Rare books from Carpe Diem Fine Books

N.p.: The Lyons Press, 2004. First Edition, Limited to 100 numbered copies, INSCRIBED & numbered by the author. Includes Limited Edition etching of Visalia Stock Saddle No. 1 as shown in Visalia Circular in 1892. Large 4to. xviii, [2], 172 pp. color and black & white photographs and illustrations. The etching was created and hand-pulled on handmade Arches Cover at the shop of artist and master printer, Patrick Merrill. Bound in full saddle leather by Mike Roswell; housed in a striking horse blanket covered slipcase. A fine copy, as new. Winner of the American Horse Publication's Best Equine Book Award of the Year (2004) and finalist for the 2005 Ben Franklin Award. Filled with detailed photographs and illustrations, this book celebrates the saddle as a decorative hallmark of subtle beauty while fulfilling the utility of its principal purpose. Includes images of historic and contemporary examples of saddle style and decoration highlighting the works of makers of Visalia Stock Saddle Company, Meana,… Read More

London: Bickers and Son, 1872. A New Edition. Complete in 8 volumes. Large 8vo. Various paginations. Frontispiece portrait with tissue guard. Edited by James P. Brown. Uniformly bound by Andy Grieve (Edinburgh bookbinder) in full tree calf with gilt lettered red and black leather title labels to spines; gilt decoration to spines; gilt ruling; TEG; marbled endpapers. Minor wear; light rubbing along some joints; small Glasgow bookseller label inside front boards; a near fine and lovely set. Tobias George Smollett (1721 - 1771) was a Scottish poet and author. He was best known for his picaresque novels, such as The Adventures of Roderick Random (1748), The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle (1751) and The Expedition of Humphry Clinker (1771), which influenced later novelists, including Charles Dickens.

N.p., N.d.. With ALS from Sir Frederick Leighton, President of the Royal Academy. [ca. 1840's or 1850's ?]. A series of 8 oblong folio original pen-and-ink drawings and 7 preliminary pencil sketches for "Columbus Landing in America." 9 x 14 3/4". The drawings are accompanied by an ALS to Martin from Frederick Leighton (later President of the Royal Academy), "Aug. 30," no year [1849?]. Leighton writes on the envelope "to Charles Martin about the 8 drawings of 'The Landing of Columbus.' He says he will forward them to Mr. Boursin [?] "...first thanking you for allowing me to see them and congratulating you on their very considerable merit - there is about them an amount of picturesqueness and character together with simplicity of action which is very unusual. I am just off; first to the North & then to Spain - wishing you a pleasant time in America." In blue morocco-backed cloth folding case. The drawings together to form a panorama, each panel showing a number of figures. Drawing No. 1 shows Columbus… Read More

Hong Kong: China Mail" Office, 1895. First Editions. The 10 volumes include: Volume VI and VII, IX, X, XI, XII, XIII, XIV, XVI, and XXI. Octavos, ~ 4000pp total. Generally Very Good copies (occasional foxing, some title pages lacking). Solidly rebound in uniform blue cloth lettered in gold at spine. Includes Vol. VI, July 1877 to June 1878 (pp.1-421); Vol. VIII, July 1879 to June 1880 (pp.1-393); Vol. IX, July 1880 to June 1881 (pp.1-398); Vol. X, July 1881 to June 1882 (pp.1-433); Vol. XI, July 1882 to June 1883 (pp.1-404);  Vol. XII, July 1883 to June 1884 (pp.1-519, lacking pp. 210-311); Vol. XIII, July 1884 to June 1885 (pp.1-432); Vol. XIV, July 1885 to June 1886 (pp.1-365); Vol. XVI, July 1887 to June 1888 (pp.1-389); Vol. XXI, July 1894 to June 1895 (pp.1-427). This is a heavy set and will require additional shipping. 'The China Review,' in some ways successor to 'Notes and Queries on China and Japan' (which ceased publication in 1869) was established in 1872 to publish original papers on… Read More

Koln; London: Taschen, 2009. First Limited Collector's Edition, Number 268 of 1500 sets. SIGNED by Hugh Hefner and includes a 7 x 7 cm piece of Hef's famous red silk pajamas, worn by the gret man himself. Complete in six volumes plus a facsimile edition of Playboy #1 from 1953 featuring Marilyn Monroe, in Plexiglas slipcase. 4to. 3506 pp. Text in English with German, French, and Spanish translations. Indices. A wealth of never-before-seen ephemera from Hefner's personal archives includes original artwork, cartoons and correspondence, and 700 pages of autobiographical text about his youth, military service, early career as a cartoonist, numerous girlfriends, and eventual success with Playboy. A vast selection of personal photos—many previously unseen—include behind-the-scenes shots from the Playboy Mansion, Playboy Clubs, and the Big Bunny jet. Features 59 of the hottest Centerfolds in full size, and all 312 covers from the magazine's first 25 years presenting a comprehensive overview of artwork… Read More

Santa Cruz CA: Native Images Press, 2002. First Editions. Hardcover. Four monumental (15 1/4" x 21 1/4") folio volumes, bilingual (English and Maidu) in parallel columns. Printed letterpress on Arches Cover White by Peter Koch; full linen binding by Taurus Bindery. Fine copies in paper folders, each with printed paper label to front cover. Each volume offered here is #3 (of 8 copies) reserved for the artist (of a total edition of 105 copies). This is the first publication of any part of the account of the Creation of the Mountain Maidu people of Northeastern California (originally narrated for transcription by the Maidu story teller Hancibyjim c. 1902) in the original language. Much more than an artistic interpretation of a Native American myth, masterfully conceived and executed (which it is) the four volumes represent significant scholarship presented for the first time. Volume 1: The Creation as the Maidu Told It - Puktim, [26]pp, 15 illustrations, 2 full page images on pastedowns; Volume 2: The… Read More

London: Smith, Elder and Co, 1839. First Edition. 8vo. 352 pp. Errata slip at page 339. Large folding map of California "The Coasts of Guatimala and Mexico, from Panama to Cape Mendocino; with the Principal Harbor's in California. 1839" outlined in original hand-color. Frontispiece portrait of Father Peyri and 9 lithographic plates after William Smyth. Publisher's original green cloth with gilt lettering on spine; in custom slipcase. Occasional foxing; light wear; hinges professionally reinforced; else a near fine copy. A History of Upper and Lower California from the Discovery to the Present Time, Comprising an Account of the Climate, Soil, Natural Productions, Agriculture, Commerce &c. A Full View of the Missionary Establishments and Condition of the Free and Domesticated Indians,. With an Appendix relating to steam-navigation in the Pacific. The first book in English to relate exclusively to California. The book was written from descriptions furnished by Forbe's agents in California, for he did… Read More

New York: The American Art Association, 1917. First Edition. Tall octavo; 172pp. Original stiff card stock with illustrated dust jacket titled 'Oriental Art Treasures from the Chinese Imperial Palace' in red with gold. Empress's Crown Ornament embellished with pearls to front cover. Faint soiling, rubbing to spine with minor loss, else a Near Fine and complete copy in original publisher's binding. A listing of 326 lots to be sold in this landmark sale in two afternoon sessions on Friday, January 26 (194 lots) and Saturday, January 27, 191 (132 lots).

Boston: Virginia Adams, Yosemite National Park and Houghton Mifflin Company, 1950. First Edition. SIGNED by Ansel Adams. Folio; 97pp. Illustrated with thirty views of U.S. National Parks from Maine to Hawaii (printed recto identified on facing pages and with photographic notes for each image at the end, along with a 'A Selected List for General Reading'. Publisher's spiral-bound stiff covers with black lettering in original photo-illustrated dustjacket; housed in uncommon publisher's shipping box with printed label. The book and dustjacket are in unusually fine condition; the box is somewhat worn with foxing. The photo-engravings depict national parks and natural monuments across the United States and the territories of Alaska and Hawaii and are among Adams's most celebrated landscapes. In his introductory essay, Adams underscored the "moral sublime" of his images, framing the book as a testament to the significant role nature played in American society and calling on the public to engage with and… Read More

Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1924. First Edition Thus, Limited No. 711 of 750 copies. With 9-line manuscript leaf by the author, with ink corrections.The leaf is from Muir's book "The Mountains of California." Edited by William Frederic Bade. The first eight volumes are extra-illustrated with hand-colored frontispieces with tissue guards. Each volume also includes frontispiece photogravures with tissueguards; numerous photogravures and halftones throughout; maps (1 large folding; 1 foldout; 4 tipped in). Beautifully bound at The Riverside Press in publisher's three-quarter dark blue-black levant morocco with marbled paper covered boards, gilt stamped letteringand floral ornaments on spine; top edges gilt, foredges deckled, marbled endpapers; ribbon ties. Small booklabel "John Howell Importer San Francisco" at rear in each volume. Minimal wear to extremities; marbled paper on rear board of Volume X faded; front hinge in Volume IV lightly cracked); else a fine and lovely set of many of John Muir's classic… Read More

London: William Heinemann, 1891. Limited Edition. Hardcover. Octavo; xv, [1], 236 pages, 3 unnumbered leaves of plates. Scattered foxing, boards slightly splayed, else a Near Fine copy of an extremely scarce book. Elegant signed Zaehnsdorf binding in full white vellum, boards ruled in gold, spine elaborately decorated with brown morocco title label and dated '1891' at foot; top edge gilt, other edges untrimmed; gold tooled turn-ins; marbled endpapers; translated into English with an introduction by Edmund Gosse. Frontis photogravure portrait on India Paper of Ibsen and photomezzotype portraits of American actresses Elizabeth Robins and Marion Lea in their roles in the London production. #51 of the deluxe 'Large Paper Edition, limited to One Hundred Numbered Copies.' Printing and the Mind of Man 375; 'Revolution in the Theatre' (Norweigian edition).

1935. Paul Landacre conceived these three striking wood engravings in 1935 for an advertising campaign conducted by the Hawaiian Pineapple Company (Dole Pineapple). In 1935, the ad with "Visitors" appeared in the Saturday Evening Post, Better Homes and Gardens, Colliers, and Literary Digest. In 1936, the ad with "Celebration" appeared in the Saturday Evening Post, Colliers, Cosmopolitan, and McCall's. In 1936, the ad with "Royal Temple at Kailua" appeared in Cosmopolitan, the Saturday Evening Post, and Colliers. Each engraving is archivally framed and are in fine condition. A scarce trio of Landacre's Hawaiian wood engravings. "Visitors" was adapted from an early oil painting depicting hospitable Hawaiians greeting mainland sailing vessels arriving in Kealakekua Bay on the Kona Coast, Hawaii... There are 21 signed impressions and 16 unsigned impressions. Signed, titled and numbered 1 in pencil, lower margin. (Wien 171). The engraving measures 6" x 8", matted in black wood frame (13 1/2" x 15… Read More

Monterey, CA: Jo Mora Publications, 1942. Color pictographic map. Image size 30 1/4" x 22 7/8". "This carte, in either variation, is among the rarest ones to find!" - Grandeau-Shorts. This is the second variation of the map printed on white paper; showing "Map of Los Angelse" printed vertically down from the top central figure. Fine condition. "This map was dedicated to Charles F. Lummis, a 'buen amigo' of Jo's and a well-known Industriallist from Los Angeles, who foretold of the great Metropolis that LA would become. As shown in the map, the population in 1910 was only 50,000 people. Jo also included the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, who, like Jo, loved to draw animal figures with human clothes and traits." (Jon Gilmore). This map, considered "his greatest cartographic creation" (Picturing America p. 31); only 2,000 copies were printed thus this image is considered to be one of the more scarce Jo Mora cartes. As with all his cartes, this one is packed with historical information and details,… Read More

John Speed's celebrated map of the Americas, "the first published in an atlas to depict California as an island, and an accurate east coast of North America, particularly between Chesapeake Bay and Cape Cod." - Burden p. 269. London: George Humble, 1626 [1627]. Archivally framed (23 1/4" x 27 1/4") to allow exposure of the English text on the verso. This first state map, pre-dating the addition of Boston and Long Island, is from the 1626-1627 edition of Speed's "Prospect of the Most Famous Parts of the World". The map was engraved by Abraham Goos. It is decorated in the popular carte-a-figures style with panels of costumed native figures at each side and vignettes of major cities at top. The figures at left represent the native people of North America, and at right the major South American tribes. The cities illustrated include Havana, Mexico City, Rio de Janeiro, Cusco, and other important South American settlements. A number of sea monsters, flying fish and sailing ships also decorate the… Read More

Boston: Roberts Brothers, 1869. Part One is an early printing in 1869, with notice or Part Second on page 341 and no Part One statement on the spine. BAL indicates that there were at least three printings dated 1869 before the notice was added to p. 341 and that four 1869 printings took place without the Part One statement on the spin.e Part Second is a First Edition, 4th state printing with five entries on page (364). Frontispiece and 3 plates in each volume. Publisher's green cloth with gilt lettering and decoration; brown endpapers. Wear to spine ends; lower corners starting to show; center signature in Part One starting to pull from threads at upper end). The semi-autobiographical novel following the lives of the four March sisters—Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy—and details their passage from childhood to womanhood. It was an immediate commercial and critical success. One reason the novel was so popular was that it appealed to different classes of women along with those of different national… Read More