Featured items that Dale Steffey Books plans to bring to RMBPF 2014.
Atalanta in Calydon: A Tragedy. KELMSCOTT PRESS) SWINBURNE, ALGERNON CHARLES. Published by Kelmscott Press, Hammersmith, 1894.
Description: One of 250 copies printed on paper in black and red , woodcut title, borders and initials. Bookplate of noted British art collector and artist J. W. R. Brocklebank (1869-1926) front pastedown. "Note that the Greek letters in this book were designed by Selwyn Image for Messrs. Macmillan & Co., who have kindly allowed them to be used here. Sold by William Morris at the Kelmscott Press." A lovely copy, beautifully clean throughout, in the original limp vellum, vellum a bit age toned, backstrip lettered in gold, with 2 of the 6 original pale blue silk ties remaining (4 broken). 4to - over 9-3/4" - 12" tall.
Description: Number 76 in the Traveller's Companion Series. First Edition, First Issue, with price of 1500 francs rear flap. Book is Near Fine, with tiny (1/8") apparent glue stains at top and bottom of page block at spine tips. Green printed wraps are very bright, with price of 1500 francs on rear cover. White pictorial wraps, with purple, yellow and black lettering are also Near Fine, with an 1/8" paper loss at head of spine the only flaw. A quite lovely copy of this classic Beat novel. 12mo - over 6-3/4" - 7-3/4" tall.
This copy from the personal library of T. E. Lawrence, bearing his "From the Library of T. E. Lawrence Clouds Hill" bookplate front endpage. The Lawrence library went on auction around the year 1937 and some copies from that library have, on very rare occasions, surfaced for sale. Bound in vellum, a limited edition of 400, this being copy # 80, printed at the Chiswick Press. Very Good, a couple of small chips from the vellum bottom edge rear cover, vellum soiled, a few spots of foxing to endpages, pencilled notation on title page, possibly in Lawrence's hand. 8vo - over 7-3/4" - 9-3/4" tall.
A Guide to the American Battlefields of Europe (Inscribed by John J. Pershing to Will Hays). American Battle Monuments Commission. U.S Government Printing Office, 1927.
SIGNED AND INSCRIBED Presentation Copy "To Will Hays, As a souvenir of our visit to the Battlefield of the Marne, with sincere good wishes, John J. Pershing April 28, 1928". Near Fine, small rubs to leather covers at spine tips, vertical crease front board, the boards being rather pliable due to the leather covers being mounted over thin cardboard. 282 pages with 3 internal fold-out maps and 3 separate maps in leather folder mounted inside rear cover. Interior of the book is Fine, as are the maps. An incredible Association Copy, John Joseph "Black Jack" Pershing was a general officer in the United States Army who led the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I. Pershing is the only person to be promoted in his own lifetime to the highest rank ever held in the United States Army, and was a mentor by the generation of American generals who led the United States Army in Europe during World War II, including George C. Marshall, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Omar N. Bradley, and George S. Patton. Will Hays managed Warren G. Hardings successful campaign for the Presidency of the U.S. and was subsequently appointed Postmaster General. After a year in that position, he resigned to become most famously known as the first President of Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America (MPPDA), which under his guidance published a blacklist of actors and workers studios should not hire, inserted moral clauses into actors' contracts, and published an informal list of suggested guidelines for film producers. When the Catholic Church formed its Legion of Decency and threatened nationwide boycotts of movies, Hays installed a more formal production code, called the Hays Code (later simply "The Code"), which became the virtual law of Hollywood until the 1960s. A great piece of U.S. History linking two major figures from the first half of the 20th century !.
In the Heat of the Night. Ball, John. Harper & Row, New York, 19653.
SIGNED AND INSCRIBED BY AUTHOR on a 1 1/2" by 4 1/2" slip of paper tipped in at title page, typed "Very sincerely yours, John Ball" and signed in ink by author between the sentiment and his name. Fully Fine in Fine dustjacket, the book has no flaws and appears unread. His first book, Winner of the Edgar Awards for Best First Novel in 1966 and Best Motion Picture in 1968, the 1967 movie directed by Norman Jewison and starring Rod Steiger, Sidney Poitier, and Warren Oates was the winner of 5 Oscar Awards including Best Actor and Best Picture, and was nominated for and won of a host of other awards. Set against the backdrop of the Civil Rights Movement, Balll used this police procedural to discuss racial tensions, and the groundbreaking film in which a black man slapped a white man in his face startled audiences across America. A classic of the genre, this is truly a lovely copy, SCARCE SIGNED.