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Lot 542

Orwell (George) Burmese Days, first edition, very light toning to endpapers, original cloth, slight bumping to spine tips and corners, dust-jacket, light toning to spine, spine ends and corners a little chipped, short tear with creasing to head of spine, closed tears to head and foot of upper joint, 2 short tears to foot of panels, light creasing to head, a sharp and excellent example overall, [Fenwick A.2a], 8vo, New York, 1934.⁂ The true first edition of Orwell's first novel, published a year before its appearance in the UK, having been rejected by several publishers there for fear of libel. Rare in the dust-jacket in such excellent condition.

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Lot 483

δ O'Connor (Gemma, binder).- Theocritus. Sixe Idyllia, number 198 of 270 copies, from an edition limited to 417, 8 etchings by Anthony Gross, bound in dark brown oasis goatskin, by Gemma O'Connor, upper cover with bull's head inlaid in fawn goatskin and tooled in gilt, bull's head in blind to lower cover, Greek lettering in blind to spine, g.e., suede flyleaves and light brown goatskin endpapers, custom morocco-backed drop-back box, 4to (c.340 x 250mm.), New York, Chilmark Press, Clover Hill Editions, 1971.δ This lot is sold subject to Artists Resale Rights, details of which can be found in our Terms and Conditions.

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Lot 498

Christie (Agatha) Endless Night, first edition, signed presentation inscription from the author on endpaper, original boards, dust-jacket, price-clipped, very light fading to spine, spine a little chipped at foot, short nick to foot of lower panel, light creasing to head and foot, otherwise excellent, 8vo, 1967.⁂ Among the author's favourites of her own works, scarce signed.

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Lot 517

Forester (C.S.) [The Hornblower novels], 12 vol., first editions, Hornblower and the Atropos second impression, the rest first impressions, half-titles, very occasional light foxing, attractive modern red crushed half morocco, spines gilt in compartments with ship and anchor motifs and black morocco labels, 8vo, 1937-67.

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Lot 444

Physics.- Hawking (Stephen) A Brief History of Time, first edition, photograph of Hawking with stamped signature to verso and letter of provenance loosely inserted, slight shelf-lean, light bumping to spine tips, dust-jacket, light creasing to spine ends and corners, else fine, 8vo, 1988.

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Lot 192

Churchill (Sir Winston Spencer) Onwards to Victory, first edition, signed by the author and dated 1946 on endpaper, plates, silk endpapers, original black morocco, very light fading to spine, light rubbing to spine and corner tips, [Woods A101], 8vo, 1944.⁂ A signed copy of Churchill's speeches in the publisher's presentation binding. See lot XXXX.

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Lot 342

Pacific.- Erskine (John Elphinstone) Journal of a Cruise among the Islands of the Western Pacific, first edition, folding engraved map, 4 chromolithographed and 3 wood-engraved plates, illustrations, without errata slip and publisher's advertisements, bookplate of G. & N. Ingleton, folding map with a few short tears but no loss, occasional light foxing, original pictorial cloth, gilt, spine sunned and lightly soiled, light rubbing to spine ends and corners, [Hill 568; Abbey, Travel 602], 8vo, 1853.

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Lot 321

Hawaii.- Jarves (James Jackson) History of the Hawaiian or Sandwich Islands, first edition, additional vignette title, engraved frontispiece and folding map, plates and illustrations, some offsetting, a few leaves slightly browned, light foxing, mostly to endpapers, original blind-stamped cloth, spine gilt but sunned, small chips to spine ends, lightly rubbed, 8vo, Boston, 1843.

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Lot 205

Secret Speech denouncing Stalin.- Khrushchev (Nikita Sergeyevich) O Kulcie Jednostki I Jego Nastepstwach, first edition, first issue, original paper wrapper, ink-stamp '3083' to upper cover, minor creasing to spine, light sunning to edges, 8vo, Warsaw, Marzec, 1956.⁂ Rare and important copy of the first issue of Khrushchev's speech, given to a closed session of Communist Party delegates on 25 Feburary 1956, in which he openly denounced the deceased dictator Joseph Stalin (who died in March 1953). "Khrushchev recalled Lenin's Testament, a long-suppressed document in which Vladimir Lenin had warned that Stalin was likely to abuse his power, and then he cited numerous instances of such excesses" (Encyclopaedia Britannica Online). This Polish translation of the speech was the only version that circulated during the Cold War, the official Russian text being unknown until its publication in 1989. The CIA counterfeit edition, with false imprint Moscow 1959, was in fact a translation into Russian from the present Polish text, which was smuggled out of Moscow and leaked, via Israel, to the USA.

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Lot 470

Warhol (Andy) Andy Warhol's Index (Book), first edition, pop-up and folding illustrations, original stiff pictorial wrappers, Andy Warhol price sticker to upper cover (rubbed), some rubbing to covers, light creasing to corners, 4to, New York, 1967.⁂ This is a complete copy containing: pop-up castle; pop-up accordion (now silent as often); pop-up aeroplane; a folded geodesic dome; a paper disc on a wire spring (still attached to book); a flexi-disc with a portrait if Lou Reed; a folding image of a nose with colourful overlays; pop-up tomato paste tin; a sheet of 8 stamps (2 detached but present), and a gold balloon (melted and fusing the pages together, as usual).

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Lot 511

Faulks (Sebastian) A Trick of the Light, first edition, signed by the author on title, original boards, slight bumping to spine tips, dust-jacket, light creasing to head and foot, minor chipping to spine tips and corners, light rubbing, an excellent example, 8vo, 1984.⁂ The author's first book.

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Lot 443

Physics.- Einstein (Albert) Essays in Science, abridged edition, signed by the author on title, marginal browning to text, light erasure marks to front free endpaper, original boards, some light sunning to extremities, dust-jacket, light sunning to spine, spine ends and corners a little chipped, 8vo, New York, [c.1950].⁂ A good copy of this classic collection of essays by Einstein, scarce signed.

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Lot 315

Hawaii.- Byron (Capt. George Anson, Lord) Voyage of H.M.S. Blonde to the Sandwich Islands in the Years 1824-1825, first edition, folding aquatint frontispiece of the Great Volcano of Peli, folding engraved map, 13 plates including plan, 3 engraved portraits, 8 fine aquatint views after Robert Dampier and wood-engraving, all but one with tissue-guards, a few light creases to frontispiece from previous folds, foxing, mostly to margins, hinges repaired, original grey boards, rebacked in modern paper with original spine label laid down, corners repaired, rubbed, label chipped, housed in a cloth drop-back box, [Sabin 100816; Hill 231; Abbey Travel 597], 4to, 1826.⁂ An account of the state visit of Kamehameha II of Hawaii and his queen, Kamamalu, to Britain in 1824 where they succumbed to measles and died, and the subsequent repatriation of their bodies to Hawaii by the British Government.

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Lot 313

Coxe (William) Les Nouvelles Découvertes des Russes, entre l'Asie et l'Amérique, first French quarto edition, half-title, 4 folding engraved maps and folding plate, woodcut head- & tail-pieces, bookplate of Rodney Davidson, 1 map with short tear to inner margin but no loss, some light foxing and offsetting, contemporary mottled calf, spine richly gilt with red morocco label, lightly rubbed, an attractive copy, 4to, Paris, Hôtel de Thou, 1781.⁂ A key work in Russian-American exploration, including a detailed examination of the fur trade between the Russian and the Chinese.

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Lot 350

Reynolds (Jeremiah N.) Voyage of the United States Frigate Potomac...During the Circumnavigation of the Globe, 2 vol., 10 engraved plates, some folding and neatly mounted on stubs, a few minor tears and repairs to folding plates, not affecting image, some light browning and foxing, later half calf over blue moiré cloth, spines gilt, very lightly rubbed, 8vo, New-York, 1835.⁂ An apparently unrecorded pre-publication variant of the first edition, published in the same year. This copy is in two volumes rather than the customary one, with individual title pages and continuous pagination. The text ends on p.521, without the Appendix and Meteorological Tables (pp.523-560) included in the first edition. We can trace no other copy in this format, which is not in Sabin or Hill.

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Lot 2

Food Rationing & Beer.- [James I.] Orders Appointed by his Maiestie . . . for the preuenting and remedying of the dearth of Graine and other Victuall, variant with "other Victuall" on title, wide margins, light damp-staining, library cloth, uncut, [STC 9242.5], by Bonham Norton, 1622; another edition, contemporary ink inscription to first leaf, first and last leaves soiled, cropped, modern half morocco, g.e., [STC 9250.7], Robert Barker, 1630 § Burnaby (A.) Two Proposals Humbly Offer'd to the Honourable House of Commons...That a Duty be laid on Malt..., first edition, small stain to a few leaves causing small hole to one leaf affecting a couple of letters, cropped, modern calf-backed marbled boards, red roan label, [Goldsmiths' 3258; Kress 1940; Wing B.5742], 1696, the first two with first leaves blank but for signature 'A' within mortised ornament, titles with woodcut devices and Royal Arms to verso, woodcut head-pieces and initials, black letter, both ex-Rothamsted Agricultural Library copies, small 4to (3)

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Lot 365

Tahiti.- Marigny (Édouard Taitbout de) Essai sur l'Isle d'Otahiti, Située dans la Mer du Sud, et sur l'Espirit et les Moeurs de ses Habitans, first edition, engraved frontispiece, title with some faint scattered ink spots and short tear to fore-margin repaired, D4 with tear neatly repaired without loss, small worming to upper and inner blank margins, a couple times touching a letter of text, very light spotting, uncut in original marbled wrappers, neatly rebacked, rubbed and frayed at edges, 2 tiny wormholes to covers, preserved in a cloth drop-back box, [Sabin 4178; Hill 1666], 8vo, Avignon & Paris, Froullé, 1779.⁂ Scarce earliest separate work on the island of Tahiti.

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Lot 283

Anson (George).- Pascoe (Thomas) A True and Impartial Journal of a Voyage to the South-Seas...Under the Command of Commodore George Anson, first edition, list of subscribers, engraved armorial bookplate of S.P. Peach, A7 with small section torn, affecting a couple of letters but without loss of sense, L5 with upper corner torn away, with loss to a portion of text, some light browning and occasional foxing, heavier to K1-3, a few later ink notes and marks to rear free endpaper, upper hinge repaired, contemporary panelled calf, neatly rebacked, covers rubbed and worn, [Sabin 95437; Hill 1693; Palau 331781], 8vo, Printed, and Sold by S. Birt [& others], 1745.⁂ A scarce account of the Anson expedition, preceding the official account by three years.

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Lot 433

DNA.- Watson (James D.) The Double Helix, first edition, signed by Francis Crick and Maurice Wilkins to front free endpaper, signature of James Watson loosely inserted, illustrations, original cloth, a few small patches of fading, dust-jacket, very light fading to spine, spine ends and corners chipped, extremities rubbed, 8vo, New York, Atheneum, 1968.⁂ Watson's account of the discovery of the structure of DNA one of the great scientific breakthroughs of the 20th century. Scarce signed by Crick and Wilkins, with whom Watson shared the Nobel Prize.

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Lot 57

Mining.- Hardy (William) The Miner's Guide: or, Compleat Miner, first edition, with final errata/advertisement leaf, woodcut initials, 10 woodcut plates, tables, contemporary ink inscription "Robert Burton His Book 1753" to front free endpaper, worming sometimes affecting text but no loss of sense, light staining, contemporary sprinkled sheep, spine gilt, new red morocco label, rubbed, spine wormed at foot, [Goldsmiths' 8326; Kress 4910], Sheffield, Francis Lister, 1748 § Mander (James) The Derbyshire Miners' Glossary, first edition, engraved frontispiece, list of subscribers, a few spots, modern cloth, uncut, [Kress C1289; Not in Goldsmiths'], Bakewell, for the Author, 1824 § Stirling (Patrick James) The Australian and Californian Gold Discoveries..., first edition, with half-title and final advertisement leaf, folding chart (split to fold), a little browned, contemporary half calf, rubbed, [Ferguson 16282; Sabin 91851], Edinburgh, 1853, 8vo (3)⁂ The first is an authoritative and now very scarce guide to mining published in Sheffield and dedicated to William Cavendish (1720-1764) Marquis of Hartington, later the 4th Duke of Devonshire. It Includes methods employed in finding veins of various ores, the laws regulating the mining industry, and articles for mines in Derbyshire, Devon and other locations. The last concerns the effect of the gold discoveries on European prices.

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Lot 546

Orwell (George) Nineteen Eighty-Four, first edition, light spotting to endpapers and edges, original cloth, slight shelf-lean, spine slightly faded, light sunning to upper and lower edges, red dust-jacket by Michael Kennard, spine sunned, slight fraying to head of spine, minor chipping to corners, short closed tear to head and foot of lower panel, light rubbing, an excellent copy overall, 8vo, 1949.⁂ An excellent example of Orwell's final novel, as dystopian classic and one of the most popular and influential novels of the 20th century.

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Lot 434

DNA.- Watson (James D.) The Double Helix, first English edition, signed by the author on title, some edge-spotting, ink ownership inscription to endpaper, original boards, slight shelf-lean, light sunning to lower edge, dust-jacket, short tear to head of upper panel, light rubbing and creasing to head and foot, 1968 § Crick (Francis) What Mad Pursuit, first edition, signed presentation inscription from the author to endpaper, original cloth, dust-jacket, sunning to spine and head of upper panel, New York, 1988, excellent copies, housed together in custom velvet-lined drop-back box, lettered in gilt on upper cover, 8vo (2)⁂ Two accounts of the discovery of the structure of DNA, a milestone in the history of science, signed by the two key figures, joint authors of the original paper published in Nature magazine that gave rise to modern molecular biology.

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Lot 256

Fencing.- Agocchie (Giovanni dall') Dell'arte di scrimia libri tre, first edition, collation: A-V4, woodcut printer's device to title, 2 woodcut diagrams in text, woodcut head-pieces and decorative initials, lacking final blank, some spotting or mostly light foxing, lightly browned, hinges cracked, but binding holding, contemporary limp vellum, lacking ties, small hole to upper cover, some staining, small 4to (202 x 146mm.), Venice, Giulio Tamborino, 1572.⁂ Scarce first edition of this treatise on self defence with the side-sword. The author was a Bolognese fencing master. Literature: Thimm p.3; Adams A331; EDIT 16 CNCE 15869.

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Lot 364

Tahiti.- Hawaii.- History of the Otaheitean Islands, from their First Discovery to the Present Time...With an Historical Sketch of the Sandwich Islands, half-title, folding engraved frontispiece, ink ownership inscriptions to head of title crossed out, contemporary ink ownership inscription of H. Maxwell to head of F6v, browned throughout, occasional light spotting or staining, original sheep, neatly rebacked, red morocco label to spine, corners repaired, old covers worn, [Ferguson 306; Forbes 316], small 8vo, Edinburgh, Printed by T. Maccliesh and Co., 1800.⁂ Important early compendium of information on Tahiti and Hawaii at the close of the eighteenth century. This copy with the two leaves of introduction cancelled, as called for in the directions to the binder.

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Lot 177

Melville (Herman) Moby-Dick or the White Whale, second English edition, a few spots to fore-edge, light browning to endpapers, Lord Rosebery's copy with his "Durdans" blind-stamp to to title and pp.99 and 101 and the odd pencil note or marking to margins and endpaper, original pictorial cloth, light toning to spine, spine ends and corners slightly bumping, small patch of fraying to foot of upper cover, some slight rubbing or faint marking, but a bright, crisp copy generally, 8vo, G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1892.⁂ The second English edition of one of the Great American Novels and a key work of 19th century literature. This second English edition is both rare (we have traced not like example at auction) and significant as it is the first English edition to include the missing epilogue as well as a number of other passages and phrases that were omitted for the Bentley first edition (an edition that was famously mutilated by self-appointed censors).

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Lot 486

Asquith (Lady Cynthia) Shudders, first edition, edge-spotting, original pictorial cloth, light spotting to upper joint, else fine, dust-jacket priced at 7/6, two short tears with creasing to head, some spotting to spine, a near-fine example overall, 8vo, [1929].⁂ Cynthia Asquith's second supernatural anthology in the rare dust-jacket, we can trace no like example at auction. Including stories by E. F. Benson, L. P. Hartley, Arthur Machen, Algernon Blackwood and Somerset Maugham. Also includes the M. R. James story Rats, first published in At Random magazine in March of the same year.

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Lot 527

Huxley (Aldous) Brave New World, first edition, light spotting to endpapers and scattered edge-spotting, original cloth, slight shelf-lean, dust-jacket, some light spotting, minor chipping to tip of spine and corners, very light creasing to head, a bright, near-fine example overall, 8vo, 1932.⁂ A superb example of Huxley dystopian classic.

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Lot 260

Comet.- Pianeri (Giovanni) Varia opuscula, 2 parts in 1, collation: a4 A-H4; a-f4, woodcut printer's device to titles, woodcut decorative initials, a few instances of early ink marginalia, a little closely trimmed at upper and outer margins, some spotting or light staining, 18th century vellum-backed limp decorative boards, faded red leather label to spine, small 4to (187 x 139mm.), Venice, Francesco Ziletti, 1584.⁂ Rare at auction. Includes the great comet of 1577, which was seen by many throughout Europe, including the Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe. Provenance: 'Ex libris Carolic ?Searslae' (18th century ink inscription to front pastedown). Literature: EDIT 16 CNCE 40659.

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Lot 551

Pullman (Philip) The Haunted Storm, first edition, signed by the author on title, light toning to text margins, ink library stamp to title verso, original boards, light bumping and rubbing to spine tips and corners, dust-jacket, sunning to spine, minor chipping to spine tips and corners, light rubbing and some creasing to upper and lower edge, but an excellent example overall, 8vo, 1972.⁂ The author's rare first novel. Though ex-library a far better copy than might be expected.

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Lot 74

Economics.- [Verri (Pietro)] Meditazioni sulla Economia Politica, first Naples edition, title with decorative border and ornament, some light foxing, Henry Hobhouse's copy with his ink signature at head of title and bookplate, contemporary vellum, a little soiled, small hole to vellum on upper cover, [Kress 6828; this edition not in Einuadi], 8vo, Naples, Giovanni Gravier, 1771.⁂ Influential work by Pietro Verri (1728-1797), Italian economist, administrator and philosopher, first published in Livorno in 1771, which went through several editions in the first year and was translated into French, German, Dutch and, more recently, English. It is known that Adam Smith owned a copy in his library.Rt. Hon.Henry Hobhouse (1776-1854), English archivist and civil servant, succeeded John Bruce as Keeper of the State Papers in 1826 following retirement from his role as Permanent Under Secretary of State for the Home Department (1817-1827).

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Lot 537

Mantel (Hilary) [The complete works], 15 vol., first editions, all signed by the author, original boards, dust-jackets, some light fading to spines of early titles, otherwise a fine set, 8vo, 1985-2020.⁂ A superb complete run of Mantel's works.

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Lot 140

Prisons.- Rules and Regulations for the Government of the Gaol and House of Correction, at Dorchester, 1835, light spotting, modern cloth, Dorchester, [1835] § Symons (Jelinger C.) Tactics for the Times; as regards the Condition and Treatment of the Dangerous Classes, first edition, half-title, tinted lithograph frontispiece,4 hand-coloured lithographed bar charts, 3 folding tables, original blind-stamped cloth, rubbed and faded, rebacked, new endpapers, [Goldsmiths' 36553], 1849 § Hunt (Henry) Investigation at Ilchester Gaol..., first edition, etched frontispiece by George Cruikshank and 5 plates (probably by Robert Cruikshank), with additional portrait of the author mounted & bound in and with both supplementary addresses not always found, foxing and offsetting, later half morocco, uncut, rubbed, [Cohn 421; Goldsmiths' 23262 (but lacking the address to Graham)], 1821 § Campbell (John) Thirty Years' Experience of a Medical Officer in the English Convict Service, first edition, presentation copy from the author inscribed on front free endpaper, 4pp. advertisements at end, original cloth, spine rubbed and faded, 1884; and 4 others on prisons, 8vo (8)⁂ The first is very rare and not listed by Library Hub although it does include an earlier set of rules of 1824 in the British Library.Henry Hunt was a radical politician who had been incarcerated in Ilchester gaol for his involvement in the Peterloo Massacre of 1819. He was released in 1822 and brought a series of complaints against the prison particularly the gaoler, William Bridle, instigating an Inquiry into prison conditions.

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Lot 295

Australasia.- Péron (François) and Louis-Claude de Saulces de Freycinet. Voyage de Découvertes aux Terres Australes, 5 vol. including Atlas, second edition, half-titles, engraved portrait after C.A. Lesueur, errata leaf, Atlas with 9 engraved maps or plans, 1 double-page, and 60 engraved plates by N. Petit or C.A. Lesueur on 59 sheets, 2 double-page, 27 hand-coloured, a few partly printed in colours, double-page plates neatly mounted on stubs, 1 with vertical tear expertly repaired, some light foxing and the odd small stain, a few coloured plates slightly browned, uniform 19th century calf-backed marbled boards, spines gilt, lightly rubbed, Atlas with short split to upper joint at foot, [Ferguson 978-79; Nissen ZBI 3120; Wantrup 82], 8vo & 4to, Paris, 1824.⁂ An attractive set of the scarce revised edition of the account of the expedition to the Pacific, first published in 1807-16, with corrections and 25 plates not found in the first edition. The Atlas includes the first detailed chart of the entire Australian continent, views (including 2 of Sydney, one folding), coastal profiles, artefacts, natural history and ethnographic subjects.

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Lot 184

Cook (A.B.) Zeus: A Study in Ancient Religion, 3 vol. in 5, first edition, plates and illustrations, light browning to endpapers, M. F. Ashley-Montagu's copy with his ink ownership inscriptions to front free endpapers of vol. 1 and vol. 3 part 1, original pictorial cloth, some light bumping to fading to spine tips, dust-jackets, those to vol. 3 price-clipped, light toning to spines, some chipping to spine ends and corners, some light creasing but a sharp and excellent set generally, 8vo, 1914-40.⁂ An excellent example of this important work with an excellent association. The anthropologist Ashley-Montagu (1905-1999) has included a copy of a glowing review of this work, published in Isis magazine: "It is a work pressed down and over-flowing with riches, in which the student of mythology, the anthropologist, the theologian, the classical scholar and the student of religion will find a treasure of ideas and facts which is well-nigh inexhaustible."

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Lot 308

Cook (Capt. James).- Zimmermann (Henri) Dernier Voyage du Captaine Cook Autour du Monde, second French edition, woodcut title vignette and headpiece, front free endpaper with light damp-stain and near contemporary ink inscription to verso, title slightly browned, some light scattered spotting, contemporary ink inscription to rear free endpaper, uncut in contemporary decorative wrappers, rebacked in similar paper, later manuscript "Cook" to upper cover and spine, rubbed and chipped at extremities, housed in a navy morocco-backed drop-back box, [Sabin 106346], 8vo, Berne, Nouvelle Société Typographique, 1783.⁂ The second of two French editions after the German original of 1781. Zimmermann, who travelled as coxswain on Cook's third voyage, had his work suppressed in Germany at the request of the British Admiralty. He provides one of the earliest accounts of the European discovery of Hawaii and Cook's death. The two French editions include additional matter not present in the German, including a lengthy biographical sketch of Cook (pp.118-172).

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Lot 273

Heidegger (Martin) Die Selbstbehauptung der deutschen Universitat, first edition, signed presentation inscription from the author to half-title, original printed wrappers, light spotting to covers, preserved in custom drop-back box, 8vo, Breslau, Korn, 1933.⁂ An inscribed copy of Heidegger's notorious inaugural address as rector of Freiburg, seen by many as a part-endorsement of by Heidegger of the Nazi Party's ideology.

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Lot 106

[Royal Bank of Scotland]. A collection of printed papers, depositions and reports, all Court of Session papers, concerning a major legal dispute between the Royal Bank of Scotland and the Greenock Banking Company, together 9 works in 1 vol., light foxing, first title lightly soiled, the third with slight wear from previous fold and with marginal tear to final leaf, the eighth lacking final leaf (catchword "state"), contemporary half sheep, rubbed, corners worn, rebacked, red morocco label, 4to, [Edinburgh], 1794. ⁂ An apparently very rare complete collection of the Court of Session papers relating to the Royal Bank of Scotland's civil action against the Greenock Banking Company, and vividly illustrating the sometimes far from easy relationships between a new Scottish provincial commercial 'private' bank and the 'national' Royal Bank in the latter years of the 18th century. The Greenock Banking Company, established in 1785, was Greenock's first and only bank until 1802. However, it was never very successful and failed in 1842 when its business was acquired by the Western Bank of Scotland (est. 1832) of Glasgow. The problem that arose in the early 1790s, and culminated in an expensive and protracted hearing in the Edinburgh Court of Session (the Scottish Supreme Court), related to the Royal Bank's arrangements for inter-bank accounting and once or twice weekly note exchange with the Greenock Banking Company, otherwise known as Dunlop, Houston, Gammill and Company, Bankers in Greenock.All the papers in this collection are rare, with only one copy of each recorded in ESTC (BL). A complete list of the contents is available on application.

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Lot 514

Fitzgerald (F. Scott) The Great Gatsby, first edition, first issue with 'northern' to p.119, 'it's' to p.165, 'chatter' to p.60, 'sick in tired' to p.205, and 'Union Street station' to p.211, spotting, light browning to endpapers, original cloth, light soiling to upper cover, slight bumping to spine tips and corners, but a sharp and excellent example overall, 8vo, New York, 1925.

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Lot 327

Lapérouse.- Anonymous. Découvertes dans la Mer Du Sud. Nouvelles de M. de La Peyrouse Jusqu' en 1794, without half-title but with 2pp. errata, title and A2 with light vertical crease, scattered foxing, some subtle damp-staining, errata with short tear to blank inner margin, later calf-backed boards, spine gilt but sunned, rubbed, [Sabin 38958], 8vo, Paris, Everat, [c.1795].⁂ A utopian fantasy claiming to have solved the mystery of the disappearance of two ships during the Lapérouse expedition.

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Lot 543

Orwell (George) Coming Up for Air, first edition, original blue cloth, light sunning to spine, light toning and the odd scattered spot to covers, dust-jacket, spine slightly darkened, spine ends and corners with neat and expert repairs and restoration with 1" portion at foot of spine supplied in excellent facsimile, some light rubbing to extremities, but in effect an excellent example, [Fenwick A7a], 8vo, 1939.⁂ Orwell's bleak satire on the state of the English home counties and the impending war. Among the most difficult of his titles to find in dust-jacket.

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Lot 287

Guillemard (F.H.H.) The Cruise of the Marchesa to Kamschatka & New Guinea, 2 vol., first edition, half-titles, hand-coloured lithographed frontispieces of birds by Keulemans, 14 maps and charts, some folding, wood-engraved plates and illustrations, bookplate of Henry L. White, 2 folding maps with short tears but no loss, another with neat paper repair to verso, light foxing, mostly to peripheral ff., handsome half blue morocco, gilt, by Morrell, rubbed at extremities, 4to, 1886.

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Lot 277

America.- Oviedo y Valdés (Gonzalo Fernández de) Historia General y Natural de las Indias, Islas y Tierra-firme del Mar Océano, 4 vol., half-titles, 15 lithographed plates, 3 folding, 1 in colours, vol. 1 & 4 half-title and vol. 1 title with short tears neatly repaired, not affecting text, very light toning and spotting to plates, the odd spot or patch of finger-soiling elsewhere, near contemporary half morocco, spines gilt, a few corners worn, lightly rubbed, uncut, [Sabin 57990], folio, Madrid, Imprenta de la Real Academia de la Historia, 1851-55.⁂ An attractive and uncut set of one of the great 16th century eyewitness accounts of the Spanish settlement of the New World, here published in its complete form for the first time.

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Lot 301

Bougainville (Louis-Antoine, Comte de) A Voyage Round the World, first Dublin edition, translated by John Reinhold Forster, folding engraved map and plate, a few ff. with scattered spots, contemporary calf, spine cracked (at p.307) but stitching holding firm, light wear to head, 8vo, Dublin, J. Exshaw et al., 1772.

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Lot 169

Grimm (Jakob Ludwig and Wilhelm Carl) German Popular Stories, translated from the Kinder und Haus-Märchen, 2 vol., first English edition, vol. 1 first state without the umlaut in "Marchen", vol. 2 second state with umlaut, etched vignette titles and 20 plates by George Cruikshank, vol. with text a little soiled and with occasional chipped and tears, p.23 with repair obscuring text, gatherings working loose, plates a little browned, vol. 2 with some light spotting or offsetting but a good, clean copy generally, hinges weak or breaking, vol. 1 in contemporary half morocco, rubbed and worn, vol. 2 in 19th century coth-backed boards, [Cohn 369], 12mo, C.Baldwyn [- and James Robins & Co], 1823-26.

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Lot 294

Australasia.- Péron (François) and Louis-Claude de Saulces de Freycinet. Voyage de Dècouvertes aux Terres Australes, a complete set of 6 parts in 5 vol., first edition, half-titles, engraved portrait frontispiece, 2 folding tables, Atlas Historique with engraved vignette title, 40 plates, 2 folding and 23 hand-coloured, 14 maps, 2 folding, with folding plates and maps neatly mounted on stubs, Atlas Hydrographie with engraved vignette title, contents leaf and 32 maps, many double-page, with all ff. on stubs, 1 folding map with small hole and repair to central fold, another plate with small repair to blank lower margin, some light foxing and occasional slight browning, plates still generally crisp and bright, uniform modern calf-backed boards, spines gilt with morocco labels, a handsome set, 4to & folio, Imprimerie Impériale [Royale], 1807-16.⁂ The great French voyage of the Napoleonic period to the "terres Australes" or southern continent under captain Baudin, chronicled by its participants Louis de Freycinet (later to command his own voyage) and the scientist François Péron, and published in six separate parts over a period of nearly ten years.

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Lot 161

[Evans (Mary Ann)] "George Eliot". Adam Bede, 3 vol., first edition, half-titles, divisional fly-titles, without 16pp. publisher's advertisement at end vol. 3, contemporary ink ownership inscription to front endpaper, spotting, contemporary half calf, spines gilt with contrasting morocco labels, [Baker & Ross A4.1], 1859; Daniel Deronda, 4 vol., first edition in book form, half-titles, divisional fly-titles, 2 errata slips, without single final advertisement leaf (Baker & Ross note not present in all copies), bookplates to front pastedowns, contemporary half calf, spines gilt with morocco labels, [Baker & Ross A11.1.a.2], 1876; Novels of George Eliot, 8 in 7 vol., titles with vignettes, plates, contemporary green half morocco, spines sunned, very light scuffing to extremities, g.e., [c.1890], Blackwood and Sons, 8vo (14)

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Lot 194

Churchill (Sir Winston Spencer) The Dawn of Liberation, first edition, signed by the author on endpaper, plates, silk endpapers, original black morocco, very light fading to spine, light rubbing to spine and corner tips, [Woods A107], 8vo, 1945.⁂ A signed copy of Churchill's speeches in the publisher's presentation binding. See lot XXXX.

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Lot 560

Rowling (J.K.) Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, first edition, signed by the author on dedication p., golden ticket for signing event at Glade Shopping Centre, Kent, laid onto rear pastedown, very light marginal toning to text, original pictorial boards, dust-jacket, light sunning to spine, light creasing to top corner of upper panel, else fine, 8vo, 2000.

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Lot 30

Petty (Sir William) Political Arithmetick, or a Discourse concerning the Extent and Value of Lands, People, Buildings; Husbandry, Manufacture, Commerce, Fishery..., second edition, with licence, errata and final advertisement leaves, cropped shaving a few head-lines, light spotting to licence leaf, Erwin Tomash's copy with his book-label, an excellent copy in early 19th century tree calf, spine gilt with red & green morocco labels, very slightly rubbed at edges, [Goldsmiths' 2869; Keynes 35; Kress 1770; Wing P1933], 8vo, for Robert Clavel...Henry Mortlock, 1691.⁂ The first use of statistics. Although Petty's Political Arithmetick was published posthumously, in 1690, it was in wide circulation in various manuscripts during his lifetime.Erwin Tomash (1921-2012), American engineer and pioneer in computer technology, who assembled an extensive library on the history of computing.

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Lot 149

France & the Channel Islands.- Heylyn (Peter) A Full relation of two journeys: the one into the main-land of France. The other into some of the adjacent ilands, 2 parts in 1, first edition, woodcut head-pieces and decorative initials, some staining / soiling to title, occasional spotting or light staining, lightly browned, new basic endpapers, contemporary sheep, rebacked in modern black morocco with a leather label (rather incongruous, but solid), corners worn, covers rubbed and scuffed, [Wing H1712], small 4to, Printed by E. Cotes for Henry Seile, and are to be sold at the Black-boy over against St. Dunstans Church in Fleetstreet, 1656.⁂ The rare first edition of Heylyn's account of his travels in France and the Channel Islands. Includes references to Cervantes, Sir Philip Sidney, Francis Bacon and Edmund Spenser.

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Lot 176

Doyle (Sir Arthur Conan) The Sign of Four, first edition, first issue, with misprints "13" on contents p. and "w shed" on p.56, frontispiece by Charles Kerr (lacking tissue-guard), without publisher's catalogue at end, bookplate to pastedown and embossed bookseller's stamp to front free endpaper, one or two very light spots but a very good, clean copy generally, original first issue cloth with "Spencer Blackett's Standard Library" to foot of spine, spine and covers a little darkened, ends and corners a little bumped and creased, or two light marks to covers, but still a bright and excellent copy, [Green and Gibson A7], 8vo, Spencer Blackett, 1890.⁂ The second Holmes novel, rare in the first issue cloth in such bright condition.

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Lot 371

Imaginary voyages and utopias.- Thomas (Artus, Sieur d'Embry) Description de l'Isle des Hermaphrodites Nouvellement Decouverte, second edition, engraved frontispiece, title in red and black with device, remains of book-label to pastedown, first few leaves a little chipped and frayed at foot of lower margin, not affecting text or image, A7 with small tear to lower blank margin, some light browning and occasional spotting, contemporary calf, spine richly gilt in compartments, rubbed and worn at corners, still a handsome copy, small 8vo, Cologne, heirs of H. Demen, 1724.⁂ Account of an imaginary journey to the island of the hermaphrodites, a satire on the effeminacy of members of the French court of Henri II. The work was first published in 1605.

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Lot 70

Medical malpractice.- Sharpin (Dr. Edward) An Appeal to the Public in general from Dr. Sharpin, and Mr. Steward, Surgeon, of St. Edmund's Bury, in Suffolk; with regard to their medical, and chirurgical treatment of Mr. John Ralling, Apothecary..., 1764 bound with Norford (Dr. William) A Letter to Dr.Sharpin, in Answer to his Appeal..., St.Edmund's Bury, Wm.Green, [1764] and Steward (T[homas]) An Apppendix to the Appeal..., final leaf lacking lower outer corner affecting catchword, [Bury St. Edmunds], 1764, together 3 works in 1 vol., only editions, near contemporary ink note to front free endpaper and annotations to a few leaves, light soiling and browning, ink signature of Henry Hasted to front pastedown, contemporary calf, gilt, red morocco label, rubbed, upper joint split, spine ends worn, 8vo⁂ An interesting collection of pamphlets regarding a case of medical malpractice with a notable provenance. A manuscript note in ink in an early 19th century hand states, "This book was bought at Sir Thomas Cullum's auction. My father was apprentice to Mr. John Ralling, at the time he suffered the illness mentioned in these pamphlets & remained with him till 1768 or 9. I have often heard him speak in the highest terms of Dr. Norford's talents as a physician. George Hubbard". And later, in a note on pp.42-3 of Dr. Norford's Letter to Dr. Sharpin he adds: "This apprentice, Mr. Hubbard, afterwards succeeded Mr. Ralling in his business - & for forty or forty five years practised with very great reputation...", and another on p.13 of the last item by Sharpin's claims of his expertise, "& what can all this have to do with the case?".Sir Thomas Gery Cullum Bart. F.R.S., F.S.A. and Fellow of the Linnaean Society (1741-1831) was a distinguished Suffolk surgeon who practised at Bury St. Edmunds and lived at Hardwick House.Rare. ESTC finds copies of all at Suffolk Record Office but few others and none at Wellcome.

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Lot 553

Remarque (Erich Maria) All Quiet on the Western Front, first English edition, light browning to endpapers, partially erased ink ownership inscription, original buckram, lettered in green, light spotting to spine, dust-jacket, spine with slight toning and with chip to head, minor chipping to spine tips and corners, short tear with creasing and the odd nick to head and foot, but a sharp and excellent copy overall, 8vo, 1929.

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Lot 552

Pullman (Philip) Count Karlstein, first edition, signed by the author on title, slight toning to front free endpaper, original boards, slight bumping to spine tips, dust-jacket, very small nick to head of upper joint, some light creasing to head and foot, but near-fine generally, 8vo, 1982.⁂ Pullman's third novel and his first for children. Rare signed and in such superb condition.

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Lot 550

Powell (Anthony) Hearing Secret Harmonies, first edition, signed presentation inscription from the author "Mr. and Mrs. Edgar, with happy recollections of The Hague ages ago. Anthony Powell. October 1975" to endpaper, additionally signed by the author on title with strike through printed name, original cloth, dust-jacket, light toning to spine, else fine, 1975; and first editions of The Kindly Ones and The Valley of Bones, 8vo (3)

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Lot 131

Swimming.- Frost (J.) Scientific Swimming; being a Series of Practical Instructions, on...the Art of Swimming, first edition, 12 folding engraved plates, advertisement leaf at end, title with price at foot corrected in ink and slightly soiled, some light foxing to plates, mostly marginal, traces of embossed stamp to a few margins, modern calf-backed marbled boards, uncut, 8vo, 1816.⁂ Scarce work on swimming. The author describes himself as "many years teacher of the art at Nottingham". He lived at a house on Middle Pavement, Nottingham, where his principal business seems to have been as a "surveyor of chimneys in all cases of annoyance by smoke", but it is this pioneering work on swimming that remains his more enduring legacy.

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Lot 21

Apothecaries.- Merrett (Christopher) A Short View of the Frauds, and Abuses committed by Apothecaries; as well in Relation to Patients, as Physicians: and of the only Remedy thereof, by Physicians making their own Medicines, second edition, with initial imprimatur and final blank leaf, woodcut head-piece, imprimatur leaf with small hole to centre not affecting text and defective at edges (repaired), title with small stain and tiny hole to centre affecting a couple of letters (repaired), light foxing and soiling at end, modern green morocco-backed marbled boards, [Wellcome IV p.118; Wing M1844], small 4to, for James Allestry, 1670.⁂ Christopher Merrett (1614-1695), physician and writer on natural philosophy, had settled in practice in London about 1640. Thereafter he was awarded a fellowship of the College of Physicians and, through the sponsorship of William Harvey, became a founder-member of the Royal Society. This work, first published in 1669, encouraged physicians to dispense their own remedies.We can trace only this copy sold at auction in the last 80 years, sold in these rooms in 2021.

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Lot 7

Inner-City Life.- Briefe Declaration (A) for what manner of speciall Nusance concerning private dwelling Houses..., second edition, variant with 3 lines in side-note on B2r, woodcut initials, lightly browned, modern marbled boards, [Goldsmiths' 698; Kress 540; STC 6454.5], small 4to, by Tho.Cotes, for William Cooke, 1639.⁂ A strangely diverse but intriguing pot pourri on nuisances with the reader's attention drawn to such questions as a householder's right to "light and ayre", the powers of a town mayor to imprison a suspect for three days without trial, and the culpability of a landowner who fells trees on to another man's land. The author touches on all the problems of inner-city living, including such nuisances as smoke, poor drains, noise, the location of windows in a house, &c. There follows a long question and answer piece tackling questions on the operation of the Poor Laws and the various liabilities and duties of local officials.

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Lot 536

Mann (Thomas) Death in Venice, first English edition, some light scattered spotting, light toning to endpapers, original cloth, some light fading, dust-jacket priced at 7/6 on spine, spine browned, spine ends and corners a little chipped, creasing to head of lower panel, chip to lower joint, neat tissue repairs to verso, in effect a very good example, 8vo, 1928.⁂ An attractive example of the Nobel Prize-winning Mann's most famous work. Scarce in the dust-jacket.

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