If you didn’t already know, The Cornstalk Bookshop is one of three companies (Yushodo and Swindons Books are the others) that organise the Hong Kong International Antiquarian Bookfair. This week Paul travelled to Hong Kong to publicize the fair and he came back with a surprising amount of energy. I asked him how it went.
It seems that he had a grueling schedule with one interview after another. He even did a live radio interview and is also part of a documentary about antiquarian books made for the local life style channel. Quite the celebrity! I ask him what the Press found most interesting and he said, “Oh, the press loved the Pillowbook. There were lots of oos and ahs.” Pillowbooks such as this were very popular in China and were often given to sons as part of their sex education on the occasion of their marriage and in turn the albums were often shared by the son with his new bride on their wedding night.
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| Busy days with Hong Kong Skyscrapers in the background. Television reporter and Virginia |
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Marx’s ‘ideas have transformed the study of economics, history, geography, sociology and literature.
INSCRIBED BY THE AUTHOR FOUR DAYS AFTER PUBLICATION:
AN EXCEPTIONAL COPY
MARX, Karl. Das Kapital. Kritik der politischen Oekonomie … Erster Band. Buch I: Der Produktionsprocess des Kapitals … Hamburg, Otto Meissner, 1867.
Bernard Quaritch Ltd. of London will have a rare first edition of the first volume of Das Kapital, for sale at the Hong Kong Antiquarian Bookfair 2010. The only one to appear in Marx’s lifetime; one of 1000 copies printed, this copy was inscribed in Marx’s distinctive hand, on the verso of the title-page ‘To Professor E.S. Beesly Lond. 18 Sept. 1867. Karl Marx’. Two further volumes were published from his manuscripts by Engels, in 1885 and 1894 respectively.
Presentation copy, one of a handful of copies inscribed by Marx just four days after publication, probably upon receipt from the publisher. The first volume of Das Kapital was published on September 14th in Hamburg. The work was published in printed wrappers, and must have been sent to Marx thus, or in sheets. From September 13 to 16, Marx was in Manchester with Friedrich Engels and Paul Lafargue, discussing how to obtain advance publicity for the work. Marx clearly sat down to inscribe copies on September 18th, Draper recording copies inscribed to Beesley and five others, with two other copies also sent.
Edward Spencer Beesly (1831-1915) was a positivist and historian who studied at Wadham College, Oxford before becoming a Professor of History at University College, London. From 1860, his radical agenda included promoting international solidarity among working-class leaders. He helped organize the most important pro-Union demonstration in England during the American Civil War, and he chaired the historic meeting (28 September 1864) advocating co-operation between English and French workers in support of Polish nationalism, which led to the formation of the International Working Men’s Association (the First International), soon dominated by his friend Karl Marx’ (Martha S. Vogeler in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography).
Marx’s ‘ideas have transformed the study of economics, history, geography, sociology and literature.’ (Francis Wheen, in his introduction to Karl Marx, 1999).
A magnificent copy, with a splendid association.
[Supplied by Ian Smith and Katherine Spears from Bernard Quaritch]
Thousands of photographs were taken of Paul and this is the only image of he got of them.
AN EXCEPTIONAL COPY
MARX, Karl. Das Kapital. Kritik der politischen Oekonomie … Erster Band. Buch I: Der Produktionsprocess des Kapitals … Hamburg, Otto Meissner, 1867.
Bernard Quaritch Ltd. of London will have a rare first edition of the first volume of Das Kapital, for sale at the Hong Kong Antiquarian Bookfair 2010. The only one to appear in Marx’s lifetime; one of 1000 copies printed, this copy was inscribed in Marx’s distinctive hand, on the verso of the title-page ‘To Professor E.S. Beesly Lond. 18 Sept. 1867. Karl Marx’. Two further volumes were published from his manuscripts by Engels, in 1885 and 1894 respectively.
Presentation copy, one of a handful of copies inscribed by Marx just four days after publication, probably upon receipt from the publisher. The first volume of Das Kapital was published on September 14th in Hamburg. The work was published in printed wrappers, and must have been sent to Marx thus, or in sheets. From September 13 to 16, Marx was in Manchester with Friedrich Engels and Paul Lafargue, discussing how to obtain advance publicity for the work. Marx clearly sat down to inscribe copies on September 18th, Draper recording copies inscribed to Beesley and five others, with two other copies also sent.
Edward Spencer Beesly (1831-1915) was a positivist and historian who studied at Wadham College, Oxford before becoming a Professor of History at University College, London. From 1860, his radical agenda included promoting international solidarity among working-class leaders. He helped organize the most important pro-Union demonstration in England during the American Civil War, and he chaired the historic meeting (28 September 1864) advocating co-operation between English and French workers in support of Polish nationalism, which led to the formation of the International Working Men’s Association (the First International), soon dominated by his friend Karl Marx’ (Martha S. Vogeler in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography).
Marx’s ‘ideas have transformed the study of economics, history, geography, sociology and literature.’ (Francis Wheen, in his introduction to Karl Marx, 1999).
A magnificent copy, with a splendid association.
[Supplied by Ian Smith and Katherine Spears from Bernard Quaritch]
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| Paul turns his camera on the press. |
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| Virginia from Sage Communications who looked after Paul while he was there. |
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| Paul loves his trip on the Ferry from Kowloon to Hong Kong Island Hong Kong International Antiquarian Bookfair publicity does not end with this trip, Paul will return next month to do more of the same, but for now we are glad to have him home. |
