Search Results: Authors starting with A from Michael Brown Rare Books, LLC

141 letters, 467 manuscript pages, all but 4 with their retained mailing envelopes, dated 15 August 1917 to 14 December 1919. Of the 141 letters, 139 of the letters were written by Laurence H. Adams to his future wife Hazel Schramm. Of these 139 letters, 91 of them were written by him while in military service during WWI, both state side as well as in France, with the remaining 48 letters written by him after his release from military service and while he lived and worked in the Scranton, Pennsylvania area. Within the collection are also 2 letters not written by Adams; one written by Hazel Schramm to Adams, the other a printed form letter from the King of England sent to Hazel Schramm. This printed form letter was apparently sent to all the American soldiers thanking them for their service.
The collection also includes 14 pieces of related ephemera: 8 postcards dated 1917-1918, 2 newspaper clippings dated circa 1918, 1 greeting card, 1 war risk insurance form (1919), 1 YMCA Dedicatory Program (1917),… Read More

285 Water-street, [New York City]: [J. M'Clelland], 1827.
Broadside, 19 ¾"h x 11 ⅜" wide at greatest extent, uncolored. Six lines of headline type surrounding two cuts, followed by two columns of text with a typographic divider. Minor-moderate soiling and staining, creasing along old folds, small losses at fold intersections affecting a few letters but not the sense, some losses along left edge well away from printed area.
The "Bobalition" broadside as a specific genre of American racism originated in Boston as a series of so called "bobalition" broadsides, which appeared in Boston between at least 1816 and appearing regularly at least up to 1837. The example offered here is the only known example of its kind to have originated in New York City. This example is an extremely rare 1827 "Bobalition" broadside featuring a crudely racist parody of New York City's first Emancipation Day celebration.
The "Bobaltition" broadside, in newly contrived pseudo-black dialect of mispronunciations and… Read More

Six photograph albums, with 894 photographs, with several related ephemeral items, documenting the lives and travels of this Philadelphia family in the first quarter of the 20th century.

The Firth family was a prominent Philadelphia family which had married into another one, the Livezey's, whose seat was their estate Glen Fern, in Germantown. Thomas Livezey was a miller and friend of Benjamin Franklin, and large property owner. The Livezey family sold much of their estate in the 19th century to the city of Philadelphia and it became Fairmount Park. The Firth Family lived in a palatial mansion on Allen's Lane, before moving to the Eastern Shore of Maryland in the 1930s.

1. Album documenting a month-long Hunting Trip on the Upper Yellowstone and in the mountains of Wyoming September – October 1908, by Thomas T. Firth
Oblong small quarto, 62 photographs, measuring 3 ⅝ x 5 ⅞ inches, mounted on 49 black paper leaves, binding worn and scuffed, else very good. Photographs identified in… Read More

quarto, 3 pages, plus stamp-less address leaf, the letter is written in black ink, and then "cross written" in faded red ink, with almost all the words discernible, save for the signature.
Allenby, possibly a New York clergyman living in England here gives advice to a young American woman thinking of becoming a missionary in Jerusalem, about the hardships and perils of missionary life in Singapore and Madagascar, vs. the duty to convert the "benighted heathen" of Africa and Hawaii.
The recipient of the letter, and the advice it contains was Cornelia Ann Lawrence, a 29 year-old New York woman, who was debating whether to become a missionary in the United States or Jerusalem:
"… a few of my private thoughts … In a paper which I received a short time since I noticed the death of a young lady whom I knew very well and with whom I had many conversations upon the subject of foreign missions, Mrs. Wood who died at Singapore at the very early age of 21. She left her dear parents,… Read More

16 items, including correspondence and manuscript documents, most dating from 1775-1783.
Manuscript archive consisting of correspondence and documents written by Continental Army officers, privateers and merchants during the Revolutionary War, all addressed to Francis Gurney of Philadelphia. The principle correspondents in this collection were well to do merchants before the war who carried on a variety of business ventures, including privateering. The correspondence centers upon Gurney with whom several of the main correspondents had dealings before and during the war. The contents of this archive are both highly interesting and by their very nature extremely scarce and should be of considerable interest to scholars studying the role of Revolutionary War Privateers in winning American Independence which is gaining the increased interest and attention of scholars and historians.

Upon the commencement of hostilities with England in 1775, most of the colonies, notably Massachusetts… Read More

Quarto, printed circular, 2 pages, includes a page of favorable reviews of the magazine by newspapers across the country. Sent to Rev. H. Lyman, Watertown, Mass.
1851 Decline and Fall of a famous American Political and Literary Magazine
"The present number will conclude the 14th volume of the American Review…a word of explanation to our friends…The conductors of the Review at the beginning of the present year, differed as to the propriety of a certain manner and tone, and the introduction of certain ideas into it, discussions more especially in reference to the foreign policy of the Government. Not being able in time to reconcile these differences, the party who introduce them resigned his position and it will accordingly be perceived by an examination of the numbers since April last that the old and standard ideas of the party, those on which the Review had heretofore obtained its wide celebrity and circulation, have been resumed...principles of a sound Nationality which in accordance with the… Read More

quarto, two page autograph letter signed, old folds and creases otherwise very good. Rene Auguste Chouteau, to whom this letter was written, was assistant to Pierre Laclede in the founding of St. Louis in 1763-1764. For some time, under the Spanish regime, he and his half brother Pierre traded among the Osage Indians, but chiefly he was identified with St. Louis, of which by his death in 1829 he had become the wealthiest citizen and largest landholder. Born in New Orleans, he had connections there all his life, particularly in the mercantile field, as exemplified by the present letter, which is written in French. Cavelier & Fils were the agents of the fur traders in New Orleans. This letter replies to a letter of May 26th, received by "le Courrier," in which Chouteau had ordered various goods. It touches on various business affairs and also mentions two names significant in the history of the fur trade, "Mr. Robidou," the elder Joseph Robidoux, and "James Makay", the former Nor'Wester who a decade… Read More

The archive consists of the following:
98 letters, 146 pp., dated 18 June 1900 to 30 Oct 1929, with bulk being from 1900-1914; contains mainly incoming business letters to the firm of Milliken & McGuire, with several outgoing retained copies of letters, or miscellaneous letters sent with an incoming, or outgoing letter; with over 415 pieces of related ephemeral materials, as follows:
Approximately 160 legal documents and papers related to land, and or land companies, including abstracts of titles, affidavits, agreements, trust agreements, amendments to articles of incorporation, by-laws of companies, homestead receipts, indentures, land patents, land register certificates, leases, probate papers, warranty deeds, and other land related documents such as scrip applications, timber contracts, option contracts, etc., all dated late 1880s to 1910s, and mainly for properties in various counties of Minnesota including Aitkin, Cass, Clearwater, Hubbard, Itasca, and St. Louis Counties.
Approximately 220 pieces… Read More

quarto, three pages, plus stamp less address leaf, formerly folded, written neatly in pencil, very good, clean, and legible condition.

Mrs. Anderson had been staying in Hampton, at a seaside boarding house trying to recuperate her health and describes her stay in Hampton, Rockingham County, New Hampshire to her husband, including an account of Native Americans camped in Hampton making and selling baskets:
"My dear husband,
Yesterday afternoon & evening we had a heavy rain accompanied with considerable wind. This has been a lovely morning, the sun rose clean & the farmers teams were on the beach quite early carting away the sea weed which had been thrown there during the storm in great quantities. I made a little way on the beach & witnessed with mingled emotions of delight & awe the violent waves as they dashed against the shore eliciting their spray their usual accompanients after a storm. Mrs. Watson & her two daughters left last Saturday. She is from… Read More

narrow octavo, 26 page preliminary index lists the names of 289 patients, 198 pages of patient notes, plus blanks, bound in contemporary sheep, binding worn, rubbed and scuffed, portion missing at base of spine, entries generally in pencil in a neat legible hand, very good.
The alphabetized index of patients is followed by observations upon these patients by an unidentified physician. The notes detail the treatment and assessments of patients suffering from a full range of disorders, including what appears to be Alzheimer's or dementia, depression, the suicidal, schizophrenia, anxieties, phobias as well as the criminally insane. The notes include disturbing accounts of force feeding and various means of restraint. Many patients are described as masturbating constantly, while others are punished for "filthy habits."

New York: Printed For the Purchasers, 1823. No Binding. Very Good. 16mo, 8 pages, title-leaf with decorative woodcut, pagination incorrect, paper tanned, text pinned together, otherwise very good. The text carries four songs with Masonic themes. Unrecorded. Not in American Imprints, not in OCLC, etc.

octavo, 4 pages, unsigned, possible incomplete, in very good condition.
The writer describes his travels in Pittsburg and other western Pennsylvania towns, he provides an epistolary tour of Pittsburg's industries of the day, an oil refinery, comments on the pollution "earth and air are impregnated with the aroma of petroleum", lumber raftsmen and iron mills, before continuing on to New Brighton, New Castle, and Franklin, in Venango County:
"My dear Theora,
… My letter from Pittsburg was written on Thursday morning and mailed then and there so I suppose you have read it before this time and I shall start from the point where I left off …. After taking my breakfast at the St. Nicholas (which, by the way was an excellent one and at the moderate charge of 25 cents) I turned out to view the city, went to P. Office with your letter and thence across the Allegheny river and through the city of Allegheny to the heights beyond, from which a fine [view] of the rivers and surrounding country could be… Read More

1924. Manuscript. Good. octavo, 51 pages, written on letterhead of the Department of the Interior, United States Geological Survey, rectos only, neatly inscribed in pencil and ink, very good. This account appears to have been a draft and may have been intended for publication, there are numerous corrections, changes and emendations throughout the work. The unidentified author traveled by rail from Yellowstone to Seattle and from there to Alaska by steamer. The author visited Ketchikan, Seward, Anchorage, Fairbanks, where time was spent with the Mayor, Valdez, Juneau, Prince William Sound, Cordova, Columbia Glacier, etc. The author comments upon the events of the trip and gives interesting information on accommodations for tourists, describes the scenery and topography, a twelve page description of Columbia Glacier, and also describes the towns and cities visited. "Valdez represents the tragedy of mining towns. It is really a dead mining town & it is a real tragedy to walk… Read More

12mo, 68 manuscript pages, plus blanks, and 8 pages of notes, bound in contemporary embossed leather backed flexible stiff wraps, entries written in English, in pencil, in a clear and legible hand.
The journal is an excellent, highly literate, well written account of the author's impressions of Russian society and his keen observations on all aspects of life in Russia, which the author refers to as "the Empire of Fear." The diarist, who describes himself as a Russian prince, is anonymous, although he identifies his companions. He takes a business trip to the part of Russia which is now in present day Poland. The purpose of his trip was to draw up a statement of account for the manufactory of Messrs Palin & Dunlop in Nowogrodek. Afterwards he visits the different silk and cotton manufactories in the town and also the place where Russe serge cloth is manufactured. The book only mentions business in passing. Mostly the author is concerned with describing the people and the regime of the… Read More

No Binding. Very Good. small folio, one page, formerly folded, top edge lightly browned, else very good. Text neatly inscribed in ink on laid paper. The sheet, judging from the fold marks was evidently folded into a very small triangle of just over an inch in size, possibly for easy concealment and transmittal. he present document is both intriguing and curious it discusses the Treaty of Paris and contains information which poses several intriguing questions: the document states that Peace would be signed on the 19th at six o'clock in the evening and with conditions which differed somewhat from the terms of the final treaty. The preliminary articles of peace were not signed until November 30, 1782, the final Treaty ending the War was signed on September 3, 1783. The terms mentioned in this manuscript differ from the final document. The questions posed by this document are: Does the present document discuss a preliminary draft? Is it incorrect or secretly transmitted information from the… Read More

Quarto, three pages of a four page bi-folium, written neatly in ink on a pictorial letter-sheet, depicting the View from Near the Ferry House, U. S. Side, at Niagra Falls, small oil stain at lower right hand corner, else in very good, clean legible condition. Our knowledge both of Czech and consequently its orthography are non-existent, the identity of the writer could probably be determined by someone without these constraints. The writer has evidently just returned to Europe from America via New York, Havre and thence to Paris. He mentions and presumably describes some of the places he visited in America including Chicago, Michigan, including Huron, Detroit, and St. Clair, Erie, Buffalo, Niagra Falls, et cetera. An interesting and unusual letter recording a Czech traveler's experiences in America.

small quarto, 84 pages plus blanks, entries written on lined paper, in ink, bound in half black leather, marbled paper covered boards, worn at tips of spine, corners and edges of boards, boards scuffed, outside hinges of binding mostly open, but boards attached, text block good. Volume was printed by "R.C. Root, Anthony & Co., Stationers, Printers & Lithographers, No. 16 Nassau St., cor. Pine, New York." Front board contains paper label with "Estimate Book" written on it, Includes index in front of book with names of 24 different individuals or companies.
The first 84 pages of text consists of the "Estimate Book" of the contractor, recording various contracts that he appears to have bid on, given estimates, and perhaps in some cases eventually secured the contract. Some pages have "entered" with a circle around it, as if to say that this bid was accepted. Other estimates show changes, or monies subtracted.
After the entries for the contractor's estimate book, there are two other sections with… Read More

octavo, 1 page, formerly folded, some light offsetting, else very good.
Evidently written in response to an autograph seeker, Susan B. Anthony here sends her "pentracks". She gives her address as Rochester, Monroe County, New York.
Susan Brownell Anthony, needs little introduction, she was born in Adams, Massachusetts in 1820. Prevented from speaking at a temperance meeting because of her sex, she and others formed in 1852 the Woman's State Temperance Society of New York. Convinced that women could work effectively for social betterment only if they had rights and privileges held by men, she spent her life in lecture tours and campaigns through various states in the interest of woman suffrage. She supported the right to vote for African Americans, both men and women, took a radical abolitionist stand prior to the National Woman Suffrage Association. In 1892, after merger of the organization with a rival group, she was elected president of the combined societies and served until 1900. She… Read More

No Binding. Very Good. quarto, three pages, plus integral address leaf, in very good clean and legible condition. Appleton, a US diplomat in Madrid promotes the legal claims of a prominent French émigré for maritime losses under the treaty by which Spain ceded Florida to the United States. "My dear Sir, I enclosed yesterday a letter . in a dispatch sent to Mr. Adams1 which contained the papers in support of your claim under the Florida Treaty . I shall be happy if my unremitting exertions to obtain these documents from the Tribunal of War . will have produced a favourable change in the aspect of your claim - and contribute to . your family a reparation of the losses so long sustained . I pointed out, after having examined it, those parts which appeared to be of interest to you. The rest consists of Pleadings, and interlocutory decisions of the two courts in which the trial was carried, which show the interest of your father in the Vessel and cargo. Benjamin Vail… Read More

12mo, 122 typed pp., dated 22 August 1917 to 7 June 1918; bound in small six ring binder, limp pleather binding, measuring 4" x 6", typed, good condition. There is a title-page, a one-page preface, and a two-page epilogue at rear bringing the family story up to 1937. Title page reads: "For Clayton and Jeannie Arthur and Family / A copy of Grandmother Arthur's diary / in her own words, of the family traveling / Oregon in a covered wagon. / copied by Laura Arthur" This is a typescript copy, made for the family, by a family member, of the manuscript original, the whereabouts of which, is unknown.
A curious diary, wherein a family seeking to improve their lives decides to move west across Oregon on hearing of the opening of government lands on the coast. They travel across the state using a covered wagon, the mode of Oregon's original pioneers. The diary recounts the events and occurrences along the way.

Maud G. Jeffries Arthur (1885-1965)
Maud G. Jeffries, was born 8 November 1885, in… Read More