Chinese American Type Specimen Catalogue

BOCK NGAR CHY CO., published in San Francisco (n.d.) circa 1934. Original decorative blue-green paper wrappers, top staple bound, 8.25" x 5.25", 44 unnumbered pages, printed in red and green, text in Chinese with some English, richly illustrated throughout. NEAR FINE Condition: mild age toning, tiny bit of wear at spine fold ends, tight, bright, clean and unmarked. A beautiful copy.

A typographic specimen book and trade catalogue featuring a wide variety of printing services, dual language Chinese-English printing, graphic design, typefaces, ornaments, borders, illustrated cuts, stamps, business cards, advertising, logos, and other printing jobs as well as rubber stamps, seals, corporate stamping machines, inks, movable type sets, pens, labels, stationary and small promotional items. Numerous local Chinese owned business are represented in the samples, as well as Chinese companies outside California, and in Canada and Mexico.

A successful Chinese American printing and stationers firm in San Francisco's Chinatown, Bock Ngar Chy Company was founded by San Francisco native and visual artist Lee Shew Hung (b.1882). Educated in both Chinese and American schools Lee worked in his father's import export business before starting his own small press after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire. I can't find early records but the February 1915 edition of the Chinese Students' Monthly has two ads for Bock Ngar Chy Co. Chinese printing and stationer services and Chinese artistic goods located at 920 Grant Avenue. The 1949 Chinese San Francisco City Directory shows Bock Ngar Chy Co. at a different Chinatown location, 556 Kearny Street and the last recorded item they printed was a 1956 calendar by Bock Ngar Chy, Youth Printing Co. It's entirely possible Lee Shew Hung remained the proprietor throughout.

POUR PSYCHÉ, by CHARLES MAURRAS. PARIS: A La Belle Édition / Imprimerie François Bernouard, 1919. Fine Printing from the Parisian Press of François Bernouard and his imprint A La Belle Edition. One of 500 numbered copies on Verge d'Arches paper, from a total edition of 550. This copy is numbered 417. Text in French. Illustrated paper wrappers in glassine jacket, 8x10 inches (21.5x26.5cm), 28 unnumbered pages. Condition: GOOD book, soiling to the front cover, toning to the page edges, otherwise bright, clean and clear; in a toned / browned but otherwise GOOD glassine wrapper. A solid, complete, presentable copy. About CHARLES MAURRAS (excerpts from Wikipedia): ****** Charles Marie Photius Maurras, b.1868 d.1952, was a French author, politician, poet, and critic. He was an organizer and principal philosopher of Action Française, a political movement that was monarchist, anti-Semitic, anti-parliamentarist, and counter revolutionary. Maurras' ideas greatly influenced Nationalisme Intégral. A major tenet of Integral Nationalism was stated by Maurras as: "a true nationalist places his country above everything else". A political theorist and a major intellectual influence in early 20th century Europe, his views influenced several far right ideologies; as well as some of the ideas of fascism. Maurras was arrested in September 1944 and indicted by High Court of Lyon for "complicity with the enemy". Maurras was sentenced to life imprisonment. He was automatically dismissed from the Académie Française. Imprisoned in Riom and then Clairvaux, Maurras was released in March 1952 to enter a hospital. Although weakened, Maurras collaborated with Aspects de la France, which had replaced the outlawed review Action Française in 1947. He was transferred to a clinic in Tours, where he soon died. Former Chief Trump White House strategist Steve Bannon has quoted Maurras approvingly. ("Stephen Bannon Is a Fan of a French Philosopher Charles Maurras Who Was an Anti Semite and a Nazi Supporter and was sentenced to life in prison for complicity with the Nazis" Mother Jones magazine March 16, 2017)****** About FRANÇOIS BERNOUARD (from Wikipedia) ******François Bernouard, b.1884 d.1949, was a French publisher of the early 20th century, also a poet and playwright. He founded his publishing house in 1909. He published under four names: FRANÇOIS BERNOUARD, À LA BELLE ÉDITION, TYPOGRAPHIE FRANÇOIS BERNOUARD, and À SCHÉHÉRAZADE. His finely printed books are distinguished by the presence on the cover of a rose drawn by Paul Iribe .The collection of À la Belle Édition was reprinted in September 1943 by JB Janin.******

ALPHONSE: Deleted Beginning and End of a Short Story, with an Original Drawing by the Author. By William Saroyan. Deleted Beginning and End of a Short Story Entitled "Alphonse, or the Death of a Small Boy." A Rare WILLIAM SAROYAN Illustrated Story. Published by The Lowell Adams House Printers in Harvard Yard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, November, 1965. One of William Saroyan's scarcest works. His Illustration "And Then He Fell Asleep" is unique to this work and has never been re-printed. Letterpress Booklet. Original printed wrappers, 6.25" x 7.5", side saddle stitched, 4 pages printed on the outside of double leaves uncut at the top. LIMITED TO SEVENTY-FIVE NUMBERED COPIES, this is NUMBER #62. The OCLC shows only 3 copies held in collections worldwide (Library of Congress, Harvard, and Yale). William Saroyan (1908-1981) Pulitzer Prize-winning Author, and acclaimed Modern Artist whose Abstract Paintings and Drawings are the subject of Major Exhibitions. His first published work in 1934 was the short story, "The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze." Saroyan was born and died in Fresno, lived and worked in San Francisco, and drank and gambled away his fortune. On his deathbed, he called the Associated Press in Fresno, to make sure they would give him a proper obituary. "I know everyone has got to die," he told the reporter, "but I thought an exception would be made in my case." NEAR FINE CONDITION: A touch of creasing at the spine, otherwise tight, bright, clean and unmarked. An Excellent and Very Rare Copy.

1942-1944 / MEMORIES OF CHILDHOOD. ROGER SHIMOMURA, ARTIST'S BOOK.

TEN HAND PAINTED AND HAND PRINTED COLOR LITHOGRAPHS in a HANDMADE BOOK - EDITION OF 30.

SIGNED, NUMBERED and DATED by the ARTIST, ROGER SHIMOMURA, on the Colophon Page (the last page). This is Copy #4 of 30.

The ten color lithographs are printed on 10x12 inch Somerset, Soft White and Japanese Goyu paper, the images are 7x10 inches.

Published by the Steinbaum Krauss Gallery, New York City and The Lawrence Lithography Workshop, Sundland Park, New Mexico, 1999.

From the Colophon Page: "This book of lithographs by Roger Shimomura is a co-publication project of the Steinbaum Krauss Gallery, New York City and The Lawrence Lithography Workshop, Sundland Park, New Mexico. The images are derived from a series of paintings about the artist's experience as a child in Minidoka Concentration Camp in Hunt, Idaho, during World War II. The key line images were drawn by the artist on mylar and exposed to positive working plates. The color plates were hand painted under the artist's direction...The prints were hand printed by Michael Sims at The Lawrence Lithography Workshop on a direct pressure flatbed press...The binding and cover assembly were done by Priscilla Spitler at Hands on Bookbinding in Smithville, Texas. There are 30 books in the edition."

Artist's Statement: "Because I was so young at the time, the memories I have are very few, but those that I have maintained are still quite vivid. This series of works represents nearly all of those memories, that is, all of them except for one. As wonderful as it had seemed to live close to most of my friends and relatives, I remember never fully understanding exactly why we moved, and wondering if we were ever going to go back home."

When originally published in 1999 the book was priced at $8,000.

Condition: There is a bump to the bottom of the spine affecting the bottom blank spine corner of the inner pages, and a slight bump to the top of the spine only affecting that corner of a few preliminary pages. Otherwise bright, brilliant, and very scarce.

THE ASHENDENE PRESS, by Colin Franklin.

Published by the Bridwell Library, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, 1986. First Edition, limited to 750 copies as stated on the Colophon page (the last page).

SIGNED and INSCRIBED by COLIN FRANKLIN on the half title page: "For Alan / in a delightful visit to Sea Ranch & the presence of his marvelous book treasury / from Colin / February 1991".

Hardcovers, half cloth, patterned paper boards, paper spine label. 8x11.5 inches (20x29 cm), xiv, 256 pages. Printed by W. Thomas Taylor.

NEAR FINE condition, tight, bright, clean and clear. A lovely copy.

About THE ASHENDENE PRESS (from Wikipedia):

******The Ashendene Press was a small private press founded by St John Hornby, b.1867 d.1946. It operated from 1895 to 1915 in Chelsea, London and was revived after the war in 1920. The press closed in 1935. Its peers included the Kelmscott Press and the Doves Press. These three presses were part of a "revival of fine printing" that focused on treating bookmaking as fine art. The Ashendene Press was famous for producing high quality works by Dante. Ashendene books were carefully printed with large margins, and despite their lack of extravagant decoration, they were considered spectacular works of art. Two original typefaces were created for the Ashendene Press: Subiaco and Ptolemy. The Press was also known for handwritten, colored initials by Graily Hewitt. The Press' main customers were fine book collectors.******

About COLIN FRANKLIN (from Wikipedia):

******Colin Ellis Franklin, FSA, b.1923 d.2020, was an English writer, bibliographer, book-collector and antiquarian bookseller. He was born in Notting Hill, London. He worked for some years in publishing, at Routledge in London, before moving into antiquarian bookselling. He specialized in the study of private presses and the book arts, but also wrote on Shakespeare, Japanese books and prints, Lord Chesterfield, Elizabeth Barrett Browning and on printing techniques and media. He was Honorary President of the Oxford University Society of Bibliophiles, Patron to the Oundle School Society of Bibliophiles, and President of the Private Libraries Association and the Double Crown Club.******

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DAS BUCH ALS KUNSTWERK - DIE CRANACH PRESSE of GRAFEN HARRY KESSLER. Herausgegeben von John Dieter Brinks.

(THE BOOK AS A WORK OF ART - THE CRANACH PRESS of COUNT HARRY KESSLER. Edited by John Dieter Brinks.)

Published by Triton Verlag, Laubach and Berlin, and Williams College, Williamstown, MMV (2005). Second Edition (Zweite Ausgabe). TEXT in GERMAN. (This is the German edition, there is also an edition in English.)

Hardcover Book, red cloth covered boards lettered in gilt, 9.5x12 inches (24x30 cm),.453 pages; in a black paper covered card slipcase.

ILLUSTRATED THROUGHOUT with GORGEOUS FULL-COLOR PHOTOGRAPHS of Many of the Books Published by the Cranach Press.

Condition: FINE BOOK, sharp cornered, tight, bright, clean, clear and unmarked. In a GOOD slipcase which has shelf rubs and is scuffed at the spine, but is solid and doing its job well. Brilliant illustrations.

A beautiful book filled with beautiful books.

About the CRANACH PRESS (from various Internet sources):

******The Cranach Press was founded by Count Harry Graf Kessler (1868-1937) with the undertaking to print the finest possible editions of the world's greatest literature in new and important German translations. Kessler employed print-men and illustrators of outstanding ability and produced some of the world's most beautiful books.

In 1913 Kessler commissioned Edward Gordon Craig, an English theatrical designer and theoretician, to make woodcut illustrations for a sumptuous edition of Shakespeare's Hamlet for the Cranach Press. A German translation by Gerhart Hauptmann, with illustrations by Craig, was finally published in Weimar in 1928. The English version, edited by J. Dover Wilson, came out in 1930. This book, printed on fine paper, using different type-faces, with marginal notes with source quotations, and featuring Craig's woodcuts, is regarded by many as one of the finest examples of the printer's art to have been published in the 20th century.******

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.

The Press In Tuscany Alley Announces / (i.e. Prospectus For) THE EPHEMERA OF ADRIAN WILSON: An Annotated List 1944-1988, by James Linden with Commentary by Joyce Lancaster Wilson. Published by The Press In Tuscany Alley, San Francisco, 1994..

A beautifully produced Announcement / Prospectus.

Folder / Paper Covers, 9x12 inches, string-bound with 8 pages plus 2 folded sample leaves (pages 129/130 and 107/108) laid into a flap on the inside rear cover. Comes with its original mailing envelope.

Illustrated with a frontispiece tipped-in photograph of the gate entrance to the Press In Tuscany Alley, plus some printed illustrations.

The Prospectus is in FINE condition. The mailing envelope is in GOOD condition with some corner and flap wear, and a couple small scrapes; the envelope has NOT been used for mailing.

About ADRIAN WILSON (from a 1988 NY Times Obituary):

******Adrian Wilson, a book designer and scholar who was considered one of America's leading fine printers, died Wednesday in San Francisco. He was 64 years old.

Working out of a small San Francisco studio known as '"The Press at Tuscany Valley," Mr. Wilson designed and printed scores of books. His many volumes, while little known to the general public, are famous among print connoisseurs, and many are collectors' items.

In 1983, Mr. Wilson won a MacArthur Fellowship.

He is survived by his wife and by his daughter, Melissa Wilson Marshall, of San Francisco.******

TWO MARCEL PROUST Volumes in SEMET & PLUMELLE FINE-BINDINGS and SLIPCASES w/ EDUOARD HENRI FISCHER Bookplates

TWO VOLUMES FINELY BOUND by SEMET & PLUMELLE : "LES PLAISIRS ET LES JOURS", by Marcel Proust, 1924, and "HOMMAGE À MARCEL PROUST", by various contributors.

FINE BINDINGS: Full green levant morocco covered boards, four raised spine bands, red morocco spine labels titled in gilt, gilt decorations to the folded leather on the inner covers, silk endpapers, all edges gilt, 6.5x8.5 inches (16x21 cm), 273 and 319 pages; slipcases with marbled paper exteriors, felt-lined interiors. SEMET & PLUMELLE is "signed" on the bottom edge of the inside front cover of each volume.

From the collection of the renowned French book collector EDOUARD HENRI FISCHER. His bookplate, designed by Hans Erni, is on a prelim page of each volume.

Published by Nouvelle Revue Française, Paris, 1924 and 1927. Limited editions, marked number XIV and IX respectively.

VERY GOOD condition: The spines are lightly sunned and the covers have slight shelf rubs, overall lovely.

TWO Scarce FINE BINDINGS by SEMET & PLUMELLE.

RELIGION AND THE DECLINE OF MAGIC Studies In Popular Beliefs In Sixteenth And Seventeenth-Century England by Sir Keith Thomas

Published by the Folio Society, London, 2012. First Illustrated Edition, Two Volumes in Slipcase, hardbound in blue cloth with gilt printing on the front cover and spine, 10" x 6.5", 992 total pages, beautifully illustrated with 42 pages of color plates. FINE Condition: tight, bright, clean and unmarked, as new. Shrink wrap partially removed from slipcase which has a few light shipping dings to the front edge.

Sir Keith Thomas's magnum opus is the foundational text for the study of early modern witchcraft during the English Renaissance. A monumental historical monograph that examines the complicated relationship between the supernatural and christianity. In the beginning of the 1500s magic pervaded society. Religious faith, prayer and prophecies were magical. Outside the church magical power reigned in the healing arts, in astrology and alchemy, in the knowledge that ghosts, fairies, omens, spirits, and the devil exist, and in the obsession with witchcraft. Nothing happened by accident. Evil had to be willed. The air was full of demons who controlled everything, easily summoned by a malevolent witch. But by the time Sir Isaac Newton dropped that gravitational apple science was ascendant and most of the witches had been burned.