Please note: we are currently building this website. It will probably be a long process to get all our books and items loaded. Your patience is appreciated. Currently we are trying to provide images where useful. At some point, we may change to a strategy of loading items with minimal information and without images just to let folks know we have them. If you see an item that interests you, please feel free to ask for more information, including images.
Before I go into a general introduction, which includes some information on how to navigate this website, I want to communicate two important points.
First, within the contiguous 48 states our listed prices include shipping and insurance where applicable. We ship Media Mail when the content allows.
Second, We try to make our prices competitive, even attractive when feasible. Still we realize there is a subjective element in pricing these types of products. Comparisons are sometimes not exact and sometimes not easy to find. So, we are not offended by offers. If you want to make an offer on an item, please do so. We will review it and consider it thoroughly. Obviously, we may accept your offer, counter your offer, or decline your offer.
So, on to the general introduction. We are an internet seller of collectible first edition books, as well as a sampling of other collectibles. Our primary focus is on Mark Twain books and ephemera. However, we offer other first edition books, both modern and a bit more aged, including an extensive collection of George MacDonald Fraser books and items. We also offer tobacco cards, trade cards, post cards, and other items of interest.
On our home page, with regard to items we offer for sale, you will see choices for Mark Twain, G. M. Fraser, Other Items, and POD Products. POD products are Print-On-Demand products like apparel, coffee mugs, posters and the like.
Holding your cursor over one of these choices will reveal a further breakdown. For example under Mark Twain, we offer First Editions, Ephemera, Post Cards, Tobacco Cards, and Prints. Prints are various Twain-related images that we produce on a high quality printer on a choice of premium glossy or matte paper and in a choice of sizes. First Editions include collectible books by Mark Twain as well as books that have an association with Mark Twain.
You can click on one of the major headings, and it will take you to a page that basically offers a little information on the subject and the clickable links related to the subject. For example, if you click on Mark Twain, it will take you to a page that has a picture of Twain and gives some cursory information about him. It offers the same clickable categories that you would see by hovering over Mark Twain on the Home Page. As you navigate the sight, most pages you go to will offer the full menu at the top and to the right. So, you can use your browser’s back button to move back to where you have been, or you can click an option from the above menu or from the menu to the right.
Continuing to use the category of Mark Twain as our example, if you hover over Mark Twain on the Home Page, move down, and click on Ephemera, it will take you to a page that lists the individual items for sale in this category. There will be a title for the item, which in this case may be just a general description, and a price. By clicking on a specific item, you will be taken to a page that provides a more detailed description and in some cases one or more images. The first image will be on full view, and if there are other images, thumbnails will be seen below the image on full view. If you move your cursor over the image on full view, it will magnify it some. You can click a thumbnail to bring that image to full view, or you can click on the little magnifying glass device in the upper right-hand corner of the image on full view to go to a new page with the image a bit larger. From there, if you click on the image, it will enlarge it a bit more. On this page you can click the arrows on the right or left to move through all of the available images. This type of page does not offer menus at the top and to the right. You can use your browser’s back button to return, or you click in the area outside the image on display, but not on or very near, the arrows to return, and this will take you back to the previous page.
We want to help you find the books or items you want. Please feel free to contact us about a specific want if you do not find what you are looking for or if you just don’t feel like searching the website. If we do not have an item, we will be glad to try to find it for you.
Please see our Policies information under Policies, News & More for more detail on how to best use this website.