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This page is provided by The Personal Navigator. Antique and curious books, diaries, maps.        Author: Sam Coulbourn, 7 Mill Lane, Rockport, MA, 01966 USA. E-mail: persnav@shore.net.   Tel. (978) 546-7138.  Excuse this poor web publishing — nevertheless, we hope you’ll be able to find something exciting to buy! Picture at top of each page: During visit of U.S. Navy’s Great White Fleet to Rockport, MA in 1908, personnel boats load well-dressed Rockporters for visit to anchored battleships.   ©2008. All rights reserved. Revised Sunday, November 30, 2008.

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Log of the Water Wagon, The, or The Cruise of the Good Ship "Lithia" by Bert Liston Taylor and W.C. Gibson, Illustrations by L.M. Glackens. ©1905 Boston, MA: H.M. Caldwell Co. Dedicated to all surviving saloon passengers of the good ship Lithia, written by the only sober one of them. Jokes about drinking; pokes fun at temperance. Everybody feels that this is the last trip of the Wagon. Hennessy Martel has tied another string around his thumb, to remind himself to make it two drinks when he gets off. 128 pp. 11 x 15 cm. Decorated cloth on board with paper title pasted on, dampstained, crack in front inside hinge, fair. (0120) $15.00. Humor/Anti-Temperance

Man Who Stole a Meeting-House, The; and Preaching for Selwyn by J.T. Trowbridge, author of "Cudjo's Cave" and "Neighbor Jackwood,", etc. 1897 Boston, MA: Lee and Shepard, Publishers.  Old Jedwort keeps a run-down sloppy farm, and has a mind to steal the meeting-house.  He does, and things turn out just fine. In "Preaching for Selwyn" Mr. Jervey is one of the keepers of the asylum, who lets some of the inmates take a bath in the water. Mr. Hillbright sends Jervery for soap. Parson Dodd was to preach for Selwyn at Longtrot, and Selwyn was to preach for Burdick. Selwyn is after Mrs. Garcey's affections, and Dodd is after Miss Wortleby. 76 pp. 12 x 19 cm. Rust-red cloth, decorated, on board, very slight rubbing, very good. (3039) $15.00. Humor

My Wife's Fool of A Husband, illustrations by True Williams by Berkeley, August 1890 Hartford, CT: American Publishing Company Author has a marvelous wit-- his story of his life is funny a century later. 471 pp. 15 x 23 cm. Cloth on board, cover soiled, lightly frayed, inside front hinge partly torn. Fair condition. (1819) $30.00. Humor/Biography.
Plain Language from Truthful James (The Heathen Chinee) by Francis Bret Harte (1839-1902); Table Mountain, 1870

Collection of nine drawings by Joseph Hull, published by the Western News Company, Chicago, 1870.  This collection dramatizes the racial prejudice against Chinese brought to America to work on the railroad in the 19th century.  Note the eighth drawing in the series, showing an all-out melee against the “Chinee”. Nine prints, matted. 20 x 25 cm. Set of nine prints, matted in blue cardboard matting. Title card is not present. Lightly soiled. Print No. 6 has 1 x 1 cm tear in lower left hand corner. Good.(7093) $85.00. Humor/Poetry..

Poet at the Breakfast Table, The, by Oliver Wendell Holmes, with illustrations by H.M. Brock 1906 Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin & Co. Third series of breakfast-table conversations, many pages still unopened. Holmes himself would open pages of a book with a knife sticky with jam. 351 pp. 12 x 19 cm. Red cloth on board with cream spine, lightly worn. Many pages unopened (but clean -- not smeared with jam!). Very good. (5013) $19.00. Humor
Ponkapog Papers, First Edition by Aldrich, Thomas Bailey 1903 Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Co. Former editor of Atlantic Monthly published this delightful, if scattered, collection of thoughts, comments and witticisms, written on former Indian reservation near Boston. 195 pp. 11 x 19 cm. Cloth on board, excellent. Ex-lib: Oak Grove School Library. (1242) $28.00. Humor/Literature.
Prue And I by George William Curtis, 1864 New York, NY: Harper & Brothers Publishers. "I do not believe that any man can see softer skies than I see in Prue's eyes; nor hear sweeter music than I hear in Prue's voice; nor find a more heaven-lighted temple than I know Prue's mind to be." An admiring husband writes of couple's adventures together. My Chateaux. Titbottom's Spectacles. Our Cousin the Curate. Humor. 214 pp. 13 x 19 cm. (3141) $18.00. Humor
Rejected Addresses: or The New Theatrum Poetarum, from the 22nd London edition, carefully revised, with an original preface and notes by the authors by Smith, Horace and James 1851 Boston, MA: Ticknor, Reed and Fields. Collection of bizarre "addresses" on the occasion of the reopening of Drury Lane Theatre, completely rebuilt after a fire. Funny, disrespectful, shameless humor. From Hampshire Farmer's Address:
"..You are called the mob; and when they have made you out to be the mob, you are called the scum of the people, and the dregs of the people. I should like to know how you can be both. Take a basin of broth -- not cheap soup, Mr. Wilberforce-- not soup for the poor, at a penny a quart, as your mixture of horses' legs, brickdust and old shoes, was denominated -- but plain, wholesome, patriotic beef or mutton broth; take this, examine it, and you will find -- mind, I dou't vouch for the fact, but I am told -- you will find the dregs at the bottom, and the scum at the top. I will endeavour to explain this to you: England is a large earthenware pipkin; John Bull is the beef thrown into it; taxes are the hot water he boils in; rotten boroughs are the fuel that blazes under this same pipkin; parliament is the ladle that stirs the hodgepodge, and sometimes---"
191 pp. 11.5 x 18 cm. Quarter leather on marbled boards, worn, scuffed, binding tape new, as of 1918. Very good. (3112) $18.00. Humor
Rejected Addresses: or the New Theatrum Poetarum,  Tenth Edition 1813 London, England: John Miller, 25, Bow-Street.  Collection of bizarre "addresses" on the occasion of the reopening of Drury Lane Theatre, completely rebuilt after a fire. Funny, disrespectful, shameless humor.  It is interesting to see how much of this is still funny, nearly two centuries later!  In "'Hampshire Farmer's Address" there's reference to cheap soup: "soup for the poor at a penny a quart, ...mixture of horse's legs, brick dust and old shoes." 'England is a large earthen-ware pipkin.  John Bull is the beef thrown into it. Taxes are the hot water he boils in. Rotten boroughs are the fuel that blazes under this same pipkin..." 127 + 5 pp. adv. 10 x 16.2 cm. Quarter leather, marbled boards, worn. On front pastedown is bookplate (oriental motif)  of Russell Gray pasted over fine signature of Henry Wilkinson, and on front free endpaper is name, "Russell Gray 1883--" [Russell Gray was Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, noted for his ruling granting citizenship to the children born in the U.S. to Chinese immigrants working on the railroads.] Good. (5246) $30.00. Humor

Scholars' Journal, The, Troy, NH, Dec. 1, 1886 Troy, NH: Troy Grammar School. Small newspaper  produced by bright children or adults with a rich sense of humor. "Mrs. 'They Say'" --Effie B. Starkey writes about gossips. Mattie A. Leavitt writes about Tin. John B. Gough (famous Temperance speaker of the time) writes about making the decision to live a temperate life. Nellie Donovan writes about working in a mill; how the mill girls leave their looms when the boss goes home to supper. Mary S. Dort looks into the future-- 1911-- and writes about a Journey to Europe, in which she sees everyone in school. 4 pp. 22 x 29 cm.  Newspaper, good. (6862) $15.50. Humor/Educational

See Here, Private Hargrove, with foreword by Maxwell Anderson, eleventh printing by Hargrove, Marion 1943 Garden City, NY: The Sun Dial Press. This book was wildly popular near the start of World War II, made into a movie starring Eddie Bracken. The life of an army private--high good humor. 211 pp 14 x 20 cm. Cloth on board, very good. Dj spine sunfaded, edges worn, fair. (4021) $15.00 Humor/World War II.
Tales of a Traveler by Geoffrey Crayon, Esq., Author's Revised Edition, complete in one volume by Irving, Washington 1872 Philadelphia, PA: J.B. Lippincott & Co. The adventures of Irving's fanciful Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. 530 pp. 13 x 19 cm. Half-leather, marbled boards. Leather in spine frayed and worn, top 2 cm. leather missing, title on spine unreadable. Text block very good. Marbled end papers. Front cover nearly detached. Overall G. (1465) $20.00. Humor/Fiction.
"Tell It To Me" Ezra Kendall's Book 3, All New and Original as told by Ezra Kendall, Lettering and Embellishments Conceived and Executed by W.J. Morgan & Co. 1903 Cleveland, OH: Gepfert & Crummel. This is Vaudevillian Kendall's "Third, last and best book".  He tells about the crowded washroom on the Pullman car; the train enters a tunnel and men are washing each other's faces. He visits Niagara Falls and falls off the trolley car. He drinks all of the drink to get at the cherries, sleeps late after a night of drinking, to observe the menagerie that parades through his bedroom.  Good, clean humor. 95 pp. 13 x 18 cm. Paper booklet, worn, good. (7497) $15.00. Humor

Thinks-I-To-Myself, A Serio-Ludicro, Tragico-Comico Tale; written by Thinks-I-to-Myself Who? Two volumes in one ca. 1850. Baltimore, MD: Joseph N. Lewis First person tale of a young, somewhat daft, lovesick youth, and his travels about England. About Mrs. Fidget, Mrs. Creepmouse, Clodpole and the lovely Emily Mandeville. Early nineteenth century humor may not quite tickle your fancy, but?? 234 pp. 9 x 14 cm. Quarter leather on board, with much of leather on spine missing. Pages loose (but present) . Inscr. Dated 1850 on ffep. Poor. (2888) $16.00. Humor/Fiction
Untamed Philosopher, The-- At Home and with the Plugonians of Plugolia, Being a Tale of Hens and some other People by Hastings, Frank W. 1906 Boston, MA: C.M. Clark Publishing Co. Humorous view of the world, including the sacred state of matrimony. With many funny illustrations. 258 pp. 13 x 20 cm. Yellow cloth on board, spine suntanned. Very good condition. (0784) $18.00. Humor/Fiction.

Wehman Bros. Side-Splitting Jokes and Stories; Handy Pocket-Size Books for the Millions 1920 New York, NY: Wehman Bros. Book of jokes includes many World War I jokes, jokes about Negroes, Irishmen, Dutchmen, Jews, Lawyers.  Also includes many ads for other Wehman Bros. books, including Learning German, Learning French, Spanish, Italian, Polish. How to Woo, Win and Wed (Lovers' Secrets), Card Tricks, Parlor Games, more. 64 pp. 9.7 x 12.6 cm.                 Paper booklet, dampstained, fair. (7704) $16.00. Humor

Wit and Wisdom by August Flower and German Syrup, G.G. Green, Sole Man'f'r Woodbury, N.J. U.S.A. 1887 Woodbury, NJ: G.G. Green. Advertising booklet features cartoons including cartoon showing African-American Professor explaining Galvanism to Black Congressman.  Cartoon about character speaking German. Jokes. Many testimonials for Green's August Flower and Boschee's German Syrup for patients suffering from ague, chills and fever, pneumonia, asthma, severe colds, coughs, bronchial trouble, etc. 32 pp. 11 x 17 cm. Paper booklet, very good. (7328) $15.00. Humor/Advertising

World Without Men: A Fantastical Comedy for Women in One Act; French's Acting Edition No. 894 Johnson, Philip 1930 London, England: Samuel French Ltd., Publishers. Play in One Act.   Reporter Miss Wisper calls on Woman Scientist, Madame Pavel.  Madame pulls a switch and poof!  All the men on earth disappear. Except one. 36 pp. 12.5 x 18.3 cm. Paper booklet, very good. (7705) $15.00. Humor/Play

 

LITERATURE

 

American Mercury, The,  A Monthly Review Edited by H.L. Mencken & George Jean Nathan, January 1924; Vol. I No. 1, First Issue Mencken, H.L., Editor 1924 New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf. With Mencken as editor one might expect brilliance, and this inaugural  issue has it. The Editorial announces the intent of the new magazine to devote itself pleasantly to exposing the nonsensicality of hallucinations of utopianism and the lot.  The lead article "The Lincoln Legend" by Isaac R. Pennypacker, gives a new and more robust look at the life of President Abraham Lincoln.  His forefathers were iron-masters, capable leaders in their communities, giving a lie to the myth of the simple railsplitter.  As a war leader, Pennypacker compares him with Jefferson Davis, and Lincoln comes up far superior. "The Drool Method in History" by Harry E. Barnes is a humorous attack on purveyors of "pure history" --- the superiority of the Aryans, the discovery of America was by well-meaning religious people; the sole cause of our ancestors' embarking upon wintry seas to come to the New World was religious freedom; Loyalists in the Revolution were a gang of degenerate drunkards and perverts, etc.  "The Tragic Hiram" by John W. Owens is contemporary political commentary, about Borah, La Follette, Hoover and Harding-- but skewering Johnson.  144 pp. 17 x 25 cm. Magazine, writing on advertisement, first page of magazine: "Ruth Schliveh's shower Jan. 19, 1924"… and "Bill Paxton Brown U. 1924." Very good. (7663) $76.00. Literature/History

Autocrat of the Breakfast-Table; Every Man His Own Boswell by Holmes, Oliver Wendell. ca. 1870 Edinburgh, Scotland: William Paterson 271 pp. 11 x 17 cm. Oliver Wendell Holmes' erudite meanderings for The Atlantic Monthly give a sharp, elegant picture of life in the mid-nineteenth century in America. Cloth on board, slight fraying of spine top and bottom. Owner bookplate on front pastedown. Inside hinges slightly cracked. Front and back pastedowns blemished. Pencil pricemark on ffep. Good. (1486) $28.00. Literature.
Barbiere de Séville ou La Précaution Inutile, Comédie en Quatre Actes, edited, with introduction and notes by I.H.B. Spiers, William Penn Charter School, Philadelphia; Heath's Modern Language Series Caron de Beaumarchais, Augustine 1902 Boston, MA D.C. Heath and Company. Classic play by Beaumarchais, in French. 106 pp. 11 x 16 cm. Cloth on board. Front and back pastedowns and endpages filled with French words and their English meanings. Some pencil notes in text. Binding very good. Poor. (1285) $16.00. Literature/French.
Biographical and Critical Miscellanies, New Edition by Prescott, William H. 1859 Boston, MA Phillips, Sampson & Co., No. 12 Winter Street Collection of literary essays, the last, about Spanish Literature, is new to this edition. Also: Charles Brockden Brown, Bancroft, Sir Walter Scott, Irving's Conquest of Granada, Moliere, Italian Poetry, Da Ponte. 729 pp. 15 x 24 cm. Quarter calf with marbled boards, Very good, bright, clean copy. Minor wear to leather spine, corners. mep. Contains portrait of author with tissue guard. (1871) $50.00. Literature/Educational/Criticism.
Deutsche Sagen Von Gebrüder Grimm (Jacob und Wilhelm Grimm) ; Ausgewählt und bearbeitet von B. Schlegel [German Legends, in German] ca. 1899 Leipsig, Germany: Gressner und Schramm. Cover illustration shows old woman telling a story to young woman and man; the woman looks attentive, the man is looking off in the distance. The Grimm brothers first published two volumes (585)  of these legends in 1818.  This small book contains 72 legends. 100 pp.+ adv't. 12 x 17 cm. Decorated paper on cloth and boards, moderate wear.  On front free endpaper is pencil inscription: "1899 Sunday School".  Good. (1763) $28.00. Literature.

Don Quixote de la Mancha, the first part of the Life and Achievements of the Renowned Don Quixote, Cervantes Saavedra, Miguel de, translated by Peter Motteux, Illustrated with wood engr. By H.A. Mueller 1941 New York, NY: Random House Classic adventures of the mad Spaniard, Don Quixote, his loyal Sancho, and the lovely Dulcinea. 567 pp. 17 x 26 cm. Dark blue cloth on board with gilt and red printing on spine, very good. Heavy slipcase, very good. (3230) $30.00. Literature/Humor
English Traits, by Emerson, Ralph Waldo 1876 Boston, MA: James R. Osgood & Co., Late Ticknor & Fields  and Fields. Osgood & Co. This is Emerson's frank and tart assessment of the Englishman.  He calls on Coleridge and gets a blast against Unitarianism. He visits Wordsworth and gets an assessment of America:  No class of gentlemen (a class of men of leisure),"too much given to the making of money."  Emerson discusses "Race" vis-à-vis the British, and also Arabs, negroes, French and others. Then he discusses "Ability", and "Solidarity". "Character"-"-the British are reputed morose......they are sad by comparison with the signing and dancing nations." He also discusses Aristocracy, Literature, Universities and makes a special trip to Stonehenge, and discusses that. His overall assessment of the British is quite positive. . 312 pp. 12 x 18 cm. Beige cloth on board, blindstamped design with gilt title, slight wear to heel and toe of spine; small nameplate "Clara Hersey, 315 Walnut Ave." on front pastedown.  Very good. (1789) $22.00. Literature/Travel

From Confucius to Mencken; the trend of the World's best Thought as Expressed by Famous Writers of all time Pritchard, F.H., Editor ©1929 New York, NY: Harper & Brothers Publishers. Interesting collection: Plutarch, Cicero, Abdurrahman Ibn Khaldun, Izaak Walton, Sir William Temple, A.C. Benson, W.B. Yeats, Sainte-Beuve, Giacomo Leopardi, Johann G. Herder, and more… 1017 pp. 14 x 22 cm. Dark green cloth on board, clean. Inscription on ffep. Pencil lines in margin occasionally in first 30 pp. Very good. (3856) $24.00 Literature.
Galsworthy's Representative Plays, with an Introduction by George P. Baker by Galsworthy, John ©1924 New York, NY Charles Scribner's Sons Includes The Silver Box, Strife, Justice, The Pigeon, A bit O'Love and Loyalties. 469 pp. 13 x 19 cm. Cloth on board, very good. (2851) $21.00. Literature/Drama
Golden Thoughts on Mother, Home and Heaven 1878 New-York, NY: E.B. Treat, 805 Broadway.  Introduction by Rev. Theodore L. Cuyler calls this  a collection of "golden gleanings". Excellent example of widely sold sentimental volume, collection of many well-known authors in poetry on prose in three sections: Mother, Home and Heaven. After title page is page "Presented to:” in elaborate illumination, for some lucky mother. (Not filled in). Includes the maudlin poems of death of small children that was so much a part of this era.   Writings by Abraham Lincoln, Benjamin Franklin, Joanna Baillie, Saxe Holm, E.L. Cassanovia, Fanny Crosby, Mrs. L.H. Sigourney, Phillips Brooks, Daniel Webster, Noah Porter, D.D., Joseph Addison, many more. 414 pp. 16 x 23 cm. Decorated brick red cloth on board with elaborate gilt and black design, very slight signs of wear on cover; frontispiece engraving and title page foxed. No dj. Book is clean and tight, very good. (5379) $29.00. Literature/Poetry/Religious

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