[Rarebooks] Jeffers, two more uncommon titles

Tue Jan 30 13:15:34 EST 2007

(1)

HOPE IS NOT FOR THE WISE
(1937)

HOPE IS NOT FOR THE WISE. Poem.  San Mateo: Quercus Press 
[1937].  4pp, flyleaves. The upper cover has offset from the original 
envelope, because of the acid in the envelope, an ironic situation, 
as the envelope is original, bears the press imprint, and relevant 
bibliographically, because of the postmark. Laid in is the printed 
stiff slip: "Sent at the request of Una & Robinson Jeffers with the 
compliments of The Quercus Press 469 Edgewood Road, San Mateo, 
California."  This slip is responsible for a rectangle on the front 
cover NOT BEING FOXED, as it blocked the acidity.  Inserted stiff 
card backing as mailed.  With a GBM blue sale card, with imprint of 
store, the author, title and price typed on (facsimile typeface). The 
manila envelope bears the press imprint, and the stamp & postmark, 
July 22, from San Mateo. It is addressed to Sydney S. Alberts!!! = 
the bibliographer's copy.  One of Jeffers rarest books. One of 24 
copies, per the colophon. OCLC fails to record a single copy.   7500.00

(2)

TWO CONSOLATIONS
(1940)

TWO CONSOLATIONS.  With an excerpt from Una Jeffers' English Journal. 
Illustrated.  San Mateo: Set up and printed by hand at The Quercus 
Press on the Albion proof press used by William Morris at his 
Kelmscott Press.  Printed on Kelmscott hand-made paper 
watermarked.  4to, issued without dust jacket.  First edition, 
vulnerable format. A superb copy.  The differing bindings are not 
explained in the colophon.

A)        Original green paper boards, one of 50, not for sale.      750.00
B)        Original maroon paper boards, one of 200 for sale.       450.00

NB!     A faithful customer, long in advance of others chasing 
nuance, reports that he has a copy in green boards with the bookplate 
of Jack Werner Stauffacher [master typographer and book designer], 
the Greenwood Press his imprint.  With a letter from Stauffacher to 
Marlan Beilke a Jeffers collector of more recent times. It reads in part:

             "Curious that you have in your library a copy of TWO 
CONSOLATIONS...with my bookplate. I do remember the book, since I 
helped Ted and his wife print it on the handpress, and no doubt the 
inscription was written by either Ted or his late wife. But I cannot 
remember how this book ended up in Dick Mohr's [?] hands.." [question 
mark in original]. Richard Mohr was the proprietor of International 
Bookfinders, for many years an enlightened bookseller and search 
service specialist seated with his wife Martha in Pacific Palisades.

             The copy is signed by Lilienthal below the colophon and 
inscribed (without a signature) at the top of the next recto, "To a 
good printer [Stauffacher] from The Quercus Press Xmas 1940"

             Since this seems to be a publisher's presentation copy, 
it is at least convenient and possibly reasonable to assume the green 
copies were not for sale and the maroon were.

Terms:

1) Any book may be returned for any reason.
2) We welcome Mastercard, Visa, Amex, Personal Checks, Payment by Wire.
3) We do not charge postage.
4) Institutions may be invoiced to suit their requirements.
5) California Sales Tax charged to California addresses.

************

Peter B. Howard
Serendipity Books
1201 University Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94702
voice: (510) 841-7455
fax: (510) 841-1920
e-mail: pbhoward at serendipitybooks.com
http://www.serendipitybooks.com  