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Computing.- Operating and maintenance manual for the BINAC binary automatic computer built for Northrop Aircraft Corporation

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Lot 273

Computing.- Operating and maintenance manual for the BINAC binary automatic computer built for Northrop Aircraft Corporation 1949, some light browning at edges, original grey binder with cloth back-strip and central metal device, lower bottom corner small chip, housed within later black straight-grain morocco drop-back box by P. Goy and C. Vilaine, Philadelphia, Eckert-Mauchly Computer Corp., 1949.*** The only known copy of the world's first electronic computer manual, and similarly, the only known record of how the BINAC operated. OCLC records no copies of this work in libraries, and as only one BINAC was ever built, it is likely that only a handful of copies of the manual were ever produced.

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Nayler (Sir George) The Coronation of His Most Sacred Majesty King George the Fourth, 42 fine hand-coloured aquatint plates a

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Lot 292

Nayler (Sir George) The Coronation of His Most Sacred Majesty King George the Fourth, 42 fine hand-coloured aquatint plates after Stephanoff, Chalon, Pugin, Wild and others, 3 plain etched key plates, plate-guards, light creasing to title and first few leaves, handsome contemporary red morocco with richly gilt border, by J.Wright, spine gilt in compartments with black roan label, g.e., very slight rubbing to edges, [Abbey, Scenery 260; Bobins II, 694; Tooley 343], large folio, Henry George Bohn, 1839.*** An excellent copy of this splendid depiction of George IV's coronation, the last to hold the coronation banquet in Westminster Hall. Five parts were originally proposed but only two were issued, in 1823 and 1827. Bohn acquired the plates and combined them with Whittaker's to produce the present work, which first appeared in 1837 but is identical to this apart from the date on the title.

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Ashendene Press.- Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach (The) commonly called Ecclesiasticus, [one of 328 copies on paper], print

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Lot 312

Ashendene Press.- Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach (The) commonly called Ecclesiasticus, [one of 328 copies on paper], printed in red and black in Subiaco type with initials supplied by hand in blue and green by Graily Hewitt and assistants, bookplate of Clarence B. Hanson Jr. to front free endpaper (obscures majority of faint ownership inscription beneath), bookplate foxed and lightly offset, some other light foxing to front free endpapers, original orange-stained limp vellum with ties, by Douglas Cockerell of the W.H.Smith bindery, uncut, upper cover with very small mark to foot, very slight rubbing to spine ends and corners, Cockerell marbled board slip-case (slightly rubbed), [Franklin p.242; Hornby XXXVIII], 4to, Ashendene Press, 1932. *** Hornby thought this one of the most satisfactory of his books while Franklin notes, "Subiaco in the irregular verse lines, with drawn letters, red shoulder-notes and such a text cause this to be regarded often and justly as a favourite among all Ashendene books".

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Wells (H.G.) The First Men in the Moon, first edition, first issue with black coated endpapers, frontispiece and 11 plates by

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Lot 378

Wells (H.G.) The First Men in the Moon, first edition, first issue with black coated endpapers, frontispiece and 11 plates by Claude Shepperson, first state blue cloth stamped in gilt, light toning to spine, slight fraying to spine tips and corners, extremities a little rubbed, band of light fading to upper cover, but a very good, bright example overall, [Currey pp.518-9; Hammond B7], 8vo, Newnes, 1901.

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Etterlin (Petermann) Kronica von der loblichen Eÿdtgnoschaft ir harkommen und sust seltzam strittenn und Geschichten, first e

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Lot 6

Etterlin (Petermann) Kronica von der loblichen Eÿdtgnoschaft ir harkommen und sust seltzam strittenn und Geschichten, first edition, second issue, ff. [8], CXXIIII, lacking final blank leaf X6, xylographic title with 2 woodcut border pieces, 29 woodcut illustrations from 12 blocks, including full-page woodcut of the Emperor enthroned to title verso and heraldic composition to A1r (verso blank), woodcut printer's device on final leaf, title with crude ?early hand-colouring to border and woodcut to verso, some tears repaired and lower margin reinforced to verso (without notable loss), a few instances of contemporary ink marginalia or passage-marking, a few minor marginal repairs, affecting headline to [a]5, L6 short tear into headline without loss, U6 tiny paper flaw hole within headline, M1 vertical tear within text without loss, some light browning, some soiling or light staining, lacking front free endpapers, eighteenth-century half calf, spine gilt and with black calf label, light wear to corners and extremities, upper joint split at foot, 4to (275 x 195mm.), Basel, Michael Furter, 24 December, 1507. *** The first printed chronicle of Switzerland, starting with St. Meinrad's foundation of the monastery of Einsiedeln (c.835) and continuing up to the year 1503. The woodcuts, some attributed to the renowned artist known by the monogram "D.S.", include a half-page detailed view of Lucerne (the city's earliest printed depiction), episodes from the glorious history of Switzerland including a dragon, and the first pictorial representation of the famous scene, synonymous with the Swiss spirit of insurrection, of Tell aiming at the apple on his son's head. This copy is the second issue of the first edition; the first edition having the first page of text printed on the verso of the coat of arms. Literature: VD16 E 4110.

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Ashendene Press.- James (Henry) Refugees in Chelsea, one of 50 copies on paper, one initial printed in red, original cloth-ba

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Lot 308

Ashendene Press.- James (Henry) Refugees in Chelsea, one of 50 copies on paper, one initial printed in red, original cloth-backed boards, uncut, stain and abrasion mark to upper cover, one or two other light surface scratches, [Edel and Laurence A84], 4to, Ashendene Press, 'For private circulation only', 1920. *** Very scarce, with only occasional appearances of this limitation in commerce. The Ashendene Press Bibliography explains: "It was written to help the local Chelsea Committee to raise funds in America to start an industry for crippled Belgian [especially those from the Flanders part] Soldiers."

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Israel.- Weizmann (Chaim) Trial and Error, 2 vol., one of 500 copies signed by the author, original cloth, light rubbing to s

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Lot 31

Israel.- Weizmann (Chaim) Trial and Error, 2 vol., one of 500 copies signed by the author, original cloth, light rubbing to spine tips and corners, dust-jackets, spines browned with some repair and restoration, vol. 1 with tape repair along upper joint a few chips and tears to head and foot with some repair and restoration, 8vo, New York, 1949.*** The autobiography of the first President of Israel, scarce in the dust-jackets.

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Bulgakov (Mikhail) Sobach'e serdtse [Heart of a Dog], samizdat typescript, light staining to inner margin of final few leaves

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Lot 319

Bulgakov (Mikhail) Sobach'e serdtse [Heart of a Dog], samizdat typescript, light staining to inner margin of final few leaves, original printed stapled wrappers, staples slightly rusted, a few faint stains, spine rubbed and little chipped, small 4to, 'Odessa', 'P. Chaadaev', 1976. *** A well preserved copy of Bulgakov's banned novella Heart of a Dog (1925) with spurious imprint on the inside lower wrapper, secretly printed and distributed by hand in a process known as samizdat. Presumably intended to mislead the inexperienced as much as serve as an inside joke, the imprint claims that the text was printed in 10,000 copies at the P. Chaadaev publishing house in Odessa (the name a pun on an anti-government 19th century Russian philosopher). The publishing house never existed, but the dissemination of this copy is likely connected to the now famous Odessa samizdat library, which produced and circulated hundreds of self-published titles from 1967-1982. Heart of a Dog was first published in Frankfurt and London in 1968, finally appearing in an official Soviet journal Znamia in 1987. Due to their great popularity, samizdat copies of Bulgakov's cult classics are very rare, especially in good condition.

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[Hardy (Thomas)] Desperate Remedies. A Novel, 3 vol., first edition, [one of 500 copies], half-titles, bookplate of Anthony C

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Lot 160

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

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Economics.- Marx (Karl) Capital, translated from the third German edition, by Samuel Moore and Edward Aveling, fourth edition

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Lot 173

Economics.- Marx (Karl) Capital, translated from the third German edition, by Samuel Moore and Edward Aveling, fourth edition, half-title with pencil inscription to head, original cloth, light sunning to spine, extremities a little rubbed, some light marking to upper cover but an excellent example overall, 8vo, Swann Sonneschein & Co., 1891.*** Rare early edition of this landmark work. This edition comprises volume 1 and 2, volume 3 was not published until 1894.

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Minko (Tachibana) Saiga shokunin burui [Colored Pictures of Occupations of Workmen], 2 vol., first edition, numerous fine han

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Lot 234

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

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Ovidius Naso (Publius) Les Métamorphoses d'Ovide gravées sur les desseins des meilleurs Peintres Français. Par les soins des

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Lot 293

Ovidius Naso (Publius) Les Métamorphoses d'Ovide gravées sur les desseins des meilleurs Peintres Français. Par les soins des Srs. le Mire et Basan Graveurs, engraved throughout with pictorial title incorporating medallion portrait, 3pp. dedication, 139 plates (numbered 2-140) after Boucher, Eisen, Gravelot & others, tail-piece and 20pp. list of plates, dedication & list of plates printed on both sides, very occasional light soiling or spotting, a couple of small marginal tears, bookplate of Llvis Escobet and 3 small gilt-stamped roan bookplates of Isidoro Fernandez, handsome later dark blue morocco with multi-rule border and central device in gilt, by Rivière & Son, spine gilt in compartments and five raised bands, g.e., preserved in cloth chemise and slip-case, [Cohen-de Ricci 772 note], large 8vo, Paris, Basan & Le Mire, [1770].*** A plates-only issue of those executed for the 4 volume edition of Ovid printed by Prault for Hochereau and others from 1767-1770.

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Futurism.- Marinetti (Filippo Tommaso) Zang Tumb Tumb. Adrianople October 1912, first edition, first issue with "18° migliaio

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Lot 340

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

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Mineralogy.- Paracelsus (Theophrastus Bombastus) Ettliche tractatus. I. Von natürlichen dingen. II. Beschreibung etlicher kre

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Lot 282

Mineralogy.- Paracelsus (Theophrastus Bombastus) Ettliche tractatus. I. Von natürlichen dingen. II. Beschreibung etlicher kreütter. III von metallen. IIII. Von mineralen. V. Von edlen gesteinen, edited by Michael Toxites, woodcut initials, light browning, some staining to title, ink library stamp to B3, later latin ink ownership inscription of Jonat ?Schreter to pastedown, contemporary blind-stamped pigskin over wooden boards, metal clasps, split to head of upper joint, some chipping and wear to head of spine and corners, small portion of repair to lower cover, soiled, [Sudhoff 120; VD 16 P 693; cf. Norman 149], 8vo, Strasbourg, Heirs of Christian Müller, 1570.*** Rare edition of this supplement to his Archidoxa, which 'includes tracts on the use of magnets in medicine, occult philosophy, the correct administration of medicine, and how to extract poisons from venomous animals' (Norman), as well as minerals and gemstones. The editor (born Johann Michael Schütz) was a physician, alchemist, poet laureate to Charles V, and follower of Paracelsus.

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Gaskell (Elizabeth C.) Wives and Daughters. An Every-Day Story, 2 vol., first edition, 18 wood-engraved plates by George Du M

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Lot 158

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

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Native American language.- Nantes (Bernardo de) Katecismo Indico da lingua Kariris, first edition, with blank leaf Z7 but lac

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Lot 252

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

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Rowling (J.K.) Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, eleventh printing paperback edition, signed presentation inscription

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Lot 369

Rowling (J.K.) Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, eleventh printing paperback edition, signed presentation inscription from the author, "To Camilla" on title, ink ownership inscription "Horlick" to title and inside front cover, original pictorial wrappers, light sunning and creasing to spine, spine a little worn at foot, light corner creasing, 8vo, 1998.*** Provenance: signed by J.K. Rowling in 2000 during her visit to North Foreland Lodge boarding school for girls, Hampshire. J.K. Rowling had given her permission for its girls to perform a production of her Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. However, two weeks later Rowling changed her mind at the last minute, when realising that this would be a world premiere. The author arranged a personal visit to the school by way of an apology and signed copies of her books for the girls.

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Zuccagni-Orlandini (Attillio) Atlante Geografico degli stati Italiani...[&] Atlante illustrativo, together 5 vol., first with

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Lot 259

Zuccagni-Orlandini (Attillio) Atlante Geografico degli stati Italiani...[&] Atlante illustrativo, together 5 vol., first with 125 engraved maps only (of 144), with partial hand-colouring, some double-page, second complete with 269 engraved plates, occasional light spotting but generally very clean, contemporary half morocco, slightly rubbed, folio, Florence, 1844.

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Anglo-Spanish War.- [Elizabeth I, Queen of England]. A Declaration of the causes mooving the Queene of England to give aide t

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Lot 111

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

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[Gaskell (Elizabeth C.)] Mary Barton: A Tale of Manchester Life, 2 vol., first edition, Autograph Letter in the author's hand

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Lot 155

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

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Finney (Jack) The Body Snatchers, first English edition, light browning to text, original boards, dust-jacket, very slight fa

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Lot 336

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

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Binding.- Royal Arms.- Office de la Semaine Sainte, engraved additional title laid-down to sheet, ink note in later hand to r

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Lot 48

Binding.- Royal Arms.- Office de la Semaine Sainte, engraved additional title laid-down to sheet, ink note in later hand to recto, lacking front endpaper, a little spotting, contemporary red morocco, gilt, with central French royal arms to covers, fleur-de-lys within compartments to spine, borders, edges and dentelles likewise gilt, spine foot a little chipped, otherwise some light scuffing, Paris, Gregoire Dupuis, 1724 § Martin (L. Aimé) Mémoire sur la vie les Ouvrages de J. H. Bernardin de Saint-Pierre, some foxing, contemporary red straight-grain morocco, gilt and stamped in blind, with central French royal arms to covers, pale blue silk doublures and endpapers, some glue staining at gutter, g.e., Paris, chez Ladvocat, 1826, 8vo (bindings: 198x134mm; 214x135mm.) (2) *** The ink note (first mentioned) suggests the book was in the possession of Élisabeth of France, sister of Louis XVI, during her imprisonment in the Temple with the royal family in the 1790s prior to execution, postulating that it may also have been used by Marie Antoinette and her daughter, the Madame Royale. Another note (loosely inserted) further suggests that it was used by Louis XVI himself on the way to the scaffold; both corners of p.341 are turned down, marking Psalm 58, 'Mon Deiu, délivrez-moi de mes ennemis...".

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Russell (Bertrand) My Philosophical Development, first edition, signed by the author on title, cut newspaper clipping laid do

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Lot 372

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

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Waugh (Evelyn) Decline and Fall, first edition, first printing with ""Martin Gaythorne-Brodie"" and ""Kevin Saunderson"" unch

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Lot 376

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

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Du Maurier (Daphne) Rebecca, first edition, signed Book Society bookplate by the author, laid down on pastedown, the odd spot

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Lot 332

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

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Hardy (Thomas) A Pair of Blue Eyes. A Novel, 3 vol., first edition in book form, with the mis-aligned 'c' in 'clouds' on page

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Lot 162

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

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Broadside.- Aurora Borealis.- Account (An), of the Phœnomeon which appear'd at Elston, near Newark, March 7th. 1715/16, print

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Lot 123

Broadside.- Aurora Borealis.- Account (An), of the Phœnomeon which appear'd at Elston, near Newark, March 7th. 1715/16, printed broadside, small marginal ink-stain, ex-Nottingham libraries with neat ink-stamp verso, laid down on paper, broadside c.280 x 170 mm., [1716]. *** Rare. Seemingly unrecorded. At the time this phenomena was seen across much of the country, and was believed to be meteor showers. Subsequent scientific researchers believe this to have been one of the most impressive aurora borealis ever seen in Britain. "About Twelve, a bright Globular Body appeared, as big as, and like the Sun at his Rising, but not quite so clear. Indeed it was the most astonishing sight I ever yet beheld. During this time, the Light was such that I my self (tho' now almost sixty Years of Age) and another Clergyman did read several Titles of the Books in the Bible, without any Use of Art."

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King (Stephen) Christine, first English edition, signed presentation inscription from the author dated "5/10/83" to endpaper,

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Lot 347

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

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Geology.- Smith (William) Stratigraphical System of Organized Fossils, with Reference to the Specimens of the Original Geolog

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Lot 274

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

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Forster (E.M.) A Room With a View, first edition, autograph card signed by the author on his King's College Cambridge letterh

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Lot 339

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

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South East Asia.- [Collection of 29 vintage photographic prints], mounted on 27 stiff card leaves, 3 tinted, some captioned i

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Lot 240

South East Asia.- [Collection of 29 vintage photographic prints], mounted on 27 stiff card leaves, 3 tinted, some captioned in the negative, all captioned by hand on mounts, faint spotting and light dust soiling to mounts, c.205x275 mm to c.250 x 350 mm., [c.1890]. *** An interesting collection of images depicting a long forgotten, pre-industrial Singapore.

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Kipling (Rudyard) The Jungle Book, reprint, signed by the author and dated "Dec. 9. 1910" on title, illustrations by Kipling,

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Lot 171

Kipling (Rudyard) The Jungle Book, reprint, signed by the author and dated "Dec. 9. 1910" on title, illustrations by Kipling, W. H. Drake and P. Frenzeny, advertisements at end, light occasional spotting, gutter slightly cracked but firm, original pictorial cloth, gilt, g.e., spine ends and corners lightly bumped, a few small scratches to upper cover, slight shelf-lean, 8vo, 1908.

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Binding.- Horatius Flaccus (Quintus) Q. Horatius Flaccus: cum commentariis & enarrationibus commentatoris veteris..., collati

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Lot 45

Binding.- Horatius Flaccus (Quintus) Q. Horatius Flaccus: cum commentariis & enarrationibus commentatoris veteris..., collation: *-**4 A-Z4 a-z4 aa-zz4 aaa-vvv4, woodcut printer's device to title, light uniform browning towards end, seventeenth century calf ornate in gilt, covers and spine with a semis of fleur-de-lys within tooled borders, spine head with leather repair, spine foot slightly chipped, upper joint split at foot and fragile, g.e., ink stain to fore-edge, 4to (binding: 227x166mm.), Leiden, ex officina Plantiniana, with Franciscus Raphelengius, 1597.*** Provenance: A previous French owner’s pencil note suggests that this book once belonged to the Count of Provence, later Louis XVIII (1814-1824, with an interruption upon Napoleon's return during the Hundred Days in 1815), forming part of his library in exile from 1791.

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Tolkien (J.R.R.) The Lord of the Rings, 3 vol., first editions, first impressions, The Return of the

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Lot 375

Tolkien (J.R.R.) The Lord of the Rings, 3 vol., first editions, first impressions, The Return of the King without signature mark '4' and text block straight, folding map at end of each vol., faint toning strips on endpapers, original cloth, spine ends fractionally bumped, otherwise fine, top edge staining still bright to vol.1 & 3, dust-jackets, light toning to spines and panel edges, neat and expert restorations to extremities, still in effect an excellent and bright set, preserved in custom-made morocco-backed slip-case, [Hammond & Anderson A5], 8vo, 1954-55.

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[Wilde (Oscar)] The Ballad of Reading Gaol by C.3.3., first edition, one of 800 copies on hand-made paper, slight abrasion to

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Lot 105

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

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Gardens.- Switzer (Stephen) An Introduction to a General System of Hydrostaticks and Hydraulicks, Philosophical and Practical

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Lot 271

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

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Wilde (Oscar).- Ross (Robert) re Oscar Wilde deceased, printed bifolium, folds with some splitting and tape repairs, some fra

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Lot 98

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

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Fox (Charles James).- Beccaria (Cesare) Dei Delitti e delle Pene, engraved frontispiece, occasional light foxing, contemporar

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Lot 58

Fox (Charles James).- Beccaria (Cesare) Dei Delitti e delle Pene, engraved frontispiece, occasional light foxing, contemporary English blue straight-grain morocco, gilt, extremities slightly rubbed, g.e., 8vo, Harlem, 1766.*** Bookplate of Charles James Fox and inscription on front endpaper in Italian relating to its later gifting from Mary, Lady Holland in 1862.

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Wodehouse (P.G.) Young Men in Spats, first edition, light browning to endpapers, original cloth, light fading to spine, splas

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Lot 382

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

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Milne (A.A.) [The Christopher Robin books], 4 vol., comprising When We Were Very Young, second issue with numbered contents p

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Lot 353

Milne (A.A.) [The Christopher Robin books], 4 vol., comprising When We Were Very Young, second issue with numbered contents page, neat pencil ownership inscription and light browning on front free endpaper, jacket with light toning to spine, the odd closed nick to upper edge and spine tail, light fraying to spine head, 1924; Winnie-The-Pooh, map endpapers, jacket evenly browned, slightly heavier to spine, light creasing to edges, chipping to extremities, torn down lower spine joints and across spine affecting image, short 1cm tear to lower panel lower edge, 1926; Now We Are Six, pictorial endpapers with small ink ownership inscription, light toning to half-title, rear endpapers browned, cloth spine faded, jacket with small portions of loss to edges of lower panel, spine browned, nicks to edges, chipping to corners, neatly broken down lower spine, 1927; The House at Pooh Corner, pictorial endpapers (very light browning), few spots to half-title, cloth very lightly faded, jacket evenly browned with discolouration to lower panel, small portions of loss to upper edge and spine tail, corners chipped, 1928, first editions, illustrations by Ernest H. Shepard, original pictorial cloth, gilt, light rubbing to spine tips and corners, t.e.g., dust-jackets, a very good or excellent set, 8vo.*** An attractive set of Milne's classic series.

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Huxley (Aldous) Brave New World, one of 324 copies signed by the author, light browning to endpapers, original yellow buckram

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Lot 343

Huxley (Aldous) Brave New World, one of 324 copies signed by the author, light browning to endpapers, original yellow buckram with blue gilt-lettered morocco label to spine, slight toning to spine, slight bumping to spine tips, some slight surface soiling to covers, but an excellent example overall, t.e.g., others uncut, preserved in custom drop-back box, [Connolly, The Modern Movement 75], 8vo, 1932

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Jewish settlement in England.- Menasseh ben Israel. Vindiciae Judaeorum, or a Letter In Answer to certain Questions...touchin

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Lot 114

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

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Fleming (Ian) Casino Royale, first edition, first impression, original black boards with heart motif in red to upper cover, s

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Lot 337

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

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Execution broadside.- arsenic poisoning.- Account of (An) the Trial and Execution of John Smith, who was Executed on the New

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Lot 133

Execution broadside.- arsenic poisoning.- Account of (An) the Trial and Execution of John Smith, who was Executed on the New Drop at Lincoln Castle ... for poisoning Sarah Arrowsmith of Alford, printed broadside, woodcut illustration at head, crude printing with smudges and occasionally obscured letters, creases, light soiling and spotting, laid down on paper, c.370 x 235 mm., Nottingham, printed from the Lincoln copy by Ordoyno, [c.1824]. *** Rare. Seemingly unrecorded. The tale of a man who poisoned flour with arsenic, and gave the flour to his unwitting partner who baked it into cakes. The cakes were shared with her siblings, daughter and neighbours, poisoning them all, though the broadside intimates that only the partner, Sarah Arrowsmith and her unborn child died.

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Doyle (Sir Arthur Conan) The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, first issue with 'Miss Violent Hunter' in the last sentence on p.

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Lot 326

Doyle (Sir Arthur Conan) The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, first issue with 'Miss Violent Hunter' in the last sentence on p.317 and without name to street sign on upper cover, upper hinge weak, slight shelf-lean, spine a little rubbed and darkened, spine ends and corners bumped and frayed, extremities rubbed, 1892; The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, extremities rubbed, 1894, first editions, illustrations by Sidney Paget, light foxing, original pictorial cloth, lettered in gilt, a bright set overall, g.e., [Green & Gibson A10a & A14], 8vo (2)*** An attractive set of the complete Sherlock Holmes short stories.

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Hugo (Victor) Les Miserables, 10 vol., mixed edition, half-titles, some foxing, the occasional light stain, vol. 9 final 2 le

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Lot 59

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

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Harbou (Thea von) Metropolis, first English edition, first issue with no mention of this work in list on p.[7], light brownin

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Lot 342

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

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Tibet.- Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Verses, manuscript in Tibetan, on white paper, over 400 leaves in 32 chapters,

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Lot 249

Tibet.- Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Verses, manuscript in Tibetan, on white paper, over 400 leaves in 32 chapters, text in black ink to recto and verso, mostly in 8 lines, opening leaves with 4, 5, 6 and 7 lines, coloured miniatures to title and final leaf, small chip affecting title, title and final leaf reinforced through several leaves stitched together, some creasing, soiling and light staining, edges chipped and frayed, particularly at beginning and end, leaves loose between 2 wooden covers, upper cover with remains of painted decoration in black, red and green, upper cover with decorative carving to right fore-edge, lower cover plain, rubbed and scuffed, each leaf c.215 x 630mm., covers 230 x 695mm., [Tibet], [c.18th or 19th century]. *** A canonical text that occupies an entire volume of the Tibetan tripitaka, said to be the words of the Buddha as taught to a gathering of 1,250 arhats on the mountain called Vulture's Peak, near Rajagriha in Nothern India. The title is flanked by a pair of miniatures identified by inscriptions below: "homage to the supreme teacher" (i.e. Buddha Sakyamuni, the Buddha of the present) on the left and "homage to the venerable Maitreya" (i.e. the Buddha of the future) on the right. The final leaf bears miniatures of Manjughosa (Manjusri, patron deity of wisdom) on the left and "the great mother" (Prajnaparamita, the perfection of wisdom) on the right. Two groups of devotees honouring an unidentified buddha/bodhisattva figure occupy the lower register in the centre of the page.

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*** Please note, the description of this lot has changed *** China.- Medicine.- [Illustrated Compilation of Medical Texts], 6

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Lot 186

*** Please note, the description of this lot has changed *** China.- Medicine.- [Illustrated Compilation of Medical Texts], 6 vol., woodblock printed on bamboo paper, 9 columns per page, 20 characters per column, single black fishtail motifs, single-line border, 29 illustrations, some fore-edge folds splitting or with neat repairs, the occasional small portion of loss or insect-damage repaired, a few instances of marginal annotation, some light staining to head, bound and stitched Japanese-style into later brown wrappers, housed in a cloth wrap-around case with clasps, block-printed label to upper cover (little chipped), China, Huide Hall Bookshop, [18th-19th century] *** A Qing-dynasty compilation of 3 important medical texts, rarely seen together: Nanjing, Maijue and Qijing bamai kao. Attributed to the legendary doctor Bian Que (also known as Qinyueren), Nanjing or 'The Classic of Difficult Questions' takes the form of a debate between the doctor and his student over elements of pathology, including acupuncture and Yin and Yang. Maijue or 'The formula of pulse measurement' is attributed to Wang Shuhe, an expert on pulse measurement between 265 and 316 AD, although its simple and unrefined style suggests a later date. Qijing bamai kao, written by Li Shizhen (1518-1593), is a short essay on the circulation of Qi (‘air’ or ‘energy’ inside the body) and the eight major arteries and veins.

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St. Helena.- Beatson (Maj.-Gen. Alexander) Tracts Relative to the Island of St. Helena, engraved map and 6 aquatint plates by

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Lot 267

St. Helena.- Beatson (Maj.-Gen. Alexander) Tracts Relative to the Island of St. Helena, engraved map and 6 aquatint plates by William Daniell after Samuel Davis, extra-illustrated with 6 fine hand-coloured aquatint plates, the odd spot, some light surface soiling, ink ownership inscription to endpaper, 20th century panelled calf, light fading to spine, 4to, 1816.*** A scarce and important early work on St. Helena. This copy with 2 additional plates James Wathern and 4 additional plates by William Innes Pocock, the latter published in his rare Five Views of the Island of St. Helena.

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*** Please note, the description of this lot has changed *** South America.- Bertonio (Ludovico) Vocabulario de la Lengua Ay

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Lot 266

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

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Collins (Wilkie) The Moonstone. A Romance, 3 vol., first edition, with vol. 1 pp.10 & 11 transposed, vol. 2 with "treachesrou

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Lot 163

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

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Rackham (Arthur).- Poe (Edgar Allan) Tales of Mystery & Imagination, first Rackham-illustrated edition, number 345 of 460

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Lot 289

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

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Doyle (Sir Arthur Conan) The Sign of Four, ink ownership inscription to head of title, browning to endpapers, second edition,

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Lot 327

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

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Wodehouse (P.G.) The Clicking of Cuthbert, first edition, light browning to endpapers, original first issue pictorial cloth,

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Lot 379

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

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Tolkien (J.R.R.) The Hobbit; or There and Back Again, first American edition, first state with bowing hobbit device on the ti

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Lot 374

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

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Doyle (Sir Arthur Conan) The Hound of the Baskervilles, first edition, first issue with "you" for "your" on p.13, half-title,

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Lot 328

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

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[Gaskell (Elizabeth C.)] Ruth. A Novel, 3 vol., first edition, advertisement endpapers to front of vol. 1 and 2, light foxing

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Lot 156

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

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Simonetta (Giovanni) Commentarii rerum gestarum Francisci Sfortiae, first edition, [edited by Franciscus Puteolanus], collati

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Lot 16

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

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Rowling (J.K.) Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, eleventh printing, signed presentation inscription from the author "

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Lot 368

Rowling (J.K.) Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, eleventh printing, signed presentation inscription from the author "To Anna, Best wishes, J. K. Rowling, 17/3/98" to dedication p., very light splash-mark to prelims, small patch of staining to pp.19/20, light corner-creasing, ink name "Anna Heaton 5A" to inside upper cover, original pictorial wrappers, creasing, some rubbing to extremities, 8vo, 1997.*** Provenance: signed for the recipient during a reading by the author at Putney High School.

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