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Joyce (James) Finnegans Wake, first trade edition, browning to endpapers and final text p., faint tape markings to endpapers, original cloth, dust-jacket, a few nicks and closed tears to head and foot with some creasing and tape residue to verso (though without show-through), chip to head of lower panel, still an excellent example overall, [Connolly, The Modern Movement 87; Slocum & Cahoon A47], 8vo, 1939.*** Joyce's final complete prose work and something of an apotheosis for modernist fiction. 

[Hardy (Thomas)] Desperate Remedies. A Novel, 3 vol., first edition, [one of 500 copies], half-titles, bookplate of Anthony Conyers Surtees, vol. 3 first text f. mounted on stub, a few small marginal chips or tears repaired, touching couple letters to final f. of vol. 1 but no loss,  occasional spotting or very light foxing, bound in green half morocco by Zaehnsdorf, gilt, spines a fraction sunned, a few faint scuff marks, t.e.g., [Purdy, pp.3-5], 8vo, Tinsley Brothers, 1871. *** Hardy's rare first published novel, issued anonymously and so poorly reviewed in The Spectator that it was remaindered and Hardy lost money. He later destroyed the manuscript.

Doyle (Sir Arthur Conan) The Return of Sherlock Holmes, first English edition, half-title, 16 plates by Sidney Paget (2 detached and tipped in), 4pp. advertisements at end, occasional foxing and patches of soiling, original cloth, spine darkened, a little rubbed and soiled, [Green & Gibson A29], 8vo, 1905.

China.- Murr (Christoph Gottlieb von) and Ignaz Koegler. Litterae patentes Imperatoris Sinarum Kang-Hi, first appearance in book format of the Red Manifesto, 2 plates at end, one a folding engraved plate reproducing the Red Manifesto of October 1716 in Chinese characters, the other a woodcut Linnaean classification of Chinese quadrupeds in Chinese characters, text largely in Latin but with a few Chinese characters, title lightly browned, contemporary limp vellum, preserved in cloth chemise and morocco-backed cloth slip-case, 4to, Nuremberg & Altdorf, Monath & Kussler, 1802.*** Rare. This is the first appearance in book format of the text of The Red Manifesto, a critically important Imperial edict issued in printed broadside format in Peking in 1716. The edition was compiled and partly written by the Nürnberg scholar Christoph Gottlieb von Murr, who had discovered the important commentary on the Manifesto by Ignaz Koegler. Von Murr includes Koegler's account of the activities of the Jesuits in China as well as general notes on the subject and a bibliography of Jesuit works published in China. In 1706, at the height of the Chinese Rites Controversy, the Kangxi Emperor appointed two Jesuit missionaries, Fathers Antonio de Barros and Antoine de Beauvollier, as his special envoys to Rome. Their mission ended tragically when their ship capsized within sight of the Portuguese coast. Not having any news from them, the Emperor appointed Fathers José Ramón Arxo and Giuseppe Provana, also Jesuit missionaries, as his representatives in Rome. Arxo and Provana left Macau in 1708. Arxo died in Spain in 1711 and Provana died in 1720 on the return voyage to China. Since no word of their deliberations came to the Emperor, he had this document, the Red Manifesto, or Hongpiao (紅票), written and all missionaries resident in Beijing sign it, and ordered it given to any Europeans who came to the capital. He states that he will not give credence to any documents regarding the Rites Controversy until his envoys return.Provenance: Silvestre de Sacy (1758-1838, renowned Orientalist, title inscribed "au Citoyen de Sacy" and verso of title inscribed ?in Sacy's hand "acq. chez J. Schlesinger"; Delombardy (at head of text later ownership inscription dated 1848).Literature: Cordier,Sinica, 638; Löwendahl, 718. 

Dickens' bookplate.- Dickens (Charles) The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, 1 vol. bound in 2, first edition in book form, with bookplate of Charles Dickens, engraved portrait frontispiece by Finden after Maclise, 39 engraved plates by Hablot K. Browne ('Phiz'), extra-illustrated with 64 engraved plates, many by T. Onwhyn, lacking half-title, duplicate title bound in vol. 2, list of contents (4pp.) divided between the vol. with portions trimmed and laid down, usual browning to plate margins, a few small nicks or tears to fore-margin near end of vol. 1, 19th century calf, spines gilt and with red and green morocco labels, joints repaired slightly crudely, rubbing to extremities, vol. 1 with one raised band lacking to spine and lower cover detached, g.e., [Eckel pp.64-66; Smith I, 5], 8vo, Chapman and Hall, 1839. *** Provenance: Albert B. Ashforth Jr. (bookplate to front free endpapers), sold as part of his library, Anderson Galleries, New York, 1930, with Dickens' bookplate present; Mary and Norman Hickman (bookplate to front free endpapers); Oliver Henry Perkins (bookplate to rear pastedowns). 

Islamic Incunabula.- Kitab-I Ligat-I Vankuli [The Crown of Language and the Correct Arabic], translated by Mehmed ibn-i Mustafa el-Vani [or Vankuli], vol. 2 only (of 2), first edition,  756+10, single column text within woodcut border, occasional worming affecting odd word with expert repairs, odd tear into text with expert repairs, many margins strengthened or with tissue repairs, modern crushed morocco with flap, gilt, folio, [Constantinople], Ibrahim Müteferrika, 1141 H [1729]. *** A Turkish translation of the most important dictionary of Arabic, the Al-Sihah of Gauharia, with the Persian routes printed in the margins. Printing was only introduced into the Ottoman Empire in the late sixteenth century, with works in Hebrew, Armenian and Latin being permitted for use only by their respective minorities or millets.  The first press for which Turkish or Arabic printing was permitted was set up by Ibrahim Muteferrika (c.1672-1746). There was considerable opposition to the plan from the scribes, but approval was reached by compromise, with the Sheh-al-Islam agreeing to allow the printing of books in all but the traditional religious subjects.

Rowling (J.K.) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, first edition, signed by the author "To Charlie" on title with hologram, ticket to Moonlight Signing and numbered queue slip loosely inserted, original boards, dust-jacket, a mint copy, 8vo, 2007.*** Also included is a small amount of ephemera connected with the Midnight Signing event, including the paper bag, 3 balloons, a pencil, a strip of stickers, an activity sheet and a poster.

Minko (Tachibana) Saiga shokunin burui [Colored Pictures of Occupations of Workmen], 2 vol., first edition, numerous fine hand-coloured woodcut illustrations, some portions of loss at fore-edge folds, generally very small but a couple times just within image, worming, skillfully repaired but sometimes within text or image, a few short tears repaired, some pigments lightly offset, occasional light soiling, bound and stitched Japanese-style in original blue wrappers, original block-printed labels to upper covers, some wear and restoration, stitching renewed, housed in a modern silk wrap-around case with clasps, large 8vo (282 x 180mm.), Tokyo, 1770 or 1771.  *** The rare and beautiful first edition of Minko's depiction of contemporary Edo period craftsmen at work. The 28 featured crafts include hatter, mirror polisher, swordsmith, papermaker, engraver, maker of bamboo blinds, fanmaker, koto (Japanese harp) maker, maker of straw mats (tatami), woodworker, and others, each accompanied by a poetic description. Active in the second half of the 18th century, Minko first made woodblock prints in the manner of Sukenobu (1671-1750). After moving to Edo (now Tokyo) he became influenced by the 'beautiful women' (bijin-ga) style of Harunobu (1725-1770), with considerable commercial success. 

Rowling (J.K.) Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, first edition, third state with corrected text on p.7, no printer's credit to title verso and with advertisements to rear, original pictorial boards, dust-jacket, a mint copy, 8vo, 1999

Futurism.- Marinetti (Filippo Tommaso) Zang Tumb Tumb. Adrianople October 1912, first edition, first issue with "18° migliaio", signed presentation inscription from the author to endpaper, photographic portrait frontispiece by Emilio Sommariva, folding plate, original printed wrappers, spine a little creased and darkened, light surface soiling, a little rubbed, uncut, partly unopened, slip-case, 8vo, Milan, 1914.*** A presentation copy of this landmark futurist poem. The inscription is characteristic of Marinetti, showing his name crashing through the word "Passatismo" [Traditionalism].

Gaskell (Elizabeth C.) Wives and Daughters. An Every-Day Story, 2 vol., first edition, 18 wood-engraved plates by George Du Maurier, vol. 1 with some repair and restoration to lower corners, vol. 2 upper hinge cracked and with some light tape-staining to endpapers, original maroon cloth, lettered and decorated in gilt, slight shelf-lean, spines faded, vol. 1 spine repaired at foot, bumping and fraying to spine ends and corners, rubbed, a very good example, [Sadleir 936; Wolff 2428], 8vo, Smith, Elder and Co., 1866.*** Rare in the original cloth. Wives and Daughters was unfinished at the time of Gaskell's sudden death in 1865, the final section was written by Frederick Greenwood. 

Native American language.- Nantes (Bernardo de) Katecismo Indico da lingua Kariris, first edition, with blank leaf Z7 but lacking final blank Z8, trimmed close at head, just touching a couple headlines, a3&4 with small stain, some very light browning and occasional spotting, small worm trace within final text f. and blank Z7 (no loss), lacking rear free endpapers, hinges cracked but holding, contemporary limp vellum, manuscript title to spine, toned, some light soiling, housed in cloth slip-case, [Sabin 5174 "very rare"], small 8vo, Lisbon, V. da Costa, 1709. *** A valuable witness to the now-extinct Karirí-Dzubucuá language of Brazil. Today, the roughly 4,000 ethnic Karirís are largely monolingual Portuguese speakers. The Catechism is printed with text in Portuguese and Karirí in parallel columns. Also included are two poems or “Spiritual Canticles" with text in Karirí and Portugese, as well as a longer explanation of the Catechism in Karirí.Provenance: Dom Pedro de Sousa Holstein, Duque de Palmela (1781-1850), first Prime Minister of Portugal (ink-stamp to title); Coll. Ang[?] (indistinct ownership inscription to title); C. R. Boxer (b. 1904), noted historian of Portuguese colonial history (ink ownership inscription to front free endpaper).

Anglo-Spanish War.- [Elizabeth I, Queen of England]. A Declaration of the causes mooving the Queene of England to give aide to the defence of the people afflicted and oppressed in the lowe countries, second edition in English, initial f. blank except for signature-mark, title with first letter within woodcut cartouche and woodcut ornament recto and with large woodcut royal arms verso, large woodcut decorative initials, final f. blank, date inked in at end of imprint in a later hand, initial blank with neatly repaired tear, occasional spotting or light staining, lightly browned, red crushed morocco, by Riviere & Son, neatly rebacked, preserving original gilt backstrip, [STC 9189.5], small 4to, Christopher Barker, [1585]. *** The Robert S. Pirie copy of the second edition of this official declaration of support for the Dutch protestants rebelling against Spanish rule. It marked the beginning of the Anglo-Spanish War (1585-1604). It was published in the same year as the first edition, along with Latin, French, Dutch, Italian, and German versions. Provenance: Roberts S. Pirie (engraved bookplate to front pastedown); contemporary ink inscription to verso of final blank. 

[Gaskell (Elizabeth C.)] Mary Barton: A Tale of Manchester Life, 2 vol., first edition, Autograph Letter in the author's hand tipped in at front, small excisions with paper repairs below imprint dates to both titles, occasional light marking or soiling, contemporary calf, spines gilt in compartments, tape-stains towards foot of spines, [Wolff 2419], 8vo Chapman and Hall, 1848.*** Gaskell's first novel, scarce.The letter is addressed to Caroline Davenport: "One of the public admitted to view the gardens at Capesthorne on Shrove Tuesday, 1846, begs to be allowed to present this work... as a token of gratitude for pleasure received..." Caroline Davenport would become Lady Hatherton in 1852 on marrying Edwards Littleton, 1st Baron Hatherton. Gaskell and Davenport would become friends and correspondents with a shared interest in social reform. 

Finney (Jack) The Body Snatchers, first English edition, light browning to text, original boards, dust-jacket, very slight fading to spine, minor creasing to head and foot, small patch of browning to lower panel, light rubbing to extremities, an excellent example, original wraparound band (a little spotted, short nicks to foot of joints, lightly toned at spine), 8vo, 1955.*** Finney's classic science fiction horror, first published as a pulp paperback in the US. Scarce with the wraparound band. 

Russell (Bertrand) My Philosophical Development, first edition, signed by the author on title, cut newspaper clipping laid down on pastedown, original boards, light rubbing to extremities, dust-jacket, lightly faded on spine, light fraying and chipping to spine ends and corners, 8vo, 1959.

Waugh (Evelyn) Decline and Fall, first edition, first printing with ""Martin Gaythorne-Brodie"" and ""Kevin Saunderson"" unchanged on pp.168-9, frontispiece, very faint and occasional foxing marks, original cloth, near-fine, dust-jacket, usual fading to spine and extremities, a few nicks to edges, light surface marking to title label on upper panel but still overall a sharp and unrestored example, 8vo, 1928. *** An excellent example of Waugh's first novel, scarce in the dust-jacket.

Du Maurier (Daphne) Rebecca, first edition, signed Book Society bookplate by the author, laid down on pastedown, the odd spot, page margins lightly toned, original cloth, a little dulled, light bumping at extremities, dust-jacket, portions of loss to spine ends and upper panel corner, short tear along joints and to upper panel upper edge, light toning to spine and along joints, 8vo, 1938.

Hardy (Thomas) A Pair of Blue Eyes. A Novel, 3 vol., first edition in book form, with the mis-aligned 'c' in 'clouds' on page 5 of vol. 2, half-titles, vol. 3 with 16pp. Tinsley Brothers' catalogue at end dated March 1873 (often lacking), a few tiny marginal nicks or tears, vol. 3 p.257 with small chip to lower margin repaired, slight marginal browning, occasional very light soiling, vol. 3 lower hinge cracked but holding firm, modern tan crushed morocco, gilt, vol. 2 with a few scratches to lower cover, some very light rubbing to spine ends and corners, t.e.g., original blue cloth covers and spines bound in, very good copies, [Purdy, pp.8-13], 8vo, Tinsley Brothers, 1873. *** The rare first edition of Hardy's third novel, the first to be printed bearing his name. Around 500 copies were printed. 

King (Stephen) Christine, first English edition, signed presentation inscription from the author dated "5/10/83" to endpaper, light foxing to endpapers, original boards, some very light spotting to fore-edges, slight bumping to spine tips and corners, dust-jacket, very slight fading to spine, slight creasing to head and foot, a near-fine example overall, 8vo, 1983.*** Scarce signed within the year of publication.

Mountaineering.- Fellows (Charles) A Narrative of an Ascent to the Summit of Mont Blanc, first edition,  presentation copy from the author to a lady, half-title, title vignette, 10 lithographs, 1 engraved chart, 1 facsimile, faint marginal spotting, ex-Nottingham libraries with withdrawn stamps to half-title and ink-stamp to title verso, modern endpapers, contemporary half-calf, rebacked, rubbed, [Neate F18], 4to, 1827. *** Of this edition only 50 were printed for private circulation. Neate says "Probably all copies were inscribed by the author", though it appears to be extremely rare to find a copy inscribed to a woman. Fellows and his companion Hawes were listed as the 13th group to ascend Mont Blanc, but were the first to attempt it by the "Corridor" and Mur de la Côte routes. 

Geology.- Smith (William) Stratigraphical System of Organized Fossils, with Reference to the Specimens of the Original Geological Collection in the British Museum, part 1 [all published], first edition, 2 tables with hand-colouring, the first folding and second double-page, title with tiny repaired tear to fore-margin, both tables mounted on stubs, the first with tape reinforcements to folds to verso and light offsetting, D4 lower blank corner repaired, some spotting, lower hinge cracked, 20th century red half calf, rebacked, original backstrip once laid down but now majority lacking, rubbed, extremities worn in places, original printed wrappers bound in (laid down and repaired), t.e.g., others uncut, 4to, for E. Williams, 1817. *** A detailed description of the fossils found in different geological strata in England. To find a copy complete with both Tables is especially rare. Smith, known as the 'Father of English Geology', had sold his own fossil collection to the British Museum a year earlier. 

Forster (E.M.) A Room With a View, first edition, autograph card signed by the author on his King's College Cambridge letterhead notecard and stamped 8 June 1959, loosely inserted, without 8pp. publishers advertisements at end, original burgundy cloth, title gilt, light fading to spine and rubbing to corners, [Kirkpatrick A3], 8vo, 1908.  *** This copy is an unusual issue without the advertisements, possibly prepared for the Colonial market. 

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.