Collection of six original views of “Strand Theatre at Work” signed by the artist. London, 1984

These delightful views depict scenes at the Strand Theatre (now the Novello Theatre) in London’s West End. They range from views of the boxes and theater-goers to the box office to backstage scenes. The box office advertises the original production of Tom Stoppard’s The Real Thing, which ran at the Strand from 1982 to 1985.

$1,700

Why War?. Paris: International Institute of Intellectual Cooperation, League of Nations, 1933

First edition in English, one of 2000 numbered copies. Translated from the German by Stuart Gilbert.

$1,600

The Indo-Iranian borderlands: their prehistory in the light of geography and of recent explorations. The Huxley Memorial Lecture for 1934. London: Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, 1934

First separate edition. This is Stein’s lecture delivered on the occasion of being awarded the Society’s Huxley Medal.

$1,500

The Fight Against War. New York: John Day, (c.1933)

FIRST EDITION.

This scarce collection of Einstein’s writings on war and peace was published in 1933, the year the Nazis took power in Germany and the year Einstein left Germany for the United States. In his prefatory note, Einstein writes, “Mr. Lief [the editor, Alfred Lief] has taken great trouble in collecting utterances of mine having pacifistic content and he presents them with my authorization. … I consider it my duty to confess my pacific conviction publicly. May the seriousness of my purpose be transferred to you, my readers! A. Einstein.”

$1,500

The Penn Club requests the honour of your company at a reception to be given to Mr. Walt Whitman …. Philadelphia, March 27, [1880]

This is a rare invitation to an event held in Whitman’s honor at the prestigious private Penn Club in Philadelphia. Whitman, who wore a shabby coat festooned with dozens of pins, did not disappoint the curious.

$1,500

Leaves of Grass. Boston: Osgood, 1881-82

First printing of the 7th edition of Leaves of Grass

$1,500

Good-Bye My Fancy. 2d Annex to Leaves of Grass. Good-Bye My Fancy. 2d Annex to Leaves of Grass, 1891

FIRST EDITION. This form of Good-Bye My Fancy is not in Myerson.

$1,200

Chinese Sketches. London: Trubner, 1876

FIRST EDITION. Sinologist Herbert A. Giles began his distinguished career was a British diplomat in China. There he wrote these literary and historical sketches to show that, contrary to prevailing Western views, “the Chinese are a hardworking, sober, and happy people, occupying an intermediate place between the wealth and culture, the vice and misery of the West.” Giles later became professor of Chinese at Cambridge for thirty-five years.

$1,200

Extra. Senseless Panic. New York: New York Daily Bulletin, September 24, 1873

The Panic of 1873 was set off by the failure of Jay Cooke & Co., the leading American banker of its day. Because of financial crises in Europe , the Credit Mobilier scandal, and related problems, the firm declared bankruptcy on September 18, 1873. The bank’s failure set of a chain of events including the failure of many insurance companies and banks and the ten-day closure of the New York Stock Exchange starting on September 20. Within two months 55 railroads had failed. The downturn, which lasted for the rest of the decade, was known as the Great Depression until the 1930s depression took that name.

$1,200

Haymarket Affair in The Chicago Daily News. Chicago: Daily News, May 5, 1886

The Haymarket Affair in Chicago was the most important event in American labor history. This dramatic Chicago newspaper reports on the events at the Haymarket, police actions, rioting, efforts to catch the bomb thrower, the roundup of anarchists, the discovery of the printed flyers for the mass meeting, and the reaction of Chicago businessmen.

$1,200