Rare books from R & A Petrilla

Hornellsville, NY: Tuttle & Bunnell, Printers, 1902. Original manuscript. Full-Leather. Good. pp: 45 + 97; engraving of locomotive. Bound in the original wallet-style case of cordovan leather; carried in a pocket and showing some signs of use. 6.5" x 4" Begins with 45 pages of printed text, "...giving the Proper Method of Firing both Bituminous and Anthracite Coal, together with Rules for Operating the Westinghouse Air & American Steam Brakes...also Rules regarding Accidents to the Locomotive." Following the text are 97 pages of handwritten time and cash accounts, kept by Engineer G.C. Northrop, giving day-by-day details of engine numbers, miles run, times, names of conductors and engineers/firemen, embarkation points and destinations. Also filled in is the section of cash accounts (dates, amounts owed and received, payees, etc.). Finally, several pages contain notes on railroad happenings in 1905-1906 (personnel hurt, killed, buried).

Boston: Crocker & Brewster, 1825. Second Edition. Original Wraps. Good. 72pp; 72 woodcuts; front cover lacking. 6" x 3.5" First published in 1825, this primer includes the Westminster Assembly's Shorter Catechism, and Directions for Studying the Scriptures. The author, formerly Minister of a Church in Beverly, Massachusetts, was "now Principal of Female Seminary in Wethersfield, Ct." [American Imprints 20403].

London: Robert Hale, 1958. First Edition. Hardcover. Very Good/Good +. 119pp, index; 13pp illus from photographs. Bound in pictorial boards, dust jacket. 8" x 5.25" This first book on the subject traces the history of skiffle from its slave and jazz roots through the 1950s. The second part of the book is a how-to for forming a skiffle band as well as a look at the "origins, progress and personalities" of Britain's most popular skiffle bands.

Winnetka, IL: Vixen Press, 1985. First Edition. Pictorial Paper Covers. Fine. 20pp, colophon; six colored wood engravings by Caryl Seidenberg. 9.5" x 6.5" This is #222 of 250 copies only, set in Centaur and Arrighi types and printed by hand on dampened Rives heavyweight. Signed under the colophon by Seidenberg and by Friedberg.

NY: Firth, Pond, 1851. 20th Edition. Decorative Wraps. Very Good. 6pp; embellished cover title; spine reinforced. Contains words and music to four verses and a chorus. 13" x 10.25" In part: "Oh! carry me 'long; Der's no more trouble for me: I's gwine to roam In a happy home Where all de niggas am free...." First published in 1851.

Bronx, NY: Lawson & Co, 1908. Original edition. Fine. Large trade card, printed by American Lithographic Co. of NYC. Carnation painted from life by Paul de Longpre in 1907. 9" x 6.75" "Thomas W. Lawson, of Boston, paid $30,000 for the original plant of this 'Perfect Pink'. The perfection of artistic result attained in Lawson Pianos and Player Pianos is equally marvelous....

NY: various publishers, 1940. first Editions. Pictorial Paper Covers. Very Good. 16 issues, 1941-1947 passim, 24-32pp per issue; illus from photographs of vocalists of the World War II era. The first issue listed is lightly chipped at the fore-edges, otherwise these fragile magazines are in remarkable condition. Each issue contains lyrics to many songs of the day. 11.5" x 8.5" Each issue features a performer on the cover, shown here in parentheses. Issues present are: December 1941 (Fred Astaire & Rita Hayworth); May 1943 (Betty Grable); June 1943 (Dorothy Lamour); July 1943 (Ina Ray Hutton); August 1943 (Carole Landis); October 1943 (Frank Sinatra); October 1944 (June Allyson); December 1944 (Gene Krupa); February 1945 (Grace McDonald); April 1945 (Ginny Sims); December 1945 (Marion Bell); February 1946 (Lina Romay); August 1946 (Jan Clayton); November 1946 (Peggy Lee); December 1946 (Dick Haymes); January 1947 (Betty Grable).

Philadelphia: George Barrie & Son, 1900. Limited Edition. Morocco & Boards. Very Good. 475pp; color-vignette on half-title, frontispiece etching in 3 states, 8 plates of engravings (some in two states)--all with tissue guards. Bound in 3/4 dark-red morocco and marbled boards, spine with raised bands and art nouveau floral design from head to tail, marbled endpapers, top edges gilt. 9.5" x 7.25" This is #17 of 250 copies, Large-paper Japan Edition, printed for subscribers.

NY: J.H. Colton, 1852. First Edition. Decorative Cloth. Very Good. pp: 351, (18) ads for Colton's maps, charts and books; large, engraved, folding map tipped in at back as issued. Blind-stamped green cloth, spine ends and tips rubbed. Gilt-stamped on the cover is the name, A. Sheldon Clark. 7.5" x 5" Endpaper signature of Edwin C. Bush, Pittsburgh, Pa, 1853. Did Bush emigrate to Wisconsin, using this book? In 1864, an Edwin C. Bush was elected a director of the Missouri & Western Union Telegraph Company as reported in the October 14 issue of the Janesville (Wisconsin) Daily Gazette. [Howes, U.S.iana C967. Sabin 18069. Decker 38:95].

Cambridge: Amee Brothers, 1883. First Edition. Decorative Boards. Very Good. Contains 18 plates, accordion-fold format, with 1-3 views from photographs per plate, including: West Boston Bridge; Odd Fellows Hall; City Hall; Central Square, Cambridgeport; Harvard Square; Memorial Hall; Sever Hall; Longfellow's House; Hemenway Gymnasium; College Yard; Holmes House; Law School; City Hospital; Peabody Museum; &c. Separation (repairable) at one fold. Folds into cloth-backed, embossed red boards, lightly rubbed. 3.25" x 5" [WorldCat locates only the Harvard Law School Library holding.].

Portland, Maine: Chisholm Brothers, 1890. First Edition. Decorative Boards. Very Good. Contains 16 panels of Albertypes from photographs, accordion-fold format, including: Atlantic City from Lighthouse (birdseye view); Pacific Avenue; Seaside Hotel; Bark Stafford Beached; The Elephant, South Atlantic City; Hamilton Disston's Cottage; Beach View Showing Board Walk (several); Hotel Brighton; The Traymore; Applegate Pier; Bathing in the Surf; &c. Folds into decorative, embossed blue boards, gilt cover title. 5" x 6" [WorldCat finds six holdings of this attractive viewbook.].

Gloucester: Board of Trade, 1909. First Edition. Printed Stiff Wrappers. Very Good. (84)pp on coated stock. Contains extensive text and views from photographs: History of Gloucester; The Fisheries; Gloucester's Methods of Catching Fish; Recipes for Cooking Gloucester Codfish; Gloucester Schools; Sites for Summer Residences; &c. The 35-page advertising section includes many for Gloucester codfish and mackerel, fish products, etc., some illustrated. Bound in is a foldout panorama of Gloucester harbor, image size 4.5" x 32". String-tied ivory wrappers, embossed cover title. 7" x 10" [WorldCat locates seven holdings, two in Massachusetts.].

Fort Scott, Kansas: Monitor Printing Co, 1900. Revised & Enlarged Edition. Leatherette. Very Good. 145pp; frontispiece portrait of author, other full-page portraits and views from photographs. Bound in grained leatherette, gilt cover title; tail of spine chipped. 6.25" x 4.25" Written on the front endpaper: "Presentation copy from Eugene Ware," historian and author. [Howes, U.S.iana, G240. Decker 24:174--"...a chatty and informative work describing the vicinity of Ft. Scott during the days of the Jayhawkers and Border Ruffians."] This is an expanded version of the 1899 first edition. [Socolofsky & Dean, Kansas Bibliography, 3557.].

1925. Original photograph album. Very Good. Oblong, string-tied album of black cardstock leaves, 11" x 13", photographs mounted on 35pp, blanks at the rear. Bound in black, flexible boards with an embossed sailing ship and gilt lettering (Photo-Album) on the cover. Pasted in are 116 albumen and silver gelatin prints, ranging from small candids to 8 ½" x 10 ½" group portraits, a few fading, overall sharp and clean. Laid into the album are a Japanese news article, a small head-shot of an older gentleman, and a watercolor portrait (10" x 8 ¼") of a man's face. Most of the photographs in this album. circa 1895-1925, were taken in Mie-Ken (or "Mie prefecture"), part of the Kansai region on the main island of Honshu. The group and individual portraits reflect new social and economic developments and cultural norms that emerged during this period. Subjects are shown in either traditional Japanese garments or in Western dress. Group shots often depict people wearing both styles within the same picture.… Read More

New York: J.H. Colton & Co, 1855. 1855 edition. Original Cloth. Good. Full-color engraved map, colored by hand, scrollwork border on all sides, opens to 25" x 29"; repairable separations at the intersections of several folds. Folds into red cloth case with embossed all-over design on both covers, gilt lettering on front. 5.5" x 3.75" [OCLC locates three holdings of this edition: Grinnell Col, U Iowa, Stanford U. Decker 23:225--1870 edition.].