OT11: The Monk and the Hangman’s Daughter

In honour of Germany winning the 2014 Fifa World Cup (despite me backing France), I’ve decided to break out one of the most amazing books I’ve ever picked up from The Monkey’s Paw – a rare translation of a German story.

Teutonic design.

A case to protect the case

Don't foresee a Disney adaptation coming anytime soon.

The Monk and the Hangman’s Daughter is an 1891 novella by German novelist Richard Voss. In 1892, it was translated by Adolphe De Castro who then contacted one of the most interesting literary giants to edit and adapt it – Ambrose Bierce. Ambrose Bierce ranks quite higher on the list of writers I revere. In addition to being a crazy literary critic, having a distinctively dark writing style, and authoring of the greatest short stories of all time, the guy up and disappeared without a trace one. No one knows what happened to him, only that he joined Pancho Villa’s army and apparently felt that that wasn’t interesting enough so he left for an unknown destination after. He was 71.

Five artists on one page.

This 1967 printing of The Monk and the Hangman’s Daughter is a private printing created with an extremely high attention to detail for The Limited Editions Club. Coming with a slipcover that fits into a slipcase, on the shelf it looks like a simple cardbound book. However, the actual book inside the casings is bound in burlap with embossed lettering and symbols.

This photo really doesn't do it justice.

People went into battle with less armour than this in those days.

While the book seems like an archival edition that you would expect to contain no-nonsense black and white text in minimalist fashion, as soon as you open it, you are blasted with an explosion of vivid colours. Containing seven watercolour illustrations by Michel Ciry, it is a gorgeous read through and through. 

Just like a storybook.

Pretty.

Begins well enough.

Minor setback, right?

Just like a German storybook, anyway. Spoiler alert.

It’s not often that one finds a book that engages the senses so well and I’m very fortunate to have snapped this up before someone else did. Apparently it belonged to a notable film/television personality but I can’t for the life of me remember who it was since I was too busy running my hands across the cover when Stephen was telling me about it. Burlap really does make an incredible binding.

S17: The Proterozoic in Canada

History books from the Biblio-Mat are often dry and textbook in nature. This week’s submission is no exception.

Book: The Proterozoic in Canada

Submitted by: Trevor S.

Published in 1957 by The Royal Society of Canada, it looks like a regal tome with a nice green binding bearing a seal. Inside, it looks like there’s a good amount of images to offset the text, which is probably a good thing as a book published in the 50’s delving into the details of earth circa two billion years ago needs all the help it can get (there were rocks… some water… more rocks…). 

At least there are maps, and who doesn’t like maps?

S16: Winner Take All

On the eve of Canada Day here’s a submission celebrating some of what makes this country awesome – vast swaths of wilderness to commune with nature.

Book: Winner Take All: The Trans-Canada Canoe Trail

Submitted by: Wesley Fok

Site: http://www.promisememayor.ca/

Written by David Lavender and published in 1977, this is one one of the books in the American Trails Series. A few blurbs from inside:

"First and last it was a commercial highway and in that respect unique in the English-speaking world. Commerce was not the whole of the story, however. Adventure, challenge, spaciousness, contact with the Indians among whom many of the men found enduring loves, the white immensity of winter, the flash of sunlit water across granite boulders--those things, too, were part of the lure.

Innocent in their greed, the trail's creators were the first despoilers of native life, both animal and Indian. But they were not aware of what they were doing--a doing that many of them cherished intensely. 'They pulled the wilderness round them like a cloak,' wrote historian Bernard De Voto; 'they wore its beauty like a crest.' "

                        --Prologue: A Long Trail Awinding

OT10: Alice in Wonderland

Recently I ran into a collector of Lewis Carroll’s works and was reminded of a couple books I picked up last year and really should have showcased them sooner.

Not a matched pair but close.

Just a pair of brothers in politics, right?

About this time last year The Monkey’s Paw threw an Alice in Wonderland themed tea party, complete with delicious Eat Me cookies and mysterious Drink Me elixirs (it was tequila. It’s always tequila…). Along with the food and dressing up, they also put up a table full of antiquarian and hard to find editions of Carroll’s works.

Apparently Carroll in Latin is still Carroll.

Coming in a bit late, I missed out on the Chinese copies and some Slavic ones with gorgeous watercolour plates but did manage to score these two Latin copies of Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass.

Who doesn't like playing with text?

The useful languages.

Alice in Wonderland ranks quite high on the list of children’s books I grew up on, placing somewhere above Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and just under The Little Prince (both of which were also read to me in Chinese by my mother when I was a kid). Whenever I come across a unique or old edition I tend to snap it up and add it to my collection so when I saw these they were instant buys.

Almost a useful tutorial.

Poems are kind of easy when everything ends in o's and m's.

Who knows, one day I might want to learn Latin and children’s books are always handy for picking up a new language. There’s gotta be a market for people who know dead languages, right?

Goo Goo G'joob.

S15: A Manual of Engineering Drawing For Students and Draftsmen

As they say, you can’t win ‘em all. While this week’s Biblio-Mat book may not be the most exciting, but at least it's somewhat interesting (if you are into engineering drawings of sorts. There’s a niche for everything, right?). Always remember, though, things could be worse.

Book: A Manual of Engineering Drawing For Students and Draftsmen

Submitted by: Pat Healy

From Pat:

This tome by Thomas E. French was surprisingly dry. I know you can't judge a book by its cover, but you kinda can by its title. The full title when you open up the book is "A Manual of Engineering Drawing for Students and Draftsmen." Now maybe it's because I'm neither a student nor a draftsman, but I get the feeling that Mr. French was definitely not trying to rope anybody in who was outside of his target demographic.

I am torn about whether to leave this book in the drawer at my hotel room (the Gideons haven't gotten here yet to leave a Bible) or to bring it to my grandfather's grave (he was a draftsman of sorts). It's kinda heavy and as far as I know, dead people don't read, so I'm thinking I'll go with the former option. Or maybe I'll just read it and go to his gravesite and tell him what I've learned. Yeah, that's what I'll do. Here goes ... Commence reading!

Okay, "Preface to the Sixth Edition ... In the successive editions of this book the aim has been to keep abreast of modern engineering practice, adding new material in text and problems with each revision. Quoting from the previous preface, a course in drawing consists essentially of a series of problems given in connection with assigned study of ....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz"

S14: Wood’s Natural History (Revisited!)

It was the Dundas West Street Festival this weekend so I dropped by for the collage party at the Monkey’s Paw and of course had to try my luck with the Biblio-Mat while I was there. Lo and behold, a blast from the past:

Once again, not a book about the history of wood.

Title: Wood’s Natural History

It’s rare for the Biblio-Mat to vend out books that are similar and even rarer that the same title would be in there, let alone make itsway to the hands of someone who received another edition a year ago. But then again, the Biblio-Mat is nothing if not random.

Next year I hope to get the 1910 edition.

Still creepy.

The funny thing is that the one I got last year was published in 1912, the revised edition to this 1911 one. Both had the nameplates on the cover filled in but this copy was more legible. 

Yep, definitely from the 1910's cause in 30 years...

Smaller and more wood-like.

Overall, a curious addition to the book collection. Who woulda thunk this Wood guy was so popular.

OT9: Collage Party

This Saturday marks the annual Dundas Street Festival in Toronto and along with it, the annual Monkey’s Paw Collage Party. If you are in the area, I highly recommend checking it out. The Monkey’s Paw will have a table where you can create art out of old and antiquarian books and magazines that Stephen assures are beyond salvage (although people will try).

The details

Date: June 7, 2014 11:00am-4:00pm

Address: The Monkey’s Paw at 1229 Dundas St. West, Toronto

Event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/248245232045317/?ref=25

Even if you’re not into cutting and gluing up old texts in the name of art, the Dundas Street Fest still has a lot going on, including street performers, sidewalk sales, and patios upon patios laid out everywhere since they close off the street. Some pics from last year:

My collage, because who doesn't like rhinos?

Another collage form a fellow animal lover.

Street performers everywhere!

A fundraising booth where you could get your portrait
drawn by an elementary schooler for a few bucks.

Of course I had one done.

These two performers busted out a Victorian vibrator and none were
 the wiser except for the Asian guy laughing his ass off at the front.

Patios and stalls everywhere.