13015 Larchmere Blvd.
Shaker Hts., OH 44120
216.795.9800
Search Loganberry's Website!
Keep in touch ~
Sign up for our monthly email newsletter!
WORLD'S MOST
EXPENSIVE BOOKMonday, July 7, 2008
Harriett
This month's issue of Fine Books and Collections has an article titled "The Botanist's Desire" about a podiatrist from NJ who has created the most expensive new book ever sold. The first of 10 copies of Jonathan Singer's Botanica Magnifica has been donated by a sponsor to the Smithsonian for a reported $2.5 million. It's a likely home: the specimens photographed are from the Smithsonian's exotic plant collection.
The work has been frequently compared to Audubon's Birds of America, and with good reason. First, the size: huge double-elephant folio. Second, for its hyper-realist depiction of rare species. The modern book features photographs instead of lithographs, and is in 8 volumes, beautifully bound in leather with fabulous inlaid floral designs. What most intrigues me is that it was printed on a 20-year old ink jet printer by Cone Editions in East Topsham, Vermont. I know East Topsham well, and never knew such a high-class printer resided in this Y-intersection tiny town. Fascinating.
ANTIQUARIAN BOOK FAIRWednesday, April 23, 2008
Elisabeth
Hello, all friends of Loganberry, this is Elisabeth, seasonal Loganberry Employee and, in other seasons, student at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York. Like everyone else at Loganberry, books--especially old, quirky ones--get me excited in a very special way. Necessarily, I was excited to have the opportunity to participate in a Media Studies course at Vassar this semester, History of the Book. The course is taught by the Curator of our Special Collections Library, and we actually meet in Special Collections where we get to look at and touch plenty of rare books, learn how they're constructed and why they're important.
In early April, our class took a field trip, coinciding with a major project, to the New York Antiquarian Book Fair in Manhattan--about a 2 hour train ride south from here. Our project was to take a grant of 7500--imaginary--dollars, and select one book being sold at the Fair that would be a valuable addition to one of Vassar's rare book collections. With Vassar's history in women's higher education, one of our particularly strong collection is women's history and literature, which seemed to me a good enough reason to focus on women's studies related books.
When we arrived at the Park Avenue Armory where the fair was being held, it was truly overwhelming. Out in the lobby were countless little British men in tweeds and round tortoiseshell spectacles running in and out of the showroom to make whispered phone calls. Once inside we encountered sticker-shock. We began with a chat from one of our Professor's friends, who specializes in early 20th century first editions, especially Hemingway and Dylan Thomas. I nearly fell over when he showed us his copy of Dylan Thomas' first little chapbook, inscribed "To Mum and Dad, Love Dylan" going for just under $100,000. After that, we wandered around, and I tried to focus on books that fit my criteria, but was constantly distracted by things like a 1st edition of CHARLOTTE'S WEB inscribed to Nabokov from White, 17th century obstetrics, maps...so many interesting things...
In the end, I proposed for "purchase" a handbook that was written for the repentant prostitute inmates of the Magdalen Hospital outside of London, in a special presentation binding commissioned and designed by Jonas Hanway, 18th century English eccentric philanthropist and popularizer of the umbrella as an acceptable option for men as well as women. But, now my paper's turned in...I think I'll stick with the comparatively casual Loganberry pace for the time being.
NEEDLEWORK Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Brenda
Displays around a theme are fun to build and easy to shop. I created one just before I left for vacation. My friend Hilda, a legendary collector, had a small collection of antique needleworking tools. I acquired a few of these: pin cushions, needle holders, hooks, and needles and whatsits, Victorian instruction books, buttons and thimbles, etc. Harriett recently bought a large, serious collection of books about needlework, mostly embroidery, instructional, international, historical. So we made a display in the "collectibles" alcove combining the tools and the books, ready for browsing or just admiring. Sometimes work is a joy! These are beautiful books, and the tools are mysterious and amazing, relics of an era and a pastime foreign to me. Come check it out!
CHARLES CHESNUTTThursday, January 31, 2008
Harriett
Charles W. Chesnutt (1858-1932) has landed himself on a 41-cent stamp. It's about time he had some regonition: he is credited with being the first mainstream-published African-American writer, and a popular one, at that.
After earning the top score on the Ohio Bar Exam, Chesnutt worked as a court reporter. Later, he founded a legal stenography company and dedicated himself to his writing, mostly fiction with a moral mission of race-relation peace. Some of his books include The Conjure Woman, The Wife of His Youth, The House Behind the Cedars, The Marrow of Tradition and The Colonel's Dream. Oh, and did I mention he was from Cleveland? There was a big celebration downtown to commemorate the release of this new stamp.
Our third Thursday NOBS Forums this month features a talk on Chesnutt. Ann Olszewski is the preservation manager at the Cleveland Public Library, which holds quite a bit of biographical and documentary material on Chesnutt, as well as some of his books (first editions of which are now rare). (Berea College, KY, also holds some great materials, and hosts the Charles Chesnutt Digital Archive.) Come hear Olszewski talk on Chesnutt and his legacy in the book world. The talk will be on Thursday, February 21, 7pm, here at Loganberry. Also tune in to WCPN's "Around Noon" on Monday, February 18 to hear Dee Perry interview Ann Olszewski about Chesnutt.
MOST
SOUGHT AFTER, 2007 Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Harriett
It's the end of the year, and year-end lists are abounding everywhere. Bookfinder.com just published their Top Ten most sought-after out-of-print books for 2007, and we smile as we recognize some of these book searches over the past year. We also have at least two of these in stock -- 20% ain't bad for a hot-demand hard-to-find list like this.
1. Once a Runner (1978) by John L. Parker, Jr.
The cult classic distance running novel; the
long-awaited sequel, Again to Carthage, was released in
November
2. Football Scouting Methods (1962) by Steve Belichick
Legendary college football scout’s playbook,
used by coaches and players to develop winning game plans
3. Sex (1992) by Madonna
The pop icon’s controversial book of erotic photos
4. Promise Me Tomorrow (1984) by Nora Roberts
An early novel that the bestselling romance
novelist refuses to reprint, describing it as “mediocre”
5. The Lion’s Paw (1946) by Robb White
A children’s adventure story about two orphans
who travel around Florida in a boat
6. The Principles of Knitting (1988) by June Hemmons Hiatt
An indispensable resource on hand knitting
7. Raven: The Untold Story of the Reverend Jim Jones and His People
(1982) by Tim Reiterman
Chronicles the inner workings which allowed the
Peoples Temple to flourish
8. Aran Knitting (1997) by Alice Starmore
History and how-to about the Irish knitting
technique
9. One Way Up (1964) by John F. Straubel
The story of of helicopters and vertically
rising aircraft
10. Dear and Glorious Physician (1959) by Taylor Caldwell
A novel based on the life of Saint Luke
THE
TALES OF BEEDLE THE BARD
Friday, December 14, 2007
Harriett
J.K. Rowling has done it again, this time in a posh Sotheby's auction as a fundraiser for her charity, the Children's Voice. Seven handwritten and hand-illustrated copies of The Tales of Beedle the Bard exist, and this is the only one written with the intent of sale. The production is lavish (hand-bound morocco leather studded with silver designs), the hype immense, and the price tag... outlandish? amazing? Well, it was estimated by Sotheby's at £50,000. It sold for £1,950,000 (that's approximately £2 million or €3 million or $4 million US).
And the winner? Um... Amazon.com. They already have it featured on their website, but under the conditions of sale, they cannot reprint or sell the stories featured therein. Don't worry, they promise pictures, detailed reviews, and tours...
SIGNATURES
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Becky
If a signature is "something that serves to set apart or identify" (Merriam-Webster Online), then what is its purpose when it cannot be read, and therefore not associated with the person that is trying to be set apart? We are currently attempting to decipher a signature on the inside cover of a book that certainly looks impressive, but may turn out not to be that interesting at all.
On this day in 1789, James F. Cooper was born. Happy 218th Birthday!
BLOG TOPICS
BLOG ARCHIVES
NEWSLETTER
SPECIALS: 2000-2002
BLOGROLL