Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-11-26
GOLD
in Your
ATTIC
By VAN ALLEN BRADLEY

In the military history Of
the West, the name Of Col.
Alexander William Doniphan
ranks high. A Kentucky born
Missouri lawyer, he organ
lied and led a regiment Of
Missouri volunteers in the
Mexican War on what Stella
Drumm described In the
Dictionary Of American Biog-
raphy" as lone Of the most
brilliant long marches ever
made"
They struck deep into
Mexico, scoring successive
victories, and covered $500
miles by land and 1000 by
water in Il months. The first
edition Of John 7. Hughes
story Of that exploit is one
Of the rarest Of books on the
Mexican campaign. The long,
winded title page reads In
part:
D0NIPHAN'S EXPEDITION;
CONTAINING AN AC-
COUNT OF THE CON-
QUEST OF NEW MEXI-
CO; BY JOHN HUGHES,
ABB, OF THE FIRST
REGIMENT OF MISSOURI
CAVALRY. Drawing Of
picketed hOrse) CINCINNA-
II: PUBLISHED BY J. A.
gu. P. JAMES, WALNUT
ST., BETWEEN FOURTH
& FIFTH. 1847.
The binding is yellow print
ed paper covers. The last
copy to appear at auction
brought $3.50 in 1954-befOre
the big rise In Western book
prices took place in the late
1865.
Have q Question?
H. G.: Your Abel Chap
mans First Lessons in the
Art Of Wildfowling" (London,
1880 is a mildly scarce
hunting book and retails at
around $50.
Mrs. G.H.W.: Your "Auto-
biography and "reminiscences
of Theophilus Noel" (Chi-
cago, 1900 appears to be
quite scarce. The last price
record l have Is from a deal
er's catalogue, which lists
it at $3.50. Noel was a Con-
federate soldier with the
Sibley Brigade.
P. M: Your C. Bruce
loves Breeding Race
horses by the Figure Sys-
TEN london, 1879 is the
second edition of this i'm
portant work and sells at
about $50 at retail If in fine
condition.
J. K: Your J.M.D. Bur-
rOughs' FIFTY Years In
Iowa" Davenport, 1881 is
a scarce book and retails
at around $50 If In fine con-
dition.
Miss P. E. NJ: Your two
volume first edition of Her
man Melville's "Clarel: A
Poem and Pilgrimage in the
Holy Land" New York, 1870
is one Of the scarcer Melville
items. A fine copy in the
original red or green cloth
should be worth SIS to 500
at retail.
Mrs. H. L.: Your Joel
Chandler Harris "Uncle
Remus: His Songs and His
Sayings" New York, 1881
is a first issue Of the first
edition if it bears the head
ing "presumptive" for "pre-
Sumptuous" in the last line
of page 9. Fine copies retail
in the $50 to SIS range.
M. c.: Your Jay Ham
bidges Elements of Dynam-
ic Symmetry" New Ha-
ven, 1948) is getting scarce.
Fine copies retail at around
SIS.
L. S.: Your A. ]. Riefel's
History of Franklin County,
Indiana" indianapolis, 1879
is a $40 book at retail if in
fine condition.
Mrs. X. NJ: Generally speak
ing, 1t is not advisable to re-
bind Gor resale) a book that
can be classified as a col
lector's item, or, in other
words, an important and de-
sirable work Of historical and
literary interest. Collectors
prefer original binding, even
If 1t has some defects, In
most cases. There are in
expensive commercial bind
ers Gas well as hand binders)
listed in classified telephone
books In most large cities.
Fine hand binding is usual
ly quite expensive.
Selected reader questions
tDiI be GnstDered in this COL
a,na.an AII~An. TY-- ATI...