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Greene (Graham) A Gun for Sale, first English edition, light foxing, original cloth, slight shelf-lean, light sunning to spine, light bumping to spine ends and corners, light surface soiling, [Wobbe A12a], 8vo, 1936.⁂ One of Greene's scarcest novels. The action of A Gun for Sale in part anticipates that of Brighton Rock as Raven's killing of Kite in the former allows Pinkie to take over the gang at the start of the latter.

Greene (Graham) The Confidential Agent, first edition, occasional spotting and light toning to text, original cloth, slight shelf-lean, light spotting, first issue dust-jacket priced at 7s. 6d., light sunning to spine, spine ends and corners chipped, chip with loss to foot of lower panel with loss to 2 letters of text, some chipping, creasing and fraying to head and foot of panels, patch of soiling to upper panel, rubbed, [Wobbe A15a], 8vo, 1939.⁂ Among the rarest of any Greene titles to find in the first issue dust-jacket. Greene wrote The Confidential Agent against the backdrop of the Spanish Civil War. He had begun writing The Power and the Glory but anticipated that it would not bring in the revenues he usually hoped for from his "entertainments". With the Second World War on the horizon Greene anticipated a need for some financial security and so began writing The Confidential Agent in the morning and The Power and the Glory in the afternoon, the frenzy of writing allegedly fuelled in part by Benzedrine.

Greene (Graham) The Ministry of Fear, first edition, original pale yellow cloth, light bumping to spine tips and corners, dust-jacket, spine slightly dulled, spine ends and corners chipped with loss to head of spine affecting first word of title (part of lost section loosely inserted), tears to head and foot with longer tears to foot of spine and head of upper panel, tape repairs to verso, light creasing to head, [Wobbe A18a], 8vo, 1943.

Greene (Graham) The Third Man and the Fallen Idol, first edition, browning to half-title, original boards, dust-jacket spine ends and corners chipped, tear to lower pane with portion of loss and creasing, tape repair to verso with some show-through, chip with creasing to foot of upper panel, rubbed, [Wobbe A23a], 1950; The Monster of Capri, one of 500 copies signed by the author, original boards, dust-jacket, light toning to spine, Helsinki, Eurographica, 1962; Reflections of Travels with My Aunt, one of 250 copies signed by the author, original stiff wrappers, New York, 1989; and 6 others, Greene, 8vo (9)

Gregory (Isabella Augusta, Lady) Coole, first edition, one of 250 copies, author's own copy with her inscription "Own copy, A. Gregory" to endpaper and her bookplate to front pastedown, newspaper clippings loosely inserted, original cloth-backed boards, spine label a little chipped and browned, light spotting and marking to covers, 8vo, Dublin, Cuala Press, 1931.⁂ Lady Gregory's own of her essays concerning her house and its grounds, one of the focal points of the Irish Literary Revival. The work opens with Yeats' 1929 poem "Coole Park".

Joyce (James) Dubliners, first edition, some very light scattered spotting, ink ownership inscription of Sylvia Lynd to front free endpaper, original maroon cloth, lettered in gilt, a few light marks to covers, light bumping to corners and spine ends, extremities lightly rubbed, small patch of damp-staining to lower cover, but a good copy overall, [Slocum and Cahoon A8], 8vo, Grant Richards Ltd, 1914.⁂ First edition of this landmark Irish short story collection, one of only 746 copies bound by the publisher. "I seriously believe that you will retard the course of civilisation in Ireland by preventing the Irish people from having one good look at themselves in my nicely polished looking-glass" (Joyce to his publisher Richards, quoted in Slocum & Cahoon).

Joyce (James) Finnegans Wake, first edition, neat contemporary ownership inscription to pastedown, light scattered spotting to endpapers, original cloth, fine, dust-jacket, t.e. stained yellow, others uncut, very short closed tear to upper joint, a few very small nicks to extremities but otherwise a near-fine example, 8vo, 1939.⁂ A remarkable copy of Joyce's landmark 20th century novel, rare with such a bright and unrestored jacket. The novel took sixteen years to write, and Joyce envisioned it as nothing less than a "history of the world". Initially titled Work in Progress, it remains one of his most tortuous and complex texts.

Joyce (James) Ulysses, first edition, one of 750 numbered copies on handmade paper, from an edition of 1000, original blue wrappers, a few minor and delicate repairs to fore-edge, sympathetically rebacked with original spine laid down (chipped and creased with some loss), some minor creasing to fore-edge wrappers, minor discolouration, still in effect a crisp and attractive copy, housed in custom-made drop-back box, [Slocum and Cahoon A17], 4to, Paris, Shakespeare and Company, 1922.⁂

Lawrence (D.H.) The Plumed Serpent, first edition, original cloth, spine ends lightly bumped, dust-jacket, short nicks and tears to extremities, lightly soiled and spotted, still in effect an attractive copy, 8vo, 1926.

Le Carré (John) The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, first edition, signed presentation inscription from the author on leaf tipped in at front, signed leaf a little damp-stained with some smudging to inscription, original boards, sunning to spine and cover margins, dust-jacket, light sunning to spine, spine ends and corners a little chipped, light rubbing to extremities, light surface soiling to lower panel, 8vo, 1963.

Martin (George R. R.) [A Song of Ice and Fire], 6 vol., comprising: A Game of Thrones, very light creasing to jacket, 1996; A Clash of Kings, 1998; A Storm of Swords, 2000; A Feast for Crows, boards very lightly soiled, 2005; A Dance with Dragons, 2011; Fire and Blood, 2018, first editions, all signed by the author to title, original boards, dust-jackets, near-fine,1996-2018; and a signed first edition duplicate of Fire and Blood, 8vo.

Milne (A. A.) [The Christopher Robin Books], 4 vol., comprising When We Were Very Young, fifth edition, light browning to endpapers, spine ends and corners a little bumped, jacket spine a little browned, foxing and light surface soiling, light creasing and a few nicks and teas to head and foot, 1924; Winnie-the-Pooh, second edition, light browning to endpapers, jacket with very light toning to spine, short tear to foot of upper panel, some light creasing to head, 1926; Now We Are Six, first edition, light browning to half-title and imprimatur, jacket with light toning to spine, short nick to head of upper joint and corner, 1927; The House at Pooh Corner, first edition, light browning to endpapers, jacket with light sunning to spine, light creasing to spine head, 1928, pictorial or map endpapers, original pictorial cloth, gilt, some slight shelf-lean, light rubbing to spine tips and corners, t.e.g., dust-jackets, an excellent set, 8vo.⁂ An attractive set, the first two titles with dust-jackets matching those usually found on the first editions.

Milne (A. A.) The House at Pooh Corner, first edition, half-title, illustrations by E. H. Shepard, pictorial endpapers, lightly browned, small marginal nick to p.45, original pictorial cloth, gilt, very slight bumping to spine extremities, lightly faded, dust-jacket, small loss to spine head, lightly soiled, damp-staining to lower panel, spine lightly browned, 8vo, 1928.

Orwell (George) Nineteen Eighty-Four, first edition, endpaper collage of Orwell's eyes, small compartments to upper and lower pastedown revealing the Queen's face and binder's "Certificate of Authenticity" leather label respectively, modern red calf in jacket design with skull design buttons and white lettering "Winston Smith" to the left breast, onlayed fake eye to tan calf chest, lettered in white on lower cover, 8vo, 1949.⁂ This copy number 65 of 100 specially-bound copies.

Claudianus (Claudius) Opera Quam Diligentissime Castigata, Quorum Indicem in Sequenti Pagina Reperies, edited by Francesco Torreansi, first Aldine edition, collation: a-y8, woodcut printer's device to title and verso of final f., multiple early ink marginal notes between q7-s2 (partially erased), book label front pastedown, light marginal damp-staining to initial 6 ff. and final c.28 ff., a few instances of spotting, nineteenth century calf, upper cover with central blind-stamped arms of 1st Duke of Sutherland, extremities a little scuffed, [Venice], [House of Aldus & Andrea Torresani], 1523.⁂ Provenance: purportedly from the library of Rembrandt, with [?]erroneous ink inscription to front free endpaper 'Rembrandt van Ryn/ 1646'; George Granville Leverson-Gower, 1st Duke of Sutherland (arms to upper cover).Literature: Adams C2073; Ahmanson-Murphy 218; Renouard, Alde, 96:1; EDIT 16 CNCE 12668.

Orwell (George) Nineteen Eighty-Four, first edition, modern burgundy crushed morocco, gilt, original upper cover bound in at rear, t.e.g., 8vo, 1949.

Pratchett (Terry) Strata, first edition, signed presentation inscription from the author and additionally signed by the publisher on title, light marginal toning, original boards, slight shelf-lean, dust-jacket, publisher's £5.95 price sticker to front flap, light creasing head, otherwise excellent 8vo, 1981.⁂ Pratchett's third book, rare signed.

Pullman (Philip) [His Dark Materials], 3 vol., first edition, all signed by the author to title, original boards, dust-jackets, mint, 8vo, 1995-2000.

Rowling (J.K.) Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, first paperback edition, first printing, light marginal toning, faint creasing to half-title and title, original pictorial wrappers, minute crease to upper corner or upper wrapper, light rubbing to head and foot, but a bright, near-mint example overall, 8vo, 1997.⁂ A superb and bright example of the first in the Harry Potter series. Rare in such remarkable condition.

Tolkien (J.R.R.) The Hobbit, or There and Back Again, first edition, first impression, frontispiece, one plate and 8 illustrations, including 7 full-page, map endpapers printed in red and black, all by the author, 2pp. advertisements, Time Book Club book label to rear pastedown, some light spotting to half-titles and endpapers, light spotting to fore-edge, original pictorial cloth, shelf-lean, light toning and faint spotting to spine, spine ends and corners a little bumped, very small patch of fraying to lower edge, but a bright and excellent example overall, 8vo, 1937.⁂ An unusually bright example of this landmark children's fantasy novel.

Woolf (Virginia) Mrs Dalloway, first edition, endpapers browned, very occasional light foxing, few pages carelessly opened, fore-edge spotted, light rubbing to spine ends and corners, dust-jacket by Vanessa Bell, spine browned, professional and subtle repairs to spine and fore-edges verso with light retouching to recto, spine lightly discoloured, still in effect a bright and excellent copy of the scarce jacket, [Kirkpatrick A9; Woolmer 82], 8vo, Hogarth Press, 1925.⁂ Virginia Woolf's masterpiece and undoubtedly her most popular work, as well as one of the most difficult to find in the dust-jacket.

Woolf (Virginia) The Waves, first edition, original cloth, spine faded, dust-jacket, very light browning to fore-edge, spine ends and corners slightly chipped, short close tear neatly repaired to spine tail, still overall a remarkably bright and crisp copy, [Kirkpatrick A16; Woolmer 279], 8vo, Hogarth Press, 1931.

Woolf (Virginia) The Years, first edition, endpapers lightly browned, original cloth, gilt, dust-jacket designed by Vanessa Bell, small tears to lower joints, spine lightly browned with very light spotting, but overall an excellent and attractive copy, [Kirkpatrick A22; Woolmer 423], 8vo, 1937.

Beardsley (Aubrey).- Malory (Sir Thomas) [Le Morte Darthur] The Birth Life and Acts of King Arthur..., third edition, one of 1600 copies, 20 plates, illustrations, initials and decorations by Aubrey Beardsley, tissue guards, original pictorial black cloth, gilt, designed Beardsley, t.e.g., others uncut, a superb bright copy in the scarce original dust-jacket (torn and frayed), 4to, 1927 .⁂ Initially issued by Dent in 12 parts this was Beardsley's first commission as a 20-year-old art student and the one which made his reputation. This is the most complete edition of the work, with ten illustrations not included in the two first printings.

Lang (Andrew) [The Fairy Books], 12 vol., all but one first editions, 'Red' book second edition, colour and plain plates by H. J. Ford and others, the 'Olive', 'Pink', 'Orange', and 'Crimson' clean and crisp, others with occasional light spotting or browning, some with contemporary ink ownership signatures or gift presentations, 'Brown' with attractive contemporary hand-colouring, 'Green' and 'Yellow' with occasional crude hand-colouring to plates, 'Grey' with abrasion marks to pastedown and hinges reinforced with tape, original pictorial cloth, spine ends bumped and creased, spines faded, worse to the 'Yellow' book, still overall an attractive set, 8vo, 1889-1910.⁂ A bright and crisp set of Lang's beloved Fairy Books.

Africa.- Herbert (Sir Thomas) A Relation of Some Yeares Travaile, begunne Anno 1626. Into Afrique and the greater Asia..., first edition, lacking initial blank but with additional engraved pictorial title 'A Description of the Persian Monarchy...' by William Marshall and final colophon leaf, woodcut decorations and initials, engraved maps and illustrations in text, C1 supplied from another copy, tears to B3, M2, Ee2 & 3 repaired (mostly marginal), later manuscript note to margin of Ff1 by mention of Madoc ap Owen first discovering America, bookplate of D.G.Mackenzie, contemporary calf, rubbed, rebacked, new morocco label, corners repaired, new endpapers, note re repairs by Sangorski & Sutcliffe in 1965 to rear pastedown, [STC 13190; Sabin 31471], folio, by William Stansby and Jacob Bloome, 1634.⁂ Including extensive information on the Persian empire and an illustration of a dodo on p.212. One of two variant imprints.

NO RESERVE Africa.- Schomburg (L. H. van) Reise von Kopenhagen nach Lissabon, first edition, 5 folding tables, contemporary half calf, spine gilt with modern morocco label, [Mendelssohn, vol.4, pp.140-141], 8vo, Odense, Gedruckt in der Koeniglich privil. Adresse-Contoirs Buchdruckerey, 1784.⁂ 'Voyage of a Danish warship, 1780-1781, including 5 weeks at anchor in Table Bay." Includes description of the Azores and the Cape of Good Hope.

Canada.- [Maseres (Francis)] Additional papers concerning the Province of Quebeck, first edition, engraved hand-coloured map "Quebec and its Environs" dated 1813 laid onto title verso, 2 other Quebec plates loosely inserted, lacking final blank f., title with some show-through from glue on verso with contemporary ink ownership inscription and ink stamp, occasional light browning, modern morocco-backed boards, [Sabin 45411], 8vo, W. White, 1776.

China.- The Sacred Edict: containing 16 Maxims of the Emperor Kang-He. Amplified by his Son. With a Paraphrase on the whole by a Mandarin. And translated, with Notes, by William Milne, Protestant Missionary at Malacca, first edition in English, half-title, occasional small stain or light marking to margins, ink ownership inscription to head of title verso, paper slip signed "Lieut-General Sir James Outram" laid onto title verso with bookseller's label of Arthur Prosthain, Oriental Bookseller below, faint blind-stamp to title and final f., modern morocco-backed boards, 8vo, 1817.⁂ Rare first English translation of the Sacred Edict of the Kangxi Emperor, we can trace no copy at auction since 1948. The edicts were first issued by the Emperor in 1670, consisting of sixteen maxims, each seven characters long, to instruct the average citizen in the basic principals of Confucian orthodoxy. Also published here is Wang Youpu's interpretation of the maxims.

Crete.- Pashley (Robert) Travels in Crete, 2 vol., first edition, half-titles, 10 lithographed plates, folding map and plate of inscriptions, wood-engraved illustrations, some full-page, occasional ink and pencil notes to margins, 1 or 2 additional illustrations laid onto blank margins, vol. 1 title remains of adhesive strip to inner margin, bookplate and ink ownership inscriptions to pastedown and endpapers, original cloth, light sunning to spines, spine ends and corners a little bumped and frayed but a good set overall, [Blackmer 1263; Not in Abbey], 8vo, Cambridge & London, 1837.⁂ "First edition of this important work... Pashley spent most of 1834 in Crete, exploring it in detail. He was accompanied by Antonio Schranz, a member of the Maltese family of artists, who did the drawings... Pasley and Schranz visited practically every village, monasteries, ancient sites, etc. and have produced a detailed account of the island." - Blackmer.

Crete.- Spratt (Thomas Abel Bremage) Travels and Researches in Crete, 2 vol., first edition, 14 tinted lithographed plates after Spratt, mostly views, one folding, and 2 plates of inscriptions and one of coins, 2 folding hand-coloured engraved maps, numerous lithographed or wood-engraved illustrations on india paper and mounted in the text, some full-page, with advertisement leaf at beginning of vol.1 and end of vol.2, original pictorial cloth, gilt, recased with neat repairs to joints and spine ends, spines darkened, light rubbing and mottling, [Blackmer 1590], 8vo, 1865.⁂ An important survey of Crete, including an appendix comparing Cretan dialect to modern Greek by Viscount Strangford.

Egypt.- Gardiner (Alan H., editor) The Temple of King Sethos I at Abydos, 4 vol., first edition, plates, many colour, many double-page, original cloth, occasional light marking to covers and spines, large folio, 1933-58.⁂ First edition of this monumental work on the Temple complex of King Sethos, published over a 25 year period.

Mountaineering.- Hillary (Edmund) High Adventure, first edition, signed by author, frontispiece and plates, original cloth, fractional bumping to spine extremities, dust-jacket, lightly sunned spine, very slight creasing to top edge, scattered very faint spotting, 1955 § Hunt (John) The Ascent of Everest, early reprint, signed by Hillary on half-title, original cloth, slight bumping to spine extremities, 2 dust-jackets, slight bumping to corners and spine extremities, 1954; and another, Everest, 8vo & 4to (3)

Peleponnese.- Morea.- Dapper (Olfert) Naukeurige Beschryving van Morea, eertijts Peloponnesus.., first edition, additional engraved pictorial title, letterpress title in red and black, 15 engraved plates and maps only (of 17), of which 9 folding or double-page (1 with small tear at fold), numerous engraved vignettes in text, 2*3 with tear from lower edge (affecting text but no loss), 3*2-3*3 and d2-d3 mis-bound, B with tear and repair along full length at inner margin (touching text but no loss, some tape staining and edges soiled), scattered spotting and occasional soiling, small amount of damp-staining at upper fore-edge towards end, contemporary vellum, gilt, toning and soiling, [Blackmer 452], folio, Amsterdam, Wolfgangh et al., 1688.

Voyages.- Schouten (Willem Corneliszoon) Journal ou Description du Merveilleux Voyage...en circum-navigeant le Gobe terrestre..., second Amsterdam edition in French, engraved title-vignette, double-page engraved twin-hemisphere world map supplied from another edition with Dutch text to verso, 3 other folding engraved maps (one with a few small repaired holes at old fold), 5 engraved double-page or folding plates (at least 3 from another edition with Dutch text on verso), C3-D1 with very slight worming in text, later calf, gilt, corners and spine ends worn, rubbed, [Sabin 77948; Hill pp269-270], 4to, Amsterdam, Chez Harman Ianson, 1619.⁂ A good, albeit sophisticated, copy. "This is the account of Schouten's voyage around the world, during which Cape Horn, named after Schouten's native town [Hoorn], was discovered, and first rounded. The leading citizens of Hoorn had helped finance the expedition by joining together under Isaac Le Maire to found the Compagnie Australe. The newly-discovered passage to the Pacific Ocean was named the Strait of Le Maire. Although published under Schouten's name, it is not certain that he was the true author of this journal, which was edited and compiled by the mapmaker, Willem Jansz Blaeu. It is probably compiled from one or more of the log books of the voyage and perhaps mainly from one kept by the commissary Aris Claezoom. The ship Eendracht, while crossing the Pacific, discovered some of the Tuamotu Islands, the northern Tonga Islands, the Hoorn Islands, the Schouten Islands, and visited New Guinea, the Moluccas, and Batavia... Several of the maps are of great importance for the history of Pacific cartography. The northern coast of New Guinea was revealed and charted for the first time with some definiteness of detail." (Hill).Provenance: Anselme de Bonnaire (ink name on title and verso, dated 1631); Thomas Philip Earl de Grey, Wrest Park (bookplate); "B.L." (unidentified 20th century bookplate)

Gloucestershire.- Atkyns (Sir Robert) The Ancient and Present State of Gloucestershire, second edition, large paper copy, double-page engraved map, 8 plates of coats-of-arms and 64 double-page views by Kip, with Author's Epitaph and Directions to Binder f. following preface and advertisement, occasional light spotting or finger-soiling, mostly marginal, some leaves or plates with short marginal tears, some plates creased, otherwise a generally crisp and clean copy, contemporary panelled calf, spine gilt in compartments, lightly rubbed, folio, T. Spilsbury, for W. Herbert [&c.], 1768.⁂ An excellent large paper copy of the second edition. Thomas Kip's views of country seats, first published in 1712, make this one of the best known topographical works of the eighteenth century.

Maritime.- English Pilot (The) Describing the Sea-Coasts, Capes, Head-Lands, Bays, Roads, Harbours, Rivers and Ports...in the Whole Mediterranean Sea, 1786 bound with Michelot (Henri) Directions for the Mediterranean Pilot, translated by John Adams, 1788, together 2 works in 1, 17 double-page engraved maps or charts, (one large folding), woodcuts in texts, contemporary ownership note of 'A. Kernassten' to front free endpaper and same signature to title, loss to lower corner of 'Languedoc Provence' plate, occasional light spots or marks, otherwise a remarkably clean copy, contemporary calf, rebacked, spine gilt with red morocco labels, light rubbing to extremities and lower cover, folio, for Mount and Page. ⁂ Though a relatively late edition of the latter part, the work remained the favoured English pilot-book for the region of the period. The second part is an edited translation of Henri Michelot's pilot directions for the western Mediterranean by John Adams, designed to complement the charts of the first part.

Scotland & Ireland.- Blaeu (Willem Jansz. and Joan) Novus Atlas, Das ist, Weld-beschreibung, Mit schönen newen außführlichen Land-Taffeln in Kupffer gestochen [Volume V. Scotland and Ireland], engraved title with Scottish coat of arms and architectural facade containing letterpress title on overslip, 52 double-page and one single-page engraved maps, all with early hand-colouring, title and maps mounted on stubs, browning, off-setting, spotting and staining throughout, sometimes very heavy to both text and maps, title with heavy surface dirt and browning, marginal tears and rough edges, the overslip with ink inscription from previous owner and area of abrasion to lower right, 'Scotia Antiqua' map trimmed at the right side and lacking panel with cartouche, several maps with splitting to central vertical folds, numerous marginal nicks and small losses throughout, some heavy handling creases, original publisher's vellum panelled in gilt, lacking green silk ties, covers soiled, warped, corners bumped, worn, folio, Amsterdam Joan Blaeu, 1654.⁂ The 'first printed county atlas' of Scotland [Koeman]. German edition of Blaeu's atlas of Scotland and Ireland, comprising volume V of the Novus Atlas.

Agriculture.- America.- Deane (Samuel) The New-England Farmer; or, Georgical Dictionary, first edition, list of subscribers, double column, browned, green glazed bookplate and book-label of Mrs Henry Steele to pastedowns, contemporary sheep, rebacked preserving old red roan label, corners repaired, [Sabin 19056], Worcester, Mass., Isaiah Thomas, 1790 § Birkbeck (Morris) Letters from Illinois, third edition, 6pp. publishers' catalogue at end, contemporary names to rear endpapers including that of the author, rather soiled, a few stains, with contemporary book-label of Kendal Library to front pastedown, contemporary half calf, rebacked, 1818, both ex-Lawes Library, Rothamsted with stamp to front pastedowns, rubbed, 8vo (2)⁂ The first is one of the earliest American dictionaries of agriculture.

Agriculture.- Bradley (Richard) The Gentleman and Farmer's Guide for the Increase and Improvement of Cattle, second edition, advertisement leaf bound after title, 4 engraved plates, woodcut illustrations, one or two stains, contemporary calf, morocco label, rubbed, for G.S. and sold by W.Mears, 1732 § Twamley (Josiah) Dairying Exemplified, or the Business of Cheese-Making..., first edition, lacking half-title, ink ownership inscription to head of title, title soiled and stained at inner margin, rather crudely trimmed shaving signature to title and text of a couple of other leaves, tear to G1 repaired, modern half pigskin, uncut, Warwick, for the Author by J.Sharp, 1784, 8vo (2)

Agriculture.- Thomassin (Jean François) Dissertation sur le Charbon Malin de la Bourgogne, ou la Pustule Maligne, early edition, with two titles (one with Dijon & Besançon imprint as in first edition, the other Paris), printed on thick pale blue paper, with contemporary manuscript sheet of notes on anthrax loosely inserted, contemporary calf, gilt, sine gilt with red morocco label, small wormed patch to upper cover, Paris, P.Fr.Didot le jeune, 1780 § Boutrolle (J.G.) Le Parfait Bouvier, our Instruction concernant la connoissance des Boeufs & Vaches, ?first edition, Rouen, Besongne, [1765] bound with Ethis de Noveau (C.-J.) Mémoire qui a remporté le Prix à l'Académie de Besançon, le 24 Aout 1767, only edition, Besançon, Daglin, [c.1768] and [Calonne (L.F. de)] Essais d'Agriculture...sur la nature & la propagation des pépinières, des arbres étrangers..., only edition, half-title, 3pp. approbation/privilege at end, Paris, for the author, 1779, the last 3 works together in 1 vol., trimmed at fore-edge shaving a few leaves of second work, later calf-backed boards, all rubbed; and 2 others in French, one a collection of extracts on preserving potatoes, 8vo & 4to (4)⁂ The first item concerns anthrax, the second is a veterinary guide to agricultural stock particularly bovines, the third is a scarce work proposing double-cropping of land, and the last is on arboriculture especially fruit trees.

Duelling.- Selden (John) The Duello, or Single Combat, second edition, final advertisement leaf, [Noyes 408; Thimm p.264; cf.Heltzel 1285, first edition of 1610], for William Bray, [?1711] bound with Finet (Sir John) A Letter from Paris written to a Nobleman...containing Many Substantial and Weighty Arguments to prove the Unlawfulness of Duels or Single Combats, first edition, variant with "at the Oxford-Arms" in imprint, half-title, first and last leaves trimmed at fore-edge and one other frayed at fore-edge but no loss to text, [Thimm p.103], by J.Roberts, 1720, together 2 works in 1 vol., browned, bookplates of C.A.Cuthbert Keeson and John W.Davis, later half red morocco, by Lloyd, g.e., slightly rubbed at edges, rebacked preserving old gilt spine § Ferrall (S.Ansley) On the Duel, second edition, presentation copy from the author to the Marquess of Sligo inscribed at head of title (slightly shaved), lightly soiled and browned, ink stains to verso of final leaf, modern marbled boards, [Not in Thimm], 1838-40, 8vo (2)⁂ The first mentioned, originally published in 1610, was the first major work in English on duelling; no further editions are known. The last item concerns the legal aspects of duelling and, in fatal cases, whether it should be classed as manslaughter or murder.

Fencing.- [Blackwell (Henry)] The English Fencing-Master: or, the Compleat Tuterour of the Small Sword, first edition, 5 full-page woodcut illustrations, ink markings to title, old ink library shelf-numbers to front pastedown and label removed, contemporary panelled sprinkled calf, gilt, rubbed, corners a little worn, rebacked preserving old gilt spine, [Thimm p.31], 4to, by J.Downing, 1702.⁂ Rare fencing manual, purportedly a plagiarism of Sir William Hope's Scots Fencing Master of 1687. Library Hub locates 6 UK copies.

Fencing.- Olivier (Jean) Fencing Familiarized: or, a New Treatise on the Art of Sword Play; L'Art des Armes Simplifié..., first edition, title and text in parallel English and French, half-title, folding engraved frontispiece and 8 engraved plates by Ovenden, all but one folding, advertisement to verso of final leaf of text dated 1771 but without final 'Directions to Binder' leaf, light offsetting, contemporary sheep, rubbed, rebacked, corners repaired, [Thimm p.211], 8vo, for John Bell, 1771.⁂ Scarce fencing manual by the popular French fencing master Jean Olivier, who settled in London as Master of Fencing at St.Dunstan's Court, Fleet Street.

Field Sports.- Wright (George) The Complete Bird-Fancyer..., first edition, engraved frontispiece, with leaf 'Receipt for Bird Paste from Willoughby on Birds' at end (not called for by ESTC) and another version on different paper tipped in facing p.9, for J.Cooke, [?1766] bound after [Shirley (Thomas)] The Angler's Museum; or, the Whole Art of Float and Fly Fishing, third edition, engraved portrait frontispiece (lightly offset), title with woodcut vignette, [W&S p.194], for John Fielding, [c.1784], together 2 works in 1 vol., contemporary tree calf, gilt, spine gilt with red and green roan labels, rubbed § Angler's Pocket-Book (The); or, Compleat English Angler... Also Nobbs's...Treatise on the Art of Trolling, third edition, without engraved frontispiece (as often), wood-engraved illustrations, old ink signature to head of title, contemporary sheep, worn, rebacked, new endpapers, [W&S p.11], 1805 § [Cox (Nicholas)] The Gentleman's Recreation, in Four Parts. Viz. Hunting, Hawking, Fowling, Fishing...whereto is added, a perfect Abstract of the Forest Laws..., 2 parts in 1, sixth edition, engraved frontispiece and 4 plates, one large (torn and repaired), 3F4 in second part lacking lower outer corner with loss of a few letters, bookplate of William Trumbull, contemporary calf, upper joint split, [W & S p.68; this edition not in Schwerdt], for N.C....sold by J.Wilcox..., 1721, 8vo et infra (3)⁂ The first item is rare; ESTC lists only one copy of this edition (Michigan State University).

Gemstones.- Jeffries (David) A Treatise on Diamonds and Pearls, second edition, woodcut head- & tail-pieces and initials, list of subscribers, 30 engraved plates (10 of cutting techniques and 20 tables of values), with 2pp. tables and final blank at end of text, lightly browned, modern calf, spine faded, [Goldsmiths' 8612.3; Sinkankas 3196], 8vo, for the Author, 1751.⁂ Greatly expanded second edition of a work first published the previous year, with new material on Brazilian diamonds, diamond cutting in India, and alternative methods of valuation. "The first book in English to describe how diamonds and pearls can be evaluated on the basis of the factors of size (or weight) and style of cut, with allowances being made in the case of diamonds where cut stones depart from the 'ideal' proportions that were accepted as standard in Jeffries' time". (Sinkankas).

Natural History.- White (Rev. Gilbert) The Natural History and Antiquities of Selborne, first edition, folding engraved frontispiece and 6 engraved plates, one folding, 2 engraved vignettes to part-titles, errata leaf at end, plates a little foxed and lightly offset on facing text, a lovely clean copy in contemporary calf, gilt, rubbed, neatly rebacked preserving old gilt spine and green roan label, [British Bee Books 143; Hunt 707; Rothschild 2550], 4to, T.Bensley, 1789.⁂ A cornerstone of English literature and a landmark work in the field of natural history.

Shooting.- Frankland (Sir Thomas) Cautions to Young Sportsmen, second edition, half-title, some light spotting and staining, modern boards, spine faded, [Schwerdt I, p.187], James Robson, 1801 § § [Magne de Marolles (G.F.) An Essay on Shooting, [translated by ?John Acton], second English edition, half-title, bookplate of Douglas Peter Crossman, a good clean copy in original boards, uncut, rubbed, preserved in modern morocco-backed cloth drop-back box, T.Cadell, 1791, 8vo (2)⁂ The first is uncommon; Library Hub locates only 3 copies (BL, LSE and Oxford).

Sports & Games.- Cotton (Charles) The Compleat Gamester: or, Instructions how to Play...Cards, Dice, Billiards, Trucks, Bowls, or Chess. Also the Arts and Misteries of Riding, Racing, Archery, Cock-fighting..., engraved frontispiece with scenes of billiards, backgammon, dice, cock-fighting and cards, with accompanying letterpress leaf of explanatory verses (shaved at foot affecting a couple of words), contemporary ink signature to title, browned, tear to G1 repaired, contemporary sprinkled calf, rubbed and marked, rebacked, [cf.Heltzel 407, first edition], for Charles Brome, 1709 § Hoyle (Edmund) Mr. Hoyle's Games of Whist, Quadrille, Piquet, Chess and Backgammon..., eleventh edition, half-title with authorisation on verso signed by the printer and by the author at foot of title, contemporary calf, gilt, joints cracked, spine ends worn, corners bumped, Thomas Osborne, [c.1755]; and 2 others including a 'New Pocket Hoyle' of 1820, 8vo et infra (4)⁂ The first is one of the earliest works in English to describe the game of billiards, first published in 1674. Although popular in its time all editions are scarce. ESTC lists only 5 UK copies of both this edition and of the second item.

Wrestling & Boxing.- Parkyns (Sir Thomas, of Bunny Park) Progymnasmata. The Inn-Play: or, Cornish Hugg Wrestler, third edition, woodcuts, 2 full-page, lacking 2 leaves (appendix and another full-page woodcut of Mr.Peacefull and Mr.Contentious), contemporary panelled calf with "Parkyns" stamped in gilt to both covers, joints split, spine repaired, for Tho. Weekes, 1727 § Hare (Jack) Gladiators of the Prize Ring, first edition, presentation copy from the author with long inscription dated 1932"...To my friend Edwin Peacock from your old Pal Jack Hare the Globetrotter Bantam Weight Champion of South Africa & India 1898-1900. 1904 Chief Boys' Cook C.P.O. RN 1914-1919..." to front pastedown, illustrations, original cloth-backed pictorial boards, rubbed, trace of label to upper cover, Nottingham, [1925], 4to & 8vo (2)⁂ The first is an early work on wrestling with references to both fencing and boxing. Parkyns (1664-1741), whilst concerning himself with improving his estate at Bunny in Nottinghamshire, had a lifelong passion for wrestling and recommended throwing one's opponent over one's head. In 1712 he established an annual wrestling match at Bunny which continued until 1810.

Agriculture.- B[lagrave] (J[oseph]) The Epitome of the Art of Husbandry, first edition, additional engraved title, printed title within double-ruled woodcut border, woodcut head-pieces, 3 advertisement ff. at end, foxing and browning, contemporary sheep, rebacked, upper cover detached, [Fussell pp.76-7; Wing B3115], 8vo, Printed for Ben. Billingsley and Obadiah Blagrave, 1669.⁂ Rare, ESTC lists 5 copies only of this first edition (2 in the UK, BL and Bodleian). This copy with three leaves of advertisements, erroneously not called for in ESTC, but clearly part of the final signature X and in fact present in both the BL and Harvard copies. Includes material on saffron, hops, liquorice, song birds and fruit trees.

Birds.- Babington (Churchill) Catalogue of the Birds of Suffolk, first edition in book form, presentation copy inscribed by the author, map frontispiece, 7 plates, occasional foxing, original cloth, John Van Voorst, 1884-86 § Ticehurst (Claud B.) A History of the Birds of Suffolk, first edition, folding map, original cloth, dust-jacket chipped and with piece missing from lower panel, 1932 § Glegg (William E.) A History of the Birds of Essex, first edition, plates, folding map, original cloth, dust-jacket, slightly frayed at spine ends, 1929 § Tuck (Rev. Julian G.) Ornithology of Suffolk, offprint, author's own copy with his ink ownership inscription and numerous ink annotations on interleaves, original cloth, Sheffield, William White, 1891; and 4 others, birds and botany, 8vo (8)

Birds.- Delacour (Jean) The Waterfowl of the World, 4 vol., first edition, 66 colour plates by Peter Scott, 155 map illustrations, vol. 1-3 signed by the artist on front free endpaper, vol. 4 with signed presentation inscription from the author and Peter Scott on front free endpaper, each with an original ornithological illustration by Scott, contemporary blue half morocco by Sangorski & Sutcliffe, gilt, lightly rubbed, spines slightly sunned, t.e.g., [Nissen ZBI 1065], 4to, 1954-64.⁂ The original illustrations are in fountain pen in vol. 1 and 2, and watercolour in vol. 3 and 4.

Solinus (Caius Julius) Polyhistor, Rerum Toto Orbe Memorabilium Thesaurus Locupletissimus, second edition, collation: a6 B4 a-z4 Aa-Ff4, 2 folding woodcut maps by Sebastian Munster (one of which browned, with small tear at fold foot and small hole to blank margin), numerous woodcut illustrations (some whole page), printer's woodcut device to title and final f. verso, book label laid down to title (obscuring previous ink ownership inscription), bookplates, some cracking to gutter (worst at 1C and hinges), several ff. browned, some light marginal browning and damp-staining, contemporary vellum with morocco label to spine, repair to spine head, small amount of worming to spine, [Adams S-1394; Burden 11], folio (c.300 x 194mm.), Basel, Michael Isingrin, 1543.⁂ Munster's double-page map entitled Asia Minor, which appears here as it did in his first edition of Solinus' Polyhistor in 1538, is the earliest printed map focusing on the continent of Asia, and also contains the first printed representation of the Pacific coast of America.

Dresser (Henry Eeles) A History of the Birds of Europe, including all the Species inhabiting the Western Palaearctic, 9 vol. including supplement, first edition, wood-engraved additional pictorial titles, vol.1 comprising preliminaries, list of subscribers, index etc., 722 lithographed plates (of 723, lacking plate 137 from vol.3), plates after Keulemans, Neale, Wolf and Thorburn, contemporary hand-colouring, most heightened with gum arabic, some plates with stamped numbers, vol.3 corner repair to p.533/4, vol.6 with short tear to lower margin on p.669/70 slightly affecting text, vol.7 plates 483-5 misbound, occasional light spotting affecting some plate margins, contemporary green morocco, ornately gilt with floral and ornithological panel design, spine gilt in compartments, t.e.g., others uncut, spines faded, but overall a bright and excellent set, large 4to, [Anker 120; Fine Bird Books p.92; Nissen IVB 267], by the author, 1871-96.⁂ A handsome and bright set of this monumental work, the first complete work on the avifauna of Europe since Gould. It was originally issued in 84 parts with an additional 9 parts in the supplement. Vol.2, 4 & 8 with additional alternative plates in place of others as called for in plate list.

Birds.- Ferguson (George) Ferguson's Illustrated Series of Rare and Prize Poultry, first edition, hand-coloured lithograph frontispiece and 19 plates only (of 21) by C.J. Culliford, wood-engraved illustrations, errata leaf at end, minor spotting, some plates with blue ink stain to verso, original cloth, recased, 8vo, 1854.⁂ Scarce; the last complete copy at auction appeared in 1981. This copy lacking the White and Lemon Shanghaes at pp.17 and 21 respectively (according to the list of plates).

Birds.- Gould (John) The Birds of Great Britain, 5 vol., first edition, list of subscribers, 367 hand-coloured lithographed plates, most heightened with gum arabic, by Gould, H.C. Richter, Joseph Wolf and William Hart, bookplate of Russell James Colman, vol. 4 title with 20mm tear to lower margin, an exceptionally clean copy overall with very occasional finger marking, contemporary dark blue morocco, gilt, the occasional minor scratch, very slight rubbing to corners, [Ayer & Zimmer p.261; Fine Bird Books, p.78; Wood p.365; Nissen 372], folio, [1862-]1873.⁂ An exceptionally clean and handsomely bound copy of what is known as "the most sumptuous and costly of British bird books" (Mullens and Swann). Richard Bowdler Sharpe said of the work: "Such beautiful illustrations...scarcely existed before and are not likely to be surpassed".

Birds.- Hewitson (William C.) British Oology; being Illustrations of the Eggs of British Birds, 2 vol., first edition, 155 fine hand-coloured lithograph plates, occasional spotting, modern dark blue crushed morocco, gilt, by Sangorski & Sutcliffe, g.e., fine copies, 8vo, Newcastle upon Tyne, [1831-38].⁂ A very handsome set. Without the supplement (1842), which has a further 14 plates. The list of subscribers at end of vol.2 includes J.J. Audubon, John Gould (10 copies), Sir William Jardine, Prideaux John Selby and William Yarrell.

Birds.- Saunders (Howard) An Illustrated Manual of British Birds, first edition, 1 volume extended to 6, extra-illustrated by the insertion of almost 500 hand-coloured plates of birds and eggs after F.O. Morris, wood-engraved illustrations, double-page colour maps,occasional foxing, later green crushed morocco, gilt, by Riviere and Son, spines uniformly discoloured to brown, t.e.g., others uncut, a lavish set, 8vo, 1889.⁂ A sumptuous set with a distinguished provenance: Robert Clayton Swan (bookplate) W.A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey (bookplate). Mullens & Swann p. 509 ('the best and most reliable book on British birds'); Nissen IVB 817; Wood p. 551 ('one of the best works on the subject'); Zimmer p. 547 ('the best work of its kind').

Birds.- Scott (Peter) Morning Flight, first edition, one of 750 copies signed by the author, half-title, 63 plates (of which 16 coloured), extra-illustrated with an original watercolour by Scott to front free endpaper, signed and dated August 1965, original dust-jacket bound at end, a few abrasion marks to rear free endpapers, blue silk endpapers, specially bound in contemporary blue morocco by Bayntun-Riviere for Henry Sotheran, upper cover with embossed leather illustration of three swans in flight, spine sunned and very lightly rubbed, t.e.g., others uncut, housed in a blue slip case, worn at extremities, 4to, 1935.