Pynchon, Thomas

New York: Henry Holt and Company, (1997). New York: Henry Holt and Company, (1997). First edition. Cloth-backed boards. Thick 8vo, 773pp; cloth-backed boards. A copy with numerous signs of having been read: corners of a few pages turned down, a bit of concavity to the spine, a few spots on foredge and light shelf-rubbing to lower board-edges and tips, otherwise near fine in dust jacket and printed plastic overlay, which were likely removed during reading and then replaced. Item #204187

With a signed inscription on the half-title page: "For Richard -- Thanks for the read! Thomas Pynchon." The recipient, a journalist and long-time admirer of the novelist, was present when Pynchon recorded his guest appearance on "The Simpsons," -- Simpsons creator Matt Groening was an old friend -- at which time he signed this book. Pynchon inscriptions have seldom been offered for sale. While more have surfaced in the past ten years than in the forty before then, his remains one of the very rarest of modern literary autographs. The only other Pynchon inscriptions recently on the market appear to have been done specifically for charitable purposes.

Wright, Frank Lloyd

New York: F. Schumacher Co. (1955). New York: F. Schumacher Co. (1955). First edition. Folio; bolt bound in tan cloth-covered boards, printed in orange and black. Tips bumped; dampstain affecting lower corners and touching some of the wallpaper sheets, but leaving the fabric samples unscathed; covers showing some marks. Item #204800

Original salesman's sample book from the collaboration between Wright and the Schumacher company. While Wright was on the whole resistant to the commercial exploitation of his designs, and generally disdainful of interior decorators ("inferior desecrators"), Elizabeth Gordon, the editor of a special Wright issue of "House Beautiful" magazine (November 1955), and Rene Carillo, Schumacher's merchandising executive,were able to persuade him to go ahead with this project despite his reluctance. The Schumacher company had done similar collaborations with other desginers, inlcuding Donald Deskey, Raymond Loewy, and Paul Poiret. Some of the designs here were produced by Schumacher's staff, under inspiration from Wright and with his approval; others were executed by Wright's own Taliesin West staff under his direct supervision. The sample book contains 13 large fabric swatches (seven woven and six printed), along with 125 small samples, and 26 sizeable wallpaper sheets, and 30 photographs of Wright buildings and interiors. The last page is a sheet of perforated order cards. Price: $3,200.00

(Rubin, Jerry et al)

Berkeley: Vietnam Day Committee, n.d. (1965). Berkeley: Vietnam Day Committee, n.d. (1965). Broadside, single leaf 8-1/2 X 11 inches, printed on one side on yellow paper. Two neat ink notations - including 1965 date - folded twice, as for mailing; fine. Item #204401

Original announcement for the famous 35-hour teach-in in Berkeley organized by the newly formed Vietnam Day Committee, led by Jerry Rubin. The speakers and presenters included Dr. Benjamin Spock, Norman Thomas, I.F. Stone, Bob Moses (SNCC), Kenneth Rexroth, Paul Krassner, Dave Dellinger and many others. This was the inaugural event of the Vietnam Day Committee, and it marked the shift of the antiwar protest movement from a more traditional popular front leftist orientation toward the growing counterculture. Price: $450.00

(Cinema)

(Hollywood: RKO Radio Pictures, 1940). (Hollywood: RKO Radio Pictures, 1940). First edition. 4to, 27 unpaginated leaves, comb-bound in faux-alligator boards. Edges heavily rubbed. wear at binding pressure-points, some abrasion. Item #204816

Illustrated annual "Exhibitor's Book" filled with promotional display ads for forthcoming RKO releases. Most significantly, this book contains the first advertisement for Orson Welles's "Citizen Kane", still under its working title "John Citizen, U.S.A." Also advertised are the adaptations of "Kitty Foyle" and "Sister Carrie", each featuring a fold-out image on cardstock of its eponymous book. With portraits of studio stars including Charles Laughton, Carole Lombard, Cary Grant, Charles Boyer, Ronald Colman, Ginger Rogers and many more. Price: $650.00