HANDWRITTEN, SIGNED LETTER from EDITH SITWELL to "MISS BARBER" (Elizabeth Barber of The Society of Authors, a U.K. Union of Authors).

Handwritten on a 6.25x8 inch sheet of laid paper. Written on one side only. Signed.

The return address is: Renishaw Hall / Renishaw / Sheffield. The letter is dated 25 August 1948. No envelope.

The letter reads: "Dear Miss Barber, / Thank you so much for your letter, and most kind advice. I am grateful to you. I shall, of course, do what you say. / With all best wishes / Yours very sincerely / Edith Sitwell".

This handwritten letter is in GOOD condition, some minor chipping to the bottom edge, a horizontal fold across the middle where it was folded in half at one point, and light signs of handling; the writing is bright, clear and fully legible. A solid, nice letter.

Note: "Miss Barber" is most certainly Elizabeth Barber of the Society of Authors. Edith Sitwell corresponded on a regular basis with Denys Kilham Roberts, who was General Secretary of the Union, and to Elizabeth Barber, who was his assistant until he retired and she became the General Secretary. Edith Sitwell often wrote to one or the other of them for advice.

About THE SOCIETY OF AUTHORS (where Elizabeth Barber worked from 1936 to 1971, first as an Assistant to the General Secretary then as General Secretary. She retired in 1971 and died in 1979):

******The Society of Authors (SoA) is a United Kingdom trade union for professional writers, illustrators and literary translators, founded in 1884 to protect the rights and further the interests of authors. As of September 2019, it represents 11,000 members and associates.

The SoA vets members' contracts and advises on professional issues, as well as providing training, representing authors in collective negotiations with publishers to improve contract terms, lobbying on issues that affect authors such as copyright, UK arts funding and Public Lending Right.

The SoA acts as the literary representative for the estates of a number of writers. This list includes George Bernard Shaw, T.S. Eliot, Virginia Woolf, Philip Larkin, E. M. Forster, Robert Louis Stevenson, A.E. Housman, Rosamond Lehmann, Walter de la Mare, John Masefield and others. Well known contemporary members include Philip Pullman (SoA president since 2013), Malorie Blackman, Neil Gaiman, Philip Gross, Judith Kerr, Hilary Mantel, J. K. Rowling and Lemn Sissay.******

1975 THIRD ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL SAN FRANCISCO BOOK FAIR POSTER / BANNER, ink stamped on felt. Measures 17x34 inches. Image on one side only. Probably was meant to be hung like a banner.

Only FAIR condition, there are a couple big holes at the upper corners (probably from where it was originally hung), lots of other holes and tears throughout, some from handling, some perhaps even from moths (you can see the holes when the banner is held up to the light); there is soiling, especially at the lower section. Nonetheless a still solid poster /banner from the San Francisco International Book Fair poster of 1975.

A scarce item from back in the day when there were actually major book fairs in the city of San Francisco!

THE KEY TO SERENDIPITY Volume One "How To Buy Books From Peter B. Howard" and Volume Two "How To Find Books In Spite Of Peter B. Howard".

Text by IAN JACKSON, with the assistance of Arnold Aldus Jackson and Illustrations by Ann Arnold.

Self Published, Berkeley, California, 200l and 2000 respectively. Volume One is a second edition.

Softcovers, 7x8.5 inches, 30 and 89 pages respectively. Volume One is side stapled.

Both volumes are in FINE condition, sharp, tight, bright, clean and unmarked.

If you ever encountered the eccentric, curmudgeonly, and oftentimes kind hearted, Peter Howard in his Serendipity Books store located in Berkeley, California, then you will certainly appreciate these two volumes. They are satirical and spot on. Peter Howard died in 2011 and his store, Serendipity Books, closed not long after.

Original FIRE INSURANCE POLICY for a SALOON in SAN FRANCISCO. The SALOON and DWELLING was located at "No. 600 Pine Street, Corner of Dupont Street, San Francisco, California." This was a $2,000 fire insurance policy for the year beginning November 28, 1883 through November 28, 1884.

Single sheet, printed on both sides, with detailed handwritten information on the front side.

SINGED by the PRESIDENT of Hartford Fire Insurance Company, George L. Chase, and others.

Lying flat and fully opened the document measures 11x17 inches. The document was meant to be folded into a small size and has one horizontal fold across the middle and two vertical folds.

GOOD condition: No tears or pieces missing, there is browning along the edges, areas of light age toning here and there, and the small amount of ink handwriting on the backside has mostly faded away.

An interesting piece of SAN FRANCISCO HISTORY. Wonder what became of the SALOON on 600 Pine Street? Wonder if the dwelling part of the saloon was dwelling by the hour?

Would look great mounted and/or framed.

This document will be sent folded in half horizontally, as it was stored. It will be well protected.

In the late 19th century, as viticulture began to develop and expand across the United States, Fredonia, New York nursery owner George Stephen Josselyn (1842-1912) became a leading propagator, grower and distributor of grapevines, current and gooseberry plants for wine and table. He introduced Fay's Prolific Currant, Campbell's Early Grape and the Josselyn Gooseberry.

Spring 1890 DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE OF AMERICAN GRAPE VINES by George S. Josselyn, Fredonia, N.Y. 1890 First edition. Engraved paper covers, side-staple bound, 9.25" x 6.25", 16 pages (unpaginated), illustrated with color frontispiece, a full page b&w grape engraving, decorative borders, and engraved covers. Also included is a handwritten postcard from author George Josselyn to William H. Moon (1849-1911), proprietor of The Moon Nursery in Morrisville, PA who founded the National Nurserymen's Association, organized the Ornamental Grower's Association and was president of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. GOOD PLUS CONDITION: front cover has edge chip in the front margin and rear cover has a bottom corner chip at the spine fold (not affecting text), the spine fold has closed tears and small chips, and the covers are lightly age-toned, otherwise the covers remain attached, bright and clean. Internally, just some age-toning and spots of foxing, otherwise bright, clean and unmarked. Rare 19th century wine ephemera, no institutional holdings of this 1890 Spring Catalogue are recorded in the OCLC.

A Very Scarce and Provocative Photography magazine issue featuring CENSORED ART and ARTISTS. With 98 color and duotone photographic plates illustrating the Censored Images with explanatory text of the circumstances surrounding their Prohibition. Artists include: Andrés Serrano, Bill Viola, Andy Warhol, Larry Clark, Sally Mann, Jock Sturges, David Wojnarowicz, Hans Haacke, Jan Saudek, Nobuyoshi Araki, Tracey Emin, Miguel Rio Branco, Thomas Ruff, Chris Burden, Robert Mapplethorpe, Ian Berry, Spencer Tunick, Ma Liuming, Carolee Schneemann, Joel-Peter Witkin, Oscar Bony, Alberto García-Alix, Marcus Harvey, Pere Formiguera, Francesc Torres, Tierney Gearon, Antoni Muntadas, and AES Group.

EXIT: Image and Culture Magazine: Censurados / Censored, Year 2, No. 8. Published by Rosa Olivares & Associates S.L., Madrid. Spain, 2002. First edition. Softcover, 10.25" x 8.25", 157 pages, illustrated with 98 plates, text in Spanish and English. Scarce only 4 held in the OCLC collections worldwide. I could not find another copy of this issue for sale anywhere on-line. VERY GOOD Condition: light edge wear to the covers, and a stiff crease to the front cover, internally, a touch of light wear otherwise tight, bright, clean and unmarked and the spine remains uncreased. An excellent example of this very scarce publication.

AFRICAN SIGNBOARDS AND COLON STATUES

Published by Totem Galley, Venice, Italy, 1998. First edition, text in english and italian, cover title in italian Insegne Africane E Statue "Colon". Softcover, 11.75" x 8.25", side staple bound, [18] pages, illustrated with 22 color photographs of the artwork. VERY GOOD Condition: light wear/creases to the covers, bump (crease) to bottom outer corner (lightly effecting inner pages), otherwise tight, bright, clean and unmarked. An excellent copy. Scarce, only one copy held in OCLC collections worldwide.

An uncommon 1998 Exhibition Catalogue of painted African Hairdresser and Barbershop Signs and Colonial Statues from various countries in West Africa including Mali, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, et al. Signboards, usually made of plywood, brightly painted with a variety of hairstyles are displayed to advertise the trade. The word Colon originates from colonizer, and the first statues represented european settlers through the eyes of the African sculptor.

Extremely scarce original 1970 San Francisco Indian Civil Rights Movement, Red Power Newspaper.

THE WARPATH Vol. II, No. 3 [Summer 1970] United Native Americans Liberation News Service International Indian Newspaper. San Francisco, California. Lehman Brightman, founding editor. Original 1970 newspaper, 16 pages, 16" x 11.25", illustrated with unique photographs and graphics. GOOD CONDITION: complete as issued, folded (a little off kilter), some wear at the folds and fold intersections (no text loss), pages toned (as normal), some pencil marks, edgewear including light chipping/small closed tears, still a solid, complete, bright, clean and supple copy of this very rare radical 1970 militant Native American newspaper.

THE WARPATH, a radical Indian rights publication established in 1968 as part of the nascent Red Power Movement. Founded in San Francisco as the official publication for activist journalist Lehman Brightman's new organization, United Native Americans, Inc., a pan tribal Indian liberation group that challenged government power and advocated for Indian self-determination. THE WARPATH fostered Indian pride, attacked stereotypes, highlighted racial discrimination, investigated government abuses, and argued vehemently for more political power for American Indians. With its militant rhetoric reflective of the turbulent times (the Black Panther Party forming in Oakland, Vietnam War and Free Speech protests around the Bay Area, etc.), THE WARPATH was an important voice in the resistance and struggle for Indian rights during its five-year run (1968-1973).

Lehman Brightman (1930-2017) Sioux and Creek Indian, Long-time Activist, Civil Rights Advocate, Director of the American Indian Studies at UC Berkeley, Professor, founded U.N.A. Inc, took part in the occupations of Alcatraz, Mount Rushmore and Wounded Knee, Publisher of the first inter-tribal militant newspaper, issued a call for war on the B.I.A. and rebelled against the U.S. government's account of history.

DYING FOR A MENTHOL? A Rare and Hauntingly Disturbing San Francisco Bay Area Public Transit Anti-Smoking Advertising Campaign Poster. Using Ominous Imagery to educate African American smokers about the unique Dangers of menthol cigarettes, this Award winning Ad campaign featured Provocative Billboards and Bus Transit Posters showing an open menthol Cigarette Box packed with dead Black smokers instead of Cigarettes.

Scarce Original POSTER. Published by Crossover Creative Group, creative director Steve Climons, copywriter Terri Murray and photographer Sven Widerholt, for the California Department of Health Services Tobacco Control. 2005 First and only printing. 24" x 16" Photo Off-Set Lithograph on white paper. FINE CONDITION: carefully stored for the past 15 years, as new.

Crossover Creative Group is an independent award winning African-American owned urban advertising and marketing communications agency based in Richmond, California.

Will be shipped carefully rolled in a sturdy mailing tube.

2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY (MGM, 1968). Vintage Original Theatrical Release Folded One Sheet Poster (27" x 41"). Style B, Artwork by Robert McCall. An unrestored poster in its original folded state - how they were sent to movie theaters back in the day. This poster is an original 1968 style B one-sheet from this classic movie, from the "70MM VERSION" release as indicated by the ink stamp to the verso. VERY GOOD Condition: each corner has a small circular linen reinforcement label adhered to the backside which surrounds a pinhole or two, a few margin pinholes, a two prong staple hole in the blue text at the top of the poster, slight edge and fold wear/soft creasing, a touch of toning to the blank backside, overall solid, clean, clear and the color remains glossy and bright. Please note: There is NO toning or discoloration to the face of this poster - there is a shadow in my photos from the overhead lights.

The original poster from one of the most revered films of the 20th century.

This poster will be shipped folded.

1913 VEDANTA MONTHLY The Message Of The East: Volume II. Number 1-12 (January - December 1913).

Published by The Vedanta Centre, Boston, MA. Edited by Swami Paramananda. 1913, First Edition, 12 bound monthly issues, one full year. Original publisher's hardcover brick-red cloth binding with gilt printing on the spine, 7.5" x 5", 196 pages, plus Index to Volume II. VERY GOOD Condition: light wears to the covers, light signs of age and use, otherwise tight, bright, clean and unmarked. Very Scarce, no copies held in the OCLC.

THE VEDANTA Centre of Boston was founded in 1909 by Swami Vivekananda's youngest disciple, Swami Paramananda (1884-1940) the pioneering Hindu Mystic, Ramakrishna monk, poet, Guru and spiritual innovator. In 1912 he founded the "Message of the East" the first Vedanta periodical published in the United States. He also established a monastic community for American women. His first disciple was Sister Devamata (Laura Glenn (1867-1942)). She became his assistant in 1910, and is known for her literary works, her editing of both Swami Vivekananda's and Swami Paramananda's lectures, and as chief editor of the Message of the East. In 1915, Swami Paramananda opened a Vedanta Centre in Los Angeles, dividing his time between Boston and L.A.

CITY DIRECTORY of OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA for 1947. Containing an Alphabetical Directory of Business Concerns and Private Citizens, a Directory of Householders... a Complete Street and Avenue Guide... and a Complete Classified Business Directory.

A Directory of every resident of OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA in 1947.

Published by R. L. Polk & Company, Dallas, Texas. This is an Original, Vintage Directory.

Original hardcovers, printed cloth covered boards and spine, 7x10.5 inches, thick volume, 1136 pages plus a 320 page Oklahoma City Postal Guide at the rear.

Contains numerous advertisements of the day. These directories were published as advertising vehicles so ads are everywhere, including the covers and page edges.

This volume was part of the amazing SUTRO GENEALOGICAL LIBRARY of SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA. There are Sutro and related library ink stamps, marks and labels here and there throughout. The Sutro Library was (and to a large part still is) a treasure trove of genealogical books originally collected by Adolph Sutro and donated to the City of San Francisco. The collection was pretty much neglected by the City until, in 2012 the City gave the collection to the library of San Francisco State University. Before and after the move to SFSU quite a few volumes from the Sutro genealogical library were, sadly, deaccessioned so that the collection would fit it into its new space. In its new home at SFSU the Sutro Library is still considered to have the best genealogical collection west of Salt Lake City, and is now much better cared for, it's just not as large as it was. Once these wonderful deaccessioned Sutro genealogy books find new homes they will likely not be seen again for some time.

GOOD CONDITION: The covers are worn at the corners, spine ends, and places along the edges, the boards are rubbed, and there is a big "O" glued onto the spine (obviously for Oklahoma City), nonetheless the covers are solid; the binding is somewhat shaky but holding together well; internally there are ex Sutro and related library labels and marks, as noted above, otherwise the pages are complete, bright, clean and clear.

A COMPLETE, ORIGINAL 1947 DIRECTORY of RESIDENTS and BUSINESSES of OKLAHOMA CITY, OK.

About the SUTRO LIBRARY (from where this book was deaccessioned):

******The Sutro Library holds the original collection of Adolph Sutro (1830-1898), California businessman and San Francisco mayor. The library has a large collection of publications and items dating from the 13th to the 21st centuries. It also has one of the largest genealogy collections in the U.S.

Adolph Sutro's heirs donated his collection to the California State Library in 1913 with the requirement that the collection stay within the city of San Francisco. After operating in various locations in the city for almost 100 years, the Sutro Library moved to a permanent home at San Francisco State University in 2012.*****

INTERNATIONAL BUYERS PLEASE NOTE: This book is heavy and will require substantial additional shipping charges. After placing your order you will be notified of the additional charges and be able to accept or reject them before your payment is processed. Or you can contact us ahead of time to find out the shipping charge to your country. Thanks.

Two HARRY CREWS Items previously owned by HIS LITERARY AGENT, Paul R. Reynolds.

(1) NAKED IN GARDEN HILLS, by HARRY CREWS. The author's second book.

Published by William Morrow, New York, 1969. First Edition, First State, with NO dots at the bottom of the copyright page; in a First Edition, First State dustjacket with reviews for THE GOSPEL SINGER on the back cover.

Hardcover book in dustjacket, 5.5x8 inches, 212 pages.

COPY of HARRY CREWS' AGENT, PAUL R. REYNOLDS. The agent's ink stamp is on the front free flyleaf, the title page, the rear pastedown, and the bottom page edges.

Condition: VERY GOOD book, a 1/4x1/8 inch stain to the front cover, some shelf wear to the bottom edge, a bit of wear to the spine ends and corner tips, otherwise tight, bright, clean and clear. In a VERY GOOD dustjacket that has some toning to the edges and spine, and a bit of wear to the spine ends and corners. One of the nicer copies of the dj I have seen (this dj is known for being easily sunned and toned).

GREAT ASSOCIATION COPY, especially when accompanied by the following:

(2) PARTIAL TYPESCRIPT of NAKED IN GARDEN HILLS.

Copy of HARRY CREW'S AGENT, PAUL R. REYNOLDS. The agent's ink stamp is at the top margin of the first page, last page, and at least six other pages (I might have missed one or two).

76 carbon typescript pages on 8.5x11 inch sheets. Pages are numbered 215 through 291. These pages correspond to the first edition book's pages beginning in the middle of page 157 through the end of the book's last page, page 212.

A quick comparison of the typescript text to the first edition book's text shows very few changes, and those that I found were minor. A few examples:

The first full paragraph on page 168 of the book begins "But it did not help, he still loved the horse. It was a scrawny..." and the same paragraph that begins at the bottom of the typescript page 229 reads "But it did not help, he still loved the horse. Yes, loved. It was a scrawny..." and in the same paragraph "beasts" in the typescript was changed to "beast" in the book.

The first sentence on page 172 of the book reads: "Fat Man don't want nothing like me under his roof". The same sentence on page 235 of the typescript reads "Fat Man don't want anything like me under his roof."

On page 179 of the book the character's name "Jack O'Boylan" had been changed from the same character's name on page 245 of the typescript "Gerald O'Donnell".

GOOD Condition: The pages are toned with age, the first and last pages have edge wear and some small edge chips and tears, there are some corner creases, smudge marks, and a bit of edge wear here and there; overall these carbon typescript pages remain bright, clear and fully legible.

A truly UNIQUE item associated with HARRY CREWS, his book NAKED IN GARDEN HILLS, and his literary agent.

(3) Surprise BONUS, a SECOND DJ. The book actually comes with two first state dustjackets. The one described above is now in a Mylar protective covering (easily removed if so desired). It covers a second first state dj that is in GOOD to GOOD MINUS condition. This second dj has considerably more toning to its spine, edges and margins, but is otherwise solid and, like the one above, retains its original $5.95 price. So as to not be confusing, photos are ONLY of the dj described above, NOT this dj.

There is a great 1998 OBITUARY for PAUL R. REYLNOLDS, LITERARY AGENT, in the NY Times. It can easily be found online and is worth reading.

THE TREES. A BROADSIDE POEM by ADRIENNE RICH. ILLUSTRATED by JOAN GOGUEN.

Published by LOWELL HOUSE PRINTERS, The College Yard, CAMBRIDGE, May, 1964.

Limited Edition, this being 1 of only 75 copies. "This poem was hand-set and printed in 14-point Garamond Roman in an edition limited to 75 copies by the Lowell House Printers. Illustration by Joan Goguen. The College Yard, Cambridge, May, 1964".

Broadside with b&w illustration, printed on fine, watermarked, cream colored, rag paper, 12.5x17.5 inches. The watermark is an image of a hammer and anvil.

NEAR FINE condition. Some waviness to the edges where the broadside was "pulled" in the hand press printing process, as normal. A Lovely Broadside.

This broadside came from the estate of Dennis C. Turner, a San Francisco Doctor who was a Friend of Many Poets and Artists, and who was also a Fine-Printer and broadside publisher in his early days at Harvard when he was involved as one of the student printers at the LOWELL-ADAMS HOUSE PRINTERS. He was a longtime friend of Cecil Day Lewis, Albert Gelpi, and a number of other poets and writers. He died in 2013.

These LOWELL HOUSE, COLLEGE YARD (Harvard) broadsides from the mid 1960s, especially those by important American poets, are SCARCE.

A SHOW OF HANDS: Photographs from the Collection of Henry Buhl. Sotheby's Auction Catalog for the auction that took place in New York on 12 & 13 December 2012.

Softcover Auction Catalog, 8x10.5 inches, 420 pages.

437 lots of important photographs, all featuring hands. Each photograph is fully described and illustrated.

FINE condition, tight, bright, clean and unmarked.

About the A SHOW OF HANDS auction (from Sotheby's website):

******Sotheby's Evening Sale of A Show Of Hands: Photographs From The Collection of Henry Buhl totaled $10,368,688 ($12,318,704 with buyer's premium), exceeding the high estimate for the session of $9 million. The Buhl Collection, one of the world's most significant privately owned photograph collections, was made up of images exploring the theme of the human hand and had been put together by the visionary philanthropist and collector Henry M. Buhl.

The auction was led by Lonely Metropolitan by Herbert Bayer (lot 12) and Fotogramm by László Moholy-Nagy (lot 20), each of which sold for $1,482,500. These two results now tie as the third highest price for a classic photograph at auction. Artist records were set for Herbert Bayer, El Lissitzky, Lee Miller, Peter Hujar, and Helen Levitt, and for photographs by Man Ray and Gabriel Orozco.******

Photographs by Walt Odets 1967-2009. Three Photography Books in Slipcase: FIFTY SEVEN AMERICAN PEOPLE / THINGS PEOPLE HAVE / DIVIDING SPACE.

Three matching softcover photography books, 8x9 inches oblong, each 57 pages, all 3 in a cardboard slipcase.

HAND SIGNED, INSCRIBED and DATED by Walt Odets on the title page of the volume Dividing Space. Inscribed as follows: "For Florence / with MUCH appreciation / Walt / 5-10".

Self Published, Berkeley, California, 2010. FIRST EDITIONS, limited to only 1000 copies.

The three books are in FINE CONDITION, tight, bright, clean and clear. The slipcase is in VERY GOOD condition with some light signs of handling.

A lovely set of photography books by this noted photographer, psychologist, author, and gay rights activist; made special with the SIGNED INSCRIPTION.

About Walt Odets photography (from the Joseph Bellows Gallery website):

******Born in Los Angeles, Walt Odets began photographing at the age of 16. Odets received a B.A. in philosophy from Wesleyan University and a M.A. and PH.D in clinical psychology from San Francisco's Professional School of Psychology. He has taught photography at Wesleyan University and the San Francisco Art Institute.

Odets' perceptive photographs of the American social landscape have been featured in numerous exhibitions and in 2007 he was awarded the James D. Phelan Award in Photography.

His photographs are in the permanent collections of the Library of Congress, the Oakland Museum, the Brooklyn Museum, the New Orleans Museum of Art, Yale University and the Stanford University Museum of Art.

He has published six volumes of photographs; Reconnaissance (1971), Other Evidence (1979), Illogical Possibilities (1983), Things People Have (2010), Fifty Seven American People (2010) and Dividing Space (2010).******

and a more complete picture of Walt Odets (from Wikipedia):

******Walt Odets, b.1947, is a clinical psychologist, photographer, and author who has written about the early development, psychological and social experiences of gay men and their communities. His earlier writing focused on the lives of men living in and surviving the early AIDS epidemic. The spring 1996 issue of Positive Impact Journal called Odets "an important voice in the AIDS education and prevention arena." Odets's 1995 study, In the Shadow of the Epidemic: Being HIV-Negative in the Age of AIDS, was listed by The New York Times as among the "Notable Books of the Year 1995." Additionally, In the Shadow of the Epidemic was the No. 1 bestselling book purchased by gay men in the late fall of 1995, according to The Advocate.

Walt Whitman Odets was born to playwright, screenwriter and director Clifford Odets and his second wife, actress Bette Grayson, in Los Angeles. The family moved to New York City in the summer of 1948. Odets and Grayson separated in October 1949 and were divorced in November 1951. In February 1954 Grayson died suddenly of pneumonia, leaving seven year old Walt and his disabled sister in the care of their father. Early in 1955 the truncated family moved back to the West Coast so that Clifford could return to screenwriting in order to make a living.

Walt attended Beverly Hills High School, during which time he developed a continuing interest in photography.

Clifford Odets died in Los Angeles in 1963 when Walt was sixteen. After his father's death, Walt frequently stayed in New York with his legal guardians, Lee Strasberg and Paula Strasberg. The Strasbergs were longtime friends of Clifford Odets, dating from the early years of the Group Theatre.******