Mare Booksellers

Ten around the 10th

Sure, we're a little early. But now we can phone in the rest of December! Here's a year's end cornucopia of ephemera, including Black Panther Party items, vernacular photos from an L.A. Bears get together, Lesbian Avengers, an African American cabinet card from Texas, the first issue of the Marijuana Review and a few other interesting items (so says us).

These are brand spanking new, so not yet on our website.

You can make it yours by contacting us via email or phone.

Items subject to prior sale.

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#2 Lesbian Power!

The Lesbian Avengers are Coming to Burlington Event Flyer. Lesbian Avengers, Publisher. New York: no date, 1993. Single sheet, 8 ½ by 11 inches. Printed on a single side only. An event flyer issued by the Lesbian Avengers, a direct action group formed in New York City in 1992. The group was started as a way to gain visibility for lesbians within the greater gay rights movement, since much of the movement was centered around gay white males. Using humor, as well as guerrilla-style protest events and actions, the Lesbian Avengers raised the profile of women within the gay rights movement and worked to increase diversity within it. Several chapters were formed across the United States, and the group issued a handbook to help local chapters stage events. Based on the timeline found on the Lesbian Avengers website, it appears this Burlington, Vermont event occurred on October 14^th and 15^th of 1993, as part of a Freedom Ride the group organized. This event featured a potluck dinner, and asked participants to “help show the Leaf Peepers there’s a lesbian under every leaf!” GOOD condition. Heavy browning/toning along the extremities. Minor curling at the corners. $125.00

#3 Black Panthers, Black Power

Political Prisoners Defense Fund. Free the Detroit “15.” Bail Money Needed. Black Panther Party Handbill. National Committee to Combat Fascism, Publisher. Detroit: no date, presumed circa 1970. 8 ½ by 11 inches. Printed on both sides. One side features a reproduced photo of Huey Newton and two smaller illustrations, with the other side bearing two larger illustrations. This includes one reminiscent of work by Emory Douglas, depicting the back of a woman holding a baby up to her shoulder, with the baby holding onto a pistol. A flier raising awareness to the plight of the Detroit 15, as well as raising money for their legal issues. With one side soliciting bail money, along with the Huey Newton photo and a quote, “The spirit of the people is greater than man’s technology.” The other side features a brief description of the plight of the Detroit 15 and a list of 14 names, perhaps members of the 15. Another illustration on this side depicts three African American men throwing grenades at fleeing pigs. The Detroit 15 were members of the Detroit chapter of the Black Panther Party, who were jailed because of an incident between Detroit police and members of the National Committee to Combat Fascism (NCCF), which resulted in the “Detroit 15” being arrested for murder. The NCCF was the Detroit chapter of the Black Panther Party. While smaller than most chapters, due in part to the presence of other more established civil rights groups and Black Power organizations, the Detroit police engaged in illegal harassment and violence against the group, to discredit and disband the organization. This 1970 event was the culmination of the friction between the two groups. All 15 were tried and acquitted on murder charges, although three were convicted of felony assault. GOOD condition. Horizontal fold crease present. Moderate uneven toning. Some creasing at the corners and minor wrinkling. Small tear at one edge of the center fold. $300.00

#4 Pinbacks, Black Panthers

Free Bobby. Black Panther Party Pinback. No publisher, place or date. Perhaps circa 1970. Pinback, dayglow green with red lettering and a safety pin style back. 1 5/8 inches in diameter. Iconic image of a black panther in the center of the pinback. A pinback presumably issued in support of Black Panther Party leader, Bobby Seale, who was incarcerated for contempt of court during his trial in 1969. Unusual design for this pinback, with lettered curved along the curl, as opposed to straight, which is most often seen. VERY GOOD+ with light scuffing to the face, and minor tarnishing to the reverse. $100.00

#5 Motorcycle Club, Counterculture

Land-Lord's Chapter 2 Motorcycle Club, Trenton, New Jersey Event Flyer. Land-Lord's, presumed publisher. Trenton, NJ: 1978. Single sheet, 8 ½ by 12 1/8 inches. Thin paper stock. Printed on a single side only. A flyer for a disco and awards event held by the Land-Lord's Chapter 2 Motorcycle Club in Trenton, New Jersey on December 9^th, 1978. With an upper center illustration of what is presumed to be the club’s emblem. The event featured a disco, raffles for money and ½ gallons of alcohol, awards for most represented club, farthest distance club, best dressed hog, best dressed chopper, etc. Unfortunately, not much could be found out about this club, except that they enjoyed disco and a funky good time. GOOD condition. Many horizontal and vertical fold creases present, with other wrinkling and creasing. Moderate soiling and some staining, especially to the reverse. Light general fading. $150.00

#6 LGBTQ+, Feminism

Lesbiot: Israeli Lesbians Speak. The Workmen’s Cirle/Arbeter Ring Event Flyer Sunday, April 21. Workmen’s Circle, New Directions Branch 1092, Publisher. Los Angeles: no date, perhaps 1990s. Single sheet, pink paper stock. A flyer advertising a program of readings on the experiences of Israeli lesbians with sexuality, feminism, Judaism and other subjects. Also noted is that there was to be a short meeting of Branch 1092, where a resolution supporting same-gender marriage was on the agenda. The Workmen’s Circle, now known as the Worker’s Circle, was formed in 1900 as an organization supporting economic and social justice issues. VERY GOOD condition. A few small creases present. $30.00

#7 LGBTQ+, LA Bears

Bears L.A. Gay Men’s Group Collection of 18 Vernacular Photographs, plus duplicates. No publisher, photographer, place or date, although this is presumed to be in Los Angeles, circa 1996 (based on a date on a flyer in one photo). Color photos, 3 by 5 inches. A collection of candid photos from what appears to be a gathering of members of the nonprofit Bears LA. Founded in 1993, the organization strives to provide community and camaraderie, while also actively supporting community service and charitable causes. The organization also sponsors an annual Mr. Bear LA and Mr. LA Leather Bear contest. Most of the men are clad in leather in these photos, with the pictures focusing on a few men in particular. It appears this may have been a party of some sort, with a good time apparently had by all! NEAR FINE with very little wear. NOTE: faces blurred for privacy. $125.00

#8 African American, Cabinet Card Photography

African American Woman Cabinet Card (F.B.D.?). David H. Swartz. Columbus, TX: no date, although a handwritten 1883 appears on the reverse. 4 1/8 by 2 ½ inches. A cabinet card photograph depicting a young African American woman. The reverse bears the handwritten initials F.B.D. and the handwritten dates November 17^th 1883 and November 24^th 1883. The stamp of photographer David H. Swartz on the reverse, with the location being Columbus, Texas. A Lone Star Copying House stamp is also present, although this appears to be from the same era. David Swartz was a prominent photographer in Texas, especially in the Fort Worth, Texas area. He and two of his brothers had studios in Fort Worth, and actively solicited business from African Americans in the area. PROVENANCE: none really. This came in a collection of other tintypes and cabinet card photographs of African Americans, with a few of the later photos indicating they were taken in New Orleans and Waco, Texas. There is no indication as to whether these were family photos, or photos collected by an individual. VERY GOOD condition. General toning, fading, minor soiling and rubbing to the photo. $300.00

#9 Feminism, Performance Art, Avant Garde Theater

Various authors. At the Foot of the Mountain Newsletter. Fall, 1985. Volume 11, Number 1. At the Foot of the Mountain Presents Neurotic Erotic Exotics. At the Foot of the Mountain, Publisher. Minneapolis: 1985. Side folding tabloid newspaper format. 12 pp. Black and white photos and illustrations throughout. A newsletter/newspaper style piece issued by the feminist theater, At the Foot of the Mountain. Founded in 1974, the theater focused on producing and writing plays centered on women, women’s issues and feminism. The theater closed in 1991. This issue features news on the presentation of a collaboration with Spiderwoman Theatre, a play titled “Neurotic Erotic Exotics.” As the byline notes, it was by and about women of color, focusing on the experiences of indigenous women. Spiderwoman Theater was an indigenous women’s performance troupe founded in 1976. Other pieces in this discuss the staff and members of At the Foot of the Mountain, other productions, etc. GOOD+ condition. Horizontal fold crease present. Moderate general toning. $50.00

#10 Hip Hop Ephemera

Brownside Eastside Drama Album Promotional Sticker. East Town Records. Los Angeles: 1997. Single sheet, 7 by 5 inches. Unused sticker. A promotional sticker for the hip-hop band Brownside and their debut album Eastside Drama. According to Wikipedia, Brownside was formed in 1993 by hip-hop legend Eazy-E, in an attempt to create a Chicano version of N.W.A. Several of the original members died (one murdered) after the formation of Brownside, and this, their first album, did not appear until 1997. VERY GOOD condition. Minor toning. A few tiny creases at the corners. $35.00