Welcome to our new website. We are located in Westhampton, New York, open by appointment only and with sales via the internet. We are full-time dealers in antiquarian books, maps, photographs, prints, paper ephemera and works of art, specializing in historical manuscript collections, business archives, and with a sub-specialty in Long Island historical material.

There are thousands of items presently catalogued in the Certain Books website, many of which are one-of-a-kind. Please enjoy browsing our site or use the advanced search feature when looking for a specific item.

George Krzyminski, Proprietor of Certain Books, ABAA

Featured Items

Black and white view of the organist Joseph Gogniat (1881-1954) at his keyboard in the Cathedrale; on the front of the card is his signature within the image; on the back, he has signed "Jos. Gogniat" in pen; postcard is postally unused; very clear image; no date, circa 1950s; light edge, tips wear & dustiness to card, very good condition.

Real-photo Postcard Signed of the Organist of the Cathedrale De Fribourg Switzerland, Jos. Gogniat
(Gogniat)
Perrochet...Lausanne: Edition Art, Black and white view of the organist Joseph Gogniat (1881-1954) at his keyboard in the Cathedrale; on the front of.. more
Price: $35.00

With about (200) pages, half of which are with full pages of entries; a small 'pocket' style diary or daily record of activities for J.P. Foster, his name and the date on front endpaper; beginning in January of 1885 and entries ending in September of the same year; the first page's entries noting that on January 12, 4 shoats were butchered, sold to H. H. Post, on the 19th, "...Southampton Whaling Co., killed small Whale from 15 to 20 bbls..." and on the 5th, "Edward commenced to teach school in District No. 6"; an observant diarist, with good details: "Everybody carting ice 4 inches thick...Funeral of Mrs. Mary Bishop aged 83 years...Churned 6lbs and work around the house and barn...White had the team & carted two loads wood for himself...Sunday Rev. W. Condict Sabbath School..."; notes many illnesses (scarlet fever), funerals & ages of the deceased, prayers & sermons by named Reverends; with a note stating that he watched the yacht Genesta go by in a gale (Genesta was the defeated British contender for the 1885 America's Cup); some notice of community and charitable feelings by the author recorded, as in a note for Sunday March 8, "...Rev. McFarland Agent of Seamens Friend Society Collection $ 54.54..."; precise details on work accomplished in a day, as in "...Wednesday Tom carted two loads for himself which makes 6 he has up to this date - Self carted 1/2 cord oak wood...Went in woods with two teams self & Tom cut & split 50 chestnut rails..."; much traveling noted, New London, Montauk, lot of carting to and from Sag Harbor, elsewhere; local news of note, as in this community fire-fighting effort: "...Railroad set fire to J.H. Pierson('s) wood at the north end on Sabonac road burnt over the whole piece would have got in to the North Sea woods if it had not been stoped by the inhabitants..." political news: "...Town meeting great many people over 940 votes polled the no licence candidate W.D. Halsey was elected by 40 majority. Ticket elected Supervisor James H. Pierson..." (listing the rest of the winners and positions on the page) and the note that "...Edward (is) writing Proprietors records at Mr. Edwin Posts..." - Edward evidently with more community involvements, with mention of a concert being planned along with meeting with the Board of Health; while the local pastor was away, visiting Sunday teachers came from New York University and Union Theological Seminary and are named; other whaling and fishing news including this snippet, Saturday March 28, "...Three boats chasing whale did not get it..."; farming details also provided, as to deepness of frost, type of crops sewn and seeds bought, fertilizer amounts and prices paid, breeding notes and information, particularly good calving, bitter or unusual weather, all of the multitude of farm tasks needing to get done; entertainment of "...a great many fireworks going up this evening..." (July 4) and "...went out riding with John Cook..."; at the end of the diary, the writing hand changes abruptly and relates in a couple of short pages the poisoning (in the hand - details not given) of the (assumed) previous writer and over a short period of time, treated by a doctor with morphine for the pain, death and funeral - noting "...his last words were 'Whatever happens I am ready"; approx. 6" x 3" size; original full soft leather binding, having a decorative faintly blind-embossed pattern, with over-flap and pocket at back; pages with ledger-style lines; some edge, tips wear, rubbing & soiling to leather, small hole; mostly ink-written in a generally legible and good hand, some edges of leaves chewed a bit, with minor losses, no loss of context; good condition and an interesting diary-record of the time, especially as concerning community religious practices & beliefs, farming, fishing and the culture & society of a late 19th century East End Long Island, NY farming community.

1885 Diary J. P. Foster, Farmer of Southampton Suffolk Co. Long Island New York
(19th Century American Diary)
Southampton Long Island New Yo: 1887. With about (200) pages, half of which are with full pages of entries; a small 'pocket' style diary or daily.. more
Price: $150.00

Black and white image taken in front of the school doors of the team; 10 members, all in uniform + coach; image approx. 8" x 10" format; with the old Morris Studio Southampton, L.I. cardstock 'window' mount, having the descriptive caption below the image; surround with some wear and staining, trimmed on right side; image is in very good condition; an interesting Long Island high school sports history and photographic imagery ephemeral item.

1930-1931 Large Format Photograph of the East End Long Island Champions Southampton Long Island New York Boys High School Basketball Team By Morris Studio
(Photography)
Southampton Long Island New Yo: Morris Studio, 1931. Black and white image taken in front of the school doors of the team; 10 members, all in uniform +.. more
Price: $65.00

221 pages + (4) pages at back, touting the address for Professor Raphael for written horoscopes, with an illustration of "Raphael's English Residence" and an announcement for the book "Earthology" also by Raphael: "Humanity characterized by the Earth, Sun, and Zodiac, with Prognostications from the Moon"; black and white illustrated throughout; contents on the types of hands and classifications, characteristics, cheiromancy, delineations and zodiacal formulations; bound in the original pebbled-texture green cloth, gilt cover & spine titles, illustration in silver of a hand & zodiac, top edge gilt; some edge, tips wear and dustiness; very good condition.

Cheirosophy (The Hand) A Scientific Treatise on Palmistry Illustrated with New Discoveries
Raphael, A.
London & New York: Author Published, 1901. 221 pages + (4) pages at back, touting the address for Professor Raphael for written horoscopes, with an illustration of.. more
Price: $45.00

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