The date of formation of the A.B.C. is eerily close to that of the United Nations, but while the U.N. is weak, the theoretically more limited A.B.C. is strong. Behind a motto of “Transportation is Civilization,” they exert great influence on both. Ultimately, we find that war concludes in 1967. Of course, we now know that didn’t happen. Ironically, in 1967, the Vietnam War was in the process of escalating out of control. And, we saw, within months of the date of Kipling’s imaginary flight, how the world’s passenger transportation system was so horribly abused to wage the most grotesque of acts of war. Sadly, there was no A.B.C. to prevent such “disruptions” of the world’s traffic from occurring.
If everything said so far is still not sufficient to convince you Kipling did not get everything exactly right, there’s one more giveaway. That’s the whole premise of this mail run. The skies are filled with such airships doing mail runs from one corner of the earth to the other. Postal Packet 162 is making a direct run from London to Quebec, and will follow up with stops in Calgary, Winnipeg, and Medicine Hat. Medicine Hat? Direct airmail runs from London to Medicine Hat? Come on! Besides, who in London would send messages by snail mail to their friends in Medicine Hat anyway? Couldn’t Kipling foresee the role of email in the year 2000? Clearly, he was a false prophet.
For those interested in reading With the Night Mail, the book can be readily found on online book selling sites. A 1909 original in excellent shape can be found for $40 or $50, with later printings for less. It is undoubtedly available in many libraries and there are also multiple online sites that post the entire book. For those interested in seeing a century-old picture of the “future,” Kipling’s tale makes an entertaining read.
Rare Book Monthly
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Jeschke Jadi
Auction 151
Saturday, April 27, 2024Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 27: Lot 546. Christoph Jacob Trew. Plantae selectae, 1750-1773.Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 27: Lot 70. Thomas Murner. Die Narren beschwerung. 1558.Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 27: Lot 621. Michael Bernhard Valentini. Museum Museorum, 1714.Jeschke Jadi
Auction 151
Saturday, April 27, 2024Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 27: Lot 545. Sander Reichenbachia. Orchids illustrated and described, 1888-1894.Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 27: Lot 1018. Marinetti, Boccioni, Pratella Futurism - Comprehensive collection of 35 Futurist manifestos, some of them exceptionally rare. 1909-1933.Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 27: Lot 634. August Johann Rösel von Rosenhof. 3 Original Drawings, around 1740.Jeschke Jadi
Auction 151
Saturday, April 27, 2024Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 27: Lot 671. Jacob / Picasso. Chronique des Temps, 1956.Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 27: Lot 1260. Mary Webb. Sarn. 1948. Lucie Weill Art Deco Binding.Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 27: Lot 508. Felix Bonfils. 108 large-format photographs of Syria and Palestine.Jeschke Jadi
Auction 151
Saturday, April 27, 2024Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 27: Lot 967. Dante Aligheri and Salvador Dali. Divina Commedia, 1963.Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 27: Lot 1316. Tolouse-Lautrec. Dessinateur. Duhayon binding, 1948.Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 27: Lot 1303. Regards sur Paris. Braque, Picasso, Masson, 1962.
Doyle, May 1: Thomas Jefferson expresses fears of "a war of extermination" in Saint-Dominigue. $40,000 to $60,000.Doyle, May 1: An exceptional presentation copy of Fitzgerald's last book, in the first issue dust jacket. $25,000 to $35,000.Doyle, May 1: The rare first signed edition of Dorian Gray. $15,000 to $25,000.Doyle, May 1: The Prayer Book of Jehan Bernachier. $10,000 to $15,000.Doyle, May 1: Van Dyck's Icones Principum Virorum Doctorum. $10,000 to $15,000.Doyle, May 1: The magnificent Cranach Hamlet in the deluxe binding by Dõrfner. $7,000 to $10,000.Doyle, May 1: A remarkable unpublished manuscript of a voyage to South America in 1759-1764. $3,000 to $5,000.Doyle, May 1: Bouchette's monumental and rare wall map of Lower Canada. $12,000 to $18,000.Doyle, May 1: An rare original 1837 abolitionist woodblock. $8,000 to $12,000.Doyle, May 1: An important manuscript breviary in Middle Dutch. $15,000 to $25,000.Doyle, May 1: An extraordinary Old Testament manuscript, circa 1250. $20,000 to $30,000.
Sotheby’s
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