English author Virginia Woolf was considered one of the greatest modernists of the 20th century. Woolf was born in London as Adeline Virginia Stephen by parents Julia and Leslie Stephen, a notable author, historian, and mountaineer. Her parents home-schooled her in a household of three children from three marriages total, as both parents had been previously married and widowed. Leslie’s prominenceContinue reading “Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway”
Tag Archives: rare books
5 Highlights From Our Spring 2016 Catalog
From Darwin to Dalloway, our Spring 2016 Catalog offers an excellent collection of fine and rare books. In this collection, you’ll find landmark works in topics such as classic literature, children’s literature, sciences, travel, politics, and more. Some of these works include a rare, signed portrait of Charles Dickens and an extremely rare presentation copy of Darwin’s On the Origin of Species. HereContinue reading “5 Highlights From Our Spring 2016 Catalog”
Raptis Rare Books – Advanced Book Exchange Featured Booksellers
Deep in the southern Vermont countryside, you will find an ornate Italianate villa simply packed with sumptuous books worthy of any collector’s bookshelf. Welcome to Raptis Rare Books and the world of husband-and-wife bookselling team Matthew and Adrienne Raptis. Matthew and Adrienne specialize in fine first editions, signed and inscribed books, and books that areContinue reading “Raptis Rare Books – Advanced Book Exchange Featured Booksellers”
Vellum Bindings
Vellum refers to parchment made from calf skin that can be found on old and rare books. Very old Bibles were printed on it, and so was the Declaration of Independence. Vellum is not like calf leather in that it is not tanned, but it does vary in softness and smoothness based on the quality ofContinue reading “Vellum Bindings”
Robert and John F. Kennedy
The famous Kennedy family first sailed to America from Ireland in 1849. Sometimes called the “Royal Family of America,” the Kennedy’s political influence began with P.J. Kennedy and was carried all the way through John F. Kennedy’s presidency, while his brothers Robert and Ted held positions as prominent senators. But while everyone knows the Kennedy’s inContinue reading “Robert and John F. Kennedy”
The World of James Bond
There is perhaps no fictional character more produced in writing and film than the suave, intelligent, and mysterious James Bond. After his time serving in the British Naval Intelligence Division during World War II, Ian Fleming took to Jamaica in 1952 and spent two months distracting himself from his upcoming betrothal to a pregnant fiancé byContinue reading “The World of James Bond”
Rare Book Gift Ideas for the Holidays
The holidays are upon us and this is your last chance to buy meaningful gifts for the loved ones in your life. There are many great gifts for readers, but for the rare book enthusiast in your life, making the right choice can be tricky. Here are some first edition novels, volumes, and autobiographies thatContinue reading “Rare Book Gift Ideas for the Holidays”
The Complete Works of John Locke
John Locke, born August 29, 1632, was one of the greatest liberal minds of the Enlightenment. He fathered Classical Liberalism, a school of thought that departed from the idea of society as a family and took on the view of society as a mere mesh of its individuals, all of whom were innately cold, manipulative,Continue reading “The Complete Works of John Locke”
First Edition Identification
Although it seems like it should be fairly straight forward, there is so much to know about first identification that whole books and websites are devoted to the subject. Here we will give you some basic tools to help you identify your first edition, but if would like more in-depth information, we recommend Collected BooksContinue reading “First Edition Identification”
Top 10 Best Rare Gifts for Graduates
Graduation season is upon us, and the best gifts you can give to a young graduate are wisdom, courage, and inspiration! Such treasures are of course rare, but can be best found in any of these top 10 rare books for graduates: 1. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? by Albee Edward Albee Edward’s play, Who’sContinue reading “Top 10 Best Rare Gifts for Graduates”