Fine Bindings and Sets

Kingsley, Charles

The Roman and the Teuton: A Series of Lectures Delivered Before the University of Cambridge.

Cambridge and London : Macmillan and Co., 1864.

First edition of this classic collection of Kingsley’s Cambridge lectures. Octavo, bound in three quarters morocco over marbled boards by Tout & Sons with gilt titles and floral tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, gilt ruling to the front and rear panels, top edge gilt, marbled endpapers. In near fineContinue reading "The Roman and the Teuton: A Series of Lectures Delivered Before the University of Cambridge."

Smith, D. Murray

Arctic Expeditions from British and Foreign Shores from the Earliest Times to the Expedition of 1875-76.

Glasgow, Melbourne, and Sydney : Thomas Liddell, 1877.

Finely bound edition of this history of Arctic exploration. Quarto, bound in full contemporary black morocco with gilt titles and elaborate tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised bands, elaborate pictorial front and rear panels stamped in blind and gilt, all edges gilt, rebacked with original spine laid down, tissue-guarded frontispiece. Illustrated withContinue reading "Arctic Expeditions from British and Foreign Shores from the Earliest Times to the Expedition of 1875-76."

Kingsley, Charles

Westward Ho!

Cambridge : Macmillan and Co., 1855.

First edition of Kingsley’s historical novel based on the Preston Somers Expedition of 1595. Small octavo, bound in three quarters morocco over marbled boards by Tout & Sons with gilt titles and floral tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, gilt ruling to the front and rear panels, top edge gilt,Continue reading "Westward Ho!"

Smeeton, George; Illustrated by George Cruikshank

Doings in London: or Day and Night Scenes of the Frauds, Frolics, Manners, and Depravities of the Metropolis.

London : Orlando Hodgson, c. 1830.

Finely bound example of this spirited survey of London life. Octavo, bound in three-quarters modern morocco with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, double gilt ruling to the front and rear panels, marbled endpapers, frontispiece and title page vignette, illustrated with thirty-three black and white engravings. InContinue reading "Doings in London: or Day and Night Scenes of the Frauds, Frolics, Manners, and Depravities of the Metropolis."

Churchill, Winston S

The Second World War: The Gathering Storm; Their Finest Hour; The Grand Alliance; The Hinge of Fate; Closing the Ring; Triumph and Tragedy.

London : Cassell & Company, 1948-54.

First editions of each volume in Churchill’s World War II masterpiece. Octavo, six volumes, finely bound in three-quarters navy morocco over cloth covered boards with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised bands, top edge gilt, illustrated with in-line and folding maps and documents. Each volume is in fine to nearContinue reading "The Second World War: The Gathering Storm; Their Finest Hour; The Grand Alliance; The Hinge of Fate; Closing the Ring; Triumph and Tragedy."

Boswell, James

The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D. Comprehending an Account of his Studies and Numerous Works, in Chronological Order…

London : Printed by Henry Baldwin, for Charles Dilly, in The Poultry, 1791.

First edition, first issue of both volumes of the most celebrated biography in the English language, which was published on May 16, 1791 in a print run of only 1,750 copies. First issue with “gve” for “give” at line 10 of p.135 in Vol. I, where MM4 and NN1 are cancels. Vol. I with Pottle’s misprints: upon repeatedContinue reading "The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D. Comprehending an Account of his Studies and Numerous Works, in Chronological Order…"

Kingsley, Charles

The Water-Babies: A Fairy Tale for a Land-Baby.

London and Cambridge : Macmillan and Co., 1863.

First edition of this Victorian moral fantasy. Octavo, bound in three-quarter Turkey morocco over marbled boards by Tout & Sons with gilt titles and floral tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, gilt ruling to the front and rear panels, top edge gilt, marbled endpapers, with two illustrations by J. NoelContinue reading "The Water-Babies: A Fairy Tale for a Land-Baby."

Kingsley, Charles

Andromeda and Other Poems.

London : John W. Parker and Son, 1858.

First edition of this collection centered on the Greek myth of Andromeda’s rescue from a sea monster by Perseus. Duodecimo, bound in three quarters morocco over marbled boards by Tout & Sons with gilt titles and floral tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, gilt ruling to the front and rearContinue reading "Andromeda and Other Poems."

The Whole Art of Fishing. Being a Collection and Improvement of All That Has Been Written Upon the Subject: With Many New Experiments. Shewing the Different Ways of Angling, and the Best Methods of Taking Fresh-water Fish. To Which is Added, the Laws of Angling.

London : E. Curll, 1714.

First edition of this comprehensive 18th-century manual on the art of angling. Duodecimo, bound in full contemporary sprinkled tan sheepskin with the front and rear panels ruled in gilt, gilt crest of Francis Ferrand Foljambe to the foot of the spine, all edges speckled red, turn-ins stamped in black, engraved frontispiece. In very good conditionContinue reading "The Whole Art of Fishing. Being a Collection and Improvement of All That Has Been Written Upon the Subject: With Many New Experiments. Shewing the Different Ways of Angling, and the Best Methods of Taking Fresh-water Fish. To Which is Added, the Laws of Angling."

The Annual Register, or a View of the History, Politics, and Literature, for the Year 1776.

London : Printed for J. Dodsley, 1777.

Rare first edition, first issue of the The Annual Register for the Year 1776, a long-established reference work, written and published each year beginning in 1758 under the editorship of Edmund Burke. Octavo, bound in full brown calf with gilt titles to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, gilt ruling to theContinue reading "The Annual Register, or a View of the History, Politics, and Literature, for the Year 1776."

Buchan, John

Sir Walter Scott.

London : Cassell and Company Ltd, 1932.

First edition of this comprehensive and sympathetic biography of the renowned Scottish novelist, poet, and historian Sir Walter Scott. Octavo, bound in three quarters leather over marbled boards with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised bands, marbled endpapers, frontispiece portrait of Sir Walter Scott. In near fine condition.

Kane, Elisha Kent

Arctic Explorations: The Second Grinnell Expedition in Search of Sir John Franklin, In the Years 1853,’54,’55.

Philadelphia : Childs and Peterson, 1856.

First edition of this firsthand account to search for the lost British explorer Sir John Franklin. Octavo, two volumes, bound in contemporary three quarters close-grain green morocco over marbled boards with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised bands, all edges marbled, marbled endpapers, tissue-guarded frontispieces, separate title page vignettes,Continue reading "Arctic Explorations: The Second Grinnell Expedition in Search of Sir John Franklin, In the Years 1853,’54,’55."

Rousmaniere, John

A Picture History of the America’s Cup.

Connecticut : Mystic Seaport Museum Stores, 1989.

First limited edition of this history of the America’s Cup yacht racing competition from 1851 through 1988. Quarto, bound in full brown leather with gilt titles to the spine, double gilt ruling to the front panel, title page vignette photograph of the Cup, illustrated profusely with photographs of the America’s Cup taken by the RosenfeldContinue reading "A Picture History of the America’s Cup."

Kaplan, Joseph; Wernher Von Braun; Heinz Haber; Willy Ley; Oscar Schachter; Fred L. Whipple

Across the Space Frontier.

London : Sidgwick and Jackson Limited, 1953.

First edition of this early collaborative exploration of the scientific, technical, and legal possibilities of space travel. Royal octavo, bound in full morocco with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in three compartments within raised gilt bands, double gilt ruling and the motif for the Royal Air Force St. Athan stamped in gilt toContinue reading "Across the Space Frontier."

Kipling, Rudyard

Collected Verse of Rudyard Kipling.

London : Hodder & Stoughton, 1912.

First limited edition De Luxe of the definitive collection of Kipling’s verse. Royal octavo, bound in full limp vellum with gilt titles and tooling to the spine and front panel, top edge gilt, decorated with turquoise initials. One of 500 numbered copies, this is number 466. Signed by the publisher and printer on the limitationsContinue reading "Collected Verse of Rudyard Kipling."

Dickens, Charles

The Life and Adventures of Martin Chuzzlewit.

London : London: Chapman and Hall, 1839.

First edition of the last of Dickens’ picaresque novels. Octavo, bound in full pebbled morocco with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, elaborate gilt ruling to the front and rear panels, all edges gilt, inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, illustrated with by “Phiz” with  40 plates.  With aContinue reading "The Life and Adventures of Martin Chuzzlewit."

Hoyle, William [Ian Fleming]

Hoyle’s Hymns and Songs: For Temperance Societies & Bands of Hope.

London : S.W. Partridge and Co./National Temperance Publication, c. 1890.

Early edition of this collection of hymns, inscribed by legendary creator of 007 Ian Fleming. Octavo, bound in the original full black morocco with gilt titles to the spine in six compartments within stamped-in-blind bands, yapp edges, all edges gilt, silk ribbon bound in, illustrated with hymn stanzas. Boldly signed by Ian Fleming in pencilContinue reading "Hoyle’s Hymns and Songs: For Temperance Societies & Bands of Hope."

Cervantes Saavedra, Miguel De

El Ingenioso Hidalgo Don Quixote de la Mancha, Compuesto por Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra. [The History of Don Quixote].

New York : The Hispanic Society of America, c. 1905.

The Hispanic Society of America’s notable, limited, and highly regarded facsimile edition of Don Quixote. Octavo, three volumes, original publisher’s cloth with gilt titles to the spine, all edges deckled, volume I is a facsimile reproduction of the first edition of 1605, volume II is a facsimile reproduction the 1615 first edition of the secondContinue reading "El Ingenioso Hidalgo Don Quixote de la Mancha, Compuesto por Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra. [The History of Don Quixote]."

Cervantes Saavedra, Miguel de

The History and Adventures of the Renowned Don Quixote.

Philadelphia : John Conrad & Co, 1803.

Rare first American edition of Cervantes’ masterpiece, translated from the original Spanish by Tobias Smollett and published as part of John Conrad & Co.’s Select Novels series (Vols. X-XIII). Duodecimo, 4 volumes, bound in full contemporary speckled calf, gilt numbers to the spine, modern morocco spine labels lettered in gilt. Translated by T. Smollett. InContinue reading "The History and Adventures of the Renowned Don Quixote."

Tolkien, J.R.R

The Lord of The Rings Trilogy: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, The Return of the King.

London : George Allen & Unwin Ltd, 1956-1960.

Complete set of each title in Tolkien’s epic Lord of the Rings Trilogy. Octavo, three volumes bound in full crushed levant scarlet morocco by the Harcourt Bindery with gilt titles and ruling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, gilt ruling to the front and rear panels, gilt facsimile signature of TolkienContinue reading "The Lord of The Rings Trilogy: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, The Return of the King."

Tolkien, J.R.R

The Lord of The Rings Trilogy: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, The Return of the King.

London : George Allen & Unwin Ltd, 1956-1960.

Complete set of each title in Tolkien’s epic Lord of the Rings Trilogy. Octavo, three volumes bound in full crushed levant scarlet morocco by the Harcourt Bindery with gilt titles and ruling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, gilt ruling to the front and rear panels, gilt facsimile signature of TolkienContinue reading "The Lord of The Rings Trilogy: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, The Return of the King."

Rand, Ayn

We the Living.

New York : The MacMillan Company, 1936.

First edition of Rand’s debut novel. Octavo, bound in full morocco by the Harcourt Bindery, 22 karat gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, gilt ruling to the front and rear panels, gilt stamped to the front panel, gilt inner dentelles stamp-signed by the Harcourt Bindery, marbled endpapers,Continue reading "We the Living."

Ellis, Havelock

Studies in the Psychology of Sex.

Philadelphia : F.A. Davis Company, 1905-1910.

Finely bound set of Havelock Ellis’ landmark work Studies in the Psychology of Sex. Octavo, 6 volumes. Bound in three quarters levant morocco by Stikeman and Company, gilt titles and tooling to the spine, gilt topstain, marbled endpapers. In fine condition. An exceptional set.

Malcolm X. with the assistance of Alex Haley

The Autobiography of Malcolm X.

New York : Grove Press, Inc., 1965.

First edition of one of TIME Magazine’s ten most important nonfiction books of the twentieth century. Octavo, bound in full morocco by the Harcourt Bindery with 22 karat gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, gilt ruling to the front and rear panel, gilt inner dentelles stamp-signed byContinue reading "The Autobiography of Malcolm X."