This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 6/1/2023
TIBBLES, William (1859-1928). Erythroxylon Coca: A Treatise on Brain Exhaustion, as the Case of Disease. Helmsley and Leeds: W. Allenby; Joseph Dodgson; W. Tibbles, 1877.
8vo. 6pp. publisher’s ads at end. Original blindstamped blue cloth, gilt-stamped spine, brown coated endpapers (spine sunned, a bit of wear at ends); folding cloth chemise and morocco-backed slipcase. Laid in with a postcard depicting “The Great Fire at Dr. Tibbles VI-Coca Factory, Feb. 7 1903”. Provenance: Mary E. Whitehead (early ownership signature on title-page); purchased from William Dailey, 1 April 1980, Catalogue Thirteen (“Phantastica”), Item 262.
FIRST EDITION OF THE FIRST FULL-LENGTH BOOK ON COCA IN ENGLISH that describes the beneficial powers of coca leaves. Tibbles used coca leaves for years and claims thousands of cures of various ailments. He produced and sold a “Compound Essence of Cocaine”, advertised among the ads at the back of the book An incredible rarity, unknown to Mariani and Mortimer, and of which we could not locate any copies at auction and only two in North American holdings. Phantastica 262 (this copy). A Horowitz high spot.