Approximately 85 photographs and real photo postcards of female and male College of

Emporia students, circa 1909-1915.

Likely the collection of DELLA PEASE and/or JOHN ELLIOTT ROSS, as most of the photos are of her and her friends, and some others are of him and his friends. The two College of Emporia students may have taken these snaps of each other and their friends, and then combined the photos into this gathering when they later got married. The marriage turned Della Pease into Della Pease Ross. They both graduated from the College of Emporia in 1912. Most of the photos seem to be from that year or earlier. One photo is very old, the backside info indicates it is a photo of the parents of one or the other. Della Pease and John Ross were married in 1916, a few years after graduating.

The photos are various sizes, from very small up to 3.5x5.5 inches. Included are many real photo postcards that are truly RPPC because the images are mostly of the students themselves. Good condition, some with edge wear, some fading, signs of light handling, overall clear images and legible information where found on the backsides and margins.

Rich in KANSAS GENEALOGY. What makes this Emporia Kansas photo collection interesting is that many have the FULL NAMES of the people in the photo written on the backside, and sometimes information about where they are and what they are doing.. Some of the names include: Della Pease, John E. Ross, Katherine Polk, Claire Boyle, George Merritt Polk, Grace Smith, and many, many more. Some of the photo postcards are unused, others were sent and have writing on the backsides, all relate to Della Pease, John E. Ross, or others of the College of Emporia.

In the photos Della Pease and her friends seem to be doing the usual fun college stuff. The back of one of the photos reads: "A picnic supper at the Chautauqua grounds at one of the girls' tents. We had a great time. Can you find me?" After graduating in 1912 it wouldn't always be fun for Della Pease or her school mate and future husband John Elliott Ross...

About JOHN ELLIOTT ROSS (from his Obituary in the Princeton Theological Seminary Alumni Report of 1920-1929):

JOHN ELLIOTT ROSS, b.1883 d.1925, was born near Smith Center, Kansas, son of Wilson Erskine and Mary Frances (Elliott) Ross. He made a public confession of his faith in the United Presbyterian Church of Sterling, Kansas. His preparatory studies were pursued in the Franklin Academy, Kansas, and he graduated from the COLLEGE OF EMPORIA in 1912. He entered the Seminary at Princeton in the fall of the same year, remaining more than two years. He completed his theological course in the Western Theological Seminary, from which he graduated in 1916. He was licensed by the Presbytery of Osborne and ordained by the same Presbytery, September 19, 1916. He sailed for India October 10, 1916, and engaged in missionary work at Ludhiana, India, and then at Saharanpur, from 1918 to 1923. He returned to this country on furlough, remaining a year from 1923 to 1924. He died January 15, 1925, in Kasur, Punjab, India, of heart failure, while sleeping, in the forty-second year of his age. He was buried at Ferozepur, India. He received the degree of A.M. from Princeton University in 1914. He was married August 17, 1916, in Pittsburg, Kansas, to Della Pease, who with two sons survives him.

About DELLA PEASE ROSS (from her Obituary in the EMPORIA GAZETTE of 10 February 1930):

Word has been received in Emporia of the death of Mrs. Della Pease Ross, a graduate of the College of Emporia, in 1912. She died Friday, February 7, at the Lahore hospital in India. Her husband, the late John E. Ross, was also a member of the College graduating class of 1912. They had been doing missionary work in India for about 15 years.

To be clear, the photos in this collection are all pre India missionary work, when there was lots of laughter in their and their friends' eyes.

BUDDHIST ARCHAEOLOGICAL OBJECTS - Illustrated Catalogue of the Collection in the Nara National Museum. Published by the Nara National Museum, Nara City, Japan, 1993. First Edition.

Hardcover Book in Dustjacket, 7.5x10.5 inches, 156 pages. ILLUSTRATED throughout with numerous b&w photographs. Text in Japanese and English.

Artifacts are arranged in sections. including: Objects from Ancient Temple Sites; Baked Clay Stupa; Tiles with Figure Buddha; Clay Statues; Objects from Cremation Tombs; and more.

FINE book, tight, bright, clean, clear and unmarked; in a NEAR FINE dustjacket that has a hint of handling. A lovely copy.

From the English introductory notes:

******This publication is a pictorial catalogue of the buddhist archaeological objects except the objects excavated from sutra mounds, in the archaeology department, stored (as of March 1993) at the Nara National Museum. These illustrations have been arranged by place of excavation in north-south order. Data mentioned are plate numbers, titles, total number, quality, shape, size (in centimeters), period, etc. Data is given in English also. (Abbreviations are as follows. H. Height, D. Diameter, L. Length, W. Width) Detailed places of excavation, inscriptions, reference literature, storage numbers, designations, etc. are mentioned in reference materials appearing in the later part of this catalogue. ? indicates items of Important Cultural Property. Photographs are by Kinji Morimura and Satokazu Yazawa (former members of the museum's staff). Edited by Yoshiharu Inokuchi.******

SHOULD SONS OF GOD MARRY DAUGHTERS OF MEN?, by LENA REA, a Church of Christ Evangelist.

Revised edition, distributed by Book World, Jenks, Oklahoma, 1966.

Softcovers, booklet, side stapled, 5.5x8 inches, 80 pages.

Chapters include: Types of Fornication; Law of Body Sanctification; Concerning Virgins, Adulterous and Fornicatious Marriages, and more!

Basically a holier than thou tract on how to avoid birthing little devils (i.e. what fornication and sex outside of marriage or in a post divorce marriage create) and how to birth a bunch of little holy spirits (what sanctified, married only once, virginal sex create).

GOOD condition, the covers have some edge wear and rubs, the rear cover has a small stain at its bottom spine corner; the title page has the ink stamp of "Book World / Jenks, OK" and a small price sticker with the price blacked out; overall a solid, complete copy with pages that are tight, bright, clean and unmarked (kind of like what this booklet says women should be).

A MANUSCRIPT COMMENTARY on the HEBREW BIBLE OLD TESTAMENT PSALMS by NOTED AMERICAN THEOLOGIAN and HEBREW SCHOLAR, WALTER ROBERT BETTERIDGE. An incomplete but extensive manuscript work that binds together an 1880 printing of the PSALMS (which have Betteridge's EXTENSIVE MARGIN NOTES ON EVERY PAGE) and OVER 100 PAGES OF MANUSCRIPT COMMENTARY. The handwritten commentary and notes were written by Betteridge ca. 1910-1916. The manuscript was likely being prepared for publication as "Commentary on Old Testament Psalms", but the work was never published because Betteridge died (1916) before it was completed. Nonetheless his wife had his "work in progress" professionally bound and then donated it to the University of Rochester Theological Seminary where her husband had been a Professor of Hebrew in the Old Testament Department.

This professionally bound volume contains the printed work: LIBER PSALMORUM - Textum masoreticum acuratissime expressit... notis criticis confirmavit, by S. BAER, [with] Praefatus est edendi operis adjutor, by FRANCISCUS DELITZSCH. Lipsiae: Ex officina Bernhardi Tauchnitz, 1880. 8vo, 5.5x9 inches. Pagination: [1] f., 82 pp. TOGETHER with over 100 PAGES of INTERLEAVED MANUSCRIPT COMMENTARY NOTES by Bettteridge, interleaved so that every one of the printed pages of the LIBER PSALMORUM has one or more pages of associated handwritten commentary bound-in beside it. There are also manuscript pages at both the front and rear of the book, and clippings from related texts here and there, clippings which Betteridge also annotated.

The printed PSALMS, the 100+ pages of manuscript commentary, and the many other small slips of paper with handwritten notes, are BOUND TOGETHER in recent hardcovers, black moire silk covered boards with leather spine label titled in gilt.

NOTE: Betteridge's handwriting is miniscule with LOTS of words crammed onto every page and is difficult to read without a magnifier, so either have eagle eyes or an illuminated magnifying lamp on standby. Of course by writing in such a small manuscript Betteridge has managed to impart an incredible amount of commentary onto the 100+ handwritten pages. In normal script it would likely be at least 200+ pages.

PROVENANCE: Donated by Mrs. Betteridge to the Rochester Theological Seminary Library. with an institutional bookplate noting this on front pastedown. "Presented to Rochester Theological Seminary Library by MRS. BETTERIDGE / From The Library of WALTER ROBERT BETTERIDGE, D.D. 1863-1916 / On the Faculty of This Seminary in the Department Of Old Testament, 1891-1916".

CONDITION: The recent covers are solid and lovely; internally there is a Seminary bookplate on the front pastedown, as noted above, and a library blind-stamp on the title page; the pages are age toned; all the edges have significantly browned and have varying degrees of chipping and wear, affecting only a bit of marginalia here and there; overall the printing and handwriting is clear and legible (with magnification); all pages, manuscript and printed, are tightly bound. A solid copy.

A UNIQUE WORK that represents an American theological scholar's lifetime of studying and teaching Hebrew and the Old Testament. Deserving of close examination.

About PROFESSOR WALTER ROBERT BETTERIDGE, D.D. (from various Internet sources):

******Walter Robert Betteridge, b.1863 d.1916, was an American theologian, professor, and Bible scholar. He was a Professor of Hebrew Language and Literature at the University of Rochester from 1891 until his death.

Author of "Commentary on Exodus" American Baptist Publication Society, 1914, and numerous articles including "The Accuracy of the Authorized Version of the Old Testament" 1911, and "Commentary on Deuteronomy", 1915.

Walter Robert Betteridge is listed in Volume 8, page 184 of "Who's Who in America", published by A.N. Marquis, 1914.******

TEXTILES FROM BOHEMIAN AND MORAVIAN SYNAGOGUES - from the Collections of the Jewish Museum in Prague.

Published by the Jewish Museum in Prague, 2003. ISBN 8085608650.

Hardcover Book in Slipcase, 9x12.5 inches (22.5x31 cm), 376 pages

ILLUSTRATED with 500 COLOR PHOTOGRAPHS of Synagogue Textiles: Curtains, Torah Mantles, Valances, Covers, etc. They are gorgeous.

FINE, as new book in a NEAR FINE card slipcase that has just a bit of spine end and corner tip creasing. A beautiful copy.

From the Publisher:

******A de luxe catalogue of synagogue textiles from the collections of the Jewish Museum in Prague, produced to accompany the exhibition "For Dignity and Adornment" which took place at the Imperial Prague Castle March-June 2003.

The catalogue text and illustrations cover most of the textiles presented at the exhibition, as well as other select examples of the rich diversity of the Museum's textile holdings, amounting to a thousand items. Moreover, they broaden the scope of information on individual groups of textiles by adding other striking examples.

The wide variety of the collection is reflected in 500 full-colour illustrations.

Sections include: The Specific Symbols of Moravian Synagogue Textiles; Valances and their Specific Iconography; Textiles of Oriental Provenance; Fabrics of Chinese Provenance; The Historical Background of Donors; The Development of Hebrew Dedicatory Inscriptions and the Contemporary Use of Czech and German Inscriptions; The Donation of Synagogue Textiles as Reflected in Epitaphs; The Restoration of Textiles at the Jewish Museum in Prague; and The Identification of Collection Points.

Textiles include: Curtains, Torah Mantles, Valances and Covers. Catalogue Entries also include the name of the donor and information on the place from where the item came.

The catalogue ends with a glossary of Hebrew terms and an index of names and localities.

An indispensable resource for anyone interested in Jewish culture, and for all lovers of textile art.******

INTERNATIONAL BIDDERS PLEASE NOTE: This book is heavy and will require additional shipping charges. After placing your order you will be notified of the charges and be able to accept or reject them before payment is taken. Thanks!

Peoples Forum, Vol. I, No. 17, March 1, 1977. Published by Peoples Temple of the Disciples of Christ, San Francisco, CA. First edition, broadsheet format, one folded sheet, four pages printed on newsprint. GOOD CONDITION: tender at the folds with tiny chips/wear, some edge tears/wear, and light age toning, otherwise bright and clean. Scarce.

In April 1976, Jim Jones' Peoples Temple launched Peoples Forum. Distributed on the street by Temple volunteers and dropped on doorsteps throughout San Francisco, it served as the Temple's monthly newspaper and main source of promotion and communication. The header shows three faces of different races, civil rights related imagery Jones used to advertise his interracial religious movement.

Jones' increasing radicalism and connection to the civil rights movement became apparent with the Peoples Forum. While early issues contain articles on "subjects as diverse as killer bees, Muhammed Ali, freedom of the press, and Jones hosting a TV show," later editions are more radical, illustrating Jones' support for Huey Newton and the Black Panther Party. In late 1976 Peoples Forum covered a story about the FBI's role in the death of Black Panther Party leader Fred Hampton. The cover photo from this March 1, 1977 edition shows Jones and Newton shaking hands. Peoples Forum exemplifies the increasing involvement Peoples Temple had in California with Black rights leaders, racial issues, and activism. Additionally, Peoples Forum denounced and exposed the rising dangers of neo Nazism in San Francisco.

Jim Jones' Peoples Temple is notorious for the way it ended in on November 18, 1978 with more than 900 people dying in a mass murder suicide at the Peoples Temple Settlement in Jonestown, Guyana. The majority of the Jonestown massacre victims were black women.

LACES FROM THE COLLECTIONS OF THE JEWISH MUSEUM IN PRAGUE / Krajky ze sbírek Zidovskeho muzea v Praze. Text by Dana Veselska.

Published by the Jewish Museum in Prague, 2004. ISBN: 8085608863. TEXT in ENGLISH and CZECH.

Contents include: Laces on Synagogue Textiles, Lace in Large Compositions, Lace as Material for Iconographic Motifs, Wedding Covers, Shpanyer Arbet, Lace and Clothing.

ILLUSTRATED with color photographs and detailed b&w drawings.

Softcovers, 8.5x8 inches (22x21 cm) oblong, 115pages.

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

From the Publisher:

******This exhibition catalogue is the result of a two year research project by the Jewish Museum in Prague. Showcasing 70 items, it features the most important examples of predominantly metal thread laces in the museum's collections.

It is divided into three sections: Lace on Synagogue Textiles, Shpanyer Arbet, Wedding Covers and Garments. As well as detailed full colour photographs, the catalogue also contains a number of patterns and designs of vintage laces dating from the 17th-19th centuries.******

LIVRE DE PRIÈRES - Illustré à l'aide des Ornements Des Manuscrits du Moyen Age / classés dans l'ordre chronologique et selon les styles divers qui se sont succédé depuis le huitième siècle jusqu'au seizième.

(BOOK OF PRAYERS / BOOK OF HOURS - Illustrated with Ornamentations from Manuscripts of the Middle Ages...)

By Bernard Charles Mathieu and Ferdinand Denis.

Published by Charles Mathieu and Printed by Chez J. Renouard, PARIS, 1858 and 1862.

Two Volumes, full calf leather, front and rear covers blind stamped, spine titled in gilt, five raised spine bands, all edges gauffered and gilt, dentelles in blind with corner fleurons, marbled endpapers, 5x7 inches (13x18 cm). Pagination: 149, [13]; 250 pp. Text in French.

Volume I illustrated throughout with gorgeous chromolithographs. Volume II a text volume with b&w ornamental framing.

A beautiful prayer book.

Volume I, the most important of the two volumes and published two years prior to Volume II, is exquisitely embellished throughout with chromolithograph borders and plates depicting medieval manuscripts. Preliminary pages of this volume give details of the border ornamentations:. Byzantine for the Morning Prayers, Carolingian for the Evening Prayers, etc. Each section of prayers has a chromolithograph frontispiece. At the end there is also The Mass for Marriage. The lithography is by Charles Mathieu. Simply GORGEOUS.

Volume II contains a history of European decorative manuscript painting from antiquity through the Gothic period. The text is written by Ferdinand Denis.

Provenance: A great association copy. Both volumes have the bookplate of ROBERT ORMES DOUGAN, b.1904 d.1999, on the front pastedown. His signature is also on the blank verso of the front free endpaper of Volume I. Dougan was the director of the Dublin Library and later Chief Librarian of the Huntington Library. He was renowned for his knowlege of The Book of Kells. He donated many books and medieval manuscripts to Occidental College, as well as to other universities. Tipped in OVER the Dougan bookplates is an Occidental College bookplate which has a "Released" notice printed at its bottom. The OC bookplate can be lifted up to fully reveal Dougan's bookplate below. Obituaries that detail Dougan's life can easily found online at The Guardian, The Independent, and L.A. Times websites.

Condition: The covers of both volumes have some rubbing and there are nicks to the leather along the spine folds, but they remain solid and lovely. Internally, Volume I has some foxing and toning throughout, heaviest to the early and later pages, otherwise both volumes are tight, bright clean and unmarked.

Volume I, with its gorgeous chromolithograph plates and ornamental borders, has become almost impossible to find.

Curious ARMENIAN devotional book illustrated with six macabre full page engravings in the style of Jesuit Priest Alexandre Perier's 1724 Disillusion of Sinners (Desengano dos Peccadores) originally printed in Rome in 1724. The six plates show grotesque imagery of sinners suffering eternal punishment in Hell, terrifying engravings of damnation and torment the religious powers used to intimidate their flock, horrifying demons and serpents brutally torturing the souls of sinners burning in the fires of Hell. Interestingly, Perier's book was banned by the Church in 1771 because wealthy slave owners were not happy they were condemned to Hell too .

Blind tooled leather over wood boards, leather spine perished exposing burlap spine covering, sewn endbands, 3 raised spine bands, 5.25 x 3.35", [iv] 260 pages [iv], Armenian text, printed on laid paper, illustrated with 6 unsigned engravings - 7 are called for, plates present are 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, (plate 3 partial), decorated throughout with a variety of ornaments including cherubs and birds, zoomorphic initials, and various head and tail pieces, nd, np, circa early 19th century. Imperfect: lacking title page, and 3 leaves containing pages 23/24, 75/76, 217/218; plate 3 on leaf 73/74 is mostly torn away; leather lightly rubbed, rear bottom corner-tip chipped, internally inked notations in Armenian on endpapers, some ink stains/staining here and there including on the plates, gutter cracked but stitches holding well, edgewear/edge tears, finger soiling, some old repairs, generally clean and bright. Housed in a later slipcase.

MARC CHAGALL - DRAWINGS FOR THE BIBLE. With 24 ORIGINAL FULL-PAGE COLOR LITHOGRAPHS and 96 B&W HELIOGRAVURE PLATES. Text by Gaston Bachelard. (Translated into English by Stuart Gilbert.)

NEW YORK: Harcourt Brace and Company, 1960. First American edition. The 24 original color lithographs were printed by Mourlot Freres and the 96 b&w heliogravure plates by Draeger Freres. This book was produced as Verve 37/38 (double issue - Summer 1960).

Hardcover Book in an Original LIthograph Dustjacket, 10.5x14 inches (27x36 cm). there are seven Introductory leaves, 24 original color lithographs, 96 b&w heliogravure reproductions, and some text pages at the rear that list the 24 lithographs and describe the 96 b&w heliographs.

Condition: VERY GOOD book, the covers have a few small spots and slight pushing to a couple corners but are solid, bright and clear; internally, the pages have light toning to the margins (as on every copy I have seen), lovely overall tight, bright, clean, clear and unmarked. The LITHOGRAPHS are GORGEOUS. In a GOOD original lithograph dustjacket that was professionally / archivally restored; the jacket is missing a large piece from the top front area of the rear panel, a piece at the bottom of the spine, and a few other small pieces, all of which have now been integrally reinforced; there are some scrapes to the folds, and some repaired and reinforced tears; overall the jacket is solid and bright.

A lovely copy of the book with all its incredibly beautiful lithographs by Marc Chagall, in its original (and archivally restored) dustjacket.

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.

WE WERE THERE... WORLD WAR II : THE MILWAUKEE JEWISH EXPERIENCE. A book of photographs with accompanying brief WWII narratives by and about Milwaukee Jews who served in World War II. Published by the Milwaukee Jewish Archives / Milwaukee Jewish Federation, Wisconsin, 1996. Presumed first edition. Softcovers, metal spiral bound, 8.5x11.5 inches oblong, approximately 80 unnumbered pages containing about 300 brief accounts of Milwaukee Jews that served in WWII. GOOD condition. Metal spirals have rusted, covers show some creases and wear, the last page has some light creases, otherwise tight, bright, clean and unmarked. A solid, presentable copy. From the Introduction: "As part of the 1995 commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II, the Milwaukee Jewish Archives created an exhibit which highlighted participation of Milwaukee Jews in the war... Hundreds of people viewed the exhibit throughout the summer... Many people suggested that we preserve this extremely successful exhibit by creating a book which would contain the photos, narratives, and some of the other materials that were on display over the summer... We hope this book has as much meaning for you as it does for all the people who submitted their precious memories. This was truly a labor of love on the part of nearly 300 authors who wrote the stories inside this very special collection of Jewish remembrances." Rare, I have never seen another copy.

PAGAN REGENERATION A Study of Mystery Initiations in the Graeco-Roman World by Harold R. Willoughby

Published by The University of Chicago Press, Chicago, Illinois, 1929. First edition, first printing, September 1929. Hardcover, purple cloth with black printing on the cover and gilt printing on the spine, 8.25" x 5.5", 307 pages. GOOD CONDITION: ex library with the usual stamps, shelf numbers, marks, and a bookplate. Ex lib aside the covers are sunned, have shelf, corner-tip, spine-end wear, and the rear cover has an area of white off-setting probably from old white paint in the bookshelf, but remain solid and fairly bright, internally just a touch of age, and a former owner's name stamp, otherwise tight, bright and clean. A scarce 1929 first edition lacking the paper jacket.

A central text on the Mystery Religions and Secret Cults which flourished in the archaic Greco-Roman world and greatly influenced the development of Christianity in the centuries before and after Christ. The early church developed during a time of diverse pagan religions which were assimilated into the central tenets of Christianity. These pagan superstitious magical belief systems and philosophical cults include Orphism, the adherents of which developed the Eleusinian Mystery Festivals an orgiastic worship of Dionysus, the Cult of the Great Mother Cybele, the rite of the Taurobolium, the religions of Mithras, and of Isis and Osiris, and the Hermetic writings. Knowledge of the Mystery Religions is important for any serious study of the occult.

HAROLD RIDEOUT WILLOUGHBY (1890-1962) Author, Bible Scholar, Professor of New Testament and Early Christian Literature, and member of the Federated Theological faculty at the University of Chicago.

PATH OF LIFE : RABBI JUDAH LOEW BEN BEZALEL 1525-1609. Large, beautifully produced, fully illustrated CATALOGUE for the Exhibition of the same name that took place at the PRAGUE CASTLE, Czech Republic, in 2009. The exhibition was conceived by Alexandr Putik, who also edited this deluxe catalog. English edition, translated from the Czech.

Contains numerous essays on Rabbi Judah Loew Ben Bezalel by Jewish scholars.

Hardcover Book, no dustjacket as issued, 9x11.5 inches (22x29 cm), 520 pages. ILLUSTRATED with hundreds of color and b&w photographs.

Published by Jewish Museum in Prague / Academia, Prague, Czech Republic, 2009. ISBN 10: 8020017755; ISBN 13: 978-8020017758.

FINE condition, still in much of its original shrink-wrap (some has started peeling off), a lovely unread copy, tight, bright, clean, clear and unmarked. Photos of the open book are from my personal copy.

From the Publisher:

******The 7th of September 2009 was the 400th anniversary of the death of Judah Loew ben Bezalel, known both as the Maharal and Rabbi Loew. This exquisite book was published by the Jewish Museum in Prague and the Academia Publishing House for a prestigious exhibition of the same name at Prague Castle. It features a substantial selection of the exhibited items from the museum's collections and from numerous other Czech and foreign cultural institutions. However, it is more than a mere catalogue for the exhibition, as it PROVIDES INSIGHTS into the AUTHENTIC LEGACY of the MAHARAL, WHICH FOR THE MOST PART HAS UNTIL NOW REMAINED CONCEALED.

About Judah Loew ben Bezalel (from Wikipedia):

******Judah Loew ben Bezalel, b.1512-1526 d.1609, also called Rabbi Loew (aka Löw, Loewe, Löwe or Levai), widely known to scholars of Judaism as the Maharal of Prague or simply The Maharal, was an important Talmudic scholar, Jewish mystic, and philosopher who, for most of his life, served as the leading rabbi in the cities of Mikulov in Moravia and Prague in Bohemia.

Within the world of Torah and Talmudic scholarship, Loew is known for his works on Jewish philosophy and Jewish mysticism and his work Gur Aryeh al HaTorah, a supercommentary on Rashi's Torah commentary. He is also the subject of a 19th century legend that he created the Golem of Prague, an animate being fashioned from clay.

Maharal's numerous philosophical works have become cornerstones of Jewish thought. His writings tried to make the ideas of the Kabbalah (which he held to be the most deeply true of all the Torah) understandable to the average educated reader, by presenting them in a rigorously philosophical form, couched in terms accessible to the public. He felt that only the greatest of Torah scholars are able to perceive the full intent of the Kabbalistic works in their complex entirety, but much could be comprehended by the general reader if presented in a rational and philosophic form. His main kabbalistic influences appear to have been the Zohar, Sefer Yetzirah, and traditions of the Chassidei Ashkenaz.

Miharal was in favor of scientific research, but believed the Talmudic, Midrashic, and Aggadic teachings refer to matters far beyond the sphere of natural science.

The Maharal is the subject of the legend about the creation of a golem, a creature made out of clay to defend the Jews of the Prague Ghetto from antisemitic attacks. He is said to have used mystical powers based on esoteric knowledge of how God created Adam.

Rabbi Loew is buried at the Old Jewish Cemetery, Prague in Josefov, where his grave and tombstone can still be visited.******

INTERNATIONAL BIDDERS PLEASE NOTE: This book is heavy and will require additional shipping charges. After placing your order you will be notified of the charges and be able to accept or reject them before payment is taken. Thanks!

THE PRECEPTS OF JESUS - The Guide to Peace and Happiness, Extracted from the Books of the New Testament Ascribed to the Four Evangelists. - To Which Are Added, The First, Second, and Final Appeal to the Christian Public in Reply to the Observations of Dr. Marshman, of Serampore. BY RAMMOHUN ROY (aka Raja Ram Mohan Roy), of CALCUTTA.

Published by B. Bates, New York, 1825. First American Edition.

Hardcovers, paper spine title label, 6x9.5 inches (15x23.5 cm), xix + 318 pages.

LAID-IN is a HANDWRITTEN LETTER, SIGNED and DATED by RAMMOHUN ROY, written on both sides of a 5x8 inch (12.5x20 cm) piece of paper. The letter reads:

"My dear Sir / Nothing can give me greater pleasure than receiving your note accompanied by two other letters and a parcel of books from America and I beg you will accept my sincere thanks for your kind remembrance of me and for your kind wishes for my health and that of my son. / I hope I shall be able to do myself the pleasure of calling upon you and spending a few happy hours in conversation with you. / With my best compliments to Mr. Foster I remain / Yours very Sincerely / Rammohun Roy / May 2nd 1829."

ASSOCIATIONS in the LETTER and the BOOK:

MR. FOSTER, to whom the LETTER is written, is most certainly REV. JOHN FOSTER, the noted BRITISH ESSAYIST and MINISTER who, in his later years lived in Stapleton, Gloucestershire, making him a neighbor of Raja Ram Mohun Roy who, in his later years, lived at Stapleton Grove. John Foster and the Raja became close and had many discussions. John Foster, along with Rammohun Roy, became involved in the Serampore missionaries controversy. John Foster was one of a small group of mourners invited to the private funeral of Rammohun Roy that took place on October 18, 1933, on the grounds of Stapleton Grove. (See "John Foster Essayist" on Wikipedia.)

The BOOK has the ownership SIGNATURE of SAMUEL JOSEPH MAY on the rear pastedown, and that of his son JOSEPH MAY on the front pastedown. Samuel Joseph May's signature is florid, bright and clear, Joseph May's signature on the front pastedown has been inked out but is still legible. SAMUEL JOSEPH MAY was an important American Abolitionist, Women's Rights Advocate, Supporter of Universal Education, and Unitarian Minister. In America he championed many of the same causes that Rammohun Roy advocated. (See "Samuel Joseph May" on Wikipedia.)

CONDITION:

The LETTER is in VERY GOOD condition, it has a couple horizontal folds and a couple associated folds likely made to fit it into an envelope (no envelope is present), there are remnants of several pea-size hinge tags on the rear left margin where the book was hinged onto the first "Preface" page (the hinges look like they could be removed with care but I have left them as is), overall the letter is solid and clean with writing that is bright and clear.

The BOOK is in FAIR condition, the covers are disbound but present, the boards have scrapes and are worn through along the edges, the spine cloth covering is toned, peeling and worn at the ends, and has scrapes and creases, the title label is chipped and worn; internally, the front pastedown has white paper remnants likely from a removed bookplate and the signature of Joseph May that has been inked out but is still legible, there is a loose and edge chipped front and rear blank endpaper, the frontispiece and title pages are coming loose at the top 2 inches but holding, the pages have lightly toned, many sections are cracked at the binding but not split (i.e. the text block is shaky but holding), there are scattered pencil margin check marks and lines noting certain passages, and a few relevant pencil margin notes (perhaps by Joseph May?), overall the text is complete with printing that is bright, clean, clear and legible throughout.

RAMMOHUN ROY HANDWRITTEN LETTER in a nearly impossible to find 1825 edition of his book PRECEPTS OF JESUS together with important ASSOCIATIONS.

SPIKENARD AND SAFFRON -

A STUDY in the POETIC LANGUAGE of the SONG OF SONGS (front cover title) / THE IMAGERY OF THE SONG OF SONGS (title-page title). By Jill M. Munro.

Published by Sheffield Academic Press, Journal for the Study of the Old Testament, Supplement Series #203, England, 1995. ISBN 10: 1850755620 ISBN 13: 9781850755623.

Hardcovers, no dustjacket as issued, green cloth covered boards, gilt embossed titling and design on the front cover and spine, 6x9.5 inches (15x25 cm), 166 pages.

NEAR FINE condition, light push to the bottom of the spine, otherwise tight, bright, clean, clear and unmarked.

Hard-to-Find in the hardcover edition.

From the Publisher:

******This study focuses upon the language of the Song of Songs in an attempt to see how individual images work together in the constitution of a poetic unity. The perception of certain imaginative fields, each of which organizes a range of related imagery, is helpful to an appreciation of the symbolic density which certain images acquire in the course of the Song's movement and to an acknowledgment of their capacity for narrativity.******

About the SONG OF SONGS (from Wikipedia):

******The Song of Songs, also called the Canticle of Canticles or the Song of Solomon, is an erotic poem, one of the five megillot (scrolls) in the Ketuvim (writings), the last section of the Tanakh. It is unique within the Hebrew Bible: it shows no interest in Law or Covenant or the God of Israel, nor does it teach or explore wisdom like Proverbs or Ecclesiastes (although it does have some affinities to wisdom literature, as the ascription to the 10th century BCE King of Israel Solomon indicates); instead, it celebrates sexual love, giving "the voices of two lovers, praising each other, yearning for each other, proffering invitations to enjoy".

The two lovers are in harmony, each desiring the other and rejoicing in sexual intimacy. The women of Jerusalem form a chorus to the lovers, functioning as an audience whose participation in the lovers' erotic encounters facilitates the participation of the reader.

Scholars differ in assessing when it was written, with estimates ranging from the 10th to 2nd century BCE, with linguistic analysis suggesting the 3rd century.******

Donald Odell STANLEY, b. APRIL 27, 1938

d. JULY 23, 2018. GENEALOGY for his STANLEY and MANY RELATED FAMILIES. A unique genealogical compilation, gathered and prepared by Donald Odell Stanley until his death in 2018. One of a kind. Contains approximately 530 PAGES of PEDIGREE CHARTS, DATA SHEETS, FAMILY HISTORIES, etc., all related to DONALD ODELL STANLEY, his STANLEY FAMILY, and EVERY FAMILY GENETICALLY CONNECTED to his FAMILY going as FAR BACK as POSSIBLE. There are also some original documents at the rear, including his certified Birth Certificate, his LDS Ordination Certificates, etc. Some of the FAMILY NAMES in the PEDIGREE CHARTS and DATA SHEETS include, STANLEY (of course), STANDLEY, Upson, ORR, Hoagland, SONDEREGGER, Wilson, BUHLER, Torgler, HAECHLER, Altgelt, BENTON, Bronson, COWELS, and MANY MORE. There are approximately 200 Pedigree Chart Sheets. The PEDIGREE CHART SHEETS are official printed LDS sheets with genealogical information that has been HAND TYPED onto them. The imprint of the type is tangible on the backsides. The amount of information on each sheet varies, depending on where the family connection to the D.O. Stanley family began. Some sheets have the full 31 lines filled in, some only the first 2 lines. The first name on the first Pedigree Chart Sheet is, of course, STANLEY, Donald Odell. There are approximately 300 individual family Data Sheets. The DATA SHEETS contain information on individual families, with HUSBAND at the top. Includes names of wife, children, and parents. Also gives dates of Baptism, date "Endowed", etc., relating to the family. Some of the sheets have hand typed information, most are photocopies of typed sheets. There are approximately 30 pages of photocopies of typed Family Histories. These are brief histories, each one or several pages long, of some of the individual families related to the D.O. Stanley family. There are some plastic covered sheets at the rear that contain original documents related to Donald Odell Stanley. All are official, with hand signatures, etc.

They are: A Certified Copy of His Birth Certificate dated 1938; a Certificate of Blessing dated 1938; a Certificate of Baptism and Confirmation dated 1947; a Certificate of Baptism and Confirmation dated 1947;

three Certificate of Ordination in the Aaronic Priesthood documents, one ordains him as a Deacon, one a Teacher, one a Priest, dated 1950, 1953 and 1954 respectively; a Certificate of Ordination to the Melchizedek Priesthood as an Elder. There are also some introductory sheets that are template sheets about the Church of Latter Day Saints, its Temples, Founders, etc. All are BOUND into a Mormon BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE binder, thick black cloth covered wooden boards, metal posts. Binder measures 9x15 inches, inner sheets are 8.5x14 inches. VERY GOOD CONDITION: There is a crease to the first page, an introductory page about Latter Day Saints, otherwise all the pages are well bound and are bright, clean, clear and fully legible. An incredibly rich genealogical history that must have taken forever to compile. INTERNATIONAL BUYERS PLEASE NOTE: This item is thick, big and 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.

TAIMA - JI : BUDDHIST TEMPLES IN JAPAN. Photographs by Yoshio Watanabe.

Published by Bijutsu Shuppan Sha, Tokyo, 1961. One of the Buddhist Temples In Japan series.

Flexible card covers with illustrated dustjacket, large format, 10x14 inches (26x35 cm), 32 pages of b&w photographs +13 pages of text in Japanese. Laid in is a flyer in English that briefly describes the Taima-Ji Temple and each of the photographic plates in the book.

Condition: GOOD book, toning to the cover's margins, some creasing to the upper spine corner, otherwise tight, bright, clean, clear and unmarked; in a GOOD dustjacket that has toning to the spine and spine margins, a 4 inch closed tear to the back panel starting at the top edge (repaired on the blank backside with clear tape), and some quarter size remnants of thin plastic adhesive on the backside (probably from an old dj protector), else the dj is solid, attractive, and doing its job well.

A presentable copy of this scarce photographic study of the Taima-Ji Buddhist Temple.

Yoshio Watanabe, b.1907 d.2000, was a noted Japanese photographer of architecture.