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. Extremities slightly rubbed; plastic comb intact; an excellent copy. Item #204816

Illustrated annual "Exhibitor's Book" filled with promotional display ads for forthcoming RKO releases. Most importantly, this book contains the first advertisment 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: $1,250.00

Rilke, Rainer Maria

Paris: 1909. Paris: 1909. Two page on a single small bifolium with the poet's printed address. Tiny pinhole at folded, some additional creases, close to fine. Item #204849

A brief letter in which Rilke writes to his publisher in Leipzig providing the correct wording of some lines of poetry in "Das Stunden-Buch" [The Book of Hours], the second of his publications under the Insel imprint that had first appeared in 1905. At the time of this writing, the press was preparing the third edition. Rilke writes, in part: "...in bezug auf Ihre zweite liebenswürdige Anfrage, beeile ich mich zu erwidern, dass es, seite 34, heissen soll: 'Denn was sind Kirchen und sind Klöster, in ihrem Steigen und Erstehn. . .' die andern stelle auf Seite 38 haben sie richtig verbessert: 'von lauter Ãhnlichen umschart'. . ." The unnamed recipient was likely someone other than, and in the employment of, Anton Kippenberg, the editor who brought Rilke to Insel and worked closely with him over a period of many years. In the published correspondence, Rilke unfailingly addresses Kippenberg as "Herr Doktor" and signs himself "RM Rilke". Here the salutation is "sehr geehrter Herr" and the signature is the poet's full name. He is directly addressing a copy editor on a practical matter of ensuring the proper setting of type for his poetry. Das Stunden-Buch was the first of Rilke's books to present a cycle of poems unified by a single thematic concept, and thus represented both a culmination of his early verse and a precursor to the great later cycles of "Sonnets to Orpheus" and "The Duino Elegies" Price: $3,750.00

Kent, Corita & Gunther, Bernard

(New York): Harper & Row, 1974). (New York): Harper & Row, 1974). First edition. 45 loose cards, each 5 X 7 inches. Fine, lacking publisher's box and cover leaf. Item #204830

The complete set of vibrant postcards, produced as a collaboration between the artist Sister Corita Kent and poet Bernard Gunther. Kent created characterstically energetic and bold designs for Gunther's poetic aphorisms. Activist nun Sister Corita, was chair of the art department of Immaculate Heart College, but her anti-war and civil rights work led her to be forced from that position. She was a distinctive and popular artist who made important contributions to the artistic style of 1960s and 70s radicalism. Price: $350.00

Goethe, [Johann Wolfgang]

Stuttgard: in der Cottaischen Buchhandlung, 1819. Stuttgard: in der Cottaischen Buchhandlung, 1819. First edition, second printing. 8vo, 556pp; handsome later three-quarter vellum and marbled boards. Few light spots of foxing to first and last leaves, top edge a bit dusty, still a very nice, largely untrimmed copy. Item #204636

The first printin of Goethe's great cycle of Sufi-inspired verses is exceedingly scarce. The second printing, as here, is distinguished by corrected text on pages 7 and 9, doubled pagination of pages 399-400 and missed pagination on pages 495-496. A very appealing copy, including its famous engraved frontispiece evoking Persian calligraphy. Price: $1,750.00

(Bukowski, Charles et al)

New Orleans: Loujon Press, 1961-1969. New Orleans: Loujon Press, 1961-1969. All published. 5 vols. in 4; 8vos, 101, 112, 138, [198]pp; original wrappers. Few minor nicks; first issue with some wrinkles; last issue with a bit of sun-darkening toward edges and without uncommon dust jacket. Item #204829

The complete run of this unique and important magazine, best known for publishing the early work of Charles Bukowski. Each issue was hand set and printed by letterpress and reflected publishers Jon and Louise "Gypsy Lou" Webb's distinctive sense of quirkiness in design, using multiple stocks and colors of paper, as well as a variety of fonts and type-sizes. In addition to Bukowski, "The Outsider" also published a who's who of Beats and key figures of early '60s literature and poetry, including: Russell Edson, Gregory Corso, Gary Snyder, Allen Ginsberg, Lawrecne Ferlinghetti, Robert Creeley, William S. Burroughs, Diane Di Prima, Michael McClure, Jack Kerouac, and many many others. The final issue incorporates "Homage to Kenneth Patchen" featuring tributes from numerous poets and acolytes. Price: $1,250.00