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Combe (William). The Tour of Doctor Syntax in Search of the Picturesque, The Second Tour of Doctor Syntax in Search of Consolation, The Third Tour of Doctor Syntax in Search of a Wife, 3 vols., pub. R.Ackermann, 1823, title pages with dec. aqua. vignette to vols. 1 & 3, seventy-eight aquatint engravings all with orig. hand colouring (complete as list), coloured aquatint tail-piece to vol. 3, some plates trimmed to image, occ. spotting throughout, contemp. bookplate of Eliz. Lees to front pastedown, with matching manuscript ownership inscription to first free end paper, marbled end papers, contemp. calf gilt, spines cracked, slight wear, 12mo. Abbey, Life 269. (3)

Epictetus. Epicteti Stoici Philosophi Enchiridion, una cum Cebetis Thebani Tabula..., Omnia Hieron. Wolfio Interprete, cum ejusdem annotationibus item Porphyrii Philosophi Pythagorici..., 2 vols. in one, Cambridge, 1655, general title printed in red & black and with ownership signature of H.D. Forbes, contemp. vellum with yapp fore-edges, gilt armorial to centre of each board, 8vo, together with Lactantius (Lucius Coecilius Firmianus), Lucii Coelii sive Caecilii Lactantii Firmiani Opera Omnia quae Exstant cum notis integris Chr. Cellarii et Selectis aut Excerptis Erasmi..., 2 vols. in one, Leipzig, 1739, eng. frontis., title printed in red & black with ownership signature of H.D. Forbes, continuous pagination throughout, manuscript notes to front free endpaper, contemp. vellum, thick 8vo (2)

[Ireland, William Henry]. Effusions of Love from Chatelar to Mary Queen of Scotland. Translated from a Gallic Manuscript, in the Scotch College, at Paris. Interspersed with Songs, Sonnets, and Notes Explanatory, by the Translator, 1st ed., printed for C. Chapple, 1805, eng. frontis. (foxed and with small worm-trail in upper blank margin), and addn. inserted eng. port. of Mary Queen of Scotland, woodcut vign. tail-pieces, t.e.g., remainder rough-trimmed, marbled endpapers, early 20th c. dark blue half morocco gilt, sm. 8vo. Scarce first edition of one of Ireland’s forgeries. William Ireland, usually known as Samuel (after a brother who died in childhood), is more commonly known for his forgeries of Shakespearean documents and plays. (1)

Papal Bulls. A collection of approx. twenty-five Papal Bulls, pub. 1567-1730, including, Breve Sanctis D.N. Pii V. Super declaratione Ordinum Mendicantium, Rome, 1567, ff.4, full-page woodcut illust., some browning and staining, 4to, bound with Indulgentiae, et Amplissimae Concessiones Perpetuae S.D.N.D. Pii Papapae V. pro omnibus Conventibus constructis, & de nouo construendis ordinis S. Dominici, in Provinciis Indiarum Occidentalium, 30 Oct., 1571, single-sheet broadside printed to one side only, woodcut illusts. at head, two library ink stamps, folio, bound with Santissimi D.N. D. Clementis Divina Providentia Papae X. Bulla Canonizationis S. Ludovici Bertrandi Ordinis Praedicatorum, Rome, 1674, 16pp., woodcut armorial to title and one illust. to text, library ink stamps throughout, 4to, bound with others similar including two in manuscript, mostly with library ink stamps, 18th c. vellum, marked and some wear, folio (1)

Manuscript. Summerland News, Stories and Pictorial, 1919-1926, a collection of 100+ issues of a manuscript periodical in a child’s hand, each between 4pp. and 18pp., some in ink and some in pencil, containing news stories such as Prince Bismark’s treatment of France, Amundsen’s expedition to the North Pole, the 1926 General Strike, notice of a Grand Bell Ringing Festival at North Tawton, Devon, plus stories by Rupert Chesterton, Christopher Beck, Walter Mortimer, John Proudfoot, Douglas Valentine, etc., and articles about astronomy and the weather, shipping, cider-making, nature studies, programmes on the wireless, etc., plus pictures for colouring in, puzzles, advertisements, etc., each approx. 130 x 100mm (5 x 4ins) (approx. 100)

Manuscript. A child’s manuscript picture book, c.1870s, approx. 100pp., with pencil drawings throughout in a naive style, nearly all hand-coloured, mostly illustrating the various games, occupations, and pastimes of three sisters, Senny, Jenny, and Lucy, with ms. captions, a few leaves with ms. prose, incl. a ghost story, one or two placenames mentioned (incl. Tenbury and Barford), first page browned, edges frayed, stitched and unbound, 4to (230 x 190mm) A charming record of Victorian life seen through the eyes of a child, illustrating, amongst other things: ballooning, photography and magic lanterns, Punch & Judy, fairies and mermaids, gathering rushes, top spinning, out walking with their hoops, cooking, blackberrying, making skipping ropes of convolvulus, archery, meeting poor girls, lessons, blind mans buff, hide and seek, battledoor and shuttlecock, singing and playing, shadows, a day in the hay, forfeits, tea in the arbour, and fireworks. (1)

Manuscript. A collection of eight manuscript story books in a child’s hand, c.1866-68, together eight manuscript books, all in the same juvenile hand, comprising three booklets of ms. verse with naive pen and ink illusts., entitled Mamma’s Story, Aunt Annie’s Story, and The ABC with a Moral, the first twoinscribed to Peter Maxwell Wallace Murdoch and Miss Mary Isabel Murdoch respectively, and dated 1866, the third dated London Nov. 13. 1868, each with approx. ten leaves, 8vo, and Miss Fanny’s Marine Miseries, 8pp. verse, with small mounted eng. to all but last page, 8vo, and three small booklets containing the prose story The Life and Adventures of Fussy Bussy, detailing the exploits of a rabbit, 124 x 73mm (5 x 3ins) and smaller, and another small booklet containing a story about three dolls, 94 x 59mm (3.75 x 2.25ins), plus a small quantity of ms. letters and jottings related, incl. some letters written to Peter Maxwell Wallace Murdoch from his Uncle George in India, dated 1862 (a small folder)

Tern Press. A Rook Book, An Anthology of Writings by Richard Jefferies, illustrated by Nicholas Parry, 1988, fifteen orig. pen & ink drawings, untrimmed, orig. cream pigskin, one or two faint marks, contained in orig. linen solander box, with printed paper label on spine, 8vo, (limited edition, 7/15 copies, of a total edition of 125, signed by Nicholas and Mary Parry), together with Birds Nesting, The Lost Manuscript, by John Clare, edited by Eric Robinson, with prints by Nicholas Parry, 1987, col. illusts., mostly full-page, marbled endpapers, untrimmed, orig. floral cloth, with printed paper label on spine, folio, (limited edition, 41/90 copies, signed by Nicholas and Mary Parry) (2)

LAWRENCE D.H.: (1885-1930) English Author. An original pencil drawing, apparently a self portrait in the hand of Lawrence, depicting the bearded writer in a semi-profile head and shoulders pose. The drawing is executed in bold pencil on the verso of a sheet of 4to paper bearing a colour printed letterhead to the recto and address at Taos, New Mexico. Accompanied by a T.L.S. by David Nash of Sotheby`s, one page, 4to, New York, 19th May 1964, to Karl Haffenreffer, explaining that the book department of the London office of Sotheby`s have provided him with the information requested concerning the D. H. Lawrence self portrait, commenting `It appears that on May 27th. 1963 we sold a pencil self portrait which we attributed to D. H. Lawrence. It was a part of lot 268 in this sale, and was described as follows:…included in the lot is a pencil self-portrait by Lawrence, and two photographs, three of the letters are published in the Collected Letters…..This description seems to agree with the one that was offered to you.` Some heavy discoloration to the page, evidently caused by previous framing, and some light age wear to both the sketch and letter, again caused by previous framing. G, 2 Lawrence lived at Taos, New Mexico from 1924-26 at the Kiowa Ranch, now known as the D. H. Lawrence Ranch. He acquired the property in exchange for the manuscript of Sons and Lovers.

HEMINGWAY & KARSH: [HEMINGWAY ERNEST] (1899-1961) American Novelist, Nobel Prize winner for Literature, 1954 & KARSH YOUSUF (1908-2002) Canadian Photographer. A fascinating archive of eight T.Ls.S. etc., between Mary Hemingway and Yousuf Karsh, including a typed manuscript with extensive holograph corrections in pencil in the hand of Ernest Hemingway, one page, 4to, n.p. (Cuba), n.d. (c. 3rd June 1957), being the working draft of a letter from Mary Hemingway to Hector Allard, Canadian Ambassador to Cuba, in part (the holograph corrections by Ernest Hemingway are marked in bold), ‘I am sorry to have to inform you that Mr. Karsh, the Canadian photographer, who came to our house and photographed Mr. Hemingway this year after long insistence by the Canadian Embassy, is breaking the agreement under which my husband consented to pose….The proposal was that a resulting photograph was to be used in a book of portraits….At no time was there any mention nor any hint that the photographs would be sold commercially…unless authorised…Mr. Karsh…voluntarily promised to send us prints of all the photographs so that we might veto the use of those which were unsuitable or silly or unlike Ernest. Mr. Karsh has sent us no prints to ok or reject nor….even a note to acknowledge our hospitality. We hear from London that he has sold and was (sic) published not only a picture of Ernest but also some sort of story in the Daily Express….This sort of unethical behaviour is very bad when a man comes sponsored by his government. Mr. Hemingway would never have consented to pose for unauthorised pictures if he had imagined they were to be peddled about to any buyer…’ A carbon copy of Mary Hemingway’s final letter, reflecting her husband’s corrections, is present, along with Hector Allard’s response in the form of a T.L.S., Hector Allard, two pages, 4to, Havana, Cuba, 5th June 1957, to Mrs. Hemingway, on the printed stationery of the Canadian Embassy, stating that he was ‘somewhat startled’ to read her letter and explaining that he has already contacted Karsh and awaits his reply. The archive includes six T.Ls.S., Yousuf Karsh and Yousuf, from Karsh on his printed stationery, ten pages (total), 8vo, Ottawa, Canada, 28th February 1956 to 8th October 1957, most to Mary and Ernest Hemingway, the first to Canadian Ambassador Harry Scott, thanking him for trying to arrange a sitting with Hemingway and commenting ‘Yes, I sensed that he would be somewhat reticent, judging by all that I have read and heard…I do not feel that the door is entirely closed, and I should be delighted to receive a “go ahead” signal from you at any time’, in the letters to the Hemingway’s Karsh expresses his pleasure at having had the opportunity to photograph the writer and hopes that they will feel ‘that our efforts have been crowned with success’ and further commenting ‘I found photographing Ernest Hemingway to be a most stimulating and rewarding experience….The small snaps are sent only for your amusement and to show you that even professionals never totally get over the urge to take advantage of certain situations’ and in a further letter responds directly to the Hemingway’s complaint lodged with Hector Allard, hoping that the photographs have now reached them, and adding ‘I recall a conversation between Mr. Hemingway and Solange when he assured her that such photographs would be welcome for publication and, as far as we were aware, there were no restrictions as to when and how they should be released. After all, my whole life and reputation has been built on the achievement of the great men and women of our time and I have never…(released)…anything that does not bespeak the stature of my subject…’ In subsequent letters Karsh thanks Mary Hemingway for her understanding letter and, in one dated 21st August 1958, presumably regarding Karsh’s request for Ernest Hemingway to write a foreword to a book, which he evidently declined to do, the photographer writes ‘I was fully aware that I was “shooting for the stars” in expressing, through you, to Ernest, my desire….Yet I feel impelled to send you this further note just in case there is a slight ray of hope….whilst I know full well that no money can adequately compensate Ernest for his precious time and talent I would like to suggest a fee of $1000.…May I suggest that you just hand this letter to Ernest and, if he still feels a “savage” resentment at the intrusion, tell him that I am willing to fly to Cuba so that he may throw me to the lions. If Ernest should change his mind, I have had one former experience of another great man doing just that-Winston Churchill, who, at the conclusion of our photographic meeting delivered the potent statement: “You can even make a roaring lion stand still to be photographed”. So in that event, the boy Yousuf (and I do feel very much the infant) will, in sure confidence, approach the giant Hemingway, whom he holds in such high regard…’ Also included in the archive are a few related telegrams etc. The letters provide an interesting insight into how the two great artists dealt with their work; Hemingway’s reticence and delegation of business to his wife and Karsh’s persistence and flattery. Generally VG, 14

POUND EZRA: (1885-1972) American expatriate Poet, a major figure in the Modernist movement. Typed manuscript signed, Ezra Pound, (twice, both at the beginning and conclusion), six pages, 4to, n.p. (Rapallo), n.d. (30th August 1939). The typescript is entitled Deah Old England and is a lengthy, rambling essay on European and American politics, an Allied Government, and the prospects of a Jewish State in Roumania rather than Palestine. Pound states, in part, ‘It might be, in the midst of all this stress and flurry, considered time to desire a little sense of proportion in American consideration of Europe. After so much wishful thinking, via the London cable heads, and so much perfectly groundless news about Italy selling out Germany, might it not be possible to suppose that toward the end of August of this year 1939, some British half-wit has suggested that Hitler might sell out Italy?….Wouldn’t you still further think that some “allied government” wd. at least take some interest in a formula such as I, and for the matter ole soapy Sam Hoare and the quite astute Monsieur Laval have suggested, namely a four power agreement for Europe (not via Kansas and Alaska) with no war west of the Vistula? Then again everybody is nervous as hell about jews. Some Hebrews don’t like to be called jews. Some get mad if you call ‘em Hebrews. Some of ‘em write to me quite sanely and want to think out their troubles. A lot of ‘em aren’t jews but tartars anyhow, with as much claim to Jerusalem as the Choctaw Indians have to Glasgow.’ Accompanied by a T.L.S., with his initials E.P., on one side of a correspondence card, Rapallo (‘In the calmest country in Europe’), 30th August 1939, to Jay Bradley of Greenwich Time, sending ‘a little calm consideration of Europe, a little constructivity; which I hope will be acceptable/ recompense or no recommens’ Together with the original envelope hand addressed and signed (‘E Pound’ in the return address, some wear to the signature) by Pound. A fascinating manuscript bearing many holograph corrections. Some slight age wear and minor creasing, about VG

EDISON THOMAS: (1847-1931) American Inventor of the phonograph and light bulb among many other items. D.S., Thos. A. Edison, three times (each bold examples of his umbrella signature), two pages, folio, New York, 13th January 1886. The manuscript document is the Annual Report of the Edison Spanish Colonial Light Company and states that the company has a capital stock of $100,000, of which $50,000 has `been issued in payment for property necessary for the business of the company`. Signed by Edison in his capacity as President and again as one of the four signatories of the majority of trustees of the company. Edison`s third signature appears on the second page at the conclusion of a statement confirming that the annual report is true to the best of his knowledge, information and belief. One small tear in a fold to the left edge and a couple of other minor splits at the right edge, not affecting the text or signatures. About VG The Edison Spanish Colonial Light Company was incorporated in New York on 13th January 1882. It controlled Edison`s electric light patents in Cuba, Puerto Rico and other Spanish American colonies.

CHARLES II: (1630-1685) King of England, Scotland (1649-51) and Ireland 1660-85. Fine D.S., Charles R, (an excellent example), as King, at the head, one page, large folio, Court at Whitehall, 21st February 1677. The attractively penned manuscript document relates to the reinforcement of the Garrisons at Pendennis Castle and the Isle of Wight, `Wee have thought fitt and accordingly given Order for the Recruiting of the Company of that Guarrison with Fifty soldiers to compleat them to the number of one hundred….with addition of one Sarjeant and one Drummer to the said Company. And for as much as Our Governour of the Isle of Wight humbly represents to us, that the Inhabitants of the said Island are willing to Mount some of the Trained Forces and Voluntiers as a Troope of Dragoones for our service in the safety of the said Island….that Pay may be Established for a Captaine to Command the said Troope, who will imploy himself in the Training and exerciseing of them…` Countersigned at the foot by Thomas Osborne, 1st Earl of Danby (1631-1712, English Statesman, Lord High Treasurer) and Sir Joseph Williamson (1633-1701, English Statesman). The document has neat red ruled borders and the lower half sets out, in tabular form, the relevant salaries (totalling £900 per annum) to be paid to the military officers. Some light overall age wear and minor holes at the folds, overall a very clean and attractive document. About VG

GEORGE IV: (1762-1830) King of the United Kingdom 1820-30. Large portion of a D.S., George R, as King, being part of a manuscript document dated at Saint James`s, 20th September 1827 and bearing a blind embossed paper seal. Together with a few other historical autographs including a Free Front envelope panel hand addressed and signed by Prince Albert (with red wax seal to verso) and a piece removed from a document signed by William Pitt the Younger and two others, 1799, etc. FR to G, 4

EDWARD VII: (1841-1910) King of the United Kingdom 1901-10. Good L.S., Edward R & I, as King, three pages, folio, Buckingham Palace, 30th June 1905, to the President of the Republic of Bolivia. The manuscript letter announces that the marriage of the King`s niece, `Her Royal Highness the Princess Margaret Victoria Augusta Charlotte Norah, elder daughter of Our dearly beloved Brother His Royal Highness the Duke of Connaught and of Strathearn, with His Royal Highness the Prince Oscar Frederick William Olaf Gustavus Adolphus, Duke of Scania, eldest son of His Royal Highness Oscar Gustavus Adolphus Crown Prince of Sweden and of Norway....was solemnized in St. George`s Chapel, Windsor Castle on the 15th instant`. Signed by King Edward at the conclusion and countersigned by 5th Marquess of Lansdowne (1845-1927) British Politician and Foreign Secretary 1900-05. A series of very small holes appear along the left edge, not affecting the text or signatures, otherwise VG

DOWNING GEORGE: (1623-1684) Anglo-Irish Soldier, Statesman and Diplomat. Downing Street, home of the British Prime Minister, is named after him. D.S., G Downing, on a slim vellum strip (14 x 2), being an exchequer receipt featuring three lines of manuscript referring to Josephe Williamson and dated January 1665. A few very small, minor holes, not affecting the text or signature. About VG

ALBERT I: (1875-1934) King of Belgium 1909-34. L.S., Albert, two pages, 4to, Brussels, 24th December 1909, to the President of Bolivia, in French. The manuscript letter, untranslated, announces the death of His Majesty King Leopold II, on 17th December, and Albert`s subsequent accession to the throne. Signed at the conclusion and also bearing a countersignature. With received date stamp in the lower border of the first page and a couple of annotations in indelible pencil. A series of very small holes appear along the left edge, not affecting the text or signature, otherwise VG

FERDINAND: (1865-1927) King of Romania 1914-27. L.S., Ferdinand, two pages, 4to, Palace of Bucharest, 17th October 1914, to the President of Bolivia, in French. The attractively penned manuscript letter, untranslated, announces the death of his uncle, King Carol I on the 10th October, and Ferdinand`s subsequent accession to the throne. Signed in bold black ink at the conclusion and also bearing a countersignature. A series of very small holes appear along the left edge, not affecting the text or signature, otherwise VG

CONSTANTINE I: (1868-1923) King of Greece 1913-17 & 1920-22. L.S., Constantine R, two pages, folio, Athens, 20th April/3rd May 1913, to Eliodoro Villazon, in French. The attractively penned manuscript letter, untranslated, announces the death of his father, King George I, on the 18th March and Constantine`s subsequent accession to the throne. Boldly signed in dark ink at the conclusion and bearing a countersignature. A series of very small holes appear along the left edge, not affecting the text or signature, otherwise VG

VICTOR EMMANUEL II: (1820-1878) King of Italy 1861-78. L.S., Vittorio Emmanuele, one page, folio, Florence, 25th November 1869, to the President of Bolivia, in Italian. The attractively penned manuscript letter, untranslated, announces the birth of his grandson Vittorio Emmanuele Ferdinando Maria Gennaro in Naples on 11th November to Umberto I and Princess Margherita of Savoy. Signed by the King at the conclusion and also bearing a countersignature. Together with a small selection of other official letters and documents, each addressed to the President of Bolivia and individually signed by Prince Louis II of Monaco (1870-1949), King Gustav Adolf VI of Sweden (1882-1973) and King Carl Gustav XVI of Sweden (1946- ). Generally VG, 4 King Victor Emmanuel II`s grandson became King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy on 29th July 1900 and reigned until 1946, a year before his death.

NELSON HORATIO: (1758-1805) British Admiral during the Napoleonic Wars, the victor of the Battle of Trafalgar, 1805. D.S., Nelson & Bronte, (a fine, bold example), two pages, folio, given on board the Victory, Lagos Bay, Portugal, 10th May 1805. The manuscript document is an Order addressed to the Masters of His Majesty`s ships Royal Sovereign, Decade and Martin, stating, `Captain Hardy of His Majesty`s ship Victory having represented to me by letter of this date that there are on board the said ship two Casks of Pease rotten and mouldy, also a quantity of Bread sour and mouldy and unfit for men to eat` further asking that the peas and bread be strictly surveyed and, if found as represented (`after the bread being pick`d, dried and sifted) they should be returned to His Majesty`s stores. In concluding Nelson asks for a report (`from under your hands a clear and correct account`) of their findings. Some light areas of discoloration, slightly affecting the text (although completely legible) and some minor age wear at the folds, G The document was issued by Nelson at a significant time; this was a time of decision for the Admiral. On the following day, 11th May 1805, he set sail for the West Indies in pursuit of the French fleet. He had sailed through the Straits of Gibraltar on 6th May, but information about the French fleet only reached Nelson on 9th May. He believed that the French were about a month ahead of him, but `chance may have given them a bad passage, me a good one`. The next day was spent preparing five months` provisions for his own fleet and, in this context, his instructions for the removal of mouldy rations takes on a new significance.

MUSSOLINI BENITO: (1883-1945) Italian Fascist Dictator of World War II. D.S., Mussolini, three pages, folio, Rome, 16th February 1928, in Italian. The manuscript document, untranslated, lists various Italian soldiers. Signed at the conclusion by Mussolini and countersigned by King Victor Emmanuel III (1869-1947) King of Italy 1900-46. Some very small areas of paper loss to the left edge caused by previous filing, not affecting the text or signature, VG

MUSSOLINI BENITO: (1883-1945) Italian Fascist Dictator of World War II. L.S., Mussolini, (a somewhat hurried and slightly truncated example), also signed by King Victor Emmanuel III (1869-1947) King of Italy 1900-46, one page, folio, San Rossore, 24th September 1936, to the President of Bolivia, in Italian. The untranslated manuscript letter refers to the appointment of the diplomat Dr. Luigi Mariani. With blank integral leaf. Some very light discoloration to the lower edge and a small tear, just affecting one letter of Mussolini`s signature. About VG

ENSA: An unusual 4to album compiled by ENSA member Frank Raymond containing over 1000 signatures by various actors, actresses and entertainers who performed with the Entertainments National Service Association (ENSA) during World War II, including Lilian Braithwaite, Victoria Hopper, Ella Retford, Phyllis Neilson-Terry, Daniel Melsa, Charles Coborn, Eric Winstone, Billy Milton, Peter Brough, Arthur Prince, George Robey, York Bowen, Richard Murdoch and many others. The vast majority of signatures appear in mutiples (many duplicates) on manuscript paper neatly annotated in red ink by Raymond with the place and date of the ENSA performances, most at hospitals between 1940-45. The album also includes various signed photographs (8 x 10 and smaller) lightly laid down at the corners. With decorative paper front cover. Lacking the back cover and spine, some of the binding loose. Some light overall age wear, G ENSA was an organisation set up in 1939 by Basil Dean and Leslie Henson to provide entertainment for British Armed forces personnel during World War II.

ELIOT GEORGE: (1819-1880) English Novelist, pen name of Mary Ann Lewes. D.S. with her married name, Marian Lewes, one page, oblong 8vo, n.p., 7th June 1872. The manuscript document is a receipt for the sum of £44.2.10 from the executor’s of her late father’s estate, being ‘the amount of half a year’s interest (less Property tax)’. Signed by Eliot at the conclusion, her signature partially running across the affixed one penny revenue stamp. Some minor, light creasing, otherwise VG

A C14th Vellum Manuscript leaf from a Breviary

An excellent C18th illuminated Islamic Manuscript with columns of script surrounded by a lavish border painted with animals. Provenance: No.23 from Marlborough Rare Books Catalogue No.1 1986. Sold with the original catalogue.

A morocco-bound album of newspaper cuttings, indexed manuscript heading reads: “CRICKETANA for the year 1861.... For the year 1862.... For the year 1863. The first English Team in Australia. H.H. Stephenson’s Team 1861-62”, spine lacking *** Purchased MCC Bicentenary Auction 13th April 1987

Great Britain. 1839 Entire from Newport (near South Cave) to York with superb Howden penny Post in black with manuscript 6. Superb straight line New Port on reverse and Howden Au 9 1859

A Hindu sacred manuscript, scribed on palm leaves, wood covers, old label

A Summary of Al- Muhazzab`s Al-Ansab (genealogy), preceded by a compilation of Islamic jurisprudence and miscellanea relying on the earlier works of Al-Jawhari and Al-Azhari, two works in one volume, arabic manuscript on paper, possibly early 13th century, 229 leaves, incomplete, 19 lines per page, in Abbasid naskhi in brown ink, height 25 cm.

A MERMAID LATE 18TH, EARLY 19TH CENTURY An essemble of wood, papier-mâché with taxidermied fish and monkey parts, supported on a wooden stand with manuscript label, housed in an Edwardian display case 30½ in. (78 cm.) wide in display case View on Christie's.com

Textiles, weaving and hosiery trade, one shelf of books including holmes, james manuscript notes on weaving first year and second and third year 2 vols, illustrated and with samples of cloth

BIBLE, in English. The Holy Bible. London: Thomas Baskett, and the assigns of Robert Baskett, 1753-54. 2 vols., large 2° (483 x 315mm). Text in double-columns, title in red and black, ruled in red throughout, 2 engraved headpieces, wood-engraved initials. (Lightly browned and spotted.) Contemporary blue morocco gilt, covers with wide gilt borders composed of foliate tools with the central arms gilt of George II, gilt spines with royal monograms, gilt edges, silk marker (lightly rubbed, lacking silk ties). Provenance: Thomas Robinson, second Baron Grantham (extensive genealogical notes to flyleaves; and then by descent to:) -- Thomas Philip de Grey (bookplate). A RARE BIBLE WITH DIPLOMATIC PROVENANCE. A note to flyleaf states that this Bible was part of the Chapel Furniture at the British Embassy in Madrid, where Thomas Robinson (1738-1786) was ambassador 1771-1779. There are three folio pages of manuscript notes regarding the Robinson family, including 6 inserted small quarto leaves regarding his baptism in Vienna in 1738. His son, Thomas Philip (1781-1859), became second Earl de Grey and assumed the surname de Grey in 1833. Thomas Philip served as First Lord of the Admiralty in Sir Robert Peel's Tory administration from 1834-5, later becoming Lord Lieutent of Ireland in 1841. Only 6 copies recorded in ESTC, and according to ABPC, only 2 copies have sold at auction since 1975. Not in Darlow & Moule or Herbert (but cf. 1091). (2) View on Christie's.com

DITHMAR, Johann Christoph. Commentatio de honoratissimo Ordine Militari de Balneo; Statutes of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath. Frankfurt on Oder: J.G. Conrad, 1729. 2 parts in one vol., small 2° (310 x 204mm). Engraved vignettes to title and part-title, engraved dedication, portrait, and 20 plates of coats-of-arms, 4 engraved illustrations. [Bound with:] Ceremonies observeés à la creation d'Investiture de quatre Chevaliers de l'Ordre du Bain au Palais de St. Jacques le 12.e Janvier V.S. 1731. 42 pages manuscript on paper, with full-page armorial in ink. (Variable light browning, spotting and staining, title guarded and torn without loss.) Contemporary vellum (lightly spotted). Provenance: Thomas Robinson (1695-1770, manuscript arms at end). EXQUISITE MANUSCRIPT COAT OF ARMS celebrating Thomas Robinson's investiture as Knight of the Order of the Bath, performed in Vienna on 20 June 1742, where he was ambassador (ODNB states 26 June). Later made first Baron Grantham, Robinson negotiated the Treaty of Vienna (1731) and remained in the city for 18 years (1730-1748). View on Christie's.com

BORELLI, Giovanni Alfonso (1608-1679). De vi percussionis liber. Bologna: Giacomo Monti, 1667. 4° (214 x 156mm). Half-title, 5 engraved plates. (First plate trimmed close at lower margin just into plate mark, tears to half-title, title and +3 expertly repaired, light dampstaining.) Contemporary vellum, early manuscript to spine (flaw to lower cover, edges lightly rubbed, light soiling). Provenance: Richard Short, Rome (early ink inscription on title) -- Earls of Macclesfield (bookplate and blindstamps, sale Sotheby's, 10 June 2004, lot 386). FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE, of this early work on the laws of percussion. 'Borelli discusses percussion in detail, some general problems of motion, gravity, magnetism, the motion of fluids, the vibrations of bodies, and pendular motion' (DSB II 311). He intended this work as a preliminary to his forthcoming study on the movement of animals. His approach was derived from the research on percussion carried out by Galileo: Galileo had first given consideration to this subject in the early 1590s, and had returned to it when writing the Two New Sciences. Borelli's conclusions met with criticism from Stefano degli Angeli and Michelangelo Ricci; the later issue of this work contains his Risposta to these objections, as noted by Cinti. Carli-Favaro 72 (303); Cinti 287 (147); De Caro 52; Honeyman I 396; Riccardi I 159; Wellcome II 204. View on Christie's.com

BORELLI, Giovanni Alfonso. De motionibus naturalibus a gravitate pendentibus, liber. Reggio Calabria: Domenico Ferri, 1670. 4° (222 x 154mm). Half-title, title ruled in red, woodcut initials, headpieces, and diagrams. (Aaa1 with small chip to top corner, hole to Kkk4 not affecting text, occasional light soiling.) Contemporary vellum, early manuscript to spine (spine lightly soiled). Provenance: Earls of Macclesfield (bookplate and blindstamps, sale Sotheby's, 10 June 2004, lot 387). FIRST EDITION. This companion volume to De vi percussionis (see lot 64) is devoted particularly to the study of liquids, and was intended as a preliminary to his final work De motu animalium (1679). Borelli had initially demonstrated his findings to the Accademia del Cimento in Florence. In 1667, however, he passed through Naples and repeated a number of his experiments for the Neapolitan Accademia degli Investiganti. As a result, the secretary of the Investiganti, the Calabrese nobleman Andrea Concublet, arranged for the publication of this work. Carli-Favaro 78 (329); Cinti 291 (147); De Caro 54; Riccardi I 159. View on Christie's.com

DIDEROT, Denis (1713-1784) and Jean Le Rond D'ALEMBERT (1717-1783, editors). Six volumes of plates for L'Encyclopédie Méthodique Padua: n.p., 1784-92. 6 vols in 13, 2° (301 x 215mm). Engraved title vignettes and 1091 plates, of which 190 double-page and 30 folding. (Occasional light browning, occasional light marginal dampstain.) 19th-century vellum [vols 1-3] and vellum-backed boards [vols 4-6], the spines numbered in manuscript (spine labels renewed, some staining, extremities rubbed). Provenance: G. Bertoni (neat stamps). The first 6 volumes of plates from this Padua edition of 'the greatest encyclopedia of science, which had widespread effect in establishing uniformity of terminology, concept, and procedure in all fields of science and technology' (Horblit). Cf. Horblit 25b; cf. PMM 200. (13) View on Christie's.com

INCUNABULA -- ARISTOTLE (384-322 B.C.). Opera nonnulla. Translated by Johannes Argyropulus and others. Venice: Joannes and Gregorius de Gregoriis de Forlivio for Benedictus Fontana, 13 July 1496. Small folio (289 x 198mm). 508 leaves, 44 lines and headline, types: 135 G., 110 R., woodcut diagrams, hand-coloured cardinals arms on aa3, woodcut initials, mostly ornamental but a few historiated, with the blank h6. (Title soiled and with a few small holes, colophon laid down on final blank with loss of some margin, stain across u6v ending on inner gutter of u7r, light spotting and browning, a few stains, a little, mainly faint, waterstaining). Later vellum, manuscript title on spine (vellum partly torn away in 2 compartments of spine). Provenance: Joseph Granate (inscription on title) -- an early reader (illegible title inscription). The only complete, unified edition of Aristotle's Works printed in the 15th century. BMC V 349; GW 2341; Hain *1659; Proctor 4552. View on Christie's.com

KEPLER, Johannes (1571-1630). Harmonices mundi libri V. Linz: Johannes Plank for Gottfried Tampach, 1619. 2° (296 x 190mm). First state of general title with printer's device and without text beginning 'Accessit nunc...', dedication to King James I of England (*2r-*4r) later suppressed by Kepler and absent from some copies. 5 engraved plates, numerous woodcut text diagrams and illustrations after Wilhelm Schickard, woodcut musical notation in Book III. (Lacks quire C, old repairs to title, heavy ink erasures to dedication leaves creating holes in *3-4, plates browned and slightly waterstained, some browning of text and persistent light waterstain at upper margin.) Contemporary vellum with yapp edges, spine titled and dated in manuscript, red edges (bowed, stains to rear cover, ties lacking). Provenance: Pedro de Faycon (with note dated 1707 stating that the erasures conform with the Papal Index of 1640). FIRST EDITION of Kepler's great cosmological treatise, containing the third law of planetary motion. An ardent Copernican, Kepler accepted that the sun was near the centre of the universe, but he went farther by attributing physical force to it. Books I and II are concerned with the geometrical foundation of universal harmony, beginning with a detailed exposition of Euclid's Elements. He discusses polygons and polyhedrons and -- for the first -- stellated dodecahedrons. Book III investigates harmonic proportions and music theory, while Book IV contains the fullest expression of his astrological views. Book V is devoted to astronomy and contains his third law, stating that 'the square of the period of time of a planet is proportional to the cube of its mean distance from the sun' (Dibner). Caspar 58; Dibner Heralds 6; Grolier/Horblit 58; Houzeau & Lancaster 11832; Zinner 4737; Norman 1207. View on Christie's.com

KRANTZ, Albert (c.1450-1517). Wandalia. Cologne: J. Soter, 1519. [Bound with:] -- Saxonia. Cologne: J. Soter, 1520. 2 works in one vol., small 2° (295 x 200mm). The first work with a 6-leaf table and the second work with an 8-leaf table bound before the titles. Titles within woodcut border. (Some mostly marginal dampstains, more pronounced in the second work, short worm-tracks in the first and last few gatherings, without final blank leaf.) Later vellum, spine titled in manuscript, edges red (upper board and spine soiled, front free endpaper with some loss). Provenance: a 19th-century reader (inscription in German dated 1826 on the front endpaper, very occasional marginalia). FIRST EDITIONS. Krantz's famous histories 'for the period in which they were written are characterized by exceptional impartiality and research' (Encyclopaedia Britannica, eleventh edition). Adams C-2889, C-2884. View on Christie's.com

MASCALL, Leonard (d. 1589). A Booke of the Arte and Maner how to plant and grasse all sortes of trees. London: John Wight, 1575. Small 4° (176 x 128mm). Woodcut vignette on title, repeated on L1v, one woodcut plate illustrating grafting tools, 4 cuts and one diagram in text, ornamental initials, head and tailpieces. (Occasional light soiling or spotting, top margins shaved, occasionally touching headline). Green calf gilt by Bayntun, Bath, gilt edges (spine lightly sunfaded, a few light scuff marks). Provenance: old manuscript inscription on title ('This should have been bound after the table in the beginning of this book'). Third edition of the popular treatise, first published in 1569 and based on David Brossard's L'art et manière de semer et faire pépinières de sauvageaux. Henrey I, 258; STC 17575. View on Christie's.com

RAILWAYS -- ROSCOE, Thomas. The Book of the Grand Junction Railway. [Birmingham:] by Wrightson and Webb, 1839. 4° (216 x 135mm). Engraved title, 3 maps and 15 plates. (Occasional light marginal soiling and a few scattered spots.) Contemporary half sheep by G. Simms of Manchester, with label, edges gilt (extremities rubbed). Provenance: I. J. Carrick (signature) -- George Jameson (armorial stamp, date 1913 in manuscript). FIRST EDITION. WorldCat records an apparently more common issue published in London by Orr in the same year. GRAY, Thomas. Observations on a General Iron Rail-Way or Land Steam-Conveyance. London: Baldwin, Cradock, and Joy, 1825. 8° (224 x 135mm). Engraved folding frontispiece, 4 engraved plates including one folding. (Occasional light offsetting, some wear in folding plates.) Original boards (rebacked, corners worn and chipped, rear endpaper nearly detached). Provenance: William Barclay Parsons (bookplate; gifted to:) -- The New York Public Library (de-accessioned stamps, dated 1934). Fifth edition, first published in 1820. (2) View on Christie's.com

BEDWELL, William (1563-1632, editor). The Turnament of Tottenham ... written long since in verse by Mr. Gilbert Pilkington ... taken out of an ancient manuscript ... by Wilhlm [sic] Bedwell. - BEDWELL, W. A Briefe Description of the Towne of Tottenham High-Crosse in Middlesex. London: John Norton, 1631. 2 parts, 4° (180 x 136mm). Part one in verse, 8 blanks inserted between the two parts. (Some soiling and staining, corner of E1 torn away slightly affecting manscript notes.) Early 18th-century calf (rubbed, joints cracked). Provenance: extensive early 18th-century manuscript notes in one hand (on title verso, B1, B3, blank verso of B4, on 14 of the 16 interleaves, and in margins of the 2nd part) -- Later note on a4v concernng Thomas May -- Markham John Thorpe (two inserted letters, dated Lombard street, 4 October [18]49, referring to the present 'Tottenham manuscripts ... I consider these interesting in a much greater degree than such things usually are') -- ms glossary on end blanks -- [Henry Sotheran, printed description of the book, laid down on notepaper dated 5 June 1893 and addressed to 'Mr. Howard')]. THE EARLIEST KNOWN WORK ON TOTTENHAM published by William Bedwell, vicar of Tottenham High Cross from 1607 to his death, a prominent mathematician, translator of the Bible and arabist. The poem, a burlesque upon the old feudal custom of marrying an heiress to a knight who vanquished all his opponents, was lent by George Wither. Thomas Pilkington was in fact the transcriber not the author. THIS COPY WITH COPIOUS MANUSCRIPT NOTES, treating the tournament as factual and adding to the available information about Tottenham. The founder of Tottenham Almshouse is named as 'A Spaniard ... Belshazzer Lancez' on title verso, and the period of the tournament is said to be 'about the beginning of Edward the firsts Reign' on B1r. Reprinted in 1718. No other history of Tottenham followed until the end of the century. RARE. No sale recorded since 1980 in on-line ABPC. STC 19925; Upcott II, p. 587. View on Christie's.com

BLAKE, William (1757-1827, engraver) -- Hayley, William (1745-1820). The Triumphs of Temper. Chichester: 1803. 8° (163 x 96mm). 6 engraved plates by William Blake after Maria Flaxman. (Plates waterstained at bottom margin and slightly soiled, last plate detached.) Contemporary tree calf (incisions to covers, spine crinkled). Provenance: I.P. Mulhallen (signature on title and bookplate). Bentley 471; Essick 43. FORE-EDGE PAINTINGS -- MONTGOMERY, James. The World before the Flood. London: Longman [etc.], 1814. 12°. (Without half-title.) Contemporary polished calf, covers with gilt border enclosing a octagonal figure in blind (spine restored), with fore-edge painting of a house by a river, too large to be 'Pope's House -- Twickenham' as identified in an inserted 19th-century manuscript note. Third edition; together with an 1821 edition of Thomson's The Seasons, with another fore-edge painting of a mansion on the Thames. (3) View on Christie's.com

BOCCACCIO, Giovanni (1313-1375). Il Decamerone, edited by Lodovico Dolce. Venice: Gabriel Giolito de Ferrari, 1552. 2 parts, 8° (207 x 138mm). Woodcut illustrations. (Title-page laid down, with subtitle excised and supplied in manuscript, T3v a little soiled, AA2-3 slightly stained, margins cut close.) Later 18th-century red morocco (spine browned and chipped, extremities rubbed). Provenance: William Beckford (purchaser's note: 'June 1808 Beckford, Sale at L. & S. 3-13-6'; pencilled shelf mark 'H. 6. North') -- S.F. Widdrington of Newton Hall (bookplate). BECKFORD'S COPY of Dolce's edition, with cuts derived from the 1533 Venice edition. The manuscript subtitle reads: 'Nuovamente alla sua vera lettione ridotto per M. Lodovico Dolce'. cf. Essling 649; Sander 1071. View on Christie's.com

The New Sylph, or Guardian Angel. A Story. London: W. Lane, 1788. 12° (180 x 116mm). Contemporary tree calf, smooth gilt spine with red morocco lettering-piece and repeated floral tooling, gilt border and turn-ins, marbled endpapers (extremities lightly rubbed, bookplates defaced). FINE COPY OF THE ONLY RECORDED EDITION. Attributed to Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire (1757-1806) in a pencil note on title. With 2 manuscript corrections on D5r. RARE. ESTC records 3 copies in Britain (BL, Cambridge, and Reading) and 2 in the US (Rice and Yale). Blakey p. 144. View on Christie's.com

HERBERT, George (1593-1633). The Temple. Edited by Nicholas Ferrar. Cambridge: Thomas Buck and Roger Daniel, 1633. 12° (143 x 76mm). Title with typographical border and ornament, ornamental initials. (Title-page loose and frayed at border, marginal wear in two leaves, lightly soiled.) 18th-century calf-backed boards (front cover missing, worn). FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE. Shortly before he died, Herbert entrusted the manuscript of his English poems to his friend, Nicholas Ferrar of Little Gidding with instructions to burn them or publish them, if it be to "the advantage of any dejected poor Soul". Ferrar had them published the same year with his biographical sketch of the author, and they went through 6 editions in under ten years. Although a variant title-page is known without a printed date, the bibliographers concur that the dated title is earlier. STC 13183; Pforzheimer 465; Grolier, Wither to Prior II, 438; F.E. Hutchinson, "The First Edition of Herbert's Temple, Oxford Bib. Soc. Proceedings and Papers, V, 1939, 189-97; Hayward 66. View on Christie's.com

IBBETSON, Julius, John LAPORTE and John HASSELL. A Picturesque Guide to Bath, Bristol Hot-Wells, the River Avon and the Adjacent Country. London: for Hookham and Carpenter, 1793. 4° (249 x 185mm.). Hand-coloured aquatint frontispiece and 15 plates by and after Ibbetson, Hassell and Laporte. Half-title, errata. (A little light spotting, mainly on the guards, occasional dust-soiling and water-staining to text margins.) Contemporary tree calf, gilt beadwork border, flat spine gilt in compartments (spine rubbed and chipped, corners lightly rubbed). Provenance: Joseph Whittuck (bookplate, dated 1801 in manuscript). FIRST EDITION. Abbey Scenery 38; Tooley 277. View on Christie's.com

BARRETT, Francis (fl.1780-1814). The Magus, or Celestial Intelligencer; being A Complete System of Occult Philosophy, a manuscript copy of the first edition (published by Lackington, Allen and Co, London, 1801), including 14 drawings (10 coloured) of heads of demons etc, and a number of other figures, concluding with a related text, 'Illustrations of the Black Art', 413 pages, 4to (f.1 reattached), roan-backed boards (worn). 'Composed in the Christian tradition, The Magus was a farrago of Renaissance alchemy and natural and talismatic magic that fitted contemporary Gothic taste ... The book's most startling feature was a set of gargoyle-like portraits of demons conjured up in ritual magic ceremonies' (ODNB). The present copy apparently dates from the mid-century, no doubt before the second edition of 1870. View on Christie's.com

[HERALDRY]. The Statutes of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, in English and French, illuminated manuscript on paper, [1713], including two full-page illustrations of the arms of Queen Anne and Henry, Duke of Kent, text in red and brown ink, 36 pages, 4to (255 x 195mm), English 18th-century calf gilt, covers with central panel enclosing the Royal arms with crown and acorn cornerpieces, blue silk ties with gold thread fringe. Provenance: Henry Grey, 1st Duke of Kent (1671-1740; armorial bookplate dated 1713 pasted inside upper cover) -- his great-great grandson Thomas Philip, 2nd Earl de Grey (1781-1859) of Wrest Park (armorial bookplate pasted onto front endpaper). A handsome manuscript copy of the Statutes, commemorating the election in 1712 and installation in 1713 of Henry, 1st Duke of Kent as Knight of the Garter. View on Christie's.com

MILITARY MANUSCRIPTS. 'An Abridgment of Rules Orders and Instructions made for the Goverment [sic] of the Office of Ordnance. An[n]o 1683', a neat early 18th-century copy, including the confirmation by Queen Anne, 30 June 1702, margins and columns ruled in red, page references evidently to the full 'Rules Orders and Instructions', 34 leaves, 8vo, blanks, contemporary black gilt-panelled morocco with white metal clasps, gilt edges (joints and corners rubbed). Provenance: William C. Lempriere (bookplate). The manuscript gives a brief note of the duties of such officers as the Surveyor General, the Clerk of the Ordnance, the Master Gunner of England and others, as well as 'The Generall Instructions for the com[m]on Duty's of the Principall Officers'. View on Christie's.com

HARDY, Thomas. In Time of 'The Breaking of Nations'. [No place:] Privately Printed, 1916. Bifolium (230 x 190mm). Original purple wrappers printed in black, sewn with a purple woven thread (covers slightly faded). THE RARE FIRST SEPARATE EDITION. One of 25 copies printed, numbered and signed by Clement Shorter, this one number 12. This poem was written in 1915 and first printed in the Saturday Review, 29 January 1916. An original manuscript was sold at Christie's, The Red Cross Sale, 26 April 1916. Purdy, p.176. View on Christie's.com

HARDY, Thomas. Tess of the D'Urbervilles. A Pure Woman. London: Macmillan, 1926. Large 8° (282 x 195mm). 41 wood-engraved plates and illustrations by Vivienne Gribble, folding map. Original quarter vellum (bottom corners bumped), slipcase. Provenance: Thomas Hardy (gift inscription to:) -- Florence Emily Hardy (Max Gate book label amended in manuscript). ONE OF 325 COPIES SIGNED BY HARDY, PRESENTATION COPY TO THE AUTHOR'S WIFE, inscribed: 'To: Florence Emily Hardy, from Thomas Hardy. 22 October 1926'. Hardy and Florence Dugdale (1879-1937) had met towards the end of 1905, as author and admirer, and in 1906 she began assisting him with research to complete The Dynasts. She took over the running of Max Gate after Emma Hardy died in November 1912, and the two married on 10 February 1914. A FINE ASSOCIATION. Cf. Purdy, pp.77. View on Christie's.com

CONRAD, Joseph. The Secret Agent. A simple tale. London: Methuen & Co. 1907. 8° (191 x 125mm). Half-title, 40pp. publisher's catalogue at end. (Small but crude repair in outer margin of half-title and title, dedication detached, occasional light marginal soiling, a few spots). Original dark red cloth (extremities rubbed, head and tail of spine bumped). Provenance: 'St. Pancras Dispensary Nurses' Library' manuscript inscription on pastedown. FIRST EDITION. Wise 17; Ehrsam p.304. View on Christie's.com

[DICKENS, Charles, editor]. Memoirs of Joseph Grimaldi. Edited by 'Boz'. London: Richard Bentley, 1838. 2 volumes, 12° (199 x 124mm). Engraved portrait after J. Raven, and 12 etched plates by and after George Cruikshank. (Plates a little soiled and spotted at blank margins, title to vol. I offset, title to vol. II lightly soiled, some marginal thumb-soiling.) Publisher's pink embossed cloth, spines gilt, uncut (spines faded). FIRST EDITION. Final plate without grotesque border; the sixth plate correctly placed at p. 182 on plate list. Grimaldi's manuscript had previously been edited by Thomas Egerton Wilks who sold it to Bentley before Dickens was commissioned to re-edit it for publication. The introductory chapter revealed 'his childhood veneration for clowns and his insatiable curiosity about them' (Dickens Index p. 164). Eckel pp. 140-142; Gimbel B64. (2) View on Christie's.com

LESLIE, Sir John Randolph [Shane] (1885-1971). Poems. [N.p.: privately published for the author,] 1915. 8° (182 x 123mm). 6 leaves printed on laid paper with horizontal chain-lines, together with 12 further leaves with anvil watermark (of which 6 blank at beginning), 5 with ink manuscript poems possibly in the author's hand on rectos, 2 printed poems by Leslie on browned paper pasted in at end with corrections and markings in pencil. (Title and first leaf with light crease to bottom corner, light marginal mark to title, light offsetting from pasted-in poems.) Contemporary three-quarter green morocco over marbled-paper covered boards, lettered in gilt to upper cover (extremities lightly rubbed, spine faded and more heavily rubbed). UNRECORDED UNIQUE COPY OF SHANE LESLIE'S FIRST BOOK. Leslie, first cousin of Winston Churchill, was born at Glaslough, Co. Monaghan, into a wealthy Anglo-Irish family. He converted to Roman Catholicism while up at King's College, Cambridge, adopted Irish nationalism, and started to use the Irish version of his name - Shane. Churchill introduced his cousin to John Redmond, leader of the Irish nationalists, and later to the American orator William Bourke Cockran. In 1912, while in America raising awareness of Irish nationalism, Leslie met and married Marjorie Ide, sister of Anne, the third wife of Cockran. It was at this time that Leslie started to produce poetry. The present work was produced for Leslie's sister-in-law, with the printed note on the title-page: 'OF THIS EDITION THERE IS ONE COPY, which is the property of Anne Ide Cockran ["Cochran" corrected in ink ms]'. During WWI, Leslie was attached to a British ambulance corps, and in 1915 retrieved the body of his brother, Norman, from the battlefield near Armentières. Five manuscript poems present here, entitled 'Poems Written During the War' include one to his deceased brother, and another to Rupert Brooke. View on Christie's.com

BLOK, Alexander Alexandrovich (1880-1921). Autograph manuscript signed ('Aleksandr Blok'), no place, 1900, 'Ametist', 2 stanzas of 4 lines, 1 page, 8vo (manuscript annotations, some wear to the corners). A FINE, EARLY BLOK MANUSCRIPT POEM, originally composed for his first love Kseniia Mikhailovna Sadovskaia. The first stanza reads: Poroiu v vozdukhe, sogretom Vospominan'em i toboi, Neobychaino khladnym svetom Gorit prozrachnyi kamen tvoi Collected in Ante Lucem, which gathers poems composed in 1898-1900, before his first book was published (St. Petersburg: Sovetskii Pisatel, 1955; poem 68). View on Christie's.com

DANILOV, Kirsha. Drevniia Rossiiskiia Stikhotvoreniia. [Ancient Russian Rhymes.] Moscow: Semen Selivanovskii, 1818. 4° (260 x 205mm). Interleaved with blanks showing English annotations. 35 engraved headpieces of musical notation. (Faint dampstain and crease on the title.) Contemporary English half-calf (extremities rubbed, spine head chipped). Provenance: Henry Edward Fox Strangways, 5th Earl of Ilchester (Melbury bookplate). Second, significantly enlarged and revised edition of ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS AND IMPORTANT WORKS IN RUSSIAN FOLKLORE. This edition adds music and nearly 100 pages to the first of 1804 and, according to Smirnov-Sokol'skii, is the first to make apparent the full importance of the text. The original manuscript belonged to P.A. Demidov and passed to Kliucharev who published the first edition. But it was M.P. Rumiantsev who commissioned K.F. Kalaidovich to re-examine the manuscript for this more complete and more accurate edition. An excellent copy with noble provenance. Kilgour 256; Smirnov-Sokol'skii 1271 ('otlichno izdannyi tom'). View on Christie's.com

IVAN IV -- Sudebnik Gosudaria Tsaria i Velikago Kniazia Ioanna Vasil'evicha. [The Law Code of Ivan Vasilievich.] Moscow: Imperial University, 1768. 4° (240 x 191mm). (Faint dampstaining.) Contemporary Russian mottled calf (spine foot chipped, joints starting, corners rubbed). Provenance: a Russian reader (indistinct title signature) -- Martin Winkler (bookplate). FIRST EDITION. Ivan IV's reform of the law code shifted power from the aristocracy to State and local institutions. This edition was prepared by G.F. Miller from the manuscript owned by Vasilii Tatishchev. Bitovt 1638; SK 6936; Sopikov 11593. View on Christie's.com