American History and Biography Books

Washington: Office of Printers to the House of Reps.. 1851. F First Edition. H Hard Cover. Very Good. Report of patents and other patent office business for the year 1850. Includes not only the inventions and claims for the year, but articles about aboriginal arts, including goldsmithing of the Aztecs, spinning and weaving by the Aztecs, and spinning and weaving by the Indians of New Mexico. Also includes a report on early machinery in America - the saw mill. The communications section includes correspondence received regarding: dyeing, spinning and weaving by Indians, Navaho blankets, paper making, type founding, repairing cast iron in China, Chinese tile making, pin making, and San Torina Earth - an underwater cement. There are a few state reports, but Connecticut has a large section detailing several new businesses and inventions, nearly fifty pages, with anything from snuff to stocking weaving, from type founding to bells, from hemp and flax to torpedoes. Quarter calf over marbled boards, 473 pages. Externally a bit worn, with a largish chip at the spine head, good hinges, firm binding, clean pages without noted chips, tears, markings, etc., and almost no foxing. Very clean copy of a historically fascinating document. (more information)

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New York: The American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society. 1934. S Soft Cover. Very Good. Quarterly publication, each issue devoted to a single topic. This issue involves Military Events at Stony Point and King's Ferry During the Year 1779, Culminating in "The Most Brilliant Exploit of the American Revolution": The Capture of the Fortress at Midnight, July 15, by General "Mad Anthony" Wayne and His American Light Infantry. Printed wraps, 35 pages. Some very light cover soiling (see image provided), internally near fine. (more information)

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New York: The American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society. 1934. S Soft Cover. Very Good. Quarterly publication, each issue devoted to a single topic. This issue involves Hamilton Grange, the country home of Alexander Hamilton, including its history and restoration. Printed wraps, 31 pages. Some very light cover soiling (see image provided), internally near fine. (more information)

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Fall River, Massachusetts: Fall River Lithographic Co.. 1864. S Soft Cover. Scarce book depicting an imaginary war, colorfully illustrated. An incomplete copy, unfortunately, with the title page and first plate absent, for a total of six plates, each printed on one side only, with the complete text. Verses include an untitled introductory verse; The Exercise; The Marching Out; The Outposts; The Captives; The Storming of the Bridge; The Last Battle; and Surrender of the Enemy. Printed wraps with stitched binding, 26 pages. Worn and soiled, with some tiny margin chips, tiny tears and tiny creases, with no tears to the plates or text. Covers creased and quite worn. Gift inscription dated 1874 on inside of front cover, with the giver's name in ink (probably the book's original owner) and gift inscription, probably later, in pencil. Some very light dampstains to a few margins. Colors crisp and bright. An interesting bit of Americana with charming color plates. (more information)

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Salem, Massachusetts: Pilgrim Motel. 1964. S Soft Cover. Very Good. Softcover booklet discussing the history of the Salem witch trials, illustrated in black and white. Printed softcover, sixteen pages. Some very light cover spotting, internally near fine. (more information)

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New York: Evert Duyckinck. 1809. F First American Edition. H Full Leather. Good. Hard-to-find book of "trade secrets" and formulae concerning inks, pigments, engraving, tanning, dyes, bleaches, glues, waxes, colored glass, and much more. 12mo (18 cm x 11 cm), full calf, iv, 380p, [xx]. Internally very good, with pages free from chips, tears, etc., with some age-toning and occasional light foxing. Old signatures on endpapers and blanks. Externally worn, with front cover detached and what appears to be an old repair to the rear hinge. Rubbed and worn overall, with dry and chipped spine. Good overall, internally much better than the covers would suggest. (more information)

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Boston: Samuel Walker and Company. 1970. H Hard Cover. Fair to Good. Most likely first ediiton (copyright 1869). Murder and mayhem, along with details of the subsequent trials of the perpetrators. A fascinating look at the 19th century workings of the American legal system, as well as its detective work and early forensics - kind of an early, printed version of the popular television show Law and Order. Illustrated with engravings. Green cloth lettered and decorated in gilt, 432 pages. A worn copy, with much external wear and rubbing (see image provided), front free endpaper absent, hinges rather badly cracked, pages soiled but still very much readable, a few margin chips. Worn but complete - a decent reading copy. (more information)

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New York, Washington and Hollywood: The Vantage Press. 1967. F First Edition. H Hard Cover. Very Good. Black boards with silver gilt spine lettering, illustrated frontis, 107 pages, color illustrated dustjacket. The book is in very good condition, looks and feels new, with sound text block, good hinges, clean pages with no names or other markings. The mylar protected dustjacket is not priceclipped and is also in very good condition with very mild edge rubbing, minor surface rubbing (apparent mostly at its areas of all white background). (more information)

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New York: Dodd, Mead & Company. 1886. F First Edition. H Hard Cover. Very Good. Well-kept copy of this book about the Union Navy during the Civil War, including such subjects as the expedition to Fort Sumter, the rescue of the Constitutution, the burning of the Norfolk Navy-Yard, skirmishes along the Potomac, the capture of Alexandria, bombardment of the Hatteras forts, the Trent Affair, operations in Albemare and Pamlico Sounds, the blockades and blockade-runners, the Merrimac, the Mississippi Squadron, Confederate privateers, the work of the Gulf Squadron, the catpre of New Orleans, Farragut's fleet, Vicksburg, Charleston, Mobile Bay, Fort Fisher, etc. Illustrated in black and white. Navy blue and off-white pictorial cloth lettered and decorated in gilt, 318 pages. Some edge rubbing and light cover soil, good hinges, sound text block, very clean pages with a name and 1886 date on the front free endpaper, no other markings. (more information)

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New York: The Macmillan Company. 1968. F First Edition, First Printing. H Hard Cover. Very Good. A photographic tour of Maine in four sections: nature, work, play and towns. White cloth with green cloth spine, 175 pages, illustrated dustjacket. The book has some light edgewear and some fading to the far upper and lower spine ends, some soil to the rear cover, slight outward bow to the front cover, good hinges, sound text block, very clean pages with a gift inscription but no other markings, upper edge a bit foxed. The mylar protected dustjacket is not priceclipped and has some edgewear and light foxing, a bit of soil to the spine, no significant chips or tears. (more information)

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Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin Company. 1920. Second Edition. H Hard Cover. Good. From the introduction: "They are much more than family letters, for the description of social conditions, the discussion of public questions, and the wide relations held by the writers, make them a contribution to the social, millitary and diplomatic history of the War of Secession, unequalled in scope and concentrated interest." A newsclipping about perhaps the grandson of the author is loosely laid in at front of volume two (causing an agetone shadow that obstructs no text). Both books illustrated in black and white. Sienna boards with black cloth spine, gilt spine lettering, publisher's blindstamp on the cover, two volumes with 298 and 281 pages, respectively, and an index included in volume two. The books are in good generally condition with some external soil and rubbing, and with a small portrait of Adams added by the reader mounted to front pastedown of volume one, sound text blocks, good hinges, names on front free endpapers, otherwise clean pages with no other markings. (more information)

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Boston: The Atlantic Monthly Press. 1923. H Hard Cover. Good. Illustrated in black and white. Blue cloth lettered in gilt, 469 pages. Ex-library, with all expected markings, some light shelfwear, good hinges, sound text block, clean pages. A sound and useful copy. (more information)

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Lunenburg, Vermont: The Stinehour Press. 1984. F First, Limited Edition. S Soft Cover. Very Good. Limited to 250 copies, signed by the author on the front free endpaper. Memoirs of Strawberry Point, now called the Glades, off Cohasset, Massachusetts. Gray wraps, 59 pages. Very good with an old price sticker mark on the front cover (see image provided). Internally about fine. Signed: I Signed by Author (more information)

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New York: The Macmillan Company. 1909. F First Edition. H Hard Cover. Good. A study of early twentieth century urban youth by a member of Hull House in Chicago. Sections include: Youth in the City; The Wrecked Foundations of Domesticity; The Quest for Adventure; The House of Dreams; Youth in Industry; The Thirst for Righteousness. Dark blue cloth printed in gilt, top edge gilt, 162 pages plus publisher's ads. Covers rubbed at the extremities, spine lightly bumped, front hinge repaired, pages clean with some minor foxing to the margin of the table of contents, Christian themed quotations mounted on the front free endpaper and preliminary blank, no names or other markings. (more information)

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Boston: Houghton, Mifflin and Company. 1895. H Hard Cover. Good. Biography of an Ameircan pioneer and schoolmistress, author of A New England Girlhood. Dark blue cloth lettered in gilt, top edge gilt, 295 pages. Some rubbing to the corners and spine ends, front hinge lightly cracked, pages very clean and free from names or other markings. (more information)

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New York, New York, U.S.A.: Dial Press. 1999. F First US Edition. H Hard Cover. Fine. Tan board, grey cloth spine. 741 pages, photographic dustjacket (mylar protected). No names or other markings. (more information)

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Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.: Johns Hopkins Univ Press. 1998. F First US Edition. H Hard Cover. Fine. Culmination of positive interracial relations described in a sympathetic explanation of postwar plantation preservation, extensive bibliography. Orange brown cloth board, 452 pages. Sepia tone photographic dustjacket (mylar protected with no price cllip). No names or other markings. Very fine condition. (more information)

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Washington, D.C., U.S.A.: Brookings Inst Pr. 1997. F First Printing. S Soft Cover. Very Good. Softcover, 394 pages. Some minimal edge rubbing, otherwise effectively new condition, internally fine with no names or other markings. (more information)

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New York: Harper & Brothers. 1960. F First Edition. H Hard Cover. Very Good. Well-illustrated guide to the swords, pikes, lances, bayonets and bowie knives used by the Confederate Army during the Civil War. Includes and alphabetical guide to makers whose arms are identifiable, followed by arms whose makers have not yet been identified, with a directory of persons and places connected with the manufacture of Confederate edged weapons. Illustrated with detailed drawings. Red and blue cloth lettered in white, 198 pages, printed dustjacket. The cover has very little wear with a small portion of the lower front edge stained from exposure to moisture (brief, however - the book does not smell musty), where the inside of the dustjacket stuck to it a bit. Good hinges, sound text block, very clean pages with an owner name stamp on the pastedown, head of the title page and top edge of the book, no other markings. The mylar protected dustjacket is corner-clipped and has some shefwear and rubbing, as well as some loss of color nearest the bottom edge, very little paper loss overall. A clean and sound copy. (more information)

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Worcester, Massachusetts: The Davis Press. 1934. F First Edition. H Hard Cover. Very Good. A history of Worcester geared for the secondary school reader, illustrated in black and white, rewritten from the book of the same title issued in 1910. Green cloth printed in gilt, 214 pages. Printing nearly worn off covers entirely with some light cover soil, good hinges, firm text block, very clean pages with a name on the front free endpaper, no other markings, two pages yellowed from an old newspaper clipping, internally near fine. A sound and internally clean copy. (more information)

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Baton Rouge, Louisiana, U.S.A.: Louisiana State University Press. 1984. F First Edition. H Hard Cover. Fine. The book follows a steady course of Washington's years, his accomplishments and failures, towards a nation that from his birth in 1732 played a small role in world affairs, but rose inarguably to an intimidating and respectable power, in no small part attributable to the persistence and leadership of Washington. Some black and white half and full page plates. Cadet blue cloth, copper gilt lettering, illustrated frontis, 325 pages, illustrated dustjacket. The book is in fine condition with sound text block, good hinges, fresh clean pages with no name or other markings, besides a small note from an appreciative reader on the final blank free endpaper. The mylar protected dustjacket is not priceclipped and is also in fine condition. (more information)

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New York: The Modern Library. Undated Reprint ca. 1930s. H Hard Cover. Very Good. Red cloth, 618 pages plus ads, dustjacket. Minimal shelfwear, good hinges, sound text block, very clean pages, name on front free endpaper, no other markings. The mylar protected dustjacket has some edgewear and chipping, including a large chip that constitutes about fifteen percent of the rear panel. (more information)

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New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons. 1888. H Hard Cover. Fair. Maroon cloth lettered in gilt, 586 pages. Cover rubbed, especially at the edges, light fraying to corners and spine ends, hinges internally cracked with old and inexpert repair to front hinge, notations on preliminary blank, fairly unobtrusive pencil brackets to a few lines on about ten or fifteen pages, attractive bookplate of Hamilton Holt, former president of Rollins College, on the front pastedown, no other names or markings. (more information)

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Thorndike, Maine USA: The Thorndike Press. 1979. S Soft Cover. Good. A woman born in the late 1800's tells the story of her Down East upbringing and life running a camp in the Maine woods with her husband, Sam. Black and white illustrated softcover, ninety-six pages. The book is in good condition with some rubbing to its perimeters, clean pages with no names or other markings. (more information)

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Boston: Little, Brown and Company. 1973. F First Edition. H Hard Cover. Very Good. Illustrated in black and white. Light khaki cloth with blue-grey cloth spine, gilt on navy spine lettering, illustrated endpapers, 302 pages with extensive index, color illustrated dustjacket. The book is in very good condition with mildly faded spine tips, sound text block, good hinges, clean pages with no names or other markings. The mylar protected dustjacket is not priceclipped and is also in very good condition with a minor dampstain at bottom of rear cover, three small neatly closed tears mildly visible on the front cover and spine. (more information)

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New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. 1886. F First Edition. H Hard Cover. Good. A late 19th century look at the United State Congress and its workings, geared toward young adults and not-so-young adults. Touching upon interesting features of Congressional powers and procedures, the book is designed to educate the reader sufficiently to have a knowledgeable and critical view of the Legislative branch. Terra cotta pictorial cloth, 308 pages plus advertisements. Covers rather badly worn and spotted, with nibbling at the lower front cover and bottom of the spine, not affecting contents. Internally much better, with hinges intact at the endpapers but with some separation before the half-title, with binders' cloth visible. Endpapers soiled but remaining pages very clean and free from chips, tears or markings. Frontis foxed. A useful copy overall. (more information)

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Stamford, Connecticut: Overbrook Press. 1964. F First Edition. H Hard Cover. Very Good. Post-funeral services publication of a an epitaph and words of appreciation and dedication from distinguished contemporaries of the late president of Yale University, for which the title is named. It includes his 1961 Baccalaureate address, along with a black and white full plate photograph of Griswold. Navy cloth, gilt lettering, uncut edges, 107 pages, heavy clear plastic dustjacket. The book is in very good condition with light shelfwear, some fading along the spine and a some uneven fading to the covers, sound text block, good hinges, clean pages with no names or other markings. The clear dustjacket has shelfwear and rubbing, small chip at spine head, small closed tear to top of front joint. (more information)

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Worcester, Massachusetts USA: American Antiquarian Society. 1977. S Soft Cover. Fine. Exhibition catalogue describing more than two-hundred sixty items. The catalogue has about sixty black and white illustrations with accompanying commentary making up a brief delineated history of America up to the Louisiana Purchase. Tan softcover with black and light blue lettering and cover decoration, 141 pages. Looks and feels about new, no names or other markings. (more information)

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Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc.. 1970. F First Edition, First Printing. H Hard Cover. Very Good. Black cloth lettered in gilt, 215 pages plus titles from the American Assembly, dustjacket. The book has some light rubbing to the spine, otherwise looks and feels nearly new, with a redevelopment agency stamp on the front free endpaper, no other markings. The mylar protected dustjacket is not priceclipped and has just a trace of edge rubbing. Very clean copy. (more information)

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Cleveland, Ohio. 1891. F First Edition. H Hard Cover. Fair. Rough but readable copy of this fascinating look at life in eighteenth century Massachusetts-Bay as seen through its almanacs. Illustrated with black and white plates, reproductions of engravings, one folding plate. Dark green cloth over beveled boards with paper spine label, uncut edges, 490 pages. Covers heavily edgeworn with chipping to the corners and spine ends, spine label browned and chipped, hinges crudely repaired with linen tape, library bookplate and withdrawn stamp on front pastedown but no other library markings, pages lightly age-toned but clean. (more information)

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