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The Accidental Bookseller
Specializing in Uncommon Copies of Interesting Books
Membership(s): IOBA, FABA, PADAH
Stimmel, Smith Personal Reminiscences of Abraham Lincoln
$250.00
Minneapolis: William H. M. Adams, 1928. Limited edition 500 numbered copies, this is #411.
Though not called for, Stimmel — a member of the Union Light Guard who served as a bodyguard to President Lincoln from December of 1863 until April 14, 1865 — has signed this copy and added “by a hand that clasped the hand of Abraham Lincoln.”
Title page opened a little roughly, otherwise a fine copy in an 80% complete though torn dust wrapper and slightly rubbed slipcase. Uncommon in this condition.
The assassination of Lincoln shocked Stimmel. The President, he noted, would not permit any members of his bodyguard to be present at any entertainment he attended. Therefore, Stimmel and his company remained in barracks near the White House while Lincoln was present at Ford’s Theater. “I had just gotten into a sound sleep, when I thought I heard someone call my name from outside the building,” recalled Stimmel. “I turned my head and listened, and again I heard someone call, ‘Sergeant Stimmel!’ I jumped up and put my head out of the window, and asked what was wanted. The man who called said hastily, ‘Lincoln and Seward have been killed.’”….
Lincoln’s death marked the conclusion of Stimmel’s recollections. In summing up his experiences, Stimmel praised the late President: “To me it was much to have lived for nearly a year and a half in close touch with a man like Lincoln. I was barely twenty-one when I joined his bodyguard, but throughout my long life I have been deeply grateful for the providence which gave me such glimpses of one of Earth’s grandest heroes, one of her noblest martyrs, one of the finest specimens of manhood which God, the Creator, has ever produced: Abraham Lincoln, Patriot! Statesman! Gentleman!”
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Deerfield, Mass. Bay, Captivity Narrative
John Williams The Redeemed Captive Returning to Zion or a Faithful History of Remarkable Occurrences in the Captivity and Deliverance of Mr. John Williams
$350.00Greenfield, Mass.: John Dickman, 1800. 6th Edition, with Additions (see note below on printing). Binding: Hardcover (Full Leather). Book Condition: Very Good Condition. Size: 16 mo (6-7″). 248 pages. Rev. Williams was among those captured in an Indian raid on Deerfield, Massachusetts Bay Colony, Feb. 29, 1703/4. Upon his return, he wrote an autobiographical account of his captivity and return which went through eight printings over the next century (though Dickson labels this ninth printing as the “6th Edition, with Additions”). Although most of the content here was taken from earlier Boston printings, Dickman added Taylor’s chronology in his earlier 1793 “Fourth” edition and Taylor’s new “Historical Sketch of Deerfield” is first published here. Note that the date on the title page is 1800 but Taylor’s note about his appendix is dated as Jan. 1st, 1802 (p. 198). Sabin lists the publication date as “MDCCC [i.e., 1802]” based upon Taylor’s date (Vol. 28, p. 424). Besides Williams’ account (pp. 1-125), this printing includes five additions: 1) A sermon Williams preached at Boston in 1706 upon his return (pp. 127-148); 2) An appendix by Williams’ son Stephen who was also captured, recording the names of those taken, those killed in the raid and a chronology of “this mischief done by the enemy in Deerfield, from the beginning of its settlement to the death of” his father in 1729 (pp. 149-158); 3) An appendix sent to the publisher by Rev. John Taylor of Deerfield who continues the chronology of the “mischief done by the enemy, in Deerfield” from 1729 “to the conclusion of the last French War” (pp. 159-197) as well as his new “Historical Sketch of Deerfield” (pp. 197-220); 4) “Some Observations” by Rev. T[homas] Prince of the Old South Church in Boston, originally published in the 3rd edition providing some biographical information about John Williams (pp. 220-224) and 5) “A Sermon delivered in the first parish in Springfield, on the 16th of October, 1775 just one hundred years from the burning of the town by the Indians” (with the running head of “A Century Sermon”) preached by Rev. Robert Beck of Springfield (225-248). Hardcover bound in leather over boards with red morocco title panel marked “REDEEM’D CAPTIVE” in gilt. Corners are bowed with three worn through to the boards. The leather has lost its finish along the top edges and head and foot and along the hinges of the spine. The front end paper is split at the gutter, exposing the cords, but the binding is tight. The pages are tanned from age but unmarked. There is light foxing scattered throughout and a tide mark in the top quarter of the rear free end papers and last two leaves of the text. The original owner’s inscription is on the front free end paper: “Neh Randalls Property Bought August 25th 1805 at Worthington (Mass)” At the bottom is a more recent ownership inscription in purple pencil: “Fred from Ralph” and what appears to be “O K, Eva.” On the inside front cover is an oval stamp: “Private Library of F. G. Simpson No.” with the number 5 written in.
Offered for Sale by: Quaint Book Shop -
JFK Tribute by Black Catholic Students
Daniels, Frank, Jr.; Arthur Lee Levy A TRIBUTE
$135.006 x 9 inches (15 x 23 cm). 14 pp. plus illustrated wrappers. Stapled booklet, mimeographed or similarly reproduced typescript, with hand-colored front cover portrait of John F. Kennedy. Good +. Light toning and handling; scattered staining, chiefly along upper margins; some soiling to wrappers; pencil notes on rear wrapper. Contents complete and legible. Student-produced memorial booklet for John F. Kennedy, written by Frank Daniels, Jr. and Arthur Lee Levy, both described in the booklet as 16-year-old eleventh-grade students. The booklet itself does not state a place, school, or date. The identification as Notre Dame High School, Shreveport, Louisiana, [1964], is supplied from the 1964 Notre Damian, the school yearbook, where Frank Daniels and Arthur Levy are similarly pictured as juniors. The booklet combines Catholic prayer, brief biography, original poems, Cold War references, civil rights reflection, and response to the assassination. Contents include “Prayer,” “History of Kennedy,” “Big John,” “White House Years,” “Kennedy, Khruschev and the Nuclear War,” “Destination – Assassination,” “Presidential and Premier Poem,” and “Good Bye J.F.K.” “Good Bye J.F.K.” connects Kennedy’s death with Lincoln, Black civil rights, Christian sacrifice, and hope for racial justice. The booklet is an African American Catholic student-authored response to Kennedy’s assassination, with particular attention to civil rights, Christian sacrifice, Cold War anxiety, and national mourning. Only one institutional example located, in the John F. Kennedy Library’s tribute collection, described as a 14-page poetry booklet by Frank Daniels, Jr. and Arthur Lee Levy. No copies located in the trade or by web search at time of cataloging.
Offered for Sale by: Andrew Langer, Bookseller -
Brought "revolutionary matters to a crisis"
[Israel Mauduit], ed. The Letters of Governor Hutchinson, and Lieut. Governor Oliver, &c. … And Remarks Thereon with The Assembly’s Address …
$1,500.00London: Printed for J. Wilkie, at Number 71, in St. Paul’s Church-yard, 1774. Edition Unstated. Binding: Hardcover (Original Cloth). Book Condition: Very Good- Condition. Size: Octavo (8-9″). 134 pages. Sabin 34072. Howes H-851 (Howes 1994 837). The full title is “The letters of Governor Hutchinson, and Lieut. Governor Oliver, &c. printed at Boston and remarks thereon : with the Assembly’s Address and the Proceedings of the Lords Committee of Council : together with the substance of Mr. Wedderburn’s speech relating to those letters.” This English edition, believed to be edited by Hutchinson’s friend Israel Mauduit, was issued following the investigation into the 1773 publication of Hutchinson and Oliver’s letters in Boston. No edition is stated but the Library of Congress’ “Revolutionary America 1763-1789” describes it as the “second London edition” [#31610]. What appears to be an earlier printing held by the Library of Congress (E211 .M445 [Copy 1 RBSCD]) only goes to signature T and ends with p. 126, including double-numbered pages ([75]-80). This copy matches the collation of that copy but adds an additional signature (S) and ends with p. 134. The additional signature provides the report from the Committee of Council for Plantation Affairs read in the presence of King George, 7 February 1774. The letters were provided to Thomas Cushing, Speaker of the Massachusetts Assembly in December 1772, by Benjamin Franklin, Pennsylvania’s agent in London. His letter admitting his role appears on pp 72-73. Although he requested they not be printed, that request was ignored. The letters were written in 1767-1769, but were used (largely out of context) to fan the pre-Revolutionary flames. The way they were presented was expressed in a part of the lengthy title the Boston printers provided: “The Judicious Reader will Discover the Fatal Source of the Confusion and Bloodshed in which this Province especially has been involved, and Which Threatned [sic] Total Destruction to the Liberties of all America.” Sabin notes the publication of the letters “did more, perhaps, to bring revolutionary matters to a crisis than any previous publication.” In his note, Howes is less tentative: “Publication of these letters … fanned revolutionary sentiments in America more than any other book of the period.” A Very Good-minus hardcover copy that has been rebound in red silk over boards. The silk has been coated in some way. The reason for the “minus” is because it is lacking its spine. The corners are sharp though worn through to the boards. The text block is tight and bright, in near fine condition. The only marking is on the title page where two previous owners have marked the pages on which the various parts of the collection of documents begin. The page edges have been stained red, probably when the book was rebound.
Offered for Sale by: Quaint Book Shop -
Rare 1830 anti-Baptist pamphlet, 55 arguments
Timothy [attr. Williams, Thomas (Rev.) or Holmes, Sylvester (Rev.)] FIFTY-FIVE REASONS FOR NOT BEING A BAPTIST
$350.00Gene W. Baade Books on the West
(New Bedford?): Titus, 1830. First Edition. Soft cover. Good. Item #5005080 “By Timothy.” (Columbia University identifies “Timothy” as Rev. Thomas Williams, 1779-1876. However OCLC identifies him as Rev. Sylvester Holmes.). FIFTY-FIVE REASONS FOR NOT BEING A BAPTIST. Printed in New-England (New Bedford?) / by / TITUS…1830. Printed wrappers, string-tied. (12pp). A rather remarkable point by point argument why a Christian should not be a Baptist, many of the points having to do with baptizing by immersion. Point # 11 gives you a picture of the author’s argument: “Not a shadow of evidence appears that the first Christian Baptism, administered to THREE THOUSAND on the day of Pentecost, was by plunging. Acts 2: 41.” Thomas Williams was a Congregationalist minister and a graduate of Yale. He was a missionary in New York and later served several parishes in New England. Several of his booklets / tracts were published. Less is known or available about Holmes. A rare pamphlet found in only a few theological schools and others. Light foxing. Obvious small chips on some leaves. RARE.
Offered for Sale by: Gene W. Baade Books on the West
