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AUTOGRAPH & EPHEMERAL ITEMS & OLD & RARE

DIE PHILOSOPHIE DES UNVOLLENDENBAR  DR. EMMANUE LASKER  Leipzig
Verlag, von Veit, 1919. One of Dr. Lasker's several Philosophical books. No doubt that Lasker was at the professional level in mathematics, but in philosophy, Kurt Rattmann  told me that Dr. Wildhagen, who was a professional  philosopher, told him that Lasker in philosophy "reinvented the wheel" and more or less  was something of a joke among philosophers. 636 p and daunting no doubt, but for those with its first- rate german and equal to the challenge, this book is for you! Scarce!   $80
UNZICKEER, one-page letter, 22861, German, to Dr. Wilhagen.$12




THE BEAUTIES OF CHESS. A COLLECTION OF THE FINEST CHESS PROBLEMS EXTANT, A.  ALEXANDRE    LONDON, 1846.A TRUECOLLECTOR'S ITEM FROM THE  RIMINGTON-WILSON COLLECTION. BOUND IN /4 LEATHER WIT GILT LETTERING & MARBLED ENDPAPERS. DEDICATED TO HIS SINCERE 
GEORGE NELSON CHENEY, chess problem postcards, Icelandic postcards, (full set has 15 cards). Cheyney was killed in action at First Bull Run in 1861 in  the American Civil War. He was a notable early American chess problem1st. These are from that set. $16each, #'s 1, 2, 3,4. I have never seen one used for postage.


INCLUDING UPWARDS OF TWO THOUSAND CURIOUS POSITIONS. A. Alxandre, London, 1846. Bd in elegant, 3/4 leather and gilt lettering and marbled boards. Presented to Johan Lowenthal by his sincere friend  Joseph Beansee Murphy Feb. 27, 1855. Rimimgton Wilson's library.   Sl. rubbed on leading edge. A fine copy, $1975 .(ONE THOUSAND AND NINE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY FIVE DOLLARS.

ANATOLY  KARPOV, on business card of Burt Hochberg. Dated Novmber 24, 1972. Receipt for $30 to analyze one game forChess Life & Review. Signed by Karpov.  $110. 


THE MINOR  TACTICS OF CHESS, Young &  H0well, Although this book is well known as being virtually incomprehensible, being written in the language of military jargon for field generals up to the point of absurdity, it is also worth noting that both authors were actually strong chess players. Includes 15 annotated games with the strange annotations style. p 102 "First angle of resistance( first salient together with first composite supporting parallel) = QNP at.."  h, vg, $45

LOTHAR SCHMID 1973/74 Karl-May-Verlag Christmas card, signed by Lothar, $14
SHAKHMATNAYA IGRA, A. Petrov, Sanktpeterburg, 1824. Facsimile edition, Moscow, 1947.  xii + 165 + 102 + 78 + 20 + xii +(2). With the accompanying small booklet, Aleksandr Petrov I Ego Kniga, Moscow 1947,  16p. With dj. h, exc. The original is rare. $75. b) w/o dj, h, exc, $70.  
TWO CHIMPANZEES PLAYING CHESS, two separate 4.5 x 4-inch B & W photos of  2 chimps playing chess with humorous captions, undated, circa 1930, $10 the pair. 
TLS  HARLOW B. DALY TO  NORMAN T. WHITAKER, Sept. 24, 1973. One page, A laudatory letter concerning Whitaker's book on chess endgames. Signed "Harlow". Harlow was a long-time top New England player (1883-1979) from the time of Pillsbury into the Fischer era. With Envelope addressed to Whitaker.  $25
KARL BAER CHESS BOOK PLATE, Baer was one of the leading chess book collectors in the 1930's to the 1970s in Germany and the US. He was also employed as a librarian in a US Government library. This bookplate shows a bear sniffing at a position on a chess board with the inscription "Da lüstet es Braunnen"  $4
JOHANNES ZUKERTORT - Artist of the Chessboard, Jimmy Adams. Yorklyn, 1989. h, exc, the original edition.534p . This first edition was only 575 copies and is much sought after as one of the red hardback "Great Masters series" Included is the London Times review laid in.  $235. 



SCHACHBÜCHLEIN, Conrad Orell, Aarau, 1840, h, exc, L/N 699. 154p. Although the title page mentions "Mit zehn lithographirten Tabellen", at the end there are ten blank leaves with rectangular impressions but with no tables and no appearance of tables having ever been present. With the bookstamp of the Robert Blass Collection, $295

ALJECHIN - EUWE 1935, by Alekhine & Euwe,   Leiden, 1936,  with two frontispiece photos of Euwe and Alekhine. Dutch. 109p. h, vg, spine strip chipped. A special copy with inscriptions  and notes of the officials for this World Title match incl. the Secretary of the Euwe- Alekhine Committee. $195.

LUCENA, V. Place, Paris, 1922.    h, exc, 32p, a description of this famous chess manuscript  with 3 facsimile pages. Most of the text consists of examples from the text in modern typography. French. Scarce, $175


A  SCANDINAVIAN (?) BOOK WITHOUT A TITLE, h, exc. 8.25 x 11.50 inches.  A book of cartoons of chess players. Since the first three drawings are chess players, along with a few others I assume the remaining are also.  Named ones are Mason, Em. Lasker, "Nimzovitsj"Dr. Krause,Erik Andersen, Kinch, Schiep-Poulsen, Harald Jensen, ?, ?, several players at a blank board, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, likely Duchamp. ?, ?, 2 at the chess board, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, Some of the drawings have the initials "H P".  No other indication as to artist, time or place off publication, $35  .


PRODROMUS - BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THE CHESS KNIGHTS TOUR, S. S. Haldeman, Philadelphia, 1864. Bought from the Whitman Chess Library by Rimington Wilson and given to Lowenthal and bought at Puttick and Simpson again by Rimington Wilson in 1877 as noted (#581) in the Quaritch Catalog # 428. Noted on the front endpapers by Rimington Wilson. A small book bd in full leather, spine rubbed, and  covers scored. Binding sound. 42 pages. Quite scarce. $1950.    This is not just a rare book—it is a particular rare book with a pedigree!

PHILIDOR, LE JEU DES ECHECS, Amsterdam, 1792, xvj + 215 p + fold-out drawing of chess pieces. L/N 453. With a note in ink on pp 213 to 215 in French. 3/4 leather with raised bands; edges rubbed, incipiently loose front cover. $325   DX-1

LEITFADEN FÜR  SCHACHSPIELER, v. d. Lasa, 3rd improved edition, Leipzig, 1862, h, vg.  With chess bookplate of Dr. M. Niemeijer. 251p. Largely devoted to openings, but with some 25 pages on the endgame too. $165.  DX-2

FESTSCHRIFT FOR EGBERT MEISSENBURG, Siegfried Schönle, Vindobona, 2008, small edition, 872p, h, mint, nice binding, fine paper. Invited papers by chess historians, bibliophiles, collectors, players: a tribute to Meissenburg; Meissenburg's Biography in German and English by Schönle; Von der Linde by Althoff; About the Smothered Mate by Yuri Averbakh; Lebendige Dichtung—Stefan Zweigs Schachnovelle  by Jeffrey Berlin; Erinnerungen an Egbert Meissenburg by Christiaan Bijl; Collecting Chess Books—some economic factors by Dale Brandreth; Chess Bibliography by Otto Dietze;Wilhem Hansteine's Collection in Kornik by V.Fiala; Die vergessenen Schachbücher des Peter Heimrich Holthaus by Hans-Jurgen Fresen; Auf dem Schachbrett Petrograds by Dmitry Gorodin; Emanuel Laskers Kritik des Fernschachs by Bernd Gräfrath; Emanuel Laskers Stilbegriff by Robert Hübner; "Warum sollten alle persischen Quellen die Unwahrheit sprechen?" by E. Meissenburg; Emil Joseph Diener. Ein Eiferer zwischen Wahn und Wahrheit by Michael Negele; plus at least a score of other equally valuable articles. $450.I have one copy only.

CHESS PIE - OFFICIAL SOUVENIR OF THE LONDON INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS 1922, Edited by W.H. Watts, London, 1922., p, exc, with plastic protective shield. 92p. And 14 p of interesting ads with some interesting photos incl. one of the old Buckingham Hotel, Frank Hollings Chess Book Salon, photos of P.W. Sergeant, R.C. Griffith, City of London Chess Club at Wardrobe Court, and many more. The content included Foreign Chess Masters Biographies and Best Games, Written and Annotated by Themselves; fine photos of Capablanca, and the other players in the great London 1922 tourney. Overall the most impressive part of the content is the number of excellent photos of the lesser-known players and officials plus the problemists such as Ellerman, Shinkman, Dawson and the British Lady Champions. A fine copy of a significant item. $225.
CHESS PIE No. 2. with Problem Supplement. THE OFFICIAL SOUVENIR OF THE BRITISH CHESS FEDERATION Issued in Connection with the INTERNATIONAL TEAM TOURNAMENT, LONDON, July 18-30, 1927. Edited by W.H. Watts. p, exc, with protective plastic covers. 88p + Chess Pie 2 Problem Supplement. As with the first Chess Pie there are many photos and "Best Games" of the individual players. $225
CHESS PIE No. 3. THE OFFICIAL SOUVENIR OF THE INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT, NOTTINGHAM, August, 1936. Edited by W. H. Watts.  p, exc, with protective plastic covers. 98 p. In addition to the "Best Games" feature, there are good articles such as "Some Historic Chessmen" by Hammond on chess sets, a good problem section and some other interesting articles: "The West-Watts Collection of Chess Prints and Pictures", and good photos of the players. $225 
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PLEASE NOTE THAT PHOTOS ARE NOT RETURNABLE EXCEPT IF THE DEPICTED PERSON(S) ARE NOT WHO THEY ARE CLAIMED TO BE ( very unlikely)

POSTCARD OF THE ST. LOUIS CEMETERY NO. 1, Morphy's burial site, New Orleans News Co.,Made by E. C. Kropp Co. Color photo. Morphy's individual tomb is not indicated. Also there lie here Etienee de Bore, who first made granulated sugar; the Historian, Gayarre; and Charles La Salle, brother of the famous explorer, among many others. $10

 
STUDIES OF CHESS: Containing A Systematic Introduction to the Game, and the Analysis of Chess, by Mr. A. D. Philidor with Original Comments and Diagrams. (Peter Pratt), 6th edition, with very considerable Additions. London, 1825. The final edition of this extremely interesting book...in an historical sense. h, vg, bd in 3/4 leaer well worn at edges, raised bands gilt lettering on the spine. endpapers foxed. Contents clean  & fine.  xxiv + 536p. with the coat-of-arms bookplate of Pauncefort Duncombe of Buckhill Manor, Bucks. L/N 606. Highly interesting are the passages on , eg, "Equation for casual Stoppage to the Transit." With detailed arithmetic for the detailed numerical evaluation of positions. Here we have the forerunners of modern computer evaluations of positions. Clearly extremely complicated without being able to do rapid machine calculations as today. Magnificent in terms of the ideas and their complexity almost 200 years ago. $250.  

THE GAME OF THE CHESSE by WILLIAM CAXTON, Vincent Figgins, London: John Russell Smith, 1860, NOTE: There were three Figgins type reproductions: 1855, 1860, and 1862. This one bd in 3/4 leather with marbled boards.Worn at edges. With two bookplates (one of G. M. Nichols, the other of Francis Woodland Reader) Reproduced in facsimile from a copy in the British Museum with a few remarks on Caxton's typographical productions.  The remarks on the various alloys used to produce the type are quite fascinating and to me most wondrous that the first book printed  in the English language with moveable type should be a chess book. $825

 THE GAME OF THE CHESSE by WILLIAM CAXTON, Vincent Figgins, London: John Russell Smith, 1860, bd in 3/4 leather with marbled boards. Worn at edges. Spine chipped at bottom and leather chipped & loose at top. Would be worth re-backing. Contents fine except for a small blemish in the 12p "Remarks" by Figgins.  Reproduced in facsimile from a copy in the British Museum with a few remarks on Caxton's typographical productions.   $600

THE GAME OF THE CHESSE by WILLIAM CAXTON, Vincent Figgins, London, (1474), 1855.  Bd. in full leather with heavy raised bands. Slight wear  at corners. Boxed.w/o hasp.  12p "Remarks" by Figgins at back.  Reproduced in facsimile from a copy in the British Museum with a few remarks on Caxton's typographical productions at back.  Note that all the copies here have substantial differences. $1150.    b) Vincent Figgins, London, 1855. Bd in full leather, spine sl. chipped, with hasp, different full leather binding, raised bands.Bumped corners. With Caxton symbol on front leather plate. $995.

 THE GAME OF THE CHESSE by WILLIAM CAXTON, Scolar Press Edition facsimile of the c. 1483 copy of the copy in the  library of Trinity College, Cambridge. Edition limited to 500 copies of which this is number 93. With a 6p introduction by N. F. Blake. h, exc, rough canvas with leather spine plate.   $250.  b) Boxed and beautifully bound in full leather. Of the 500 copies, fifty, numbered I to L, have been printed on paper specially made by hand by Barcham Green of Hayle Mill. This is copy number XXV. h, exc.  $475

CAXTON'S GAME AND PLAYE OF THE CHESSE, 1474. A VERBATIM REPRINT OF THE FIRST EDITION. WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY WILLIAM E. A. AXON, M.R.S.L., London, 1883. lxxii + 201p. With a modern index. h, exc, leather spine. $150





Abbreviations: "ALS" Autographed Letter Signed".   "TLS" Typed Letter Signed

ALAIN C. WHITE, ALS, 1 page with accompanying envelope, Dec. 20, 1903. to E. B. Cook. Asks Cook's permission to include him in a series of sketches of Americn Chess Problem Composers he is writing for the London Times. The example sketch has been lost over the years. $125


BRITISH CHESS ASSOCIATION, Announcement for the London 1862 International Tournament. Extensive details, 4 large pages, describes the various committees the various tournaments, the blindfold exhibition by Paulsen, the handicap tournament, etc. $40.

SKAK SANGE,  A. Hau, editor. p, exc, scarce, 160p. Grenna, 1968. Chess songs and poems. Danish. $19
 
BUSINESS CARD OF Mr. Frank Melville Teed, inscribed "Compliments of the Season Dec. 25 '93" (1893). Teed was a leading chess organizer and player in the NY City area at the turn of the century. $15

COLLECTING CHESS AUTOGRAPHS, Dr. Albrecht Buschke, 1 legal-size page. An extremely interesting discussion of some of the joys of this facet of chess. $6

ALS G.H.D. GOSSIP TO "Dear Sir" 2 NOV (18)96, asking his correspondent to check his baptismal certificate by the Rev. Thomas Fox in the Parish Church of... "I think it was  3rd June 1841, but..."  Differs from the date given by Gaige. Other letters by Gossip I have seen show him to be a whining malcontent.  $100

ALS POSTCARD JAMES D. SEGUIN TO E. B. COOK, JAN.28, 1884. Acknowledges receipt  of the Gossip book on London 1862, 2x 3rd Am. Chess Congress & Chess Nuts, and promises to write soon  on matters  at length. Seguin was a leading chess columnist and organizer of New Orleans chess for many years. Cook (1830 to 1915) was the leading chess bibliophile and a top chess problemist  for over half a century. $75

TLS ANTHONY E. SANTASIERE TO TOURNAMENT COMMITTEE, Oct 20, 1946. One page. "San" complains about a situation wherein he lost 30 minutes on his clock in the Marshall Ches Club Championship for that year. A very well written protest. Outcome unknown. Santasiere was a strong NY City player and character for many years $40

 BUSINESS CARD OF JHR. Ir. H. Stick van Linschoten, of Delft. Secretary of the College and Curator of the Technical High School of Delft.  Also a  chess book collector. $15

BUSINESS CARD of Leopold Pappenheim, van Geghensstraat 84, Amsterdam, Holland. Dutch chess collector. $8. 

TEL-AVIV 1964, Olympiad special issue of Stamps Commemorating the 1964 Olympiade. Two large stamps with the special cancellation.   $20

ALS ARTHUR DAKE TO DALE BRANDRETH, 1 page, Feb. 27 1998, with envelope, tells of his wedding in 1935 when Al Horowitz threw a party for him at the Marshall Chess Club.  Says he will be 88 on April 1998. $22.

TLS PAUL KERES TO B. H. WOOD, AUG. 13, 1938, on Keres' stationery. One page in English. Notes his game vs. Stahlberg in the Wood series of "the most exciting game I ever played" for CHESS . But he notes that he will soon begin his studies at the University but that he "will be on both Tournaments, the AVRO and the Buenos Ayres." The Oct. 1938 issue of CHESS is provided with the letter. $395

HASTINGS PREMIER SECTION 1962/1963, Stationery for that tournament with the signatures of all ten participants(V. Smyslov,A. Kotov, S. Gligoric, Tan Hoan  Liong , P. H. Clarke, C. H. O'D. Alexander. Marovic, J. E. Littlewood & Van Seters plus the Congress Director Frank Rhoden.    $175

GAME GELLER - DARGA, UNDATED, 3rd Round, 5 pages in Geller's hand with notes in Russian plus one page in German with additional notes. $65


ALS EMIL KEMENY TO (WILLIAM) SHINKMAN, PHILA.  21, 1896, 1 page, Asks for some chess problems to put in his Public Ledger column. $80

TLS ADOLF SEITZ TO ALBERT BECKER , Meran, Oct. 20, 1926. Invites Becker to the Maran tournament, one page. Seitz was an IM who stayed on in Argentina after the 1939 Olympiad. $45 
 
ENVELOPE J. MIESES TO DAVID LAWSON, SEPT. 1, 1951, Registered, With Mieses signature and address in London. Mieses  was among the World's Best around the turn of the century $65 

NOUVEAU TRAITÉ DU JEU DES ÉCHECS, De La Bourdonnais, Paris, 1833, bd with the second part, iv + 167 + 200 + 204p. h, vg, covers worn. Complete with the 59 plates. $385

DER SCHACHMEISTER, H. R. Von Levitschnigg, Vienna/ Pest/ Leipzig, 1873. 2nd revised ed, h, vg, some foxing, with the bookplate of the famous Robert Blass Collection, of Zürich. 240p. A general work. L/N 880. $65   
                     
TLS, LOTHAR SCHMID TO ALBERT BECKER, Nov. 25, 1974, 1 page, discusses his skepticism about the tournament outlook in Argentina, Becker's eye operation , etc. On Schmid's stationery and signed "Dein Lothar". Becker was a close friend. $125.

TLS, LOTHAR SCHMID TO ALBERT BECKER, Aug. 9, 1971, 1 page, discusses three memorable photos (whereabouts unknown). Wishes Becker to come again soon. Signed "Dein Lothar".  $100.

THE CHESS-BOARD COMPANION,W. Lewis, 9th ed.London w/o date. h, vg, 111p. Not in L/N cat. of 1955. 7th ed was 1842.  $50.   b) London, 1846, h, vg, content somewhat different, h, vg, $60


POSTCARD of Old Stairway, Patio Royal, New Orleans, Morphy's home. In color> Postcard Specialties, New Orleans, LA,  Circa 1953. $5   b) PATIO & GARDEN, Patio Royal, same origin of card, in color, $4

MORPHY CENTENNIAL TOURNAMENT MEDAL- YANKTON S. D. 1957, scarce, likely scarcer than the much earlier Sage Morphy medal. $210 

PAUL MORPHY LETTER, March 9, 1858, xerox copy, 2 pages to Daniel Fiske. About sending him some of his games probably for publication in The Chess Monthly. Even more interesting is the information on the challenge for a Staunton match. $15

J. MIESES TO A. BUSCHKE(?) Mar.. 8 1936(?), xerox copy, 2 pages, concerning some bibliographic details. $10

TLS SVETOZAR GLIGORICH, 12-7-1977, Belgrade, A paragraph signed by Gligorich praising Bronstein's 1953 
candidates book. $75

TLS KURT RATTMANN TO NORMANT T. WHITAKER, OCT.  8, 1963, A brief note to Whitaker whom he notes as "Dear Old Friend" and tells of his hopes to meet him at Pyrmont where a tournament was to be held..
Rattmann was likely the most successful chess book dealer in the world...at least in chess equipment and especially in chess clocks... in the 50's through the 80's. I remember that after the Fischer-Spassky match on a visit he told me that he was shipping over a hundred of his "Alpha" chess clocks to the US per week. The clocks were good and were rather sturdy in appreciation of the frenzied players who banged the clocks when in time trouble (as if that helped!). I always had a high appreciation of Kurt for he always seemed cheerful even though he had survived five years of Hitler's army and  then after the war lost  one leg in an auto accident. He was good to deal with and  as a result I bought thousands of books (mainly new items) from him over the years. I also remember that when I did a paperback reprint (500 copies) of KARLSBAD 1907, he took 90 copies as his first order. He also told me a precious story about Bobby Fischer. At one time after Bobby had done well in a big European tournament he came to visit Rattmann's store and started to read some of the games in bound volumes of Fernschach, the excellent international postal chess magazine. He exclaimed that there were many interesting games in this magazine, and Kurt became enthused that Bobby might haul away some ten volumes or so. But then after a while he became more subdued and said: " However, they don't play the endings all that well" and did not buy a single volume. How are ya gonna beat a man like that?!   $50

JOHN HARBESON CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEARS CARD, 1963, with a chess problem in the picture, probably a card designed and printed by Harbeson who was a leading Philadelphia architect in his day and who had probably the best chess set collection extant in the Western hemisphere then.  $20

ANATOLY KARPOV, color photo, 4x5 inches,  in a display folder, undated, circa 1975, $125

100 YEAR BAMBERG MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT DOCUMENT, also commemorating  the 100th anniversary  for Emanuel Lasker and 150th anniverary for Adolf Anderssen, signed by these players in this strong tournament: Petrosian (the sitting World Champion then), Bobotsov, Donner, Ivkov, Keres, Szabo, Unzicker, Schmid, Dückstein, Toran, Westerinen, Teschner, Pfleger, and these Local German masters who did not play in the tournament: Kestler, Teufel, Klundt. Stamped and dated April 11, 1968. 4 pages.  $275

PHILIDOR LETTER TO "MONSIEUR", April 23, 1890, XEROX, 1 page, in French, concerns the 1777 edition of his work (presumably that on chess). I have never seen any substantial original letters of his dealing with chess.  $10

A. ANDERSSEN,July 7, 1872. 1 page, XEROX, to Minckwitz, in German, with English translation attached, tells of his intended vacation to Vienna and Prague and asks where chessplayers can be found. $12

KAGAN'S VERLAGSKATALOG FOR 1925, 16 pages listing scores of chess titles this prolific  chess publisher offered. German. With extensive descriptions of many of the titles.p, vg,  $12

DIE SCHACHGEHEIMNISSE DES ARABERS PHILIPP STAMMA, Berlin, 1840, ex library with release stamp. h, exc, a fine copy, 127p. Scarce. $475.

SPASSKY - FISCHER 1972 ICELANDIC POSTCARD, Dated Aug. 20, 1972, Lothar Schmid & his wife Ingrid to Mr. & Mrs. Warren Goldman (a well-known American collector and chess author stationed with US Forces in Germany). Signed by Lothar with a brief greeting in his hand.  The card is 6x9 inches with photos of Fischer and Spassky plus Icelandic scenes. Lothar was the referee for the match. $195.

LOTHAR SCHMID - SCHACHSPIELER, SAMMLER, VERLEGER, Mario Faber, special issue of the Zeitschriftder der Schweizerischen  Bibliophilen-Gesllschaft, Heft1/1980. p, exc,  dedicated on the title page "To Fred Wilson, my terrible friend, Lothar Schmid, Bamberg, June 1980"  Accompanied by a separate typed letter to Wilson  dated Dec. 27, 1980 on Schmid's stationery thanking Wilson for his catalog  and saying that he finds nothing he wants from it but "Perhaps chances in 1981." An extremely nice item in itself with its 14 illustrations of choice items in Lothar's collection and of special interest due to the saying that "when the German steamroller comes to town, we had better scare up some good items to make him happy." $375

COPY OF THE COLOR PAINTING by Lucas van Leyden titled "The Chess Players" pasted on heavy board stock and signed as a New Year's greeting card by CHESS editor B. H. Wood for 1954. $16

CATALOGUE OF CHESS and CHECKERS BOOKS,   Dr. Albrecht Buschke, 200 Hart Boulevard, Staten Island, N. Y. Feb. 1942, 16p. Mainly then rather common books. $15

ADMISSION CARD TWENTY-THIRD REGIMENT, National Guard State of New York, Fourth Concert and Game of Chess with Living Pieces at the Armory, Clermont Avenue, near Myrtle, Saturday Evening, March 10, 1883 at 8 o'clock,  $45

ICELANDIC CHESS PROBLEM POSTCARDS, a full set has 24 cards. They are in Icelandic and English Each card has 4 or 5 chess problems. The most interesting, I think, is that dedicated to George Nelson Cheney, noted as having fallen at Bull Run, VA, on July 11, 1861 in the American Civil War. Only cards I, II, III, and IV are available here. $10 each.  

THE MARYLAND CHESS REVIEW, Vol. II, #16, April 1875, with covers and unusual in that the first diagram with problem #36 has a colored diagram with some sort of colored decals (almost surely done by hand by most likely J. K. Hanshew or by Thompson). I have not seen this variant in any other issues, but I am not sure I have any other number #16 to examine because this magazine is extremely scarce. After checking with another collector, his issue #16 had this so- colored diagram too, so it is doubtful tht it is acually a true variant. I shall continue to check to see what other collectors find for this diagram, but it is very difficult to find any collectors with this issue or even any issues of this magazine. I have therefore drastically dropped the price on this issue. $150

THE WORKS OF DAMIANO, RUY-LOPEZ, AND SALVIO ON THE GAME OF CHESS; TRANSLATED AND ARRANGED WITH REMARKS, OBSERVATIONS, AND COPIOUS NOTES ON THE GAMES. J. H. Sarratt, London, 1813, T. Boosey.  XVIII + 382p. h, exc, raised bands, 3/4 leather, gilt edges & lettering. A very fine copy. Chess books such as this from the early 1800's are seldom found in such fine condition. $750.

MARACHE'S MANUAL OF CHESS, N. Marache, NY, (1966)
h, exc, 156p. Also includes brief descriptions of Backgammon,Russian Backgammon, Dominoes, Muggins, etc. The Chess Section has parts on Openings,chess problems, Stratagems, Endingsm,… $45.  Code B2
 
CHESS FOR BEGINNERS, F. Hardy, London, 1866, Bedford Street, Covent Garden, Frederick Warne and Co., L/N 940. 94p. The main attraction in this tiny (2.75 in x 3.75 in) book is the very nice color plate showing two men playing chess with a third as an onlooker. Stiff covers and gilt edges. $99

CHESS FOR BEGINNERS, F. Hardy, London, 1869, Bedford Street, Strand, Frederick Warne and Co., L/N 940. 94p. The main attraction in this tiny (2.75 in x 3.75 in) book is the very nice color plate showing a woman and a man in a colored drawing playing chess in a drawing room with Hardy's name in big letters on the front cover. . Stiff covers and gilt edges. h, exc. $75

A HANDBOOK OF CHESS, G. F. Pardon, 3rd ed, London, 1863, L/N 868. h, exc, Pardon did "Sixpenny Handbooks" for Chess, Whist, Billiards & Bagatelle, The Cardplayer & Draughts and Backgammon. 96p. $65

CHESS MADE EASY INTENDED AS A FIRST BOOK, G. Walker, London, 1850. W. & T. Piper, 1850.h, exc. L/N 688, 2nd ed. gilt edges. 128p. With problem by Lolli on back cover (mate in 7) and frontispiece drawing of a lady and gentleman playing chess.  With a chess poem in the frontispiece. $175

LEIDSCH STUDENTEN SCHAAKGENOOTSCHAP MORPHY, Oct. 1953. Announcement for the Leiden Blitz Chess Tournament with names of Committee members (incl. Euwe), $15

26TH CHESS OLYMPIAD -THESSALONIKI 1984 ENVELOPE WITH SPECIAL CANCELLATION & INVITATION PLUS 4 DECALS, includes list of hotels & registration forms. $6

LUDEK PACHMAN TO DR.E. WILDHAGEN, TLS,Aug. 15, 1963. Thanking Wildhagen for sending three volumes of the "Weltgesichte des Schach " series to him and telling him that he is sending  some of his Strategie and Tactics series to him.$15


 AI SCACCHISTI AMERICANI PAOLO MORPHY - Pensiero Elegiaco per Piao-Forte, Giuseppe Liberali, Oct. 5, 1884, positive photostatic copy, the musical score in commemoration of Morphy, as published in the Brooklyn Chess Chronicle of Nov. 15, 1884. $12

 

BOGOLJUBOW POSTCARD, Oct. 7, 1932 to Dr. Med. Herz in Nauheim, signed "E. Bogoljubow". exc, $185

 

BOTVINNIK'S ANALYSIS OF HIS FAMOUS GAME VS. RESHEVSKY IN THE FIRST USA-USSR MATCH IN 1955, photostat of the original 6-page document in Botvinnik's hand in Russian. $15
 


CHESS STRATEGY, Edward Lasker, 5th ed, Phila, 1921, h, shaken, ex library, autographed by the author in February 1923. $45

 

CHESS TOURNAMENT POST CARDS, all exc. $4 @: PALMA DE MALLORCA 1970; XXXII SPANISH CHAMPIONSHIP 1967; PALMA DE MALLORCA 1969; PALMA 1968; Photo of Hotel Jaime in Palma de Mallorca where many tournaments have taken place.

 

POSTCARD- PHOTO OF SIX YOUNG FELLOWS PLAYING CHESS, from an early daguerreotype, handtinted by Antoine Claudet.  very fine, $25


LIVING CHESS, France, circa 1923, two very nice B&W photos, 8x10-inch. $12@


FRANZ GUTMAYER, 4x4-in, at the chessboard, author of many German chess books, probably from a book, $5

 

J. H. BLACKBURNE to "SIR", photostat of 2-page letter from Simpson's Divan, January(?) 4, 1878. In JHB's hand. Gives his terms for two days play: first day, all comers and consultation; second day 10 blindfold games, 8 guineas... $30

 

MODERN ANALYSIS OF THE CHESS OPENINGS, Frank J. Marshall, Amsterdam, (1913), L/N 1915. 82p. h, exc, Inscribed to many-time Pennsylania State Chess Champion Sydney Sharp (1885-1953)  by Frank Marshall, dated Jan. 31st 1913. $375.


CHESSFOR BEGINNERS, 2nd edition, London, 1837, rebd with all the colored plates, 149p, h, exc.A well-known book. $180


CHESS PRACTICE: BEING A CONDENSED AND SIMPLIFIED RECORD OF THE ACTUAL OPENINGS IN THE FINEST GAMES, INCLUDING  THE WHOLE OF THE BEAUTIFUL SPECIMENS CONTAINED IN "CHESS MASTERPIECES", H. E. Bird, London, 1892, h, vg, 98p. It is interesting that of the 62 players Morphy is not included with the other three (Barnes, Mackenzie, and Perrin) from America. $65


NAPOLEON'S CHESSMEN AND TABLE, Postcard color photo, addressed to David Lawson in 1960. These items are at the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina. $18

 

PETROFF, drawing, 3x4-in, from a chess book or a chess magazine, $10

 

POMAR ORIGINAL SCORES, from Büsum 1968 tourney, each in Pomar's hand: a) Besser -Pomar, 14-move draw, $20. b) Pomar-Medina, 29-move draw, $30. c) Parma- Pomar, 40-move draw, $30

 

POST CARD FOR THE III TORNEO INTERNACIONAL DE AJEDREZ "VIRGEN PEREGINA" at CASINO MERCANTIL E INDUSTRIAL PONTEVEDRA, 21-25 AGOSTO 1973, with special cancellation, $6

 

THE CHESS MATCH AT PARSLOE'S, on Feb 23, 1794, in the presence of the Turkish Ambasador. photostatic image, 11x7 cm. from Lawson's collection. $2

 

PHOTO OF MAX LANGE, with facsimile of his signature below the 2x2.5-inch photo. From a page in the book of Anderssen's games. $6


  1. WILHELM STEINITZ, Hand-tinted etching,2.5 x 2.5 -inch of Steinutz from Illustrated London News framed in heavy board stock. With brief note of his death and achievements in chess. $30


EMANUEL LASKER, Hand-tinted 2.5 x 2.5-inch etching from the Illustrated London News framed in heavy board stock.  Circa 1900. $25


JOHANN ZUKERTORT, Hand-tinted etching from the Illustrated London News 3 x 4-inch, best of the three.   Framed in heavy board stock.  $40. 


OLD AND RARE and REPRINTS


FOUR-HANDED CHESS, Geo. H. Verney, London, (1881). h, exc, with the book stamp of one "Victor Silberer" on the title page. With the four-handed board illustrated. 32p. $125


THE GAME OF THE CHESS by William Caxton, Reproduced in Facsimile from a copy in the British Museum with a few remarks on Caxton's Typographical productions. By Vincent Figgins, London, 1860. L/N4229. Figgins did three versions: 1855, 1860, and 1862, but in a wide variety of bindings, this one being marbled boards in 3/4 leather. The covers are mildly worn, but the binding is sound. This copy has two bookplates, one of a G. M. Nichols, the other of Francis Woodland Reader. The end pages giving the history of Caxton's efforts and the list of books he produced from 1464 to 1490 are fascinating. $825  


LE PROBLÉME DES REINES, M. Kraitchik, Brussels, 1926, fc chipped, scarce. L/N 4116. The nine-queen problem in mathematical theory, with generalizations. p, vg. 54p, $45.  b) L/N 4116, h. exc, T. R. Dawson's copy, 22p, $125.   The two vols together, $155.



LES SECRETS DU CAVALIER - LES PROBLÉMES D'EULER, G. D'Hooghe, Brussels/Paris, 1962, h, exc, with dj, 126p. A mathematical study of several chess-related problems posed by Euler. $60


CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS OF THE MANHATTAN CHESS  CLUB OF NEW YORK, Organized  1877, Chartered 1883. Adopted Oct. 2, 1879. Amended July 6,  1882. Revised Oct. 3d, 1889. NY 1889. 16p, h, exc. $45


THE GAME OF CHESS,  Mark Jerome Vida, (Signed) Richard Stanton Lambert, 250 signed copies,61p, London, 1921, h, exc. The text of the Scacchi Ludus here printed taken from the two-volume edition of Vida's Collected Works printed by Joseph Cominus at Padua in 1731. $180


HET KRIJGSSPEL, OF SCHAAKSPEL IN HET GROOT. Met Vijf Gekleurde Platen. (The five fold-out plates appear to be hand colored). Naar het Hoogduitsch van Champlanc. Amsterdam, 1833, 43p. From the Rimington Wilson Library. The back cover is detached but supplied. A very early war gaming book based in part on chess. Quite scarce. Apparently the outer covers were blank. $500


THE CLIPPER CHESS PROBLEM TOURNAMENT,Edited by Miron Hazeltine, h, exc, inscribed by Hazeltine " To Georg P. Quackenbox from his friend Miron J. Hazeltine " with a small original photograph of Hazeltine. NY, 1860. 216p. $385.


STRATEGEMS OF CHESS, OR A COLLECTION OF Critical and Remarkable Situations,SELECTED FROM THE WORKS OF EMINENT MASTERS, ILLUSTRATED ON PLATES, DESCRIBING THE INGENIOUS MOVES BY WHICH THE GAME IS EITHER WON, DRAWN, OR STALE-MATE OBTAINED. TAKEN FROM THE CELEBRATED FRENCH WORK ENTITLED STRATAGÉMES DES ÉCHECS. LONDON, 1817. h,vg, some foxing of title page & frontispiece page. leather binding, raised bands, sl. rubbed. With name "Algeron Valentine" written on frontispiece. vi + 150 + 64p. Gilt page edges. A special copy. $275. 


DIE KUNST IM SCHACHSPIEL EIN MEISTER ZU WERDEN,(PHILIDOR), Strasburg, 1754, L/N 476. With a note in the endpapers in Dutch.  h, vg, back cover partialy loose. 352p. $425

  

ANALYSE DU JEU DES ÉCHECS PAR A. D. PHILIDOR, C. Sanson, Paris, (1872).L/N 471. xxxiii + 498 + 6p. Includes Includes a Bibliography of 43 editions of Greco and a Chronological Bibliography of 65 editions of Philidor plus a catalog of the chess books in Sanson library. h, exc, 3/4 leather(rubbed), raised bands, contents exc. $225

 

AN EASY INTRODUCTION TO THE GAME OF CHESS, London, 1809, first ed, h, exc, with slight waterstain on first 6 leaves & chess bookplate of James Barrett with interesting tipped-in commentary on this book and its various editions. The most interesting features are its anecdotes, the poem Caissa, and The Morals of Chess by Franklin. 254 p + a fold-out table (fragile). $160

 

ANALYSIS OF THE GAME OF CHESS BY A.D. PHILIDOR. Translated from the last French Edition. and further illustrated with Notes, by W. S. Kenny, London, 1819. L/N 493 Nicely rebacked with original boards, 264p. With the nice frontispiece plate of Philidor. $290

 

CHESS POTPOURRI, A. C Klahre, Brooklyn, 1931, h, exc. 55p. Among other topics are: Chess in Hades by Fiske; Anecdotes & Witticisms; Letter from a Chess Plaer's Wife; Various References to Chess, 11p compilation. Scarce. $90

 

DAS HOCHBERÜHMTE STEIN=ODER SCHACHSPIEL,(Frankfurt, ca. 1690). The original is quite scarce and valuable. This is a 1975 DDR reprint made as a photo-mechanical copy. h. mint, 83p with the two-color title page and endpaper fold-out plate. $30

 

DAS SCHACHSPIEL DER BATAKER - EIN ETHNOGRAPHISCHER BEITRAG ZUR GESCHICHTE DES SCHACH, A. von Oefele, Leipzig, 1904, 63p, p, vg, $38


DE LUDO SCACHORUM - IL GIOCO DEGLI SCACCHI, F. B. Caldogno, Milan, 1974, Poemetto Latino Inedito con Premessa, Traduzione metrica e Note di Luigi Paletto, 28p. p, exc, $35.

 

DIE NEU ENTDECKTEN GEHEIMNISSE IM GEBIETE DES SCHACHSPIELS, ODER VERBESSERUNGEN MEHRERER SPIELE DES SELENUS, PHILIDOR'S STAMMA'S CALABROISEN U.F.M...Hirsch Silberschmidt, Braunschweig, 1826, L/N 650192p, with page of errata& fold-out table, h, vg, contents excellent, marbled boards, spine strip lacking, contents exceptionally good, with chess book plate of Karl Baer, a notable German collector of the 30's to the 80s. $675

 

ELEMENTS OF THE GAME OF CHESS...William Lewis, London, 1822. h, exc, a fine copy with two bookplates (Beaufort & Gates), full green leather, raised bands, gilded page edges, spine & bc sl. rubbed, 246p, $275.

 

JACOBUS DE CESSOLIS ODER DAS SCHACHWERK DES CESSOLIS, T.H. von der Lasa, Steffisburg, 1956, p, exc, 36p. $45

 

LE JEU DES ÉCHECS, Philippe Stamma, Paris (1844), rebd in high-quality binding with original wrappers bd in. First 20 or so leaves with faint waterstain in top corner, h, exc, $260


 

 

 

 


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