[Rarebooks] FS - The Library of Wit and Humor, 5 Volumes - The Old Ladies, H. Walpole (signed)

[bookmaven]

For your consideration:

The Library of Wit and Humor, 5 Volumes, by Spofford, A.R. And Shapley, 
Rufus E., Edited, with Biographical and Critical Notes By, Gebbie & Co., 
Publishers, Philadelphia, 1884:
A compendium of Wit and Humor, by well known, not so well known and 
anonymous contributors. With a chapter on 'The Raconteur" (yarns). Many 
etchings in each volume, engraved expressly for the work. Pieces selected 
from the literature of all times; examples such as: Dialogue on Matrimony 
by, George Eliot, The ass and the Flute by Tomas De Yriarty, The Fox and the 
Stork by,  F. Bret Harte, The Legend of Sleep Hollow and Rip Van Winkle by 
Washington Irving; Rabelais, a biography and works; The Turf (Jorrocks at 
Newmarket), by Robert Smith Surtess; A Visit to the Assylum for Aged and 
decayed Punsters, by Oliver Wendell Holms; The Jackdaw, by William Cowper, 
Winter, by Matthias Claudius, The Scriptural Panoramist, by Mark Twain; Mr. 
Titmouse Dyes his Hair, by Samuel Warren; The Jolly Beggar, by Robert Burns; 
Ye Carpetter Knyghte, by Lewis Carroll;  Don Quixote, M.de Cervantes 
Saavedra; Mr. Higginbotham's Catastrophe; Mr. Gamp's Apartment, Charles 
Dickens; The Hospital For Liars New York Times; On Mules, On Dogs by Josh 
Billings; The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaceras Country by S.L. Clemens 
Reynard the Fox, translated by Thomas Arnold from the German of Goethe; 
including: French Wit, Persian Wit, Legal Anecdotes, short pieces. Volume 
for has engravings on wood: 27 illustrations for Reyard the Fox, by William 
Kaulbach, and others. Blue decorated cloth, with gilt lettering and 
illustration, gilt to spines and AEG. Each volume has a decorative bookplate 
to pastedown (which are green floral). Volumes II & III have faded name to 
e.p.; vol. II has name and date with personal library stamp to f.e.p. Vol. 
V. prev. owners name and date to verso of frontispiece, with private stamp. 
Foxing to front and verso of frontispiece, mostly to edges, small worn out 
spot above frontispiece. Front board edge rub spot, mild fraying to upper 
spine end (10) illustrations..  Mild toning, full page engravings have 
foxing to margins, few have pale lower corner damp stain. Spine ends bump. 
Vol. I. few short closed tears to spine ends, and few spotty pale stains, 
pale stain to front board vol. IV also. All edges gilt.  All else very 
clean, solidly bound. tall 8 vo. 430, 400, 400, 400, 412.  $75.00

The Old Ladies, by Hugh Walpole, MacMillan and Co. Ltd, London, 1924,
Signed to f.e.p. Hugh Walpole, British novelist (1884-1941b. New Zealand). 
Walpole wrote a series of novels set in his fictional seaside cathedral town 
of Polchester. Three old women each longing for something; a modern day 
gothic novel. "This is one of two hundred and fifty large paper copies 
printed in August 1924" . Publishers blue boards, tan cloth spine, title 
panel pasted to spine. Upper end of board rubbed, many pages unopened, those 
that have been, were opened carelessly and have deep jagged page edges, text 
fine. Very clean white text, solidly bound. White publishers DJ (scarce to 
find in), blue lettering; chips to upper spine end, rear upper edge closed 
tear, 2 inch pale edge stain to flap, mild soil in protective brodart mylar. 
Tall 8 vo, 304 pages. Digitals available. $85.00
Thank you,
Michelle Levick
Bookmaven, Inc.
www.bookmaven.net
Ventnor NJ 08406
Accepting: Visa, Mastercard, Paypal, Money Orders, Personal Checks