Fine Bindings and Sets

James, Henry

The Portrait of a Lady.

New York : The Heritage Press, 1967.

The Heritage Press edition of the most accomplished work of fiction during James’ apprentice years. Octavo, bound in three-quarters morocco by Morrell with gilt titles to the spine in six compartments within raised bands, top edge gilt, marbled endpapers, title page vignette, with color illustrations throughout. In near fine condition with sunning to the spine.Continue reading "The Portrait of a Lady."

Smollett, Tobias; John Austen [Illustrator]

The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle in Which is Included Memoirs of a Lady of Quality.

New York : The Limited Editions Club, 1936.

The Limited Editions Club signed limited edition of Smollett’s second novel. Quarto, two volumes, bound in full modern morocco by Sangorski & Sutcliffe / Zaehnsdorf with gilt titles and numbers to the spine in six compartments within raised bands, top edges gilt, gilt inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, frontispieces, title page vignettes, with color illustrations throughout.Continue reading "The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle in Which is Included Memoirs of a Lady of Quality."

Fielding, Henry; Alexander King [Illustrator]

Tom Jones: The History of a Foundling.

New York : The Limited Editions Club, 1931.

The Limited Editions Club signed limited edition of Henry Fielding’s most famous novel. Octavo, bound in full modern morocco by Sangorski & Sutcliffe / Zaehnsdorf with gilt titles to the spine, all edges gilt, gilt inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, title page vignette, illustrated throughout. Boldly signed by illustrator Alexander King on the colophon page atContinue reading "Tom Jones: The History of a Foundling."

Shakespeare, William

The Poems of William Shakespeare.

London : Paradine Publications, 1975.

Paradine Publications limited edition facsimile reprint of the Kelmscott Press edition of The Poems of William Shakespeare written in the original 16th and 17th century spelling. Octavo, bound in full limp vellum with gilt titles to the spine, silk ribbon ties, woodcut ornaments, decorative borders, and printed on Invicta parchment substitute. Accompanied by the originalContinue reading "The Poems of William Shakespeare."

Lane, Edward William; Edited by Edward Stanley Poole [Charlotte Perkins Gilman]

The Thousand and One Nights, Commonly Called, In England, The Arabian Nights’ Entertainments.

London : Routledge, Warne, and Routledge, 1865.

Second volume of the new edition of Lane’s annotated translation of The Arabian Nights, edited by his nephew; from the library of writer and social reformer Charlotte Perkins Gilman. Octavo, bound in half leather over marbled boards, gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised bands, marbled endpapers, all edges marbled,Continue reading "The Thousand and One Nights, Commonly Called, In England, The Arabian Nights’ Entertainments."

France, Anatole; Bernard Lamotte [Illustrator]

Crainquebille.

New York : The Limited Editions Club, 1949.

The Limited Editions Club signed limited edition of Anatole France’s satirical novel. Quarto, bound in full modern morocco by Sangorski & Sutcliffe / Zaehnsdorf with gilt titles to the spine, all edges gilt, gilt inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, frontispiece, with black and white illustrations. Boldly signed by illustrator Bernard Lamotte on the colophon page atContinue reading "Crainquebille."

Philip III, King of Spain

Carta Executoria of King Philip III of Spain for Juan and Alonso de Rivera de la Cerda.

Valladolid, Spain 1612.

Rare 17th century elaborately illuminated nobility patent of King Philip III of Spain for the brothers Juan and Alonso de Rivera de la Cerda. Quarto, bound in full leather with gilt detailing, the patent is comprised of 100 leaves numbered 1-99 in contemporary Arabic numerals, written in round Spanish script within a frame ruled inContinue reading "Carta Executoria of King Philip III of Spain for Juan and Alonso de Rivera de la Cerda."

Orwell, George

Nineteen Eighty-Four.

London : Secker & Warburg, 1949.

First edition of Orwell’s classic dystopian novel. Octavo, bound in full leather by Exeter Bookbinders in a limited edition binding with a striking glass eye onlay and three titanium skull-shaped buttons to the front panel, pictorial endpapers with a collage of George Orwell’s eyes and two flaps to the front pastedown that open to revealContinue reading "Nineteen Eighty-Four."

Milne, A.A.; Illustrated by Ernest Shepard

The Four Pooh Books: When We Were Very Young; Winnie-The-Pooh; Now We Are Six; The House At Pooh Corner.

London : Methuen & Co. Ltd, 1927-1936.

Complete finely bound set of Milne’s wonderful Pooh quartet, with only Now We Are Six being a first issue. Octavo, four volumes, bound in three-quarters morocco with gilt titles to the spines in six compartments within raised bands, three volumes top edge gilt, three volumes with pictorial endpapers, illustrated with decorations by Ernest Shepard. WhenContinue reading "The Four Pooh Books: When We Were Very Young; Winnie-The-Pooh; Now We Are Six; The House At Pooh Corner."

Brooke, Rupert

The Collected Poems of Rupert Brooke.

London : Philip Lee Warner Publisher to The Medici Society, 1919.

The Medici Society limited edition collection of Rupert Brooke’s classic poems. Octavo, bound in full vellum with gilt titles to the spine and front panel, top edge gilt, marbled endpapers, woodcut frontispiece portrait of Rupert Brooke and title page vignette. One of 1,000 paper copies, this is number 546. In very good condition. Woodcuts byContinue reading "The Collected Poems of Rupert Brooke."

Hardy, Thomas; Clare Leighton [Illustrator]

The Return of the Native.

London : Macmillan and Co., Limited, 1929.

Macmillan signed limited edition of Hardy’s sixth published novel. Octavo, bound in half vellum over boards with gilt titles to the spine, top edge gilt, frontispiece, with black and white woodcut illustrations. Signed by illustrator Clare Leighton on the colophon page. One of 1,500 copies. In very good condition with toning and bumping. Illustrated byContinue reading "The Return of the Native."

Burhans, Robert D

The First Special Service Force: A War History of The North Americans 1942-1944.

Nashville : The Battery Press, 1996.

Later printing of the definitive account of the First Special Service Force. Octavo, original publisher’s cloth, cartographic endpapers, frontispiece, illustrated. In near fine condition.

Buchan, John

Augustus.

London : Hodder and Stoughton LTD, 1937.

Finely bound edition of this historical novel of the first Roman Emperor. Octavo, bound in three quarters morocco with gilt titles to the spine in six compartments within raised bands, The Downs School vignette stamped in gilt to the front panel, top edge gilt, tissue-guarded frontispiece, with a folding map to the rear. In veryContinue reading "Augustus."

James, Henry

The Ambassadors.

New York : The Heritage Press, 1963.

The Heritage Press edition of this dark comedy, which Henry James considered his finest work. Octavo, bound in three quarters morocco by Morrell with gilt titles to the spine in six compartments within raised bands, top edge gilt, marbled endpapers, frontispiece, with color illustrations throughout. In near fine condition with sunning to the spine. PrefaceContinue reading "The Ambassadors."

Fontaine, Jean de La; Edward Marsh [Translator]; Stephen Gooden [Illustrator]

The Fables of Jean de La Fontaine.

London : William Heinemann Ltd, 1931.

Signed limited edition of Jean de La Fontaine’s classic fables. Royal octavo, two volumes, bound in full vellum with gilt titles to the spine, tissue-guarded title page vignette, genuine deckled edges, silk ribbon bound in, illustrated with 26 engravings on copper. Boldly signed by translator Edward Marsh and illustrator Stephen Gooden on the colophon pageContinue reading "The Fables of Jean de La Fontaine."

Chinese Medicine and Physiognomy Manual Collection.

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Rare collection of nine Chinese woodblock physiognomy manuals, wonderfully illustrated with xiangfatu representing the principles and practices of Chinese physiognomy. Octavo, nine volumes bound in illustrated wrappers, illustrated with numerous physiognomic charts and diagrams. In  very good condition.

Shaw, George Bernard; Charles Mozley [Illustrator]

Man and Superman.

New York : The Limited Editions Club, 1962.

The Limited Editions Club signed limited edition of the Nobel Prize-winning play wright’s classic work. Quarto, bound in full modern morocco by Sangorski & Sutcliffe / Zaehnsdorf with gilt titles to the spine, all edges gilt, gilt inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, frontispiece and title page vignette, with color illustrations. Boldly signed by illustrator Charles MozleyContinue reading "Man and Superman."

Balzac, Honoré de

Eugénie Grandet.

New York : The Heritage Press, 1961.

The Heritage Press edition of Balzac’s short novel, later revised to be included in his ambitious project, La Comédie humaine. Royal octavo, bound in three-quarters morocco by Morrell with gilt titles to the spine in six compartments within raised bands, top edge gilt, marbled endpapers, frontispiece, title page vignette, with color illustrations throughout. In nearContinue reading "Eugénie Grandet."

Locke, John

Two Treatises of Government: In the former, the False Principles and Foundation of Sir Robert Filmer, and his Followers, Are Detected and Overthrown. The latter is an Essay Concerning The True Original Extent, and End of Civil-Government.

London : Printed for Awnsham and John Churchill, at the Black-Swan in Pater-noster Row, 1694.

Rare second edition of Locke’s famed treatises on government. Duodecimo, elaborately bound in full contemporary calf with ruling and tooling stamped in blind to the front and rear panels, all edges speckled. In good condition with rubbing, losses to the corners, and the spine rebacked. Lacking pages 337-352, which are supplied in facsimile and looselyContinue reading "Two Treatises of Government: In the former, the False Principles and Foundation of Sir Robert Filmer, and his Followers, Are Detected and Overthrown. The latter is an Essay Concerning The True Original Extent, and End of Civil-Government."

Long, William Simon

Five Thousand Miles Around the Southern Cross: A Popular Review of Life and Customs in Cuba, Jamaica, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Ancient Yucatan, with a Survey of the Great Panama Canal.

Camden, NJ : The Long Photographic Art Studios, 1912.

First edition of this early twentieth century travelogue of Caribbean islands and Latin American countries. Quarto, original blue cloth with gilt titles to the front panel, triple ruling stamped in blind to the front and rear panels, illustrated with a map, a chart, and mounted sepia toned gelatin silver prints. Presentation copy, lengthily inscribed byContinue reading "Five Thousand Miles Around the Southern Cross: A Popular Review of Life and Customs in Cuba, Jamaica, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Ancient Yucatan, with a Survey of the Great Panama Canal."