Search Results: Music from Royal Books, Inc.

Redding, CT: Charles Ives, 1922. First Edition. First Edition. Second issue, in publisher's blue cloth with titles and rule in gilt on the front board and spine, and with pages 37-39 printed, and no dust jacket as issued. Fine condition. A collection of avant-garde short pieces in every imaginable format (marches, violin sonatas, group sing-a-longs, etc.) written by Ives using the poetry of Walt Whitman, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Wordsworth, Keats, James Fenimore Cooper, and others as lyrics. Notable as much for musical content as for the long essay by Ives at the rear regarding his typically involved conceptual intentions for this particular gathering of compositions. An eccentric publication by one of our greatest and certainly most eccentric twentieth century composers.

N.p.: N.p., 1960. Bound carbon typescript of Stefan Zweig's 1927 novella, made for the purpose of use by German actress Lil Dagover for her reading of same for the 1963 German LP, "Lil Dagover spricht Stefan Zweig." Dagover's name is in blue manuscript ink on the front board, then again with her German address on the front endpaper, then only her name once again on the title page. With Dagover's manuscript corrections to the text on virtually every recto, and, when a rewrite of a passage was required, on the verso to the of a given typescript passage on the recto. Typescript is accompanied by the resulting recording by Dagover, the original German issue by Deustsche Grammophon, released in 1963. One of the most famous works by Zweig, an Austrian Jew who was a passionate collector of autograph manuscripts, maintained close friendships with the likes of Sigmund Freud and Richard Strauss, and whose prose took on the dual concerns of daily life and the impact of politics on everyday people. This… Read More

N.p.: N.p., 1951. Collection of 35 small format vernacular photographs of members of the Cecil Young Quartet, including three of Sarah Vaughan, circa 1951. Thirty-one photographs show Young and bandmates Gerald Brashear, Jimmie Rodgers, and Traff Hubert, one photograph shows Young, Rodgers, and Hubert backstage, and three photographs show Vaughan, likely backstage at the Birdland Jazz Club, where the quartet opened for Vaughan in 1951. "The swingin'est Bop I've ever heard" is how Nat King Cole described the Cecil Young Quartet, who exploded onto the Seattle jazz scene in 1950. Young formed the quartet in 1950 alongside tenor saxophonist and bongo player Gerald Brashear, drummer Jimmie Rodgers, and bassist Traff Hubert. Recordings of the quartet's 1951 gigs at the Metropolitan Theatre and the Ladies Music Club got the attention of King Records' Sid Nathan, who quickly signed the act and released their 1951 debut album "A Concert of Cool Jazz." The album did well throughout the Seattle area,… Read More

Burbank, CA: Warner Brothers, 1963. Vintage contact sheet from the 1963 film, showing six images of actors Frank Sinatra and Anita Ekberg during filming. Two sharpshooters duel over a large amount of cash carried by a railway official, and eventually settle their differences by opening a casino. Shot on location in Mojave and Cantil, California. 11 x 6.75 inches. Near Fine. Pitts 1422.

Redding, CT: C.E. Ives, 1922. First Edition. First Edition. A self-published volume of songs by Charles Ives, selected from a volume published earlier the same year, titled "114 Songs." Like "114 Songs," this was printed for distribution among the composer's friends, and judging from the small number of copies in world libraries (OCLC locates 12 libraries with copies, whereas 106 are listed with copies of "114 Songs"), it must surely have had a much smaller printing. A selection of "folk songs" by Ives, many dedicated to the work of literary greats of the generation that preceded him (Shelley, Wordsworth, Goethe, Longfellow). Characteristically, simple melody lines are played against a complex and sometimes argumentative accompaniment. Very Good in tan paper-covered boards, with a brown quarter-binding, moderately worn at the corners, brief spotting on the front board, and a touch of wear to the paper spine label, firm and clean overall. Contemporary owner name in fountain pen at the top right… Read More

San Francisco: Backbeat Books, 2002. First Edition. First Edition, trade softcover. Photo-illustrated throughout. Near Fine in illustrated wrappers with French flaps.

Culver City, CA: Columbia Pictures, 1952. Vintage publicity photograph of Dr. Seuss (Theodor Seuss Geisel) and young actor Tommy Rettig from the 1953 film. The only feature film written by Geisel (Dr. Seuss), who wrote the story, co-wrote the screenplay and the lyrics to songs. A Technicolor musical fantasy about a boy (Rettig) who dreams he is a world ruled by a diabolical piano teacher, Dr. Terwilliker (Hans Conried), forever enslaving children and forcing them to play a piano so immense, it takes 500 children to play it. Nominated for one Academy Award. 8 x 10 inches. Near Fine. Rosenbaum 1000.

Culver City, CA: Columbia Pictures, 1953. Four vintage studio still photographs from the 1953 film, one with "Collection Marcel OMS" stamp on the verso. The only feature film written by Theodor Seuss Geisel (Dr. Seuss), who wrote the story, co-wrote the screenplay and the lyrics to songs. A Technicolor musical fantasy about a boy (Tommy Rettig) who dreams he is a world ruled by a diabolical piano teacher, Dr. Terwilliker (Hans Conried), forever enslaving children and forcing them to play a piano so immense, it takes 500 children to play it. Nominated for one Academy Award. 8 x 10 inches. Very Good plus, with pinholes and light creasing to corners. Rosenbaum 1000. Weldon 1983.

London: Palace [Absolute Beginners] Limited, 1985. Final Draft script for the 1985 musical film. Single manuscript ink annotation to the title page. Based on the 1959 novel. A rock musical set in London during the late 1950s, following two former lovers on their parallel paths to fame. David Bowie, an acquaintance of director Julien Temple, agreed to write a single for the film if he could also play the part of flashy ad executive Vendice Partners, resulting in the hit single "Absolute Beginners." Goldenrod untitled wrappers with a die-cut title window in the British style. Title page present, dated 9th May 1985, noted as Final Draft, with credits for director Julien Temple, screenwriters Richard Burridge, Christopher Wicking, and Don Macpherson, and additional dialogue credits to Terry Johnson. 124 leaves, with last page of text numbered 123. Xerographic duplication, rectos only. Pages Fine, wrapper Near Fine, bound with two gold brads.

New York: Max's Kansas City, 1977. Original flyer for a performance by Alex Chilton at the legendary Max's Kansas City on Thursday, April 21, 1977, squarely in the midst of Chilton's No Wave tenure in Manhattan. Located at 213 Park Avenue South in New York City, Max's Kansas City served as a gathering place for musicians, poets, artists, and politicians in the 1960s and 1970s. In its earliest days, Max's was the choice hangout for artists of the New York School, whose presence attracted an additional layer of jet set due to its location in the city. It was also a favorite hangout of Andy Warhol and his entourage, who dominated the back room. Members of the glam rock scene also held residence, including David Bowie, Iggy Pop, Lou Reed, and Alice Cooper. The Velvet Underground played there regularly, followed in time by Patti Smith, the New York Dolls, and the earliest bands in the New York punk scene. Max's closed at the end of 1974 as popularity among the art and glam crowd was in decline. Ed… Read More

Beverly Hills, CA: United Artists, 1969. Collection of five vintage borderless reference photographs taken on the set of the 1969 film. Included are: (1) a shot of Arlo Guthrie on a motorcycle next to Michael McLanahan, (2) a shot of director Arthur Penn, producer Hillard Elkins and another crew member on motorcycles, (3) a shot of McLanahan, Penn, and actress Patricia Quinn working on a scene, (4) Guthrie with Quinn, and (5) Guthrie with a donkey and members of the cast. Based on Arlo Guthrie's 1967 folk protest song, a narrative loosely based on Guthrie's own experiences being jailed for littering and later using the record of his arrest to escape the Vietnam draft. Set and shot on location in New York and Massachusetts. 10 x 8 inches. Near Fine.

N.p.: N.p., 1940. Vintage sepia tone photograph of clarinet player and swing band leader Ann Dupont. United States involvement in World War II created the perfect storm for a staggering increase in the number of "all-girl" big bands in the early 1940s. As male musicians were frequently getting drafted, and those left behind on the home front sought musical entertainment as a means of coping, hundreds of of female dance bands sprang up to fill the need. Woefully their memory has largely been lost to history, alongside many other women who took other jobs that were traditionally considered "men's work." 8 x 10 inches. Near Fine.

New York: Stuart Company, 1966. Draft script for the 1966 Broadway musical. A series of three playlets tied together by themes, such as dissatisfaction with getting what one wants, and repeated references or design elements, such as the color brown. Each playlet based on an existing work, with the first act based on "The Diary of Adam and Eve" by Mark Twain, the second based on "The Lady, or the Tiger?" by Frank R. Stockton, and the final act based on "Passionella" by Jules Feiffer. The musical first premiered at the Shubert Theater on October 18, 1966 and ran for 463 performances before closing November 25, 1967, directed by Mike Nichols, and starring Alan Alda, Barbara Harris, and Larry Blyden. Nominated for seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Direction of a Musical for Nichols, and Best Actor in a Musical for Alda, and winning Best Actress in a Musical for Harris. Revived December 14, 2006 by the Roundabout Theatre Company, running for 99 performances through March 11, 2007,… Read More

N.p.: N.p., 1980. Archive of professional and vernacular photographs, flyers, newspapers, letters, and various ephemera relating to the Richmond-based African American musical group The Fantastic Waller Family, circa late 1970s-1980s. Formed in Richmond, Virginia in the mid-1970s, the show and dance band consisted of three brothers (Harry, Bruce, and Chris), two sisters (Karen and Sandra), and a five-piece horn backing band. The ensemble performed variously as The Waller Family, The Fantastic Waller Family, The Fabulous Waller Family, and The Wallers, playing a blend of R&B, soul, disco, funk, and pop. The group toured extensively throughout the east coast and southern US between the late 1970s and 1990s, but was still active as recently as the early 2000s. The archive contains over 75 unique photographs of the band performing and recording, a mix of promotional shots and professional and vernacular shots. The photographs also include two copies of a contact sheet (10 images), six strips of… Read More

Various cities: Various. An archive of books and personal material belonging to Arline de Haas, noted author of the photoplay edition for the first talking film, "The Jazz Singer" (1927). Included is her leather-bound presentation copy of her novelization of the film, a work that caused a fundamental and multi-level shift in the world's conception of cinema and dramatic storytelling, as well as a copy of the book INSCRIBED by De Haas to her parents. The archive contains seven photoplay books written by De Haas (two of which are INSCRIBED to her parents), her copy of the Webster's New International Dictionary, paperwork relating to her estate, including the deed to her Pennsylvania estate, and a photograph, presumably of the author and her brother. The conception of the "The Jazz Singer" began in 1917 with playwright Samson Raphaelson, who saw popular stage performer Al Jolson, a Russian-born Jew, perform in blackface as part of a performance of "Robinson Crusoe" in Illinois. Raphaelson was taken… Read More

N.p.: N.p., 1960. Archive of 19 photographs of mid-century jazz and blues icons by noted jazz photographer Burt Goldblatt, all but one with his credit stamp on the verso. Included are photographs of Wes Montgomery, Woody Herman (4), Ron Carter, Dexter Gordon, Lionel Hampton (2), Johnny Hodges, Milt Jackson (2), "Cannonball" Adderley, Maxine Sullivan, Nat Adderley (2), Bud Freeman, Monk Montgomery, Buddy Montgomery, Phil Woods, and others. Goldblatt is known for his photographic work for album covers from the late 1950s to 1960s. His credits include photo artwork for LPs by Billie Holiday, Herbie Mann, Carmen McCrae and others. 18 of the photographs with Goldblatt's stamp on the verso (in various stamp formats over a 30-year period), all from his archive. 18 of the photographs approximately 8 x 10 inches, 2 approximately 5 x 7 inches. Very Good to Near Fine, one with a vertical crease (Phil Woods). Please note: copying for re-sale is illegal and no commercial rights are included in the sale of… Read More

N.p.: N.p., 1970. Archive of 16 photographs (seven double weight and ten single weight) of rock performers, circa the late 1960s and early 1970s. Struck by photographer Jim Marshall circa 1990s, most with his stamp and manuscript identification number on the verso. Artists represented include Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Sly and the Family Stone, Santana, Jim Morrison, Tina Turner, The Allman Brothers Band (including standalone shots of Duane Allman), and others. The Santana photos are especially notable, as the band, already a live sensation, is performing at Woodstock, just ahead of the release their first album. As a photographer for both record labels and magazines such as "Rolling Stone," Jim Marshall was one of the most prolific and influential chronicles of rock music during the 1960s and 1970s. Among his most iconic photographs are images of Jimi Hendrix setting his guitar on fire at Monterey Pop, Johnny Cash performing at San Quentin, and The Beatles… Read More

N.p.: N.p., 1999. Archive of 24 vintage color photographs of Eminem by David LaChapelle, taken for the April 29, 1999 issue of "Rolling Stone" magazine. None of the photographs here were published in the issue, nor do they appear on the LaChapelle Studio website, nor elsewhere for sale. manuscript ink numbers on the verso of each photograph. Eminem's first "Rolling Stone" cover, shot in March 1999, one month after the release of his major label debut, "The Slim Shady LP," which would rocket the former underground rapper to the heights of critical and commercial success, winning a Grammy and being certified quadruple platinum along the way. In the magazine's 50th Anniversary Photo Issue (November 2, 2017), LaChappelle notes Eminem "was about to blow up," a moment captured by the iconic photographs, which show both before and after photographs of an otherwise nude Eminem holding a stick of dynamite. 10 x 8 inches. Some of the photographs with faint scratches to the rectos from the ink annotations… Read More

N.p.: N.p., 1970. Archive of 288 vernacular color photographs of country music acts from the 1970s, housed in a contemporary photo album, with the subject of nearly every photograph identified by manuscript ink captions. Occasional additional notations give a date range between 1972-1980 for the photographs, with most being dated 1977-1979. The photographs primarily consist of performers on stage, indicating the photographer was near the stage, with a strong sense of composition and timing. Photographs of performers casually posing for the camera indicate the photographer likely had backstage access for some of the performances. Based on additional information in some of the handwritten captions, the photographs were primarily taken at concerts or events in the Western New York region, - Chautauqua, Dunkirk, Little Valley, and Lakewood - all within an hour of each other, as well as the nearby Erie County (NY) Fair and Expo, and Pittsfield, PA. Other locations include the New York State Fair and… Read More

Woodstock, NY: N.p., 1969. Archive of promotional materials from the Woodstock rock festival, including a bifold brochure advertising the festival's original dates (August 15-17) with two flyers for "Inflatatent" and the third day of the festival laid in, a small blue pin with the festival's logo designed by Arnold Skolnick, and several cards with manuscript ink annotations noting the names and contact information of festival organizers. Also included in the archive is the 1969 special issue of RAT Subterranean News which was distributed for free at the festival. Woodstock was organized by promoters Michael Lang, Artie Kornfeld, Joel Rosenman, and John P. Roberts. The festival, initially planned for August 15, 16, and 17 in Wallkill, NY, had a predicted audience of approximately 50,000 people, leaving the organizers woefully unprepared for the 400,000 attendants who showed up for the event. After protests from Wallkill town officials and several changes of venue, the festival was held in Bethel, New… Read More