Birch Bark Books of Henry Abbott!!!!!!!

[wildbrookies]

Hey, has anybody ever read the Birch Bark Books of Henry Abbott?

My Mother , Brother and I found these stories extremely entertaining!!!!

WB

[wildbrookies]

I can`t believe nobody has ever heard of or read the Birch Bark books of Henry Abbott. And has nothing to say about the book. Or maybe.....no ones that interested and the book was not that good.Help me out y`all.

WB

[Dick]

Wildbrookies, I'm guessing that silence probably means no one reading the thread has read the books and thus can't have an opinion about them. I've never heard of the books. Perhaps you could tell us something about them?

Dick

[mike1889]

Hey, has anybody ever read the Birch Bark Books of Henry Abbott?

My Mother , Brother and I found these stories extremely entertaining!!!!

WB

I have a copy of the books and read them years ago. I honestly don't remember them very well but did enjoy reading them. The "books" are 19 privately printed stories about hunting, fishing, and camping in the Adirondacks in the early 1900s that were compiled into one volume and reprinted in 1985.

[wildbrookies]

Thanks Mike for the help,I knew somebody out there had to have heard something about them.
I also have the condensed version(not the originals,of course).Originally,there was a set of 19 individual books.(with a birch bark binding resemblance)They were published privately between 1914 and 1932.They were never before available to the public.Less than 100 copies were printed and distributed to the authors friends at Christmas time.These books have become so rare and coveted by collectors that up to $75.00 have been paid for a single volume back then that is.

Until they were republished in this condensed version in 1980.All 19 books are published into one hardcover book.

Basically, the books are all about the ramblings ,hunting , fishing and run ins with the many critters in the adks, of two men(Henry Abbott and his buddy,Bige) roaming through the Adirondacks.

The books are very detailed accounts of stories and unusal occurances during their outings.This book would make a great read near the fireplace on a cold winters evening.

Here are some of the books titles: "The anxious seat" is about a season of hunting, "Lost Pond", "Camping at Cherry Pond", "Old Bare-Back" is about a bear friend they kept seeing and funny stories about him."Fish Stories", "The chief engineer" you guessed it its about a hard working beaver."Cold River","Muskrat City", "Anthony Ponds", "Wild Cat Mtn." and alot more.

Very entertaining in that he writes his collections of interesting accounts of all the animals that inhabit the Adk`s and their peculiar antics.I have to say,I wish I was born back in those days.I imagine all these stories are considered to be true.

So, if you guys/gals ever run across a copy of this book.Enjoy!!!!!

WB

[hekki6]

I have read them several times over the years, and have enjoyed them each time. Very entertaining and accurate in contents.
Hekki th' Gator

[Florida]

Need Bio help on Henry Abbott

I was very interested in the information about the birch bark books of Henry Abbott. I actually have three of the original books Psychology of the Lost, Raquette River, and Pioneering at Rowan-Wood. These books were passed down through the family over the years. In the last estate liquidation I saved these books because they were so unique. I did not know the history until I read this site. It all makes sense now why one of the books is signed; Christmas Greeting, Henry Abbott and Mrs Abbott.

The mystery I am trying to solve at this point is how these books came to our family's library. There are two threads that may be the source. The first thread is that I went on vacation with my Grandparents to the Saranac Region when I was a kid (1955?) although I have no idea where I actually was. All I remember is one morning I went to the main dock early in the morning and there were a bunch of people skinny dipping! My Grandparents vacationed there every year so perhaps they met Henry Abbott.

The second thread is my other Grandparents link with Princeton and The Lawrenceville School. I believe Lawrenceville had a headmaster named Dr. Abbott; however, I cannot find any information on this person.

If anybody can give me any bio information on Henry Abbott or can point me to a website with same I would appreciate it.

[ramarshall@alltel.ne]

I also have read some of the books

I have 11 of the origional books and have enjoyed reading them several times. They remind me of my youth in northern NH. I got mine from my grandmother. Her sister's husband was a friend of Henry Abbott and they got one every year for Christmas. All are signed and dated. My Uncle's name was Horace Clark and he lived in Springfield Ma. I don't know any of the history of how they became friends. Each book is 3"X 5" with covers that resemble birch bark. They are bound by thread. Most have pictures that have been cropped and glued to a page that has a printed caption.
several have topographical maps of the area being visited. Tirrell Pond, 1928 and Anthony Ponds, 1924 are two with nice maps. Would be interesting to compare them to todays maps. The largest one is only 70 pages so the so called condensed book probly is not condensed at all. Just guessing.
we recently moved and my wife wanted to get rid of them but I rescued them. Was curious if anyone else had any and if they had any value. Now I see they do and they do Thats all I know.
Does anyone know if the 500 is for each book or the total of all the books?

[sp_nyp]

Birch Bark Book Store

I have never read these books, but they sound interesting and I think I will see if I can't pick up a copy of the collection.

On A side note, I have been to the Birch Bark Book Store up near Potsdam, NY.

I used to go there about once a semester while in college. It was a cozy little shack a few miles outside of town that was turned into a bookstore. Had a wood stove to heat the place and even the family dog hanging out there as well.

If you are ever in the Potsdam area I would recommend checking it out (assuming it is still there).

[eArThworm]

...Originally,there was a set of 19 individual books.(with a birch bark binding resemblance)They were published privately between 1914 and 1932.They were never before available to the public.Less than 100 copies were printed and distributed to the authors friends at Christmas time.These books have become so rare and coveted by collectors that up to $75.00 have been paid for a single volume back then that is.
... Here are some of the books titles: "The anxious seat"..."Lost Pond", "Camping at Cherry Pond", "Old Bare-Back"..."Fish Stories", "The chief engineer"..."Cold River","Muskrat City", "Anthony Ponds", "Wild Cat Mtn." and alot more...
WB

I couldn't resist checking to see if any of the originals were for sale anywhere and here's one I found at $145.00 (yikes!). Now don't y'all fight over who's going to purchase it :-)

Abbott, Henry WILD CAT MOUNTAIN
Privately Printed, NY 1926 First Edition 16mo, 4 x 6", simulated birch bark paper covered boards, 48pp, 6 plates. One of a series of privately printed so called "BIRCH BARK BOOKS" about the Adirondacks issued as Christmas greetings to a few friends. SAID TO BE LIMITED TO LESS THAN 100 COPIES AND EXCESSIVELY RARE, THIS COPY SIGNED BY ABBOTT. Worn & chipped on edges, front cover almost off, backstrip missing, small tears on lower margins of pages, not affecting text, else tight good interior. Rare in any condition and priced accordingly. * USD 145.00 * bookseller: William & Lois M. Pinkney 240 North Granby Rd. Granby, CT 06035 Mail Address P.O. Box 929 Granby, CT 06035 Tel (860) 653-7710

[Fred Wilcox]

After many years, I am but a few titles away from completing a set of the 19 original Birch Bark books. Prices have generally ranged between $200 and $250 each depending on condition -- except for the first (Anxious Seat) which can cost upwards of $500 in good condition.

If you're interested in selling, please contact me at phredo(at)twcny.rr.com and I'll let you know which volumes I'm looking to purchase. In addition, I have acquired some duplicates over the years and, therefore, might be willing to entertain a swap.

[eArThworm]

Henry Abbott bio

incomplete post

[eArThworm]

Henry Abbott biography

...If anybody can give me any bio information on Henry Abbott or can point me to a website with same I would appreciate it.

I’ve been researching Henry Abbott and I think I’ve identified the person who wrote the Birchbark Books as Henry Abbott the watchmaker/jeweler from New York City. I followed these clues. First of all we see (at: http://tinyurl.com/y5exoo) the “author of many Adirondack tales” was an inventor. Then (at: http://tinyurl.com/wtloq) we find “Henry Abbott, New York watchmaker and passionate angler.” These two clues led me to believe, I hope correctly, that he’s the man in this article--which was the most information I could find--at: http://www.nawcc.org/pub/articles/feb01/feb01.htm

[Fred Wilcox]

One of the great unsung American inventors and timepiece pioneers was this New Jersey watchmaker, who held more than 40 patents but is remembered for the "calculagraph," a device that records times and calculates the difference; one of its first uses was in 1894 in New York, where it recorded the length of telephone calls and impressed AT & T so much they installed it nationwide; his other inventions include a watch winding system that resulted in watches being wound by their stem instead of with a key and a revolutionary method for making enamel watch dials.

[Starshadow]

Am amazed that Henry Abbot wrote these books. Heard of him in "Adirondack Fishing in the 1930s" by Vincent Engels, my favorite book about fishing. I did not know he was an author tho'. Vincent wrote of his visits to him when Henry Abbot had his camp on South Pond near Long Lake, stories of the "lost pond" he and Bige searched for and found. Would LOVE to read those books.

Ahh...ordered it from Amazon yesterday. My Vincent Engels book can take a rest now. It was read by flashlight so many times before drifting off to sleep in the tent.

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Solitude never hurt anyone. Emily Dickinson lived alone, and she wrote some of the most beautiful poetry the world has ever known... then went crazy as a loon. ~Matt Groening, The Simpsons, spoken by Lisa Simpson