Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-11-19
GOLD
in Your
ATTIC
BY VAN ALLEN BRADLEY

AaACo VI NdpSANAky W NAlC
Indians flOurished on the
frontiers Of America through
the 18th and 18th centuries,
and they remain a prime
source Of interest to hiStori-
ans. Many of them are quite
scare and command good
prices when they come on
the market.
A good example of one Of
these horrendous tales is
Mrs. Hoole Hollands 1880
story of Manuel del Perez,
who was taken by the Co
manches near San Antonio
and escaped several years
later to recount his adven-
lures.
The elaborate title page,
printed partly in florid script,
reads as follows:
THE STOLEN BOY, AN IN
DIAN TALE by Mrs. Hof-
land, author of The Clergy
mans Widow, Merchants
Widow, Blind Farmer &
Children, Alicia & Her Aunt,
William & His Uncle Ben,
Self Denial &c, &c, NEW
YORK, W. B. Gilley, "a
Broad Way.
This small book, bound in
half calf and boards, was
offered recently by a Texas
bookseller at $375. There are
only three other copies on
record.
Mrs. H. G.: The correct
first edition of T. S. Arthur's
"Ten Nights in a Bar Room,
and What Saw There"
philadelphia, 1854 bears the
imprint Of Lippincott and
Bradley. The last price infor-
nation l have indicates a
value Of around $65 for a copy
in fine condition.
M. L. A.: Your George B.
Merrick's "Old Times on the
Upper Mississippi" (Cle ave-
land, 1909 is mildly scarce
and retails at around $S5 If
in fine condition.
Mrs. ]. H.: Your Alfred
Jones 1.-THE Old Silver Of
American Churches" licking
ton, 1879 was printed in an
edition of SOC copies and sells
at around $50 retail.
T. u: Your Alfred Lam
bourne's 1.-THE Old Journey"
(Salt Lake City, 1897 is
SIS book at retail If in fine
condition.
Mrs. ]. p: The valuable
first issue of the first edition
of Edgar Lee Masters
Spoon River Anthology"
New York, 1879 measures
exactly 70 inches across the
top. A fine copy in the origi-
nal dust jacket should be
worth up to 500 at retail;
copies less fine have sold for
as little as $42.5O in recent
years. The Masters market
should be up now, however,
because Of the New York
theatrical production built
around his poems.
Mrs. K. D.: Your first edi-
ton Of Eleanor H. Porter's
"Pollyanpa" Boston, 1879 is
a scarce book in fine condi-
ton, as are almost all popu-
lar children's classics. (They
were read and handled too
much to stay in fine condi-
tom "Pollyanna" firsts
have brought from SIS to $50
in recent years, depending on
condition.
G. H. L.: Your E. W.
Gould's FIFTY Years on the
Mississippi" est. Louis, 1887
is a first edition and scarce.
Fine copies retail in the $40
to $50 range.
Mrs. H. H.: Most dealers
in rare books also handle
autograph materials such as
letters and manuscripts of
famous authors. B. cause
these are almost always
unique, there are no price
lists to 60 by, except for the
auction or sale records of
similar material. It is best to
trust the judgment Of an ex-
perienced dealer.
r. NJ: The first edition of
Ernest Poole'S "The Harbor"
New York, 1879 is scarce
and retaiIs at around $50 in
fine condition.
Selected reader questions
DiH be answered in this COL
umn. Address Van Allen
Bradley in care of The Star.
% 1868, General Features corp.)
Gold in Your Attic oppeors on