Swan's Fine Books

Swan's Fine Books Swan’s Fine Books offers collectable and rare books. While we specialize in illustrated and fine

06/12/2026

All set up for the Rose City Book & Paper Fair!!

If you're in the Portland area, please join us!

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rosecitybookandpaperfair

06/05/2026

Tasha Tudor (1915-2008) wrote and illustrated almost 100 children's books.

Her first book,"Pumpkin Moonshine" was published in 1938, and her last, "Corgiville Christmas" in 2003. She won several awards and popularized a simple lifestyle which emphasizes hand-crafted items.

We recently acquired a small collection of her works, many signed, and - yes! We will be bringing them to the Portland book fair, please visit us there!

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06/05/2026

"By the wild fence-row, all grown up
With tall oats, and the buttercup,
And the seeded grass, and blue flax-flower,

I fling myself in a nest of green ,
Walled about and all unseen,
And lose myself in the quiet hour..."

A book of poems by Edward Rowland Sill, published in 1889.

What I LOVE are the twenty-six original watercolors set into the text throughout.

And, yes, Swan's Fine Books will have this lovely little book on display at the upcoming Rose City Book & Paper Fair being held in Portland on June 13 and 14!

Packing for the fair has commenced, with take-off on only five more days... yikes!!

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05/12/2026

"The Worldly Hope men set their Hearts upon
Turns Ashes - or it prospers; and anon,
Like Snow upon the Desert's dusty Face
Lighting a little Hour or two - is gone."

One of the quatrains from the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, this publication with ethereal illustrations by Elihu Vedder (1836-1923).

This the octavo size; our copy retains the original dust jacket, thus the binding still near perfect.

What a treat to see such a gorgeous book in such lovely condition!

03/06/2026

"Tyger Tyger, burning bright,
In the forests of the night;
What immortal hand or eye,
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

"In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand, dare seize the fire?"

The first two stanzas only of the poem by William Blake (1757-1827), this wonderful 2003 publication by The Alembic Press, Marcham (UK).

Scarce: as of this writing we see no copies online. Perhaps not surprising, as the edition size was only forty copies.

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03/05/2026

"...Merlin who in the thorn-branched wood
Where Vivien is, felt death no wrong
A-drowse in her pleasaunce to brood
Her dusk pleasaunce where sleep is good
Where sleep and song together go...

"Companioned thus with dream I'll ride
No mortal else astir but I,
One star yet burning in the sky..."

"To the Little Princess", a short collection of poems by Ella Young (1867-1956) published in 1930 by Johnck and Seeger.

Young was an Irish poet who held the chair in Irish Myth and Lore at Cal for seven years. She was friends with Robinson Jeffers and Ansel Adams. She was the inspiration for the Dunites. She wrote two books which were Newbery Honor Books.

An amazing woman. I wish I had known her. Fortunately I can glimpse her soul through her writings...the incredible power of books.

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03/04/2026

This short story by John Steinbeck (1902-1968) focuses on the coming of age and the loss of innocence.

"Flight" was originally published in 1938 as part of the collection, "The Long Valley". This publication by the Yolla Bolly Press (1984) with artwork by Karin Wikstrom and an afterword by Wallace Stegner.

"He sat down in the crisp dry oak leaves and automatically felt for his big knife to cut the jerky, but he had no knife. He leaned back on his elbow and gnawed at the tough strong meat. His face was blank, but it was a man's face."

02/28/2026

"Curiouser and curiouser!" said Alice...

One of the most famous stories from Victorian literature, written by Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (1832-1898), better known by his pen name of Lewis Carroll.

Per Wiki, "Alice" has never been out of print (quite a feat!) and has been translated into 174 languages.

Originally published in 1865, this the "New Edition" published in 1877, with the same binding design and 42 illustrations by John Tenniel as the first edition.

Just uploaded to our website, visit there for details!

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02/27/2026

I am SUCH a sucker for a pretty binding! You'll see the full leather binding, by Sangoski and Sutcliffe, at the end of the reel (although it's much prettier in person).

This a 1954 version of "Cyrano de Bergerac" in French, with gorgeous colour illustrations by Jean Gradassi (1907-1989).

Some of you may remember the 1987 film "Roxanne" starring Steve Martin and Daryl Hannah, one of the many adaptations of this story by Edmond Rostand (1868-1918).

My favourite quote from the play? Ah, that is easy..."All our souls are written in our eyes."

✨❤️⚔️❤️✨

02/25/2026

My favourite book fair find from Rare Books Pasadena!

I fell in love with this cover which has just the initial "h" with a small bar above the ascender. If I'm reading Mr. Minsky's book correctly, this may be the monogram of William Snelling Had away (1872-1941). Snelling, an artist, specialized in book illustrations as well as jewelry and metal design (per Wiki).

The volume contains the "Lais of Marie de France" (ca. 1160-1215). This amazing woman is known only from her work and popularity. Per Wiki, she "is considered by scholars to be the first woman known to write francophone verse", was proficient in Latin and Middle English (and probably Breton).

These "Lais" influenced the subsequent genre of heroic romances....so all you lovers of Malory, give thanks!

The very best thing about a book fair... finding a book you never knew existed but with which, upon seeing, you immediately fall in love!

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Address

2161 Ygnacio Valley Road, Suite 107
Walnut Creek, CA
94598

Telephone

+19259351190

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