Bone's Guitar and Mandolin

[Eugene]

These come up every once in a great while, but they seem to be becoming a little more ridiculous. #The last time one appeared at a price like this, it bore the author's autograph. #I see no reference to an autograph here, only that the previous owner had taken "notes on back endpapers." #For US$420, it can be yours! #Check it out:
Bone. 1914/1954. Guitar & Mandolin: Biographies of Celebrated Players and Composers, 2nd ed. Schott & Co. Ltd., London. (http://www.alibris.com/search/detail.cfm?bid=8219496364)

[Eugene]

I did a little more looking. #You can get a different used copy through Amazon's Marektplace vendors for $1,500! #Fine Fretted Stringed Instruments (http://www.finefretted.com/html/the_guitar___mandolin.html) in CA has a few copies available for the more-reasonable sum of US$89.95.

[Eugene]

Fine Fretted (http://www.finefretted.com/html/philip_j__bone_manuscript.html) also has the manuscript available for only US$6,000!

(I had to post these two separately because the urls did something really funky to the formatting.)

[Jim Garber]

I disappeared my posting due to Eugene and my existing in parallel antimatter states in cyberspace -- er ... I think!

Jim

[Eugene]

It's back at the "Low Price" (according to the seller) of US$1,500!
BONE! (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/offer-listing/0403019109/ref=dp_pb_a//103-5155657-6846250?condition=all)

[Eugene]

Two copies (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0781207398/qid=1099187495/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/103-7102101-5883805?v=glance&s=books) listed at Amazon for $79! Move fast.

[Jim Garber]

I think this is the one I ordered a few years ago. It is basically a bound photocopy edition put out by Reprint Services Corporation. It is useful and same text but bear in mind that the photos are photocopy-quality.

Also, in my case, they ordered it directly from the publisher and it took about 6 months for it to come in. It sounds like they have two copies in stock at the moment.

[Eugene]

This just in:



ALIBRIS BOOK FETCH RESULTS
_
We may have found a match for one or more of the Book Fetch
requests you created on Alibris. Our inventory moves quickly, so
don't delay if you wish to purchase a Book Fetch match!

Your search for:
Guitar and Mandolin by Bone

Matched:
Guitar and Mandolin by Bone, Philip J.
Schott & Co. LTD. London. (1954)
Signed
$449.95
Buy now at: http://www.alibris.com/search/detail.cfm?bid=8197238143

At the trivial pittance of US$450, how could you not!?

[NYClassical]

wow. i have a copy of the book (1972 edition) from the school library. just wondering, because i am a newcomer to the mandolin-- any compelling reasons to own an original copy of this book? just to have a piece of history, right?

from what i understand, the book was criticized for giving undue amounts of attention to composers who had little to do with the mandolin or guitar, and giving little attention to some of the mandolin's protagonists. on the other hand, it is the first attempt to compile the biographies of guitar/mando protagonists, and therefore worthy of note. thoughts?

[Eugene]

Indeed. #In addition, Bone is a little prone to speculation. #The info contained is what's useful. #I have no need to pursue autographs or manuscripts, but I am mighty glad there are people who do.

[Bob A]

As an inveterate collector, I confess to having too many books, many of them first editions, some signed or inscribed by the author or otherwise of some associational interest. Fortunately this disease does not force me into pursuing rarities in the area of reference material. Though some of that stuff is quite rare and expensive in its own right. (Eugene's own Ohio State U has published a biblioography of fantasy and supernatural fiction that is a must-have for certain kinds of lunatic. It is out of print, they will not reprint, and it can be had for some 300 bucks or more if you can find it).

I see NYClassical has the proper mindset to appreciate this kind of thing, describing Bone as a first in his field. If intent on developing a collection around the topic, perhaps the manuscript would be a nice place to start. However, even though I am bigtime weird for books, I was pleased to get a reprint of Bone for some sixty bucks.

By the way, I am the proud owner of what I believe to be the original manuscript of Chick Sale's "The Specialist", a slim volume incorporating the philosophy and anecdotes of the protagonist, a carpenter who purported to make the construction of outhouses his professional specialty. No mando content, but given the setting of the book, it rubs elbows with true-blue bluegrassers of an earlier generation. Recommended for 30s American tongue in cheek humor.

[Eugene]

Bone still appears with some frequency...and Morey never has:


_

ALIBRIS BOOK FETCH RESULTS
_

We may have found a match for one or more of the Book Fetch
requests you created on Alibris. Our inventory moves quickly, so
don't delay if you wish to purchase a Book Fetch match!
Your search for:
Guitar and Mandolin by Bone

Matched:
The Guitar and Mandolin, Biographies of Celebrated Players and Composers. by Bone, Philip J.
2nd Enlarged Ed., Signed, Dedicated and Numbered 3 by the author. Hardback. Published by Schott and Co. Ltd., London. (1954)
Signed, book in near fine condition. $346.46
Buy now at: http://www.alibris.com/search/detail.cfm?bid=8300151136

Thank you for using Book Fetch.
_

[Jim Garber]

Bone still appears with some frequency...and Morey never has:
Eugene:
What or who is Morey?

Jim

[onthefiddle]

If you mean Stephen Morey and his book "Mandolins of the 18th Century", it is still available from cremonabooks (http://www.cremonabooks.com/). My copy arrived this morning in fact!
If you ever visit Cremona I can recommend a visit to this wonderful bookshop.
Their address and other contact details are:

cremonabooks SRL
Corso Garibaldi 215
26100 Cremona
Italy

Tel.: +39 0372 31743
Fax: +39 0372 537269
Email: info@cremonabooks.com

I have to thank Eugene for knowledge of this book, he mentioned it in another thread discussing the Vinaccia family. Thanks Eugene!

I also received another book entitled 'Il "Mandolino Coristo" Di Antonio Stradivari', which looks fascinating, but means I'm going to have sit with an Italian dictionary in hand as I try to read it. The illustrations have been very informative so far anyway!

Jon

[Jim Garber]

If you mean Stephen Morey and his book "Mandolins of the 18th Century", it is still available from cremonabooks (http://www.cremonabooks.com/).
Too bad. The Web site seems to be down at the moment.

Il sito e' temporaneamente offline per un aggiornamento tecnico.
Riprovare piu' tardi.

Oh, no... not another book that my library is lacking. You folks have tpo stop!

Jim

[Eugene]

Well, all questions answered in my temporary absence. You would not believe how long I've been searching for my own copy of Morey's text. A few years ago, in an effort to score his book, I thought I was close to striking up correspondence directly with Mr. Morey through my correspondence with some mandolinists in Australia. It never panned out. I've been getting by on frequent loans from the Oberlin Conservatory's library.

[onthefiddle]

It looks like I've been able to repay the favour then Eugene!
If you want to pay by credit card rather than wire transfer you will need to phone the shop. Be warned though, only one member of staff speaks much English to my knowledge. Also, don't forget that shops close for much of the afternoon in Italy. If I remember correctly cremonabooks reopens at 3.30pm.
Morey cost me 20.50 Euros, the catalogue number is tu23.

Jon