Rare Book Monthly
Book Catalogue Reviews - January - 2008 Issue
Recent and Varied Acquisitions at John Michael Lang Fine Books
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Item 16 is a personal scrapbook of photographs circa 1918-1927 kept by Louis E. Hathaway of Bozeman, Montana. The main focus seems to be Hathaway's brief fling with celebrity. Many are apparently photographs from the filming of the silent movie Sammy Versus Cupid. Hathaway has listed himself as "Assistant Director." The most notable performer was Dot Farley, who if not a household name, still appeared in literally hundreds of films, silent and spoken, from 1910 through 1950. Many were short comedies with Edgar Kennedy and Florence Lake. The album includes inscribed photographs of Farley and Director Gilbert P. Hamilton, as well as unrelated pictures, such as a signed one of John Philip Sousa. $500.
Item 12 is an odd title: The Curiosities of Kissing. Wit and Humor, Story and Anecdote on Kisses, Kissers and Kissing. Who would have been interested in such a strange book? No publishers, obviously, as author Alfred Fowler had the book privately published in 1904. This uncommon work details all sorts of information about kissing. For all we know, this could be the most detailed treatise ever written on the subject. $85.
John Michael Lang Fine Books is on the web at www.jmlbooks.com, and may be reached at 206-624-4100.
