Back in the old whaling days, processing the carcass of a mighty cetacean was crude and straightforward. They’d peel the blubber off the whale’s body, separate the head, and extract valuable oils therefrom. If they were lucky, a probe of the whale’s innards might reveal a hunk of ambergris, worth its weight in gold. Other crewmen would chop the blubber into smaller pieces. When they’d finished peeling, chopping, and probing, they’d cut the denuded carcass loose, to be feasted upon by sharks. It was a terrible waste of tons of whale meat, but the economies of the trade and primitive technology left no other option. Then the chopped-up blubber would be boiled in giant pots, producing commercially viable whale oil.
That’s how I’m processing the contents of the Great White Whale parked in my front yard. I’ve identified the few rare books – the ambergris. I’ve stripped out more books for book fairs or catalogs – the head matter. I’ve dug out and identified the internet fodder, books worth $20 or more, which represent the rendered blubber. The rest, about half of the total, is destined to be cut loose. (My son the contractor has a dumpster ready and waiting, but if you want to bring your pickup truck around, you’re welcome to the haul. I’m sure there are valuable mistakes to be found.)
This list, according to that metaphor, represents a cask of rendered blubber – by no means rare, but still of some value. So, read away, me hearties! And buy what you can. I’ve still got 200 cartons to boil down.
NB: We rely on email orders, which are time-stamped and can be processed fairly, in order of receipt.
To order a book from this list, simply send an email to tenpound@tenpound.com stating the item number and ID number of the item(s) you wish to purchase. Domestic orders will be sent postpaid and insured, at no cost to you. Overseas and oversize orders shipped at cost. Massachusetts state tax of 6.25% will be added for MA residents. We accept cash, credit card, check, or Paypal.
Abbey, J.R.
Travel in Aquatint and Lithography 1770 – 1860.
Curwen Press, ( 1956 - 1957), London
Two volumes. 31 cm. xiii, (1), 299; xiv, 301-675 pp. Color frontispiece, b/w plates and facsimiles.
Item #:48260
Price: $250
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Agner, Dwight.
The Books of WAD, a Bibliography of the Books Designed by W. A. Dwiggins.
Press of the Nightowl, ( 1974), Baton Bouge
27 cm. xii, (2)-87, (1 colophon) pp. Colored woodcuts in text.
Item #:48283
Price: $35
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American Art Association, Anderson Galleries.
Manuscripts, Autograph Letters First Editions and Portraits of Walt Whitman.
American Art Association, ( American Art Association), New York
23.5 cm. (10), 127 pp. b/w facsimiles.
Item #:48327
Price: $20
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Amerine, A.Maynard and Axel Borg.
A Bibliography on Grapes, Wines, Other Alcoholic Beverages, and Temperance. Works Published in the United States before 1901.
University of California Press, ( (1996)), Berkeley
25.5 cm. xx, 294 pp.
Item #:48298
Price: $20
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Armstrong, Robert D.
Nevada Printing History.
University of Nevada Press, ( 1981), Reno
25.5 cm. (2), 421 pp.
Item #:48286
Price: $20
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Atkinson, Jennifer McCabe.
Eugene O’Neill: A Descriptive Bibliography.
University of Pittsburgh Press, ( 1974), Pittsburgh
23.5 cm. xxiii, 410 pp. b/w frontispiece, photo plates and facsimiles.
Item #:48284
Price: $20
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Ballou, Ellen B.
The Building of the House.
Houghton Mifflin, ( 1970), Boston
23 cm. xv, 695 pp. b/w plates
Item #:48310
Price: $20
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Barker, Nicolas.
The Oxford University Press and the Spread of Learning: An Illustrated History.
Clarendon Press, ( 1978), Oxford, UK
29.5 cm. xiii, 332 pp. Color and b/w plates
Item #:48267
Price: $25
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Berghman, G.
Catalogue Raisonne Des Impressions Elzeviriennes De La Bibliotheque Royale De Stockholm.
(Martino Publishing), ( n.d.), (Mansfield, CT)
22 cm. xxxii, 389, (2) pp. b/w plates
Item #:48311
Price: $20
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Bishop, Selma L.
Isaac Watts, Hymns and Spiritual Songs 1707-1748.
The Faith Press, ( (1962)), London
211.5 cm. lxiv, 387 pp.
Item #:48276
Price: $20
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Byrd, Cecil K.
Early Printing in the Straits Settlements, 1806-1858.
Singapore National Library, ( 1970), Singapore
30 cm. 13 b/w plates, 53 pp.
Item #:48268
Price: $25
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Cagle, William R. and Lisa Killion Stafford.
American Books on Food and Drink.
Oak Knoll Press, ( 1998), New Castle, DE
xviii, 794 pp.
Item #:48296
Price: $20
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Cutler, B. D., and Villa Stiles.
Modern British Authors: Their First Editions.
Greenberg, ( (1930)), New York
23.5 cm. xi, (2)-171 pp.
Item #:48277
Price: $50
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Denson, Alan.
Printed writings by George W Russell (AE)…
Northwestern University Press, ( 1961), Evanston, IL
22 cm. 255 pp. b/w frontispiece, plates
Item #:48316
Price: $20
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Diringer, David.
The Illuminated Book – Its History and Production.
Frederick A. Praeger, ( (1967)), New York
25 cm. 514 pp. Color and b/w plates
Item #:48308
Price: $25
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Eckel, John C.
The First Editions of Charles Dickens,
Maurice Inman, Inc., ( 1932), New York
23.5 cm. xvi, (2), 272 pp. b/w facsimiles.
Item #:48295
Price: $25
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Edgren, Soren.
Chinese Rare Books in American Collections.
China House Gallery, ( (1984)), (New York)
28 cm. 143 pp. b/w plates.
Item #:48285
Price: $50
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Faulmann, Karl.
Illustrirte Geschichte der Buchdruckerkunst.
A. Hartlebens Verlag, ( 1882), Wein
23 cm. vii, 806 pp. Chromotlithograph and b/w plates (some folding), ills., facsimiles
Item #:48304
Price: $35
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Fersin, Nicholas. (Translator).
The Florentine Fior Di Virtu of 1491.
Library of Congress, ( 1953), (Washington DC)
24.5 cm. xxxi, 119, (1 colophon) pp. b/w line ills.
Item #:48282
Price: $20
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