 Literary Gift Guide, Part 5 This is the final part of my annual gift guide, and this week we look at some of the most expensive gifts of all. If you have the funds and the willingness to spend them, take a look at these. Oh, and have a Merry Christmas or if you don’t celebrate that holiday know that I wish you a lovely, calm, and peaceful holiday. $1,000 - $3,000: If you are looking for a lovely place to put some books the Libris Book Stand is a good selection. It has Regency-inspired looks and is made from mahogany. (It cannot arrive in time for Christmas, unfortunately, as it needs a six-week lead time for ordering.) This Edwardian Bookcase is another beautiful choice, a reproduction of a nineteenth-century design. (It also has a six-week lead time for ordering.) If you’re looking for an elegant nightstand that can also hold books, look at this Lansford Park Sonoma Round Nightstand. Of course, larger bookcases are available. Inexpensive ones can be found on CraigsList and Ikea, but antique ones—if you can afford them—are the ideal complement to fine libraries. For a somewhat unusual take on bookcases is this Spinning Library Bookcase and Book Holder (ca. 1890) which allowed a reader to simply spin the case in order to select a book. This Solid Oak Bookcase (ca. 1920) was made in France from an armoire and has solid oak construction and glazed glass doors. A rather unusual Carved Oak Single Bookcase from Holland (ca. 1890) has special Corsica glass; it may not hold many books but it is lovely. This Mission Oak Bookcase (ca. 1910) is made of quarter sawn oak. For something less expensive but still exquisite this Triple Antique Bookcase (with its original glass doors) is both elegant and solid. Globe Wernicke was a famous maker of bookcases, and this lovely 5 Stack Oak Lawyer Bookcase shows off their style very well as does this Oak Stacking Bookcase Desk. To accompany those bookcases consider this library-worthy Roosevelt Leather Armchair. The leather is soft and supple, the color is a deep cider, the there are hand-hammered nail-heads and carved bun feet. If reclining is more your style this Salon Divan, a backless sofa that offers the opportunity for a “feet up” reading experience will bring a sense of decadence to your room. IT is covered in green cotton velvet and trimmed with cording and skirting in tones of claret, taupe, and light gold. Both of these items have a six to eight week delivery time. The Morgan Library in New York has reproduced some of its wonderful books. The Prayer Book of Anne de Bretagne is one of them in a limited edition of 1,980. Anne was the wife of two successive kings of France and thus twice Queen of France. It has the rich illustrations and miniatures common to late fifteenth-century works. It is accompanied by a commentary volume in a decorative case covered with scarlet leather. $3,000 - $5,000: Do you feel like a “Magical Mystery Literary History Tour”? If so, how about this one: In the footsteps of Franz Kafka and Dora Diamant? It’s a ten day tour of the Czech Republic, Poland, and Germany lead by author and Kafka project director, Kathi Diamant. The Sky is the Limit: Antique bookcases can be found in this price range too. Ornate designs are common and this Glazed Bibliotheque (ca. 1860) from France is truly lovely. There’s also this French Bookcase (ca. 1860) as well as the Napoleon III Breakfront Bibliotheque, either of which would be particularly stunning in a French-decorated home. A Chippendale Cabinet Breakfront Bookcase or Queen Anne 4-Door Bookcase Cabinet would house books in a grand style as well. Then there’s this Oak Welsh Bookcase Curio Cabinet, a unique piece. For a formal look, the Mahogany George II 2-Door Curio Bookcase would suit perfectly. Another unusual piece is the Mahogany French Bookcase Bookshelf Cabinet with carved pediment with finials and marquetry on the cabinet doors. Lovely and traditional is this Country French Oak Bookcase China Cabinet (ca. 1850) made in the Louis Philippe fashion with an arched crest. When you are in this price range you can pretty much buy any book you want. Reproductions are often not on the mind but these two books from the Morgan Library might just change it. A fine art facsimile limited edition of 980 hand-numbered copies The Black Hours (circa 1475), gloriously gorgeous, contains 121 vellum folios stained in black. (There are only three originals today, so this limited edition facsimile is likely the only way to ever own one.) Another fine art facsimile, also in a limited edition of 980 hand-numbered copies, is The Livre de la Chasse is composed of 128 folios that include eighty-seven miniatures and are decorated with burnished gold leaf, large initials, and scroll work of gold, red, and blue foliage. Literary furniture for the garden does exist, and no one does it better Randolph Rose. Among their pieces are the Stack of Books Bench Seat, Maxey and Me (reduced from $10,000 down to $6,000 if you mention you saw it here),and my absolute favorite of all their garden sculptures, the Stack of Books Bench. Of course, books are always welcome and expensive ones are just as appreciated as standard ones. Rare book dealers abound, and can be found through the ABAA (Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America). Jane Austen fans looking for a first edition of Pride and Prejudice would do well to look here. This first edition, first printing of Call of the Wild by Jack London was the one he inscribed and presented to his mother with fond wishes. The first printed books of Charles Dickens, who is widely acknowledged to be among history’s great novelists, are incredibly valuable, and this first edition, first impression copy of Great Expectations in three octavo volumes—remember Miss Havishman?—is a stunning one. It is one of only 1,000 copies, most of which were purchased by libraries. And then there’s Shakespeare. This 1630 quarto edition of The Historie of Henry the Fourth is an extraordinary rarity and a beauty too. Serious American history buffs are sure to be tempted by this first edition of The Federalist by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay. Printed in 1788, these two volumes, housed in a custom chemise and full morocco clamshell, represent “one of the rarest and most significant books in American political history.” Finally, if you want a custom-designed library, CustomMade is a good place to check out. You can choose your price range, material and style and find a maker. Or if all that isn’t enough you can even post to their project board and get exactly what you want. Upcoming Book Festivals and Fairs: The Pub House: Imaging Books & Reading: Of Interest: Until next week, read well, read often and read on!
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