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Dahl (Roald) The Twits, first edition, signed presentation inscription "to Ben love Roald Dahl 1980" from the author on half-title, and original biro drawing from the illustrator of a monkey swinging from the "T" in "Twits", inscribed "for Ben best wishes Quentin Blake 2010" to half-title, illustrations by Blake, original boards, light bumping to spine ends, dust-jacket, housed in custom-made crimson drop-back box, 8vo, 1980.⁂ A fine example, double signed by author and illustrator, with a charming original drawing by Blake making this an singular and outstanding copy.

[Laujon (Pierre)] Les a propos de societe ou chansons, 2 vol., engraved frontispieces, engraved titles, 2 small engraved vignettes, wood-engraved head- and tail-pieces, book labels in leather to pastedowns, without final blanks, a few ff. with very minor damp-staining and small chips to fore-edge, a few expertly silked, handsome green morocco by Chambolle-Duru, both covers with supralibros in gilt to centre, dentelles and spines in gilt, g.e., 8vo, Paris, 1776.⁂ First edition and complete in 2 vol., but often found with, 'Les a propos de la folie' as a third, also published in 1776. Provenance: Isidore Fernandez [book label; supralibros].

Locke (John) An Essay concerning humane understanding. In four books, second edition, second issue, engraved portrait by P. Vanderbanck after Sylvester Brounower, this a little creased and working loose, upper corner of title soiled and strengthened verso, some spotting / mostly light foxing or staining, endpapers browned, contemporary calf, spine in compartments, worn, but holding firm, [Wing L2740; Pforzheimer 601], folio, Printed for Awnsham and John Churchil, at the Black Swan in Pater-Noster-Row, and Samuel Manship, at the Ship in Cornhill, near the Royal Exchange, 1694.⁂ The second and expanded edition of Locke's key philosophical work. Some of the new material in this edition arose out of Locke's correspondence in the 1680s and 1690s with the young Irish scientist William Molyneux. The first issue is 'Printed for Thomas Dring...'. Provenance: 'E Libris Johannis Webb e Coll. Univ. Oxon.' (ink inscription to head of title); 'W.W. Francis. attn at Law, Colchester' (ink inscription to front free endpaper); 'Joh. Hendr. Prell' (modern book label to front free endpaper).

Lawrence (T.E.) Crusader Castles: The Letters, first American edition, [one of 56 copies], original wrappers, lightly finger-soiled, [O'Brien A191], 8vo, New York, 1937.⁂ Comprising the text of the first volume of the English edition, this was published in an edition of 56 copies (50 for sale) to protect copyright in the U.S.

[Evans (Mary Ann)], "George Eliot". Middlemarch. A Study of Provincial Life, 4 vol., first edition in book form, half-titles and divisional half-titles, without errata (as often), bookplates, light foxing to first few pages, titles a little trimmed at foot, attractive contemporary half morocco, spines gilt in compartments, lightly rubbed at spine ends, [Baker & Ross A10.1.a2], 8vo, 1871-2.

Gissing (Algernon) Joy Cometh in the Morning, 2 vol., first edition, foxing to half-title and fore-edge, original cloth, spine lettered in gilt, ends lightly frayed, light surface marking to covers, still a very bright and tight example overall, 8vo, 1888.⁂ The rare debut novel of Algernon Gissing.

Middle East.- Howel (Thomas) A Journal of the Passage from India, by a Route partly unfrequented, through Mesopotamia, Armenia, and Natolia, or Asia Minor, first edition, large folding engraved map frontispiece with a few tears, final leaf with lower corner torn away, just touching the word "finis", occasional foxing, pencil annotations, uncut in original boards, worn, [Ghani p.181], 8vo, Printed for the author, [1789].⁂ Rare first edition of an account of Howel's year-long journey returning to England from India in 1787, up the Persian Gulf and the Euphrates and thence overland from Baghdad to Constantinople.

Tovey (D'Blossiers) Anglia Judaica: or the History and Antiquities of the Jews in England, first edition, one engraved plate, engraved illustrations, one or two faint marginal pencil notes, F1 with small marginal loss to bottom edge, U3 with small paper defect hole to bottom edge, occasional marginal finger-soiling, faint spotting to title, modern morocco-backed boards, 4to, Oxford, 1738.

Doyle (Sir Arthur Conan) The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, first edition, occasional light even foxing, endpapers browned, original cloth, rebacked preserving original spine, lightly rubbed and soiled, heavier to lower cover, 4to, 1894.

Collins (Wilkie) The Woman in White: A Novel, first American edition, first state, woodcut illustrations, advertisement leaf at beginning dated August 1860, advertisements at end headed 'Miss Muloch's Novels' and 9 titles listed, original blind-stamped cloth with blind-stamped lady to spine foot (silver rubbed off), light chipping to spine ends and minor bumped to corners, otherwise an excellent example, [Sadleir 605], 8vo, New York, 1860.

Fleming (Ian) Live and Let Die, first edition, bookplate to pastedown, lightly offset to endpapers, very light spots to title, original black boards lettered in gilt with gilt medallion to upper cover, slightly dulled, second state dust-jacket with credit to Kenneth Lewis to front flap, very slight toning to spine and rear panel, spine ends, corners, and upper edge lightly chipped and frayed, an excellent example generally, 8vo, 1954.

Dahl (Roald) Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, first edition, margins very faintly toned, original pictorial boards, upper corner to lower cover bumped with light strip of toning to upper edge, otherwise a remarkably fine copy, housed in morocco-backed custom-made drop-back box, 4to, 1964.

Picart (Bernard).- Tafereel, of Beschryving van den prachtigen tempel der Zang-Godinnen, vertoond in LX heerlyke Kunststukken. Behelzende alle de voornaemste Geschiedenissen van de Fabel-Oudheid, first edition, letterpress title in red and black with vignette arms of Willem Sautyn, engraved additional allegorical title, and 60 fine copper engraved plate by Bernard Picart with ornamental borders, woodcut initials and tail-pieces, engravings and woodcuts all with well-executed early hand-colouring, occasional very light marginal soiling and some light scattered foxing (largely to text), but a very good, fresh copy with wide margins throughout, contemporary calf, covers with central gilt ornament, spine gilt in compartments, neatly and sympathetically rebacked, retaining original backstrip, endpapers renewed, [Cohen 531 (French edition)], folio, Amsterdam, Zacharias Chatelain, 1733.⁂ First edition of Picart's remarkable illustrations of Ovid's Metamorphoses, one of the most celebrated works of baroque illustration, blending Rubenesque tableaux with rococo borders. Each plate has captions in French, English, German, and Dutch. This work is handsomely printed on thick paper, and extremely rare in hand-coloured state.

Horses.- Weatherby (James, publisher) An Introduction to a General Stud-Book, first edition, half-title, a few leaves at beginning and end, some leaves creased, uncut in original boards, covers detached and backstrip lacking, 8vo, Printed (by H. Reynell...) For J. Weatherby, 1791.⁂ Important foundation work on thoroughbred breeding. Contemporary ownership signature of W. Purvis and with ?his ink annotations/corrections to several leaves.

Lewis (C.S.) The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, first edition, frontispiece and illustrations by Pauline Baynes, light toning and one or two spots to first few pages, bookplate to frontispiece recto, original blue cloth, lightly discoloured, spine ends bumped, dust-jacket, portions of loss to spine ends and centre, light splitting to joint, edges and extremities chipped and frayed, joints tender, 8vo, 1952.⁂ The third volume in the seven-volume Chronicles of Narnia series.

India.- Forbes (James) Oriental Memoirs, 4 vol., first edition, half-titles, engraved portrait and 85 engraved or lithographed plates only (of 93), some stipple-engraved, some aquatint, some finely hand-coloured, mostly after W.Hooker, with errata leaf at end of vol.4, some foxing, endpapers rather damp-mottled, contemporary calf, gilt, rebacked, rubbed, some worming to covers, vol.2 leather peeling and rather worn, [Anker 148; Fine Bird Books p.96; Nissen ZBI 1409; cf.Abbey Travel 436, later remainder issue], 4to, Printed for the Author by T. Bensley, 1813.⁂ An excellent account of the culture, flora and fauna of India by a writer for the East India Company. Forbes spent seventeen years in India and filled numerous volumes with writings and sketches. The fine hand-coloured plates are mostly of natural history, particularly birds and fruits.Provenance: Nelson Matcham (bookplate, that in vol.1 with inscription reading "Mermaids Matcham Vol.2 164"). The relevant page reads " near the coast we saw many other sorts of fish, but did not meet with any of the mermaids so often mentioned in these seas; and especially by Mr. Matcham, a gentleman of great respectability, and at that time superintendant of the company's marine at Bombay. I have heard him declare that when in command of a trading vessel at Mozambique, Mombaz, and Melinda...he frequently saw these extraordinary animals from six to twelve feet long..."

Arthurian romance.- Le premier [-second & -tiers] volume de Lancelot du Lac nouuellement imprime a Paris, 3 vol., collation: a6 b-z A-G8 H-I6; a4 bb-zz &&8 ͻͻ4; A6 aaa-zzz AAA-DDD8 EEE-GGG6, double column, Bâtarde type, 45 lines and headline, woodcut titles with xylographic initial 'L' with calligraphic flourishes and grotesque faces, 28 large woodcut illustrations (1 or 2 shaved at head), including 9 repeats, woodcut decorative initials, vol.1 lacking text ff. H6 and I1&2, and 3 blanks, vol.2 lacking blank bb1, vol.3 lacking blanks aaa8 and GGG6, vol. 1 title laid down with inner and lower margins restored, last 2 text leaves with outer margins strengthened, vol. 3 with some light mottling and some strengthening to fore-margins of early leaves, some light staining to later leaves with final 2 repaired and restored in margins, not affecting text, occasional light marking or straining elsewhere but a very good, clean copy generally, late 19th century morocco-backed boards, rubbed, folio (310 x 218mm.), Paris, Antoine Vérard, [after 18 August, 1502-1504]. ⁂ Rare appearance at auction of all three parts of the second Vérard edition of the chivalric tales of Lancelot, a masterwork of early French printing. Verard's skillful blending of text and illustration is superbly exampled in this book. The present edition was reprinted from Verard's exceptionally rare first edition of 1 July 1494, the date of which appears in the colophon of our volume one; the colophon of volume three gives Vérard's new address as Rue Neuve Notre Dame, which was active from 18th August, 1502 until September, 1504. A central figure of the Arthurian Grail cycle, the character of Lancelot first appeared in the twelfth century work of Chrétien de Troyes and quickly gained a prominence in Arthurian legend. Celebrating the knightly ideal as embodied in one man, the present text was composed in the 13th century and is the most substantial prose romance recounting Lancelot's chivalrous deeds. Malory used it as a source text for Morte Dartur, and the work has been repeatedly adapted by later books and media, perhaps most famously by Robert Bresson's film "Lancelot du Lac" and John Boorman's "Excalibur."Literature: Macfarlane 166 (& cf. 35); cf. ISTC il00033700.

Martin (George R. R.) A Game of Thrones, first American edition, signed and dated by the author on year of publication to title, map endpapers, original boards, spine lettered in silver, dust-jacket, very light creasing to spine ends, otherwise a fine copy, 8vo, 1996.

Nelson's copy as subscriber.- Schomberg (Isaac) Naval Chronology; or, An Historical Summary of Naval & Maritime Events, 5 vol., first edition, Admiral Lord Nelson's copy with his ownership inscription "Nelson & Bronte" on front free endpaper of each volume, list of subscribers (including Nelson), some foxing, uncut in original boards, spines worn with pieces of backstrip missing, 8vo, 1802.⁂ Books owned and inscribed by Nelson are extremely rare on the market. There are some institutional holdings at Portsmouth and Greenwich, and some in private collections but we have been unable to trace others at auction apart from an incomplete set of Pallas' Travels, 1803 (Bloomsbury, 2014).Schomberg's work, to which Nelson subscribed, is a detailed account of naval history from the times of the Romans up to the peace treaty of 1802, with Nelson himself mentioned many times. There are no ink annotations or marking's in Nelson's hand within the body of the books but there are a number of short horizontal pencil lines in the margins next to various individual Captains listed in the Appendix at the end of volume 5, including Maurice Suckling (Nelson's uncle and hugely influential in his naval career), William Bligh (of HMS Bounty, who later served under Nelson at the Battle of Copenhagen), and Thomas Masterman Hardy (ie 'Kiss me, Hardy'). Whilst there are some figures who precede Nelson and who he cannot have known, on the strength of the above 3 mentioned alone (and others such as Sir Andrew Snape Ham[m]ond, Sir Edward Pellew, Richard Goodwin Keats, Sir Thomas Williams, George Grey, Richard Bowen, Edward James Foote, William Bedford, Henry Blackwood, inter alia) it would appear highly likely that these pencil markings were made in Nelson's hand.

Wells (H.G.) The Time Machine, first edition, first issue with 16pp advertisements at end including those for 'The Manxman' and 'The Naulahka', light browning to endpapers, otherwise a very clean copy generally, original buckram lettered in purple with Egyptian design to cover, spine a little darkened with light bumping to ends, some faint rubbing to extremities, but a remarkably bright and excellent example overall, [Wells 4], 8vo, 1895.⁂ An excellent example of Wells' most famous work, a cornerstone of any science fiction collection.

Wilde (Oscar) The Picture of Dorian Gray, first edition in book form, with misprint 'nd' for 'and' on p.208, half-title, 8pp. publisher's advertisements at end, faint spotting to half-title and title, original parchment-backed boards, spine expertly rebacked retaining original backstrip, gilt decoration to upper cover by Charles Ricketts, small loss to spine extremities affecting imprint, housed in modern slipcase, [Mason 329], 8vo, London, New York & Melbourne, Ward, Lock and Co., [1891].

Tolstoy (Count Lev Nikolayevich "Leo") [Anna Karenina], 4 vol. bound as 2, first Arabic edition, portrait frontispiece, vol. 3 & 4 with colour titles, previous owner's pencil inscription in Arabic to vol. 1 front free endpaper verso, cracked hinges, occasional faint marginal staining, vol. 1-2 with in contemporary cloth, gilt, chipping and bumping to edges, vol. 2-3 in contemporary half-calf, a little rubbed, abrasion marks and loss to lower cover, 8vo, Istanbul, 1910.

Wells (H.G.) The Island of Dr Moreau, first edition, half-title, frontispiece, 33pp. advertisements at end, light browning to endpapers, original pictorial cloth, darkened, light surface soiling to lower cover, neat and discrete repairs to spine ends and joints, in effect an excellent copy, [Hammond B3], 8vo, 1896.

Law.- Andreae (Johannes) Quaestiones mercuriales super regulis iuris, collation: a-e10 f g8 h-q10 (a2 signed a), double column, 156 ff., the first and last blank, 49 lines, Gothic type, initials and paragraph-marks in red, occasional early ink marginalia, i1printing flaw to first line of right-hand column, i2 narrow section torn from lower corner of outer margin, not affecting text, some marginal water-staining and finger-marking, some spotting or light staining, contemporary sheep over wooden boards, spine in compartments, later metal clasps, some repairs, including spine, numerous divots / scuffs in leather, rubbed and marked, water-stained, but solid, folio (338 x 236mm.), Venice, Adam de Rottweil, 4 July, 1477. ⁂ A wide-margined copy of the rare fourth edition of this alphabetically arranged commentary on the De regulis iuris of Dinus de Mugello. We can trace no copies of this edition at auction. It is one of the earliest of the few books printed by Adam de Rottweil at Venice between 1476 and 1480, after which time he set up a press at Aquila. Andreae (c.1270-1348) studied law at Bologna, and went on to teach canon law in the same city for the majority of his life. He became the most important canonist of his time; referred to by his contemporaries as 'iuris canonici fons et tuba'. Literature: BMC V, 249; Goff A-637; HC 1058*; Bod-inc A-252; BSB-Ink I-323; GW 1737; ISTC ia00637000.

Haggard (H. Rider) She: A History of Adventure, first edition, first issue, with 'Godness' on penultumate line of p.269, half-title, 2 chromolithographed frontispieces, 2pp. advertisements at end, original covers and spine bound in, frontispiece very lightly offset to title, the odd spot, handsomely bound in polished blue calf by Bayntun, gilt, spine with red and black morocco labels, lightly sunned at extremities, very light rubbing to spine ends and corners, g.e., [Sadleir 1092], 1887; and 8 others finely bound, several with the bookplate of William Foyle, v.s. (9)Provenance of the first: William Foyle (bookplate).

Austen (Jane) Pride and Prejudice, engraved frontispiece, vignette title and printed title all dated 1833, occasional foxing, contemporary green half calf over marbled boards, spine gilt, rubbed, Richard Bentley, 1833; Northanger Abbey and Persuasion, engraved frontispiece, vignette title and printed title all dated 1833, some foxing, contemporary half calf over marbled boards, rubbed, Richard Bentley, 1833, 8vo (2)⁂ Two volumes from the first collected edition of Austen's novels published by Bentley. The first work bears the bookplate of Nelson Matcham.

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, light spotting to first few pages, usual light marginal toning with occasional faint stain, original pictorial wrappers with misprint "Philospher's" to lower cover, sunning and light creasing to spine ends, very minor wear to corners, still an excellent copy overall, 8vo, 1997.

India.- Crawfurd (John) Journal of an Embassy from the Governor-General of India to the Court of Ava, in the Year 1827... With an Appendix, Containing the Description of Fossil Remains, by Professor Buckland and Mr. Clift, first edition, half-title, 5 aquatint plates, of which 3 hand-coloured, 5 lithographed plates, folding engraved map (light off-setting, and small hole at fold), folding engraved plan, wood-engraved illustrations, some light foxing to plates, map and plan, original boards with paper label to spine, lower joint broken with upper cover and back-strip (together) detached, small chips to label and spine ends, [Abbey Travel 405], 4to, Henry Colburn, 1829.

Vicaire (Georges) Manuel de l'amateur de Livres du XIXe siecle 1801-1893, 22 vol., first edition, one of 50 copies on papier de Hollande, from an edition limited to 1050, titles in red and black, light browning to peripheral ff., the odd spot, original wrappers bound in, handsomely bound in near uniform plum half morocco, by Creuzevault, vol. 22 with binding signed Brugalla, some spines slightly sunned, rubbed at extremities, 4to, Paris, 1894-1920.Provenance: L. Giraud-Badin (pencil inscription Giraud 9-12-33 to vol. 1 rear free endpaper); Isidore Fernandez (bookplate).

Kant (Immanuel) Critik der practischen Vernunft, first edition, title with woodcut floral ornament, partially obliterated ink ownership inscription and an ink ownership stamp to title, water-stained and lightly browned throughout, loose in contemporary limp boards, rebacked in ?hessian, short split to spine, boards soiled and rubbed, [Warda 112; Adickes 67], 8vo, Riga, Johann Friedrich Hartknoch, 1788. sold not subject to return. ⁂ First edition of Kant's second main work; being the second of his three 'Critiques'. It contains the first appearance of his famous statement: 'Der bestirnte Himmel über mir, und das moralische Gesetz in mir' ('The starry sky above me and the moral law within me').

Greene (Graham).- Sherry (Norman) The Life of Graham Greene, 3 vol., first edition, signed presentation inscription from the author to Graham Greene, with Greene's ownership signature to vol.1, other ownership signatures to vol.2 & 3, plates, original boards, corners bumped, dust-jackets, lightly creased but overall excellent copies, 8vo, 1989.

Hayward (Sir John) The Lives of the III. Normans, Kings of England, first edition, 2 woodcut decorations on title, other woodcut decorations and initials, bookplate of James Watts, title and first 4 leaves with lower outer corner torn away and repaired, just touching a couple catchwords but without loss, contemporary ink marginalia to R3v, a few ff. with very small worm trace to blank inner margin, light water-staining, particularly towards end, later calf, rubbed at extremities, [STC 13000], 4to, Imprinted...by R.B., 1613.

Hume (David) Four dissertations. I. The natural history of religion. II. Of the passions. III. Of tragedy. IV. Of the standard of taste, first edition, half-title with advertisements verso, title with woodcut ornament, dedication a1-4, C12 and D1 cancels, without K5-K8 (as Rothschild), p.9 first word 'lative', p.131 first word 'lancing', small damp-stain to lower fore-edge corner, modern calf, lightly scuffed, [Rothschild 1176; Jessop pp.33-35], 12mo, for A. Millar, 1757.⁂ Originally the collection was to include the first three essays and 'Of Suicide' and 'Of the Immortality of the Soul'. The last two proved controversial to readers of proof copies and were replaced by 'Of the Standard of Taste' for the published edition.Provenance: Charles Walmesley, OSB (1722-1797), the English Catholic prelate [bookplate].

Rowling (J.K.) Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, first deluxe edition, first impression, signed presentation inscription from the author "To Betty, Happy 70th! With love from J. K. Rowling" to half-title, original cloth with mounted colour illustration, g.e., a fine copy, 8vo, 2003.

Fleming (Ian) Diamonds are Forever, first edition, light spotting to first few pages, original boards with silver diamond to centre, spine lettered in silver, near-fine, facsimile dust-jacket, 1956; From Russia With Love, first edition, original boards with gun-and-rose design to upper cover in bronze and silver, spine lettered in silver and bronze, later state dust-jacket, 1957; and a Book Club edition of the last, 8vo (3)

Rowling (J.K.) The Tales of Beedle the Bard, first edition, signed presentation inscription from the author "to Betty, with love from J.K. Rowling (Jo!)", illustrations, original pictorial boards, a fine copy, 8vo, 2008.

Greece.- Dodwell (Edward) Views in Greece, from Drawings, first edition, deluxe issue, title with aquatint vignette, 30 superb hand-coloured aquatint plates by R. Havell, T. Fielding, F.C. Lewis and others after Dodwell and Pomardi, plates mounted on thick card with printed captions and imprints on slips pasted to verso of mounts, each with explanatory leaf in English and French, tissue guards, to which offsetting, spotting and browning to mounts, in a few cases affecting plates as well, the same and some light uniform browning to multiple text leaves, contemporary straight-grain red morocco, gilt panelling in line and foliate patterns to corners, gilt dentelles of a vine pattern, covers capped in metal, upper joint broken at ends (but holding in central portion), lower torn at head, wear to extremities, [Abbey, Travel 130; Atabey 357; Blackmer 493; Colas 876; Weber I, 1110], folio, Rodwell and Martin, 1821.⁂ One of the most famous colour-plate books on Greece, and an essential part of any library of Greek monuments and topography. Edward Dodwell (1776/7- 1836), traveller and archaeologist, made several tours of Greece, the first with Sir William Gell in 1801 and another more extensive tour in 1805-6 with the artist Simone Pomardi. Originally issued in parts intended to illustrate Dodwell's Classical and Topographical Tour through Greece of 1819, but the project became too expensive and this selection of 30 plates was issued separately. Provenance: Sir John Wolfe Barry K.C.B [bookplate].

Waugh (Evelyn) Labels, first edition, frontispiece and plates, light foxing and spotting to endpapers and first few pages, endpapers browned, original cloth, spine ends lightly faded, dust-jacket, neatly restored and retouched, in effect an excellent copy, 8vo, 1930.

Christie (Agatha) Ten Little Niggers, first edition, author's cut signature laid down to endpaper, 2pp. advertisements at end, light scattered spotting, original cloth, covers lightly damp-stained, dust-jacket, price-clipped, rather creased and chipped, light retouching with neat tape repairs verso, triangular portions of loss to upper and lower panels, affecting title, short tears along edges, rubbed, 8vo, 1939.

Dickens (Charles) Great Expectations, 3 vol., first edition, fourth issue, without half-titles or advertisements, edition statements neatly erased from titles, small contemporary ink ownership name to vol.1 pastedown, light foxing to titles, original purple blind-stamped cloth, spines lettered in gilt, slight shelf-lean, [Great Expectations (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1993, Appendix D); Smith 1:14; Sadleir 688; Wolff 1799], 8vo, Chapman and Hall, 1861.⁂ With the text agreeing in all particulars with those identified by Cardwell in her appendix to Great Expectations.

Priestley (Joseph) The History and Present State of Discoveries Relating to Vision, Light, and Colours, 2 vol. in 1, first edition, folding frontispiece and 24 plates, lightly offset, list of subscribers, contemporary ink ownership name to title, contemporary calf, rubbed, rebacked, endpapers renewed, 4to, 1772.⁂ One of the earliest works on optics and the most comprehensive of its time. "Priestley's History of Optics had but one English edition ... it remained the only English work on the subject for a hundred and fifty years and the only one in any language for fifty" (DSB).

Physiology.- Descartes (René) Tractatus de homine, et de formatione foetus, translated by Claude Clerselier, edited by Louis La Forge, first Clerselier edition, title printed in red and black and with woodcut printer's device, woodcut illustrations, [Guibert 202:6; Krivatsy 3123; Wellcome II, p.453; Willems 1531; cf. G&M 574 (1662 edition)], Amsterdam, Daniel Elzevier, 1677 bound with La Forge (Louis) Tractatus de mente humana, ejus facultatibus & functionibus, nec non de ejusdem unione cum corpore; secundum principia Renati Descartes, first Latin edition, title with woodcut printer's device, a couple of woodcut illustrations in text, [Krivatsy 6554; Willems 1411], Amsterdam, Daniel Elzevier, 1669, together 2 works in 1 vol., red pencil number to upper corner of title of each work, some mostly light water-staining at head, occasional spotting or staining, lightly browned, contemporary calf, spine in compartments, rather worn, but holding firm, small 4to ⁂ I: 'Descartes considered the human body a material machine, directed by a rational soul located in the pineal body. This book was the first attempt to cover the whole field of 'animal physiology'. The work is really a physiological appendix to his Discourse on Method, 1637' (G&M). II: The French philosopher Louis La Forge was a friend of Descartes and one of the most able interpreters of Cartesianism.

[Combe (William)] The Life of Napoleon, a Hudibrastic Poem in Fifteen Cantos, first edition, hand-coloured aquatint title and 29 hand-coloured plates by George Cruikshank, the odd short tear and a few margins neatly repaired, not affecting text, plate 1 with a few chips and short tears to edges and laid down, once or twice running into image but without loss, some light browning and offsetting, handsomely bound in crimson crushed morocco, gilt, by Rivière & Son, very light rubbing to spine ends and corners, g.e., [Abbey Life 356], 1815; and a copy of Egan's Sporting Anecdotes bound by Rivière, large 8vo (2)

Nelson's copy.- Revolutionary Plutarch (The): exhibiting the most Distinguished Characters, Literary, Military, and Political, in the most recent Annals of the French Republic, vol.2 only (of 4), first edition, Nelson's copy with his inscription on front free endpaper "Nelson & Bronte sent by his friend Richard Bulkeley Esq." , light water-staining, uncut in original boards, lacks backstrip, 12mo, Printed for John Murray, 1804.⁂ Given the date of the book, presumably received by Nelson while on board HMS Victory in the Mediterranean while enforcing the blockade of Toulon.Richard Bulkeley was a friend and correspondent of Nelson, their being old comrades from the San Juan expedition of 1780.The work includes William Allen's Killing No Murder as an appendix. Described as "one of the most singular controversial pieces the political literature of our country has to boast" this tract was originally written by a Royalist in 1657. This, together with the extensive chapters on Napoleon Buonaparte and his family as well as the many other potted biographies of French military and naval figures must surely have been interesting reading for Nelson on board ship as he waited for the French fleet to try to escape the blockade.

Dahl (Roald) The BFG, first edition, signed presentation inscription from the author "to William, with love Roald Dahl" to front free endpaper, original pen drawing of the BFG holding Sophie in his hand, signed by the illustrator, illustrations by Quentin Blake, original boards, spine ends bumped, dust-jacket, spine very lightly faded with one or two very light creases to spine ends, otherwise a fine copy, housed in custom-made morocco-backed drop-back box, 8vo, 1982. ⁂ A fine example, double signed by author and illustrator, with the lovely original drawing by Blake to make this an exceptional copy.

[Heywood (John)] The Spider and the Flie. A parable of the spider and the flie, first edition, woodcut initials and tailpieces, woodcut illustrations (44 full-page, including repeats), lacking initial blanks, title, portrait frontispiece, A² (A2 recto supplied in contemporary manuscript facsimile), the Preface, the Table, Introduction, B2, B4, C1, C3&C4, D2, I4, K-L⁴, Aa1, Aavii2, Aavii3, Aavii4, Bbiiii"², 2C1, [left-pointing hand]Ccii"², [par.][double dagger]Eeiii"², ²"[par.][double dagger]"1-3, 2F4, 2K1, 2Q2 & 2Q3, 2S⁴, final blanks, damp-staining spot to 2D3-2Ff, printer's error to Kk4, corner repaired to [par.][double dagger]2, light damp-staining to margins, modern blind-stamped morocco, [Pforzheimer 469; STC 13308], 4to, by Tho[mas] Powell, 1556. sold not subject to return.⁂ Rare first edition of this early English woodcut work. Standing nearly as long as Milton's Paradise Lost, The Spider and the Fly is an allegorical mock-heroic bestiary in rhyme. It was first printed in 1556 but, according to Heywood's epilogue, was begun nineteen years earlier. The time span between composition and publication may account in part for the generally acknowledge obscurities and inconsistencies of Heywood's political and religious allegory. The poem is allegorical, with spiders standing in for Catholics and flies representing Protestants, yet this strange conceit met with only limited success and so the work was never reprinted, though it was attractively designed and illustrated as noted in Pforzheimer, "...outstanding among English works of the time."

James I and VI, King of England and Scotland. The Workes of the Most High and Mightie Prince, Iames, by the Grace of God, King of Great Britaine, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c, first edition, first issue, half-title with fine engraved portrait of James I verso (trimmed and laid down, portrait with portion of marginal loss), fine engraved additional pictorial title (closely trimmed, just touching image to inner margin), letterpress title with woodcut device, woodcut arms to a2, small engraved portrait of Prince Charles to head of dedication, woodcut initials, head- & tail-pieces, with final blank f., Millfield bookplate, later ink underlining and marginalia to T5, occasional slight browning, the odd spot or stain but generally clean, Y1 with very small hole in text, gutter split at Y2 but just holding, later marbled calf, quite worn, spine with central vertical split, lower cover detached, upper holding, [Pforzheimer 531; STC 14344], folio, by Robert Barker and Iohn Bill, printers to the Kings most excellent Maiestie, 1616.⁂ "This volume is of great interest to ... the development of the idea of the divine right of kings and other Stuart constitutional problems. ... Typographically this is one of the finest specimens of Jacobean book-production" - Pforzheimer.

Wollstonecraft (Mary) Original Stories from Real Life; with Conversations, calculated to Regulate the Affections, and Form the Mind to Truth and Goodness, first illustrated edition, copper-engraved frontispiece and 5 plates by William Blake, extra illustrated with an additional plate (?possibly Blake), with 3pp. advertisements at end, book label to pastedown, plates very lightly offset, a few scattered light spots, contemporary panelled calf, spine rubbed, [Bentley 514; Gumuchian 5854; Osborne p.255; Rothschild 2597; Windle A3b], 12mo, for J. Johnson, 1791.⁂ Originally published in 1788 this is the first illustrated edition, with copper-engraved plates by William Blake. Wollstonecraft's only complete work of children's literature, it promotes her views of women's education, most centrally, that in order for women to emerge as rational adults, and thus enrich and greatly improve contemporary society, it was essential to properly educate them as children: "These conversations and tales are accommodated to the present state of society; which obliges the author to attempt to cure those faults by reason, which ought never to have taken root in the infant mind". Preface.

Two Border Fine Arts limited edition fox hunting models by Anne Wall, the first Elegance in the Field, No. 370 of 950, the second Collecting the Hounds, No. 411 of 950, each with wood plinth, together with a Border Fine Arts model of a fox by David Watton (faults).Buyer’s Premium 29.4% (including VAT @ 20%) of the hammer price. Lots purchased online via the-saleroom.com will attract an additional premium of 6% (including VAT @ 20%) of the hammer price.

A JK Rowling first edition of The Crimes of Grindelwald

Fleming (Ian), Thunderball, first edition, first impression 1961, London, Jonathan Cape, original black cloth gilt with blind-embossed skeletal hand to front and original dust cover. * Condition: Foxing to wrapper, toning to upper margin and a little chipping and rubbing to corners and head and tail of spine. Not price clipped. Two tiny tears to top of back flap. Some foxing to page edges and a few fox marks to first three chapters. Top edge dirt soiled.

Fleming (Ian), The Spy who Loved Me, first edition, first impression 1962, pub. London, Jonathan Cape, orig. black cloth and original dust jacket. * Condition: Ink presentation inscription to ffep, dated 12/4/62. Some spotting to wrapper, toning to margins and dirt soiling to back. Chipping to corners and head & tail of spine. Not price clipped. Some foxing to cloth boards. Foxing to page edges and top edge soiled. Occasional spotting and a few tiny fox marks to title.

Fleming (Ian), On Her Majesty's Secret Service, first edition, 7th impression, pub. London, Jonathan Cape 1964; together with From Russia with Love, 1st edition, 7th impression pub. London, Jonathan Cape 1963, both orig. black cloth with dust jackets. (2) * Condition: - On Her Majesty's: A few light fox marks and slight toning to wrapper. Slight rubbing to corners. Not price clipped. Light toning to inside front flap and ffep (with bookmark shadow). Top edges soiled. One or two small fox marks to a few pages and one tiny fox spot to title. Clean copy.- From Russia: Some foxing to back of wrapper and light toning to spine. Very slight rubbing to edges and corners. Not price clipped. Tone line to top edge of inside flaps. A very few small spots to pages. Clean copy.

A Royal Mint 2014 Lunar Year of the Horse £10 gold coin, 1/10th of an ounce, in case of issue with literature, from an edition of 2,888. A Royal Mint silver £2.00 proof one ounce coin, in case of issue with literature, from an edition of 8,888 (2) *Condition: First marked to outer slip cover, otherwise largely as issued.

Three Royal Mint silver issues 'A timeless First' £20 fine silver George and the Dragon coin 2013. With a Westminster Mint '65th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings Silver Britannia', silver proof, 2009, from an edition of 995. All in original packaging as issued *Condition: Largely as issued.

Enamelled Ltd edition commemorative Frank Hornby plaque number 86 of 250 produced by the London Toy Museum, the first two plaques were attached to the locomotive, the rest were allotted to HRCA members.

Three biographical works. Edith Oldham. 'Seaweed. A Cornish Idyll,' first edition, a little fading otherwise a good copy, The Unversity Press Ltd, Watford, London, 1898.Mrs Havelock Ellis. 'My Cornish Neighbours,' first edition, a good copy, pub by Alston Rivers ltd, London, 1906.Harvey Preen. 'The Giddy Ox. The Story of a Family Holiday (primarily Cornish based),' original green boards, pub by H. J. Cook, 21 Golden Square, London, 1900. (3)

Two works published by The Holman Bros. Bernard Hollowood (illustrated by Terence Cuneo). 'Cornish Engineers,' first edition, dedicated to all past and present who have helped in the firm’s progress, topped in is a letter from the publisher to the editor of the Western Morning News hoping the book will be included in their columns, additionally an insert showing the programme of events to celebrate the 150th anniversary culminating in a rendition of going up Camborne Hill Coming Down each evening, two newspaper cuttings, deckled pages, a very good copy, published for private circulation by Holman Brothers Ltd, 1951.'Our Work During the Great War 1914-1918,' Holman Bros Ltd, Camborne, England, printed by Langley and Sons Ltd, the Euston Press, London, issued by Holman Bros Ltd, at the close of war, Camborne January 1st 1919, some foxing otherwise a good copy. (2)

Penlee and other Cornish Interest Michael Sagar-Fenton, Penlee ‘the loss of a life boat’, first edition, 1991. Published by Bossiney Books, St Teath, Bodmin. The story of The Solomon Browne and it’s tragic loss. in original card covers a very good copy, signed on the title page by the author. Loosely inserted, a suscription form.Roger Nowell & Jeremy Mills, The Skipper ‘A Fisherman’s Tales’, 1993, published by BCA, London. The story of life aboard the trawler ‘’William Sampson’’ working out of Newlyn in the 1990s.loosely inserted various relevant newspaper cuttings. A near-fine copy.A very early photograph of the ‘’Friggins coach and four horses’’ leaving ‘Wardour House’ Penzance. Driver and seventeen passengers bound for Logan Rock – Lands End – Gurnards Head and Carbis Bay. photo size 7 ½ ‘’ x 5’’ .A large reproduction of a William H. Harrison photograph of Mullion Cove, circa 1893.

Rev. Malachy Hitchins Account of the discovery of silver in Herland Copper Mine (near Gwennap) Communicated by Sir Joseph Banks on the 12th February, 1801. First edition, 1800, published by the Royal Society of London. Herland Mine is believed to have started in 1717 and runs contiguous to Prince George Mine. In 1726, the mine was rich enough to have a 70-inch Newcombe Pumping Engine and was developed to 120 fathoms. 6 pages plus a fold-out map showing the lodes of Herland and Prince George Copper Mines on a plane parallel to the horizon at one hundred and ten fathoms below the surface of the earth. Good condition.