Five Uncommon Historical Offerings

  1. HUNGARY, by Stephen Barsony, Dr. Jules Bodnar, Dr. Samuel Borovszky et al, Edited by Albert Kain. Published By Order of the Royal Hungarian Minister of Commerce. Edited for the Royal Hungarian State Railways, Erdelyi, Budapest, 1910, 400 pp.

    A large, folio-sized, tour of Pre-WWI Hungary, when it was still part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, published to promote tourism, by the national railway authority. Hundreds of black and white photos, averaging more than one per page, with accompanying descriptions and narrative, and including an introduction to the geography, history and culture of the country.

    In maroon cloth, with black titles on the spine, orange and gilt titles and design on the front cover and gilt publisher's information on the rear cover. Attractively decorated endpapers. Hinges are cracked (inevitable for such a heavy book of this age) but binding still holding firm. Corners and spine edges are scuffed and bumped, but no Slight age toning of the text, but no other marks or damage to text at all. A printed letter from the Hungarian State Railways laid inside the front cover, presenting the book with a request that it be made available for public perusal. — Very good. $95, with free shipping

  2. T. G. MASARYK, Hlava Statu Ceskosolvenskeho A duchovni vudce sveho naroda (head of the Czechoslovak state and spiritual leader of his nation) na pamet ctvrte volby t g masaryk presidenem ceskoslovenske republiky dne 24 kvetna 1934 (in memory of the fourth election of T. G. Masaryk as President of the Czechoslovak Republic on May 24, 1934), Otakar Zahradnik, Prague, 1934, 38 pp. (in Czech), 41 pp. (in French)

    Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk (1850-1937) was a Czechoslovak statesman, political activist and philosopher who served as the first President of Czechoslovakia from 1918 to 1935. He is regarded as the founding father of Czechoslovakia.

    This scarce volume commemorates his fourth election as President. The first half of the book is in Czech and then the second half is the same text in French. The book was privately published and distributed, with only 200 copies published in the dual Czech/French edition. Most copies appear to be held in institutional libraries.

    This is a quite attractive, near fine copy in 1/4 vellum on marbled paper boards, with gilt titles on the spine and gilt on the top page edges. Very slight sun darkening on spine and faint foxing on rear endpapers, but no other marks or damage at all. Appears unread. — Near fine. $95, with free shipping

  3. 2 RECORDS OF THE HOLOCAUST - 1. Prawda O Majdanku (The Truth about Majdanek), 2. Osweicim (Auchswitz), Polish Committee of National Liberation, Zaklady Graficizne; Lublin, Krakow, 1944, c. 1947, 42 pp. and 16 pp., both in Polish.

    Majdanek and Auschwitz were two infamous Nazi concentration/extermination camps in Poland during WWII. These booklets were published by Polish authorities soon after the horrifying reality of the camps first became public. It has been estimated that 78,000 people were murdered at Majdanek and an even more appalling 1.1 million at Auschwitz.

    1. Prawda o Majdanku [The Truth about Majdanek], Lublin, Polish Committee of National Liberation, 1944, 42 pp., The name of an early owner is in light pen at the top of the title page. There is some age darkening to the pages, A short tear at the lower joint and some soiling to the wrappers, but no loss.

    2. Oświęcim (Auschwitz), Krakow, (c. 1947) 16 pp.. two photos, one of a map of the camp. There is an ink stamp at the upper corner of the rear wrapper. Slight age darkening and slight edge wear, but no other marks or damage.

    Both works are quite scarce. — Very good. $175 for the pair, with free shipping. SOLD.

  4. A LETTER TO GEORGE WASHINGTON On the Subject of the Late Treaty concluded between Great Britain & The United States of America, including Other Matters, by Thomas Paine, W.T. Sherwin, London, 1817, second printing, 36, + 7 p. appendix

    Thomas Paine (1737-1809) was an English-born American Founding Father, political activist, philosopher, political theorist, and revolutionary. He authored Common Sense (1776) and The American Crisis (1776–1783), two of the most influential pamphlets at the start of the American Revolution, and he helped to inspire the Patriots in 1776 to declare independence from Great Britain. His ideas reflected Enlightenment-era ideals of human rights.

    Paine was initially sympathetic to the French Revolution, however he allide himself with the moderate revolutionaries who opposed the execution of the king. His stance displeased Robespierre, who had him arrested and jailed. He narrowly escaped the guillotine, and on his release penned this bitter attack on Washington, accusing him not only of failing to gain his release but also of actively plotting against him. The pamphlet also questioned Washington's military reputation and the general wisdom of his presidential policies. Paine's language was strong and his mood paranoid, accusing Washington of personal treachery and public hypocrisy.

    8vo,m pp.(3) 4-36; (1) uncut, quarter calf with printed boards. A modern, attractive binding of this fine, large, untrimmed copy of the second London edition, originally published as a disbound pamphlet by Paine's biographer Sherwin on a distinctive blue-gray "straw" paper. No marks or damage at all. — Fine, $95, with free shipping.

  5. LETTERS TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE LORD HAWKESBURY, and to the Right Honourable Henry Addington on the Peace with Buonaparte, To Which is Added, an Appendix, Containing a Collection (now greatly enlarged) of all the Conventions, Treaties, Speeches, and other Documents connected with the Subject, by William Cobbett, Cobbett and Morgan, London, 1802, second edition, 259 pp., xcvi + 4 p. ads

    William Cobbett (1763-1835) was an English pamphleteer, journalist, politician, and farmer. He was one of an agrarian faction seeking to reform Parliament, abolish "rotten boroughs", restrain foreign activity, and raise wages, with the goal of easing poverty among farm labourers and small land holders. His radicalism furthered the Reform Act 1832 and gained him one of two newly created seats in Parliament for the borough of Oldham. His polemics range from political reform to religion, including Catholic emancipation. His best known book is Rural Rides (1830). He argued against Malthusianism, saying economic betterment could support global population growth.

    When the British government signed a preliminary peace agreement with France in October 1801, Cobbett emerged as one of its foremost opponents, and in the pages of The Porcupine and in his Letters to Lord Hawkesbury, he denounced the agreement as humiliating to Britain and advantageous to France. When news of the ratification arrived on 10 October, Cobbett refused to illuminate the windows of his house in celebration and it was attacked by a mob, which smashed all the windows. When the Peace of Amiens was signed in March 1802, Cobbett again refused to illuminate his windows and the Royal Horse Guards had to protect his house from the mob.

    This copy of the expanded, second edition is very good in contemporary mottled calf. Rubbed at edges and with some wear to the corners. The front hinge is cracked, but binding is otherwise holding firm. An engraved Strathallan bookplate is affixed to the front pastedown. There is some slight age toning and spotting on the text, and there is a light pencil comment on the last page of the text. One page of the Appendix has a closed horizontal tear. No other marks or damage to contents. 2 foldout tables are both present and in good condition. Very good - $225, with free shipping

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