Robert Rankin BooksBob Rankin and Shirley Collins
Shirley and Bob have been involved with buying and selling small antiques, books and ephemera for a number of years now as well as selling at the Toronto Old Book and Paper Show, the Toronto Antiquarian Book Fair, and more recently on line at Abebooks. We are happy to offer an eclectic selection of items for your perusal. Payment can be made by e-Transfer.
1. Masonic Edition - Temple Illustrated Holy Bible, The Great Light in Masonry: Published by PHILADELPHIA: A. J. Holman Company, 1957
$55.00
Hardcover. Condition: As New. No Jacket. Special Edition. PHILADELPHIA: 1957, 12th printing. This is a Masonic Edition of the bible, with blue pebbled flexible, card boards. The Masonic device is stamped onto the front board in gilt, Holy Bible and Masonic Edition are stamped on on the spine, all edges gilt. The item is contained in a blue box with a lid that is light blue and dark blue, decorated with small squares in each of which are stamped bibles plus the words HOLMAN BIBLES. The item does not appear to have been opened and remains in "As New" condition.
2. Black and White Photograph of Canadian Military Police. Canadian Military Publication, Date: 1914
$85.00
1st Edition. Circa 1914: Black and White photograph of 25 WW1 Canadian Military Police officers posing behind a decorative mound bearing the word POLICE. MP armband can be seen in terms of some of the participants. The regiment is unknown; however, it may have been a class of trainees taken at Camp Borden. The item is housed in a gilded wooden frame with leaves on each corner. In Fine condition.
3. How I Found Livingstone: Travels, Adventures and Discoveries in Central Africa etc. By Stanley, Henry Morton Published New York: Scribner, Armstrong & Co., 1872
$500.00
Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. No Jacket. 1st Edition. NEW YORK: Scribner, Armstrong & Co., 1872, Hardcover, clad in brown pebbled boards, Front board illustrated in gilt depicting a palm tree and scenes from the narrative. The spine depicts a copy of the pictorial frontice of Stanley and a native gun bearer or guide, the title, author's name and publisher all in gilt. The tight and clean text block comprises 736 pp including the index, following which are 8 pp of advertisements. It is illustrated with 28 full page illustrations, 25 smaller illustrations and six maps (all of which are present), which are either tipped in or in page. There is a small cluster of tiny black marks about halfway up the gutter of the front board and there is some foxing on the protective tissue of the frontice, some of which has lightly transferred to the the right edge of title page, else it is in Very Good plus to Near Fine condition.
4. The C.A.M.C. With The Canadian Corps During the Last Hundred Days of the Great War by Snell, A. E.: C.M.G., D.S.O., B.A., M.B. Published by OTTAWA: F.A Ackland Printer to the King's Most Excellent Majesty, 1924
$225.00
Hardcover. OTTAWA: 1924: 1st edition, no jacket. red pebbled boards; some minor discolouration on front and rear boards, including a dark broken line intermittently within the front and rear outer gutters, corners lightly bumped but not in any way exposed, 292 pp; text block tight and clean. The spine is lightly sunned with the title and author's name in gilt. Four plans in text called for (complete), Seven maps called for (complete) in pouch inside at rear board. At the end of the book, and in amongst the endpapers, there are the remnants of a number of perforated pages (?). There is no indication what they were, or their use; however, I have seen two copies of this book each with the same perforation stubs in the same place with no explanation. The text block is in Fine Condition with the boards in Very Good + Condition. Combined, the article is in V.G. ++ condition. All in all, this item is very pleasing and would be of considerable interest to the military, or military medical, historian or collector.
5. Thirty Years in the Arctic Regions, or the Adventures of Sir John Franklin, by H. Dayton, Published in PHILADELPHIA by J. W. BRADLY 48 North Fourth-Street, 1860
Sold
PHILADELPHIA: 1860 First Edition Thus. Hard cover, brown pebbled cloth, blind stamped design around the extremities of the front and rear boards, with what may be the publisher's device blind stamped into the centre of the boards. The spine has the title at the top and, at the bottom, icebergs all in gilt. The author's name does not appear on the title page; however, an H. Dayton had the work entered, according to Act of Congress in the year 1859. The true first edition was printed in 1859 so I am describing this copy as a First Edition Thus. In the 1859 edition, the frontice is an illustration of a man in Arctic clothing who may be a depiction of Sir John Franklin. In this book, the frontice is an illustration depicting the discovery of the Franklin Expedition (life) boat. The text block is solid and comprises 480 pp. Although there is some age browning present, particularly on the title page, the book is in surprisingly good condition. Very Good Plus.
6. Orser: A Skater's Life Orser, Brian; Milton, Steve Published by Key Porter Books, 1988 ISBN 10: 1550131265ISBN 13: 9781550131260
$150.00
Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. 1st Edition. TORONTO: Key Porter Books, 1988. Figure skating champion Brian Orser's autobiography assisted by Steve Milton. Published 1988 with the date line 88 89 90 91 92 654321.Hardcover, illustrated with colour photographs. The text block is clean and tight, comprising 214 pp. The dust jacket is not price clipped. Both the book and dust jacket are in Near Fine condition (no problem found with either). Brian Orser has signed it "To Brandy" on the FFEP, where it has also been signed by: Elvis Stojko (Canadian), and Steven Cousins (British). Similarly, on the rear end paper, there is an inscription "Best Wishes" signed Jan Erik Digernes (Norwegian), Jeffry Langdon (Canadian), Oula Jääskeläinen (Finnish), Karen Preston (Canadian) and Julie Lawrenson (Canadian), and finally inscribed "Hi Candace" by Janet Emerson (Canadian). Someone, likely either "Brandy" or "Candace" has placed a handwritten tag adjacent to each signature to clarify the names of the writers. A very nice collection of world champion figure skaters' signature. Inscribed by Author(s).
7. MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING Branagh, Kenneth
$100.00
LONDON, Chatto and Windus: 1993, 1st Edition Thus, softcover. Screenplay, Introduction and notes on the making of the film by Kenneth Branagh. Unpaginated. Illustrated with many coloured and black and white photographs by Clive Coote. A clean, tight copy of a play by William Shakespeare. "Kenneth Branagh" signed boldly on the half title page.
8. Lays of Ancient Rome, With Ivry and the Armada: Illustrated by J. R. Weguelin Lord Macaulay (Thomas Babington Macaulay) Published by LONDON: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1897
$215.00
Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Included. London, 1897, New Edition, 41 Illustrations throughout by J. R. Weguelin. Hardcover clad in beautifully illustrated green cloth. The spine bears the title, author and publisher in brilliant gilt. The text block comprises 191 pp, a.e.g. black endpapers. On the front pastedown is a book seller's sticker, and above that, a slight description of the book a previous owner/seller has held in place using clear tape. Some light foxing here and there but mainly confined to the preliminaries and to the rear. Head and Tail of spine slightly bumped. This is a lovely book which has been classed as VG plus, only because the light foxing and shelf wear to spine precludes it being described as Fine. A solid item. Included is the original early paper dust wrapper which is in poor condition.
9. The Whirlpool, Scenes From The Toronto Police Court Wodson, H(arry) M(ilner). Illustrated throughout by Malcolm Lennox
$100.00
Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. No Jacket. 1st Edition. Toronto, Ontario: 1917, 1st Edition, no publisher shown, copyrighted by the author. Hardcover, red, cloth covered boards, printing on the front board and spine in strong black. Text block comprises 208 pp. Some slight smattering of age toning here and there, else Near Fine. No jacket, possibly as issued. Harry Milner Wodson was a Toronto reporter whose previous two books, as the publisher's notice states: "enjoyed well-merited popularity", and ."for ten years this writer has entertained the readers of the Evening Telegram, Toronto, with his racy and sympathetic Police Court Reports". The same notice describes the book as "a human document". Today, some of his comments are not P.C.; however, this is a very scarce item, particularly in this condition.
10. Autograph Book of S. Evelyn Robinson, Ontario Normal School Publication Date: 1931
$125.00
Ottawa, Ontario, 1930-1931: Approx. 6 1/4 inches x 4 1/4 inches (16 cm x 11 cm), 93 pp. all edges gilt, cardboard covers, clad in a dark bottle green/black patterned, padded, faux leather, with the word "Autographs" emblazoned in gilt on the front cover. What is special about this autograph book is that, in addition to the written comments by fifty-one students, male and female, photographs of thirty-three female students have been glued in, laid in or tipped in beside their comments. The Ottawa (Ontario, Canada) Normal School, also known as the Ottawa Teachers' College, was built in 1875 and was where teachers were trained until 1974. S. Evelyn Robinson was there in 1930-31. The item is in fine condition.
11. Confederation of the Provinces, together with a report of the speeches delivered by the delegates from the provinces, on Important public occasions. Whelan, The Hon. Edward Whelen. M.P.P Chatlottetown, P.E.I (compiled by)
$120.00
PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND: 1st edition, 1865. hardcover, 231 pp. Quarter leather, red, marbled boards. The name K. Robert Brown is stamped twice on the FFEP. Some shelf wear. The hinges are cracked but holding and there are some marginal marks throughout. This copy has the compilers name, book title, "Parliamentary Library Canada" and, perhaps, Parliament Hill in bright gilt on the spine. A rare copy of a brief account of the several conferences held in the Maritime Provinces and in Canada, during September and October 1864, on the proposed Confederation of the Provinces. The item is in Very Good Condition.