The Dowry System in India

[Ochre Design] Gupta, Malini, book artist.
You Are Invited.
Portland: Ochre Design, 2025.

Number 1 of 25 copies signed and dated by the book artist. Malini Gupta writes: "A little bit about me: Originally from India, I moved to the U.S. in 2002 to study Communication Design at the Pacific Northwest College of Art, Portland, OR. What began as a thesis project for my degree has since evolved into both my passion and profession—creating artist books. My deep interest in this medium also led me to pursue a Post-Baccalaureate in Book Arts at Oregon College of Art & Craft. Through my limited-edition artist books, I explore gender-related issues in India and beyond. Weaving stories that resonate with themes of women’s rights, patriarchy, sexism and gender inequality. My artist books serve as a reflection of personal cultural experiences and outdated societal norms. One of the books “From Familir to Unfamiliar” is about gender biases that exist in India and how it results in sexual violence towards women. You can read more about my website: https://ochreartdesign.com/artist-books. You Are Invited, my latest work, was recently completed and is a companion piece to my earlier work, The Fortune Teller. My work is collected by numerous private collectors and public institutions in the US, Canada and Europe."  

She says about this deeply felt and beautifully produced book: "Through 'You Are Invited', I explore the deeply entrenched dowry system in India, exposing its dehumanizing impact on women and how it shapes their societal worth. The book weaves storytelling through poetry, presents statistics on dowry-related violence and deaths, and brings real-life cases to light via QR codes. These dynamic QR codes update annually, ensuring the book evolves with the latest reports and remains a living document of this ongoing issue. Intertwined with my own personal experiences, the book also incorporates symbolic elements of Indian weddings-sarees bound within its pages, Hindu prayer mantras, henna patterns, flower petals resting at the bottom of the box, and a final saree infused with itar (Indian perfume). This multi-sensory approach immerses the reader in the beauty and rituals of an Indian wedding while pulling back the curtain to reveal the harsh realities hidden beneath the surface." The book is a coptic stitch handbound book in a custom pink acrylic box. The box is adorned with a small glittering ornament attached to gold threads. The text is part letterpress printed and part digitally printed on Mohawk Viai Felt paper. In fine condition. Measures 8.25 x 8.25 x1.5 inches. Unpaginated. Fine. (#38152)

Price: $850.00

The Work of a Great English Press

[Old School Press] Ould, Martyn.
Printing at the University Press, Oxford 1660 - 1780 Three Volumes.
Seaton, U.K. Old School Press, 2015, 2018, 2019.

Number 41 of 50 deluxe copies, with another 200 copies in the standard edition, initialed by Martyn Ould. This monumental work is the first definitive narrative about work at one of the greatest of English presses. The author/publisher writes on his website: In November 2013 Oxford University Press published a major four-volume history of itself. In 2008 I had been asked to write a chapter for volume I, specifically about the operation of the printing side during the hugely important period from 1668 to 1780 which began with the formation of the free-standing Press under John Fell and his partners. As I worked on my chapter it became apparent that, although historian Harry Carter and bibliographer Falconer Madan had delved into many aspects of the topic, their coverage was fragmented, scattered here and there through their writings. There was evidently no single continuous narrative that told the story of the day-to-day business of printing. It is that gap that this book now fills. This title, the most ambitious in its research and extent from The Old School Press, is a three-volume work. Volume I covers three key resources of the Press (in particular the Learned Press) and their development: the premises they occupied and how they were used, the management organisation that ran the Press, and the paper it used and its sources. Volume II covers the type it used and its sources. Each of these resources is dealt with chronologically in order to show the changes that occurred and why, as well as providing the foundations for the third volume. Volume III covers the processes of the Learned Press, detailing how a book progressed from its author's copy, via compositor, corrector, press-crew, and rolling-press man to the Warehouse ready for sale.

Throughout my researches I have aimed at basing the entire narrative in contemporary documents, rather than relying on later commentators and writers. I have tried to let the players of the time speak for themselves through their letters, notes, and accounts, and also to provide the necessary background to what was happening at the time both in Oxford and the wider world as it impinged on work at the Press. Each of the three volumes contains reproductions of manuscripts from Oxford University Press archives, Oxford University archives, and the Bodleian Library, all published for the first time. There were 200 copies in the standard edition. This is one of fifty copies of the deluxe edition It is bound in quarter black leather with covers in black, white and gray marbled paper done by Jenna Lewis. The volume is accompanied in a brown cloth covered slipcase with additional material in a separate volume: with volume I there is Correspondence on Paper, transcriptions of a collection of hitherto unpublished correspondence from the London paper dealers to the Press in the 1670s; with volume II a portfolio of leaves from books printed across the period illustrating the changes in types and typography; and with volume III an extended essay - Learning about Printing - on the business planning done by Fell's partner Thomas Yate at the time that they set up their press in 1671-2, including many clues to productivity and pay at the time. The text was set in Monotype 12/14 point Van Dijick and printed on Mohawk Superfine paper at Gloucester Typesetting. The binding was executed by Ludlow Bookbinders. Volume I in fine condition save for three small brown marks on the fore-edge of Volume I. All volumes measure 8.5 x 11 inches. Volume I: 153 pages including the index. Volume II in fine condition. 153 pages including the colophon. Volume III in fine condition. 194 pages including the colophon. Fine. (#38137)

Price: $1,800.00

The Terrible Legacy of Agent Orange in Vietnam

Thomas, C. David, design, essay, and artwork; Catherine Karnow, introduction.
Agent Orange: An American Legacy in Vietnam.
[Wellesley, MA]: C. David Thomas, 2015.

Number 40 of 50 copies, signed and numbered by the artist. A powerful artists' book on the harmful effects of Agent Orange, the deadly dioxin contaminated defoliant used in Vietnam between 1961 and 1971. It includes the book artist's personal experiences in Vietnam and exposure to Agent Orange, facts about Agent Orange including the horrible birth defects and diseases it causes, the medicinal value of tiger lilies in Asia, American and Vietnamese law suits against the manufactures of Agent Orange, a list of additional resources, and more.

Excerpt from text: "'Agent Orange' refers to a blend of tactical herbicides the U.S. military sprayed in the jungles of Vietnam and around the Korean demilitarized zone to remove trees and dense tropical foliage that provided enemy cover and to take away food supplies for the enemy. Herbicides were also used by the U.S. military to defoliate military facilities in the U.S. and in other countries as far back as the 1950s. Today, dioxin is known as one of the most deadly synthetic chemicals. Three ounces of dioxin placed in the New York City drinking water supply could wipe out the city’s entire population. (Russell Mokhiber, The Multinational Monitor, April 1987, Volume 8, Number 4).

"About 28 of the former US military bases in Vietnam where the herbicides were stored and loaded onto airplanes may still have high level of dioxins in the soil, posing a health threat to the surrounding communities. Extensive testing for dioxin contamination has been conducted at the former US air bases in Da Nang, Phu Cat, Pleiku, and Bien Hoa. Some of the soil and sediment on the bases have extremely high levels of dioxin requiring remediation. The Da Nang Airbase has dioxin contamination up to 350 times higher than international recommendations for action. The contaminated soil and sediment continue to affect the citizens of Vietnam, poisoning their food chain and causing illnesses, serious skin diseases, and a variety of cancers in the lungs, larynx, and prostate.

"Forty-five years have passed since I left Vietnam in 1970, and thought I had also left that confusing war behind me. But more than four decades later I am still trying to figure out what all that really meant to me and to my country. Increasingly this means learning what we did to the Vietnamese people and their beloved homeland.

"In 1987, I returned to Vietnam for the first time since leaving in 1970. It was during that trip that I met Hanoi artist Le Tri Dung, who showed me some of his powerful paintings depicting horribly deformed fetuses that he believed had been caused by their parents exposure to Agent Orange. This was the first time I had ever thought about the exposure of the Vietnamese to this deadly dioxin. After all, most American soldiers spent less than a year in Vietnam while the Vietnamese people, both military and civilian, young and old have been living, hunting, fishing, and farming this contaminated soil since the 1960s. They eat the fish, ducks and other animals who have been dining on this deadly cocktail of chemicals for decades.

"One half of the profits from the sale of this book will be donated to a group in Vietnam that works with the victims of Agent Orange. An additional one half will be donated to the Indochina Arts Partnership to continue their work of art and cultural exchange between the United States and Vietnam."

This exposed spine accordion book has photographic paper covers. It is inkjet printed with archival ink on archival Arches 88 Silk Screen paper made in France in Myraid Pro type. The images are printed on photographic paper. The book is housed in a lacquered wood and curved composite box made by craftspeople in Hanoi, Vietnam. The lid of the box has been sculpted to resemble a barrel with raised ridges. An orange and black title label is adhered to the box lid. The box is protected by a handmade silk bag made by Vietnamese-American women working at the Southeast Asian Coalition in Worcester, MA. The silk cloth used to make the bag was handwoven in Van Village near Hanoi. Book Size: 6 x 8.5 inches. Box Size: 11 x 8 x 4 inches. 61 pages.

C. David Thomas is a contemporary American painter and printmaker who began exhibiting his work shortly after being released from active duty in Vietnam with the United States Army. He began his military duty in Pleiku with the 20th Engineer Battalion and served as a combat artist and as a soldier. Since then he has returned to Vietnam on many occasions, both as a working artist and as director of the Indochina Arts Partnership, an association which promotes artists' links between America and Vietnam. He is a retired professor of studio art at Emmanuel College. Fine.(#38127)

Price: $1,800.00

Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh. Printed on Vietnamese Do Paper.

Thomas, C. David, design, illustration, and conception; Charles Fenn, introduction and text.
An Artist's Portrait of Ho Chí Minh: May 19, 1890 - September 3, 1969.
Wellesley, MA / Vietnam: C. David Thomas, 2001.

Number 9 of 10 artist's proofs, signed by the artist and author. The edition was printed in a limited edition of 100 copies. A fascinating artists' book on Ho Chi Minh (1890 - 1969), a Vietnamese communist politician who served as the founder and first president of Vietnam from 1945 until his death. It was prepared by the artist, a Vietnam veteran and advocate for the Vietnamese people, and Charles Fenn, American biographer of Ho Chi Minh. The project was undertaken and developed due to a lack of publications available about Ho Chi Minh. It includes passages from Ho's fictional diary, based on factual information which is cited on each page. (The collaborators note that even though the diary is based on historical documents, it should not be taken literally.) The book also includes a chronology of Vietnam prior to Ho's birth, a chronology of Ho's life, map of Vietnam, poetry written by Ho while he was in prison in China in 1942-43, poems by several of Vietnam's leading poets, as well as stories told by Mr. Vu Ky and Mr. Dinh Duong Dinh, two of Ho's closest friends. Introductions, many illustrations, biographies of both collaborators, and acknowledgments are also included. A visually stunning, humanizing, and innovative way to learn about the life and impact of one of the most important leaders of the twentieth century.

Unbound pages, as issued. Printed on Vietnamese Do (mulberry) paper handmade in Dong O Village in northern Vietnam. The images are inkjet printed and the text was letterpress printed in Monotype Bembo by Wolfe Editions in Portland, ME. The pages are housed in a black lacquer box handmade by craftsmakers in Thanh Tri Village near Hanoi. The title of the book in red and gold is on the top lid. Each lacquer box is made in the centuries-old method of using wood covered with coarsely woven silk followed by thirteen coats of lacquer. Between coats of lacquer the box is hand sanded with water sandpaper until the final layer which is done by using charcoal powder and bare hands. The box is contained in a handmade silk slipcover, also made in Vietnam. The silk used for the slipcover was handwoven in Van Phuc Village near Hanoi. The case is held closed with two wooden clasps. The case Size: 13.25 x 11.25 x 2.25 inches. 118 pages (half text and half illustrations).

C. David Thomas is a contemporary American painter and printmaker who began exhibiting his work shortly after being released from active duty in Vietnam with the United States Army. He began his military duty in Pleiku with the 20th Engineer Battalion and served as a combat artist and as a soldier. Since then he has returned to Vietnam on many occasions, both as a working artist and as director of the Indochina Arts Partnership, an association which promotes artists' links between America and Vietnam. He is a retired professor of studio art at Emmanuel College. Fine.(#38128)

Price: $3,000.00

Teddy Roosevelt Exploring Brazil

Roosevelt, Theodore.
Through the Brazilian Wilderness.
London: John Murray, 1914.

First English edition of this fascinating work by Roosevelt recounting his expedition through the Brazilian hinterland that he called a zoogeographic reconnaissance. The official title of the expedition, as given it by the Brazilian government was Expedicão Scientifica Roosevelt-Rondon. This relatively scarce book has 39 illustrations and 2 maps. The illustrations were from photographs by Kermit Roosevelt and other members of the expedition. Roosevelt writes that in the spring of 1913 he accepted invitations conveyed through the governments of Argentina and Brazil to address certain learned bodies in those countries. It then occurred to him that instead of making a conventional tourist trip purely by sea around South America, that after he finished his lectures he would come north through the middle of the continent into the valley of the Amazon. And thus he did and this informative and interesting book relates the adventures and experiences he and his party had during this expedition. He writes of the wild animals, fish, and birds that would be encountered, most notably piranhas.

Bound in dark green cloth with titling to spine in gilt and to front cover in black. The covers have rubbing and light bumping and a crease to the upper right edge of the front cover, and small split to top of spine. Front hinge is slightly cracked but text block is quite firm. Top text page edges are trimmed but the fore-edge and bottom page edges are untrimmed. Text pages are clean and bright, and the black and white photographs are also bright. There is offsetting to the title page from a tissue guard. A very nice copy in near fine condition. Measures 6 x 9 inches. 374 pages including index. Near Fine. (#38146)

Price: $250.00

Letters Between Bruce Rogers and Emery Walker

Dreyfus, John, editor introduction.
Typographical Partnership: Ten Letters Between Bruce Rogers and Emery Walker 1907-31 Together with an Unpublished Fragment of Bruce Rogers' Bye-ways of Book-Making.
Cambridge, England: University Printing House, 1971.

One of 350 copies printed for the Carl H. Pforzheimer Library at the University Printing House. An interesting compilation of letters exchanged between Bruce Rogers and Emery Walker, two of the most noted figures in the early 20th century world of books. Bound in quarter brown cloth over multi-colored marbled paper covered boards, with gilt tilting to spine. Composed in monotype Centaur type designed by Bruce Rogers. With a few trivial stains on the boards otherwise a fine copy. The Carl & Lily Pforzheimer Foundation book plate is affixed to the front pastedown. Fine (#38187)

Price: $95.00

Establishing the British Protectorate in New Guinea

Lyne, Charles E.
New Guinea: An Account of the Establishment of the British Protectorate over the Southern Shores of New Guinea.
London: Sampson Low, Marston, Searle & Rivington, 1885.

This relatively scarce work is an important account of the establishment of the British Protectorate over New Guinea by Commodore J.E. Erskine in November of 1884, also giving a description of the country and its inhabitants. In his preface the author writes that the contents of this book were gathered by him in his capacity of Special Commissioner to the Sydney Morning Herald, and was the only accredited newspaper correspondent traveling with the expedition. He hopes that the book will prove to be interesting to the general reader and also valuable to anyone contemplating visiting or settling in this important addition to the British Empire. The expedition's ship, the Nelson, cruised along almost the whole of the southern coast and as far eastward as East Cape, visiting various centers of population to become acquainted with the natives and their modes of existence.

Bound in light orange cloth with gilt titling to spine. Covers have some bumping to corners and light tears to top and bottom of spine. Pastedown and front endpapers have stamping by Osgood G. MacDonald of Vancouver, BC and of The Trading Bureau in North Vancouver. Foxing to front and rear endpapers. The text pages are generally clean and bright save for a black smear on the blank part of page 130. The gutters are cracked in several places but the text block is firm. With a frontipiece scene, a preliminary photo of the ship and several plates of scenes from New Guinea, for a total of nine black and white plates. Despite noted flaws still generally very good condition. Measures 5 x 7.5 inches. 238 pages. Very Good. (#38171)

Price: $200.00

A Period Piece of Photographs from the Victorian Era

Late Victorian Era Photo Album.
circa 1890.

A lovely vintage photo album bound in purple cloth with illustrated hard cover front board featuring the image of peasant girl holding yellow roses. Unusual for albums of this period, the metal spring clasp is in working order. Includes 21 photographs (6 x 4 inches), 8 small (about 3.5 x 2.5), and one tintype. The photographs are (mostly) unlabeled and feature portraits of men, women, children, and babies. The pages are mounted on linen hinges and the hinges are somewhat brittle. One page is detached. All of the pages feature attractive blue floral illustrations to the borders. Chipping and tears to paper around the photographs due to inserting and removing them over the years. Browning and foxing to pages and to several photographs. Several photo slots are empty. Minor rubbing and wear to boards and edges. Overall, a well preserved album. About 30 pages. Full edges gilt. Very Good. (#38164)

Price: $200.00

Limited Edition Plates from the Morison Copperplates at the Bodleian

[Old School Press] Nottingham, Jim, printing of the plates and descriptions of the plates; Scott Mandelbrote, introduction and bibliographical notes; Stephen Harris, botanical notes to the engravings;.
Plates for a Herbal.
Seaton U.K. Old School Press, 2024.

Number 48 of 79 copies numbered 1 - 79, each containing five of the twelve plates that are pulls from the original Morison Copperplates,"taken with the permission of The Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford where the original Herbal resides. There were a further seven hors de commerce copies lettered A to G, each containing all twelve plates. This is a beautiful work that pays admiring homage to the Herbal and the original engravings from Robert Morison's "Plantarum Historiae Universalis Oxoniensis" of 1680 and 1690. The book opens with an introduction to Morison's Herbal, which its writer, Scott Mandelbrote, calls one of the most significant publishing projects undertaken in late seventeenth-century England. There follows a section that describes each plate, including a discussion of that particular plant along with details about the plate itself. The sections describe fritillaries, cabbages, sunflowers, gingers, mixed monocots, carrots, mints, monk's hoods, orchids, chillies [sic], cyclamens, and mosses and lichens.

The text volume has dark blue cloth covers, with a white spine and silver titling to front cover. Following the book are the five plates pulled from the originals chosen for this copy, held in a sleeve; along with them is a booklet containing photographic reproductions of pulls of all twelve plates, reduced to 67% and digitally printed. Both the book and the plates are held in slip case covered in the same blue cloth as the book, with a white title label to spine. The text was hand-set in Monotype Van Dijck type and printed on antique Rives BFK paper. The binding was executed by Ludlow Bookbinders. The Old School Press has inserted a note to the readers informing them that the paper on which the book's text is printed was rescued from other defunct printing house of St. Hugh's Charterhouse monastery in Sussex. The printing house closed its doors in the 1960s and the paper then remained in less than ideal conditions. As a result some sheets show some staining. The pages in this copy show no staining and the book and plates are in fine condition. Folio measuring 12.5 x 18.5 inches. Unpaginated. Fine. (#38139)

Price: $800.00

Microscopic Ice Crystals from the Antarctic

Sollod, Ellen, book artist.
Field Study: Ice Crystals of Antartctica Volume 2.
Seattle: Ellen Sollod, [2025].

One of two copies signed and numbered by the book artist. This unusual book depicts ice crystals from Antarctica. The original sorce images were photographed under a microscope by a University of Washington atmospheric scientist during a three month sojourn in 1992. He allowed the book artist to modify his source images for this book. She chose to use a cyanotype process because of the relationship of water and light, which seemed fitting for the depiction of ice crystals.With blue and white paper covers with the title in a box on the front cover. The book has a flutter book structure and has cyanotypes on Canson Acquarelle paper. Colophon on transparent paper is slipped in. In fine condition. Measures 6.25 x 4 inches. Fine. (#38136)

Price: $400.00