O'more Haven Preface (3 results)

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good-. No Dust Jacket. Original black cloth covers w/ title in gilt. Binding lightly soiled. Corners and spine ends slightly bumped. Illust. w/ numerous color and b/w plates. Contents nice.

Hardcover. 4to. Black cloth with gilt lettering. (Ca. 300pp). Color frontispiece, numerous illustrations (many color). Very good. Tight and internally fine, with just the slightest general binding wear. Nicolas Barker provides the foreword for this celebrated catalogue -- and this copy bears on front flyleaf a fine decorative-edged bookplate signed boldly by him in his lovely calligraphic script. Title page duly notes that this famed gathering was "Conceived and Formed by Haven O'More" and "Funded by Michael Davis" -- this last of which brought about its sudden dispersal. O'More (actually Richard Haven Moore, 1929-2008) electrified the rare book world when he appeared seemingly out of nowhere and bought lavishly and widely, the end coming as quickly as the beginning with this high-profile auction. For a thorough treatment read chapter six of Nicholas Basbane's 1995 bestseller "A Gentle Madness," which profiles O'More's bizarre bibliophilia. Laid in (in clear sleeve) is an addendum leaf, "Auction Estimates" pages and copy of 5pp fax of handwritten prices realized. Superb copy of the catalogue of one of the strangest collections ever.…

Hardcover. 301 p. : ill. (some col. ); 31 cm. Index of Authors. Index of Provenance. Michael Davis was a private investor. He was the sole limited partner of The Gardens Ltd. and provided the funding for The Garden; s Collection of rare books and manuscripts. Mr. Haven O'More (a descendent of Sir Thomas More and General Stonewall Jackson) concieved and formed The Garden's Collection of books and manuscripts. He aimed for material of great rarity in the most superb condition possible. Foreword by Nicholas Barker. Good. No dust jacket. Cover has some wear and soiling. Bottom edge of front board and top and front of the rear board has cloth worn through near spine. Includes Addendum/Corrigenda, auction estimates (torn at back) and sales results sheets.…