Newton, Shaw:
THE SECOND LINE OF OFFENCE.
Russell Motor Car Co., Toronto, [1918].

The achievements and inner workings of a munitions plant are extolled with vengeful pride in this account of a car parts company retooled for industrialized warfare. Illustrated with many photos and diagrams.

<-- p. 48 / plate 4

n/a:
THE MAORI HEITIKI, GREENSTONE SOUVENIR OF NEW ZEALAND
Whitcombe and Tombs Ltd., Christchurch, [ca. 1950].

A study -- necessarily brief -- of a traditional jade pendant carved in the form of a homunculus: "There is no explanation in legend or folk lore of its origin or meaning." With nine eerie duotone illustrations.

<-- front cover

Clason, George S.:
THE BABYLON COURSE IN FINANCIAL SUCCESS
Institution of Financial Education, Toronto, 1938.

A five-volume self-improvement program in a box, tarted up with an incongruous (and altogether specious) "Babylonian" theme.

<-- front of slipcase

Richards, Brian:
THE PENIS
Valentine Products, New York, 1977.

A monograph by a monomaniac. The author (himself a penis owner) insists that his subject is "the one single most important thing on all the earth and in the entire history of the earth."

<-- front cover

Cantine, Holley, and Dachine Rainer (eds.):
PRISON ETIQUETTE: THE CONVICT'S COMPENDIUM OF USEFUL INFORMATION
Retort Press, Bearsville, NY, 1950.

Personal experiences and advice from American war resisters incarcerated during World War II; though lacking in hardened criminal street-cred, this is a unique document of protest and moral indignation.

<-- front cover

Muslin, E.:
MACHINES OF THE 20TH CENTURY
Mir Publishers, Moscow, 1974.

"...mainly deals with such modest unassuming hard workers as rolling mills, excavators, lathes, presses and turbines..."

<-- front cover