Search Results: Ephemera from Gargoyle Books

Chicago, Illinois, 1933. First Edition First Printing . Soft cover. VG-. The 1933/34 "A Century of Progress International Exposition,'' also known as the Chicago World's Fair, was designed to help people who might be "still mired in the malaise of the Great Depression" to have hope & look forward to a future would be better & brighter, driven by innovation in science and technology. As they visited exhibitions across the 427 acres of the fair, visitors saw the latest wonders in rail & automobile, architecture, & robotics, & were presented with the idea that technological progress offered the path to "a utopia, or perfect world, founded on democracy and manufacturing." These two items from the fair include 1) an accordion pack of 18 dual-sided linen postcards with Art-Deco graphics depicting fair exhibits & buildings, housed in a colorful paper sleeve designed to mail as a postcard. Condition is VG+: all cards are Fine & flawless. The… Read More

New York, New York: Avante-Garde Media, Inc., 1969. Hardcover. Good. Single issue of this short-lived (Jan. 1968-July 1971), bimonthly magazine dedicated to radical politics, edited by Ralph Ginzburg, which ceased publication when he started serving his prison sentence in 1972 for violating federal obscenity laws. (He later wrote "Castrated: My Eight Months in a Federal Prison" to describe his time there). Although he tried to revive it as a tabloid newspaper with his wife after his release, his attempt failed and the new Avant-Garde lasted only one issue. The magazine was "seminal, but somewhat overlooked by a wider public.which broke taboos, rattled some nerves and made a few enemies." The magazine marked the third major collaboration between Ginzburg and Herb Lubalin, the magazine's talented art director, & together the two created publications known for their "candor and provocativeness.[which] landed them in legal trouble." Lubalin's artistic work on… Read More

Hampstead, London, England: Ranelagh Press, 1968. Hardcover. Very Good. Short-lived (12 issues) British magazine of arts & culture, founded by university students in Cambridge, England, in 1965. Its stated intent "has been to avoid the well-known categories behind which most small magazines shelter, & to aim for a spectrum of ideas, opinions & concerns that are not purely critical, but creative." Articles on Latin American revolutions, underground voices, generational subcultures, the dialectics of liberation, fetishism, painters Francis Baco & Allen Jones, critic George Steiner. Interview with Jim Haynes, Jack Moore, & David Medalla of the Arts Laboratory in London. Summary of a conference on the Dialectic of Liberation featuring Stokeley Carmichael, Gregory Bateson, Lucien Goldmann, & Ronald Laing; "The Wisdom of Fetish" on the paintings of Allen Jones by Raymond Durgnat; by Jonathon Israel, Michael Instone, David Bieda, drawings by Feliks Topolski… Read More

The Hague, Netherlands: Mouton & Co., 1971. First Edition First Printing . Soft cover. Near Fine. Next-to-last published work for this world-renowned playwright & poet (1914-2003), in which he explores the very nature of creativity, focusing on "the artist's problems in liberating his creative will & imagination & attaining self-integration." A First Edition, first printing, published in the Netherlands in 1971, this copy is from the library of, & inscribed to, Theodore Shank, then head of the Dramatic Art Dept at the University of California, Davis; SIGNED by the Author under the inscription on ffep. In 154 pages + 1 page of ads for other titles in this series in rear. In light green wrappers, heavily faded to spine side, this softcover 8vo is in Near Fine condition: completely clean, binding strong & straight, pages creamy white with a hint of tanning to edges, but unmarked. A stapled, 8-page booklet which appears to be a pre-publication brochure is laid in,… Read More

United States Postal Service, 1992. First Edition First Printing . No Binding. As New. Stutzman, Mark; Berkey, John. Issued by the United State Post Office as part of a pre-release promotion for its new Elvis stamp, a commemorative 29-cent issue in honor of singer/actor Elvis Presley (1935-1977). Out of many designs originally submitted, two made it into the final running--"young" & "old" Elvis, known colloquially as "skinny Elvis" & "fat Elvis," featuring artwork by (respectively) Mark Stutzman (airbrush & acrylic on board) & John Berkey (oil on board). Reaching out to the US public for the final decision on which design would become a stamp, the USPS placed preaddressed ballots in post offices across the country & in the 13 Apr 1992 issue of People magazine. Responses (over 1.2 million ballots were received) overwhelming favored "young Elvis. The stamp was officially dedicated at the singer's Memphis home, Graceland, on what… Read More

Macon, Georgia: J. W. Burke Company, 1932. First Thus . Soft cover. Good+. Fictionalized, but based on true accounts, of a former enslaved man in the post-Civil War South making his way back "home" to his old master. First self-published by the author in 1920, this is the First Edition, first printing, from the J. W. Burke Co. of Macon, GA, from 1932 (First, thus). Small16 mo (5.25" x 7") in mottled light blue wrappers, lettered in darker blue script to front cover, stapled binding. In 47 pages with list of author's other books in rear, duo-fold map stapled in center. Condition is Good+: completely clean & unmarked inside save for faded gift inscription to verso of half title page dated 1937. Frontispiece of the author is tearing away from binding at lower edge, about 2" up; all other pages secure. Exterior edges of both covers extend beyond the page edges & show many small, short tears to fore edge; interior pages flawless. Noticeable stain to front cover,… Read More

Madrid, Spain: Espasa-Calpe, 1969. Soft cover. Very Good. IN CATALAN. This 7-volume set of Studies in Criminal Psychology edited by a professor of Criminology at the University of Bonn, in CATALAN. Volumes include: I. Hurto--Robo con Fuerza en las Cosas--Robo con Violencia o Intimidación (201 pgs); II. El Asesinato (296 pgs); III. La Estafa (240 pgs); IV. El Chantaje (326 pgs); V. El Gángster (317 pgs); VI. El Desperado (294 pgs); VII. El Delito Desconocido (195 pgs). Translated from the original (German?) into Catalan by José, Belloch Zimmermann, published in Madrid. SOFTCOVER, all in green/yellow/black paper wrappers glued over sewn bindings. All volumes are generally VG: very clean, binding straight & secure, pages off-white. Pages still uncut at top & bottom edges! Flaws: minor creases & edgewear, dogeared corners on most covers. Photos depict the Exact book you will receive, never "stock" images of books we don't actually have on hand. SORRY:… Read More

New York, New York: Freedomways Associates, Inc., 1979. Soft cover. Very Good. Published quarterly by Freedomways Associates, Inc. from 1961-1985, this journal was one of the preeminent publications for African-American politics & culture during the years leading up to & traversing the civil rights movement in the US. It was founded by some of the most prominent figures in the movement--Louis Burnham, Edward Strong, & W.E.B. DuBois & edited by Shirley Graham DuBois, with other rising Black stars serving as contributing editors. Freedomways represented a revival of sorts for the earlier Black monthly newspaper, Freedom, created by the same founders in 1950 & lasting till 1955. The quarterly journal maintained that publication's battle against colonialism, imperialism, & Jim Crow laws, while also supporting Black culture & feminist concerns. This issue (edited by Black author & activist Jean Carey Bond, with Alice Walker on board as a contributing editor) was a… Read More

New York, New York: Time, Inc., 1936. First Edition First Printing . Soft cover. Near Fine. Premiere issue of the magazine that would define American culture for the next half century, published as a weekly until 1972, then in intermittent special issues, & finally as a monthly until it ceased publication altogether in 2000. Launching the careers of many famed photographers, this issue featured the work of Margaret Bourke-White on its cover with her image of a dam at Fort Peck, Montana. In stiff decorative wrappers, stapled binding 96 pages, with vintage advertisements throughout. Condition is Near Fine: as if just removed from a time capsule, this issue is nearly as clean & bright as when first published. We are hard-pressed to find a flaw save for a tad of rubbing to head of spine, with flecks of paper loss, & rust to all 3 staples, which does not impact surrounding paper. Backed with stiff cardboard & protected in new clear mylar magazine bag. Our photos depict the exact book you… Read More

Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1970. First Softcover Edition . Soft cover. Very Good+. Published in 1970 in the midst of the ongoing Vietnam War, this booklet is a photo essay of the US Marines in action, highlighting combat operations, civil action programs, & aviation. Black & white photos on every page. Softcover 8vo (11" x 8.5") in 48 (unpaginated) pages with pictorial wrappers. Condition is VG+: very clean & bright, pages slightly off-white but completely unmarked. Very minor rubbing to exterior. Stapled binding secure with no rust. Our photos depict the Exact book you will receive, never "stock" images of books we don't actually have! Same day shipping on all orders received Weekdays by 2 pm (Pacific time); later orders, weekends & holidays ship very next business day SORRY: book is too large for expedited domestic or international shipping without preapproval of extra postage (at least double per USPS rates).

Northbrook, Illinois: Myrddin Press, 1975. Hardcover. Near Fine. Short-lived science fiction/fantasy/supernatural fanzine published by Myrddin Press in Northbrook, IL, which moved to Chicago with Issue No. 4. The zine ceased publication with Issue No. 5 in 1980. Named for the Welsh form of "the legendary magician "Merlin," the press is still in operation (2023). Colored stiff wrappers, with artwork to cover, stapled binding. Condition on No. 4 is Fine: virtually flawless! No. 2 is VG+, with foxing to a few pages & rubbing/insect damage-paper loss to front cover up & down spine. Else, both are completely clean & unmarked. Our photos depict he Exact book you will receive from us, never "stock" images of books we don't actually have! All orders processed before 2 pm Weekdays (Pacific time) ship same day; later orders, Weekends & holidays ship very next business day.

Scottsdale, Arizona: Land O'Sun Printers, 1971. Third Edition . Hardcover. Near Fine. Vintage book written by the Woman's Auxiliary to the Maricopa County (AZ) Medical Auxiliary in 1965, designed as a textbook for Good Emergency Mother Substitute (GEMS) Programs, babysitting training programs for girls. In 106 pages, illustrated throughout by the author, general health & safety education tips are offered, along with specific suggestions for creative playtime activities, being a thoughtful employee, &, of course, gun safety. A Third Edition from 1971, with slight revisions, from earlier two editions, this softcover 8vo has brown decorative wrappers, stapled binding. Condition is Near Fine: but for slight rubbing & fading along top edges, it is pristine & as new! Completely clean, binding strong & straight, no rust to staples, pages creamy white & unmarked. Our photos depict the Exact book you will receive, never "stock" images of books we don't actually… Read More

San Diego, California: Ryan Aeronautical Company, 1964. First Edition First Printing . Soft cover. Very Good+. Promotional brochure c. 1964 documenting Ryan Aeronautical's many contributions to aviation & the development of manned flight, 1925-1964. Both schematic drawings & vintage black-and-white photos provide accompaniment to text. In 16 unnumbered pages & decorative wrappers, stapled binding, this softcover 4to is in VG+ condition: very clean inside with minor soil & tanning to exterior. Staples intact with a touch of rust. Extremely mild edgewear. Pages clean & unmarked. Protected in clear mylar sleeve. WorldCat lists 3 copies. Our photos depict the Exact book you will receive, never "stock" images of books we don't actually have! Same day shipping on all orders received Weekdays by 2 pm (PST); later orders, weekends & holidays ship very next business day.

Soft cover. Very Good. A leftist-leaning periodical in continual publication since it was launched in 1909 as La Follette's Weekly, changing to La Follette's for a few years, & then, in 1929, to The Progressive. This sample of issues provides a time capsule into the politics of the era, when trust in the American government was beginning to erode & increasing numbers of young people were taking to the street in protest to voice their concerns about the Vietnam War. Articles address issues that are paralleled by concerns that still plague the country in the 21st century, including resistance to American involvement overseas, "hostage-taking" in the persons of POWs used as "political pawns,'' the continuing struggle for a national health insurance, racial relations, American Indians & other people of color as "alien Americans,'' oil & environmental exploitation, the failure of public schools, decline of inner cities, cinematic violence &… Read More

New York, New York: Pocket Books, Inc., 1962. First Thus . Soft cover. Fair. Preceding the American program pioneered during the Kennedy administration (President's Physical Fitness Program), this version was issued by the Royal Canadian Air Force in the early 1960s. Wildly popular & becoming a fixture in most Canadian homes, it went through 17 printings before being issued in this Revised Edition from 1962; this is the First US version from Pocket Books. In 80 pages, with an Introduction by Roger Duhamel, the Queen's Printer, it features separate programs for men & women, both illustrated with black-and-white photographs & charted workout guides. Softcover 8vo in decorative wrappers is in Fair condition, with heavy spotting & edgewear to both covers. Interior is bright & clean, with a few foxed spots & roughness to lower extremities in front & back, but completely unmarked. Our photos depict the Exact book you will receive, never "stock" images of books… Read More

1952. Wrappers. Very Good+. Scrapbook containing 46 color postcards, some linen, & 66 black & white postcards commemorating an American couple's 22-day vacation in June-July 1952 from Vancouver B.C. to Queen Charlotte Islands, including visits to the Grand Coulee Dam, Washington, Oregon, & California. With another married couple able to afford first class continuous passage on the steamer Coquitlam, part of the Union Steamships Limited line, which included meals & berth, with no stopovers. It appears they traveled along the Inside Passage off the coast of Canada & Washington, leaving from Vancouver on a 6-day boat ride to Prince Rupert & Graham Islands, then back to Victoria, B.C. to Grand Coulee Dam, then home, with additional images documenting their travels along the coastal Highway 101 through Washington, Oregon, & northern California, including pictures of Prince Rupert Island/Graham Island, Princess Royal Island/Victoria, B.C; totem poles & Papooses,… Read More

Davis, California: University of California, Davis, 1967. First Edition First Printing . Soft cover. Near Fine. In an introduction to Vol. 1, co-editor Gail Hermann explains the purpose of the Festival of the Arts, noting that it was open to the entire UC Davis community. These two "Subway Exit" booklets contain the final winners of the literary contest, featuring prose, poetry, & drama by both adults & children, interspersed with original art & advertisements. All provide windows on the zeitgeist of the young generation as they found their voices amid the raging charismatic chaos that was the late 1960s, reflecting the growing student unrest & challenges to the established social order, increasing dissatisfaction with racism & sexism, & greater attention to pollution, conservation, & the environment. Each booklet is in stapled, stiff colored cardstock wrappers. Unpaginated, but approximately 70 pp each. Condition is Near Fine save for a tad of age-appropriate… Read More

Forestville, California: Eclipse Enterprises, 1992. First Edition First Printing . No Binding. New. Bright, John; Lee, Paul. Very scarce & highly controversial collectible from the early 1990s.The focus of instant outrage from many different groups, the cards were completely banned in many areas. There's no way around it: they glorify criminals & totally forget their victims. Things have changed since this time, thankfully, but they are a bellwether of where the culture was in the 1990s, attesting to the popularity of the true crime genre. Right as the set was going into production came the acquittal of the Los Angeles police officers involved in the 1991 brutal beating of an unarmed black man, Rodney King, following a traffic-related pursuit--captured on video by a neighbor. A "bonus" set of 4 cards commemorating this event was added to the original 220 cards issued in Series One (Serial Killers & Mass Murderers, 110 cards) & Series Two (G-Men, Gangsters, 110 cards), +… Read More

1963. First Edition First Printing . Soft cover. Very Good+. Promotional/informational brochure describing two forthcoming high-speed XV-5A research aircraft being developed by General Electric & the Ryan Aeronautical Company at Ft. Eustis, Virginia, which were scheduled for their first flight in late 1963. Here, the XV-5A program & the planes' design features & capabilities are described in words, diagrams, & photos. In 20 unnumbered pages & decorative wrappers, stapled binding, this softcover 4to is in VG+ condition: very clean inside with minor spotting to lower front cover. Staples intact with a touch of rust. Extremely mild edgewear. Pages clean & unmarked. Protected in clear mylar sleeve. Our photos depict the Exact book you will receive, never "stock" images of books we don't actually have! Same day shipping on all orders received Weekdays by 2 pm (PST); later orders, weekends & holidays ship very next business day.

Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.: John Dienhart Publishing Co., 1964. First Thus . Soft cover. Very Good. Vintage 60's nostalgia! Prepared under the leadership of John F. Kennedy, the first American president to address the issue of the nation's fitness, who, after instituting the President's Physical Fitness Program in the nation's schools for children, commissioned this booklet. In 64 pages, with a "Presidential Message" from Kennedy, illustrated throughout with black-and-white photographs & charted workout guides. Offers separate programs for men & women, as well as general information on sports, exercise, nutrition, & fitness. Orig. published in Nov. 1963, shortly before Kennedy's assassination, this is an undated reprint from John Dienhart publishing c. same time, NOT a later printing (which we have carried, & these include a printing statement & later date). Softcover 8vo in red, white, & blue wrappers is in VG condition: completely clean &… Read More