Gertrude Steele (6 results)

No Binding. Condition: VG+. VL-51. A VG or better original 8 x 10 still. Size: 8" x 10". Photographic Image.

Soft cover. Condition: Near Fine. 1st Edition. Stiff b&w pictorial wraps, perfect-bound variant. Front cover photograph by Carl Van Vechten of Ruth Bower's painting celebrating Joyce's Finnegans Wake. This copy emerges directly from the inventory of Frances Steloff's Gotham Book Mart, never circulated and showing only the slight shelf wear that one might expect of a bookseller's catalog printed nearly 80 years ago. Gotham's 20th-anniversary catalog, which, as W. G. Rogers writes in his biography of Steloff, "served to establish Gotham Book Mart among avant-gardists" and so captivated the New York publishing world that it gained mention in the New York Times Book Review. Introductory notes by Steloff and Kay Steele, Gertrude Stein, and Samuel Putnam, with sub-introductions to individual sections of the catalog by Dudley Fitts, William Carlos Williams, and Whit Burnett. Sections on literary Modernism, anthologies, writing, Surrealism, and little magazines. 90 pp. Size: 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. Book.…

Spiral Bound. Condition: Near Fine. 1st Edition. Stiff b&w pictorial wraps, spiral-bound. Front cover photograph by Carl Van Vechten of Ruth Bower's painting celebrating Joyce's Finnegans Wake. This copy emerges directly from the inventory of Frances Steloff's Gotham Book Mart, never circulated and showing only the slight shelf wear that one might expect of a bookseller's catalog printed nearly 80 years ago. Gotham's 20th-anniversary catalog, which, as W. G. Rogers writes in his biography of Steloff, "served to establish Gotham Book Mart among avant-gardists" and so captivated the New York publishing world that it gained mention in the New York Times Book Review. Introductory notes by Steloff and Kay Steele, Gertrude Stein, and Samuel Putnam, with sub-introductions to individual sections of the catalog by Dudley Fitts, William Carlos Williams, and Whit Burnett. Sections on literary Modernism, anthologies, writing, Surrealism, and little magazines. 90 pp. Size: 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. Book.…

Spiral Bound. Condition: Near Fine. 1st Edition. Stiff b&w pictorial wraps, spiral-bound. Front cover photograph by Carl Van Vechten of Ruth Bower's painting celebrating Joyce's Finnegans Wake. This copy emerges directly from the inventory of Frances Steloff's Gotham Book Mart, never circulated and showing only the slight shelf wear that one might expect of a bookseller's catalog printed nearly 80 years ago. Gotham's 20th-anniversary catalog, which, as W. G. Rogers writes in his biography of Steloff, "served to establish Gotham Book Mart among avant-gardists" and so captivated the New York publishing world that it gained mention in the New York Times Book Review. Introductory notes by Steloff and Kay Steele, Gertrude Stein, and Samuel Putnam, with sub-introductions to individual sections of the catalog by Dudley Fitts, William Carlos Williams, and Whit Burnett. Sections on literary Modernism, anthologies, writing, Surrealism, and little magazines. 90 pp. Size: 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. Book.…

Card Covers. Condition: Fine-. Twentieth anniversary catalogue issued by the famous midtown Manhattan bookstore and cultural landmark, one of 500 unnumbered copies in spiral binding, from a total edition of 5,500. Introductory notes by Frances Steloff and Kay Steele, Gertrude Stein, Samuel Putnam, Dudley Fitts, William Carlos Williams, and Whit Burnett. Crown 8vo (197 x 134mm): 3-88,[2]pp. Wire-bound pictorial card covers (as issued), featuring Carl Van Vechten's photograph of Ruth Bower's painting "The Life of the Party at Finnegans Wake," created to celebrate publication of Joyce's novel in 1939. This copy reputedly from the inventory of Gotham Book Mart and never circulated. Regardless, a superb survival (barely rubbed), tightly bound and clean throughout. Sales catalogue no. 42 for more than 1,200 items, featuring first editions, presentation copies, letters, and manuscripts, as well as little magazines and anthologies of American, English and Continental authors, with personal recollections and commentary from prominent critics, including Kay Boyle, John Dos Passos, Sherwood Anderson, Dorothy Norman, and Ezra Pound, on an array of Modernist authors. The catalogue is credited with helping to shape the Modernist canon. Beyond merely selling books, Gotham Book Mart, opened by Steloff in 1920, served as literary salon, hosting meetings of the Finnegans Wake Society and the James Joyce Society, poetry and author readings, and art exhibitions, with Steloff distributing copies of banned books, including Lady Chatterley's Lover and Tropic of Cancer. The store specialized in poetry, literature, and books about theater, art, music, and dance. It sold both new books and out-of-print and rare books. N. B. With few exceptions (always identified), we only stock books in exceptional condition, carefully preserved in archival, removable mylar sleeves. All orders are packaged with care and posted promptly. Satisfaction guaranteed. (Fine Editions Ltd is a member of the Independent Online Booksellers Association, and we subscribe to its codes of ethics.). …

Hardcover. Condition: Good. On offer are two diaries written in the early years of the 20th century, written by Gertrude Steele, wife of Dr. John Murray Steele USN. Gertrude Steele was born in 1865 and passed away in 1931 at the age of 66. Her husband had graduated as a medical doctor from the University of Pennsylvania in 1875 and had immediately joined the U. S. Navy, rising to the rank of Commander. They lived in Annapolis, MD. Our informal research has not turned up any additional biographical information. The first diary dates from 1916. Her entries show that she enjoyed a good standard of living, reflective of her husband's standing in the community. Her entries are replete with the names of her many friends and acquaintances: "An ideal spring day - washed and shopping - then I met Connie Johnston and walked around with her to Carolyn's - & there C&D were so cordial & made us stay to lunch - I enjoyed it very much" [May 12]; "Rae went to S>S with a little girl { } Jeffers and L & I went to see [ ] church. After tea, we walked to College grounds and then came back in time to hear Mus" [July 2]; "I woke up from my day of pleasure [ ] putting in a full day today unpacking and selecting things" [Sept 21]; "John took me to Rosewood where Dr. Herring (of State Lunacy Commission) spoke - then we went to Hatties to spend the night - as she is giving Rae a birthday dinner - just ourselves - was lovely - ghosts and spooks and cake with black cats" [Oct 31]. The second diary is a 5-year diary covering the years 1923-1927. It includes the year that her husband died. It certainly shows that Steele had a wide social circle and that she was active in meeting and spending time with her friends. The diary is simply crammed with entries and margins were not off limits to her writing: "Busy as a bee - at 9 had to go to music lesson - J brought us some lobster salads for lunch - it was so good G & I went out to Hattie's [ ] was feeling badly" [Feb 17, 1923]; "A heavy snow storm but John is going to sail on the "Allegheny" [Feb 19, 1924]; "Kate called for me in Hatties car. Took us to lunch . M picked me up and George, B and I and Flynn & M took lots of things out to the country. They are next to [ ] all night. J and I played [ ]" [Mar 24, 1923]; "At 9: 30 A. M. John called . We all came quickly . Said he wanted a doctor . At 12: 30 he was gone" [Dec 19, 1927]. Throughout the dairies, there are newspaper clippings noting travels of individuals, attendees at balls, etc. These diaries paint an excellent picture of a woman's busy life in these early years of the 20th century. A social historian would find them simply packed with details of life among the more well-to-do members of her society. For a genealogist, it is a rich trove of names and connections, especially valuable as they are New England families where records are extensive. This is an excellent resource for a Women's Studies program as it very clearly shows the roles women played in that society at that time. The 1916 diary measures 7.5x5", contains 183 pages plus memoranda and is 100% complete and in good condition. The 1923-1927 diary measures 7.5x5", has 365 pages and is 100% complete. It is in fair to good condition. ; Manuscripts; 8vo 8" - 9" tall.…