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Civil War collection spotlighted

By BOB WITHERS - The Herald-Dispatch

HUNTINGTON - War most often is portrayed as good versus evil, and the Civil War specifically as a triumph over the evil of slavery.

Imagine, then, the unusual viewpoint of the Rev. Robert Lewis Dabney, who wrote 20 years after hostilities ceased. Using 1 Kings 21 as a text, he compared the North to the wicked King Ahab and the South to his righteous neighbor Naboth, whom Ahab arranged to have murdered so he could confiscate his vineyard.

Dabney’s eloquent defense of the South appears in Jack L. Dickinson’s "Civil War Paper Items: The Rosanna A. Blake Confederate Collection," a 124-page softback book that catalogues the late attorney’s extensive holdings that were donated to Marshall University after her 1987 death.

Dickinson, a Huntington resident, Civil War historian and bibliographer of Blake’s collection, will talk about the book during the Marshall University Library Associates’ Celebration of Books in the third-floor atrium of the Drinko Library from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday.

Antiquarian Jack Walsdorf also will speak about the joys of book collecting and some of his adventures in more than 30 years as a bookseller. Walsdorf travels the country with his version of Public Television’s "Antiques Roadshow."

Dickinson’s museum-quality book reproduces notable examples of printed material in the Blake collection, including sheet music, religious tracts, bonds and currency, patriotic items, newspapers and other periodicals (some of which are printed on the back of wallpaper), card photographs and letters - including one written from Gen. Robert E. Lee to Gen. G. T. Beauregard in 1863.

The Dabney letter was written by a chaplain of the 18th Virginia Infantry and a personal friend of Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson, a native West Virginian and devout Presbyterian. Dickinson says it shows how wartime emotions persist long past the conflicts themselves.

"The point I wanted to convey is that no matter how many years pass after a war, a lot of bitterness and strong feeling remains," he says. Dabney demonstrated that those strong feelings about the Civil War lingered in the participants until their dying days."

Blake, born in 1912 in Proctorville, Ohio, developed a fascination for the Confederate South when her mother gave her a 75-cent book, "The Heart of Lee" by Wayne Whipple, on her 10th birthday. She grew up to become a government attorney and amassed a collection including thousands of items that Civil War bibliographer Richard Hartwell valued "conservatively" at $225,000 in 1988.

This will be the third time Walsdorf, author or editor of 15 books relating to the history of printing and bibliography, has visited Marshall. Two years ago, 123 people stood in line at the Drinko Library to discover if a book that had been handed down from a grandparent or picked up at a yard sale was a gem.

"Everyone in the audience was riveted by Jack’s knowledge of books," says Barbara Winters, dean of MU Libraries. "Even people who came without a book to be appraised enjoyed simply watching and listening."

Doors open for the Celebration of Books at 3:45 p.m. A reception and the presentations start at 4 p.m. Admission is free to members of the Library Associates and $5 for all others. Reservations, which are required, can be made by contacting Pam Ford via e-mail at ford@marshall.edu or by calling (304) 696-2318.

Dickinson will sign copies of his book and Walsdorf will appraise old books starting at 5 p.m.

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A House Is Not A Home Without A Place For Books

By Rick Green

The Hartford Courant

It was a terrible thing to live with, like finding oneself the unwitting warden of a prison holding all of your best friends.

Most of Donald S. Connery's prized books -- more than six decades worth of collecting, from New York to Moscow and from to Japan to Connecticut -- were languishing in boxes, incarcerated in solitary cardboard confinement. Alas, it is the predicament of book lovers all over:

What to do with them all? Connery's solution was artful and extravagant, befitting a former foreign correspondent who since 1968 has lived at a mountaintop farm in Kent, Conn. Connery and his wife, Leslie, converted the silo attached to their 200-year-old barn into a most unusual home library.

"We had fence posts and rails stored in there, and the roof was leaking like crazy. I kept thinking, What a waste. What is it good for?" Connery recalled during a visit to his silo library. In the late 1980s, after 20 or so years of pondering, he hired a carpenter to rework the old round silo into a three-story cylindrical library. At last count, he and his wife had about 10,000 volumes in the silo, with a few thousand more in the house.

"I just felt they meant so much to me," said Connery, whose specialty these days is writing about criminal justice and wrongful convictions, including the infamous Peter Reilly case. "You are with your friends, which is the way I think of books."

Making A Comeback

In an age of palatial "media" rooms with nary a book in sight, it would be a stretch to say home libraries are making any kind of roaring comeback. But to the devotee, the home library is a vibrant, sacred space that can be as small as the corner of a room or as profligate as a mountaintop silo.

It's also a retro makeover that can transform a drab, lifeless space into a room of intrigue that reminds visitors that relaxing at home isn't necessarily always about the latest gargantuan flat-screen television.

"I can't imagine living without books. If I go out to dinner at someone else's home, and they don't have books visible, I wonder if I want them as friends," said Barbara Farnsworth, an antiquarian bookseller in West Cornwall, Conn.

To those who are building their collections -- or, like Bill Goring of Torrington, Conn., are still cramming ever-more volumes into an already over-stuffed room -- it isn't a question of why. Rather, it is how could one live without a room devoted to books.

Goring, who is also a used and antiquarian bookseller, has his retail shop, Nutmeg Books, behind his house. His personal library is a simple affair: just a room in his rambling house packed to the rafters with books.

"When we bought this house, we designated this room the library," he said, leading a tour past shelves containing everything from Karl Marx to a volume titled "Glimpses of the Supernatural."

Creating Shelf Space

Goring hired a friend to build his shelves. For most of us, this, or The Home Depot do-it-yourself option, is still the most affordable strategy when thinking about a library. Still, a few inquires to contractors and woodworkers suggest that people are building libraries -- and nice ones.

"The trick is, you have to look at the house," said Rene Roy, a contractor and finish carpenter who works throughout the Hartford, Conn., area. A good library or bookcase must build on the overall feel of a room, not clash with it, he said.

For one customer, "I built a cherry bookcase, and it was $8,000. It was 12 feet wide by 9 feet tall. It was a work of art." A quality 3- by 8-foot built-in bookcase with a limited amount of ornamental trim and moulding work will run about $1,500, Roy said.

For Robert Haxhi and his wife, Jessica, two public school teachers of Middlebury, Conn., with a young daughter and an 8-year-old colonial-style house, cost was an important consideration. They knew they wanted a library, but they also knew they couldn't afford to retrofit an entire room.

In creating their library, the Haxhis chose to have their new shelves built out of cherry, a high-quality wood, and finished with a dark mahogany stain. They also knew they wanted built-in bookcases, even if it meant they couldn't build as many to start with.

Shopping around, one carpenter quoted them $7,000, but they were eventually able to find a woodshop that would build and install five 3- by 8-foot sections for $3,200.

A Quiet Hideaway

Connery, whose exotic library emphasizes maximum shelf space, simple lighting and rustic wood, said he can't recall what they spent on the silo renovation. It's an understandable excuse, perhaps, since climbing through three floors of books via the library's central spiral staircase is overwhelming enough.

Using designs prepared by their son, the Connerys hired a carpenter who spent nearly a year building the floors and the shelves, which extend in a circular fashion around each level of the silo. On the top floor, he had the roof raised and windows installed all around, which offers the visitor a feeling of being on top of the world, surrounded by books.

"It's as quiet a hideaway as you'd find anywhere," Connery said. "You can pull this futon couch thing out. When the house is full of kids and grandchildren, Leslie and I come out here and sleep," he said. "You wake up in the morning, and you know you have no radio and television or telephone. It's an antidote to the pressures of the world."

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Latest Potter Book Goes on Sale in Britain

By JILL LAWLESS Associated Press Writer

LONDON Jul 15, 2005 — At last! Faster than a turbo-powered broomstick, Harry Potter is flying off the shelves.

Bookstores across Britain flung open their doors at a minute past midnight Saturday, London time, to admit hordes of would-be witches, warlocks and ordinary muggles Potter-speak for non-magical humans.

All were eager to get their hands on "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," the latest volume of the boy wizard's adventures. Shops as far afield as Singapore and Australia put the 600-plus page book on sale at the same time.

"I'm going to read it all at once. I don't think I could stop once I got started," said Katrine Skovgaard, 18, who traveled from Denmark and waited in line for six hours before collecting her copy at a central London bookstore.

In Edinburgh, Scotland, author J.K. Rowling emerged from behind a secret panel inside the city's medieval castle to read an excerpt from the sixth chapter to a super-select group of 70 children from around the world.

Millions of Harry's fans can now solve the mysteries that Rowling teasingly hinted at for months: Will Harry's teenage friends Ron and Hermione find romance? Which major character will die? Who is the half-blood prince?

"You get a lot of answers in this book," Rowling, a resident of Edinburgh, said as she arrived at the castle and later settled into a leather easy chair before her adoring fans. "I can't wait for everyone to read it."

It has become publishing's most lucrative, frantic and joyous ritual: From suburban shopping malls to rural summer camps, fans dressed up, lined up and prepared to stay up late with their copy of "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince."

In London, events were muted by the July 7 subway and bus bombings, which killed some 50 people. Book and magazine chain WH Smith scrapped a planned midnight launch at King's Cross Station, from whose fictional Platform 9 3/4 Harry catches the train to Hogwarts at the start of each term. The dealiest of the day's four attacks was on a subway near King's Cross.

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book collecting

The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001-05.

or bibliophily, the acquiring of books that are, or are expected to become, rare and that possess permanent interest in addition to their texts. Collecting has traditionally concentrated on first editions in the field of pure literature.

History

Contemporary accounts mention personal manuscript collections in ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome; because manuscript media—scrolls and papyri—were scarce and expensive (and illiteracy general), collecting was confined to religious leaders and heads of state. During the Middle Ages monastic institutions were the main accumulators of valuable manuscripts.

Book collecting proper began after the invention of movable type (c.1437) and the proliferation of inexpensive books. The aim of early collectors, such as Willibald Pirkheimer (1470–1530) and Jean Grolier de Servières, was to assemble personal working libraries. Many early collections became the cornerstones of public libraries. The Bodleian Library at Oxford and the Harleian Library of the British Museum were founded respectively on the private collections of Sir Thomas Bodley and Robert Harley, 1st earl of Oxford. By the end of the 17th cent., book auctioning was common throughout Europe.

In the 18th cent. collectors shifted their focus from building up libraries to seeking original editions, including incunabula, of earlier works. At first criteria were more visual than literary: early printing, fancy binding, and colorful illumination. Richard Heber (1773–1833), whose collection of first editions of literature and history filled several houses, was one of the first collectors to consider contextual factors primary.

During the 19th cent. first editions of native contemporary literature began to attract book collectors. The two most notable collectors of the second half of the century were Henry Huth (1815–78), an Englishman, and Robert Hoe, the first important American collector. In 1884 Hoe became the first president of the newly founded Grolier Club, a New York-based society dedicated to the appreciation of fine book production. The three greatest American book collectors were Henry Clay Folger, John Pierpont Morgan (see under Morgan family), and Henry E. Huntington. During the 20th cent. book collecting on the massive scale practiced by Huntington has declined. Institutional libraries now vie with private collectors for rare books dispersed by auction and through antiquarian bookshops...

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Comic Book Superheroes Hit Six Figures

Missy Sullivan, 04.22.05, 6:01 PM ET

NEW YORK - Jon Berk will admit it straight off: He has a thing for Spider-Man. In fact, the 53-year-old civil trial attorney in Hartford, Conn., has been enjoying comics and superheroes since the age of 7. But it was not until his law school days that he began seriously collecting them. Over 30 years, he has amassed some 18,000 comic books and 200 pieces of related original artwork now valued between $3 million and $4 million.

Comic book collecting has come of age, with prices for important mint-condition books climbing well into the six figures. Berk collects with the seriousness of an historian and the zeal of a kid, ferreting out material like the first modern comic with a slick varnished cover, Funnies on Parade (1933), and little-known gems like Dr. Occult (1935), who developed into a Superman prototype.

Forbes: What's the focus of your collection?

Berk: I'm really into the history, which is why I focus on pre-hero comics [Superman made his first appearance in June 1938] and books and art from what is called the golden age. I've also got an extensive collection of books and art from the silver age, including key D.C. comics and a complete Marvel collection.

Can you define the "ages" of comic books?

The dates vary slightly depending on who you talk to in the hobby, but here's how I define them. The earliest comics were compilations of strips from Sunday papers. This "pre-hero" material ranges from 1933 to Action Comics #1 [the Superman debut]. I have at least 100 pre-hero books.

I define the golden age as 1938 to 1949, and I break it into two periods: the war period [1938-45], when you saw a lot of superheroes, and postwar [1945-49], when heroes were on the wane and crime, love and teenage themes gained ground. Golden age comics were bold and often garishly colored. Because they were being drawn literally by teenagers who were inventing this genre, they have an unbridled exuberance. I have 1,800 golden age comics.

I call 1949 to 1956 the dark age. There was a lot of innovative work done, but much of it had dark, moralistic themes. There was a lot of science fiction, horror and crime, some quite gruesome, with decapitated heads and the like.

In my opinion, the silver age [1956-1969] started with D.C. Comics' Showcase #4 [September-October 1956]. That issue reinvented the Flash, a golden age character known for his super speed. What you see in the silver age is the return of superhero supremacy, stronger storytelling, more personalities and greater stylization--more of a "company" look. And more soap opera to the stories. When Johnny Storm lost his girlfriend to the Negative Zone, would he be able to get her? Find out in the next issue!

After that comes the bronze age, which I think started with issues like Conan the Barbarian #1, Iron Man #1 and Hulk #102. The modern age begins in about 1990.

Prices must have changed quite a bit since you first started.

When I was a kid on Long Island, I could get a whole summer's worth of comics for $5, with change back. During my law school years, you could get old issues for a quarter, and a big purchase would be $8. These days, books sell from a few dollars up into five and six figures.

Since the 1970s, prices have risen exponentially, and the market has gotten a lot more sophisticated. It's more of a business. Condition is graded on a 1-10 scale by a group called CGC, which then "slabs" the rated books in plastic to preserve them. The CGC stamp of approval carries confidence and integrity in the marketplace; it's very valuable to neophyte collectors.

Is there a holy grail collectors look for?

The first appearance of the major superheroes: like Action Comics #1 [1938], the first Superman; Detective Comics #27 [1939], the first Batman; Amazing Fantasy #15, the first Spider-Man [1962]. There are probably around 100 desirable copies of Action #1 out there, so you're lucky to find one in any shape; depending on condition, you can pay between $30,000 and $400,000. With Amazing Fantasy #15, there are thousands of copies. But the market for silver age is robust, so they can sell for up to $90,000.

Which artists do you focus on?

I love Alex Schomburg, whose war covers are filled with superheroes fighting bad guys. Every inch is covered with action and energy. What appeals to me is that they portray the theme of good versus evil contextualized within a specific historic period. There's no question that American superheroes were fighting the Nazis and Japanese before December 1941. Like in Marvel Mystery #15 [1940], you have the Human Torch crashing through a tunnel to save Sub-Mariner, who was lashed to a Nazi tank.

But of the golden age artists, Lou Fine is my favorite. He brought a real sense of fine-art illustration to comic books and is known for his incredible detail. When he draws a locomotive, you see every cross-hatch. He used a Japanese brush to get dramatically fine lines. He could draw saliva and drool better than anyone.

Jack Kirby's silver age material is highly collectible because he drew the major superheroes, like Spider-Man, in a bold, dynamic fashion. If someone was getting punched on a Kirby cover, you could feel it. His style was very visceral.

Legendary silver age artists include Jerry Robinson [1950s Batman] and Carmine Infantino [the Flash]. On the Marvel side, there's Steve Ditko, the first Spider-Man artist. Grab his Dr. Strange artwork if you can find it.

How does condition affect value?

Many silver age collectors are very picky about condition. A near-mint rating is 9.4 and a near-mint-plus, 9.6. In certain books, that distinction can affect value by 50%. Collectors are more forgiving of condition with hard-to-find golden age books.

To me, comic books are different from coins or art. They have a story between the covers. I got into them because I like to read them, handle them. They bring me fond memories. So while I do buy slabbed things, the first thing I do is take them out. There's nothing like the smell of a comic book in the morning.

A big issue right now is valuing restored books. Any restoration is severely frowned upon, like a scarlet "R." Restorations in silver and bronze age books can reduce value by 50% to 90%. But there needs to be a recognition of different degrees of restoration: If minor work is done, it should affect value proportionately.

Which is your favorite piece?

The original artwork for Planet Comics #1 [January 1940]. It's the most significant golden age sci-fi title, done by Lou Fine: a classic cover by a classic artist. It's the heart and soul, the nexus of my collection.

I found out about it at a show and made a trade-and-cash deal, total value $60,000. Later, the seller asked if I would take $10,000 not to go through with the deal. He had probably been offered more. It goes to show, he who hesitates.... It's probably worth $150,000 now.

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Buried Antiques: Canadiana Book Collecting

The story of printing in Canada goes back to 1751, when a New Englander, Bartholomew Green, brought his printing press to Halifax. The Halifax Gazette was the first newspaper to be published in Canada. The first printing to be established in Quebec was not until 1764, which had a late start in contrasts to our Americans who started publishing in 1640.

Newspapers were imported too, English and American. They came not very quickly but seemed to have interested a number of people. The early presses were used to print handbills, forms, pamphlets, and even small books for the local authors. While readers found it difficult to buy books in Canada, there was even less opportunity for authors to have them published here.

By 1815 there were a few private libraries that mainly consisted of classical, religious, and political writings gathered without special regard for edition or other factors important to Canadiana book collecting in this field.

The period from 1800 to 1847 was call the golden age of discovery where sailing ships were searching for the northwest passage in the Artic by Franklin, Ross, Parry, Lyon, Back, Simpson, and Rae. The Sir John Franklin's (1786-1847) Narrative of the journey to the shores of the polar sea, in the years 1819, 20, 21, and 22 (1823); and Narrative of the second expedition to the shores of the polar sea in the years 1825, 1826, and 1827 (1828) were recently sold at auction in 2001 for under $2000 each. Under priced in terms of there true worth in relation to our geographical knowledge of the region and literature of the Artic. George Heriot's Travels through the Canada's (1807) is a rare book and quite valuable piece for Canadiana book collectors.

Colonel Samuel Strickland wrote Twenty-seven Years in Canada West; his sister, Mrs. Moodie, Roughing It in the Bush; and another sister, Catherine Parr Traill's first book, The Backwoods of Canada: Being Letters from the Wife of an Emigrant Officer, Illustrated of the Domestic Economy of British America (1836), and Canadian Wild Flowers, Painted and Lithographed by Agnes FitzGibbon (1868) . In Lower Canada , Francois-Xavier Garneau, stung to the quick by Lord Durham's remark that French Canadians were "a people of no history and no literature" composed his history of Canada, the first considerable work in French-Canadian literature. In poetry, a beginning was made by Charles Heavysege (1816-1876), a Montreal journalist whose Saul ran into three editions; by Charles Sangster (1822-1893), who published two volumes of poems and lyrics; and by D'Arcy McGee and Joseph Howe, both of whom combined poetry with politics and oratory. But there was little in this pre-Confederation literature which the world would not willingly let die; and it was only after Confederation that a Canadian literature, in any real sense arose...

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