The Emperor’s New Clothes. Size:
This is one of Stanley Marcus’ Somesuch Press series of fine press miniatures. The book is in excellent condition, as is the wraparound paper dust jacket, which has been opened. In 1964 Erik Blegvad presented Marcus with a copy of his illustrated translation of this classic story of the Emperor whose illusions are punctured by a child. The Somesuch Press here has republished Blegved’s work, with a preface by Marcus, and by Andersen scholar Elias Bredsdorff, who explains how the damning conclusion was inserted at the last moment. The original color illustrations are reproduced via color xerography. This was printed letterpress and hand bound by Carol Kent in cloth with a front board medallion. This copy is number 140 of 250 copies printed.
Bibliomania by Gustave Flaubert (With postcard announcement, Edition of 325 numbered copies and 25 lettered copies, signed by illustrator Dugald Stermer, 1984). Size: 1-7/8” x 2.75”
This is one of Stanley Marcus’ Somesuch Press series of fine press miniatures. Specially included is the Announcement of publication, itself beautifully printed. Book and announcement are in excellent condition. Flaubert is counted among the greatest Western novelists and wrote this short story at the age of 14 in the 1830s, based on the true story of a Spanish monk who literally killed for books. Bibliomania is a psychological disorder recognized by the American Psychiatric Association and Flaubert captures the disease in this tale. This book is bound in gold-stamped red leather, with decorated endsheets. It was printed by Joh. Enschede en Zonen, Haarlem, Holland. It was bound by Reliure d’Art du Centre, S.A., Limoges, France. This edition is limited to 325 numbered copies and 23 lettered copies. This is number 274.
Certain Unalienable Rights by Barry Goldwater
A speech delivered on the Senate floor by Barry Goldwater in 1981. This is one of Stanley Marcus’ Somesuch Press series of fine press miniatures. Includes the Announcement of publication, itself beautifully printed. The book and announcement are in excellent condition. The book is hand-printed and hand-bound by the printer/binder, Barbara Blumenthal, Catawba Press, Northampton, Massachusetts. The frontispiece portrait of Goldwater is an original wood engraving by Abigail Rorer. Blumenthal and Rorer have signed this copy, which is numbered #191. The printing was limited to 250 copies. The book reproduces a speech by Senator Goldwater on the Senate floor in 1981. Why would Stanley Marcus, well know as one of Dallas’ small group of liberals, to include the conservative Goldwater in his miniature series? Probably because the speech decries the rise of one issue groups insisting that their religious opinions must prevail and politicians must follow or suffer the consequences. Goldwater says we have profited mightily as a nation by keeping religion out of politics and that is where true conservatism lies.
Brandy Miracle by A.C. Greene
This is one of Stanley Marcus’ Somesuch Press series of fine press miniatures. Specially included is the Announcement of its publication, itself beautifully printed. The book and announcement are in excellent condition. The red paper dust jacket that completely encircles the book is in very good condition. The small white extension one sees at the top of some pictures is a bit of cloth bound into the spine with the number of this book (77–of an edition of 250) written on it. I believe this tab was inserted to make it easier to tale the book out of the dust jacket without opening the jacket. The book was letterpress printed and bound by Carol, Susannah and Genevieve Kent of the Austin, Texas Kent family of printers. Carol Kent has signed at the colophon. The silhouette on the cover is courtesy of the United States Marine Corps. A.C. Greene, noted Dallas author and historian, tells the story of a group of marines in China after Japan surrendered, there to take the surrender of certain Japanese units, and keep the area out of Mao’s hands. They take off into territory controlled by the Communists to find a Christmas tree, armed with brandy bottles to use themselves but that also come in handy for other purposes. They survive, but only because of the Christmas and “brandy” miracle of the title.
Skyborne, a Ballooning Baedeker by Toby Smith
This is one of Stanley Marcus’ Somesuch Press series of fine press miniatures. The book is in excellent condition, as is the paper wraparound dust jacket, which is opened and may at one time have had some sort of adhesive. This is number 191 of 200 numbered copies, signed by the author Smith and the printer Peter Wells. Wells printed this at Sunflower Press, Sandia Park, New Mexico. The binding is by Virginia Gannon and decoration by Priscilla Spitler. There are five tipped in ballooning stamps from various countries, including one from the United States. The text by Wells is worth reading, he provides an interesting summary of the history of ballooning, which began with the French, provides useful detail on the types of balloons and how they are operated, gives a fascinating history of the great Albuquerque balloon festival held each October, and details the exploits, including trans-ocean flights, of some great American ballooners. Smith knows and loves ballooning.
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RELATED MATERIAL
12 Somesuch announcements (For more info, see Prospectuses)
Stanley Marcus’ series of fine press miniatures is one of the most distinguished sets of American miniatures. Marcus marketed them using these announcements,, themselves finely printed, giving full details of size, printer, paper, binding, ornamentation, illustrations, printing method, number on offer, who has signed, etc. Presented here are 12 such announcements, several of which are pictured. All are of similar quality to those pictured and are in excellent condition. These announcements cover more than a third of all Somesuch Press issues and are valuable bibliographical tools. The announcements are for the following: On Human Rights, Certain Unalienable Rights, Brandy Miracle, Bibliomania, Tarot, Helen Corbitt, The Meaning of Moonlight, Pueblo Art, Knowledge or Information, The History of Imaginary Spinning Tops, An Extraordinary Man, and Tabula Terra Nova.
Letter From Texas
Townsend Miller, A Letter From Texas, Somesuch Press 2001. Stanley Marcus first had this long prose poem, celebrating and describing the land, landscape, rivers and feel of all the regions of Texas, printed in 1939 for sale by Neiman-Marcus. That printing was designed by the great Texas printer and typographer Carl Hertzog, who also did a second printing in 1944. The books sold well and Frank Dobie gave Miller’s work high praise, justified I believe, as Miller’s verbal tour of Texas does justice to the subject. Appropriately, Marcus had one of Hertzog’s worthy successors, Tom Taylor, design this most recent 2001 printing, on beautiful paper with lovely covers. The book was printed by Digital Letterpress in Austin By 2001, Marcus had established his imprint Somesuch Press, best known for its fine miniatures. A Letter From Texas is not a miniature, but adheres to Marcus’ high printing standards, is in excellent condition, and is signed by both Marcus and Taylor. One of a limited printing of 350 copies, unnumbered.
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