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Churchill (Sir Winston Spencer) The Second World War, vol. 1 only, first edition, signed by the author and dated 1948 on half-title, maps and illustrations, scattered spotting, original cloth, dust-jacket, toning to spine, spine ends and corners a little chipped, nick to foot of upper joint, 8vo, 1948.

India.- Dalton (Edward Tuite) Descriptive Ethnology of Bengal, first edition, photo-lithograph frontispiece, 39 photo-lithograph plates, tissue-guards, previous owner's ink inscription, bookplate, occasional faint marginal finger-soiling, contemporary cloth, cracked joints, lower board becoming loose, chipping and loss to spine extremities, rubbed and worn, 4to, Calcutta, 1872.

Beardsley (Aubrey).- Malory (Sir Thomas) [Le Morte Darthur] The Birth and Life and Acts of King Arthur, 2 vol., one of 1500 copies, from an edition of 1800,  photogravure frontispieces, 18 plates (of which 5 double-page), illustrations, borders, initials and decorations by Aubrey Beardsley, an excellent clean copy without the usual offsetting, later ink signature to front free endpaper, later half brown morocco, spines gilt, t.e.g., others uncut, spines a little rubbed and faded, 4to, 1893-94.*** Beardsley's first major commission and an early masterpiece, produced when he was only 20 years old.

[Wilde (Oscar)] The Ballad of Reading Gaol by C.3.3., first edition, one of 800 copies on hand-made paper, slight abrasion to rear endpaper, light browning to endpapers, original linen-backed turmeric cloth, light surface soiling, slight bumping to spine and corner tips, uncut, [Mason 371], 8vo, Leonard Smithers, 1898.

Verne (Jules) Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas, first English edition, half-title, 12 plates and illustrations, one detached and loosely inserted, 8pp. publisher's advertisements titled 'For the Season 1872-3' at end, scattered spotting, previous owner's ink signature to front free endpaper, cracked hinges, original blue pictorial cloth, sunned spine, small loss to spine extremities, bumping to corners, rubbed, 8vo, Sampson, Low, Marston, Low & Searle, 1873. *** The scarce first English edition in blue cloth. 

Castiglione (Baldassare) Il libro del cortegiano del conte Baldesar Gastiglione, collation: A-Z8 AA-BB8, woodcut printer's device to title and verso of otherwise blank final f., some staining and spotting, lightly browned, contemporary limp vellum, lacking ties, ring mark to covers, soiled, 8vo (155 x 100mm.), [Florence], [Benedetto Giunta], 1531. *** A scarce early edition of this guide to courtly manners, first published by Aldus Manutius in 1528.  Provenance: 'Joanne Caligario' (early ink inscription to head of A2).  Literature: EDIT 16 CNCE 10060.  

Gardens.- Switzer (Stephen) An Introduction to a General System of Hydrostaticks and Hydraulicks, Philosophical and Practical, 2 vol. bound as 1, first edition, engraved frontispiece, 61 engraved plates, of which 54 folding, engraved initials and headpieces, small hole to frontispiece affecting image, occasional faint water-staining to fore-edges, even browning, occasional light soiling, contemporary calf, rebacked, a little rubbed, bumping to corners, [Bibliotheca Mechanica pp.309-10], 4to, for T. Astley [& others], 1729. *** Including the origin of springs, steam-engines for raising water, and fountains. Switzer worked on the designs of the gardens at Castle Howard, Blenheim and Kensington Palace.

Wilde (Oscar).- Ross (Robert) re Oscar Wilde deceased, printed bifolium, folds with some splitting and tape repairs, some fraying to extremities, light surface soiling, 1908; and 3 others, including a typed letter signed by Ross to John Lane discussing publication of the 1912 Lane edition of Salomé and a typed indenture with calligraphic heading between Ross and Lane regarding further rights for another edition of Salomé based on Richard Strauss' operatic adaptation, v.s. (4)*** Robert Ross fighting against the black market copies of Wilde's works and securing lucrative deals for the estate with the very publishers who dropped the author at the height of his trial. We can trace no other example of the first item at auction and only institutional copies at the British Library and the Bodleian.Robert Ross was among Wilde's longest-standing and most faithful friends, likely also his lover from as early as 1886 and was present at his death in 1900. Wilde appointed Ross his literary executor, a role he took to with remarkable energy and passion, almost single-handedly rehabilitating Wilde's reputation and preserving his literary legacy. The first item comprises a circular sent by Ross to members of the book trade, providing a list of authentic editions of Wilde's works (this based on the work of Stuart Mason) and threatening with legal action any sellers found to be offering pirated works. In the letter Ross discusses royalties for the forthcoming edition as well as the use and original of the Ricketts-designed circular symbol used on numerous posthumous editions of Wilde's works: "I took the idea from the old eighteenth century editions of Swinburne and Tennyson in regard to the colour and size, and got Ricketts to adapt a little designed of Blake's for the medallion". Provenance: from the estate of the late Max Reinhardt. Proceeds from the sale will benefit MaxLiteracy.org, which inspires creative writing in young people - set up in memory of Max and his authors.

Dickens (Charles) The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club, 1 vol. bound in 2, first edition in book form, bound from original parts with wrappers and advertisements bound at rear, half-title, engraved frontispiece, additional title and 41 plates by R. Seymour and H.K. Browne ('Phiz'), extra-illustrated with c.177 plates, including 36 original watercolour plates of Pickwickian characters by Joseph Clayton Clarke ('Kyd'), the 2 suppressed plates by Buss in 2 states (one hand-coloured), 24 etched plates by F.W. Pailthorpe in 2 states (one hand-coloured), including title to his 'Illustrations to the Pickwick Club' (1882), one to vol. 2 in 3 states, and other plates by Phiz, T. Onwhyn, W. Heath and others, many hand-coloured, letterpress title dated 1887 bound at start of each vol., citing these as "Special Copy" and listing intended contents, one plate loose, a few plates and text leaves with neat marginal repairs, a few plates by W. Heath trimmed affecting caption, bound in crimson morocco by F. Bedford, tooled in gilt, some rubbing to spines and extremities, vol. 1 shallow chip to spine head, vol. 1 lower joint cracked but holding, t.e.g., 8vo, Chapman and Hall, 1837. *** Provenance: Reginald William Crosse (armorial bookplate); Mary and Norman Hickman (bookplate). 

Wodehouse (P.G.) Young Men in Spats, first edition, light browning to endpapers, original cloth, light fading to spine, splash mark to lower cover, sunning to head and foot, dust-jacket priced at 7/6, neat and expert repairs and restoration to head and foot, rubbing to fore-edge, light creasing to head and foot, in effect an excellent example, [McIlvaine A55a], 8vo, 1936.*** Scarce with the first issue dust-jacket in good condition. 

Beardsley (Aubrey).- Wilde (Oscar) Salome. A Tragedy in One Act, first edition in English, one of 500 copies, title and list of plates with pictorial borders, 10 plates and tail-piece by Aubrey Beardsley, 16pp. publisher's catalogue at end, original pale blue cloth with gilt decorations to centre of boards, uncut, rubbed, spine and edges of boards a little faded, [Mason 350; Ray 315A], small 4to, London & Boston, 1894.*** Wilde commissioned Beardsley to illustrate Salome but was shocked by the results, feeling that the images overpowered his text. Consequently one plate was replaced and another two altered. Beardsley mocked Wilde in his illustrations, depicting him as the 'Woman in the Moon' and as a jester in 'Enter Herodias'.

Jewish settlement in England.- Menasseh ben Israel. Vindiciae Judaeorum, or a Letter In Answer to certain Questions...touching the reproaches cast on the Nation of the Jewes, first edition, woodcut device on title and woodcut headpiece, some light foxing and soiling, modern mottled calf, gilt, 4to, [Wing M381], Printed by R[oger] D[aniel], 1656.*** Very good copy of this important work which initiated the unofficial English acceptance of Jewish settlement and led to the granting of an official charter of protection to the Jews of England in 1664 and to the formal recognition of Jewish settlement in England. Cromwell, in fact, had already been moved to sympathy with the Jewish cause, arguably for commercial reasons, and despite Prynne’s able but unfair attack on the Jews (in the ‘Short Demurrer’, a mingling of learning and gross stereotypes), the Whitehall Conference declared that ‘there was no law that forbade the Jews return to England’.Menasseh, born in Lisbon about 1604, grew up in Amsterdam. His family suffered under the Inquisition but found asylum there and Menasseh rose to eminence not only as a rabbi and an author, but also a printer. He  established the first Hebrew press in Holland and numbered Grotius and Rembrandt amongst his friends (the latter painted his portrait).

Games.- Barozzi (Francesco) Il nobilissimo et antiquissimo giuoco Pythagoreo nominato rythmomachia, cioè battaglia di consonantie de numeri, first edition, collation: A-F4 G2, woodcut printer's device to title, woodcut initials and numerous illustrations, modern wrappers, housed within modern cloth drop-back box, 4to (196x135mm.), Venice, Grazioso Perchacino, 1572.*** First edition of this Italian treatise on the medieval numbers boardgame, ‘Rithmomachia’ or ‘Battle of Numbers’. Similar to chess, but dependent on Boethian mathematics, the game was originally attributed to Pythagoras, and is also known as the Philosopher’s Game, but likely originated in the 11th century. Barozzi seems to have learnt the game while in Bologna from Calude de Bossière’s 1556 Latin treatise, and decided to compose an Italian version having played and taught the game himself.Provenance: Erwin Tomash [book label to front pastedown]. Sold as lot 42 in  The Erwin Tomash Library On The History Of Computing at Sotheyby's, 18th September 2018.Literature: Edit16 CNCE 4261; Tomash & Williams B95 [this copy].

Fleming (Ian) Casino Royale, first edition, first impression, original black boards with heart motif in red to upper cover, spine lettered in red, very fractional scuff to spine head, very slight shelf-lean, dust-jacket, spine very lightly faded, light toning and faint pencil marking on lower panel, light fraying and short nicks to extremities, still an excellent and crisp copy, 8vo, 1953.*** A bright and excellent example of the first James Bond novel. Increasingly difficult to find not price clipped and unrestored.

Hugo (Victor) Les Miserables, 10 vol., mixed edition, half-titles, some foxing, the occasional light stain, vol. 9 final 2 leaves with marginal tears repaired, slightly later cloth, spines and cover extremities lightly sunned, vol. 2 & 10 with gilt spine lettering corrected in ink manuscript, a few small marks, corners bumped, 8vo, Paris [Brussels], Pagnerre [Lacroix, Verboeckhoven & Ce], 1862. *** The first and second volumes published in Paris, the others Brussels. The Brussels is considered the first edition, published by Lacroix, Verboeckhoven & Ce. The Paris edition was published by Pagnerre just 3 or 4 days later on 3rd April 1862.

America.- Singh of Kapurthala (H. H. Maharaja Jagatjit) My Tour in South, Central, and North America, first edition, presentation copy inscribed by author, half-title, portrait frontispiece, 19 plates, original cloth-backed boards, a little rubbed, slight bumping to corners and extremities, 4to, Bombay, The Times Press, 1926. *** Scarce. 

Harbou (Thea von) Metropolis, first English edition, first issue with no mention of this work in list on p.[7], light browning, original cloth, decorated and lettered in gilt, spine and corners a little rubbed and slightly darkened, first issue dust-jacket with no mention of this work in list on lower flap, label removal marks to foot of spine affecting lettering, spine and joints slightly browned, spine ends and corners chipped, a few closed tears to panel edges, 8vo, Reader's Library, 1927.

*** Please note, the description of this lot has changed ***  South America.- Bertonio (Ludovico) Vocabulario de la Lengua Aymara, first edition, 2 parts in 1, woodcut trigram of the Society of Jesus to title, with divisional blank leaf between parts (Hh8), title-page probably in facsimile, without dedication f. ([par]4), some light soiling and occasional damp-stains, final leaf reinforced at gutter on verso, contemporary calf, expertly rebacked, retaining original back-strip with gilt lettering and ornament, some wear and soiling, r.e., faded, with wrap-around slipcase and housed within black morocco drop-back box by Goy & Vilaine, [Palau 28512; Sabin 5023], Juli [Peru], Compañia de Iesu, Francisco del Canto, 1612.*** Extremely rare. First edition of the first Spanish-Aymara dictionary, intended for missionary use to the Aymara people of the central Andes, it is one of only four surviving works from the small Jesuit press at Juli in south-eastern Peru on the shores of Lake Titicaca between, which operated under the established auspices of Francisco del Canto in Lima. The first comprehensive vocabulary of Aymara, which today is one of only six indigenous native American languages with over a million speakers and is now generally accepted to have been the principal language of the Inca, Bertonio’s work is recognised as foundational for the study of pre-colonial Andean culture and ethnography more generally. We can trace only one other copy at auction in the last 60 years. This copy would appear to lack the dedication leaf ([par]4). Whilst the collation is the same as the copy in the John Carter Brown Library, leaves A1-2 are in a different setting to the JCB copy.

Orwell (George) [Animal Farm], first Czech edition, illustrations, renewed wrappers but preserving original upper wrapper neatly joined at spine, lightly soiled with nicks and creasing to edges, 4to, I. L. Kober, 1946.  *** First edition of this work in translation, and first published edition with illustrations. As far as we can ascertain, this is the extremely rare first translation of Animal Farm into any language. Published in 1946 by I. L. Kober, which was an important publishing house active on the Czech literary scene from the mid-nineteenth century until it went bust in 1949. It thus seemingly supersedes the first Polish edition published at the turn of 1946-1947, and printed with a run 5000 copies in fragile wrappers, it has plausibly become rare and thus evaded mention in Orwellian studies and bibliographies. Rare; Library Hub records just one copy in the British Library. 

Collins (Wilkie) The Moonstone. A Romance, 3 vol., first edition, with vol. 1 pp.10 & 11 transposed, vol. 2 with "treachesrouly" on p.129 and vol. 3 with broken bracket at foot of title, lacking half-titles and advertisements, very lightly browned, occasional very light spotting or soiling, handsomely bound in burgundy crushed morocco by Bayntun-Rivière, gilt, marbled endpapers, g.e., housed in a cloth slip-case, [Sadleir 598; Wolff 1368], 8vo, Tinsley Brothers, 1868. *** Wilkie Collins' pioneering detective novel, rare to find all 3 volumes in first edition states.

Wilde (Oscar).- Wilde (Lady Jane Francesca) "Speranza". Poems by Speranza (Lady Wilde), first edition, advertisement leaf for 'The First Temptation' at end, some spotting to first and last few leaves, margins very lightly toned, occasional cracking at gutter, hinges broken, original cloth, stamped in gilt and blind, spine head chipped, some wear to corners, extremities lightly rubbed, g.e., 8vo, Dublin, James Duffy, 1864. *** A collection of poems by the mother of Oscar Wilde, dedicated "To My Sons Willie and Oscar".

Churchill (Sir Winston Spencer) The Second World War, 6 vol., first edition, half-titles, folding maps and plates, vol.1 with errata, the odd very faint spot, modern crimson half morocco, spines with gilt lion motifs in compartments, an attractive and bright set, [Woods A123(b)], 8vo, 1948-54.

Rackham (Arthur).- Poe (Edgar Allan) Tales of Mystery & Imagination, first Rackham-illustrated edition, number 345 of 460 copies signed by Rackham, 12 mounted colour plates, captioned tissue-guards, illustrations, ink inscription to front free endpaper, 1950 Radio Times article on Poe tipped onto first few leaves, original pictorial vellum, gilt, t.e.g., others uncut, light soiling along cover edges, spine lightly sunned, spine head lightly bumped, 4to, 1935.

Doyle (Sir Arthur Conan) The Sign of Four, ink ownership inscription to head of title, browning to endpapers, second edition, original pictorial cloth, light toning to spine, spine ends and corners bumped, 1892; The Valley of Fear, frontispiece by Frank Wells, spotting light browning to endpapers, original cloth, spine faded, light rubbing to extremities, small splash marks to covers, [Green & Gibson A39a], 1915, first editions, very good copies, 8vo (2)*** 

Macdonald (George) Phantastes: a Faerie Romance, first edition, half-title, 16pp. advertisements dated October 1858, a clean copy generally, Westleys binders ticket to rear pastedown, ink library stamp of Wesley College library to rear pastedown and endpaper, bookplate to rear pastedown and patch or surface wear to rear endpaper, ink ownership inscription to front free endpaper, upper hinge cracked but firm, original blind-stamped olive cloth, spine browned, spine ends chipped, ink library number and some marking to spine, [Sadleir 1479a], 8vo, F.E Smith, Elder & Co., 1858.*** The author's scarce first novel, an important early fantasy title and an influence of J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis.

Wodehouse (P.G.) The Clicking of Cuthbert, first edition, light browning to endpapers, original first issue pictorial cloth, very light toning to spine, light rubbing to spine tips and corners, dust-jacket priced at 3/6, 3mm. short, repairs and restoration to head and foot with extensive and expert retouching to panels and spine, in effect a crisp, attractive example, [McIlvaine A27a], 8vo, 1922.

Tolkien (J.R.R.) The Hobbit; or There and Back Again, first American edition, first state with bowing hobbit device on the title page, the list of illustrations erroneously listing Thror's Map first, and Chapter VII mislabeled as "Chapter VI", frontispiece and 3 plates in colour, 9 plain illustrations, all by the author, map endpapers, ex-library ink stamps with "discarded" over-stamp to front pastedown and rear endpaper, circulation card sleeve to rear endpaper, occasional pencil markings, a few closed tears to margins, running into text on pp. 19/20, very occasional light foxing, original cloth, spine browned, spine ends and corners chipped and frayed, some splitting and fraying to lower joint, rubbed, facsimile dust-jacket, [Hammond and Anderson A3b], 8vo, Boston and New York, 1938.

Mathematics.- Euclid. [Opera], first collected edition, translated by Bartolommeo Zamberti, collation: [10], A-Z AA-EE8 FF6 lacking final blank, fine partially calligraphic title with woodcut of St. John the Baptist, woodcut device at foot of final leaf, A1 with superb white-on-black 3-sided woodcut border and with woodcut initial printed in red and part of text also printed in red, numerous other woodcut initials, mostly 4-line but occasionally larger, woodcut diagrams to margins, a couple just shaved, last few leaves with some marginal repairs but text block and diagrams largely unaffected, browning to some leaves and stain to some lower corners, but still a crisp and overall handsome copy, later calf over half-exposed wooden boards with clasps, spine with raised bands, folio (300 x 211mm.), Venice, Johannes Tacuinus, 1505.*** The very rare first edition of Euclid’s collected works, translating all of his extant Greek texts: the Elements, Perspectiva, Phaenomena, Specularia, and Data. An important book, the Opera contains the first translation of the Elements from the original Greek, and the first printing of the remaining texts. The Perspectiva is the first written work on Optics, and the Phenomena appears to be the first application of spherical geometry to astronomy."...a first rate example of the Venetian book...Among the rarest of early Euclids” (Thomas Stanford).Provenance: Alfredo Dusmet de Smours (1879-1964, bookplate).Literature:  Adams E-972; BM/STC Italy p.238; Thomas-Stanford 3; Essling 283.

Doyle (Sir Arthur Conan) The Hound of the Baskervilles, first edition, first issue with "you" for "your" on p.13, half-title, 16 plates by Sidney Paget (1 working loose), light toning to endpapers, but a clean copy generally, original pictorial cloth, gilt, slight shelf-lean, spine slightly sunned, spine ends and corners bumped and a little frayed, light rubbing, a very good copy overall, [Green & Gibson A26], 8vo, 1902.*** A crisp copy of the best Sherlock Holmes novel, a Haycraft-Queen cornerstone.

Cornerstone of French Enlightenment Philosophy.- Helvetius (Claude Adrien) De l'Esprit, true first issue "A" of the suppressed first edition, large paper copy, one of only 7 recorded with the 80pp. non-cartonnees at end, contemporary French mottled calf, gilt, red morocco spine label, 4to (281 x 216mm.), Paris, Durand, 1758.*** Superb copy of this true 'black swan' of French philosophical works. Helvetius' main work, for which he is chiefly remembered today. The work caused an immense uproar when it first appeared. It was considered heretical, atheistic, and immoral and lost its privilege within a few weeks; it was forcefully condemned by both the Church and the State and was publicly burnt by the Executioner, with the avowed aim of destroying all copies. The text was passed by an initial censor and the first few copies were printed and kept by the author for personal distribution to his friends. However, the publication was suspended early on in the printing process and a second censor called for large sections to be removed. Pagination: (2) ff., XXII and 643 pp., (1) p., 80 pp.Literature: David W. Smith -The Publication of Helvétius's De l'esprit (1758-59), French Studies, XVIII, 1964, 332-44.

[Gaskell (Elizabeth C.)] Ruth. A Novel, 3 vol., first edition, advertisement endpapers to front of vol. 1 and 2, light foxing, cracking and repair to hinges, original cloth, shelf-lean, toning to spines, spine ends chipped, corners bumped, vol.1 lower joint repaired, rubbed, [Sadleir 933; Wolff 2425], Chapman and Hall, 1853; and a first American edition of The Moorland Cottage, 8vo (4)

Rowling (J.K.) Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, first edition, first state with line break on p.7, original pictorial boards, dust-jacket, a mint copy, [Errington A7(a)], 8vo, 1999.*** A superb example of the third novel in the Harry Potter series.

Simonetta (Giovanni) Commentarii rerum gestarum Francisci Sfortiae, first edition, [edited by Franciscus Puteolanus], collation: a-z8 A-E8 F-G6 H-K8 L6 M-N8 O10, 291 leaves (of 292, with blank leaf O9 but lacking final blank O10), 42 lines, Roman type, first leaf with six-line initial in blue on a richly ornamented red ground, numerous six-line Lombard initials, alternately in blue and red, with the inked guide letter still visible in a few cases, two-line initial in blue on O8v, occasional marginal annotation in two (possibly three) early hands (a few times trimmed), first leaf with subtle short repaired tear to lower margin, c8 with short tear to fore-margin repaired, very light foxing at beginning and end, else generally clean, final few leaves with small stab-holes to inner margin repaired, early 20th century black morocco over wooden boards, spine titled in gilt, rubbed, mainly to joints and corners, g.e., folio (314 x 204mm.), Milan, Antonio Zarotto, 23 January [between July 1481 and February 1482]. *** A very good, wide-margined copy of the first edition of this highly detailed account of the accomplishments of condottiero Francesco Sforza (1401-1466), the first duke of Milan from the Sforza dynasty. Simonetta, whose brother Cecco was secretary and advisor to Francesco and his son Galeazzo, was a member of the Sforza inner circle. The publication was troubled following the Simonettas’ fall from grace upon the accession of Francesco's son, Lodovico, to the Dukedom, and in 1480 he had Cecco beheaded on charges of treason. His regard for his father's biographer motivated him to spare Giovanni. Literature:  BMC VI 718; GW M42283; Goff S532; Bod-inc S-214; ISTC is00532000.

Japan.- Ryusui (Katsuma, illustrator) Umi no Sachi [Wealth of the Sea], 2 vol., first edition, 90 finely colour-printed woodcuts, some heightened with mica (some double-page) by Katsuma Ryusui, on 29 and 28 folding leaves repsectively, some worming touching images, skillfully repaired, original patterned wrappers flecked with gold, original block-printed title labels on upper covers, stitched as issued, a little rubebd and soiled, preserved in modern cloth chemise with bone toggles, large 8vo (286 x 195mm.), Tokyo, 1762.*** First edition of a stunning work, whose significance, according to Hillier "cannot be over-estimated, either for artistic or technical accomplishment, in the history of woodblock colour-printing in Japan." (Hiller, The Art of the Japanese Book, p.235). The text, in the form of haiku, is accompanied by an image of fish or marine life which sometimes straddles two pages. This copy has good, fresh colouring. The colophon gives the name of the block-cutter (Sekiguchi Jinshiro), and  the colour-printer (SekiguchiTokichi). Brown, in his work Block Printing and Book Illustration in Japan, calls this work “excessively rare...containing early and remarkably fine colour-printed work...The drawings are beautifully printed in colours on rich and heavy paper.”

Bible, Welsh. [Testament newydd ein arglwydd Jesu Christ], translated by W. Salesbury, R. Davies and T. Huet, printed in black letter with some side-notes in italic roman type, woodcut initials and tailpieces, 2 leaf dedication to Queen Elizabeth I, lacks Sig.* (first 8 leaves consisting of title, almanack and kalendar), also A1, 2F2, 2T1, 3E1&2, and all after 3E4 (i.e. final f. of table with colophon and final blank), Sig.2G lacking but supplied in early photographic facsimile, without Sig.(:') (4 leaf errata and addenda sometimes found at end), Sig.2B misbound before Sig.X, contemporary ink inscriptions in Welsh to c3 & c4v, small worming to fore-margin of first c.20 leaves and to lower margin throughout (generally single wormhole or small trace), very occasionally within text and repaired at points, T3 with horizonal tear repaired, affecting catchword but no loss, latter half with some repairs to gutter foot, occasionally affecting text or causing loss to few letters, light browning, some damp-staining, 20th century red morocco, sympathetic repairs to joints and corners, g.e., [Darlow & Moule 9580; STC 2960], small 4to, [H. Denham, at the costes of H. Toy], [1567]. *** The first edition of the New Testament to be printed in the Welsh language. Only around 50 extant copies have been recorded. Following the petition of the bishops of the Welsh Dioceses in 1562, Queen Elizabeth I granted William Salesbury and his colleagues a seven-year patent for the sole right to print the Bible and the Book of Common Prayer in Welsh. While Salesbury's Welsh Lectionary (1551) had included the Gospels, the present edition is the first to contain entire New Testament in Welsh. A complete Welsh Bible including the Old Testament was not published until 1588, by William Morgan and Christopher Barker. Provenance: Sold Sotheby’s, New York, 5 December 2016, The Bible Collection of Dr. Charles Caldwell Ryrie, lot 135. 

Coryate (Thomas) The Odcombian Banquet: dished foorth by Thomas the Coriat, and serued in by a number of noble wits in prayse of his Crudities and Crambe too. Asinus portans mysteria, first edition in this form, title with woodcut ornament, woodcut head-pieces and historiated and decorative initials, lacking initial blank, title neatly restored and soiled, trimmed at head, affecting headlines, a few neat marginal repairs, some spotting, lightly browned, inner gilt dentelles, modern polished calf, gilt, spine in compartments richly so and with black morocco label, g.e., [Pforzheimer 219; STC 5810], small 4to, [George Eld] for Thomas Thorp, 1611.  *** Rare at auction. According to Pforzheimer the work is apparently a pirated reprint of the 'Panegyricke verses' and other preliminary matter prefixed to Coryate's Crudities. The work consists of complimentary verses by Ben Jonson, John Donne, Henry Neville, Dudley Digges, Inigo Jones, Henry Peecham, Michael Drayton, and many others.

Kipling (Rudyard) The Jungle Book [&] The Second Jungle Book, together 2 vol., first editions, illustrated by the author, W. H. Drake, and P. Frenzeny, publisher's advertisements at end, front and rear free endpapers lightly browned along edges, upper covers and spines of original pictorial cloth bound in at rear, slightly soiled, handsome navy morocco by Birdsall of Northampton & London, triple gilt fillet, spines richly gilt in six compartments, inner gilt dentelles, g.e., slip-case, 8vo, Macmillan and Co., 1894-95.*** An immaculately bound first edition of Kipling's landmark work.

China.- Medicine.- Wenyin (Sun) Dantai yuan [The red platform and the jade desk], 6 vol., woodblock printed on bamboo paper, 9 columns per page, 20 characters per column, single-line borders, 73 illustrations, some splitting to fore-edge folds, the occasional light stain, otherwise very good, bound and stitched Japanese-style into modern blue wrappers, housed in a silk drop-back box, 8vo, China, Zhejiang, Shunzhi 17, Early Qing Dynasty [1660]. *** With internal medicine, external medicine, gynecology and pediatrics in six chapters. The present example is from the second edition, the first edition published around the 10th year of the Chongzhen period (1637). Another edition was issued (probably illegally) by Cheng Erren of the Shulin Bookshop during the Chongzhen period. According to the preface, the author had the woodblocks re-carved by the Wufenglou Bookshop in 1660, the originals having been destroyed during the Manchurian invasion. Only one copy from the first edition has survived in the National Library of Taiwan; no identical copy of this present book can be found.

O'Brien (Flann) At Swim-Two-Birds, first edition, ink ownership inscription to front free endpaper, original first issue black cloth lettered in gilt, a few light marks, dust-jacket, price-clipped and laid down on stiff black paper, spine browned with loss to lower half, chipping, tears and fraying to extremities, creased, 8vo, 1939.*** The author's first novel, scarce in the first issue black cloth and especially so in the dust-jacket. Much of the issue was destroyed when Longmans' premises were bombed during the blitz and the dust-jacket appears to have been especially fragile. The lower panel of the dust-jacket includes a lengthy review quote from Graham Greene comparing the novel to Ulysses and Tristram Shandy. 

[Wyndham (John)], "John Beynon". The Secret People, first edition, original green cloth lettered in black, a little rubbed, dust-jacket priced at 2/6, light toning to spine, light chipping and a few nicks and closed tears to head and foot with some strengthening and repair to verso, surface soiling to panels, creasing to head, a very good example overall, 8vo, [1935/6].*** Wyndham's second novel and his first attempt at science fiction. There appear to have been three issues of this work in the original cloth with the present green example likely a secondary or library binding. The dust-jacket too may be a second issue (with the first priced at 7/6), but is nevertheless rare with only one other example (also priced at 2/6) appearing at auction. 

Chinese language.- Goncalves (Joachim Alphonso) Arte China Constanta de Alphabeto e Grammatica, first edition, text in Portuguese and Chinese, title with partially erased ownership inscription to head, title and following blank f. with some skillful repairs to extremities, very occasional light foxing or soiling, but overall very good, contemporary marbled calf, spine gilt and with black morocco label, sympathetic restoration to spine ends, joints and corners, housed in a morocco-edged cloth slipcase, small 4to, Macao, S. Jose, 1829. *** A Portuguese grammar and textbook of Chinese, with much attention paid to the idiom, diction and syntax of both the spoken and written language. It includes vocabulary, useful phrases and dialogues, extracts from Chinese histories and literature, examples for composing official documents, as well as different calligraphic styles. The appendix is a comparative phonetic study of the pronunciation of Mandarin and Cantonese Chinese.

Dickens (Charles).- Shakespeare (William) The Plays and Poems, vol.XVI only, comprising The Life and Death of King Richard II and First Part of King Henry IV, folding engraved plate, from the library of Charles Dickens, with his bookplate and with the further bookplate "From the Library of Charles Dickens, Gadshill Place, June, 1870" on front pastedown, bookplate of James W. Alexander on rear pastedown, contemporary red half morocco over marbled boards, rebacked, a little rubbed, 8vo, 1821.*** A superb association copy, bringing together two titans of English Literature. As Paul Schlicke notes in his essay Dickens and Shakespeare (where this 1821 Shakespeare edition is cited), “Dickens’s engagement with Shakespeare was lifelong.”  He numbered leading Shakespeare scholars, critics and actors among his friends, and he owned multiple copies of Shakespeare’s works, including the present, which originally was part of a 21-volume set Dickens purchased in 1841. Though the entirety of this 1821 set is no longer extant, this particular volume very remarkably connects Shakespeare and Dickens, insofar as the Henriad trilogy (of which this work forms part) begins with Falstaff commiting a robbery at Gads Hill – the very site of Dickens’s home and library.

Rowling (J.K.) Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, first edition, original boards, slight bump to head of spine else fine, dust-jacket, light sunning to spine, otherwise fine, [Errington A2(a)], 8vo, 1998.

[Polidori (John)] The Vampyre; a tale, first edition, indeterminate early issue, half-title, without advertisements, one or two very faint spots, A1-8 expertly cleaned, modern antique style calf-backed boards, fractional bumping to spine extremities, 8vo, for Sherwood, Neely, and Jones, 1819. *** An early issue with the preliminary leaves in their original state, set to 24 lines per page and including mention of sisters Claire Clairmont and Mary Shelley, "I must, however, free him from one imputation attached to him ... of having in his house two sisters as partakers of his revels." This mention was removed in later editions. The paper is watermarked '1818 G' and with 'almost' correct in the last line of p.36. 

Rowling (J.K.) Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, first hardback edition, first printing with "Joanne Rowling" and no space between "Taylor" and "1997" and full 10 to 1 number line on title verso and "wand" listed twice on p. 53, stain to foot of p.199, very light marginal toning, ex-library copy with ink stamp to title verso, front free endpaper with abrasion to head, ink "Withdrawn" stamp, crossed through "25p" price and library barcode to foot, original pictorial boards with misprint "Philospher's" to lower cover, tape repairs across joints and spine, extremities rubbed and worn, laminate peeled, [Errington A1(a)], 8vo, 1997.*** A first edition of this modern children's classic, this one of the roughly 300 copies of the hardback edition destined for libraries. 

Green (Henry) Living, first edition, some scattered spotting to prelims, original cloth, slight shelf-lean, original cloth, slight shelf-lean, light sunning to spine tips, dust-jacket, light toning to spine, spotting, spine ends and corners a little chipped, a few short nicks to head with light creasing, extremities a little rubbed, an excellent example overall, [Connolly, The Modern Movement 59], 8vo, 1929.*** Green's second novel, scarce in the dust-jacket. "It is a work of astonishing maturity and brilliance, showing a complete mastery of unfamiliar speech rhythms and a grasp of working-class character." - Connolly.

Stevenson (Robert Louis) Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, first English edition, cloth issue, 1p. advertisement, gutter cracked at pp.64-65 with a few gatherings proud, original cloth, rubbed, marked and soiled, some fraying and wear to spine ends and corners, [Prideaux 17], 8vo, Longmans, Green, and Co., 1886.

Baskerville.- Bible, English. The Holy Bible, containing the Old Testament and the New; with the Apocrypha, second Baskerville edition, second state of general title, New Testament title dated 1771, printed in double column, 10 engraved plates after Moreau Le Jeune & others, with table of weights & measures etc. and list of books of the Bible at end, 9P1 with short tear to outer margin, a good clean copy in contemporary mottled calf, red morocco label with "Thomas Elvy Boughton Sepr. 30th 1772" in gilt to upper cover, rubbed & scuffed, rebacked, edges of boards repaired, [Gaskell 35; Herbert 1210], folio, Birmingham, John Baskerville, 1772.***  "The book was issued in parts, starting in January 1769, the earlier state of the title-page being issued in the first part; it was probably reprinted in 1772 for use when the book was sold complete" (Gaskell 35).

India.- Phillimore (Colonel R. H.) Historical Records of the Survey of India, 4 vol. only (of 5) as usual, first edition, maps, many folding, plates, colour maps to pastedowns, scattered faint spotting, original cloth, a little rubbed, slight bumping to corners and extremities, 4to, Dehra Dun, 1945-58 *** Scarce. An important detailed account of how India was mapped.Volume 5 was published later and was suppressed by the Indian government and withdrawn. 

Bradbury (Ray) Fahrenheit 451, first edition, illustrations by Joe Mugnaini, light browning to endpapers, original boards, lettered yellow (Currey's D binding), bumping to spine tips and corners, dust-jacket, spine rubbed and a little faded, spine ends and corners chipped, chipping to head of upper panel, a few short nicks to head, a very good copy overall, [Currey p.55], 8vo, New York, 1953.

Clare (John) The Village Minstrel, and other poems, 2 vol., first edition, first issue in special presentation binding and inscribed by the author to his patron, half-titles, engraved portrait frontispiece slightly foxed and offset, 2 advertisement leaves at end of each vol., uncut in original plain brown boards, joints cracked, spines worn with much of backstrip of vol.2 missing, preserved in modern cloth drop-back box, 12mo, 1821.*** An exceptional association copy with inscription on half-title of vol.2 reading: "To the Right Honourable Lord Viscount Milton with the Author's grateful respects - Sep. 26. 1821".This is one of only six copies in this variant presentation binding. On 22 September 1821, the publisher James Hessey wrote to Clare: "...I have sent you a dozen Copies, and half a dozen more for the purpose of being presented to your excellent Friends Lords Fitzwilliam, Milton, Exeter, Spencer, Radstock & Mrs Emerson. In these you should write their Names, 'with the Authors grateful Respects'...These 6 Copies are put in rather a neater kind of Cover than the rest..." (British Library, Egerton 2245, fol. 363).The politician Charles William Fitzwilliam, Viscount Milton (1786-1857), was one of Clare's most generous patrons and built the cottage in Northborough into which Clare's family moved in 1832.

Mathematics.- Stewart (Matthew) Some general theorems of considerable use in the higher parts of mathematics, first edition, 4 folding engraved plates, large errata slip mounted on verso of preface f., occasional later ink marginalia, margins of title and preface f. with some mostly light browning, some spotting, lightly browned, contemporary calf, gilt spine in compartments with coronets and leather label (chipped with loss of a couple of letters), head of spine and corners worn, joints split, but holding firm, upper cover with some creasing, rubbed and marked, 8vo, Edinburgh, Printed by W. Sands, A. Murray and J. Cochran, 1746.  *** 'Among the most beautiful, as well as most general propositions known in the whole compass of geometry. The unity which prevails among them is a proof that a single though extensive view guided Mr. Stewart in the discovery of them all.' (John Playfair). We can trace only two copies at auction since 1978 (the last being the Macclesfield copy in 2005). Stewart (1717-1785), Scottish mathematician, minister of the Church of Scotland, and father to the philosopher Dugald Stewart. 

Scotland.- Boece (Hector) Heir beginnis the hystory and croniklis of Scotland, translated from Latin into Scots English by John Bellenden, first edition in Scots, collation: A-F6 A-Z6/4 Aa-Hh4/6 Ii10 Kk-Zz4/6 [pi]6 [pi2]8 complete, mostly black letter and double column, title in red and black with full-page woodcut of royal arms of Scotland, full-page woodcut of the crucifixion on verso of final f., woodcut initials and 2 smaller illustrations to text, title slightly extended at fore-margin, title and A2-3 repaired at centre affecting woodcut and a few words of text, B3 corner restored, gathering y browned and brittle with a few tears into text, with 2 small pieces detached and slight loss to text, final f. verso with margins reinforced, repaired tear to Vv3, occasional damp-staining, occasional marginal marking or staining, a few annotations in a later hand, contemporary ink ownership inscription to title, 19th century olive morocco, gilt, light rubbing to edges, g.e., folio (279 x 190mm.), [Edinburgh], [Thomas Davidson], 1540.*** First edition in Scots of this history of Scotland that did much to shape how the Scottish regarded themselves. Boece's work is also the earliest surviving printed example of Scottish prose and one of the earliest works printed in Scotland, preceded only by a few works printed by Chepman and Millar at the beginning of the century, and by John Scot, only one of whose books survives. Much of Boece's history was distorted to flatter, Macbeth in particular was much maligned in order to please Boece's partron, James IV of Scotland. Provenance: Elisabethe Hide; Richard Hide (18th century inscriptions).

Indian Independence.- Gandhi (Mohandas Karamchand) Songs from Prison, first edition, "Mirabehn"'s copy, signed ownership inscription from Mirabehn with a quote from Ghandi to front endpaper, scattered spotting to initial leaves, original printed wrappers, toned, with a few light stains, some wear to spine, 8vo, 1934. *** Lovely association copy from a close British disciple of Mahatma Gandhi.  Mirabehn (1892-1982), born Madeleine Slade, was a British supporter of the Indian Independence Movement; arriving in India in 1925, for the next 34 years she submitted herself to Gandhi's instruction, living a traditional life in ashrams across the country. Arrested often, including a two-year stint from August 1942 along with Gandhi and many Congress leaders for the 'Quit India' movement launch, she spent her time in prison with other female independence activists for example, Kasturba, Gandhi's wife and Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay. She accompanied Gandhi to the Round Table Conference (London, 1931), while in 1934 she returned west to promote Indian Independence, speaking in London, Wales, Lancashire and Newcastle, before continuing to the US where she addressed 22 gatherings, and 5 radio broadcasts over a fortnight. She met with Prime Minister David Lloyd George, Winston Churchill and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. The signed inscription here dates from her UK tour, reading "'Truth is god' M.K. Ghandi. Mira, Stafford, 18.7.34"  

Judaica.- Herzl (Theodor) Der Judenstaat - Versuch einer modernen Lösung der Judenfrage, first edition, first issue with printer's device of a single flower facing left on final page, small repair title upper fore-edge corner, fore-edge slightly brittle, original printed wrappers, spine and edges expertly repaired, housed within modern drop-back box, 8vo, Leipzig & Vienna, M. Breitenstein, 1896*** First edition first issue of Herzl's seminal work, considered to be the founding manifesto of political Zionism, and one of the most important works of modern Jewish history. 

Rowling (J.K.) Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, first paperback edition with "Joanne Rowling", no space between "Taylor" and "1997" and full 10 to 1 number line on title verso, "wand" listed twice on p.53, usual light toning to text, original pictorial wrappers with misprint "Philospher's" to lower cover, light creasing to spine, small chip to foot of upper joint, light edge creasing with some slight peeling to laminate, still an excellent example overall, [Errington A1(aa)], 8vo, 1997.

Durer (Albrecht).- Roswitha von Gardersheim. Opera Hrosvite illustris virginis et monialis Germane gentes Saxonica orte nuper a Conrado Celte inventa, first edition, collation: a10 b-k8, complete with 8 full-page woodcut illustrations, 2 by Dürer, the others attributed to Wolf Traut and others, woodcut device on final leaf beneath register, faintly ruled in red, last 3ff. with slight marginal worming, some light foxing and soiling, 2ff. from The Saturday Review of 1868 bound in at end, 17th century citron morocco, triple filets on covers, spine with gilt frames and gilt fleurons between raised bands, brown morocco title label, g.e., a few skilful repairs, folio (299 x 204mm.), Nuremberg, Sodalitas Celticae [Frederic Peypus], 1501.*** An excellent copy of this rare work by a woman,  Roswitha von Gardersheim (935-973), widely regarded as the first great German writer and the first person since antiquity to compose drama in the Latin West. Included here are her six prose plays ("Comediae"), written in loose imitation of Terence, eight sacred histories in verse, and a panegyric on her patron, Otto I.Provenance: John Bellingham Inglis & Charles Inglis; Charles William Dyson Perrins; Mildred Bliss; Margaret Winkelman (with their respective bookplates); Bernard Quaritch 1981; Librairie Thomas Scheler 2015.Literature: Brunet, III, 356 : "Très-rare"; Fairfax Murray, German, 210 ("not reprinted until 1707"); British Museum, STC German, 758; Dyons-Perrins, 634 (this copy).

Meer (Fatima) Higher Than Hope: A Biography of Nelson Mandela, first English edition, signed presentation inscription from the author "to Simon & Sheila, With our compliments and best wishes, N Mandela 15.4.90" on front free endpaper, original boards, dust-jacket, spine faded, ends a little creased, otherwise excellent, 8vo, 1990.*** A Mandela item with strong associated provenance. Nelson Mandela was released from the Victor Verster Prison in Cape Town on 11 February 1990, and over next few months visited England on various occasions. On Easter weekend of 14th – 16th April, together with his then wife Winnie, he stayed at the Churchill Hotel in London and attended several meetings with representatives of the African National Congress (ANC) and Anti-Apartheid campaigners. During that visit, he was also Guest of Honour at an International Concert for a Free South Africa held at Wembley Stadium on the afternoon of Monday 16th April, before flying by Concorde to New York that evening.The dedicatee was the Metropolitan Police Special Branch Detective responsible for the Subject's Close Protection detail on that and subsequent visits to England. He was personally requested for the role by Mandela and the ANC UK Representative Mendi Msimang, as he had developed a trusted relationship with the latter in the previous year following a number of terrorist incidents against the Organisation in London. The book signed and inscribed to Simon and his wife Sheila, was presented to Simon by Mandela in his suite at The Churchill Hotel on the afternoon of Sunday 15th April.

Wilde (Oscar) and Aubrey Beardsley.- Contract letters, agreed and signed by Wilde and Beardsley with publishers Elkin Mathews and John Lane, together 5pp. on Holyrood watermarked paper, 6d. stamps to each contract, each hole-punched at head, some repaired splitting at folds, tape residue to verso, folds, window-mounted together, framed and glazed, 8vo, 8 June and 3 August, 1893.*** Contracts for the publication of Salomé, one of the most important literary and artistic collaborations for the period and for the publication of Wilde's Lady Windermere's Fan, A Woman of No Importance and The Duchess of Padua as well as the unrealised enlarged version of The Portrait of Mr W.H.Wilde wrote the original French version of Salomé while living in Paris in 1891. He submitted the completed work to Sarah Bernhardt who agreed to include the production in her 1892 season at the Royal English Opera House. Rehearsals were underway in June 1892 when word came that the Lord Chamberlain had withheld his licence, ostensibly on the grounds that the play depicted biblical characters. This resulted in an indefinite hiatus for the play (Wilde would never see a performance of his work) and in the publication of numerous letters, essays, poems and cartoons both in support and opprobrium of the play and Wilde. Elkin Mathews and John Lane had published an edition of Wilde's Poems in May 1892 (the first work by any author to be published under the joint imprint) and were clearly keen both to capitalise on the furor surrounding the play and to cement their relationship with its author, publishing the first edition of the play (in French), in February 1893. The publication of Salomé was itself an event given the extensive discussion of the cancelled run in the previous year. Several literary periodicals took special notice of the event, including the Pall Mall Budget whose editor, Lewis Hind, commissioned the young Beardsley to create a picture inspired by the work or its author. The resulting picture of Salomé, embracing the severed head of John the Baptist, was seemingly too strong for Hind but was published instead in the first issue of the Studio magazine in April, 1893. Wilde was impressed by the drawing and an introduction between the pair was arranged by their mutual friend Robert Ross. The enthusiasm of Wilde for Beardsley's work, along with the desire of Mathews and Lane to continue their relationship with the author, is evident in the present contract being dated 8 June, just 2 months after the issue of The Studio appeared, and in the agreed sum of 50 guineas, a considerable fee for the young artist. Wilde's contract too shows the enthusiasm of the publishers to work with the author and to agree to his choice of designers (Ricketts, Shannon and Beardsley) and other collaborators. Ultimately the revelations made in the trial led to the publishers parting ways with the author and their edition of The Duchess of Padua along with the extended Portrait of Mr W.H. would never appear. Together these contracts show the considerable influence of Wilde a mere 2 years before his downfall. Provenance: from the estate of the late Max Reinhardt. Proceeds from the sale will benefit MaxLiteracy.org, which inspires creative writing in young people - set up in memory of Max and his authors.

Dali (Salvador).- Sandoz (Maurice) The Maze, first edition, signed by Dali and dated 1945 on front free endpaper, plates by Dali, original cloth, light toning and fraying to spine tips and corners, dust-jacket designed by Dali, chipped and browned with some loss to head of spine, 8vo, Garden City, NY, 1945.