Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 26: Lot 49. Petrarca. Das Gluecksbuch, Augsburg 1536.
    Jeschke Jádi
    Rare Book Auction 155
    Saturday April 26, 2025
    Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 26: Lot 1496. Jacob / Picasso. Chronique des Temps, 1956.
    Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 26: Lot 8. Augustinus. De moribus ecclesie. Cologne 1480.
    Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 26: Lot 17. Heures a lusaige de Noyon. Paris 1504.
    Jeschke Jádi
    Rare Book Auction 155
    Saturday April 26, 2025
    Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 26: Lot 13. Schedel. Buch der Chronicken. Nürnberg 1493.
    Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 26: Lot 957. Donovan. Insects of China. London 1798.
    Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 26: Lot 123. A holy martyr. Tuscany, Florence, mid-14th century.
    Jeschke Jádi
    Rare Book Auction 155
    Saturday April 26, 2025
    Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 26: Lot 438. Dante. La Divine Comédie. Paris 1963.
    Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 26: Lot 602. Firdausi. Histoire de Minoutchehr. Paris 1919
    Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 26: Lot 994. Westwood. Oriental Entomology. London 1848.
  • Sotheby's
    Sell Your Fine Books & Manuscripts
    Sotheby’s: The Shem Tov Bible, 1312 | A Masterpiece from the Golden Age of Spain. Sold: 6,960,000 USD
    Sotheby’s: Ten Commandments Tablet, 300-800 CE | One of humanity's earliest and most enduring moral codes. Sold: 5,040,000 USD
    Sotheby’s: William Blake | Songs of Innocence and of Experience. Sold: 4,320,000 USD
    Sotheby’s: The Declaration of Independence | The Holt printing, the only copy in private hands. Sold: 3,360,000 USD
    Sotheby's
    Sell Your Fine Books & Manuscripts
    Sotheby’s: Thomas Taylor | The original cover art for Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Sold: 1,920,000 USD
    Sotheby’s: Machiavelli | Il Principe, a previously unrecorded copy of the book where modern political thought began. Sold: 576,000 GBP
    Sotheby’s: Leonardo da Vinci | Trattato della pittura, ca. 1639, a very fine pre-publication manuscript. Sold: 381,000 GBP
    Sotheby’s: Henri Matisse | Jazz, Paris 1947, the complete portfolio. Sold: 312,000 EUR

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