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Lot 35
Cretaceous Period, 145-66 million years BP. The fossil tail and part of the carapace of the fossil shrimp Meyeria ornata with adhering matrix, in white card tray with label reading: 'SHRIMP, Meyeria ornata, D. Beds, Speeton Clay, L. Cret., Speeton, Yorks'. 15 grams, 38mm (1 1/2"). Property of a Welsh fossil collector; acquired on the UK art market. [No Reserve]. Fine condition. Rare.
Lot 223
Upper Cretaceous Period, 76-75 million years BP. An Edmontosaurus annectens dinosaur vertebra including the neural arch from the Hell Creek Formation, South Dakota, U.S.A. 237 grams, 13.5cm (5 1/4"). From the Pradi Collection, Boston, USA; acquired during 1980s. Edmontosaurus was widely distributed across western North America. The distribution of Edmontosaurus fossils suggests that it preferred coasts and coastal plains. It was a herbivore that could move on both two legs and four. Because it is known from several bone beds, Edmontosaurus is thought to have lived in groups, and may have been migratory as well. . Fine condition, repaired. Rare.
Lot 526
A very unusual quartz encrustation, originally formed over a group of calcite crystals which were subsequently dissolved away leaving the quartz coating retaining the shapes of the original calcite crystals, in old white card tray. See Bonewitz, Dr. Ronald Louis, Rocks & Minerals, 2008, p.222. 90 grams, 11.4cm (4 1/2"). From the historic ‘Victorian Museum’ and later collection of Gregory, Bottley & Lloyd (Gregory's); formerly Gregory, Bottley & Co. (1932-1981) and previously J. R. Gregory & Co. (1898-1932); originally James Reynolds Gregory (1858-1898"). This item is part of a historic collection of fossils and minerals which has recently been reviewed by leading geological expert Dr. Ronald Bonewitz. The firm Gregory, Bottley and Lloyd (Gregory's), was acquired by TimeLine Auctions in 2016. London-born James Reynolds Gregory (1832-1899) founded the company, which is the second longest-running gem and fossil dealership in the world. James was educated at Archbishop Tennison's School, and afterward found employment in a jewellery company on Regent Street. In 1858 he established his own business in King William Street. A few years later he moved to ‘very extensive premises’ in Golden Square, Covent Garden. He was one of the best known dealers in London, exhibiting at major commercial shows throughout the world and winning awards for excellence in Paris in 1867, Sydney in 1879 and London in 1862, 1883 and 1884. James primarily bought his stock at auction, from collectors and other dealers, and supplied many major collectors and scientists of his day. He built superb personal collections, a selection going to the British Museum. He wrote many papers and was a member of several learned societies including the Society of Arts. The business became known as J.R. Gregory & Company in 1896, still under James' management with the assistance of his son Albert Gregory (b.1864"). When James died three years later, the business passed to Albert. At the end of the 19th century most London dealers had folded or retired, many selling out to J.R. Gregory & Co. Albert continued by acquiring Russell and Shaw (Est. 1848) in 1925 and Francis H. Butler (Est. 1884) in 1927. Percy Bottley (1904-1980) took over the company in 1931, renaming it Gregory, Bottley & Company with respect to his predecessors. Percy’s company survived the 2nd World War by buying out all of its competitors, including the supplier to Pitt-Rivers, Samuel Henson (Est. 1840) and G.H. Richards (Est. 1897) in 1936. Percy also added many important collections to his stock including those of Rev. F. Holmes in 1940, and the Graves collection in 1943. Following Percy's death in 1981, the business was sold to Brian Lloyd, whereupon it became Gregory, Bottley & Lloyd. Brian had been Sotheby’s main Natural History expert in the 1960s and 1970s, and subsequently traded from Pall Mall. The business continued to thrive, and Brian purchased the Joseph Neeld (1789-1856) collection in 1974 and the historic gold collection of H.S. Gordon, first exhibited at the Empire Exhibition, South Africa in 1936. Brian moved the business to 12-13 Rickett Street in 1982, and to 13 Seagrave Road in 1993. He carried on the company's specialization in historic collections, most recently acquiring that of Robert Ferguson (1767-1840) in 2000. The business moved to Walmer in Kent in 2008, and was acquired by TimeLine in April 2016. Trading History Est. 1858 (59 Frith Street, Soho) 1859 - 1861 (3 King William Street, Strand) 1862 - 1866 (25 Golden Square, Covent Garden) 1866 - 1874 (15 Russell Street, Covent Garden) 1874 - 1895 (88 Charlotte Street, Fitzroy Square) 1896 - 1906 (1 Kelso Place, Kensington) 1907 - 1926 (139 Fulham Road, Chelsea) 1926 - 1981 (30 (Old) Church Street, Chelsea) 1982 - 1993 (12-13 Rickett Street, Fulham) 1993 - 2007 (13 Seagrave Road, Fulham) 2008 - 2016 (59 Liverpool Road, Walmer, Kent) 2016 - (363 Main Road, Harwich, Essex) [No Reserve]. Extremely fine condition. Rare.
Lot 233
Late Cretaceous Period, 70-65 million years BP. An Ankylosaurus magniventris leg bone section with one end cut and polished to show internal structure. 507 grams, 16.4cm (6 1/2"). From Hell Creek Formation, South Dakota, USA; from the Pradi Collection, Boston, USA; acquired 1980s. . Fine condition, repaired. Rare
Lot 276
A good vintage 1960's Bryans ' Bullion ' Allwin penny arcade slot machine. Original chrome 'Bullion' sign to top, and all original paintwork. Working condition - entering a coin and pulling the handle places your bet. Coin payout may require attention. Fully original. No key, but lock is easily opened without. Rare. Measures 82cm high x 42cm wide x 26cm deep.
Lot 177
A good rare early 20th century Glove Wernicke industrial lawyers stacking bookcase filing cabinet with full length fold over glazed doors having filing index drawers with metal linings and further filing drawers to the 3 section deep and tall body. Complete with original Globe Wernicke labels. Measures 146cm high x 105cm wide x 46cm deep.
Lot 15
A rare Minton porcelain sample plate decorated with examples of crests, raised on a foliate decorated pedestal foot and a cream ware basket of oval form, a violin branded verso "Duke", a box containing various costume jewellery including necklaces, brooches, scent funnel, sugar nips etc, together with a photograph print of Jerry Hall (now Mrs Murdoch) with Marie Helvin, ARTHUR CHRIS MILLETT "Minors, Nurses, Engineers Join the Labour Party Young Socialists and Throw the Tories Out!" advertising poster and W. ASHWORTH "A Silver Mist of Morn Bolton Woods", watercolour, signed lower right and dated 1908 CONDITION REPORTS Plate only: Has knife scratches/surface scratches all over. Some small chips to the feet. Wear to the gilding. There is a pin running through the centre of the plate in order to secure the plate to the base. General wear and tear conducive to age and use.Violin - the fretboard is off and does not have any brass markers. Other pieces are missing from it generally. There is a large chip to one elbow. There is some cracking visible to the back. Has wear to the varnish, surface scratching, etc. See images for more details.
Lot 408
A very rare William Reid Liverpool Rococo pedestal cream jug, circa 1755-1758, height 11cm from tip of handleProvenance: Simon Spero and a Private Collection. Illustrated similar example in ‘Hillis’Condition Report: Excellent. Old stress crack to front painted panel and no other damage or restoration
Lot 200
A rare circa 1948 International Watch Company military stainless steel wristwatch, Mark XI 6B/346, the case 36mm, the black dial decorated Arabic numerals with the broad arrow mark and T, the movement number 1148962, case back marked 6B/346-389/48, on later expanding dial. Condition Report: glass scratched, case scratched and dented, dial has very minor damage, appears to be in working order, inner dust cover present, rubber seal broken and needs replacing.
Lot 100
A rare early 19th century Black Forest automata and organ longcase clock, the walnut and parcel gilt hood surmounted by a royal blue armorial crest over a neo-classical oil depicting the rescue of a storm-stranded maiden and enclosing the fusee movement and cylinder which operates the bellows to play eight songs, the pair of chirping and turning yellow birds with opening beaks back-set by an oil depicting a Mediterranean villa, the enamelled clock face with Roman numerals, within an associated mahogany case, h. 228 cm, w. 70 cm, d. 45 cm CONDITION REPORT: Auctioneers highly recommend viewing for this lot. Interior/movement requiring attention- not operating fully (see video for example of which parts currently operate). Bellow arm broken. Automaton casing loose. Some flute tops missing. Some losses to enamelling on face. One bird deficient of leg. Interior case later painted white. Some foxing/discolouration to both oils. Interior requires cleaning. Movement and bellows deficient of guts/string. Split to cylinder. Later block supporting movement. Bubbles in glass door. Shrinkage to top of hood. Veneer to case lifting slightly in one place (minor). Case with a later lock. Case generally good and commensurate with age. Sold with the pendulum and three weights.
Lot 12
Potter (Beatrix) The Tailor of Gloucester, first edition, first printing with date on title and single-page endpaper recurring 4 times, deluxe issue in rare trial binding, colour frontispiece and 27 colour plates, upper hinge cracked but holding firm, original red morocco, lettered in gilt on upper cover, upper joint cracked at foot, minor chipping to spine ends, spine a little rubbed, light wear to corners, still an excellent copy, g.e., [Not in Linder or Quinby], 16mo, 1903. ⁂ An excellent example of this scarce variant trial binding, we know of only one other copy (see Peter Harrington catalogue no.122, item 17, see also lot 7) Includes an additional colour plate before the frontispiece featuring the illustration used on the upper cover of the first trade edition (this plate was also used as the rarer of the two frontispieces for the art fabric edition).
![Buckland Wright (John).- Swinburne (Algernon Charles) Dolores, first edition, [one of 50 copies on Japon ancien], 11 wood-eng](https://cdn.globalauctionplatform.com/dfd0ae87-7b72-44bd-9d38-a72a00a83cab/ad2232e5-ba68-49b0-9b37-7acc94ec9e65/468x382.jpg)
Lot 121
Buckland Wright (John).- Swinburne (Algernon Charles) Dolores, first edition, [one of 50 copies on Japon ancien], 11 wood-engraved illustrations by John Buckland Wright, this copy signed by the artist in pencil on final leaf, bookplate of Walter Hirst on front free endpaper, original blue wrappers with printed label on upper cover, uncut, spine very slightly faded but still an excellent copy, [Reid A12i], 8vo, [Maastricht, privately printed for Baron Emile van der Borch van Verwolde by A.A.M. Stols], 1933. ⁂ One of Buckland Wright's most collected works, and on which he continued to work after publication. The illustrations appear as white line engravings in this first edition but were reworked as silhouettes with additional white line hatching for the second edition. The final illustration of a female nude with three ravens refers to the coat-of-arms of Emile, Baron van der Borch van Verwolde who commissioned the book from Stols. It also served as his bookplate. Rare to find signed.
Lot 216
Meffret. Sermones de tempore et de sanctis, sive Hortulus reginae, Pars Hyemalis only, collation: a12 b10 c-r8 ſ8 s-v8 w-z8 ד8 ɔ8 10, double column, 230 ff. (of 231, lacking a1), 55 lines and headline, Gothic type, initials, initial-strokes and paragraph-marks in red, occasional early ink marginalia, a2 hole at head, with loss of a few words, p3 short tear at foot within text, without loss, final f. (printed recto only) with hole to inner margin, (with loss of several letters) and a section of lower corner torn away, some spotting and staining, modern calf-backed marbled boards, spine in compartments and with black leather label, folio (307 x 202mm.), Basel, Nicolaus Kesler, 20 January, 1487. ⁂ All parts of this work by this 15th century Meissen preacher are rare at auction. Provenance: 'ex libris Barth. Lungi'; 'Ex libris Wolff. Sigismundi Fischer, Anno 1677' (ink inscriptions to a2).
Lot 219
Gellius (Aulus) Noctium atticarum Libri undeuiginti, collation: ãã10 a-n8 o10 p8, Roman and some Greek type, title and large woodcut device of Jean Petit within woodcut historiated border, woodcut criblé initials (with later hand-colouring), occasional early ink marginalia and interlinear notes, occasional staining (mostly light), Paris, Badius Ascensius for Jean Petit, 1517 bound with Valla (Laurentius) Elegantiarum Libri sex Latine ligue studiosis perutiles ac pernecessarii nuper summa diligentia recogniti, edited by Badius Ascensius, collation: aaa8 A-X Aa-Hh aa6, Roman type, large woodcut device of Jean Petit to title, woodcut criblé initials (with later hand-colouring), occasional early ink marginalia, some damp-staining towards end, final f. holed with loss of several letters, Paris, Jean Petit & Wolfgang Hopyl, 1507, together 2 works in 1 vol., contemporary panelled calf over wooden boards, metal clasps, rebacked, corners repaired, creased and rubbed, folio (284 x 195mm.) ⁂ Two rare works, with USTC listing only three copies of the first and one of the second work. The first work is the first Badius edition of this version of the text and the second is the fourth Badius edition. Provenance: 'Guillemon' (early ink signature to title). Literature: I. Not in Adams; Renouard, Badius Ascensius, II, 463:2 II. Not in Adams.
Lot 222
Livius (Titus) Ex XIIII T. Livius Decadibus Prima Tertia Quarta, 4 parts in 1, collation: A8 B6 a-m8 n10, *10 aa-mm8 nn6, **10 aaa-qqq8, A-I8, numerous woodcut printer's devices, including to title and verso of otherwise blank final f., that on title with a little hand-colouring, initial spaces with guide-letter, ink stamp to foot of title, first title soiled, occasional staining and spotting elsewhere, contemporary blind-stamped pigskin over wooden boards, metal clasps, joints splitting, but holding firm, soiled and rubbed, folio (315 x 201mm.), [Venice], [House of Aldus & Andrea Torresani], [January 1521, October 1520, November 1520, December 1520, February 1521]. ⁂ 'elle est fort rare' (Renouard). Literature: Adams L1323; Renouard, Alde, 89:6; EDIT 16 CNCE 37644.Please note: The estimates should read £750-£1000
![Diet of Speyer.- [Bellay (Jean du)] Oraison escripte suyvant l'intention du roy treschrestien aux serenissimes reverendissime](https://cdn.globalauctionplatform.com/dfd0ae87-7b72-44bd-9d38-a72a00a83cab/3683bfe8-8238-49a1-96be-d0931bb153cf/468x382.jpg)
Lot 230
Diet of Speyer.- [Bellay (Jean du)] Oraison escripte suyvant l'intention du roy treschrestien aux serenissimes reverendissimes, tres illustres, tres excellens, magnifiques, tres hauls, seigneurs et et tous les estas du Sainct Empire assemblez en la ville de Spire, collation: A-G4 H6, occasional spotting, Paris, Robert Estienne, 1544; Bellay (Jean du) Response a une epistre enuoyee de Spire par ung Secretaire Alemãd a ung Serviteur du Roy treschrestien. Aultre epistre des choses faictes puis quatre ans en lEurope, collation: a-d4 e6, final f. blank, repaired worm trace to inner gutters, Paris, Robert Estienne, 1544; Bellay (Jean du) Defense pour le roy de France treschrestien, a lencontre des injures et detractions de Jaques Omphalius, faicte nagueres en Latin par ung Serviteur du Roy, & maintenant traduicte en Francois par Simon Brunel, collation: aa-ff4, Paris, Robert Estienne, 1544, titles with woodcut printer's devices, the first work with large woodcut criblé initial, occasional early ink marginalia, water-stained at head to varying degrees, occasional spotting, uniformly bound in modern marbled boards, spines with red leather labels, 4to (each c.212 x 160mm.) (3) ⁂ A group of rare pamphlets with a distinguished provenance. 'As one of François I's publicists Robert Estienne produced a considerable ephemeral literature consisting of texts of speeches and letters, notably by the French delegation to Speier, led by cardinal Jean du Bellay' (Schreiber). Elizabeth Armstrong considered these publications 'the most considerable element of vernacular printing in [Robert's] career'. The first mentioned is an apology for François's alliance with the Ottomans. Provenance: Elizabeth Armstrong, Estienne scholar. Literature: I. Not in Adams; Renouard, Estienne, 64:21; Schreiber 79 II. Not in Adams; Renouard, Estienne, 23 III. Not in Adams; Renouard, Estienne, 62:25.
Lot 233
Duchesne (Leger) Praelectionum et poematum liber, collation: a-n8 (n8 blank), woodcut device on title, criblé initials, some worming, affecting text in first third of book and then only to inner margin, neat manuscript correction to 3 leaves in sig. k, modern calf, spine gilt, 8vo (165 x 95 mm.), Paris, Thomas Richard, 1549. ⁂ First edition, the prose critical treatise interspersed with verse dialogues, and concluding with fifty pages of epigrams, elegies, epitaphs and verse epistles. This is an early work of the prolific poet, philologist, and anti-Huguenot polemicist, whose assembly of neo-Latin poetry (Flores epigrammatum ex optimis quibusque authoribus excerpti, the second volume titled Farrago poematum, 1555-60) is the first of the 'General Anthologies and Collections' cited by Ijsewijn (1977 ed., p. 230). The work appears to be rare, USTC recording seven copies in continental Europe, and Harvard and Newberry in America; COPAC adds Cambridge, and the National Library of Wales. Literature: Adams D1021; not in the BN-Opale catalogue or the French Union Catalogue; Cioranescu 8628.
Lot 234
Alciati (Andrea) Diverse Imprese Accommodate A diverse moralià, collation: A-M8, woodcut architectural border,169 woodcut emblems within diverse architectural borders and 11 illustrations of trees, closely trimmed at head, touching a few headlines, occasional small areas of staining, 19th century blind-stamped straight-grain morocco, gilt tile to spine, rubbed, g.e., 8vo, Lyon, Guillaume Rouille, 1551. ⁂ A rare edition. Alciati is acknowledged as the creator of the first emblem book. Literature: Landwehr, Romanic, 52; Green 50.
Lot 240
Laudivius Zacchia. Lettere del Gran Mahumeto, Imperadore de Turchi..., collation: A-M8, title with woodcut device and head-piece, some water-staining, old small armorial stamp to title, new endpapers, contemporary limp vellum, spine ends nicked, 8vo (155 x 95 mm.), Venice, Gabriel Giolito G.G. de' Ferrari, 1563. ⁂ First Italian, and apparently the earliest vernacular edition of the celebrated Epistolae Magni Turchi, a best-selling fifteenth century literary invention by Laudivius Zacchia of Vezzano [= Laudivio da Vezzano, not to be confused with his C17 namesake, the Cardinal of Santa Romana and prosecutor of Galileo]. Translated here by the ubiquitous Lodovic Dolce, these letters purport to represent the correspondence of Mahomet II, the living conqueror of Constantinople and Byzantium, with governors and potentates from Persia to the Mediterranean islands, Greece, and Italy - through which Laudivio could highlight Turkish/Islamic territorial ambitions, as well as (by implication) political and ethical differences between East and West not always to the credit of his Christian contemporaries. The little collection proved hugely popular, calling for more than twenty incunabular editions, all now individually rare, and further reprints in the C16 and C17, including the English version of 1607 titled The Turkes Secretorie, which took them (historically) at face value. In many of these, the short text is paired, suggestively, with the fabricated letters of Phalaris, the C6 BCE tyrant of Agrigento, whose authenticity was widely suspected among learned C15-16 readers, and finally exposed as sophistic exercises by Richard Bentley in 1697. Literature: BM, STC Italian 455; Gollner 1047; Blackmer 955
Lot 243
Frankfurt Book Fair.- Estienne (Henri) Francofordiense emporium, sive Francofordienses nundinae..., collation: *4, a-i8, k4, woodcut printer's device to title, decorative head-pieces and initials, some light foxing and water-staining, ex- British Museum duplicate with ink stamps to title and foot of final leaf, modern limp vellum, cloth slip-case, 8vo (170 x 100 mm.), [Geneva], Henri Estienne, 1574. ⁂ First edition and only edition of the printer's own laudatory account of the Frankfurt Fair based on his experiences selling books there the previous year. It includes descriptions of the merchandise for sale, including horses, weapons, clothing, household goods and many references to food and drink - "Besides praising the wines of Bacharach, Estienne cites a number of Greek and Roman authors who wrote for and against drunkenness" (Simon). It is a fitting testimonial to the Estienne dynasty of scholar printers, arguably the greatest dynasty of scholar-printers in history. Schreiber assesses it as "an extremely desirable and rare book, which today seldom comes on the market." Literature: Adams S1768; Renouard, Estienne 139:2; Schreiber, Estienne 189; Simon, Bibliotheca Bacchia II, 235. Provenance: H.P.Kraus bookplate (his sale, Sotheby's New York, 4 April 2003, lot 226).
Lot 250
Bell ringing.- Roccha (Angelo) De Campanis Commentarius, first edition, title within woodcut architectural title, 4 engraved plates (2 folding), woodcut decorative initials, X4 blank, ink stamp of religious institution to title, plates trimmed, some browning and spotting, occasional staining, modern calf, small 4to, Rome, apud Guillelmum Facciottum, 1612. ⁂ Rare early work on church bells and bell ringing. It includes a 6pp. section on horology and bells. Please note:Lot 250 – This is listed on COPAC.
![Comenius (Johann Amos) [Orbis pictus] Zrielishche vselennyia, na Latinskom Rossiiskom i Niemetskom iazykakh, text in French,](https://cdn.globalauctionplatform.com/dfd0ae87-7b72-44bd-9d38-a72a00a83cab/36b16376-5e36-4293-c652-487911a0def5/468x382.jpg)
Lot 258
Comenius (Johann Amos) [Orbis pictus] Zrielishche vselennyia, na Latinskom Rossiiskom i Niemetskom iazykakh, text in French, German and Russian, 80 engraved plates, each with caption in Latin, French, German and Russian, some with contemporary ink annotations, occasional spotting, a few small stains, contemporary calf, upper joint splitting, spine ends chipped, corners little worn, rubbed, housed in a modern calf drop-back box, 8vo, St. Petersburg, Tipografii Vil'kovskago, 1793. ⁂ Rare Russian edition of Comenius' charming representations of natural history, trades, industry and architecture.
![Food & drink.- [Cosnett (Thomas)] The Footman's Directory, and Butler's Remembrancer, third edition, foxed, original printed](https://cdn.globalauctionplatform.com/dfd0ae87-7b72-44bd-9d38-a72a00a83cab/5535fd69-db1b-4e17-879d-6678409ee371/468x382.jpg)
Lot 270
Food & drink.- [Cosnett (Thomas)] The Footman's Directory, and Butler's Remembrancer, third edition, foxed, original printed upper wrapper laid down and bound in at start, modern half calf, [cf. Bitting p.102], large 12mo, 1824. ⁂ A rare edition, with no copies on COPAC. Written by an experienced butler, the work outlines daily practical duties, as well as moral and behavioural obligations. Includes sections on tea and coffee urns, cruet stands, decanting wine and management of the cellar.
![[Guevara (Antonio de)] The Golden Boke of Marcus Aurelius Emperour and Eloquent Oratour, translated by John Bourchier, 2nd Ba](https://cdn.globalauctionplatform.com/dfd0ae87-7b72-44bd-9d38-a72a00a83cab/77812eca-325e-4fc2-ca07-2921c7f6a748/468x382.jpg)
Lot 351
[Guevara (Antonio de)] The Golden Boke of Marcus Aurelius Emperour and Eloquent Oratour, translated by John Bourchier, 2nd Baron Berners, black letter, title within woodcut architectural title, woodcut decorative initials, later ink notes on the work and other subjects in English and French to front free endpapers, P3 and 2O1 neatly supplied from another copy, partially erased ink stamp to verso of title, causing 2 very small holes, R5 hole within text with loss of a few words, R6 paper flaw without loss of text, stained, 17th century calf, sympathetically rebacked in modern calf, spine with black leather label, lower corners worn, rubbed, [STC 12442], 8vo, [W.Copland for] Abraham Vele, 1557. ⁂ Rare at auction. Guevara was a Spanish chronicler and moralist. Provenance: Joseph Hancock (contemporary ink signatures); H. Peach (armorial bookplate to front pastedown).
Lot 353
16th century Italian printing in London.- Machiavelli (Niccolò) L'Asino D'Oro di Nicolo Macchiavelli, Con Tutte L'Altre Sue Operette, 3 parts in 1, titles with woodcut printer's devices, woodcut decorative initial and head-piece, final f. blank, 4pp. 18th century ink notes in French on Machiavelli to front free endpapers, ink stamp removed from upper corner of a front free endpaper and lower corner of final text f.,18th century polished calf, gilt, spine in compartments, spine ends little chipped, upper joint split, but holding firm, corners worn, rubbed, [STC 17158], 8vo, Rome [but London], [John Wolfe], 1588. ⁂ Rare at auction. Wolfe had been apprenticed with John Day, and when this came to an end he travelled to Italy to perfect his trade. Only he and John Charlewood were printers of Italian works in England in the late 16th century. Some 20 of Wolfe's works appear in the catalogues of the Frankfurt Book Fair between 1581 and 1591. Provenance: 'Bibliothèque de M. De Laus de Boissy, Ecuyer Lieutenant-particulier du Siège de la Connétablie, Rapporteur du Point-d'Honneur; Membre des Académies de Rome, Padouë, &c. &c..' (large engraved bookplate to front pastedown).
Lot 354
Cope (Sir Anthony), The Hystory of tvvo the most noble Captaynes of the World, Anniball and Scipio: of their diuers battailes and victories, exceeding profitable to reade. Gathered and Translated into English out of Titus Liuius, and other Authours, black letter, title within woodcut architectural border, woodcut decorative initials, lacking D2&7, tape repairs to A1&2, smaller tape repairs to B1, H7 and 2H8 and ¶1, occasional spotting, 17th century calf, gilt, sympathetically rebacked in modern calf, black leather label to spine, corners worn, [STC 5721], 8vo, by Willyam How, 1590. ⁂ The Heber copy of a work that is rare at auction. Provenance: Richard Heber (Bibliotheca Heberiana small ink stamp to front free endpaper); Sir Charles Frederick (large engraved armorial bookplate to front free endpaper); David Seewi (2 triangular bookplates to front pastedown and endpaper).
Lot 359
Bacon (Sir Francis) Opera...Tomus Primus: Qui Continet De Dignitate & Augmentis Scientiarum Libros IX, first edition, woodcut printer's device to second title, lacking first title (supplied in good facsimile, bound in by Bernard Middleton), woodcut head-pieces and decorative initials, a few instances of 17th & 18th century ink marginalia, marginal water-staining, occasional spotting, pastedowns using unfolded printed sheets from 17th century astronomical works, contemporary calf, rebacked (by Bernard Middleton), preserving original gilt backstrip in compartments with red morocco label, [Gibson 129a; STC 1108], folio, John Haviland, 1623. ⁂ Rare in any state. This copy last sold at auction at Sotheby's in 1947 (£42) and since then we can trace only the Pirie copy in 2015.
Lot 359A
Bacon (Sir Francis), Neuf Livres de la Dignité et de L'Accroissement des Sciences, translated by Gilbert de Golefer, first edition in French, first issue (with 'Francois Baron De Verulam' on title, the second issue adds a cedilla and surname), title with woodcut printer's device, a few full-page versions of printer's device within text, woodcut decorative initials, final f. blank, spotted, occasional staining, contemporary red panelled morocco, gilt, covers with various filet borders, the inner set with floral and foliage corner-pieces, spine in compartments and with foliage decoration, top of upper corner of upper cover damaged, some staining (including ink), rubbed, g.e., [cf. Gibson 137], a solid copy, 4to, Paris, Chez Jacques Dugast, 1632. ⁂ A rare edition of De Dignitate & Augmentis Scientiarum Libros IX, with this issue unknown to Gibson. Provenance: Jacques Lacour Gayet (red leather bookplate to front pastedown); 'Ex Libris Mr Justice Wall' (small book label to rear pastedown).
Lot 371
Reynolds (John 'of the Mint') A Brief and Easie way by Tables, to cast up Silver..., title in red and black within typographic border, by Thomas Fawcet, 1651 [colophon dated 1652]; bound with 4 other works (in 2 vol.) by the same author, A2 recto with manuscript corrections in the author's hand, another work with two-column table also in Reynold's hand and with some corrections to printed figures throughout and at the end "The last of Sept. 1663 This Booke examined By me John Reynolds of ye Mynt", uniformly bound in contemporary sheep, red morocco label to one volume, the other with spine rubbed, Macclesfield library copies with bookplates and small embossed stamps, 8vo, 1651-63. ⁂ Fine collection of five very rare or unique tabular tracts on mensuration, gauging, and the casting-up of silver, gold, and pewter, by the best-known master of the mint before Isaac Newton. Reynolds's lifelong career as assay-master (at Goldsmiths' Hall) and assistant master and master of the Royal Mint (1648-52, 1652-63) has been studied by C. E. Challis, in 'John Reynolds and the Sterling Standard', British Numismatic Journal 62 (1992), 237-46, and more generally in his New History of the Royal Mint (1992). Reynolds's various 'Tables', although of lasting use and influence in their time, were published privately, almost certainly in small quantities, designed for colleagues and subordinates in the Government of Charles II. As practical handbooks, their printed text was subject to amplifications and corrections (not, for the most part, yet recognized by ESTC-online), and when these could not be instantly provided in the press, Reynolds himself (as here) seems to have supplied his own MS updates, and certified copies of his works by signing them. The four other works comprise: Untitled table of four leaves, 'By the Proclamation, / 1662. / Crowne Gold of 22. Carrets', Not found in Wing or ESTC-online, but the BL has a copy; The Pewterers Mold ... by John Reynold [sic] of the Mynt. Printed by T. F. 1662, Not in Wing or ESTC-on-line; A Table Concerning the Line of Measure. Composed by John Reynolds of the Mint, 1662, Not in Wing or ESTC-on-line; For Emptiness. A Short and easie way by Tables for finding out the Emptiness of any Casks. Calculated by me John Reynalds of the Mynt. London, Printed by T. F. for the Author, 1663, with three blank leaves at the end containing further manuscript notes on wine casks from Bordeaux and Spain, etc., in the hand of the rear-pastedown annotator of (1) above. A very early English attempt at systematic 'gauging' tables, which were essential to Excise inspectors for determining quantities of wine and spirits imported, Not in Wing or ESTC-on-line.
Lot 372
Bible (English) The Holy Bible containing the Old and New Testaments. Newly translated out of the original tongues: and with the former translations diligently compared and revised, 2 parts in 1, double column, engraved pictorial title by W. Hainsworth, printed title to New Testament, woodcut head-pieces, ruled throughout in red, title trimmed to border and neatly laid down, contemporary calf, gilt, spine in compartments, joints split, but holding firm, spine creased, corners worn, rubbed, [D&M 658], 12mo, James Flesher, 1657. ⁂ A rare little Bible, with 6pp. of ms. notes at end relating to a Heron family from Cheshire, which run from c.1753 to c.1803. Includes smallpox inoculation. 'George Heron has had the small pox in the natural way & the meazles & hooping cough'. ESTC lists only 4 copies.
Lot 373
Swimming.- Percey (William) The Compleat Swimmer: or, the Art of Swimming, first and only edition, engraved frontispiece (skilfully inlaid), 19th century green calf, gilt, by F. Bedford, gilt arms of Christie-Miller on covers, spine gilt with double red morocco labels, [Wing P1454], 8vo, by J.C. for Henry Fletcher, 1658. ⁂ Lovely copy of a rare early work on instructing people to swim, preceded only by Sir Everard Digby's short Latin tract, published in 1589 and translated into English in 1595; and the Dutchman Nicholas Wynman's De arte natandi, 1538. This work was unknown to Thevenot, who asserted that his own work L'Art de nager (1696, translated into English 1699) was 'the first Treatise of this kind that has ever appeared in the French tongue'. ESTC online records only 3 copies in Britain (BL, Bodleian and Birmingham Central) and 5 in America (including the Folger copy which lacks title and frontispiece). This is the handsome Britwell copy, which sold at Sotheby's on 2nd April 1925 for £8 and then seemingly largely remained in a series of private French collections.
Lot 379
Victory at Culloden.- The London Gazette Extraordinary, as a broadside, 305 x 186mm., printed recto only, double column, professionally repaired central tear, stained, E. Owen, 1746. ⁂ Rare. 'This Morning the Right Honourable the Lord Bury...arrived with a Letter from his Royal Highness to his Majesty, dated the 16th Instant at Inverness, giving an Account, that his royal Highness had that Day, obtain'd a compleat Victory over the rebels near Culloden House'.
Lot 382
Printed fan.- The New Opera Fan, for 1806, engraved on paper, silver border to top edge, mounted on plain wooden sticks, some soiling at folds, a few spots, lightly browned, F.P. Fargues, 1806. ⁂ A rare fan which depicts the left and right hand sides of the opera boxes and pit with names of holders.
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