Anthropology

NOTES ON THE PORO IN LIBERIA and MASKS AS AGENTS OF SOCIAL CONTROL IN NORTHEAST LIBERIA.
by George W. Harley
(Hardcover)
Ethnos Publications, 2001

These two seminal studies by Dr. George Way Harley are the basis of our present day knowledge of the Poro men's secret society of West Africa and of masks and masking traditions in Liberia. Harley, a physician, traveled to Liberia from Durham, N.C., in 1926, cutting his way through the bush when there were no roads. He established a clinic at Ganta in Mano country near the Guinea border, and ministered to the needs of the people in the region for over three decades. Because of the trust placed in him by Poro secret society initiates, and through his anthropological training at Harvard, he slowly accumulated an immense knowledge and deep insight into the otherwise impenetrable secrets of the Poro.

Nearly impossible to find in their original, these classic works are presented together in this facsimile reprint. The two papers have been bound together… Read More

2 volumes: 260 pages with maps (some folding), illustrations, plates (some in color) and figures; 253 pages with maps, tables, illustrations, figures, plates, bibliography and index. Royal octavo (9 3/4" x 7 1/4") volume one rebound in green cloth with gilt lettering to spine and original wrappers bound in; volume 2 bound in original wrappers. Inscribed to Professor George M Foster. Copy 244 of 1000 copies issued. First edition.A mining engineer turned ethnologist, the author has done a much needed service by studying in anthropological terms an isolated region inhabited by mestizos. As the method was extensive rather than intensive, the data are mostly in the realm of material culture and linguistics. This work covers all aspects of the area surveyed, from the geography, climate, indigenous peoples, their economics as well as the history. This includes language, the archaeology of the region and a survey of even some potential sites. A scarce work on this subject.George McClelland Foster, Jr born in… Read More

305 pages with illustrations, tables (some fold out), diagrams, maps (some fold out) and figures. Small quarto (10 1/4" x 7 1/4") issued in wrappers. INAH Archeology Series. First edition.Contents: Los juegos de pelota en las Tierras Bajas Mayas del Norte by Ruben Maldonado C, Edward B Kurjack and Merle Green Robertson; Las turquesas de un lago by Angelina Marcias Goytia and Katina Vackimes Serret; Una sobrevista del patron de asentamiento de Calakmul, Campeche, Mexico by Loraine A Fletcher, Jacinto May Hau, Lynda M Florey Folan and William J Folan; Sistemas constructivos en Tula arqueologica by Noemi Castillo Tejero; Material arqueologico encontrado en una parte de la cimentacion del nuevo Museo Nacional de Antropologia by Francisco Gonzalez Rul; La Cultura Tlaxco o Senorio de Tliliuquitepec en el norte de Tlaxcala by Angel Garcia Cook and B Leonor Merino Carrion; Los tlatelolcas prehispanicos, origen y cultura by Roberto Garcia Moll, Patricia Ochoa Castillo y Marcela Salas Cuesta; Los sitios… Read More

Belknap/ Harvard University Press, Cambridge, 1969; First Edition; large 8vo, 733 pages; illustrated. Seminal anthropological study of the Tzotzil-speaking highland village of Zinacantan, covering geographic and cultural setting, material culture and economics, social structure, religious beliefs and rituals, etc. Profusely illustrated with b&w photographs. Fine, in a Near Fine dust jacket that has a single 1" closed edge tear. A very attractive copy.

Biblioteca Aportacion Historica, Mexico City, 1947; First Edition; #69 of 100 numbered copies; 8vo, 33 pages. First publication of an historic manuscript in the National Museum of Mexico describing the Nahua system of counting and the etymological roots of Nahuatl number words. Originally authored in mid 19th century by notable Mexican linguist Faustino Chimalpopoca, Nahuatl translator to the court of Maximillian and Carlota. Edited and published in a limited edition of only 100 copies by Vargas Rea. Very Good Plus, in printed wraps with an Aztec glyph emblazoned on the front. Rare.

Hellman, Lillian: The Searching Wind. PLAY The Viking Press, 1st Ed., First printing Thus, June, 1944. DRAMA. Used. Good/Good unclipped DJ $2.00 price. Protected in a mylar wrap.

Hopwood, Robert R: Science Model Making. PHYSICS. MODEL-MAKING. Macmillan First American Edition, 1963. EXLIB. Good Condition/ Good- Rare Original Dust Jacket. Front flap states $4.95 original price. No other printings listed. Written by physics master Robert R. Hopwood. These projects are Illustrated with over 100 diagrams on: Astronomical telescope/One transistor radio receiver/ microscope/ steam turbine/ pocket sundial/ electric motor. "Science Model Making is a complete guide to the construction of operating models, and brings together in one volume projects from the various fields of science that hobbyists and amateur scientists like to make. " Ships from Oregon.

Beatrix Potter: The Fairy Caravan. David McKay 1929 True First Edition, First American Edition. ILLUSTRATED BY BEATRIX POTTER. Library Bound. Exlib. Good+ condition/ no dj included. Boards are in nice condition. Pictorial Front Board illustration of horse caravan and all titling are VG. Gilt letter j appearing on spine is bright. Tight binding, pages bright. Some light foxing noted. Six colour plates, twenty full-page illustrations, and 42 textual drawings. Octavo. Original green cloth binding, All colour plates remain firmly affixed to binding.

El Escritorio, 1992. Inscribed and signed by author on title page. Near Fine. Very minor shelf and handling wear to cover, bottom front corner slightly creased, spine faded. Else Fine / As New. Appears unopened / unread. Photo is of the copy we have here at Barbed Wire Books.

Dockside Sailing Press, 2016. Fine / As New. Very minor shelf wear to cover. Otherwise As New. Appears unopened / unread. Photo is of the copy we have here at Barbed Wire Books.

209LewisBabbittRed Sinclair Lewis. Babbitt. Copyright 1922. No other info appears on the copyright page. Harcourt Brace, NY. This is an undated Harbrace reissue edition, circa 1936 Printed from First Edition second issue plates with the correction of "Lyte" for "Purdy" on p. 49, line 4. USED. VG/Good-. Dark red boards and original maroon dust. Quite rare thus. 5 ¾ X 8 ¼. 401 pages.

Elliott, W. Gerald Treasure On The Broads. Herbert Jenkins, London Stated First Printing 1933. Signed and inscribed by British screenwriter Dorothy Greenhill, a co-writer of Mr. Elliott's. RARE THUS. USED. Good Condition/ No DJ is included. Orange boards with black titling. 5 X 7 1/2. 312 pages plus adverts. Summary: A mystery story about an ancient buried treasure trove located in Sussex, England.

Du Bose Heyward. Mamba's Daughters, A Novel of Charleston. Grosset & Dunlap Reprint Edition. Copyright 1929 Du Bose Heyward. States 1929 on the title page. USED. Very Good Condition/ Very Good G&D dust jacket. 311 Pages. 5 ¼ X 7 ¾.

Universidad Nacional Autonomo Mexico, Mexico, 1945; First Edition; 8vo; 218 pages; printed stiff wraps. Translation into Spanish, from primary source Conquest era Nahuatl documents, of a corpus of mythic poems and narratives of the Nahua peoples, authored by eminent scholar and linguist of prehispanic cultures Angel Maria Garibay (1892-1967). Lengthy 54 page introduction by the author is followed by 146 pages of text and substantive background notes, a 12 page bibliography, and 6 page index. Very Good Plus, clean, bright, no previous signatures or any other markings of any kind. Rare in complete first edition.

Virgilio Montalvo, Santo Domingo, D.R., 1927; First Edition; 8vo, 301 pages; printed wraps. Fifty-seven writings by distinguished Dominican writer/poet/educator Ramon Emilio Jimenez describing the traditions, beliefs, customs, character, personality, occupations,environment, and everyday lives of the Dominican people. A Dominican native, Jimenez (1886-1970) held numerous government administrative positions throughout his lifetime, most notably that of State Secretary of Education and Public Instruction. Inscribed on the dedication page by the author in his official capacity as follows: "Obsequio de la Secretaria de Estado de Just. e Inst. Pub. al Club Cultural Panamericana, Sto. Dgo. R.D, Oct. 26/ 1929" and accompanied by the official departmental seal. The title (’On Love For The Bohio’) is a reference to the simple cane and thatch dwelling of the rural population. Very Good Plus. Text clean, crisp, bright, corners sharp, binding tight, sound, and square, pages unopened. Rare.