Art and Architecture

Ancient Sumerian Cuneiform Tablet.

c. 2100 B.C.E.

Rare ancient Sumerian Cuneiform tablet recording religious offerings made to several deities including Nin-lil, Enlil, Nanaya, Inanna, and Nanna. Clay, Third Dynasty of Ur, the tablet measures 1.75 inches by 2.25 inches and documents the offerings of sheep issued by Enlil-zishagl, a well-known official involved in many other similar texts that date to the reignContinue reading "Ancient Sumerian Cuneiform Tablet."

Austro-Hungarian Nobility Patent

Vienna 1911.

Rare Austro-Hungarian Nobility Patent bestowing upon Brunn industrialist Adolf Noble von Kurschner and his descendants a Hungarian noble title. Folio, bound in full morocco with elaborate gilt metal onlays embellished with precious stones, inner dentelles, silk-watered endleaves, tasseled ribbon bound in. The patent is richly decorated with hand-painted illuminated borders, large hand-painted coat of arms.Continue reading "Austro-Hungarian Nobility Patent"

Beard, Peter; Isak Dinesen [Karen Blixen]; Kamante

Longing For Darkness: Kamante’s Tales From Out of Africa.

New York : Harcourt Brace, 1975.

First edition, early printing of this collaboration between the famed photographer and author. Quarto, original boards with paper onlay featuring a portrait of Blixen to the front panel, illustrated with 168 drawings by Kamante and 160 photographs and captions by Isak Dinesen collected by Peter Beard. Presentation copy, warmly inscribed by Peter Beard on theContinue reading "Longing For Darkness: Kamante’s Tales From Out of Africa."

[Seeley, Emma Louise]

Belt and Spur: Stories of the Knights of the Middle Ages from the Old Chronicles. [Fore-Edge Painting].

London : Seeley, Jackson, & Halliday, 1883.

Finely bound example of this classic on Knights and the Middle Ages. Octavo, bound in full morocco with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, inner dentelles, illustrated with six illuminations, all edges gilt. With a disappearing fore-edge painting which reveals a jousting scene. In near fine condition.

Caruso, Enrico

Caricatures: In Quattro Parti.

New York : La Follia Di New York, 1908.

First edition of this compendium of Caruso’s caricatures. Quarto, original publisher’s half morocco with portrait label, illustrated with 150 pages of lithographed drawings. Presentation copy, with a full-page inscription by Caruso on the title page, “à mes amis Otto et Lina affectueusement Enrico Caruso London 1908”. In near fine condition. Exceptionally rare, with no otherContinue reading "Caricatures: In Quattro Parti."

Gehl, Jan

Life Between Buildings: Using Public Space.

New York : Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1987.

First edition, early printing of this “thoughtful, beautiful, and enlightening work” (Jane Jacobs). Octavo, original illustrated wrappers, illustrated throughout. Signed by the author on the title page, “Warmest greetings from yours Jan Gehl Copenhagen 20.01.2015.” In fine condition. Translated by Jo Koch.

[Abraham Lincoln] George Bissell

Bust of Abraham Lincoln.

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Patinated bronze cast of Abraham Lincoln by George Bissell, one of only three commissioned by Ralph Newman for THE USS AL. Boldly signed by the artist in the back Geo. E. Bissell Sc. George Bissell was an important American sculptor working in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He produced two full length statuesContinue reading "Bust of Abraham Lincoln."

[Bernstein, Leonard; Jack Gottlieb]

A Legend: Property from the Estate of Leonard Bernstein Sotheby’s December 1997 Catalog.

New York : Sotheby's, Inc, 1997.

Leonard Bernstein’s assistant and editor Jack Gottlieb’s personal copy of the December 1997 Sotheby’s auction catalog of the estate of Leonard Bernstein. Quarto, original pictorial wrappers. With Gottlieb’s notes throughout including the hammer price for each lot that sold in the auction. He has also marked the page that has a lengthy quote from himContinue reading "A Legend: Property from the Estate of Leonard Bernstein Sotheby’s December 1997 Catalog."

Thiers, Adolphe

Atlas de L’Histoire du Consulat et de L’Empire Dresse et Dessine Sous La Direction de M. Thiers Par MM. A. Dufour et Duvotenay. [The Thiers Atlas].

Paris : Librairie Furne, n.d..

Rare finely bound example of the Theirs Atlas, containing 66 maps and battle plans drawn by two of the best cartographers of Second Empire. Quarto, quarter cloth over marbled boards, illustrated with 66 plates by Dufour and Duvotenay printed by Dyonnet. In very good condition. A very nice example.

[Ford, Harrison and Paul Blake]

Harrison Ford Signed Star Wars Photograph.

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Rare large format black and white photograph signed by Harrison Ford and lengthily inscribed by Paul Blake, “Going somewhere Solo? You should have paid him when you had the chance. Jabba’s put a price on your head, so large that every bounty hunter in the galaxy will be looking for you. I’m lucky I foundContinue reading "Harrison Ford Signed Star Wars Photograph."

Shakespeare, William

The Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare with Copious Glossarial Notes and a Biographical Notice. [Fore-edge Painting].

Edinburgh and London : Gall & Inglis, n.d.

Finely bound example of Inglis’ compilation of the dramas of Shakespeare. Octavo, bound in full morocco with gilt titles to the spine and front panel, all edges gilt, decorated with a concealed fore-edge painting of Shakespeare, illustrated with four engravings on steel. In very good condition.

Retold by C.S. Evans. Illustrated by Arthur Rackham

Cinderella.

London : William Heinemann, 1919.

Edition de Luxe, signed limited issue of Arthur Rackham’s illustrated rendition of the beloved children’s classic. Quarto, original publisher’s vellum-backed pictorial boards decorated in gilt, pictorial green endpapers, top edge gilt, tipped-in color frontispiece by Arthur Rackham, illustrated. One of 325 copies on Japanese vellum signed by Arthur Rackham on the limitation page, this isContinue reading "Cinderella."

Colacello, Bob. [Andy Warhol] [William Safire]

Holy Terror: Andy Warhol Close Up.

New York : Vintage Books, 2014.

First Vintage Books edition of “by far the best of Andy Warhol’s portraits, including his own” (George Plimpton). Octavo, original illustrated wrappers, illustrated. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the front endpaper in the year of publication, “To Bill Zwecker, with fondness, Bob Colacello 2014 Chicago.” The recipient, Bill Zwecker, was a longtime entertainmentContinue reading "Holy Terror: Andy Warhol Close Up."

Translated by Edward Fitzgerald. Illustrated by Will Pogany

Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam.

London : George G. Harrap & Co. Ltd., n.d..

Elaborately bound example of Pogany’s finely illustrated Rubaiyat. Octavo, bound in full crushed red morocco by Banytun Riviere with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, quadruple gilt ruling, fleuron cornerpieces, and central gilt arabesque to the front and rear panels, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles, marbled endpapers,Continue reading "Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam."

Sibly, Ebenezer

The Medical Mirror, or Treatise on the Impregnation of the Human Female, Shewing the Origin of Diseases And the Principles of Death.

London : Printed for the Author, and Sold by all Booksellers in Town & Country, c. 1798.

Scarce early printing of Sibly’s The Medical Mirror. Octavo, bound paper-covered boards, illustrated with engraved frontispiece, vignette title page and 13 anatomical plates engraved by W. Newman. New Edition with large Additions. In very good condition. Bound into a three-ring medical binder. Exceptionally rare, with only a handful of copies having appeared at auction inContinue reading "The Medical Mirror, or Treatise on the Impregnation of the Human Female, Shewing the Origin of Diseases And the Principles of Death."

Olmsted, Frederick Law. Edited by Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. and Theodora Kimball

Frederick Law Olmsted: Landscape Architect 1822-1903: Central Park as a Work of Art and as a Great Municipal Enterprise 1853-1895.

New York and London : G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1928.

First edition of the second volume of the autobiography of one of the foremost figures in American landscape architecture, Frederick Law Olmsted. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated, tissue-guarded frontispiece portrait of Olmsted. Edited by Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. and Theodora Kimball. Association copy, inscribed by Frederick Law Olmsted on the front free endpaper, “To George HavenContinue reading "Frederick Law Olmsted: Landscape Architect 1822-1903: Central Park as a Work of Art and as a Great Municipal Enterprise 1853-1895."

Olmsted, Frederick Law. Edited by Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. and Theodora Kimball

Frederick Law Olmsted: Landscape Architect 1822-1903: Early Years and Experiences Together with Biographical Notes.

New York and London : G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1922.

First edition of the first volume of the autobiography of one of the foremost figures in American landscape architecture, Frederick Law Olmsted. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated, tissue-guarded frontispiece portrait of Olmsted. Edited by Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. and Theodora Kimball. Association copy, inscribed by Frederick Law Olmsted on the front free endpaper, “C. Bowyer VauxContinue reading "Frederick Law Olmsted: Landscape Architect 1822-1903: Early Years and Experiences Together with Biographical Notes."

Apollinaire, Guillaume. [Pablo Picasso]

Alcools: Poems (1898-1913). Avec un Portrait de L’Auteur par Pablo Picasso.

Paris : Mercure de France, 1913.

First edition of Apollinaire’s first collection of poems, signed by him and Pablo Picasso. Octavo, bound in three quarter morocco with gilt titles and raised bands to the spine, patterned endpapers, frontispiece portrait of the poet by Pablo Picasso. Association copy, inscribed by both Apollinaire and Pablo Picasso on front free endpaper, “A A P.N.Continue reading "Alcools: Poems (1898-1913). Avec un Portrait de L’Auteur par Pablo Picasso."

Prohaska, Ray. [William Safire]

Secret Papers of the Dutch Treat Club.

: n.p., 1950.

First edition of this book published upon the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the Dutch Treat Club with a full list of members. Octavo, original pictorial boards, illustrated. Association copy, inscribed by illustrator Ray Prohaska on the title page, “To Phil Safire Hope it won’t keep you awake. Ray Prohaska.” The recipient, William SafireContinue reading "Secret Papers of the Dutch Treat Club."

Addams, Charles. [Chas Addams]

Monster Rally.

New York : Simon and Schuster, 1950.

First edition of this early Addams work. Quarto, original illustrated wrappers, illustrated. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “To Gert and Dave with all best Chas Addams 1978.” In near fine condition. Rare signed.