Another couple of years pass (largely unproductively!)
Noticing that the last Bulletin posted here was XL, I should note that we are now up to XLIV, they can all be seen here
Categories (on the left hand side of the website) have been reduced due to declining levels of stock (both generally and in those specific categories). Stock updates remain sporadic
We have applied to rejoin the PBFA, so we hope to be exhibiting at a couple of fairs this year (presuming they let me back in), so I will update the fairs section (or not!) when applicable
So, we have finally got round to posting some stuff on Instagram, generally not things for sale, but items from the variety of small collections we have here at ZHQ, and other items we find interesting. Have a look at #zeteticbooks
We have recently issued Bulletin XL – for a full list click here – and don’t forget that you can receive the Bulletins on release by sending us an email
New Bulletin now available – including economics, extra-parliamentary activity in Germany and France, Patty Hearst and the SLA, a pro-Chartist broadside and a (timely) squatters movement xmas card
The latest bulletin is now available – click on the cover below – it consists of fifty printed handkerchiefs, (well forty-nine and a bib), with a range of subjects covered.
Bulletin IV – Printed Handkerchiefs
Often quite large, these handkerchiefs record many of the major events of the eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth centuries, though they originated in the seventeenth century, with the earliest dated surviving plate printed handkerchief being John Adam’s map of England, produced by William Berry in 1685/6 (Schoeser, pg 4).
The advantages of a map printed on silk versus a map printed on paper are obvious, especially for a large city like London, where size would be an important issue. Travellers in London could also purchase handkerchiefs showing Hackney cab and coach fares (Schoeser, page 7).
Printed handkerchiefs also had a number of other roles. As well as being decorative and informative they were also educational, entertaining, often with children’s nursery rhymes and caricatures, satirical, political (there is a wonderful example commemorating Peterloo – alas not available here!) and also as souvenirs (Royalty being particularly popular).
Schoeser’s Printed Handkerchiefs, a booklet published to accompany an exhibition of handkerchiefs at the Museum of London in 1988, is an excellent short introduction to the subject.
The best collection of recent times was Christopher Lennox-Boyd’s, some of which was sold at Christies in March 2008, including a copy of the London map in the bulletin and the Peterloo handkerchief mentioned above
Well it’s one year since this chapter of my book selling life started, the last fair of the year in Market Harborough was on the 29th of December – picture of the stand below – and the first one of this year is in York on the 9th January
Happy New Year to all of my customers; past, present and future!
We have now added a ‘Book Fair’ page with links to the forthcoming book fairs that we will be attending.
If there are items of stock that you would like to see ‘in the flesh’ from the website, let us know (a week in advance if possible) and we will try to bring them along for you.
We also usually attend the monthly Etc fair (usually held on the second Sunday of each month) at the Royal National hotel if that is more convenient.
Buenos Aires has the highest number of bookshops per person than any other city in the world – as well as probably the most beautiful bookshop in the world
