SilverCrow Creations Books
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Book: Spot the Differences - Art Masterpiece Mysteries - Book 1
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How well do you truly know the great masterpieces of fine art?
In this book of 25 famous paintings, you will find anywhere from 6 to 14 changes that were made to the originals -from some very obvious differences all the way down to the tiniest little detail. The original painting and the one in which we have made changes are side by side, so you must inspect them both ever so carefully!
Just remember: the original work of art ALWAYS appears on the LEFT side! Use your keen observation skills to compare the two pages, and see if you can detect all the differences that appear on the right side of the page. As you discover the differences, remember to keep score by checking the boxes provided on each puzzle page.
Once you have finished strolling through this outstanding gallery of images, you may go to the end of the book to check your answers to the puzzles. Try not to peek, though, until you have tried your best to find all the changes! As you go along through the book, you'll learn exciting facts about each painting and its artist. This book is a wonderful and fun introduction to some of the world's greatest works of art.
Some of the artists included are Leonardo Da Vinci, Gustave Caillebotte, Mary Cassatt, Paul Cézanne, Edgar Degas, Albrecht Dürer, Jan van Eyck, Paul Gauguin, Vincent van Gogh, Martin Johnson Heade, Winslow Homer, Claude Monet, and more.
Made in USA
27January2010
Price: $9.99 each
Qty:
Reproduction Children's Book: Old Aunt Elspa's ABC
More Reproduction Documents & Books
We are quite taken with facsimile editions of books and documents. Such fun they are allowing us to pretend that we lived in a different time. And this charming Abecedarium is just so much fun. Originally published in 1884 in London and it's loaded with poems, ABC words and pictures that are quite eccentric:
Then: - A For an Artist a and Alphabet too.
B For Birch-rod, b a Bad Boy, and Boo-hoo!
You need'nt look saucy And shake up your curls, For some o' these B's Do as well for the Girls.
The tons of woodcuts are by Joseph Craw hall (1821-1896). His thick limed woodcut style was in stark contrast to contemporary printers of the time.
This stapled booklet is printed on 24 pages of tannish paper that makes it look old. This load of fun measures 8-1/4 by 7-3/4 inches.
Made in Peru
11January2010
Price: $7.85 Each
The Book of Secrets
More Magic & the Metaphysical
You'll be amazed and in awe of this reprint of a remarkable book by Walter B. Gibson from about 1930. It unravels ancient mysteries and diagrams stage illusion so that you might repeat them yourself - indeed! It was written for the magic fancier of any age - and includes the added bonus of how-to chapters on card and sleight of hand tricks, but this master of the craft. From the preface of the book:
"The secrets of ancient miracles and modern magic have been thoroughly explained ... the reader is initiated in to the secrets of antiquity. He is told the methods of medieval wizards; and the secrets of modern wonders are disclosed to him ... In addition, instruction is furnished in sleight-of-hand and magic tricks are outlined so clearly that anyone may learn them."
It is loaded with wonderful full-page black and white illustrations - both charming and instructive - accompanying every trick.
Here's a short sampling of the tricks revealed:
The Talking Idol - The Electric Girl - The Indian Rope Trick The Human Fly - Knife Throwing - Catching a Cannonball The Ladder of Swords - The Bullet-Proof Man - Table Lifting Snake Charming & much, much more....
This hardbound volume features metallic gold lettering on its cover and boasts 160 pages. It measures 7-3/4 by 10 inches.
Imported
24December2009
Price: $24.95 each
Vintage Flash World Library Book: How to Overcome Anxiety
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Books like these are now a bit smaller and found at the check-out lanes at the grocery. We're not sure where this book was first sold, but we are sure that it's quite interesting. Would that it is a cure?!
The back reads:
You will be able to overcome anxiety by tracing its causes. Once you have done this, modern medicine and psychology can help you. Understand however, that medicines taken haphazardly are dangerous and do not resolve anything...
You should also remember that the anxious child of today will become the anxious adult of tomorrow. Read this World Flash book and learn how to live happily, free of your anxieties, thanks to...
FLASH WORLD LIBRARY FOR MODERN LIVING
Book F34F in the library, How to Overcome Anxiety, was published in 1970, so we're not sure of the techniques that are offered, but it is like any other self-help book - it's up tot he reader to decide.
This 4 inch by 4-1/2 inch by 1/4 softbound book is in pretty good condition for its age. Some of the binding adhesive is loose and the original 50¢ price has been altered to .25. These are old, unsold store stock that we found in Cleveland, Ohio.
There are some interesting illustrations and references to other books from the Flash World Library. With over 150 pages of advice, including some great illustrations typical to the 1960s and 1970s, we're sure you'll enjoy this.
Books from this era of this type were expected to be tossed out after use, so they are few and far between, especially in this fine condition!
Printed in Belgium
16November2009
Vintage Item, Limited Availability
Price: $6.50 each
The Butter Battle Book
More Peaceful Products
This book was and is a favorite of our grandson, Grayson's - in fact, he needed several copies: one for home, one for here and one for somewhere else! Indeed, it is a favorite of ours as well.
First told by Dr. Seuss way back in 1984, the story of the Butter Battle is still an appropriate cautionary tale - a good lesson for every day life as well as for countries throughout the world. The story is told by a Yook grandfather, explaining why the Zooks are so terrible:
It seems that,
It's high time that you knew of the terribly horrible thing that Zooks do. In every Zook house and every Zook town every Zook eats his bread with the butter side down!
The tale is told in cleverly cunning rhyme with that cadence we all love. And the young Yook child learns about hate and intolerance and reciprocal violence. Such a message is universal and for all time.
Printed in USA
09November2009
Was: $14.95 Now: $13.00 each
The Lorax
More Green Products
Dr. Seuss first published The Lorax in 1971. Ahead of its time, the ecological warnings are still right on target over 35 years later. Helping children of all ages understand how dangerous it is to disregard our environment, The Lorax uses the mesmerizing poetry for which Dr. Seuss is so well known to hit an important subject head on. Despite the desolation that exists in the book, true to all of the good doctor's stories, there remains hope in the end.
This library bound hardback book has 72 pages full of classic Seuss illustrations.
02November2009
Price: $14.95 each
Spectropia - Surprising Spectral Illusions
More Ghosts & Other Hallowe'en
Illusory images have fascinated and astonished through the ages, and in this facsimile reproduction of a book first published in 1863, it is difficult to believe that our eyes are not deceiving us. Ghosts and other images such as Mr. Punch and a rainbow appear - and in color, no less! No technical knowledge or apparatus is needed. Follow the simple instructions and be amazed!
This softcover book is a facsimile reproduction of the original. It includes 48 pages and is loaded with illustrations and explanations. Many of the illustrations are in color and the book cover features a silver metallic rendering of a ghost or grim reaper tantalizing you to open the book!
Printed in England
Price: $12.75 each
The Altered Object (by Terry Taylor)
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Altered art is the fastest growing craft trend today—but its practitioners can’t live by books alone: they long to expand their horizons and explore new directions. We here at SilverCrow look far and wide to find those vintage, fun and funky items for you to use as you go about altering your space. That's just one reason we fell for this book!
This wonderful book will fulfill their creative desires. It moves into uncharted territory, focusing not on books, but on transforming the surfaces of a multitude of everyday objects into artistic canvases.
The 25 projects clearly prove that the possibilities are limited only by one’s own imagination. For example, in the hands of five different crafters, those ubiquitous mint tins become a small shrine, necklace, photo book, and doll! Profusely illustrated (completely in color!) profiles showcase ten contemporary artists doing their work; all provide invaluable insights into the creative process.
This jacketed hardcover book measures 8-1/2 by 10 inches with 128 pages.
Printed in China
13April2007
Out of Stock
Price: $19.95 Each
If You're Afraid of the Dark... - Two Books in One! by Cooper Edens
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f You're Afraid of the Dark, Remember the Night Rainbow. If You're Afraid of the Dark, Add One More Star to the Night. Just the titles of these two books conjure dreams that come to young and old and fears divided.
If tomorrow morning the sky falls . . . have clouds for breakfast. If you have butterflies in your stomach . . . ask them into your heart.
If your world has come undone . . . fasten it securely to the horizon. If you're at the end of your rope . . . untie the knot in your heart.
Clouds for breakfast and butterflies in your heart—these are the unconventional solutions to life's problems offered in Cooper Edens' classic tale If You're Afraid of the Dark, Remember the Night Rainbow and its long-awaited follow-up, If You're Afraid of the Dark, Add One More Star to the Night. This new edition combines both books into a single volume.
The magical words and pictures in this whimsical book still have the power to reveal the unexpected silver lining glistening in every gloomy cloud.
Manufactured in China
30October2009
Price: $14.95 Each
Fortune Telling Birthday Book with Classic Illustrations
More Fortune Telling & Metaphysical
More Journals
More Birthdays
Forget fortune cookies and crystal balls—this little book alone can predict the future for you and everyone you love! Harkening back to the 1930s, the nostalgic illustrations in the Fortune-Telling Birthday Book accompany a perennial calendar for you to keep track of (and interpret) the birthdays of your friends and family. Other traditions and folklore are also included - birthstones and their meanings, astrological signs, ideal mates, flowers of the month and anniversary symbols.
This lovely little book is covered in leatherette and includes a self-bookmark made of ribbon. The little hardcover measures 3-5/8 by 4-3/4 inches and includes 204 pp and loads of old-style 2-color illustrations.
9July2009
Vintage Item - Limited Availability
Price: $9.95 Each
Children's Singing Games - Facsimile of 1894 Original Edition
More Kids
More Music
This facsimile of Children's Singing Games, first published in 1894, will have a wide appeal to children and adults alike. There are eight games with words, music and instructions on playing, together with an explanation of their origins. Most striking are the superb illustrations. This enchanting book gives a refreshing glimpse of part of the English heritage almost forgotten about in this age of alternative children's entertainments - video games, organized sports and the like.
Collected and edited by Alice Gomme, and delightfully illustrated by Winifred Smith, this fantastic reproduction not only offers the games but also there is information on their origins. Ms Gomme made a significant contribution to children's literature. This was originally published by David Nutt in the Strand, London.
The games are:
When I was a Young Girl Jenny Jones Green Gravel Milking Pails Here Comes Three Dukes a-Riding Old Roger We are the Rovers Poor Mary Sits a-Weeping
Such games seem quite foreign to modern times. But, we're just betting if offered to children early enough, they will enjoy the same excitement as long ago when playing.
The illustrations are beyond wonderful. All line drawings typical to the late 19th century, they will surely charm any one who wanders through this marvelous remake!
The hardcover book reminds us of early library books in its look and feel and measures 9-1/8 inches wide by 8-1/2 inches tall, boasting 74 high-quality, cream colored pages.
14April2009
Price: $23.00 each
William Blake: Songs of Innocence - Color Facsimile of the 1st Edition
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Songs of Experience by William Blake
William Blake's innovations in engraving techniques brought about his brilliant synthesis of visual and poetic art and signaled the beginning of his famous Illuminated Book, of which the Songs of Innocence was the first and most popular. Unfortunately, Blake's vision is generally known to the world in amputated form: because of the difficulty and expense of reproducing his original conception, most editions of Blake's work offer only the printed text with no trace of the visual counterpart so essential to his "system."
This new, facsimile edition of the Songs of Innocence reproduces Blake's color plates in a fashion which the artist himself would have approved. The 31 plates - printed on facing pages which are the same size as those of Blake's own first edition - offer one of the more brightly colored versions of this significant volume, no tow copies of which are the same. As a special aid to readers. a typographical reprint of the text of the poems follows the plates. Such classic songs as The Lamb and The Chimney Sweeper are now accessible to all in the symbiotic union of poem and picture that is crucial to a total understanding of Blake's mind and art.
There are 31 color plates and the complete printed text of the pomes in this 64-pge paperbound book that measures 5-1/14 by 7 inches.
5April2009
Price: $4.95 each
Photographs by Man Ray - 105 Works, 1920-1934
Man Ray Tears Artistamps
Man Ray Hand to Mouth Postcard
Man Ray (1890-1976), American photographer, painter, designer, sculptor and filmmaker, arrived in Paris in 1921. Inspired by a unique artistic vision grounded in the deliberate irrationality of Dada and the incongruous visions of surrealism. Ray created a gallery of striking photographs; unforgettable images that etched themselves into the mind and transformed our perceptions of reality. This beautiful large-format volume reproduces on coated stock a rich selection of these works, created amid the intellectual and artistic ferment of the the 20s and 30s.
To achieve his remarkable effects, Ray experimented with various techniques: over and under exposure, shooting through different fabrics, superimposing images, and zeroing in on tiny details. In his words:
the removal of inculcated modes of presentation, resulting in apparent artificiality or strangeness...is to be welcomed.
To preserve the full dramatic impact of his ground-breaking work, the editor of this edition has carefully and painstakingly reproduced these photographs from a rare gravure edition. The photographs are divided into five groupings:
photos 1-24: general subjects (still lifes, rooms, landscapes, cityscapes, flowers)
photos 25-42: female figure, mainly nudes
photos 43-66: women's faces (including Gertrude Stein)
photos 67-84: celebrity portraits (Ray, Dalí, Tzara, Sinclair Lewis, Joyce, Eluard, Brenton, Derain, Braque, Matisse, Picasso and others)
photos 85-104: rayographs, "cameraless compositions" created by resting objects on unexposed film
Also included in this edition are acclamatory texts by Eluard, Brenton and Tzara in original French with English translations, a German text by Rrose Sélavy (pseudonymous) with English translation; an introduction by Ray with French translation and a portrait of Ray by Picasso.
Today, Ray's individual photographs command high prices on the collector's market. Indeed, the original edition of this book sells for US$350.00. The publication of this inexpensive edition thus allows photographers, artists, designers and students of art and photography an unparallelled opportunity to savor and study these iconoclastic masterpieces. Most of the photos are full page, or nearly so, and reveal the profoundly original vision of a man for the violation of convention was:
far preferable to the monstrous habits condoned by etiquette and aestheticism.
This large paperbound edition measures 9-3/8 by 12-1/4 inches with 128 pages, 150 photographs.
28March2009
Price: $16.95 each
Coin Divination
More Magic & Metaphysical
Now you can read fortunes anytime, anywhere - all you need are the coins in your pocket!
From the simplest single coin toss to the more complicated I Ching and tarot readings, you can use coin divination to answer any question or shed light on any dilemma, whether it involves career, love, family, money or health.
Practical and easy to use, Coin Divination includes many techniques for you to try:
Toss a single coin, two, three, or more
Use a coin as the planchette of a talking board
Work with five coins for numerology readings
Add an interesting twist to your readings by combining the coins with astrology, taro, dominoes or the I Ching
For reading fortunes anytime and anywhere, this handy pocket-book (measuring 6 by 5-3/8 inches, about 5/8 inch thick) is right on the money!
Author Raymond Buckland is a Romany Gypsy and a leading authority on the Old Knowledge. He is the author of many best selling books on fortune telling and rituals.
22March2009
Limited Availability - Out of Print
Behind the Doors of San Miguel de Allende
More Latino & Hispanic Items
More House & Home
Robert de Gast crosses the thresholds of homes in San Miguel de Allende to create this gorgeous book of interiors of homes this historic Mexican town. He has also discovered their remarkable outdoor paradises - sunstruck, lushly colored courtyards, patios, and breezeways - that lay beyond the entry.
Come with de Gast as he guides you to parts of San Miguel visitors seldom see and offers glimpses into the daily lives and traditions of those who live in this unique place. Established in the sixteenth century as a Franciscan mission, the lovely town of San Miguel de Allende has been an art and artisanal center for nearly two centuries. Its cool summers and mild winters have more recently made it a popular destination for vacationers from North America and Europe.
A part-time resident of San Miguel since 1991, Robert de Gast is an award-winning photographer and a widely published writer. His avocations include hot-air ballooning, which he pursues in Mexico, and sailing, which he does for part of the year on the East Coast of the United States.
This lovely 96-page book measures 6-1/4 by 8-1/4 inches with 96 stunning full-color photographs. IT is a casebound book with a dust jacket.
25January2009
Price: $19.95 each
The Wit and Wisdom of Mark Twain: A Book of Quotations
Renowned as a novelist, journalist and humorist, Mark Twain is not only one of the most most widely read and admired American writers, he is also among the most quoted. Wit and repartee permeate his work - from the short, light pieces to his great novel Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and even later, in dark meditations on the human condition where his humor takes on a cynical, satirical twist.
This remarkably inexpensive volume gathers together hundreds of Twain's most memorable quips and comments on life, love, history, culture, travel and a diversity of other topics that occupied his thoughts over 50 years of writing and lecturing. Among the quotations included here:
Barring that natural expression of villainy which we all have, the man looked honest enough.
He is now fast rising from affluence to poverty.
Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please.
More than one cigar at a time is excessive smoking.
An invaluable, ready reference for writers, speakers and others in search of amusing and insightful quotes, this entertaining and thought-provoking compilation is also an ideal introduction to Twain's inimitable style and thought.
This wonderful paperbound volume measures 5-3/16 by 8-14/ inches and boasts hundreds of Mark Twainisms on its 64 pages.
8January2009
Price: $2.50 Each
The Truth About Easter Rabbits
More Rabbits
More Easter & Spring
This very special pastel flavored book describes the many Easter Rabbits that live all around the world, their family life, the decorating of eggs in preparation for Easter and the methods they use to deliver them as gifts to the world’s children.
Illustrated with a rich abundance of imagery from old children’s picture books and Easter postcards, The Truth About Easter Rabbits is sure to delight all children and the many adults who appreciate the simple pleasures and customs of the Easter season.
From the beginning:
Clyde Bunn, an English rabbit, is a doctor.
Ernesto is a professional juggler who makes a living entertaining in parks.
Jeanette is a milliner who sells hats to fine lady rabbits.
These are the bunnies who bring Easter to us all! Although intended for children from 4 to 8 years, we suspect that children from 1 to 100 will be delighted with this 36-page hard cover volume. It measures just over 7 by 11 inches.
Printed in USA or Imported
6January2009
Price: $17.95 each
Jewish Fairy Tales in Easy-to-Read Type
More Judaica
More Hanukkah
Castle Pocket Token
This captivating collection of nine authentic Jewish fairy tales is populated by angels, demons, goblins and an array of other awesome characters. Assembled an translated from the Talmud and a variety of other ancient sources, these delightful stories harken back to a time when religion and folk heroes were closely entwined.
In The Princess and the Beggar, fate intervenes when a lovely young princes is forced by her father to live an isolated existence. The greedy king of The Demon's Marriage is tricked into wedding his daughter to the Son of Satan! And, in The Magic Leaf, a holy man is punished for meddling with the mysteries of life and death. These and other captivating fables from antiquity, enhanced with new illustrations by Sheilah Beckett, are sure to delight yet another generation of fairy tale enthusiasts.
This original (1997) publication is a selection of nine stories from The Jewish Fairy Book, originally published by Frederick A Stokes Company, New York, in 1920.
The 80-page paperbound book measures 5-3/16 by 8-1/4 inches. The fairy tales are:
Joseph, the Sabbath Lover David and the Insects Chanina and the Angels The Demon's Marriage The Magic Leaf The Goblin and the Princess The Castle in the Air The Princess and the Beggar The Castle in the Air
30November2008
Price: $1.50 each
Labour Saving Hints and Ideas for the Home
This delightful book was originally published in 1924 - combining more than 1,300 hints and ideas that were selected from over 30,000 entries that were submitted to a competition run in the early 1920s. Today the information can be regarded as informative, amusing and even just plain useful.
Do you know how to salvage burnt cakes, clean stained paintwork or sweeten a smoky atmosphere? Well look no further than this fascinating book originally printed in 1924 . . . full of very useful advice. - Ideal Home
This is a great gift for a housewarming or for someone who has everything (almost)!
Now, we don't recommend any of these solutions ourselves, but some just might be worth trying:
After Peeling Onions. - A little mustard well rubbed into the hands will remove the odour.
Rusty Pen Nibs. - If pens are stuck into a potato when not in use, the nibs will not rust and the pens will always be in good condition.
Sewing Machine Hint. - When about to machine muslin or lace, tack a piece of tissue paper over it and then machine. The paper is easily torn away, and the machine needle will not catch in the muslin or lace.
This great little hardcover book measures 7-1/2 by 5-1/16 inches and boasts 258 pages.
18November2008
Price: $21.75 each
The Eclectic Abecedarium, a Miniature Book by Edward Gorey
Edward Gorey’s first miniature book, The Eclectic Abecedarium is an illustrated adventure through the English alphabet, accompanied by rhyming couplets penned by the master Gorey, who described his creations as “literary nonsense.” Inspired by popular moral primers for children, Gorey created an updated version of Isaac Watts’ alphabetic aphorisms. Part sweet songs of unseen birds and part cautionary tales, this abecedarium fully lives up to the epithet “eclectic.”
Originally published as a miniature, limited edition book, The Eclectic Abecedarium has now been published for the first time as a trade book. There are 56 wonderful pages with 28 terrific color illustrations. This lovely little (4 by 5 inches) hardcase book arrives with a jacket.
14November2008
Price: $9.95 each
What is it?
How's your eye for detail? In What is it? Ditz, a popular painter and photographer, presents a varied selection of her photography from around the world. You are first shown a carefully cropped-out section of each picture which will leave you guessing what it could possibly be.
Once you've thought about it you turn the page to see the whole image and find out if you were right. The photographs have been taken by Ditz both at home in England, and on her travels in USA and Europe.
This clever and quirky puzzler demands concentration and imagination, as the more than 200 photographs are designed to keep the guesses flying! The photographs gently remind us to take a new and closer look at everyday objects and celebrate the wonder and beauty that surrounds us.
We've seen lots of puzzles like this before, but this book is loaded with very special ones - what fun!!
This really thick soft cover book measures 6-1/2 by 6-3/4 and is loaded with pictures on its 416 pages. The printing is superb!
Printed in Malaysia
13October2008
A Brief History of Witchcraft - 1866
More Hallowe'en
Originally published in 1866, this brief but comprehensive account of the history of witchcraft in England makes fascinating reading. It was researched from material then not previously published. It gives an account of how witchcraft was viewed, from an early mention in 1164 of charges against Thomas a' Becket, through to the height of persecution of witches in the 17th century.
The last witch burning took place in England in 1705 though isolated instances of the persecution of witches went on into the late 18th century.
This softcover book is a facsimile reproduction of the original. It includes 16 pages plus a 4-page cover and measures 12cm by 16cm.
12October2008
Sold Out
Price: $7.00 each
Tiny Bible Key Chain
More Shrine Supplies
More Key Chains
While we have not turned nor red every single page of this sweet little Bible, it seems that all, or at least most, of the Old Testament is really inside its diminutive covers. Not including the key chain itself, the little holy book measures about 1-3/4 inch high by 1-1/4 inch wide and barely 3/8 inch thick. There is a nice little self strap attached to the plastic cover. This holds the book closed when not in use.
Amazingly enough, the print inside is extremely clear, although we needed a pair of magnifying glasses and a pretty strong magnifying glass to read the contents.
You can remove the key chain and just keep the little Bible, if you prefer.
12September20088
Price: $3.25 each
Self-Working card tricks
Playing Cards
Not a master of legerdemain? If you still want to do card tricks, then this is your guide. It includes instructions and illustrations for 72 foolproof card miracles for the amateur magician.
These tricks work automatically because of the mathematics inherent in the card deck itself. You won't need long practice and supernormal dexterity to perform these tricks, but you'll find them most entertaining and quite spectacular!
SilverCrow Classic
Price: $5.95 each
Antique Playing Cards: A Pictorial History
From Henry René D'Allemagne, this stunning volume contains over 900 intriguing images from rare decks of playing cards used between the 14th and 20th centuries: Bacchus, death, dancing dogs, players cheating at cards, royal coats of arms, stylized versions of king, queen and other face cards, hunting scenes, etc. You can use these graphics as is or adapt them to fit your art. Softbound.
Price: $14.95
Fortune-Telling Book of Dreams
More Fortune Telling, Tarot, etc.
Aunt Sally's Policy Players Dream Book
Inspired by a vintage book, this delightful guide deciphers dreams to predict the future. It compiles over 1,000 dream symbols and reveals what they portend for the dreamer.
This gilded, faux-leather book is irresistible to pick up; its content is so compelling, it's impossible to put down. A blue silken ribbon, matching the cover, serves as a self-bookmark. Each alphabetic section is begun with a retro illustration that may even act as inspiration for future dreams.
Some sample interpretations:
AVOCADO Expect your love life to ignite if you dream of this tasty green fruit.
DREAM To dream in a dream is a sign of better times to come.
LIME Troubled times are ahead if you dream of eating a lime.
PINECONE Expect news of a birth if you dream of pinecones.
Even the descriptions are written in an old-fashioned style in this 204-page book, which measures 4-3/4 by 3-3/4 inches.
23April2008
First French Reader: A Beginner's Dual Language Book
More Things French
This excellent anthology offers the beginning French-language student a first taste of some of the world's most significant prose. Chosen for both their eloquence and ease of reading, excerpts are from such masterpieces as:
Les Misérables The Read and the Black Madame Bovary Carmen The Three Musketeers Descartes' The Discourse on Method
These readings - a total of 50 in all - will open new worlds for linguists. Readers will savor the words of fifty great writers of multiple genres from the 17th through the 20th centuries, including Voltaire, Rousseau, Balzac, Baudelaire, Dumas, Proust and other literary virtuosos.
Lucid and accessible, the unabridged English translations by Stanley Appelbaum appear on pages that face the original French text. Literature lovers, French-language students, and other readers will find this volume a fascinating exploration of French literature...and an invaluable aid to mastering one of the world's most romantic languages.
This wonderful paperbound publication includes an introduction and notes. It measures 5-3/8 by 8-1/2 inches with 240 pages.
22April2008
Price: $11.95 each
It Takes a Long Time to Become Young
More Retirement
Not only is the title provocative, but the quotations inside are as well! This is an inspiring collection of quotations that assert and amplify the idea that though our bodies age, our hearts and minds can remain young. This is one of those rare anthologies that is the result of wide reading and long collecting, rather than the usual recombination of other people's gleanings.
Richard Kehl woke up one day, as most of us eventually do, and thought - "I look old, but my heart is not old." That morning he started reading in search of observations which paralleled and examined his insight. Darling & Company decided to put his collection in this book because they think it will encourage many readers by letting them know that they are not alone, not wrong in their intuitions. It is their hope also to promote a youthful outlook, one which even perhaps younger readers will find fascinating.
This wonderful 56-page soft-cover book features self-folding flaps that can be used alternatively as bookmarks. It measures 5-1/2 by 8 inches.
15April2008
Price: $9.00 each
Do's and Don'ts of Yesteryear
A delightful mixture of early American know-how and good old-fashioned gentility, Eric Sloane's Do's and Don'ts captures the spirit of bygone America in words and pictures. Combining two of the beloved folk historian's nostalgic how-to guides, this collection offers vintage, homespun advice that recalls "the joy of doing things not just the old-fashioned way, but plainly the right way."
A shining historical gem, this little book of American lore recalls a more kindly, less hurried time. Lovingly gathered by "Mr. Americana" himself from colonial-era almanacs and diaries, hundreds of brief reflections spread time-honored wisdom on everything from curing hiccups, lighting a proper fire, and mending clothing and furniture, to predicting the weather, making soap and getting rid of ants, bees, swallows - and boring houseguests! Sloane's evocative drawings add the perfect finishing touch.
Here are a few examples from the book:
Do hammer a squared peg into a round hole when you wish a wood joint to stay. A hardwood stick, if partly squared, will soon "weld" itself in a round-holed softwood piece and stay tight throughout the years.
Do make a simple soap by using potatoes three-fourths boiled and then mashed. This not only cleans hands but also prevents winter chap.
Do roll newspapers into rolls by wrapping them with string. A Stack of these "logs" will do almost as well in your fireplace as real wood.
Don't contradict. Difference of opinion is no cause of offense, but downright contradiction is a violation of canons of good society.
Don't lean or rest your elbows upon the dinner table.
Don't be in haste to introduce. Be sure that it is mutually desired before presenting any one person to another.
This unabridged hardback book with dustcover is a republication of the editions published by Walker and Company, New York, 1968 and 1972. There are 144 pages in this 4-1/2 by 7 inch book.
09April2008
The Devil's Dictionary (Unabridged)
Born in Ohio in 1842, journalist, short-story writer and critic Ambrose Bierce developed into one of this country's most celebrated and cynical wits - a merciless "American Swift" whose literary barbs were aimed at folly, self-delusion, politics, business, religion, literature and the arts. In this splendid "dictionary" of epigrams, essays, verses and vignettes, you'll find over 1,000 pointed definitions. For example:
Congratulation - The civility of envy. Coward - One who in a perilous emergency thinks with his legs. Historian - A broad-gauge gossip. Me - The objectionable case of I.
Anyone who likes to laugh will love The Devil's Dictionary. Anyone looking for a bon mot to enliven their next speech, paper or conversation will have a field day thumbing through what HL Mencken called "some of the most gorgeous witticisms in the English language.
This unabridged book is a republication of the edition published by the Neale Publishing Company in 1911. There are 144 pages in this 5-3/16 by 8-1/4 inch paperback.
Cover design may vary.
27March2008
Price: $3.50 each
&
A French Alphabet Book of 1814
The complete title reads:
A FRENCH ALPHABET BOOK OF 1814 for Alfred Bourdier de Beauregard created by his uncle Arnaud at the Château de Beaumont de Beauregard
This charming primer on the alphabet captures the essence of everyday life among the French aristocracy in 1814 in a uniquely detailed series of watercolor drawings made as an alphabet book for a young French aristocrat by his uncle.
The drawings give fascinating views of the family chateau and its grounds, its elegantly appointed interiors, the private chapel, as well as the kitchen, workshops, and stables. The boy's clothing and pastimes are all minutely illustrated as are his instruction in polite manners, music, and the arts. The pages are full of amusing puns and now obscured meanings-the French captions translated into the English of the period-preserving a life of enchantment and privilege which has long since vanished.
Charles Plante, who arranged this collection, is the director of Charles Plante Fine Arts, one of the leading British antique galleries specializing in watercolors, drawings and the decorative arts of the neoclassical period (1760-1840).
Made in Hungary
22March2008
Songs of Experience - Facsimile Reproduction
Tyger! Tyger! burning bright In the forests of the night; What immortal hand or eye Could frame thy fearful symmetry? . . .
One of Blake's most inspired creations, The Tyger mingles the lyric and mystical in an exquisite union. Now you can experience the beauty of this and other poems the way Blake intended them - with his own hand-colored illustrations giving them visual form.
This facsimile edition of one of Blake's celebrated Illuminated Books reproduces a collection of calligraphed poems, each enclosed in a masterful full-color illustration. Twenty-six plates reprinted from a rare 1826 etched edition include "London," " A Little Boy Lost," "Holy Thursday," "The Voice of the Ancient Bard" and other immortal verse. To enhance reading, the texts of all the poems are transcribed separately, following the plates.
Dynamic designs and simplicity of language convey Blake's vision of mankind and his condemnation of a wealthy society insensitive to poverty and unhappiness. Moreover, its universal themes make Songs of Experience just as poignant and profound today. Lovers of literature and fine art will want to add this faithful, inexpensive facsimile of an immortal classic to their libraries.
This charming softbound book measures 5-1/4 by 7 inches and has 48 pages, including the facsimile republication of 26 color plates from Songs of Innocence and of Experience, 1826, and a complete printed text of the poems.
5March2008
This is Not a Dirty book - Porn for Women
More Taboo
Prepare to enter a fantasy world. A world where men fold clothes just so, create delicious dinners, and who just don't think that flatulence is funny. Give the fairer sex what they really want—beautiful full-color photos of hunky men cooking, listening, asking for directions and more.
Each of these terrific photos accompanied by steamy captions - the thoughts and words of the gentlemen in the photos:
I love a clean house!
As long as I have two legs to walk on, you'll never take out the trash.
Have a another piece of cake. I don't like you looking so thin.
Our personal favorite is the young man cleaning the kitty litter:
Who could object to cleaning up after the cutest thing on four legs?
Now this is porn that will leave women begging for more! The Cambridge Women's Pornography Cooperative asked women, young, old, rich, and poor, "What really, really gets you hot?" Armed with their findings, they worked day and night to create Porn for Women. Susan Anderson is a Los Angeles-based photographer who believes the future of porn shouldn't be in the hands of men alone.
This softbound book measures 6 inches square and is loaded with photos and quips in its 96 pages!
6March2008. /p>
List Price: $12.95 Our Price: $10.50 each
Toodles and Her Friends Book
More Puppies & Dogs
More Bunnies & Rabbits
More Kitties & Cats
Toodles, a tiny kitten and her bunny and puppy friends tell as story with a classically important lesson for us all.
Toodles wants a new jump-rope and learns that she won't appreciate it unless she earns it herself. On the way, she meets lots of friends, earns money, learns new tasks and helps some animal friends who need help.
The dedication:
Dedicated to all the little
kittens, puppies and bunnies who posed
for the pictures in this book.
The unusual nostalgic black and white photos of real kittens, puppies and bunnies were made possible only by patient unfailing kindness on the part of the photographer, Harry Whittier Frees, at all times.
If you plan on getting this for a youngster in your life, you might want to buy an additional one for yourself.
printed in China
Price: $7.50 Each
The Male and Female Figure in Motion by Eadweard Muybridge
More of the Risqué and Taboo
Now artists, illustrators, photographers and scientists can have Eadweard Muybridge's rare, unparalleled true action photographs in an inexpensive paperbound edition. Sixty classic photographic sequences of the mail and female figure in motion, selected from the monumental original collection of 781, have been painstakingly reproduced on fine coated stock for clarity. These photos are taken from the original Animal Locomotion published in 1887. Most figures are nude.
Taken at speeds ranging up to 1/6000th of a second, incredibly precise images show undraped subjects against ruled backgrounds in countless actions, most from three angles: front, rear and three-quarter view. You'll find men boxing, hammering, heaving a rock, walking, running, leaping, climbing steps, carrying weights and playing baseball, cricket and football. Dozens of stopped-action photographs show women walking, turning kneeling, jumping, bending, dancing and dressing. and several sequences illustrate children in various typical activities.
No more complete study of the human body in action has ever been done. Countless split-second motions involved in even the simplest movements - the curling of toes, the shift of gravity centers, the tightening and relaxing of muscles - a myriad of subtle details that make drawings, paintings and animations come to life - are captured in these historic photographs.
Eadweard Muybridge's 19th-century masterpiece remains one of the greatest achievements of art and photography. Now this edition, unprecedented in publishing brings a superb selection of classic action photographs within reach of everyone.
This wonderful softbound book measures 8-1/2 by 11 inches and has 121 pages, almost all with illustrations.
26February2008
Price: $12.95 each
Hand Shadows - Book One
Most of us will remember something about hand shadows from our childhood. Today this delightful, amusing and educational pastime is sadly neglected. But in this fascinating Victorian facsimile book, the subject is explored in full with charming good size illustrations. It was first published in 1860, but still holds its own today. For children and adults of all ages, here is the perfect antidote to today's rush and bustle.
This paperback is a facsimile reproduction of the original Victorian instruction book. It measures 24 by 19 cm, with 48 pages and lots of illustrations.
20February2008
Price: $12.55 each
Hand Shadows - Second Series
This second series of Hand Shadows was published in the mid 1800s, the first series being a great success a few months before. There are exciting new "Hand Shadows" in this edition.
Four Little Bunnies Story Book
by the Same Author, Toodles and Her Friends
by the Same Author, Four Little Puppies
The stars of this cute little reproduction of an antique original are Fluff, Puff, Muff and Algernon. They live with Mother Bunn and Father Bunn.
This sweet little tail tale follows them through preparations for Easter.
Dedicated to all the little bunnies who posed for the pictures in this book.
The unusual nostalgic black and white photos of real bunnies were made possible only by patient unfailing kindness on the part of the photographer, Harry Whittier Frees, at all times.
13February2008
The Joseph Cornell Box: Found Objects, Magical Worlds
More Kits
More Collage & Assemblage
Working with found objects, pages from old books, and dime-store trinkets, self-taught artist Joseph Cornell (1903–1972) transformed everyday materials into extraordinary universes. By collecting and carefully juxtaposing his treasures in small, glass-front boxes, this pioneering artist invented visual poems exploring themes as varied as the night sky, the romantic ballet, glamorous movie stars, and bird habitats.
This lavishly illustrated and collaged book presents Cornell’s life and art, his sources of inspiration, and artistic process, along with six project ideas. Housed in a sturdy keepsake box with a see-through front window and removable grid, the package also includes materials to jump-start the creative process—printed sheets for collage, a metal ring, antique tags, and a magnifier. The box measures 7-1/4 by 9-1/4 inches.
Made in China
6October2006
Was: $24.95 Now: $19.99 per Set
the
Blacky the Crow
If you love crows, you'll love this wonderful tale of Blacky the Crow, who has very sharp eyes and who is often getting into trouble because he sees things he shouldn't. One day Blacky notices two fresh eggs in a nest belonging to Hooty the Owl and Mrs. Hooty. The eggs are a price too delicious to pass up and Blacky devises a plan to snatch them. But does he succeed?
Originally published in 1922, this Dover Classic Paperback edition is a complete reproduction in association with the Thornton W Burgess Museum and the Green Briar Center.
Master Your Moods: Philosophy for Daily Life
Any book subtitled Philosophy for Daily Life certainly creates an allure for us here at SilverCrow! This delightful mini-tome is faithfully reproduced from the original 1885 version. The printing is old-fashioned as it is a facsimile reproduction of the original.
Delve into this pleasing paperbacked book when you are discontented, envious, conceited, proud, idle, impatient, angry, avaricious, selfish, worrying, untruthful, vacillating, despondent!
Quotations are taken from a wide range of writers including Bacon, Socrates and Dr Johnson, Seneca, Emerson, Goethe and Marcus Aurelius among others.
Price: $10.00
The Constitution of the United States of America
More USA
In 1787, Americans given the right to practice the religion of choice; given the right to say whatever without persecution. In 1787, it was written that house and property were secure from unreasonable search and seizure and that each an every one was given the right to a public trial.
Fifty-five men sat in a sweltering hot room as they fought and argued for all Americans. They created the document that gave rights to all citizens of the United States of America.
The Constitution of The United States of America, inscribed and illustrated by the master calligrapher Sam Fink, brings to life the issues underlying the triumphs of this abiding document. Originally published in pen and ink in 1987, Sam has, at the request of Welcome Books, gone back to the original black-and-white art and painted it entirely, creating a full-color masterpiece.
Each amendment, each article, each word so thoughtfully placed in the Constitution has been given Sam’s profound touch. With a powerful intelligence and a wonderful sense of humor, he has provided us with an entry point, allowing us to read this essential document better, more clearly.
The Constitution of The United States of America is the document ach American must read again and again. There is no more important document in our country. It is the document we must have an intimate knowledge of. It is the document that we must never forget. In 1787, Americans were entrusted with a living document. Have we kept it safe? To begin, we must read it. This, Sam, in his direct and unadorned way, respectful and loving, helps us do.
This wonderful jacketed hardbound book measures 15 by 10-3/4 inches and 136 pages loaded with illustrations.
Made In USA
25November2007
Price: $34.95 each
First Edition
The Alphabet from A to Y with Bonus Letter Z!
More Stuff for Kids
The acclaimed entertainer and bestselling author Steve Martin and the wildly clever New Yorker cartoonist Roz Chast team up in a weird, wonderful excursion through the alphabet. The ABCs have never had it so good. Created by two of today’s wittiest, most imaginative minds, The Alphabet from A to Y with Bonus Letter Z! is a sheer delight from A to Z.
In twenty-six alliterative couplets, Steve Martin conjures up much more than mere apples and zebras. Instead we meet Horace the hare, whose hairdo hides hunchbacks, and Ollie the owl, who owed Owen an oboe.
Roz Chast contributes the perfect visual settings for Martin’s zany two-liners. Her instantly recognizable drawings are packed with humorous touches both broad and subtle. Each rereading—and there will be many—delivers new delights and discoveries. There, hidden behind Bad Baby Bubbleducks, is a framed picture of a beatnik holding balloons; and the letter C finds clunky Clarissa all clingy and clueless adrift in a landscape cluttered with images ranging from a curiously comfortable clown to Chuck’s Chili stand.
A smart, laugh-inducing introduction to the alphabet for young children, The Alphabet from A to Y with Bonus Letter Z! will also enchant adults with its matchless mix of the sophisticated and the silly.
This 64-page hardcover book with jacket measures 10-1/5 by 8-1/10 inches.
14November2007
Price: $17.95 Each
Poe Illustrated: Art by Doré, Dulac, Rackham and Others
More Edgar Allan Poe
In his brief and troubled life, Edgar Allan Poe (1809-49) was as haunted by tragedy and loss as he was plagued by poverty, illness and alcoholism. Poe's personal misfortunes doubtless influenced the dark romanticism of his work. Obsessed with death, decay and the madness, he created compelling narratives of characters trapped in perverse situations. The profound influence of his stories and poetry extends not only to world literature but also to the visual arts.
This outstanding collection, selected and edited by Jeff A Menges, features scores of memorable moments from Poe's writings recaptured in gripping images of eerie beauty by the author's most acclaimed interpreters.
More than 100 illustrations, reproduced in brilliant color and crisp black-and-white, include hard-to-find images from private collections as well as those from sought-after rare editions. Poe Illustrated features scenes from such popular tales as The Fall of the Hose of User, The Pit and the Pendulum, The Gold-Bug, The Black Cat and The Cask of Amontillado as well as The Bells and other poems. Spanning a fifty-year period, they range from Édouard Manet's 1875 lithographs for a French edition of The Raven to the 1935 illustrations of Arthur Rackham for The Tell-Tale Heart and other stories. Additional contributors include Arthur E Becher, W Heath Robinson, Byam Shaw and Harry Clarke, among others. The editor provides an informative overview, as well as brief introductions to each of the artists and captions for their images.
The authors start by stressing the balance of complementary opposites—left brain/right brain, challenge/comfort, practicality/the sacred—as crucial to beginning the journey. Then through guided imagery, they lead readers through subconscious realms to connect with archetypal sources of inner wisdom. This process frees the creative and healing spirit, connecting explorers with the body's instinctive intelligence, which expresses itself through the creation of art.
This wonderful softbound book measures 8-1/2 by 11 inches and has 81 pages, almost all with illustrations.
23October2007
Price: $15.95 each
A History of Playing Cards and a Bibliography of Cards and Gaming
Tarot & Inspiration Cards
This comprehensive volume by Catherine Perry Hargrave has been touted by ephemera collectors and card aficionados alike. It includes an enormous annotated bibliography of more than 900 items on playing cards and games, and over 1,400 illustrations. Praised by The New York Times as “the most authoritative and complete treatment of its kind.” Softbound.
RARE - Out of Print
Price: $39.95 Each
Miss Browne Mouse: The Story of a Superior Mouse
This slim volume (24 pages) is a delightful combination of moral and art! Miss Browne Mouse, quite the cosmopolitan, visits her friends and relatives in the country.
Illustrated in lovely color and with old-fashioned charm by Madeline Hall, this delightful book is about 8 1/2 inches square.
Price: $6.25 Each
How to Humour a Husband: The Mother's Guide
First published around 1920, this book reflects a time when a woman's place was very much in the home. Now with the lapse of time this book has become both a fascinating and amusing read, though care should be taken regarding any medical advice given.
Some excerpts:
Make a mental note of anything that displeases your husband in the house, and, if reasonable, obliterate the fault.
Some husbands are like pet dogs - they need nursing to keep them in good temper.
There is nothing more disagreeable in life than a home where jarring and quarrelling is the keynote on which they start and finish each round.
This quaint little book certainly illustrates the changes made over the last century. But, it is charming and there are gems of great advice inside, too.
This makes a great little extra gift for the bride-to-be.
8September2007
Price: $10.25 each
The Guerilla Art Kit
We are living in a golden age of self-expression. The explosion of user-created content on blogs and social networking sites moved Time magazine to name "You" their 2006 person of the year.
But while we may be spending a lot more time in virtual worlds, we have not lost the urge to make our physical world more meaningful. By leaving art and ideas in public places, you can affect someone's day—change their mood or their mind—and maybe even change the world in the process! The Guerilla Art Kit shows how small artistic acts can start a revolution.
Keri Smith, noted author of Living Out Loud and the blog Wish Jar Journal, uses her unique drawing and handwriting style to help anyone find and release their inner artist or activist. This visually exciting activity book—full of step-by-step exercises, cut-out projects, sticker ideas, and more—has both fun assignments and handy tips to help you unleash your creative energy into the streets, where you can really make an impact.
From the quick exercises—leaving books for strangers to find, chalking quotes on the sidewalk—to the more involved—making a "wish tree," guerilla gardening, or making your own stencils—The Guerilla Art Kit contains everything you need to put your message out into the world.
This hardcover and spiral bound book contains 144 inspirational pages with 70 color and 10 black and white images.
Printed and Bound in China
29August2007
Was: $17.95 Now: $14.95 Each
Very Naughty Origami
More Risqué Items
More Origami
Who knew that an innocent piece of paper could become a piece of erotic artwork with a few well-executed folds?
Nick Robinson, one of the world's foremost authorities on the ancient Japanese art of paper folding, takes origami where no origami has gone before. Inspired by a bawdy British sense of humor and worldly experience, each project transforms an average piece of chaste, virgin paper into an objet d'art sure to dismay the innocent.
Anyone can master naughty origami from giant sperm to novelty breasts. Each of the 16 projects comes with evocative line-drawings, easy-to-follow instructions and color photographs of the end result. Each project is also accompanied by amusing tales of the inspirations behind it, like Randy Rabbits, which was inspired by the legendary insatiable sexual appetite of our long-eared, cotton-tailed friends.
This is a very special book for anyone in search of a new and unusual hobby, couples searching for stimulating games, jokesters looking for off-the-beaten-track party tricks, and of course, for the origami enthusiast who has every other origami book.
This hardbound guide measures 7-1/10 inch square and includes 96 pages.
made IN usa OR IMPORTED
7August2007
$16.95 Each
Lewis Carroll's Games and Puzzles
More Toys, Games & Puzzles
More Alice
Widely known as the author of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and other books for children, Lewis Carroll (Charles L. Dodgson) also excelled as a mathematician and inventor of puzzles. Toward the end of his life, Carroll worked on a book of mathematical puzzles and games but died before it was completed. This book is a new compilation of Carroll's surviving puzzles and games, assembled and edited by Edward Wakeling, a Lewis Carroll scholar and writer on mathematics. Included are a substantial number of problems that Carroll had intended for his collection.
Among the problems - many published here for the first time - are these (and 24 more) baffling brainteasers:
Cakes in a Row
Looking-Glass Time
Hidden Names
Diverse Doublets
Arithmetical Croquet
A Sticky Problem
Painting Cubes
An Amazing Maze
Alice's Multiplication Tables
Four Brothers and a Monkey
Handicaps
Mischmasch
Square Numbers
Wise Eyes
Two Clocks
The Number Forty-Two
An Enigma
A Riddle
In addition to Carroll's original mathematical inventions and games, the editor has supplied a few original problems of his own. Some hints and solutions are also provided. Enhanced with some of John Tenniel's famous illustrations, this volume is a delightful double treat for any puzzle enthusiast or lover of the Alice books.
This trade paperback measures 5-3/8 by 8-1/2 inches, contains xii + 80 pages and includes a foreword by the Earl of Stockton.
28July2007
The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci - Volumes I & II
More da Vinci
His works are so well respected, that in the mid-1990's Bill Gates bought one of his notebooks for a record $80.3 million!
Scientist, painter, mechanical engineer, sculptor, thinker, city planner, storyteller, musician, architect - Leonardo da Vinci, builder of the first flying machine, was one of the great universal geniuses of Western civilization. His voluminous notebooks, the great storehouse of his theories and discoveries, are presented here in 1566 extracts that reveal the full range of Leonardo's versatile interests: all the important writings on painting, sculpture, architecture, anatomy, astronomy, geography, topography and other fields are included, in both Italian and English, with 186 plates of manuscript pages and many other drawings reproduced in facsimile size.
The first volume, which contains all of Leonardo's writings on aspects of painting, includes discussions of such basic scientific areas as the structure of the eye and vision, perspective, the science of light and shade, the perspective of disappearance, theory of color, perspective of color, proportions and movements of the human figure, botany for painters and the elements of landscape painting. A section on the practice of painting includes moral precepts for painters and writings on composition, materials and the philosophy of art.
The second volume contains writings on sculpture, architecture (plans for towns, streets and canals, churches, palaces, castles and villas, theoretical writings on arches, domes, fissures, etc.), zoology, physiology (including his amazingly accurate theories of blood circulation), medicine, astronomy, geography (including his famous writings and drawings on the movement of water), topography (observations in Italy, France and other areas), naval warfare, swimming, theory of flying machines, mining, music and other topics.
A selection of philosophical maxims, morals, polemics, fables, jests, studies in the lives and habits of animals, tales and prophecies display Leonardo's abilities as a writer and thinker. The second volume also contains some letters, personal records, inventories and accounts and concludes with Leonardo's will.
The drawings include sketches and studies for some of the master's greatest works of art - The Last Supper, the lost Battle of Anghiari, The Virgin of the Rocks and the destroyed Sforza monument.
This set of 2 trade paperback volumes includes a total of xlvii + 866 pages and includes over 700 illustrations. There are reference tables to the numerical order of the chapters. Appendices include the history of the manuscripts as well as a bibliography of the manuscripts.
Pages are bound in signatures in the method traditionally used for the best books and will not drop out. The books open flat for easy reference and the binding will not crack or split. Paper is opaque, with minimal show-through and will not discolor or become brittle with age.
23July2007
List Price: $45.90 SilverCrow Price: $41.50 per set of 2 Volumes
Simple Soldered Jewelry & Accessories
If you love the soldered jewelry you see at the finest boutiques on ground and on the internet, then why not try it yourself. This wonderful step-by-step guide will help you to design your own personal wearable art jewelry! This unique approach will help you transform ordinary household objects into striking and exquisite jewelry.
The stunning home accessories and jewelry in this collection are unusual and exciting projects for the novice as well as the experienced artisan. Their focal points are miniature metal frames - each displaying a small work of art - such as a scarp of decorative paper and a photograph - between small panels of glass.
As you'll see, the materials and tools you'll use are readily available. The techniques, including assembling the designs, cutting glass, wrapping the edges of your piece with copper foil tape, applying solder to the edges and adding jump rings are fully described inside.
The first several projects, which range from a pretty pendant to festive holiday ornaments, use simple microscope slides as the foundation of the frames. The focus then shifts to working with glass in various small, round and odd shapes. These designs include a coordinated necklace and pair of earrings that reflect nature's beauty in silver and topaz, fun chokers with pendants that showcase porcelain shards and a neck cuff and ring featuring turquoise cabochons. Other projects are enhanced with everything from beads to hand-formed metal embellishments, including a pendant that's decorated with ornate bars from disassembled toggle clasps.
Find out how easy it is to make interesting and more complex pieces of jewelry by combining individual soldered pieces.
Finally, let your creativity shine by altering existing home accent, whether it's transforming oversized paperclips to distinctive bookmarks or giving candle holders and votives dazzling makeovers. With a little imagination, the creative possibilities of the craft are endless!
This 144-page jacketed hardcover book even contains patterns, templates and clip-art!
List Price: $24.95 SilverCrow Price: $20.00 each
The 101 Most Influential People who Never Lived
From Santa Claus to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, from Uncle Sam to Uncle Tom, here is a compelling, eye-opening, and endlessly entertaining compendium of fictional trendsetters and world-shakers who have helped shape our culture and our lives. The 101 Most Influential People Who Never Lived offers fascinating histories of our most beloved, hated, feared, and revered invented icons and the indelible marks they made on civilization, including:
# 28: Rosie the Riveter, the buff, blue-collar factory worker who helped jump-start the Women's Liberation movement
# 7: Siegfried, the legendary warrior-hero of Teutonic nationalism responsible for propelling Germany into two world wars
# 80: Icarus, the headstrong high-flyer who inspired the Wright brothers and humankind's dreams of defying gravity . . . while demonstrating the pressing need for flight insurance
# 58: Saint Valentine, the hapless, de-canonized loser who lost his heart and head at about the same time
# 43: Barbie, the bodacious plastic babe who became a role model for millions of little girls, setting an impossible standard for beauty and style
This fun 336-page trade paperback measures about 8 by 5-1/5 inches.
30June2007
Price: $13.95 each
The Kitty Kama Sutra
Meow! This feline-centered Kama Sutra will get any cool cat purring very loudly—and its owner laughing. With elaborate illustrations of graceful creatures engaged in such fur-play as the Bombay Belle High-Quality Earlobe Lick, as well as diagrams of the paw’s erogenous zones, this sensuous guide plunges into the mysteries of cat love.
It smoothly covers such topics as “First Intimacies: The Warming Up of Kitty”—including the anointing of the body with rare oils and spices, plus lusty temptress meowing activity—and “The Fires of Ranchipur: The 12 Positions of Kitty Love.” Of course, since every cat loves a cuddle, there’s advice on what to do post-lovemaking.
Our favorite subject is, "Decoding the Rapturous Tail Switch," right at the end!
This soft-bound trade paperback measures 5 by 7-1/2 inches and has 96 pages.
12February2007
Spray Paint Paper Craft
If you love our Be About Peace Packing Tape by Spray Paint Artist Beth Myrick, then maybe you'll want to try your hand at this fun art form. You needn't be a tagger or a graffiti artist to excel at spray paint art.
Inside you'll find tons of new ideas for using spray paint in paper crafting! Better known for its practical uses like transforming old furniture into new, now you'll find that aerosol paint actually produces surprisingly elegant, sophisticated, and creative effects on paper and other assemblage art bases.
These fantastic projects come from Krylon, the largest manufacturer of spray paint in the world and a brand favored by hobbyists for its acid-free, archival quality. You'll will first learn the art of creating your own specialty papers with such simple skills as marbling, rubber-stamping, and stenciling, and then use those custom papers to produce scrapbook pages; mini-books; and embellished cards, bags, and tags.
Then, apply what you've learned and try altered art techniques to make bottles, boxes, and purses, or adorn home décor items such as trays, frames, and mirrors. It’s fun and easy!
This fun 128-page jacketed hardcover measures about 10 by 8-3/4 inches.
17June2007
List Price: $24.95 SilverCrow Price: $19.95 each
The Everyman Book of Nonsense Verse
More Kids' Stuff
This hilariously readable collection of classic nonsense poetry, delightfully illustrated throughout, is a showcase of comic talent and sheer silliness.
The Everyman Book of Nonsense Verse features an eclectic spectrum of contributors ranging wildly from Edward Lear and Lewis Carroll to Hilaire Belloc, Ted Hughes, Ogden Nash, and Shakespeare, with illustrations by Mervyn Peake, Quentin Blake, Emma Chichester Clark, Spike Milligan, and the deliciously sinister Edward Gorey.
Such old favorites as The Owl and the Pussycat are accompanied by Macavity: The Mystery Cat and Jabberwocky, while Ted Hughes’s Wodwo sits alone by the bank of a stream in a state of innocence and curiosity that mirrors a child’s sense of wonder at the universe. Whether sweetly funny or deliciously naughty, these masterpieces of the art of the absurd will charm readers both young and old.
The fine cloth binding is accompanied by a silken ribbon self-bookmark, making it look like it costs substantially more - so perfect when gift-giving! This classic measures 8-3/10 by 6-1/5 inches, with 256 pages and a substantial number of black and white illustrations.
Printed and Bound in Germany
01June2007
Frida Kahlo Art Box
A tribute to Frida Kahlo, the artist and the person, this flamboyantly decorated ArtBox explores through images and words, the soul of one of the world's most renowned and fascinating artists. Complete with reproductions of Kahlo's own letters, diary entries, and paintings, and including photographs of the artist, the box offers a penetrating glimpse into Frida Kahlo's world.
The box contains a 48-page book, along with 10 note cards and a milagro.
9October2006
Was: $19.95 Now: $16.97 Per Set
The Golden Rule Ruler Book
This sweet little book explores the golden rule - do unto others... - which occurs in some form in most of the world’s religions. The Golden Rule is unique in its form - being in shape and size similar to a ruler – and is accented with golden ink so that it is both a book on the golden rule and a golden rule itself.
This soft cover measures 8 inches wide by 2 inches high with 48 pages.
21May2007
Price: $6.95 each
Hands and How to Read Them
More Metaphysical
Originally published in 1917, this little book is loaded with interesting information. Both the first and last several pages are filled with advertisements for the original publisher's other works, such as Cold Meat and How to Disguise It and Keeping Rabbits.
This little instruction manual might convince you to change your profession to one of Fortune Telling. The illustrations are both telling and artistic and the instructions are clear, yet dated (of course) in vernacular.
We are coaxed within by the back cover description:
The foretelling of past and future events by the reading of hands can be traced by to the Ancient Egyptians. This book gives an in depth study of what information can be gained from hands. From "hints to parents and guardians" to "choosing employees and domestic servants." Making in all a fascinating read even for the most sceptic [sic] of readers.
This little paperback is a facsimile reproduction of the original manual. It measures 18 by 11.5 cm, 144 pages with 15 illustrations.
20May2007
Was: $13.25 Now: $11.00 each
Annie Oakley & Buffalo Bill's Wild West
More Rodeo & The American West
Queen Victoria said of her, "You are a very, very clever little girl."
Her life was the stuff of legend - from humble Quaker origins, Annie Oakley rose to the height of renown as a world-famous entertainer and featured performer with Buffalo Bill's Wild West extravaganza.
Her friends knew her always as a generous and gentle woman. She excelled in a man's world at a man's sport, never losing her feminine appeal.
This 96-page text is an insider's look at Annie's life from childhood on. It is richly illustrated in black and white with photographs and poster art.
Was: $9.95 Now: $7.95 Each
Glitter Artistry
Glitter is not just for children anymore! Now glitter is a sophisticated, high-quality product available in hundreds of sparkling shades, sizes, and styles. Barbara Trombley — the owner of Art Glitter, Inc. — has pioneered the field, creating unique colors and designing her own magnificent line of cards. So, who better to explain the entire dazzling process?
She discusses the difference between opaque and transparent glitters; the diverse sizes, from chunky to ultra fine; the categories of sheen, from neon to pearlescent; the all-important adhesives; and a variety of exciting techniques.
What will really thrill crafters are the shimmering bag, tag, and card projects—some travel and vintage inspired, others seasonally themed, and still more for celebrations such as birthdays, graduations, and weddings.
This fun 128-page jacketed hardcover measures about 10-1/5 by 8-3/4 inches.
14May2007
Song of Creation by Saint Francis of Assisi
In 1225 the infirm St. Francis was living in a hut in a church garden. As ill as he was, he wrote this poem in which he looks on the face of creation and blesses it in its totality.
The text of his poem in this volume is a translation by Matthew Arnold. The publisher has illuminated each line with paintings. Praised be my Lord for our brother the Wind is accompanied by a Corot painting of trees bent before a gale, and also an illustration by Frank Papé in which a dove is borne joyously upward. In this manner two faces of wind are shown, and the words made more vividly manifest.
In the last year of his life St. Francis, greatly hampered by his illness and progressing blindness, lived in a reed hut in the garden of the church of St. Damian. There he composed this song in which he expressed his kinship with the various aspects of creation. G.K. Chesterton writes of St. Francis:
"He was above all things a great giver, and he cared chiefly for the best kind of giving which is called thanksgiving."
This 35-page jacketed hardcover book is an elegant presentation of an inspirational work and is filled with glorious illustration in celebration of the heavens, the stars, the water, the earth. living beings and truth.
Printed in Singapore
25October2007
List Price: $18.95 SilverCrow Price: $9.95 each
Sowa's Ark
This wonderful book boasts this new edition! 55 paintings by Michael Sowa from his famous Diving Pig to the puzzling Man Table Fish. Sowa's art evokes wonder and amazement; a mix of surrealism and comic illustration, of humor and seriousness. His art has been compared to Magritte and Vermeer. This book is a must have for art lovers and Sowa followers.
Artist Michael Sowa was born in Berlin in 1945. He studied at the Academy of Fine Art in Berlin and has worked in many capacities and published several story books.
This fantastic book measures 9 by 8.3 inches and every page of the 72 is marvelous!
13May2007
My Art, My Life by Diego Rivera
More Frida
Engrossing as a novel...throws a clear white light on one of the most spectacular artists of our time. - Chicago Sunday Tribune
this remarkable autobiography began with a newspaper interview the artist gave journalist Gladys March in 1944. From then until the artist's death in 1957, she spent several months each year with Rivera, eventually filling 2,000 pages with his recollections and interpretations of his art and life. Written in the first person, My Art, My Life is a richly revealing document of the painter who revolutionized modern mural painting, was a principal figure in launching the "Mexican Renaissance" and is ranked among the most influential artists of the 20th century.
As the colorful narrative unfolds, Diego Rivera seems always to be in the midst of political, artistic and romantic turmoil. As the reviewer for the New Republic observed, "Rivera reveals a keen appreciation of his prowess in art, sex and politics, and the record seems to be complete on the series of spectacular rows he got into over all three."
The book details his bold confrontations with dictators and presidents, the battles that erupted over his murals in Rockefeller Center and the Hotel de Prado, his tempestuous marriages to Lupe Marin and artist Frida Kahlo and much, much more.
This trade paperback measures 5-1/4 by 8-1/4 inches with 197 pages, including black and white photos and illustrations.
11April2007
The Codex Borgia: A Full-Color Restoration
More Hispanic & Latino
Considered by many scholars the finest extant Mexican codes and one of the most important original sources for the study of pre-Columbian religion, the Codex Borgia is a work of profond beauty, filled with strange and evocative images related to calendrical, cosmological, ritual and divinatory matters. Generally similar in style to such Mixtec manuscripts as the Codex Nuttall, the Codes Borgia is thought to have had its origin (ca. 1400 ad) in the south central highlands of Mexico. It is most probably a religious document that once belonged to a temple or sacred shrine.
One use of the Codex may have been to divine the future, for it includes ritual 260-day calendars, material on aspects of the planet Venus and a sort of numerological prognostication of the lives of wedded couples. Another section concerns various regions of the world and the supernatural characters and attributes of those regions. Also described are the characteristics of a number of deities, while still other passages may relate to installation ceremonies of rulers in pre-Columbian kingdoms.
Until this publication, the Codex Borgia has been largely inaccessible to the general public. The priceless original is in the Vatican Library and previous photographic facsimiles are very rare and/or very expensive. Moreover, the original Codex has been damaged over the centuries, resulting in the obscuration and loss of many images. In order to recapture the beauty and grandeur of the original, Gisele Díaz and Alan Rodgers have painstakingly restored the Codex by hand - a seven-year project - employing the most scrupulous research and restoration techniques. The result is 76 large full-color plates of vibrant, striking depictions of gods, kings, warriors, mythical creatures and mysterious abstract designs - a vivid panorama that offers profound insights into pre-Columbian Mexican myth and ritual. Now students, anthropologists, lovers of fine art and rare books - anyone interested in the art and culture of ancient Mexico - can study the Codex Borgia in this inexpensive, accurate, well-made edition. An informative introduction by noted anthropologist Bruce E. Byland places the Codex in its historical context and helps elucidated its meaning and significance.
This trade paperback measures 9 by 12 inches with 112 pages, including 76 full-color plates.
Price: $20.95 Each
The Giving Tree
More Generosity
'Once there was a tree...and she loved a little boy.'
So begins a story of unforgettable perception, beautifully written and illustrated by the gifted and versatile Shel Silverstein.
Every day the boy would come to the tree to eat her apples, swing from her branches, or slide down her trunk...and the tree was happy. But as the boy grew older he began to want more from the tree, and the tree gave and gave and gave.
This is a tender story, touched with sadness, aglow with consolation. Shel Silverstein has created a moving parable for readers of all ages that offers an affecting interpretation of the gift of giving and a serene acceptance of another's capacity to love in return.
Meant for children of any age, this is truly one of our most favorite books, and has been for years.
The hard-covered book is slip covered and contains 64 pages that are wonderfully illustrated.
30March2007
Was: $16.99 Now: $15.00 Each
Dollar Bill Origami
Giving a cash gift? What better way than to produce an origami model from USA currency or other currencies and papers with the same dimensions. And what a better excuse to hold onto that cash - now it's art - and you can't spend that!
Step-by-step instructions and clear diagrams show paper folders at all levels of expertise how to fashion everything from common objects such as a house with a chimney to inspired plants, birds and other animals. Projects range from those easy for beginners to intermediate folds to some that will even entertain a professional!
Little Nemo in the Palace of Ice and Further Adventures
More Little Nemo More Books
These strange and marvelously drafted cartoons recount the continuing dreams of Little Nemo, a small boy transported nightly into such fantastic worlds as the Palace of Ice, a pirate ship on the high seas and a miniature city - where time and again his adventures get him deep in trouble and nothing can possibly save him. . .except. . .waking up!
The masterpiece of Windsor McCay, the American cartoonist is an incredible succession of fantasies done in watercolor-like circus colors and with McCay's free-wheeling mastery of perspective drawing. The showmanship of these cartoons is matched by their psychological weirdness - and rightness - in which students of dreams have found the full catalogue of classic dream imagery: falls, flights, wild beasts in the forest and more!
McCay, who once shared a vaudeville stage with W.C. Fields and Houdini, was equally the comedian and the master of illusions!
This reprinting of 31 full-color pages from the Sunday comic section of The New York Herald, selected from the best numbers of the original 1907 series. It is to our knowledge the only bookful of Nemo strips reproduced in their original colors directly from the pages of the Herald. Children and adult comic readers, cartoonists and other artists and those interested in the history of this popular art will find Little Nemo one of the most astonishing and wildly entertaining comic strips ever created.
The reproduction includes strips from January 20, 1907 through April 28, 1907 and June 9, 1907 through September 22, 2007.
This trade paperback measures 10-1/4 by 14-1/4 inches with 32 pages of supremely reproduced illustrations.
22March2007
Penmanship Made Easy (Unabridged Reprint)
Geroge Bickham was an enterprising 18th century engraver and calligrapher who promoted the practice of proper penmanship. This volume, an unabridged reprint of his now extremely rare calligraphy manual, provided young practitioners with much valuable information on how to write not only legibly but also with beauty and grace.
The book begins with "Directions for Learners," a series of helpful hints on forming letters, holding the pen, arm and wrist positions, proper posture, etc. The book is filled with a wealth of incredibly beautiful calligraphic specimens: alphabets, maxims, didactic verses and other words of advice for elevating the moral standards of the young. Beware, however, that this was originally produced around 1733, so some items may be considered politically incorrect today.
This trade paperback measures 5-3/8 by 8 inches with 64 pages of mostly illustrations.
Price: $6.95 Each
Drawing Outdoors
This comprehensive guide by the well-known artist, author and educator, Henry C Pitz, demonstrates how to draw every major outdoor subject in all of the principal drawing media. Step by step, it shows how to delineate the land, greenery, skies, buildings, people, cities and more in pencil, pen-and-ink, brush-and-ink, felt-tip pen, charcoal, pastel, wash and mixed media.
Pitz begins with the basics and builds on each step until the student can work toward truly ambitious drawing. With 120 drawings of his own and those of past and modern masters (Rembrandt, van Gogh, Hopper, etc.), if you decide you'll never be able to draw, then you can cut up the book and use it for a great collage!.
Price: $8.95
Rainbow Crow
More Crows, Ravens & Other Birds
The earth's first snow is falling, and as it grows deeper the animals are disappearing beneath it. Cold and worried, they argue who should ask the Great Sky Spirit for help. Then the sweet voice of Rainbow Crow rings out" "I will go. I will stop the snow." How brave Crow is given the means to save the woodland - and how the powerful gift changes him forever - makes a eloquent ending to this Lenape Indian legend.
This beautiful children's book is a lesson retold by Nancy Van Lann and illustrated wonderfully by Beatriz Vidal. This 40-page soft-cover book measures 10-1/2 by 8-1/2 inches.
25February2007
Price: $6.99 Each
The Underachiever's Manifesto: The Guide to Accomplishing Little and Feeling Great
Lower the bar. Turn it down a notch. Get off that Stairmaster. The Underachiever's Manifesto is the playfully persuasive pocket guide to living life to the least and loving it.
With sharp humor and genuine wisdom, this welcome little book extols the fabulous benefits of underachievement in our overextended society. A witty introduction makes the case for the right amount of effort—a lot less than we've been led to believe.
Ten principles of underachievement establish the basics:
(#8: The tallest blade of grass is the surest to be cut)
And practical applications show how mediocrity is the key to happiness at work, in relationships, dieting, exercise, investment, and more. Devilishly enlisting examples from philosophy, economics, science, and good common sense, The Underachiever's Manifesto is a lighthearted, life-changing rallying call for those who dare to do less and enjoy more.
Ray Bennett is a medical specialist in the Seattle area who is still guilty of overachievement in treating his patients. This is his first book.
This little (4 by 6 inches) hardback book is 96 pages with twelve black and white illustrations. And, we just love that the title was hyphenated - not enough planning - or, does it even matter?
imported
18March2007
American Circus Posters
Here collected together for the first time are 48 large, full-color, rare circus posters. Culled from authentic circus advertisements from the 1890s through the 1940s, these are so superbly reproduced, you'll think they are brand-new originals.
Because they are printed in extra large format (10-1/4 x 14-1/4 inches), you'll clearly be able to see even the smallest of details. These amazing posters features many of the greats of the American circus: acrobats, clowns, Gargantua, etc., from Ringling Bros., Barnum & Bailey, Sparks, and more!
They create a delightfully visual circus history and are fine examples of poster art rarely seen today. You might want to buy two copies - one for framing and one to keep! Softcover.
Tattoo: Secrets of a Strange Art
More Tattoo Temporary Tattoos
Scientific American called this classic work, "A milestone in the general literature of tattooing."
This paperback reproduction of the Simon and Schuster 1933 original contains 27 color and black and white illustrations: the story behind a counterculture phenomenon gone mainstream!
Hailed as a landmark work on body art, Albert Parry's book explores tattooing from a variety of perspectives--artistic, semiotic, psychological/behavioral, sociological and cultural. Also featured are fascinating studies of common tattoo art themes, the social milieu of tattoo aficionados and profiles of the great tattoo artists of the early twentieth century.
31January2007
Four Little Puppies Story Book
by the Same Author, Four Little Bunnies
The stars of this cute little reproduction of an antique original are Wags, Tags, Rags and Obadiah. They live with their Uncle Oscar and Aunt Abbie.
This sweet little tail tale follow them through a typical day of chores and antics and naps.
Dedicated to all the little puppies who posed for the pictures in this book.
The unusual nostalgic black and white photos of real puppies were made possible only by patient unfailing kindness on the part of the photographer, Harry Whittier Frees, at all times.
29January2007
Milagros - A Book of Miracles
Shrines & Shrine Supplies
Milagros & Medals
Let the ancient power of milagros work miracles for you! Based on traditional Latin American talismans, these tiny silver charms are reminders that a miracle can fit in the palm of your hand. Throughout Latin America and the American Southwest, milagros are offered at shrines and sacred sites by believers as requests for divine assistance, or as thanks for blessings received.
Modern day milagros may be carried in a pocket to protect from illness or harm, kept in the office to insure success, or placed in the car to avoid accidents--whenever you need a little magic in your life.
Milagros: A Book of Miracles is a wonderful introduction to this ancient tradition. Filled with beautiful milagro-inspired imagery, thoughtful meditations and reflections to enhance your daily life, and inspiring true stories of real people who have been touched by the magic of these ancient charms, this book proves that miracle do happen!
IF YOU BELIEVE ...
A young newlywed pins a milagro to a statue of St. Francis after her husband suffers a near-fatal accident. After his miraculous full recovery, she returns every year to give thanks. A heartbroken man carries a heart-shaped milagro in his pocket after losing the love of his life-shortly after, they are reunited. A surgery patient fastens a milagro above his heart and is restored to better health than his doctors ever anticipated.
Milagros--Spanish for miracles--come in an endless variety of shapes and sizes. Since before recorded history, these offerings to the gods have been an essential part of Latin American culture. More than just symbolic gifts, milagros are thought to be magical: if you believe and make your desire known with good faith, the milagro may work its wondrous power. This book is an inspiring introduction to the beauty and divine blessings of these ancient talismans.
This little hard-back book is just wonderful. It's 95 pages are a delight to read and filled with inspiration.
19January2006
Chain Mail Jewelry
Thanks to its exquisite, easily mastered techniques and elegant lines, chain mail - the classic art of linking metal rings - is enjoying a creative resurgence among jewelry makers.
Once used to create protective garments, chain mail techniques and patterns have now been adapted for contemporary jewelry making. With just a few tools and simple components, you'll be able to create stunning necklaces, bracelets and more!
This attractive resource is the first full-color book on the market to help beginners and intermediates get in on the craze. With computer-generated illustrations that show every step, it thoroughly introduces all the key construction procedures, including the proper methods of winding, opening, and closing the metal rings.
The 30 projects include a simple pendant encasing a large semiprecious stone and a flat chain-mail neckpiece that colorfully combines copper and blue titanium rings. Plus, there’s advice on polishing the pieces, tips on adding pearls or beads, and a gallery of works by professional jewelers.
30November2006
The 1955 Gadgets Annual: 400 Money-Saving Devices You Can Make!
As this fun little hardback book describes itself on the front cover:
THIS IS IT!
THIS is the latest annual goldmine of 400 ingenious gadgets and devices which was praised so generously on the radio. THIS is the novelty-packed annual the SUNDAY GRAPHIC once described as: "The very book thousands are looking for"
Remember...YOU can make them ALL!
The 112 pages are packed with over 300 illustrations in the manner of the 1950s. The book's cover has the appearance of having been used over and again, as well it should have been!
This facsimile reproduction of the original includes "an ingenious and fascinating variety of Gadgets and Devices for every purpose including:
Gardening and Home use Christmas and Birthday Gifts Domestic Electrical Purposes Festive Decorations Garage and Car Workshop and Office Shop and Library Indoor Games and Pastimes Home-made Magic Drawing and Design etc. etc.
If you're not handy, now you will be. If you are, you'll not be able to put this delightful new/old book down!
26November2006
Price: $20.50 each
Edward Gorey's Dracula: A Toy Theatre
Bram Stoker's 1897 novel took place in the wild Carpathian Mountains, London and rural England, and various places in between. But the Dracula for which Edward Gorey created the set designs reproduced in miniature here - a version that ran to nearly a thousand Broadway performances - compresses the action to one locale: the sanatorium of Dr. Seward, near the town of Purley, somewhere in the English countryside.
Based on Edward Gorey's set and costume designs for his award-winning production of Dracula, these die cut, scored and perforated fold-ups and fold-outs include:
The practical cigar-box style packaging allows for storage between productions. It measures approximately 8-1/2 by 12-1/2 by 1 inch.
2December2006
Little Book of Christmas Entertainments - 1740
More Christmas
As the book describes itself on the front cover:
Wherein is described Abundance of Fiddle-Faddle-Stuff, Raw-heads, Bloody-bones, Buggybows, and such like Horrible Bodies; Eating, Drinking, Kissing, & other Diversions; Witches, Wizards, Conjurers, and their merry Pranks; Fairies, Spectres, Ghosts, & Apparitions.
What fun to read about (and, perhaps, participate in) the diversions that were so popular at yuletide in 18th century England!
The Mail on Sunday reviews this 96-page paperback facsimile printed book as:
To conjure up the spirit of Christmas past look no further than this charming little reprint Filled with tales of witches, hobgoblins and fairies of eating, drinking, and dancing it harks back to a pagan Yuletide before Dickens sentimentalized it.
Whether for fun or collection, we think you'll really be charmed by our little book!
Price: $10.00 each
Pop-Up Phobias Book
Pop-Up Museum
Fear of heights, fear of spiders, fear of flying, fear of death, fear of clowns--everyone is afraid of something. And these pop-ups place you in the hot seat--whether it's the dentist's chair as the drill comes spinning toward you; looking over the edge of a skyscraper whose sheer face plummets thousands of feet to the sidewalk far below; or the window seat of a plane as the oxygen mask deploys, your drink spills, and the horizon line shifts to an angle that is suddenly, terribly wrong…
Brought to life by outrageously macabre artwork and startlingly innovative pop-ups, The Pop-up Book of Phobias by Gary Greenberg is an engineering marvel and cult classic in the making--an offbeat treasure for your coffee table or for a gift (especially for a therapist friend)!
Price $29.95 each
Aunt Sally's Policy Players Dream Book (Facsimile reprint)
This great little reprint is a curiosity for believers an naught alike. Created initially as a system to understand your dreams and apply the meanings to your gambling for luck, Aunt Aunt Sally's Policy Players Dream Book holds nine alphabetical lists of objects, people and situations that might comprise, or indeed, invade, your dreams. These are accompanied by interpretations and associated lucky numbers for playing policy.
Policy was an illegal (and now obsolete) lottery once popular in the African American community, although certainly many others played as well! The reference was also used for playing the numbers as well, a similar illegal betting game. The cover of the book features a certainly politically incorrect illustration, but it is true to the original.
Also included is a reprint of a 19th century French divination system called the Oraculum (or Napoleon's) Book of Fate, based on an old Arabic system of sand-divination commonly called geomancy. You'll also be able to find your own personal lucky (and unlucky) numbers.
This very useful little reference was first published in the 1890s. Ours is a facsimile reprint of a 1920s edition. The 122 pages are both informative and fun.
Price: $8.95 each
Crow's Magick Tarot Deck & Book Set
Order Just the Tarot Deck
We're SilverCrow - so, of course, we just couldn't resist!
The Crow's Magick deck and book work in tandem to merge the cyber world with new perspective and freedom of mind for a more fulfilling reality. Travel to strange worlds with a host of cosmic creatures, and find your true self along the way.
There are some great crow and raven images here. Travel to another time and place where strange planets and empyrean worlds merge with wildlife, cyber-creatures and geometric spirits. Discover treasures and omens, meet sages and diviners, shamans and enchanters. Cards are 2-3/4” x 4-3/4”. The 196-page paperback book explains the tarot as well as the images.
24October2006
Price: $29.00 per set
Categorey: fifty drawings by Edward Gorey
Finally, back in print! Edward Gorey’s CATEGORY (aka, CateGOREY) was first published in 1974. The English language edition has been out of print for decades.
One of Gorey’s most beloved books, CATEGORY collects a series of fifty cat vignettes, originally created by the artist as accompaniments to a limited edition of his book Amphigorey. Gorey once said,
I can’t conceive of a life without cats.
Now Gorey fans and cat lovers alike won’t have to conceive of a world without CATEGOREY.
Edward Gorey (1925-2000) may be best known for his mildly unsettling illustrated tales and cautionary alphabets—The Deranged Cousins, The Gashlycrumb Tinies, and The Doubtful Guest, among many others. He was also a playwright, an award-winning set and costume designer, and the creator of the animated introductions to the PBS series Mystery!
This categorically wonderful hardcover (smyth-sewn casebound) tome (with jacket) is 112 pages with 50 gently colorful drawings. It measures 5-1/2 inches square.
30October2006
The First Picture Book: Everyday Tings for Babies - Photos by Edward Steichen
More Stuff for Babies
This elegant book will be your favored gift for the parents-to-be. But, be sure to buy one for yourself. This lovely 1991 reprint of the 1930s volume boasts the slight, but significant, text by Mary Steichen Calderone, with photographs by Edward Steichen.
Steichen is best known for his fabulous photographic character studies of the famous and his arresting documentary photos of the urban and natural world.
Produced in conjunction with the Whitney Museum of American Art, and with an afterword by John Updike, this 67-page classic makes the perfect gift for baby and grown-up alike.
My Puppy's Record Book & Special Enameled Puppy Medal
Alexandra Day, the creator of the popular Good Dog, Carl series, has turned her creative talents towards a favorite subject – dogs – and the result is a delightful book which will be appreciated by anyone who has recently acquired a dog.
What a wonderful gift for a new puppy owner!
My Puppy’s Record Book is fashioned after a baby record book, in which you can record all the milestones of the new family member. Categories include: favorite games and toys, friends and family, the process of choosing a name, how the puppy arrived, and education.
There is ample space for photographs, too. Some more dog-specific entries are least favorite people (such as the mail-carrier) and tricks learned. Alexandra Day’s charming illustrations, in which dogs of all ages and breeds - and even a few cats and other animals – are depicted in her unique style, and occur on nearly every page.
Each book includes a die cut cardboard puppy (it looks like Carl) and a medal on a ribbon. The medal is enameled in 3 colors with the words “Good Dog.”
19July2006
Price: $17.95
Inside Sample Close-Up
The twelve Terrors of Christmas by John Updike & Edward Gorey
Edward Gorey’s off-kilter depictions of Yuletide mayhem and John Updike’s wryly jaundiced text examine a dozen Christmas traditions with a decidedly wheezy ho-ho-ho.
1. Santa: The Man Loose-fitting nylon beard, fake optical twinkle, cheap red suit, funny rummy smell when you sit on his lap. If he’s such a big shot, why is he drawing unemployment for eleven months of the year? Something scary and off-key about him, like one of those Stephen King clowns . . .
This long out-of-print classic is the perfect stocking-stuffer for any bah humbug. It is 32 pages, smyth-sewn casebound (hardcover) book, with jacket. Size: 4-1/4 by 5-3/4 inches- the perfect stocking-stuffer size for any scrooge (or Gorey fan!)
18August2006
$9.95 each
Hanukkah Trivia: 150 Fun & Fascinating Facts About Hanukkah
Filled with fascinating facts about the midwinter Jewish holiday, this charming little book is a must for everyone's shopping list. What is the right way to spell Hanukkah? What is the origin of eating cheese at Hanukkah? Where did the most distant celebration of the holiday take place? When was the first Hanukkah postage stamp issued in the United States? You'll have hours of fun discovering the answers to these and 146 other captivating questions that will light up your menorah.
At almost 7 inches square, this 128-page hardcover book is a nice gift, whether or not Hanukkah is celebrated traditionally.
30August2006
Price: $5.99 Each
The Symbolism of the Tarot
Unlock the secrets of the Tarot with noted occultist P D Ouspensky's classic study of the 22 cards of the Greater Arcana. The insightful interpretations and illuminating commentary help you toward a fuller understanding of the meaning of each card, how they complement each other and their individual roles in an accurate tarot reading.
This republication of the original 1931 edition is 63 pages and has an extended cover with full-color illustrations of the Major Arcana cards.
Price: $4.95 Each
String Figures and How to Make them
At some time in your youth, no doubt, you took a loop of string and made a cat's cradle or a Jacob's Ladder or some other type of figure by looping and crossing the string between the fingers. This is actually an ancient form of amusement - that is practiced worldwide and is especially popular among indigenous peoples.
This unabridged republication of the 1906 original is softbound with 950 illustrations and 17 full-page plates - a full 407 pages of fun!
This book describes in a simple and easy-to-follow manner, how to make no less than 107 different figures - just as they are made in their lands of origin. The description of each figure and the process of making it is accompanied by several simply drawn sketches that show each distinct step as it would be viewed by the person making the figure. The illustrator has taken great care to show in each sketch all the loops, all the intertwinings as they should appear at each stage of the process.
Equally interesting as a source of amusement and interest to anthropologists and collectors, we're sure you'll enjoy this modern old-fashioned pastime!
19June2006
Price: $11.95 Each
Playground and Indoor Games for Boys and Girls
We were delighted to find this nice hardbound historical facsimile book. Stumped when asked by a child about the exact rules of Hopscotch, we had nowhere to turn. Of course the internet provided us with a myriad of variations, and, of course, each of our memories recollected differently, sometimes in complete conflict with another set of rules! So, we had ice cream instead!
First published about 1910, this book will make a major contribution to encourage children to play more of the traditional games. The 107 indoor and 119 playground games, such as Soldier, Hopscotch and Trees, make a wide variety from which to choose.
Some games are illustrated, and, although we've not tried them all, we can only imaging that all are lots of fun! It measures 21cm by 15cm and is packed with a fun-filled 128 pages.
2July2006
Price: $22.50 each
Famous Last Words
Subtitled: Apt Observations, Pleas, Curses, Benedictions, Sour Notes, Bons Mots, and Insights from People on the Brink of Departure. With a subtitle like this, we were intrigued, to say the least! Whether inspiring, incomprehensible, insightful, bleak, or absurd - last words can be spoken by the living as well as the dying. Among the dying, last words are truly final, as was the case with Dylan Thomas, who uttered,
I’ve just had eighteen straight whiskeys. I think that's the record.>
Famous Last Words records the parting shots of dozens of folks no longer with us, from those dead for political reasons to those who themselves decided to end it all. And it records the words of those who went on with their lives after uttering a memorable farewell but whose reputation was made by their words, often to their lasting frustration, such as the infamous Richard Milhouse Nixon:
You won’t have me to kick around anymore, because, gentlemen, this is my last press conference.
Famous Last Words also preserves the last words of those inhabiting the world of fiction, whether in a book, on the stage, in a movie or on TV. Blanche DuBois'
I have always depended on the kindness of strangers
certainly ranks right alongside Charles Foster Kane's
Rosebud
and Sidney Carton's
It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done . . .
The mutterings of the imagined are always floating around in our culture’s consciousness, kicking lustily. This fun read by Alan Bisbort is a casebound book, with dust jacket and contains 160 pages of wit and wisdom.
6July2006
Shaman Smudging Supplies
Whether you are performing a cleansing ceremony before healing, or just because you enjoy the scent, you'll enjoy our smudging supplies. It is important to cleanse the soul and body of bad spirits, negative energies and thoughts. These traditional items are prepared in much the same manner as they have been for generations of Native Americans. The herbs are quite aromatic, even if just displayed and never burned. Smudging involves taking the smoke in to your hands and brush or rub it over your body.
Our sage and cedar bundle measures between 6 and 8 inches long and is tightly woven (ties may differ). This is just the right size for personal use or for use in a sweat lodge.
Although not necessary for cleansing or ceremonies, a traditional smudge burner is the natural abalone shell. The hand-carved stand is just right for a wonderful way to display your smudge, but we can imagine the shell and stand the perfect base for many natural room accents.
Our combination smudge stick brings together the cleansing characteristics of sage and the connection to our ancestors represented by cedar.
Add our Smudging and Blessings Book and save!
Never leave smudge (sweetgrass or other) burning unattended and please use caution.
Imported and made in USA
Package & Price Abalone Shell - $6.50 Abalone Stand - $6.50 Smudge Stick - $3.50 Abalone and Stand - $12.00 Abalone and Smudge - $9.00 Smudging Set (All 3) - $15.00 Smudging Set + Book - $23.00
The Smudging and Blessings Book
Change your life using simple smudging rituals and ceremonies. For thousands of years, Native American Indians have burned sacred plants in a bowl or on a stick to drive away negative energies and restore balance.
Learn how to combine smudging with techniques from other ancient traditions in order to banish stress and attract love, relax or give you energy, turn your house into a soothing sanctuary, and bring your family closer together. The natural power of cleansing is available to everyone.
Or, order our Smudging Set along with the book and save!
The Natural History of Stuck-up People
We are about to expose, as simply and truthfully as we can, the foolish conventionalities of a large proportion of the middle classes of the present day, who believe that position is attained by climbing up a staircase of money-bags.
This delightfully illustrated book will make a great gift (if you dare!) for each of your stuck-up friends.
Albert Smith was one of the greatest showmen of the 19th century. His entertainment's were as popular a feature of the capital as Madame Tussaud's and the Tower of London. This book was one of a series of fictionalized accounts that were very popular with Victorians.
11June2006
Limited Availability - Awaiting Reprint
The Natural History of the Flirt
The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary gives the meaning of the word flirt as 'to play at courtship.' Perhaps some will regard it as a more frivolous past-time, though George Elliot put it rather well 'every man likes to flirt with a pretty girl and every girl likes to be flirted with.'
This little 108-page book measures 10.5 by 13 cm and is loaded with delight from cover to cover. It was first published in 1848. This facsimile reproduction brings the original work to life as it was originally published! The illustrations by Gavarni, Gilbert and Henning are worth the price alone! Full of anecdote, suggestion and song, with tales from notorious flirts, this might also be considered a how-to manual for flirting - not just the history!
17June2006
Collectible Playing Cards
There are very few families who don't own at least one deck of cards. The hearts, clubs, spades, and diamonds are a familiar sight to all of us. In fact, the use of playing cards has a rich history that dates back to the late 1300s. This volume features cards from all over the world; from the familiar format used for playing poker and bridge, to cards used by fortune tellers, to unique round packs from India.
Showcasing over 400 different designs, Collectible Playing Cards takes the reader on a fascinating journey through history that spans the globe. This chubby little book boasts 384 pages and tons of great images.
Printed in France
30MAY2006
List Price $14.95 our price $10.00 each
Leonardo on the Human Body
This exceptional volume reproduces more than 1200 of Leonardo da Vinci's anatomical drawings on 215 clearly printed black-and-white plates. The drawings have been arranged in chronological sequence to display Leonardo's development as an anatomist and growth as an artist.
His text, which accompanies the drawings, sometimes, explanatory, sometimes autobiographical and anecdotal, has been translated into English by the distinguished medical professors Drs. O'Malley and Saunders. In their fascinating biographical introduction, the authors evaluate Leonardo's position in the historical development of anatomy and anatomical illustration.
Each plate is is accompanied by explanatory notes, an evaluation of the individual plate and an indication of its relationship to the work as a whole; and a new attempt is made at establishing the dates of the plates on the basis of anatomical content.
Carefully detailed and accurate in their data, beautiful and vibrant in their technique, these drawings remain today - nearly five centuries later - the finest anatomical drawings ever made!
27May2006
Price: $26.95
The Inconvenience of Being Born
You'll buy this book for a gift for a new Mother or Mother-to-Be, and you'll reorder for yourself. This hardcover volume by Amy Arbus (daughter of photographer Diane Arbus) is an absolute delight.
In Amy Airbus' unlikely babies, something new has entered the world with the irreversible impact of raw feeling made visible. -Richard Avedon
This is not merely a book of baby pictures. the 49 tritone images in this 64-page hardcover represent the tincture of all life and more - joy, trauma, exhilaration, curiosity, torpor, love.
printed in USA
Price: $24.95
Crafting Personal Shrines
Creating a personal shrine is a meaningful way to commemorate special moments and people, and an artistically satisfying project, too. Carol Owen, a shrinemaker for more than 20 years, offers easy instructions and inspiring photographs that will guide anyone through the process.
The work begins simply, with a basic frame for mounting treasured mementos. Then, learn how to create doors, shelves, drawers, and other architectural features. There are suggestions on embellishments to personalize the shrine, and even ideas for possible objects to include. In addition to the author, 8 renowned shrine artists provide hands-on information about how they created their distinctive structures, and another two dozen experts offer insights into their creative practices. The vibrant gallery of work will spark anyone’s imagination.
This 128-page trade paperback measures 9.9 by 8.6 inches and is loaded with illustrations and photographs.
Printed in USA or Imported.
9May2006
List Price $14.95 our price $13.50 each
Kathy Murillo's Art de la Soul
No one knows better than crafty chica extraordinaire Kathy Cano Murillo the satisfaction that comes with creating one-of-a-kind items. In Crafty Chica's Art de la Soul, she offers thirty original projects ranging from colorful jewelry and elegant candles to hip Mexican coffee coasters.
Along with full-color photographs, step-by-step instructions, and a handy resource guide are Murillo's fun and inspiring tips for connecting with your culture, tapping into your creative spirit, and finding new ways to spice up your love life, glam up your garden, redecorate your kitchen, and much more.
With Kathy Cano Murillo's guidance and glittery ideas, crafty chicas of every age and skill level will be well on their way to developing their own personal sense of style while living artful lives. The wonderful illustrations are by Kathy's husband, Patrick Murillo.
Thanks to Cathy, many of SilverCrow's products are featured in this 208-page trade paperback (measuring 8-1/2 by 8 inches).
23APR2006
SilverCrow Products Featured in Art de La Soul
Thanks to Cathy, many of SilverCrow's products are featured in this wonderful book:
Une Semaine De Bonté - a Surrealistic Novel in Collage
This 208-page softbound masterpiece was created out of periodical illustrations explores worlds of terror and surprise. What an inspiration for collage artists! Some consider this Max Ernst's greatest work.
Price: $16.95
Gay and Lesbian Weddings: Planning the Perfect Same-Sex Ceremony
Comprehensive, fresh, and entertaining, Gay and Lesbian Weddings covers everything you need to know to plan the wedding of your dreams. This 240-page paperback book has been hailed by wedding planners and participants alike
Unlike other wedding planners, this one tackles the issues that heterosexual couples never had to consider. For instance, do you come out to Aunt Gloria before she receives the invitation and the shock of her life? Which father of the bride pays for a lesbian wedding? Who walks down the aisle first? Is it possible for members of the wedding party to be happy with what you force them to wear? (Okay, this is a universal problem.)
Step-by-step and down-to-earth, Gay and Lesbian Weddings includes invaluable advice on
the changing laws regarding gay marriage in the United States and abroad; the differences among domestic partnerships, civil unions, and marriage
budget concerns: choosing your ideal wedding size and style
finding gay-friendly printers, photographers, gift registries, caterers, florists (actually, if you find a gay-hostile florist, we’d love to hear about it)
ethnic, theme, and destination weddings
keeping the honey in the honeymoon
sex—including how to keep the heat after the wedding night, as well as the facts on fidelity (can the two be linked?)
Plus: a handy Wedding Countdown Calendar, website resources, and true stories from same-sex couples who’ve gotten hitched without a hitch Gay and Lesbian Weddings gives you straight talk (so to speak) with equal parts information, flair, and fabulousness!
Regular Price: $16.95 Our Price: $11.25
Book of the Kiss
The Book of the Kiss is a collection of quotes from various writers from D.H. Lawrence to H.G. Wells relating to the ever-popular kiss. This short book is illustrated with several fine eighteenth century engravings. Printed throughout on recycled paper in three colors, it is finished off with a red satin ribbon tied in a bow on the cover to give that final touch of quality. This delightful 14-page paper book arrives in its specially printed envelope.
There is nothing wrong in kissing once: it's the second time that counts from The Spanish Jade by Maurice Hewlett
A man may sometimes be forgiven the kiss to which he is not entitled, but never the kiss he has not the initiative to claim.
from The Heart of Marylebone by Handasyde
Price: $8.75
French for Cats - All the French Your Cat will Ever Need
What fun! At first this appears to be only a Francophile cat-lover's delight. But, reading further cat lovers and haters alike will enjoy this delightful 96-page hardback language phrase book:
When I meow, it means . . .
Hello • Bonjour
I am hungry • J’ai faim
I want food in my bowl • Je veux qu’on remplisse mon bol
I want food in my bowl now • Je veux qu’on remplisse mon bol tout de suite
Why did you get out the cat carrier? • Pourquoi avez-vous sorti le porte-chat?
I do not want to go to the vet • Je ne veux pas aller chez la vétérinaire
Please kill the dog next door • Je vous en prie, tuez le chien de la maison d’à côté
Regular Price: $12.95 Our Price: $10.25
Are You Hungry Tonight? Elvis' Favorite Recipes
This aptly-titled hardbound cookbook helps you make more than 50 of Elvis' favorite recipes. Included are his Mama's recipes for mashed potatoes and lemon meringue pie, peanut butter and 'nana sandwiches and Priscilla's magnificent wedding cake (make the whole thing or only a tier).
With great pictures of Elvis at work and play as well as full-color food photography. There are 70 photos, most of them are in color. The book measures in at 8-1/2 by 11 inches and has 64 yummy pages.
Love, Courtship and Marriage, Or, How to Win a Lover
This delightful oversized booklet was originally printed around 1880. It has been reproduced in such a charming format: together with an envelope and pink ribbon hand-tied about the spine. Though social etiquette has changed over the years the principles of successful relationships remain the same today. The language of flowers is also covered, a much neglected subject. Each paper booklet measures 19 by 13 centimeters; the envelope, 16.2 by 21.5 centimeters.
Price: 8.75
Reprint of Boy Scouts Handbook: The First Edition, 1911
With 448 pages and including 219 figures and illustrations, this wonderful reprint of the original Boy Scout Manual is a delight for Americana enthusiasts, a treasure for collectors and fun for boys (and girls) of any age!
Rare, original editions sell for more than $1,500. It is no wonder that over 30 million copies have been sold since it was first published. Certainly, one of the most popular books of the past century, the Boy Scout Handbook has been used by generations of American youths.
This complete republication of the first (1911) edition is sure to attract nostalgia buffs, former Scouts, and antiquarians. It retains all the charm and flavor of the original publication. Replete with diagrams, illustrations, and even period advertisements, the manual features information on tying knots, wood crafting, identifying wildlife, overnight camping, sailing, and outdoor games.
The book also includes notes on developing character, self-reliance, and good citizenship. This unabridged republication of Boy Scouts of America: The Official Handbook for Boys is published by Dover Publications. The original was published by Doubleday, Page & Company, Garden City, New York, 1911.
Price: 10.95 Each
Vere Foster's Copy Book No. 10
The pleasures and practicalities of hand lettering as practiced in Victorian times - in the workplace, in school and at home- were aided by Vere Foster's Copy Books. This, the tenth of eighteen titles originally offered, provides wonderful examples with 31 carefully-prepared variations of the alphabet.
Originally published in 1890, it still addresses the fact that
"Writing is almost as important as speaking."
Each page offers the examples with directional arrows on some, as well as lightly-lined areas for your practice. Or, indeed, use this as a unique journal.
Just like the copy books of old, it is paperback and contains 24 pages (measuring 16 by 21 centimeters).
Price: $7.75 each
Green Man Boxed Gift Set
The Green Man invites us to rejoin him in the ongoing dance of the seasons, to celebrate the strength of greenness and its ability to transform our lives into something richer and sweeter.
He's known as Green Jack, Puck, the Green Knight, Pan, Robin Hood, and the Jolly Green Giant, and likely many more names lost in the mists of time. The Green Man is an ancient symbol of nature and fertility and wildness, whose leafy image can be seen today on buildings and in artwork from various cultures all over the world. This gift box is a wonderful introduction to the Green Man and all that he represents.
With 25 full-color images from throughout the ages and across cultures, the book traces the many strands of the legend - from the first agrarian people of the ancient world to our own time when the Green Man has become an unofficial icon for the environmental movement. A uniquely crafted plaque depicting the Green Man in his benign guise completes the package. The plaque was specially designed for this kit and will provide a whimsical touch of nature in the garden, on the patio, or in any room in the house.
Retail Price: $22.95 our price: $17.50 each
Einstein's Dreams by Alan Lightman
Indeed one of our favorite books, Einstein's Dreams by Alan Lightman is at once provocative and thought-provoking! We've bought so many of these as gifts, we thought we ought to start selling them ourselves! So, we are.
"Suppose time is a circle, bending back on itself..."
A modern classic, Einstein’s Dreams is a fictional collage of stories dreamed by Albert Einstein in 1905, when he worked in a patent office in Switzerland. As the defiant but sensitive young genius is creating his theory of relativity, a new conception of time, he imagines many possible worlds.
In one, time is circular, so that people are fated to repeat triumphs and failures over and over. In another, there is a place where time stands still, visited by lovers and parents clinging to their children. In another, time is a nightingale, sometimes trapped by a bell jar.
Now translated into thirty languages, Einstein’s Dreams has inspired playwrights, dancers, musicians, and painters all over the world. In poetic vignettes, it explores the connections between science and art, the process of creativity, and ultimately the fragility of human existence. You must read this!
Retail Price: $12.00 our price: $10.00 each
The Favourite book of Fables
First published in 1890 the fascinating collection of 117 fables from The Wolf And The Lamb to The Archer And The Lion. Each story is quite short - ready for bedtime reading. And many of the stories are illustrated with fine line drawings. Each fable, of course, ends with its own moral. One of our favorites:
Necessity is the mother of invention.
This lovely 128-page hardback volume is truly a keepsake. It measures 19.0 x 13.5 cm, with 51 illustrations. You'll want one for yourself as well as for any child you know!
Price: $18.50 each
Everybody's Book of Epitaphs
Subtitled, BEING FOR THE MOST PART WHAT THE LIVING THINK OF THE DEAD, this delightful odd-sized (13.5 by 10.5 cm) paperback is reproduced in authentic style, having been compiled by W. H. Howe, and first published in 1885.
Its 128 pages are with so many grave writings, that bring a tear to the eye, a grin to the face and a bit of laughter when shared:
Under this sod lies Jouni Round Who was lost at sea and never found
Covering the famous to the poor - some amusing, some sad, some historical, some enlightening, all are fascinating.
In a Woolrich Churchyard:
As I am now, so you must be. Therefore, prepare to follow me.
Added by his wife and executry:
To follow you I'm not content Unless I know which way you went.
Price: $12.50 each
Mini Doll Books and Magnifying Glass
For your doll or for you, this tiny set of doll books (just 1-1/4 by 2 inches each), is just delightful. Arriving with it's own mini magnifying glass, the set is packaged in a plastic box for safekeeping.
Price $6.00
How to Tell the Birds from the Flowers
More Birds
More Crows, Ravens & Other Blackbirds
For those of you who have difficulties in determining birds from flowers, this book will be invaluable. For those of you who do not have a problem in this respect, you will find the verses most amusing
Of course we had to offer you a book that has a crow on the cover, even if it might be occasionally confused with a crocus! This sweet paperback is a facsimile reproduction of a 1907 American printing.
Each animal-vegetable set is addressed in verse with delightful pen-and-ink drawings of the subjects to accompany the little poems.
SilverCrow Classic, Updated 7april2009
Was: $12.25 Now: $9.95 each
The Raven by Poe, Illustrated by Doré
All 27 of Doré’s detailed, masterly engravings from a rare 19th-century edition of The Raven, among the most popular American poems ever written. Dreamlike, otherworldly illustrations perfectly capture the bleak despair and mournful musings of Poe’s poem. Apposite quotations from the poem are printed on facing pages. The complete text is also included in this 9 by 12 inch high quality paperback.
Price: $7.95 each
Knots & How to Tie Them
This great little handbook leads you through tying decorative and useful knots. From traditional to modern, there are more than 75 knots and their uses.
Hobbyists, decorators and tricksters will treasure this collection of useful, decorative and even some magic knots. From simple hitches to complex lariats, trick knots and rope tricks with step-by-step illustrations and instructions. 144 pages.
Price: $5.99 each
Saints Preserve us!
This delightful paperbound book is an entertaining record of saints from A (Abdon - patron saint of barrel makers) to Z (St Zoe - martyred in 135), Kelly and Rogers supply snatches of religious, family, and period history for hundreds of saints. They tell bizarre, moving, and incredible stories with a humorous (and occasionally derisive). Cross-referenced by birthdays, professions, and ailments, this is a must-have for any true believer with a proper sense of fun.
English as She is Spoke (or, A Jest in Sober Earnest)
Originally published 1885, and reproduced in inimitable style, we have a rich selection from one of the funniest books in the English language - in fact one of the funniest books about the English language!
English as She is Spoke derives from Pedro Carolino's Guide to the Conversation in Portuguese and English published in 1869. It seems that Carolino's knowledge of English was little more than that furnished by a French-English dictionary and was a greater contribution to humour than to conversational linguistics.
This is an especially appropriate gift for librarians and teachers of English!
The Days of the Dead - Los Dias de Muertos - A Book
More Day of the Dead Sundries
Mexico's Festival of Communion with the Departed - Los Dias de Muertos, un Festival de Comunion con los Muertos en Mexico.
This wonderful book offers a remarkable look at Mexico's traditional holiday honoring departed ancestors, friends, and family. Each aspect of the multi-day festival is carefully explored: the journey to the cemeteries to spruce up neglected gravesites, the lively marketplace selling breads and candies in the shapes of skulls and skeletons, the peaceful vigil as friends and families crowd the cemeteries to await the arrival of their loved ones through the long night.
San Francisco-based photographer John Greenleigh traveled to small towns in Mexico in four different years to document this extraordinary festival. Accompanied by evocative text by cultural scholar Rosalind Rosoff Beimler, the pictures speak eloquently to a ritual that is at once mocking and respectful of death---and ultimately affirming of human life.
This Smythe-sewn paperbound book (with flaps) contains 112 pages and over 100 color photos and measures 10 x 9-5/8 inches. Text is bilingual: Spanish and English.
Price: $25.00 each
Posada's Popular Mexican Prints
José Guadalupe Posada (1852-1913) was Mexico's illustrious graphic artist. For over forty years, he worked tirelessly as an incorruptible and truly popular artist, illustrating cookbooks and fortune-telling books, collections of songs and riddles, periodicals and newspapers, children's books and novels and most of all- the famous broadsides that were distributed throughout the country. After his death he was venerated by the new generation of artists -- Rivera, Orozco and many others, who realized that he had both saved and renewed the art of engraving in Mexico and who incorporated much of his imagery into their own work.
There are 273 reproductions of Posada's best engravings - all done for the printer & publisher A. Vanegas Arroyo in Mexico City. Along with the prints, you'll find explanatory notes and commentary, often with topical meaning to what otherwise appears vague or allegorical.
This softbound book is 156 pages and measures 8-3/8 by 11-1/4 inches
Pollock's Britannia Toy Theatre
Teatro de Mexico Also Available
This toy theatre was originally created for the children of 1836! This true-to-form reproduction has been recreated in the same manner today. It is easy to assemble and has a dialogue based on Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves for the cardboard characters to act out. The action takes place in ancient Baghdad. This toy theatre gives parents an opportunity to help their children understand the world as it was and how things have changed.
Playing with the characters and acting out the play can provide an unequaled learning experience for the kids and should give them as much pleasure as it did their great-great-great grandparents.
29October2006
Price: $16.75 Per Theater
The Self-Destruction Handbook
This clever little paperback handbook (160 pages) is a tongue-in-cheek, very satirical little look at life from an author who describes himself as a Scotch-swilling, Marlboro-smoking, relationship-sabotaging MWM. He enjoys walks on the beach, literature and good food. He is looking for: a small but vehement cult following (Adam Wasson). His co-writer, Jessica Stamen is an SWF with a kind heart, questionable morals, and a history of Oprah-esque weight fluctuation. She is looking for: a man.
Welcome to the first book designed to help you not help yourself. Chapters include: • 12 Steps to a Drinking “Problem” • How to Lose Way Too Much Weight in 90 Days • Why Smoking is Cool -- And more!
As you travel down the road to self-destruction, let this hedonistic handbook be your guide. It may steer you wrong—in fact, it’s sure to do so—but when being wrong is this much fun, who wants to be right? You'll probably need a therapist if you follow any instructions in here!
Made in Asia
Retail: $12.00 Our Price: $10.00
Teatro de México: A Folk Art Toy Theater
Pollock's Britannia Toy Theatre Also Available
Bienvenido to the Teatro de Mexico, where a troupe of spirited players perform on three beautiful stages. Drawing on the exuberant iconography of the skeleton in Mexican culture, Bunny Pierce Huffman has created whimsical, multidimensional scenes of Mexican life circa 1900, enacted by skeleton figures similar to those in Day of the Dead tableaux and in Mexican folk art, satire, and drama.
The sturdy, foldout sets--complete with eighteen die cut, scored, stand-up props and figures--are easily assembled with just a little tape; the sets can be fastened together to form a hexagonal theater or mounted as three separate stages. A unique diversion for all ages, this toy theater can also be used as a festive tabletop decoration for parties or as part of a personalized Day of the Dead altar. A six-page bilingual booklet provides assembly instructions and an explanation of the customs that have inspired this theater.
Your own theatre comes to you in cigar box-style packaging (8-3/8 x 9-3/4 x 1-1/4 inches) with three foldout stage sets (El Salón, La Cochina, y El Cementerio) , each measuring 16 x 9-3/4 inches. You can add your own actors and actress and props to the included 18 punch-out props and figures.
Price: $25.00 Per Theater
Cut-and-Make Pop-Up Cards
If you have trouble making your own pop-ups, then try these and add some special pizzazz with the help of this entertaining activity book for children and adults alike. It contains easy-to-follow instructions and simple assembly diagrams for creating eight amusing, 3-D card with colorful backgrounds and figures that pop up when the recipients open the card!
Don't just stop there - use these pop-ups as models for your own designs.
Why Not eat insects? - A Facsimile Reproduction Book
Originally printed in 1885, this delightful little tome now boasts a 1988 introduction by Laurence Mound, the then Keeper of Entomology at the British Museum of Natural History.
Author Vincent Holt reminds us that "there are insects and insects." He provides us with stories, recipes and philosophy regarding his beloved subject. Consider slug soup or moths on toast for your next friendly get together
'Them insecs (sic) eat up every blessed green thing that do grow and us farmers starves'
'Well eat them, and grow fat!' '
Price: $10.00 Each
Close-Up (Shows Projects, too!)
Book of Gifts to Make
We absolutely fell in love with this book and the cut-and-make projects inside! Though the projects and images are nostalgic of the 1920s, the resultant gifts are certainly usable today and sure to delight the recipient. Or, leave your book intact and use the ideas to construct special presents for special people on your own.
The close-up shows three completed gifts you'll want to start immediately. Every page of this pretty little book (7 by 10 inches), makes something useful - even the back and front covers!
Let clever wits and nimble hands All take their active parts In making gifts and giving gifts From loving little hearts.
Whether you make these alone or with a youngster, you'll surely enjoy the final offerings: Birthday Box, Pen Holder, Postcard Rack, Picture Frame, Tie Holder, Catch-All (SilverCrow's favorite), Hairpin Holder and Kitchen Reminder.
Price: $9.50
Sticky Note Origami + Sticky Notes!
Learn origami using standard desk or sticky notes. With this book and package of sticky notes we include for free!, you'll be charming everyone!
This great little book contains a range of designs from simple and quick to fiendishly complicated.
Projects include 3D animals, a flapping bird, a basketball hoop, a plane that flies and a spinning paper toy.
Now you can banish office boredom and make the stationery cupboard more fun than ever.
Price: $7.95
Miracle Juices™ Hangover Cures
Headache, feeling sick & shaking? Settle your stomach and rehydrate your body through the natural power of juices.
These remedies are fast and simple to prepare; they boost your health and vitality and they are tasty and nutritious. Recipes and pictures are included.
WARNING: If you think you may be an alcoholic, then the remedies in Hangover Cures will not be able to help you. Please seek help immediately. Alcoholics Anonymous has helped many people throughout the years. Please find an AA Meeting near you.
SAFETY NOTICE: Hangover Cures should not be considered a replacement for professional medical treatment; a physician should be consulted on all matters relating to health. While the advice and information in this book is believed to be accurate, the publisher and bookseller cannot accept any legal responsibility or liability for any injury or illness sustained while following the advice in this book. Worryingly, alcoholism affects one in ten people in the Western world. Those who drink to excess are putting themselves at risk from many conditions, including the following: stomach ulcers, colitis, decreased energy, liver, pancreas and gastrointestinal problems and short-term memory loss.
Cats - A Facsimile Reproduction book
First published in New York in 1909 this extraordinary book will delight all cat lovers with it's particular insight into the cat world. The amusing way it is written together with the superb illustrations make this a fascinating book to own or bestow upon a feline fancying friend.
This superbly produced trade-sized paperback contains 48 pages of stories, poems and even words composed of cat-letters!
Deadication: To all the Cats that ever meowed On this or any other Sphere,- From the beginning of all time Unto this present year; ...
Price: $11.75
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