We found 106056 price guide item(s) matching your search

NO RESERVE Churchill (Sir Winston Spencer) Their Finest Hour, first edition, signed presentation inscription from the author "From Winston to Rab [Butler] ?1949" to endpaper, maps and illustrations, bookplate of R. A. Butler to pastedown, original cloth, dust-jacket, spine sunning chipped and creasing to head and foot, a few short tears, rubbing to extremities, [Woods A123(a) Vol.II], 8vo, Boston, 1949.⁂ An excellent association, inscribed from Churchill to an erstwhile political opponent who would later play a crucial role in his administrations.Richard Austin "Rab" Butler (1902-82), Education Minister and later Chancellor of the Exchequer under Churchill. The two politicians clashed repeatedly pre-war with Butler advocating German appeasement and for Halifax to be appointed Prime Minister after Chamberlain instead of Churchill.

NO RESERVE Churchill (Sir Winston Spencer) The Hinge of Fate, first edition, signed presentation inscription from the author "To Rab [Butler] from Winston S. Churchill, 1951" to half title, maps and illustrations, bookplate of R. A. Butler to pastedown, original cloth, dust-jacket, spine sunned, spine ends and corners chipped, chip to head of upper panel, creasing and a few short tears to head and foot, rubbed, [Woods A123(a), vol.IV], 8vo, Boston, 1951.⁂ An excellent association copy (see previous lot).

Achebe (Chinua) Things Fall Apart, first American edition, light browning to endpapers, original boards, dust-jacket, sunning to spine, spine ends and corners a little chipped and creased, 1 or 2 small chips or tears to head of panels, light rubbing, an excellent example overall, 8vo, New York, 1959.⁂ Achebe's breakout first novel, the first book in his African trilogy and often hailed as one of the great African novels of 20th century.

Ekwensi (Cyprian) Jagua Nana, first edition, light browning to endpapers, original boards, dust-jacket, fading to spine, chipping and creasing to head and foot, light wear to upper fore-edge, extremities rubbed, 8vo, 1961; ⁂ Ekwensi's most popular novel, the story of a Nigerian woman working as a prostitute who falls in love with a teacher. Scarce in the bright and attractive jacket.

NO RESERVE Orosius (Paulus) Historiae adversos paganos, edited by Aeneas Vulpes and Laurentius Brixiensis, collation: a-i K l m8 n10, 104 ff. (of 106, lacking initial blank and h6), 36 lines (variable), Roman type, large first initial in red and blue, initials and paragraph-marks in red or blue, a few instances of early ink marginalia, h4 and h5 transposed with k4 and k5, damp-stain to inner gutter throughout washed and restored, some evidence of mould (heavier in places), 19th century blind-stamped calf, rebacked, folio (292 x 196mm.), [Vicenza], Leonardus Achates de Basilea, [c.1482].⁂ Fourth edition of Orosius' universal history, which attempted to counter the argument that the world had declined since the advent of Christianity. It is printed at the first press in Vicenza. Literature: BMC VII, 1032; Goff O-99; GW M28419; HC *12100; Bod-inc O-028; BSB-Ink O-83.

Ekwensi (Cyprian) Iska, first edition, original boards, dust-jacket with light rubbing and toning, small patch of abrasion to spine, light creasing to spine ends, an excellent example, 8vo, 1966.⁂ Ekwensi's tale of a young woman from a Nigerian village who travels to the city and becomes embroiled in the literary and political worlds. Rare.

Tutuola (Amos) The Palm Wine Drinkard, first edition, light browning to endpapers, original cloth, very light rubbing and fading to tips of spine and corners, dust-jacket, designed by Barnett Freedman, minor chipping and creasing to spine ends and corners, with neat tape repair on verso to head of spine and one corner, light creasing to head, a bright and excellent example, 8vo, 1952.⁂ Tutuola's first book and the first African novel published in English outside of Africa. The Palm Wine Drinkard was reviewed enthusiastically by Dylan Thomas and was translated into French by Raymond Queneau.

Tutuola (Amos) My Life in the Bush of Ghosts, first edition, light browning to endpapers, original cloth, very light rubbing and fading to tips of spine and corners, dust-jacket, minor chipping to spine ends and corners, very short tear to foot of upper joint, but a bright, near-fine example overall, 8vo, 1954.⁂ Tutuola's rare second book.

Christie (Agatha) The Man in the Brown Suit, first edition, 2pp. advertisements, light browning to endpapers, original light brown cloth blocked and lettered in brown, spine darkened, spine ends and corners a little bumped, light rubbing to extremities, a very good copy, 8vo, 1924.

Crane (Hart) The Bridge. A Poem, first edition, one of 25 review hors commerce copies from an edition limited to 283, printed in red and black, 3 fine photogravures by Walker Evans, original printed wrappers, some light wear to spine ends, very slight discolouration to spine, glacine dust-jacket, a crisp and fine example, with the original silver card chemise (extremities a little worn, ties renewed), housed in custom morocco-backed drop-back box with morocco label to upper cover, [Connolly 64], 4to, Paris, The Black Sun Press, 1930.⁂ First edition of Hart Crane's modernist epic poem, we can trace no other hors commerce copies at auction in the last 20 years. The poem is accompanied by Walker Evans' iconic photographs which are among the earliest published examples of his work. The poet and photographer met in the shadow of Brooklyn Bridge.The Black Sun Press issued a note with hors commerce copies (although not present here) stating "[We] regret that due to a defective impression and quality of paper these advance copies of 'The Bridge,' hors commerce, are considered typographically imperfect. A re-impression on velin Van Gelder of the numbered copies will appear for sale March 1st at the Bookshop of Harry F. Marks, New York..." This would indicate that hors commerce copies along with those on Japan vellum arguably constitute a first impression before the type was reset for the run on Van Gelder.

Du Maurier (Daphne) Rebecca, first edition, upper hinge starting, light foxing, original cloth, spine rubbed and faded, mottling and light bowing to upper cover, extremities rubbed, dust-jacket, neat repairs and restorations to head and foot, neatly repaired tear to spine, front flap supplied in good facsimile, light creasing but in effect a very good example, 8vo, 1938.

Eliot (T.S.) Poems, first American edition, light browning to endpapers, original boards, light bumping to spine ends, dust-jacket, light sunning to spine, spine with loss to lower half affecting publisher's imprint, some splitting to joints and fore-edges, a few short tears and some creasing to head and foot, [Gallup A4b], 8vo, New York, 1920.⁂ The author's first book published in America, scarce in the delicate dust-jacket.

Fleming (Ian) Live and Let Die, first edition, ink ownership inscriptions to endpaper, original boards, spine ends and corners a little bumped, light rubbing to upper cover, but bright and excellent otherwise, first state dust-jacket without credit to Kenneth Lewis, price-clipped, spine ends a little chipped and creased, fore-edges and foot of joints neatly repaired, light surface abrasion to lower panel, very short closed tear to head of upper panel, in effect an excellent copy, 8vo, 1954.

Piccolomini (Aeneas Sylvius), Pope Pius II. Epistolae familiares. De Duobus amantibus Euryalo et Lucretia. Descriptio urbis Viennensis, edited by Nicolaus de Wyle, collation: a6 b-z aa-hh8 (a2 signed a, etc.), 245 ff. (of 246, lacking initial blank), 52 lines, Gothic type, initial spaces, contemporary ink notes to b1r and occasional marginalia, a[2] lower blank corner torn and repaired, a2 [i.e 3] with marginal repair, a3 [i.e 4], with section of lower blank corner torn away, water-stained, some spotting and other lesser staining, 19th century half calf, spine in compartments and with white and green leather labels, corners worn, rubbed, 4to (226 x 162mm.), Nuremberg, Anton Koberger, 17 July, 1486.*** Please note the description of this lot has changed.⁂ Second Koberger edition of a collection of letters by the humanist Aeneas Sylvius Piccolomini, who became Pope Pius II in 1458. Includes the erotic epistolary novel De duobus amantibus, written in 1444.Provenance: 'Anton: d'?attrinto'; 'MBarth...' (early ink signatures to first text f.). Literature: BMC II 430; Goff P719; HC 154*; Bod-inc P-320; BSB-Ink P-522; GW M33695; ISTC ip00719000.

Fleming (Ian) From Russia, With Love, first edition, original boards, fine and bright, dust-jacket, light browning to spine and lower panel, slight chipping to head of spine and corners, light creasing to head, some light rubbing to extremities, but an excellent example overall, 8vo, 1957.

Fleming (Ian) Dr. No, first edition, signed by the author on endpaper, light foxing, original first state plain boards, spine with 1" loss to foot, scuffing to lower joint, head of spine and corners bumped, covers rubbed, 8vo, 1958.⁂ Provenance: Stanley Rhodes, friend of Ian Fleming, thence by descent.

Francis (Dick) Dead Cert, first edition, signed by the author on title, light browning to endpapers, original boards, dust-jacket, light browning to spine, light toning to panels, spine ends and corners a little chipped and creased with neat tape repair to verso, short internal tear to spine and chip to upper fore-edge with tape repair to verso, some light rubbing and creasing to head and foot, a very good example overall, 8vo, 1962.⁂ The author's first novel.

Golding (William) Lord of the Flies, first edition, very light spotting and ink ownership inscriptions to endpapers, original cloth, light mottling and fading to covers, first state dust-jacket without reviews, very light discolouration and some spotting to spine, a few spots to panels, very faint patch of staining to lower panel, light rubbing and creasing to tips of spine and corners, an excellent copy overall, [Gekoski & Grogan A2(a)] 8vo, 1954.⁂ An excellent copy of Golding's dark, allegorical classic.

Hemingway (Ernest) in our time, number 90 of 170 copies on Rives paper, woodcut portrait of Hemingway after Henry Strater on verso of half-title, very occasional faint finger-soiling marks to margins, usual browning to endpapers, but crisp, clean copy generally, original printed paper boards, with newspaper headlines design lettered in black, light bumping and creasing to spine ends and corners, light rubbing to foot of lower joint, but an unusually bright and excellent copy overall, preserved in folding chemise (partially broken) and custom morocco-backed slip-case, [Hanneman A2a; Connolly, The Modern Movement 49 (describing the expanded 1925 edition)], large 8vo, Paris, Printed at the Three Mountains Press and for sale at Shakespeare and Company, 1924.⁂ First edition of Hemingway's second book, scarce in such attractive condition. "I am inclined to think that this little book has more artistic dignity than any other book that has been written by an American about the period of the war." - Edmund Wilson, review in The Dial, October 1924. Ezra Pound had arranged with William Bird, the owner of The Three Mountains Press to publish a series of six volumes by contemporary writers, under the collective title 'The Inquest into the State of Contemporary English Prose'. Contributors included Pound himself, Ford Maddox Ford, William Carlos Williams and Ernest Hemingway. For his contribution Hemingway selected the 6 sketches that had already been published in The Little Review in 1924, to which he added a further 12. The resulting publication was titled in our time, an ironic reference to the twelfth line of the Episcopalian Evening Prayer: "Give peace in our time, O Lord".

Hughes (Ted) New Selected Poems 1957-1994, first edition, signed by the author to Gerald and Joan Hughes, additional annotations in Gerald's hand to 4pp. and lower flap, photograph taped down to endpaper, small adhesion marks where glue has been removed to endpapers, small sticker to pastedown, newspaper cuttings taped down to half-title and rear endpapers, original boards, dust-jacket, lightly marked, extremities bumped, 8vo, 1995.⁂ A charming copy belonging to Gerald, with captioned photograph of Gerald, his wife Joan, and Ted outside Canterbury Cathedral in 1952.Also with Gerald's chosen newspaper clippings taped in about the poet's death. Manuscript note to flap reads "Ted died 28 October 1998 of cancer - in the London Bridge Hospital - Funeral at North Tawton, Cremated in Exeter, Ashes to be scattered by canoe at a special secret location on Dartmoor". Gerald's other annotations include intimate recollections as "I was with Ted this day", or naming "Jack Orchard, Carol's father" as the subject of the poem 'A Memory', as well as smaller intriguing grammatical annotations or amendments.

Hughes (Ted) Birthday Letters, first edition, inscribed to Gerald and Joan Hughes with a strand of the poet and his brother's hair taped down onto front free endpaper, original boards, dust-jacket, extremely slight bumping to spine ends, else a fine copy, 8vo, 1998.⁂ Inscribed to his brother and sister-in-law, "For Joan and Gerald, with love, Ted, 29th January 1998". Also with a strand of Gerald and Ted's hair taped down with caption "together at last" in Gerald's hand.

James (M.R.) Ghost Stories of an Antiquary, first edition, frontispiece and 3 plates by James McBride, 16pp. advertisements dated November 1904, some light marginal finger-soiling, light marking to endpapers, faint abrasion to front pastedown, original buckram, ruled in red and lettered in black, yapp edges, a little darkened, light damp-staining to spine, some minor marking to covers, [Lovecraft, Supernatural Horror in Literature, 1973, pp.100-105; Tymn 3-125], 8vo, 1904.

James (M.R.) The Thin Ghost and Others, first edition, ink ownership inscription on title, light browning to endpapers and half-title, original cloth, light bumping to spine ends and corners, extremities a little rubbed, 8vo, 1919.⁂ James' third collection of ghost stories, increasingly scarce.

Orwell (George) Nineteen Eighty-Four, first edition, foxing and light marking to endpapers, original cloth, fading to spine, light browning to head and foot, green dust-jacket, spine ends and corners chipped, a few tears to head and foot, rubbing and creasing to extremities, 8vo, 1949.

Powell (Anthony) The Military Philosophers, first edition, the dedication copy with signed presentation inscription from the author "Georgina [Ward] from Tony Her Book with love, Sept 1968" to endpaper, additionally signed by the author on title and signed by the dedicatee on dedication p., original cloth, slight shelf-lean, fading and light wear to spine ends and corners, light rubbing to extremities, dust-jacket, light sunning to spine, spine ends a little creased, 8vo, 1968.⁂ Georgina Ward (1941-2010), actress, daughter of George Ward, 1st Viscount of Witley. Powell included Ward in his memoirs and allegedly based Dicky Umfraville in Dance to the Music of Time on Ward's second husband, Patrick Tritton.

Sassoon (Siegfried) The Old Huntsman And other Poems, first edition, signed presentation inscription from the author "To Mrs [Sibyl] Colefax from the author. June 1917" to endpaper, errata to foot of p. v, occasional pencil marking to poems, book label or Arthur and Sibyl Colefax to pastedown, original boards, sympathetically rebacked with paper label to spine, corners a little bumped and worn, rubbing to extremities, [Keynes A15a], 8vo, William Heinemann, 1917.⁂ Sassoon's first major collection of war poetry.

Pontanus (Johannes Jovianus) Opera, collation: a-ff8 gg10, Italic and some Roman type, woodcut printer's device to title and verso of final f., initial spaces with guide-letters, water-stained, foxing, mostly marginal, later vellum, little spotted and marked, 8vo (165 x 95mm.), [Venice], [Aldus Manutius], [March to August, 1505].⁂ First Aldine edition of the works of this Italian humanist and poet, which is rare at auction. L'Urania and Le Meteore are printed here for the first time. Literature: Not in Adams; Ahmanson-Murphy 91: Renouard, Alde, 49:4; EDIT 16 CNCE 36164.

Smith (Dodie) I Capture the Castle, first edition, signed presentation inscription from the author ""To Jon [Wynne-Tyson], with my love, Dodie. Doylestown. Pennsylvania. November 1948" to endpaper, with change of address card marking Dodie and her husband Alec's move from Pennsylvania to California with signed autograph note from Smith to verso, illustrations by Ruth Smeed from sketches by the author, newspaper cuttings loosely inserted at rear, original cloth, light spotting and fading to spine and cover margins, small patch of damp-staining to foot, dust-jacket, light browning to spine, lower panel with tape repairs to head and horizontal patch of browning, light creasing to spine ends, very light rubbing to extremities, 8vo, Boston, 1948.⁂ The author's acclaimed first novel, inscribed to the son of a close friend, Esmé Wynne-Tyson. Jon Wynne-Tyson (1924-2020), author, publisher and founder of the Centaur Press.

Waugh (Evelyn) Scoop, first edition, first issue with 'as' in last line of p.88, original patterned cloth, very light fading to spine, light rubbing to tips of spine and corners, else fine, second state dust-jacket without the Daily Beast masthead, very light sunning to spine, spine ends and corners a little chipped, short closed tear to head of lower panel, faint damp-stain to foot of front flap, light creasing to head and foot, light rubbing to extremities, but a very good, bright copy overall, 8vo, 1933.

Wodehouse (P.G.) My Man Jeeves, first edition, first issue with Butler & Tanner listed as printers and measuring 175x111mm., 2pp. advertisements, some light marking or soiling, original blind-stamped cloth, light sunning to spine, spine ends and corners a little bumped, light surface soiling to covers, [McIlvaine A22a], 8vo, 1919.⁂ The first book to introduce Wodehouse's most revered characters: the duo of Jeeves and Wooster.

Erasmus (Desiderius) Veterum maxime insignium Paroemiarum. i. adagioru[m] collectanea rursus recognita atque aucta, fourth edition, woodcut device on title, Paris, [Jean Barbier for Denis Roce], 1506, bound with Varia epigramata, first edition, [Paris], [Jean Barbier for Denis Roce], 1506, collation: A4 a-i8 A8 B6, woodcut initials, some light soiling to first title, occasional light marginal browning, but very good generally, early ink markings to margins, bookplates to pastedowns and endpaper, crushed red morocco, gilt, by Ramage, William Stirling-Maxwell's copy with his monogram in gilt to covers, spine a little darkened, rubbing to joints and corners, g.e., 8vo (200 x 140mm.).⁂ An excellent copy of the rare fourth edition of Erasmus' proverbs together with the first edition of his epigrams, with a good provenance. All early editions are scarce, Worldcat locates only 5 copies of the first mentioned in public libraries. Provenance: William Stirling-Maxwell (binding and bookplate); Keir House; Victor de Guinzbourg (bookplates).Literature: Adams E415.

Kelmscott Press.- Morris (William) The Story of Sigurd the Volsung and the Fall of the Niblungs, one of 160 copies on Apple paper, printed in red and black with text in Chaucer type and titles in Troy type, wood-engraved frontispiece and illustration by Edward Burne-Jones and borders & initials by Morris, original limp vellum with silk ties, yapp edges, spine titled in gilt, uncut, spine slightly soiled, very occasional rubbing, lacking one tie, [Peterson A50], large 4to, Kelmscott Press, 1898.⁂ First published in 1877, Morris requested Burne-Jones to illustrate this edition for the press (with approximately twenty-five illustrations in a folio edition similar to the Chaucer) but he did not enjoy the commission and was slow to produce any designs. Following Morris's death the project was revised to a 4to publication and Burne-Jones was persuaded to submit two illustrations. "The two borders used in this book were almost the last that Mr Morris designed. They were intended for an edition of The Hill of Venus...The foliage was suggested by the ornament in two Psalters of the last half of the thirteenth century in the library at Kelmscott House. The initial A at the beginning of the 3rd book was...for the Froissart, and does not appear elsewhere." Cockerell's Annotated List.

[Beckford (William)] [Vathek] An Arabian Tale..., first edition, with errata leaf but lacking final blank, woodcut illustrations of fans to p.316, with later card of John I.Waterbury inscribed with Christmas good wishes mounted on front free endpaper, bound in striking later crushed dark brown morocco tooled in gilt, by Rivière & Son, covers with inlaid shaped panel of purple morocco with a central mandorla containing a plumed ornament (?fan) in gilt with a small oval onlay of red morocco and the title, author and date above and below in gilt, the panel surrounded by a border of bold gilt tools and swirling lines of small dots and circles within a single gilt rule, spine in compartments with title and similar tools in gilt and five raised bands, signed at foot of front turn-in, g.e., spine faded, a little rubbed at edges, split to upper joint, 8vo (binding c.195 x 120mm.), for J.Johnson, 1786.⁂ A suitably exotic binding for Beckford's influential Gothic novel, originally written in French and translated and edited by his friend Rev. Samuel Henley. Contrary to Beckford's wishes this edition preceded the first French edition which was published in December 1786 but dated 1787.

C[ruttwell] (C.J.) Sonnets, ?first edition, with errata slip tipped in at beginning, gilt-stamped red roan book-label of Henry William Poor, handsomely bound in later crushed green morocco tooled in gilt, by the Club Bindery, covers with medieval style window formed by shaped frame of intricately tooled flowers, leaves and tendrils in gilt within triple gilt fillet and decorative roll border, spine with title and decorative compartments tooled in gilt and five raised bands, green morocco doublures with inner gilt dentelles, signed and dated 1904 at foot of front turn-in, green silk brocade flyleaves, marbled endpapers, g.e., preserved in old roan-backed chemise and board slip-case (rubbed, chemise with spine chipped and lower cover detached), 12mo (binding c.145 x 110mm.), Frome, Daniel Press, 1856.⁂ The Club Bindery of New York was established in 1898 by members of the Grolier Club to provide the members' books with bindings on a par with those being executed in Europe. In 1906 the Grolier Club held "An Exhibition of some of the latest Artistic Bindings done at the Club Bindery", the majority of which were owned by Henry William Poor, a wealthy banker. The bindery closed in 1909.

de Coverly (Roger, binder).- Arnold (Matthew) Merope. A Tragedy, first edition, half-title, bound without advertisements at end, light spotting to endpapers, bound in later attractive red morocco tooled in gilt, by Roger de Coverly, covers with oval wreath of six Tudor roses & leaves surrounded by smaller leafy sprays and a border of climbing roses with dots within a double gilt fillet and decorative roll all in gilt, spine gilt in compartments with title, author and Tudor rose against a ground of dots and five raised bands, turn-ins with gilt floral decorations, marbled endpapers, signed at foot of front pastedown, g.e., spine very slightly darkened, 8vo (binding c.175 x 100mm.), 1858.⁂ A very pretty binding by the celebrated bookbinder Roger de Coverly (1831-1914) who served his apprenticeship with Zaehnsdorf and worked briefly for J.& J.Leighton before establishing his own bindery in 1870. William Morris sent him several commissions and T.J.Cobden-Sanderson spent a year's apprenticeship with him from 1883-84.

Swinburne (Algernon Charles) The Queen-Mother. Rosamond. Two Plays, first edition, first issue with Pickering title, half-title, errata leaf bound with preliminaries, with tipped-in A.L.s. from Swinburne to a Mr. Shepherd on Pines notepaper dated 26th November1884 thanking him for the gift of a book [?by John Clare] "...The song 'When I Was Young' is so Shelley-like that I remember...D.G.Rossetti insisted it was Shelley's...", and another A.L.s. from Rossetti signed "Gabriel" to his mother inviting her and his sisters Maria and Christina for tea, gilt-stamped blue roan book-label of Francis Kettaneh and label of H.P.Kraus, bound in later crushed dark red morocco with inlays and ornately tooled in gilt, covers with central gilt ornamental lozenge containing tan morocco oval onlay with initial "C" surmounted by a crown and with border of onlaid turquoise morocco strips with alternating crowns and fleurs-de-lys in gilt and tan morocco gilt corner-pieces, spine with title and author in gilt and compartments of onlaid tan morocco diamonds with "C" and crown in gilt, dark green crushed morocco doublures with central ornamental lozenge and corner-pieces tooled in gilt, red silk flyleaves, g.e., very slight rubbing to upper joint, preserved in modern cloth folder and red morocco-backed slip-case, [Wise 2], 8vo (binding c.170 x 110mm.), Basil Montagu Pickering, 1860.⁂ A lovely copy of Swinburne's first separately-published work, dedicated to Dante Gabriel Rossetti and enclosing letters from both Swinburne and Rossetti. Wise states that only about 20 copies were issued with the Pickering title-page before the work was transferred to Edward Moxon & Co., who issued the book with a new title containing their imprint.

Gladstone (Charles Elsden, binder).- Ruskin (John) Sesame and Lilies, first edition, half-title, manuscript notes in pencil to rear free endpaper with cut signature of "F.T.Palgrave 1865" mounted below, charming later dark turquoise morocco elaborately tooled in gilt, by Charles Elsden Gladstone, upper cover with title surrounded by lattice of leafy sprays enclosing four flower heads, lower cover the same but without title, spine in compartments with title and leafy sprays in gilt and four raised bands, turn-ins with leafy sprays in gilt to outer corners, signed "C.E.G." at foot of front turn-in, g.e., spine faded, slight wear to gilt at outer edges (mainly to lower cover), 8vo (binding c.175 x 120mm.), 1865.⁂ Capt. Charles Elsden Gladstone, R.N. (1855-1919) was a Royal Navy officer who bound several books in the early 20th century. Nothing is known of his training but it is believed that he executed the "finishing" (gold-tooling and decoration) on books already bound. His work is of a high standard and this example is typical in its use of flowers and leaves.Francis Turner Palgrave (1824-97), literary critic and poet, most known for his poetical anthology Golden Treasury of English Songs and Lyrics of 1861.

Aristotle & Domestic economy.- Lefèvre d'Étaples (Jacques) In Politica Aristotelis introductio [and] Xenophon. Economicus, collation: a b8, Roman type, initial spaces with guide-letters, small repair to final lower blank corner, some mostly marginal staining, occasional spotting, lightly browned, antique style limp vellum, folio (286 x 212mm.), [Paris], Henri Estienne, 1508.⁂ Rare first edition of Lefèvre's pioneering introduction to Aristotle's Politics, along with his edition of Xenophon's Economics, translated by Raffaele Maffei. The latter is a dialogue between Socrates and Isomachus on the management of the house and farm, with 'a pleasant and quaint picture of the Greek wife and her household duties' (Schreiber 24, second edition of 1516).

Austen (Jane) Pride and Prejudice, reprint, frontispiece, title, illustrations, head- & tail-pieces, initials and decorations all by Hugh Thomson, original pictorial dark green cloth, gilt, with peacock design on upper cover, spine gilt with peacock feathers, g.e., very slight rubbing to joints but a very good bright copy, [Gilson E78], 8vo, George Allen, 1895.⁂ With the magnificent peacock design binding. The first extensively illustrated edition of Pride and Prejudice, including a total of 160 line drawings by Hugh Thomson, the only work by him to feature head- & tail-pieces and decorations.

Beardsley (Aubrey).- Malory (Sir Thomas) [Le Morte Darthur] The Birth Life and Acts of King Arthur, 3 vol., 'out of series' copy of 300 'superior issue' on Dutch handmade paper, from an edition of 1800, 2 photogravure frontispieces (vol. 1 & 3), plates (some double-page), illustrations and decorations by Aubrey Beardsley, off-setting, plates lightly browned, contemporary half-vellum, slight bumping to corners and extremities, 4to, 1893-94.⁂ Beardsley's first major commission and an early masterpiece, produced when he was only 20 years old. The young artist met the publisher J.M. Dent who was looking for someone to illustrate an edition of Morte d'Arthur. On seeing Beardsley's trial drawing 'The Achieving of the Sangreal' the publisher was reputedly rendered speechless by its quality. Duly commissioned, Beardsley produced a body of work which took the medievalism of the Pre-Raphaelites and married it to his own bizarre imagination and Japanese-influenced style, making his reputation. They are among the most stunning illustrations he ever produced.

Dutch Trades.- De Middelen van Bestaan, of Ambachten, Konsten en Handwerken, first edition, 14 hand-coloured engraved plates, a little soiled and stained, shaken and becoming loose, original printed orange boards (dated 1803), uncut, rubbed, spine defective, 8vo, Amsterdam, G.Roos & J.Weege, 1802.⁂ Very rare children's book of trades and crafts including peat stampers ("turftrappers"), ship's carpenter, mussel seller, doctor/dentist, and cook.All editions are rare but WorldCat records only one copy of this first edition, in the International Institute of Social History (IISG) in Amsterdam. We have been unable to trace any copies at auction, and only 3 copies of the second or third editions of 1815 and 1816, each with only 4 plates.

Dante Alighieri. [Divina Commedia] Dante col sito, et forma dell'Inferno tratta dalla istessa descrittione del poeta, collation: [*]2 a-z, A-H8, woodcut printer's device to [*]2 and verso of final f. (H8), double-page woodcut view of Hell and 3pp. woodcut charts, l2 blank except for foliation and signature recto, lacking [*]1 ('Dante' and anchor device recto and 3 lines of title and author attribution verso), H2 and blank H7, [*]2 with ink signature and hole to lower margin, small hole to lower margin of [a1], double-page view of hell trimmed to just within border and with small hole at fold near head (with loss to image) and very narrow worm trace and small wormhole within image, H6 (with woodcut charts) trimmed closely and with 3 worm traces within printed area, both H5&6 mounted on stubs, final f. laid down, first 2 ff. stained, occasional spotting and lighter staining elsewhere, modern cloth-backed marbled boards, spine gilt, 8vo (150 x 83mm.), [Venice], [House of Aldus Manutius & Andrea Torresani], August, 1515.⁂ The first illustrated Aldine edition of Dante, the second Aldine edition overall. It was dedicated to the poet Vittoria Colonna by Torresani. Literature: Ahmanson-Murphy 136; Renouard 73:8; Adams D88; EDIT 16 CNCE 1150.

Dodgson (Rev. Charles Lutwidge) "Lewis Carroll". Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, second (first published) edition, half-title, frontispiece with original tissue guard and illustrations by John Tenniel, a couple of short tears, some foxing, pale blue endpapers (earliest state), hinges with signs of repair, original cloth, gilt, g.e., a little rubbed and soiled, cloth worn at some extremities, [Crutch 46], 8vo, Macmillan and Co., 1866.⁂ A better than usual copy of Alice with an ownership inscription on half-title dated in the year of publication. The first issue with inverted 'S' in last line of contents page and p.30 correctly numbered.Provenance: M.A. Watson (inscription on half-title dated 'Binfield 1866'); Paul Latham (bookplate).

[Dodgson (Charles Lutwidge)], "Lewis Carroll". Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There, third edition, the suppressed 'sixtieth thousand' issue, lacking half-title (torn out), with frontispiece and illustrations by John Tenniel and 2 leaves of advertisements at end, rather soiled and stained throughout, free endpapers heavily foxed, rebound by publishers in red cloth for presentation to Mechanics' Institutes with triple rule border and roundel of Red Queen in blind (in gilt on original binding), with "Presented for the Use of Mechanics' Institutes, Reading Rooms Etc." in blind on upper cover, rubbed and stained, upper half of spine worn (label presumably removed causing some loss), 1893; with 'Advertisement' sheet from Carroll dated Christmas 1893 issued with Sylvie and Bruno Concluded explaining the reason for the delay of the publication due to poor printing of the Alice, [Williams, Madan, Green and Crutch 84b & 249], 8vo (2) ⁂ Scarce. This suppressed issue was, according to Carroll, riddled with printing production faults. The illustrations were over-printed, the pages badly folded and it led to him threatening to terminate his contract with Macmillan. This had already been an issue for the first edition of the 1865 Alice, which was recalled after Tenniel complained about the quality of the printing. Only 60 copies had gone out when Carroll intervened. He asked Macmillan to destroy the remainder of the edition, which led to Through the Looking Glass being out of print until 1897. As mentioned in the 'Advertisement' he later changed his mind about destroying the remaining copies of this edition, and instead favoured rebinding it and distributing it to charitable institutions, which had been done with the first suppressed Alice, and as is the case with this copy.Crutch records the locations of only two rebound copies (Harvard and the collection of Selwyn H.Goodacre, who compiled an unpublished census of copies, with only 4 in the original cloth and 2 rebound).

Grahame (Kenneth) The Wind in the Willows, first edition, frontispiece by Graham Robertson, half-title, occasional spotting, original pictorial cloth, gilt, rubbed, spine ends frayed, corners bumped, some stains to covers, small puncture hole to lower cover causing short tear to upper margin of last c.30pp., t.e.g., others uncut, 8vo, 1908.⁂ A rather shabby copy of Grahame's classic riverbank tale.

[Lorenzini (Carlo)] "C. Collodi". The Story of a Puppet or The Adventures of Pinocchio, first English edition, translated by M.A. Murray, illustrations by C. [i.e. Enrico] Mazzanti, half-title and title in red and black, original decorative cloth with matching endpapers and edges, spine soiled and repaired at head and foot, 8vo, T. Fisher Unwin, 1892.⁂ First English edition of this classic tale, originally published in Italian in 1883.

Potter (Beatrix) The Tale of Mrs. Tittlemouse, first edition, first or second printing, deluxe issue, colour frontispiece, plain title vignette and 26 colour plates, some occasional light marking or soiling to margins, original blue cloth with mounted colour illustration, lettering and decorations in gilt, chip to head of spine, soiling to lower cover, light rubbing and faint marking to extremities, g.e., [Linder p.429; not in Quinby], 16mo, 1910.

Luther (Martin).- Eck (Johannes) & Andreas Karlstadt. Disputatio excellentium. D. doctoru[m] Johannis Eccij & Andre[a]e Carolostadij q[uæ] cepta est Lipsi[a]e XXVII Iunij an. MXIX. Disputatio secunda D. doctoru[m] Johan[n]is Eccij & Andre[a]e Carolostadij q[uæ] cepit XV Iulij. Disputatio eiusdem.D. Johannis Eccij & D. Martini Lutheri Augustiani q[uæ] cepit XV julij, collation: A6 B-P4, Gothic letter, light soiling to title, some occasional light browning or marginal damp-staining, bookplate to pastedown, 19th century calf, 1 spine label a little chipped, light rubbing to extremities, g.e., 4to (190 x 140mm.), [Erfurt], [Matthes Maler], [1519]. ⁂ First edition of this rare and important account of the Leipzig Debate, one of the earliest public debates of Luther's Ninety-Five Theses. The debate led directly to Luther's excommunication and therefore marked an important moment in the split between Lutheran and Catholic doctrines. We can trace no copy at auction since 1968.Provenance: Carlos B. Lumsden (bookplate). Literature: VD 16 E 321

India.- Colebroke (Lt. Robert Hyde) [Twelve Views of Places in the Kingdom of Mysore, the Country of the Tippoo Sultan], loose set of 12 aquatints by John William Edy after R.H. Colebrook, with some hand-colouring, each trimmed to image and mounted on thick contemporary laid paper folio leaf with letterpress description printed verso, titles trimmed and fixed within lower margin recto, each sheet approx. 460 x 595 mm (18 1/8 x 23 1/2 in), minor surface dirt and marginal browning, unframed, [circa 1793]; together with two duplicate impressions of Samuel Howitt's cover from Oriental Field Sports by Thomas Williamson, printed in oil colours by stencil on blue laid paper, each approx. 480 x 600 mm (18 7/8 x 23 1/2 in), unframed, Edward Orme, [1807] (14)Literature:cf. Abbey, Travel, 419⁂ Likely from the first edition published in 1793, not recorded in Abbey.

Africa.- Barrow (John) An Account of Travels into the Interior of Southern Africa in the years 1797 and 1798, 2 vol., first edition, half-title in vol.1 (not called for in vol.2), large folding engraved map hand-coloured in outline and with routes in red, folding aquatint plate and 8 folding engraved maps, 2 hand-coloured, large map lightly offset and with hole to central fold, some foxing and soiling, vol.1 with browning to a few gatherings at beginning and end, tear to E1 in vol.2 but no loss, bookplate of Melville Portal of Laverstoke, contemporary sprinkled calf, spines ruled in gilt with red & green roan labels, rubbed and a little marked, spines worn at head, split to upper joint of vol.1, 4to, 1801-04.

Levant.- [Sandys (George)] A Relation of a Journey begun An: Dom: 1610...Containing a description of the Turkish Empire, of Aegypt, of the Holy Land, of the Remote Parts of Italy and Islands adioyning, first edition, Charles I's large paper copy ruled in red, fine engraved architectural title by Francis Delaram, double-page engraved map mounted on stub, folding engraved panorama of Constantinople pasted in at p.32, 47 engraved illustrations and plans within text, 2 full-page, woodcut head-pieces and initials, variant issue without tail-piece at end of text, lacking final blank, with catchword "proclai" on C1r and "Turkish; built" as first words on D3v, with additional folding engraved map of Jerusalem loosely inserted (c.275 x 380mm, trimmed close to border, short tear to one edge), contemporary ink signature to title, some light soiling, a few stains, later ink note concerning provenance to front free endpaper, bookplate of Melville Portal of Laverstoke, nineteenth century brown morocco, by J.Mackenzie, preserving magnificent gilt-tooled calf covers from original binding of panel containing central gilt arms of Charles I with elaborate corner-pieces and small tools of Prince of Wales feathers to outer corners of panel, mounted within later border of thick gilt rule and inner decorative roll, spine gilt in compartments, turn-ins with multiple gilt rules, marbled endpapers, g.e., a little rubbed (mainly joints), original binding with holes from missing ties and rather scuffed on upper cover, [STC 21726; cf. Atabey 1087 (seventh edition) & Blackmer 1484 (second edition)], folio, Printed [by Richard Field] for W.Barrett, 1615.⁂ The dedication copy, presented by the author to Charles I when he was Prince of Wales.George Sandys (1578-1644), travelled to the Levant in 1610 and spent a year in Turkey, Palestine and Egypt. Blackmer describes this account of his travels as, "at the time the most elaborately illustrated English book on the Levant". Sandys later became treasurer of the Virginia Company and lived there for 10 years. This is the first book to record tobacco usage in Turkey, and includes an account of smoking in Constantinople.

West Indies.- Hakewill (James) A Picturesque Tour of the Island of Jamaica, from Drawings Made in the Years 1820 and 1821, first edition, 21 hand-coloured aquatint plates, tissue guards (some foxed), plates clean and bright, broken and loose with one or two leaves or plates slightly frayed at fore-edge, engraved bookplate of George Faudel Phillips, old boards, rubbed and soiled, lacking backstrip (worn and stained where backstrip removed), [Abbey, Travel 683 (in parts); Sabin 29591; Tooley 240], folio, Hurst and Robinson, 1825 [text watermarked 1821 or 1823, plates 1822].⁂ Superb plates depicting views, landmarks and plantations in Jamaica, originally issued in 7 parts in 1824-25.

China.- Gonzalez de Mendoza (Juan) Nova et succincta, vera tamen historia de amplissimo, potentissimoque, nostro quidem orbi hactenus incognito, sed perpaucis abhinc annis explorato Regno China, translated by Marc Henning, first edition in Latin, title printed in red and black, with final 2 blank ff., the Phillipps copy with his shelfmark visible beneath later pastedown, ink inscriptions to title, some occasional light browning, bookplate to pastedown, contemporary vellum, neatly and sympathetically rebaked, yapp edges, 8vo (154 x 95mm.), [Adams G-870; Palau 105516; Sabin 27781], Frankfurt, [?S. Feyerabend], [1589].⁂ First Latin edition of one of the earliest works on China and the first European book to contain Chinese characters. It also contains an account of Mexico.Provenance: Jesuit College of Brussels (early inscription at head of title); early ex dono inscription on title 'Dono R.D.... Clemens decanis' and purchase note on rear endpaper; Sir Thomas Phillipps copy (shelfmark visible beneath later front pastedown); Philip Robinson (sold Sotheby's 22nd November 1988, lot 47); Jean R. Perrette (bookplate, sold Christie's, New York, 5 April 2016, lot 178).

China.- Staunton (Sir George) An Authentic Account of An Embassy from the King of Great Britain to the Emperor of China, 3 vol. including Atlas, first edition, presentation copy from the author with ink inscriptions to front endpapers of text volumes, text with 2 engraved portraits of the Emperor and the Earl of Macartney, engraved plate of Camellia and 26 engraved vignettes, portraits a little foxed, text with light foxing to a few gatherings but mostly clean and bright, vol.1 with slight staining to pp.398-399 and tear to upper margin of 3S3, contemporary half calf over marbled boards, a little rubbed, rebacked with spines titled and ruled in gilt, corners repaired, Atlas with 44 engraved maps, charts, plates and plans, 7 folding or double-page, the large folding map soiled and stained and lightly creased, most plates with tissue guards, some with light marginal spotting but generally clean, final plate with short marginal tear, modern half rexine, gilt-stamped roan label to upper cover, [Cordier, Sinica, 2381-83], 4to & folio, W.Bulmer & Co. for G.Nicol, 1797. ⁂ The official account of Lord Macartney's voyage and embassy to the Qianlong emperor in 1792-94, the failure of which led to the establishment of the British trading post at Hong Kong. It includes descriptions of the journey via Madeira, Tenerife, Rio de Janeiro, Java and Sumatra, Chinese customs (including foot-binding) and details of Chinese trade with Europe. The fine plates by Alexander show views of the Great Wall, temples, barges, a military post and imperial procession, and there is also a detailed map of Macao.The inscriptions read, "Jane Pigott the Gift of her old friend Sr George Staunton Bart. 1797" and "This valuable work of the highly esteemed friend of Sir Arthur and Lady Pigott is presented by her to her young friend John H.Lanyon in full confidence he will properly appreciate its value 20th August 1829".Sir Arthur Leary Piggott (1749-1819) was born in Barbados and became a lawyer and Whig MP, appointed Attorney-General in 1806.

Egypt.- Mariette-Bey (Auguste) Voyage dans la Haute-Egypte, 2 vol., first edition, 83 fine photogravure plates by Goupil, illustrations, original red morocco-backed pictorial cloth, gilt, corners worn, spine ends and joints slightly rubbed, g.e., folio, Cairo & Paris, 1878.⁂ A lovely set of this impressive work with superb plates. Mariette (1821-1881) was an Egyptologist and archaeologist for whom ''photography became an inseparable part of his activity. He mainly employed professional photographers such as Delie, Bechard, and Brugsch, but he himself also photographed, using an 8 x 19 inch camera, newly found artefacts and ancient structures in remote parts of the Egyptian desert." (Perez, Focus East, early photography in the Near East, 1988, p.194).

Italy.- Lear (Edward) Journals of a Landscape Painter in Southern Calabria, first edition, half-title, 2 lithographed maps and 20 tinted lithographed plates, 4pp. advertisements at end, slightly browned, publisher's patterned red cloth, gilt spine, slightly faded, edges uncut, [Abbey, Travel, 175], large 8vo, 1852.

Sophocles. Commentarii in septem tragedias, edited by Janus Lascaris, collation: α6, β8, Γ8, δ-ο8, π4, ρ-ω8, Α-Β8, Greek and Roman type, title in Latin, initial spaces with guide-letters, Greek colophon to B7v, recto and verso of title ruled in red, foot of title with later ink ms. place and date of publication, lacking final blank, title lightly soiled, α6 upper marginal corner frayed, occasional spotting or light foxing, occasional light staining, early 19th century red straight-grain morocco, covers with single gilt filet border, spine in compartments of single gilt rules, a few ink spots, rubbed, 8vo (187 x 115mm.), [Rome], [Zacharias Kalliergis] at the press of the Greek Gymnasium, 1518.⁂ The editio princeps of the scholia or commentaries on Sophocles, which were not included in the first edition in Greek of his tragedies, published by Aldus in 1502. It is one of only a handful of publications from this second Greek press in Rome. The text was meticulously edited by Janus Lascaris (c.1445-97), director of the Greek Gymnasium, which was established on the Quirinal Hill in 1513 under the auspices of Pope Leo X. The edition is based on an authoritative manuscript now preserved in the Biblioteca Laurenziana in Florence (Laur. 32,9), which was acquired by Giovanni Aurispa in Constantinople in 1423. Provenance: 'W Whiter, 1788, E dono viri amicissimi Jacobi Dover'; 'Henry W. Moule, 1930, from A.C.M.' (inscriptions to front endpapers).

Erasmus (Desiderius).- Hieronymus (Saint) Opus epistolarum, edited by Desiderius Erasmus, 3 vol. in 1, collation: Aa-Bb8 AA8 BB6 Cc6 a-r8 s10 t-x8 y6; A-Z8 AE10; aa-qq8 rr10 (Tabulae and Index Scholarium (Aa BB8 Cc6) bound at end of vol.3), Roman and Greek type, first title in red and black, all titles with woodcut printer's device and within woodcut architectural border, late 16th / early 17th century neat ink marginalia, couple of holes to lower margin of first title caused by ink ownership inscription, some spotting and staining, lightly browned (occasionally a little heavier), modern board binding using a leaf from a 16th century antiphonary, preserved in a modern buckram drop-back box, [Lyon], [Jean Crespin], 1528; and a censored copy of the same work in a contemporary blind-stamped binding (not collated), 4to (first mentioned 202 x 132mm.) (2)⁂ Rare edition at auction of this important patristic work. Offered here with a rare opportunity of comparison with a censored copy of the same work (passages of text obliterated in ink and some leaves removed or partly excised). One wonders if the vigorous censor was spurred on by the notion that Erasmus had 'laid the egg that Luther hatched'.

Japan & Thailand.- Varenius (Bernhard) Descriptio Regni Japoniae et Siam, first English edition, title in red and black, contemporary calf, [Wing V105; Cordier, Japonica 369], 8vo, Cambridge, Ex Officina Joan. Hayes, Impensis Samuelis Simpson, 1673.⁂ Scarce work mostly taken from Caron's account of Japan, Schouten's account of Siam, Torsellini and Marco Polo. The Macclesfield copy with bookplate and blind-stamps; contemporary ink inscription of ?J. Doughty to front free endpaper.

Britain.- Giovio (Paolo) and George Lily. Descriptio Britanniae, Scotiae, Hyberniae, et Orchadum, collation: a4 a-z aa-gg4 hh8, woodcut printer's device to title and hh6v, hh5v woodcut genealogy of the houses of Lancaster and York, woodcut historiated initials, o3&4 blank, 2ff. errata at end (often missing), repaired hole to lower margin of title, some spotting or light foxing, a few mostly marginal stains, lightly browned, recased in contemporary limp vellum, lacking ties, stained, small 4to (210 x 150mm.), [Venice], [Michele Tramezzino], [1548].⁂ First edition of this description of England, Scotland, Ireland, and the Orkney Islands. As well as topographical descriptions it includes Lily's short biographies of contemporary literary notables, and his Chronicon of British kings from the legendary Brutus to the recently crowned Edward VI.