Books for The New York Fair from Whitmore Rare Books

Whitmore Rare Books published a new catalogue for the New York Antiquarian Book Fair – Catalogue 2025. Whitmore specializes in the very best of books, the the most significant literary works in the best condition to be found. First or best available editions are also a hallmark of their catalogues. These are a few examples of the type of material to be found in this latest selection from Whitmore.

Helen Hunt Jackson was a respected poet though not well-known in the 1870s. Then one day she went to hear an Indian chief, Standing Bear, speak. He spoke of the mistreatment of his people, forced from their homeland to Indian Territory. She was outraged. Jackson spent the remainder of her too-short life fighting for the Indian cause. Her best known book was Ramona, a novel about Native Americans that became something of an Uncle Tom's Cabin of Indians. This is a presentation copy of her earlier (1881) book about the treatment of America's natives – A Century of Dishonor: A Sketch of the United States Government's Dealings with Some of the Indian Tribes. It recounts the mistreatment of the country's natives since contact with whites, their loss of sovereignty over their own land and the massacres they endured. Jackson presented a copy of her book to every U.S. Congressman. This copy was presented to Henry Ward Beecher, brother of Uncle Tom's Cabin author Harriet Beecher Stowe. Item 30. Priced at $9,500.

Next is another presentation copy. William Still was a conductor on the railroad, but he didn't ride the rails. His was the underground railroad. He was a successful black businessman, but his main goal in life was helping escaped slaves to freedom. It is said 19 out of every 20 fugitives passing through Philadelphia stopped at his house. He was an agent for 20 years and kept meticulous records of people passing through, so he would be better able to hook up relatives with each other. While he destroyed some of his records for fear of legal repercussions, he used those records that remained and his memories to write this book, The Under Ground Rail Road. This copy is inscribed to Rev. John M. Orrock, a fellow abolitionist. Item 1. $25,000.

No conversation about the most important book in the field of science ever published will ignore this one. Some may argue for Newton or Einstein, but earning its place at the table is Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species by Natural Selection. After all, rather than telling us about cold scientific phenomenon, Darwin told us about ourselves. Darwin didn't win universal acclaim as many people didn't like the simplified explanation of his theory that implied they descended from monkeys, but few with any scientific understanding today still dispute his claims. This copy has a clipped Darwin signature affixed to the front pastedown. Item 9. $135,000.

Returning to presentation copies, item 3 is The History of Woman Suffrage Vol IV. 1883-1900. The authors were Susan B. Anthony, who wrote the first three volumes with Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Matilda Joslyn Gage, and Ida Husted Harper. Harper would finish the final two volumes of the six-volume project after Anthony's death, concluding with the passing of the Nineteenth Amendment which granted women the right to vote. This set is a thorough review of the woman's suffrage movement until its ultimate goal was achieved. Anthony has inscribed this copy to her cousin, Henry Vail. She writes, “I can send you this book – dear Cousin – if I can't go to see you – It is the work of Mrs. Harper and self the past two years – I am sure you will enjoy seeing what gains woman has made in the last score of years – affectionately yours, Susan B. Anthony." Anthony was 82 years old at the time Volume IV was published in 1902. $9,500.

Here's a book you wouldn't see published today. It would probably be illegal. Not because of its textual content, mind you. The issue is what it was constructed from. The book's cover is made from a fabric containing asbestos. This is a first hardback edition of Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury's 1953 novel about a world where books are burned to hide the knowledge therein. The temperature 451 F is where the paper in books can ignite. The binding was designed to prevent, at least symbolically, the book from being burned. Of course, 1953 was long before we realized asbestos is a dangerous substance. Handle with care. Item 7. $25,000.

Whitmore Rare Books may be reached at 626-714-7720 or info@whitmorerarebooks.com. Their website is www.WhitmoreRareBooks.com.