Fine Bindings and Sets

Byron, George Gordon Noel. [Lord Byron]

Don Juan.

London : Thomas Davison [i.e., John Murray], 1819-1821 (Cantos I-V, Volumes I-II)/John Hunt, 1823-24 (Cantos VI-XVI, Volumes III-VI).

Scarce complete first edition set of Byron’s great work which was widely criticized as immoral upon publication and is now considered one of the greatest poems of the Romantics; from the library of American writer Erica Jong. Volume one was produced in quarto format and the subsequent 5 volumes in octavo (Davison abandoned the quartoContinue reading "Don Juan."

Mifflin, Thomas; Thomas McKean; William Findley; Joseph Hiester; et al

Collection of 28 Autographs of the First Governors of Pennsylvania.

c. 1798-1908.

Rare collection of printed and manuscript documents, signed by the first 28 (of 29) Governors of Pennsylvania, being a near continuous representation of the office from its establishment in 1790 with the first Governorship of Thomas Mifflin, up until the 1930s with the 29th Governorship of Gifford Pinchot. Quarto, each document is tipped in to a paperContinue reading "Collection of 28 Autographs of the First Governors of Pennsylvania."

Solzhenitsyn, Alexander. [Solzhentizyn]

One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich.

London : Victor Gollancz, 1963.

First British edition of the Nobel Prize-winner’s first published work. Octavo, bound in full morocco, gilt titles to the spine, titles to the front panel, all edges gilt. Housed in a custom clamshell box. Translated by Ralph Parker. An exceptional presentation.

Updike, John. Illustrated by Barbara Fox [Erica Jong]

Marry Me: A Romance.

Franklin Center, Pennsylvania : The Franklin Library, 1976.

First edition of “the gentlest book Updike has written” (Kirkus Reviews), privately printed exclusively for Members of the First Edition Society. Octavo, original publisher’s full leather elaborately stamped in gilt, moire silk endpapers, all edges gilt, silk ribbon bound in. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the limitation page, “For Erica + Ken warmContinue reading "Marry Me: A Romance."

Fowles, John

The Magus.

Boston : Houghton Mifflin Company, 1965.

First American edition, preceding the British edition by one year of the author’s most well-known work. Octavo, original half cloth. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket, bookplate of famed collector Rolland Comstock. Jacket painting by Tom Adams. Housed in a custom half morocco case.

[Society of the Cincinnati]

Proceedings of the General Society of the Cincinnati [with] Institution of the Society of the Cincinnati, Formed by the Officers of the American Army of the Revolution, 1783.

New York : Printed for the Society by Douglas Taylor, 1886/ Philadelphia: Review Printing House, 1887.

First editions of two official publications of the Society of the Cincinnati, a valuable resource on the Revolutionary institution. Quarto, two volumes uniformly bound in three quarter contemporary morocco over marbled boards with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, top edges gilt, marbled endpapers. The two-volume collectionContinue reading "Proceedings of the General Society of the Cincinnati [with] Institution of the Society of the Cincinnati, Formed by the Officers of the American Army of the Revolution, 1783."

Dos Passos, John

Most Likely to Succeed.

New York : Prentice-Hall, Inc, 1954.

Signed limited first edition of the author’s semi-autobiographical novel. Octavo, bound in three quarter morocco with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, top edge gilt. This special presentation edition limited to one thousand numbered copies signed by the author, this is number 138. Association copy, additionally inscribedContinue reading "Most Likely to Succeed."

Stevenson, Robert Louis

The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson. [with] The Letters of Robert Stevenson. [Including Treasure Island,

London : Various Publishers, 1902.

Uniformly bound collection of the works and letters of Robert Louis Stevenson. Octavo, 36 volumes bound in three quarter morocco by H. Sotheran and Co.with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, marbled endpapers, top edge gilt, illustrated. In very good condition.

Carroll, Lewis. [Charles Lutwidge Dodgson]

Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland.

London : MacMillan and Co, 1879.

Early edition with sixty-second thousand stated on the title page of this classic work, boldly inscribed by the author on the half-title page, “Edith Mary Alice Berkeley from the Author, May 15/80.” Octavo, original cloth, gilt titles to the spine, all edges gilt, publisher’s cloth s, all edges gilt, housed in a modern scarlet morocco slipcaseContinue reading "Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland."

[Rackham, Arthur]

Punch, or The London Charivari: Vol. 129.

London : Published at the Office and Sold by All Booksellers, 1905.

Volume 129 of Punch weekly containing numerous illustrations by Arthur Rackham. Quarto, original publisher’s cloth, illustrated by numerous artists including 10 illustrations by Rackham in issues of July 5, August 30, September 6, September 27, October 11, October 25, November 15, and November 29. In very good condition. Armorial bookplate and ownership stamp.

[Rackham, Arthur]

Little Folks: A Magazine For Young People.

London : Cassell and Company Limited, 1899.

Finley bound collection in book form of stories and poems from Little Folks Magazine, featuring Arthur “Rackham’s 1st printed colour plate” (Riall, p. 212), Up a Tree, used as the frontispiece. Quarto, Vol. II, bound in three quarter morocco with gilt titles and tooling to the spine, illustrated with numerous full page and in-text illustrationsContinue reading "Little Folks: A Magazine For Young People."

[Rackham, Arthur]

The Harmsworth Monthly Pictorial Magazine. Volume II. February – July, 1899.

London : Published by Harmsworth Bros., Limited, 1899.

The second volume of the collected issues of the Harmsworth Monthly Pictorial Magazine. Quarto, Vol. II, original publisher’s cloth decorated in gilt, profusely illustrated with photographs and illustrations by numerous artists including six by Arthur Rackham for The Manoeuvres of Jerry on pages 71-77. In near fine condition.

Faulkner, William

The Wild Palms.

New York : Random House, 1939.

Signed limited edition, number 14 of only 250 examples. In near fine condition, without the usual fading accustomed to this title. Housed in a custom half morocco slipcase. Uncommon in this condition.

Heaney, Seamus

Beowulf: A New Verse Translation.

London : Faber and Faber, 1999.

First edition of this work by the Nobel Prize-winning author. Octavo, bound in full morocco by the Harcourt Bindery, gilt titles and ruling to the spine, raised bands, gilt ruled to the front and rear panels, inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt. In fine condition. An exceptional example.

Barrie, J.M. Illustrated by Arthur Rackham

Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens.

London : Hodder & Stoughton Limited, n.d.

New edition of Rackham’s highly-sought-after masterpiece, which established his reputation as one of England’s premier illustrators. Quarto, original publisher’s green cloth elaborately decorated in gilt, illustrated by Arthur Rackham with 50 mounted color plates complete with captioned tissue guards including frontispiece. Association copy, signed by author J.M. Barrie on the verso of the front freeContinue reading "Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens."

Stowe, Harriet Beecher

Uncle Tom’s Cabin; Or, Life Among the Lowly.

Boston : John P. Jewett & Company. Cleveland: Jewett, Proctor & Worthington, 1852.

First edition, first issue of Stowe’s classic American novel, widely considered the book that precipitated the American Civil War. Octavo, two volumes in the original publisher’s cloth stamped in blind with gilt titles and vignettes to the front panels, illustrated with title vignettes and six wood-engravings. BAL’s binding B (no priority). Portrait of Stowe tippedContinue reading "Uncle Tom’s Cabin; Or, Life Among the Lowly."

Douglas, Norman

South Wind.

London : Martin Secker, 1917.

First edition of the author’s classic work based on the island of Capri. Octavo, original cloth. In near fine condition. Housed in a custom half morocco and chemise case.

Austen, Jane

The Novels of Jane Austen [Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Northanger Abbey, Persuasion, Mansfield Park, and Emma].

London : Grant Richards, 1898.

The Winchester edition of the novels of Jane Austen containing each of her major works. Octavo, 10 volumes bound in three quarters crushed levant morocco with morocco spine labels lettered in gilt, tissue-guarded engraved frontispiece portrait of Austen to the first volume, top edge gilt. Contains Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Northanger Abbey, Persuasion,Continue reading "The Novels of Jane Austen [Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Northanger Abbey, Persuasion, Mansfield Park, and Emma]."

Dickens, Charles

Great Expectations.

London : Chapman and Hall, 1861.

First edition, first impression of Dickens’ rarest novel. Octavo, three volumes bound in full royal blue crushed levant morocco by Bayntun Bindery with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, gilt ruling to the front and rear panels, gilt turn-ins and wide gilt inner dentelles stamp-signed by Bayntun,Continue reading "Great Expectations."

Harper’s Weekly, A Journal of Civilization. [Harper’s Weekly’s Complete Coverage of the American Civil War: January 1, 1861-December 30, 1865].

New York : Harper & Brothers, January 1, 1861-December 30, 1865.

Rare continuous run of 260 issues of Harper’s Weekly, covering the entirety of the American Civil War. Folio, five volumes, bound in full buckram with morocco spine labels lettered in gilt, illustrated with hundreds of wood-engraved illustrations, many from noted American illustrators including portraits of Union and Confederate Army Generals and Officers, battlefield scenes, maps, cityContinue reading "Harper’s Weekly, A Journal of Civilization. [Harper’s Weekly’s Complete Coverage of the American Civil War: January 1, 1861-December 30, 1865]."