1841Best.-Nr. 94991841. MESSLER ABRAHAM. The Fruits of Early Piety; or Memorials to a young Disciple. Philadelphia: American Sunday-School Union c1841. 54 p. Sheep-backed boards. A nice copy. Religious tract on the life of Eleanor who was born in Elizabethtown and died at age eleven. unknown books
1899Best.-Nr. 5941899. MESSLER ABRAHAM. First Things in Old Somerset. A Collection of Articles Relating to Somerset County N.J . Including Sketches of Washington Rock Chimney Rock and a List of the Freeholders in Somerset County in 1790. Somerville 1899. 4 172 p. Port. Cloth. As in all copies the hopelessly brittle endsheets are detached and the facing leaves are browned. A scarce and fragile county history and one of the standard Somerset County books. There are no fine copies. unknown books
1845Best.-Nr. 29401845. MESSLER ABRAHAM. The Importance of Cherishing Domestic Feeling in our Church: a Sermon Preached before the Classis of New Brunswick . at Grigstown April 2d 1845. New York 1845. 40 p. Removed from a bound volume. Somerset County. unknown books
1656Best.-Nr. 116311656. COWLEY ABRAHAM. Poems: viz. I. Miscellanies. II. The Mistress or Love Verses. III. Pindarique Odes. And IV. Davideis or a Sacred Poem of the Troubles of David. London: For Humphrey Moseley 1656. Fol. 22 41 1 80 4 70 i.e. 68 154 23 p. Contemporary paneled calf edges gilt; very skillfully rebacked to style later endpapers. Occasional minor spots and repaired marginal tears 3L2 soiled and with a paper defect costing several letters. A lovely copy. Early signature of Edmund Henry Marshall on title; "Ex Libris George Bernard Shaw" on front endpaper. First collected edition of Cowley's verse. "This folio collection passed through eight editions in a generation and represents the canon of Cowley's works upon which his contemporary fame was based. It was prepared for the press while the author was in prison." Pforzheimer 233; Perkin A19; Hayward 89; Grolier Wither to Prior 224; Wing C-6682. unknown books
1853Best.-Nr. 29061853. MESSLER ABRAHAM. A Pastor's Memorial: Sermons Preached in the Reformed Dutch Church of Raritan; at Intervals of Five Years on the Anniversary of his Settlement as Pastor. New Brunswick 1853. 126 p. Cloth worn a bit shaken. Somerville Somerset County. unknown books
1853Best.-Nr. 29391853. MESSLER ABRAHAM. The Elements of Power in the Christian Ministry. A Sermon Preached in the Second Reformed Dutch Church of Coxsackie on the Occasion of the Installation of Rev. John Steele . New Brunswick 1853. 27 p. unknown books
1743Best.-Nr. 113631743. HOEY ABRAHAM VAN. Letters and Negociations of M. Van Hoey Ambassador from the States-General to his Most Christian Majesty. Containing an Exact Representation of the Present State of the Court of France with the CHaracters of the King and his Principal Ministers; also Several Curious Particulars Relating to the Life and Ministry of the Late Cardinal de Fleury. London: For J. Nourse 1743. viii 155 p. Removed from a bound volume and further disbound in signatures. Very good. First edition in English. unknown books
1835Best.-Nr. 96071835. MESSLER ABRAHAM. The Lord in Zion. A Sermon Preached at the Dedication of the Reformed Dutch Church of Raritan February 25 1835 . Somerville 1835. 28 p. Removed. unknown books
1873Best.-Nr. 13091873. MESSLER ABRAHAM. Forty Years at Raritan. Eight Memorial Sermons with Notes for a History of the Reformed Dutch Churches in Somerset County N.J. New York 1873. viii 327 p. Cloth. Important source of Somerset County local history and genealogy. unknown books
1975Best.-Nr. 112711975. DOBIN ABRAHAM. Fertile Fields. Recollections and Reflections of a Busy Life. South Brunswick 1975. 519 p. Cloth. Jewish life in Middlesex County. unknown books
1878Best.-Nr. 13081878. MESSLER ABRAHAM. Centennial History of Somerset County. Somerville 1878. 190 8 p. Rebound in later buckram. A nice copy of a book whose fragile original binding is usually in tatters. unknown books
1892Best.-Nr. 10171892. COLES ABRAHAM. Man the Microcosm. New York 1892. xi ix 79 38 p. Plates. Cloth. "Fifth Physician's Edition." Anthropological poetry by a New Jersey physician. Edited by J. Ackerman Coles. unknown books
1864Best.-Nr. 1296951864. LINCOLN Abraham. SERZ John engraver. Abraham Lincoln President of the United States Signing the Emancipation Proclamation. Philadelphia: John Dainty 1864. Oversized folio. Image measures 14 by 20 inches sheet measures 20 by 26 inches matted and framed entire piece measures 28 by 34 inches. $7000.Publisher's proof copy of a large and striking engraving of Abraham Lincoln engraved by Serz after a painting by Winner.President Lincoln with quill pen in hand and with a Bible a stuffed eagle and a bust of George Washington in the background has just finished signing the Emancipation Proclamation in this steel-engraved print of William E. Winner's famous painting dated 1864 and marked ""proof"" in the lower right corner. The engraving was done by John Serz 1808-1881 a German-born artist who settled in Philadelphia in 1851 and became known for his cityscapes and historical scenes. Light toning; a few short closed edge tears and one longer closed tear not touching image with tape repair to verso. An impressive example beautifully framed. unknown books
1866Best.-Nr. 1296961866. Signed. SARTAIN William engraver. Mezzotint: Lincoln and His Family. Philadelphia: Bradley & Co. 1866. Oversized folio. Image measures 25 by 18 inches sheet measures 33 by 25 inches matted and framed entire piece measures 34 by 28 inches. $7500.Artist's proof copy of a remarkable mezzotint depicting President Lincoln with his wife and children ""perhaps the best print of all the 'Lincoln and his family' groups"" signed in pencil in the lower left corner by acclaimed engraver painter and art instructor William Sartain.""Perhaps the best print of all the 'Lincoln and his family' groups and there must be at least a dozen different studies is the engraving by William Sartain from the painting by S.B. Waugh"" Lincoln Lore: Bulletin of the Lincoln National Life Foundation. A publisher's advertising circular for the print proclaimed that ""Soon after the death of Abraham Lincoln Waugh our celebrated American Artist executed a National Painting of Lincoln and his Family. The Artist painted Mrs. Lincoln Robert and Thaddeus better known as 'Tad' from life. The work is considered by all who have seen it a great triumph of art. It represents the family in a private parlor in the White House a short time before the assassinationÉ For a number of months Mr. Wm. Sartain with an able corps of assistants was actively engaged in copying and engraving from this superb Painting. His engraving is now completed andÉ in accuracy of portraiture and artistic excellence of execution is acknowledged to be unsurpassed by any Engraving ever executed in America."" Printed by Irwin & Sartain without title. Mounted on wove paper. Print in beautiful fresh condition; paper backing with minor dust-soiling to edges and a few short edge tears. A very attractive signed example of this striking image. Beautifully framed. unknown books
1866Best.-Nr. 1296971866. LINCOLN Abraham. SARTAIN John engraver. Mezzotint: Abraham Lincoln the Martyr Victorious. Philadelphia: W.H. Hermans 1866. Oversized folio. Plate measures 22 by 17 inches sheet measures 28 by 22 inches matted and framed entire piece measures 28 by 34 inches. $7200.Publisher's proof copy with printed statement thus of a large striking tribute to Lincoln as martyr.Abraham Lincoln ascends to heaven welcomed by George Washington and a crowd of angelsÑone of the angels holding a palm branch and a laurel wreath over his headÑin this remarkable mezzotint done by John Sartain after a painting by W.H. Hermans. Sartain 1808-1897 a respected painter and printmaker was an early proponent of mezzotint engraving in the United States and the head of a family of artists including Samuel Henry William Emily and Harriet Sartain. Mounted on wove paper. Backing leaf and plate edges with pinholes in corners; minor spotting to edges very faint crease to center. Small paper label in lower left corner. An impressive print beautifully framed. unknown books
1635Best.-Nr. 1413892c.1635. Image measures 13 in. x 10.25 in. Matted in frame measuring 23.2 in. x 19.25 in. Shelved at Rockville second floor. From a series of seven engravings titled "Les Metiers" 1413892. Special Collections - Upstairs. unknown books
1976Best.-Nr. 88892Berkeley & London: Tree/Trigram 1976. First edition. 73 pp. Fine in wrappers and very near fine illustrated dust jacket. Translations and adaptations by Bruria Finkel Jack Hirschman David Meltzer and Gershom Scholem. One of the least common books from the press. Tree Texts 4. Berkeley & London: Tree/Trigram, unknown books
1939Best.-Nr. acs1030New York: Simon and Schuster 1939. Octavo black boards hardcover 334 pp. Very Good with lettering to spine rubbed and light edgewear. Simon and Schuster, 1939. hardcover books
1917Best.-Nr. 1143571917. First Edition. Signed. BERGER Samuel CAHAN Abraham. The Rise of David Levinsky. New York and London: Harper & Brothers 1917. Octavo original red cloth. $1100.First edition of Cahan's ""literary masterpiece"" a fascinating association copy inscribed by Jewish American Olympic medalist and heavyweight boxing champion Samuel Berger to Vaudeville actor and film producer Bobby North with Berger's inscription dated the year after publication ""To My Friend Bobby North Knowing that his knowledge and appreciation of the subject with which it deals will make this pleasurable reading Samuel Berger July 10 1918.""The Rise of David Levinsky is ""the first classic of Jewish American literatureÉ In it Cahan created one of the greatest characters of Jewish American fiction."" Born in a Lithuanian village Cahan fled pogroms to arrive in New York City in 1882. He became the ""great socialist leader of East Side Jewry a major spokesperson for the American Jewish community and the founder and for decades the editor-in-chief of the Jewish Daily Forward the most important Jewish newspaper in America"" Sternlicht Masterpieces of Jewish American Literature 17-23. ""The unrivalled record of a great historical experience the novel belongs not only in the genre of immigrant fiction but also among the best novels of American business"" John Higham. A ""literary masterpiece"" it tells the life of a ""Jewish boy from Russia who comes to America abandons his religious orthodoxy and plunges into the world of business only to find wealth but lose his soul"" Lipsky Rise of Abraham Cahan. Cahan infused the novel ""with his own fascination with the pitfalls and the possibilities of American life"" Sternlicht 20.As Mencken said of Cahan: ""It is a fine feat to write a first-rate novel but it is also a fine feat to steer a great newspaper from success to success in difficult times. He has done both"" ANB. First edition first issue: with code ""H-R"" on copyright page indicating publication in August 1917. With two rear leaves of publisher's ads. No known dust jacket. Serialized in 1913 in a much-abbreviated form in McClure Magazine. Bruccoli & Clark 83. Rideout Radical Novel 294. Hanna 556. This association copy contains a presentation inscription by the Jewish American athlete Samuel Berger who was ""the first Olympic Heavyweight Boxing Champion winning his gold medal at the 1904 St. Louis OlympiadÉ the first time boxing was included on the Olympic programÉ the 6'2""/200-pound heavyweight turned professional immediately after the Olympics but fought only two years"" Siegman International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame 49. His inscription is to Robert ""Bobby"" North who ""rose from the ranks of Vaudeville and the legitimate stage to be one of the film industry's leading producers in the 1930s responsible for many feature films at First National and Warner Brothers"" Slide Encyclopedia of Vaudeville 375. Prior to North's film career he was early described as a ""Jewish player"" who emerged ""from the East SideÉ and left Yiddish parlance to appear in English dramas"""" Theatre Vol. 28:156. Text very fresh mild rubbing to boards faint toning to spine of gilt-stamped cloth. A near-fine copy with a distinctive association. hardcover books
1967Best.-Nr. 86589NY: Noonday Press/Farrar Straus & Giroux 1967. First edition. xiii 306 pp w/indexes. Former owner’s inked name date and place to first leaf else near fine in very good plus dust jacket with a tear and diagonal crease to front panel. NY: Noonday Press/Farrar, Straus & Giroux unknown books
1994Best.-Nr. 87586San Francisco: HarperCollins 1994. First US edition. xxxiv 401 pp w/index. Fine in very near fine dust jacket. Foreword by Arthur Hertzberg historical introduction by Moshe Idel. Translated by Avi Weinstein with his introduction. Bronfman Library of Jewish Classics. Nathaniel Tarn’s copy with his bookplate. San Francisco: HarperCollins unknown books
1954Best.-Nr. 76848London: Faber & Faber 1954. Second UK edition first printing. 252 pp. Top edge lightly soiled else near fine in very good plus price-clipped dust jacket. London: Faber & Faber unknown books
Best.-Nr. 9706gcsThe University Press of Kentucky 1971. First Edition. Octavo cloth hardcover brown spine label gilt letters 354 pp. Fine in a Near-Fine price-clipped dust jacket. From dust jacket: Critics and historians of French literature have for years accepted Francois de Malherbe as the fountainhead of French classical poetry believing that he directly or indirectly influenced the production of most of the French poets of the seventeenth century. Those who opposed him blamed him for imposing restrictions on the century while Boileau’s exultant proclamation of Malherbe as the savior of French poetry has been accepted as the ultimate verdict of the great classicist’s followers. Yet to admire a poet is not necessarily to imitate him and to oppose him is not necessarily to deny his influence. Until the present study the extent of Malherbe’s influence has never been fully documented. Mr. Abraham by examining the prosody of most of the seventeenth-century poets proves that seldom were Malherbe’s precepts actually followed in practice. In choice of poetic forms rhymes rhyme schemes and language few even attempted to attain Malherbe’s “classical ideal.” He shows too that Malherbe neither initiated the reaction to the sixteenth century poetic nor succeeded in establishing a “school.” hardcover books
1969Best.-Nr. 65439NY: Kennedy Gallieries 1969. First edition. Small 4to. 47 pp. Very good plus in printed wrappers. Introduction by Frank Getlein. Twelve full-color reproductions. NY: Kennedy Gallieries unknown books
1969Best.-Nr. 47551NY: Kennedy Galleries 1969. First edition. 47 pp. Small bump to crown else near fine in printed wrappers. Introduction by Frank Getlein. Twelve color reproductions. NY: Kennedy Galleries unknown books