Browse Books on the West, and more
James M. Dourgarian, Bookman
1595-B Third Avenue
Walnut Creek, CA 94597
(925)935-5033
Established1980 - Member ABAA
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James M.Dourgarian, Bookman, was established in 1980. We are members of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America (ABAA). Like all ABAA members, we answer to a higher authority and follow a higher standard of ethics that guarantees a successful transaction for all our customers.
We buy and sell old books, vintage books, collectible books, rare books, first edition books, and related ephemera. We maintain several specialties. Among them are American fiction first editions from c.1900 to the present. Within that general field, we have heavy emphasis in John Steinbeck and Steinbeckiana. Thus, we buy and sell Steinbeck primary first editions in dust jackets, signed/limited editions, his appearances in anthologies, his periodical appearances, books and periodicals about Steinbeck, film and theatre memorabilia, bibliographies, and miscellaneous items.
We also specialize in these same categories for these authors -- Jack London, Wallace Stegner, and Stephen King. Other specialties include Western Americana, books on California and the West, books on Japan, China, and the Orient, and Armed Services Editions. The latter are vintage paperbacks issued to American GIs from 1943 to 1947. They are comprised of mysteries, Westerns, science fiction and fantasy, mainstream fiction, historical novels, science, poetry, adventure stories, and more.
Within our field of modern first editions, we also sell related film memorabilia Thus, we sell film posters, lobby card sets, pressbooks, stills, scripts, etc. for films made from the works of authors we carry such as John Steinbeck, Jack London, Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, Raymond Chandler, Zane Grey, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Stephen King, Edward Abbey, Anne Rice, and many others.
Browse Books Listed by Author's Name Browse Armed Services Editions Books Listed by Issue Numbers | |
| [The West] Allen, Lewis and Dorothy. The Allen Press Bibliography, 1986. San Francisco, The Book Club of California, 1985, first edition thus. This hardcover facsimile of the hand-printed 1981 Allen Press edition was issued without dust jacket, this issue includes important additions to date, original leaves and a complete checklist of ephemera, also includes an appreciation by Carey S. Bliss and an epilogue by Lewis Allen, one of 750 copies, with prospectus laid in. As new. | |
| [The West] Bowers, N. A. Cone-Bearing Trees of the Pacific Coast. NY, Whittlesey House, 1942, first edition, dust jacket. Hardcover. Preface by this Atherton, CA author, issued as part of the Whittlesey House field guide series, color frontispiece and other illustrations. Fine in a very good plus jacket. | |
| [The West] Brown, John Henry. Yerba Buena. San Francisco, The Book Club of California, June 19, 1939, first edition thus, self-wrappers. Softcover. Printed by the Grabhorn Press for the American Library Associationıs 1939 San Francisco convention. Soiling, else near fine. | |
| [The West] Browne, J. Ross. A Dangerous Journey California 1849. Palo Alto, Arthur Lites Press, 1950, first edition thus, dust jacket. Hardcover. One of 1,000 copies, illustrated by Browne, this dangerous journey was from San Francisco to San Luis Obispo. Chip to (plain, blank) front flap and one nick, else fine. | |
| [The West] Caldwell, George W. Ghost Stories of the California Missions and Rhymes of the Gypsy Trail. Hollywood, George W. Caldwell, 1939, first edition. Illustrations by George F. Mason, this copy is Signed by Caldwell. Some age-tone to pages, else fine. | |
| [The West] Chandler, Robert J. (editor). California Gold Rush Camps. San Francisco, The Book Club of California, Fall 1998, first edition. A keepsake for Club members in 14 parts (14 separate folders) housed in a printed and illustrated folding portfolio packet, designed and printed by Patrick Reagh Printers, introduction by Chandler, includes folders by Gary F. Kurutz, Richard H. Dillon, Deke Sonnichsen, Ann Whipple, Albert Shumate, and others, with illustrations (some in color). Fine. | |
| [The West] Cronise, Titus Fey. The Natural Wealth of California. San Francisco, H. H. Bancroft, 1868, first edition. Early history, geography, typography, climate, agriculture, etc., with a detailed description of each county. Both hinges cracked, ex libris (Free Public Library, Coldwater, MI), bookplate, good. | |
| [The West] Curtis, Leslie. Reno Reveries. Reno, Chas. E. Weck (distributing agent), 1912, first edition. A mix of prose and poetry that are "impressions of local life". Very good. | |
| [The West] De Smet, Rev. P. J. Western Missions and Missionaries: A Series of Letters. NY, P. J. Kennedy (Excelsior Catholic Publishing House), 1859, first edition. Frontispiece engraving of the author with tissue guard, front cover with gilt vignettes of early missionaries, very scarce true first edition on the West and dealing with the Plains Indians. Ex libris, no cardholder, but with library stamps and spine numbering, fair. | |
| [The West] Dietz, Ambrose P. For Our Boys. San Francisco, A. L. Bancroft, 1879, first edition. "A collection of original literary offerings by popular writers at home and broad," includes contributions by Oliver Wendell Holmes, Joaquin Miller, John C. Fremont, Victor Hugo, William F. Cody, and many others. Very good. | |
| [The West] Dillon, Richard H. J. Ross Browne: Confidential Agent in Old California. Norman, University of Oklahoma Press, 1965, first edition, dust jacket. Hardcover. Illustrated with eight pages of plates, Browne was a writer, a refoirmer, frfiend of Mark Twain, and a secret government agent in the West, this copy is Signed by Dillon. Fine in a very good jacket. | |
| [The West] Fleming, Thomas. Around the "Pan" With Uncle Hank. NY, The Nut Shell Pub. Co., 1901, first edition. "His trip through the Pan-American Exposition," profusely illustrated with drawings and photos. Frontispiece is dis-bound, but intact, else very good. | |
| [The West] Harlan, Robert D. The Two Hundredth Book. San Francisco, The Book Club of California, Oct. 1993, first edition, dust jacket. Hardcover. A bibliography of the books published by The Club 1953-1993, it seeks to emulate the Magee bibliography, embellished by original announcement inserts and facsimiles of memorable title pages, prospectus and book reception card laid in. As new in original shipment box. | |
| [The West] Hawthorne, Hildegarde. Romantic Cities of California. NY, D. Appleton-Century, 1939, first edition, dust jacket. Hardcover. Illustrated by E. H. Suydam including a frontispiece illustration, the "romantic" cities include San Diego, Laguna and Long Beach, Los Angeles and Hollywood, Pasadena, Santa Barbara, Monterey, San Francisco, Carmel, and others, profusely filled with illustrations. Very nearly fine in a very good jacket. | |
| [The West] Hillerman, Tony (editor). The Best of the West. NY, HarperCollins, 1991, first edition, dust jacket. Hardcover. An anthology of classic writing from the American West, includes John Steinbeck, Jack London, Frank Norris, and, among others, Wallace Stegner, who has Signed both of his two contributions. Fine. | |
| [The West] Howell, John. California. San Francisco, John Howell-Books, 1979, first edition, wrappers. Softcover. This is Catalogue 50 by this legendary San Francisco bookseller, consisting of Parts I, II, and III, based on the collection of Jennie Crocker Henderson, with additions, also includes a note about Ms. Henderson by Warren Howell, Part I consists of items published before California was a state while Parts II and III consist of items published after California became a state, catalogues designed by Lawton Kennedy. Fine. | |
| [The West] Jackson, Joseph Henry. Anybody's Gold. San Francisco, Chronicle Books, 1970, first edition, dust jacket. Hardcover. "The story of California's mining towns," illustrated, with a foreword by Wallace Stegner. Fine in a near fine jacket. | |
| [The West] Jenkins, Olaf P. (editor). Geologic Guidebook Along Highway 49 - Sierran Gold Belt The Mother Lode Country. San Francsico, Division of Mines (State of California Department of Natural Resources), Sept. 1948, first edition. The Centennial edition, this is Bulletin 141, with color and b&w illustrations, includes chapters on Sierran roads, the discovery of gold in California, the history of placer mining, the geologic history of the Sierran gold belt, the history of mining and milling methods in California, etc. Heavy wear to bottom corners, else very good. | |
| [The West] Kahn, Edgar M. R. L. S. A Warm-Hearted Friend of Humanity. San Francisco, n.p., 1964, first edition, stapled self-wrappers. Softcover. Frontispiece photo of Robert Louis Stevenson and with other photo illustrations, it concerns Stevenson's time in Hawaii, printed by Lawton Kennedy. Rusted staples, else fine. | |
| [The West] Land, Barbara J. (editor). 1997 Keepsake - Twelve Treasures From The Library. San Francisco, The Book Club of California, 1997 (sic, 1998), first edition. Consisting of 13 folders, the first of which introduces the keepsake followed by 12 ³treasures,² all with illustrations, housed in a folding packet, although the keepsake carries a 1997 publication date, it was actually issued in July of 1998. Fine. | |
| [The West] Land, Barbara Jane. Treasures of the Book Club Library. San Francisco, The Book Club of California, 2002, first edition. This is part two of the Club's "treasures," of which 12 are featured in separate sections designed by Jonathan Clark of the Artichoke Press, this keepsake for Club members for the year 200 also features an introduction by Gary F. Kurutz, all of which is housed in a wrap-around stiff folder. As new. | |
| [The West] Land, BarbaraJ. (editor). 1997 Keepsake Twelve Treasures From The Library. San Francisco, Book Club of California, July 1998, first edition. Consisting of 13 folders (one for introduction and 12 for the featured treasures), with illustrations, housed in a folding packet. Fine. | |
| [The West] Lindsay, Vachel. The Golden Whales of California and Other Rhymes in the American Language. NY, Macmillan, January 1920, first edition. Review Copy with perforation stamp ("Advance Copy for Review Not For Sale"). Good. | |
| [The West] McLaren, John. Gardening in California Landscape and Flower. San Francisco, A. M. Robertson, 1909, early edition. Preface by McLaren, superintendent of Golden Gate Park, profusely illustrated. Aged, soiled, and foxed, else very good. | |
| [The West] Meyers, William H. Sketches of California and Hawaii. San Francisco, The Book Club of California, 1970, first edition. Issued without jacket, bound in loose weave cloth, a sequel to his Journal of a Cruise which The Club published in 1955, this book includes 22 of the Meyers water colors made from 1841 to 1844 while aboard the U. S. Sloop-of-War Cyane, edited and with an introduction and commentary by John Haskell Kemble, two previously unpublished letters from Meyers are also incorporated into the text, printed on all-rag paper by Grabhorn-Hoyem, limited to 450 copies, the book's prospectus is laid in loosely along with an extra copy of Plate XII. Fine. | |
| [The West] Mitchell, Sydney B. Gardening in California. Garden City, Doubleday, Page, 1923, first edition. "A guide for the amateur on the Pacific Slope," frontispiece and 27 other illustrations, this copy Signed by the author. Bookplate, both hinges broken. | |
| [The West] Norris, Frank. Frank Norris Collected Letters. San Francisco, The Book Club of California, 1986, first edition, dust jacket. Hardcover. Compiled and annotated by Jesse S. Crisler, preface by James D. Hart, includes 124 letters and fragments (26 previously unpublished), appendix includes 41 inscriptions by Norris reprinted from the actual books, one of 500 copies designed and printed by William Henry Powers and Wesley B. Tanner. As new . | |
| [The West] Robbins, Irving Whitmore, Jr. The Library of Irving Whitmore Robbins, Jr. San Francisco, Pacific Book Auction Galleries, 1996, first edition. One of an unknown number of hardcover copies of this auction catalogue, issued without dust jacket, it lists 397 lots of Western Americana and related Pacific voyages, illustrated. Fine. | |
| [The West] Schock, Jim. San Francisco: A Time and a Place for Everything. San Francisco, Unicorn Publishing Co., March 1959, first edition, wrappers. Softcover. Illustrated with photos and drawings, a capsule history of "The City" from 1848 to 1959. Fine. | |
| [The West] Taylor, Benj. F. Between the Gates. Chicago, S. C. Griggs and Company, 1878, first edition. With frontispiece illustration of California's Golden Gate and other illustrations. Very good. | |
| [The West] Tri-Valley Herald. A Continuing History of Contra Costa County. Dublin-Danville, The Tri-Valley News, 1976, first edition, imitation leather. "An account of the events and people that contributed to the history of the Contra Costa community in thirteen weekly installments," published between April 16 and July 9, 1976 as special news supplements covering geology, the natives, the explorers, settlers, the gold rush, etc., one of just 400 copies, this copy Inscribed ("With best wishes,/Bobbie Davis"). Age-toned, near fine. | |
| [The West] Wentz, Roby. The Grabhorn Press. San Francisco, The Book Club of California, 1981, first edition, dust jacket. Hardcover. A biography of this famous San Francisco press, with prospectus laid in. Fine. | |
| [The West] West, Ray B. Kingdom of the Saints. NY, Viking, 1957, first edition, dust jacket. Hardcover. The story of Brigham Young and the Mormons, preface by the author, map endpapers, with the bookplate of noted collector Roger K. Lawson. Fine in a bright, nearly fine jacket. | |
| [The West] Wickson, Edward J. California Garden Flowers Shrubs, Trees and Vines. San Francisco, Pacific Rural Press, 1926, third edition. Revised and extended, frontispiece and 14 other full-page b&w illustrations. Very good. | |
CONDITIONS OF SALE
Browse Books Listed by Author's Name Browse Armed Services Editions Books Listed by Issue Numbers | |