Catalogues

A Catalogue of Catalogues

A Catalogue of Catalogues

Trade catalogues are a window into history, documenting whatever product the manufacturer, or merchant, was selling. Their uses, for historians & others interested in accurately portraying times past, are manifest. Within this catalogue then are CATALOGUES. And SAMPLE BOOKS. Works that tell others what’s in, or was in, the works.
Temperance Too!

Temperance Too!

Tavistock Books, in partnership with The Book Shop, LLC, is pleased to announce another round of temperance & prohibition. Represented in this second list are numerous books, pamphlets, and other cultural artifacts documenting temperance and prohibition movements across the globe. We explore the struggle for local control of alcohol licensing, as well as the scathing criticism Coca-Cola received for its early formulas. We move beyond the U.S. border to take on Geisha in Japan and learn about the early history of the temperance movement in the Russian Empire.  Enjoy!
25 Books Celebrating 25 Years in Business

25 Books Celebrating 25 Years in Business

25 items, selected from stock, which represent our specialities, as well as the overall eclectic & diverse nature of the Tavistock Books inventory.
Tunes for Temperance.

Tunes for Temperance.

Tavistock Books, in partnership with The Book Shop LLC, announces a new FS list dedicated to temperance & prohibition songsters. From the hymns of the 19th century temperance union meetings and old-time gospel to Victorian parlor songs, ragtime, and the 1920s Prohibition tunes, much of the history and humor of America's love/hate relationship with alcohol is captured in popular music. Herein you'll find a representative sample.
WINE.

WINE.

Oliver Goldsmith has been quoted as saying, "I love everything that's old... old friends, old times, old manners, old books, old wine."

We here at Tavistock Books couldn't agree more, especially with the latter two, and this month offer a list of old books [et al] that deal with old wine…. or at least wine produced decades, if not a centuries, ago. Many of the 44 items on the list are ephemeral in nature, since the list's genesis comes from buying a small cache of California wine ephemera from one in the business prior to WWII.

Saying which, indulge me an aside, where I puff our state's viticultural product… even though wine came to California with the Spaniards in the 18th Century, Sonoma & Napa didn't enter the game until 1857 & 1859 respectively. And they didn't get any international respect until 1976, when California wines swept the competition at "The Judgement of Paris" in 1976. The rest, as they say, is 'vintage' history.

So enjoy the bouquet, have a sip and let us know how you like our vintage selections.

Temperance.

Temperance.

A short list of items, from a recently acquired Temperance Archive. More to come!
The Collective Returns

The Collective Returns

A cooperative effort by 6 ABAA booksellers, the Collective Returns features highlights of each firm's offerings at the coming February San Francisco International Antiquarian Bookfair.