Rare Book Monthly
Book Catalogue Reviews - June - 2004 Issue
50 Giants Of Western Civilization<br>From The 19th Century Shop
The first printing of any of the Book of Mormon was in the Reflector from Palmyra, New York
Mark Twain is, of course, known as a writer, perhaps America’s finest, but here offered is Twain’s copy of another’s book, William Stills’ The Underground Railroad. Still’s book is a first-hand account of the underground railroad in Philadelphia. Still was a child of former slaves who escaped through the “railroad,” and he retells the harrowing escapes of many other slaves. What makes this copy remarkable is not only that it came from Twain’s library, but that it contains a hand-written 146-word story of an escape penned by Twain himself. It tells of a Mrs. Luckett and her three-year-old daughter, who, with the aid of her escaped-slave brother, and paper hearts used as coded messages, makes the journey north herself. She lands in Elmira, New York, and eventually, reaches secure freedom in Canada. The story evidently came from Twain’s mother-in-law, and a reading of the anecdote leaves little doubt of where their sympathies lie. $45,000.
Among the most popular movies today are those from The Lord of the Rings, but once upon a time, this was a book. Offered is a manuscript letter from J.R.R. Tolkien discussing the dust jacket for the first edition of Lord of the Rings. In it, he describes the symbolism of the rings on the jacket he designed, a modified version of which was eventually used. $22,000.
“In War – Resolution. In Defeat – Defiance. In Victory – Magnanimity. In Peace – Goodwill.” That is certainly a Churchillian motto, so it should be of no surprise to see these words written by Winston Churchill. Finding a copy of these words in his hand is something else. It is available in this catalogue. What may be a bit unexpected is the date of this writing: not the 1940s, but January 21, 1921. Even then he knew. $65,000.
One of the most important books for the formation of the United States was The Federalist, a collection of essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay and published in 1788. They promoted a strong central government at a time when America was thirteen colonies, not the United States. It was enormously influential in the formation of the American government. Offered is a rare copy of this important work in its original boards. Price on request.
John Adams also wrote an influential book at the time, A Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America. In it, Adams rejects the idea of perfect democracy with a single legislative body and opts for a system of checks and balances, with three separate branches of government. Adams has never held the stature of many of his contemporaries, including his rival but later friend Thomas Jefferson. His crusty personality plus the unlamented Alien and Sedition Act have tended to blot out the enormous contributions and foresight of the nation’s first vice-president and second chief executive. That is unfortunate. $40,000.
