Fine Bindings and Sets

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 & Co. Ltd, 1948-1954.

First editions of each volume in Churchill’s World War II masterpiece. Octavo, six volumes, original black cloth with spines lettered in gilt, patterned endpapers, illustrated with in-line and folding maps and documents. Boldly signed by the author on the half-title page of Vol. IV, “Winston S. Churchill.” Each volume is near fine in a veryContinue reading "The Second World War: The Gathering Storm; Their Finest Hour; The Grand Alliance; The Hinge of Fate; Closing the Ring; Triumph and Tragedy."

Dickens, Charles

The Works of Charles Dickens [Including: Bleak House; A Tale of Two Cities; David Copperfield; Great Expectations; Oliver Twist; A Christmas Carol; David Copperfield; Dombey & Son; The Old Curiosity Shop; Nicholas Nickleby].

Boston and New York : Houghton Mifflin Company, 1894.

The New Library edition of the works of Charles Dickens. Octavo, 32 volumes bound in three quarter morocco over marbled boards with gilt titles and tooling to the spine, raised bands, top edges gilt, illustrated. In near fine condition.

Corbin, Jacques. [George Washington]

Le Code Louis XIII. Roy De France Et De Navarre. [From the Library of George Washington].

A Paris : Chez Pierre Billaine, 1628.

First edition of Corbin’s legal compilation of ordinances and judgments issued during the reign of Louis XIII of France, from the library of General George Washington. Folio, bound in full mottled calf, morocco spine label lettered in gilt, elaborate gilt tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, double gilt ruling andContinue reading "Le Code Louis XIII. Roy De France Et De Navarre. [From the Library of George Washington]."

Austen, Jane

Emma: A Novel.

London : Printed for John Murray, 1816.

First edition of the last of Austen‘s works to be published during her lifetime, with Cooper-Powys family provenance and in a fine contemporary binding. Duodecimo, three volumes bound in three quarter contemporary calf over marbled boards with gilt titles and Greek key ruling to the spines, rebacked with original spines laid down, half-titles. From the libraryContinue reading "Emma: A Novel."

Dickens, Charles

Great Expectations.

London : Chapman and Hall, 1861.

First edition, second impression of Dickens’ rarest book, one of only 750 copies. Octavo, three volumes bound in full polished calf with morocco spine labels lettered in gilt, gilt tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, triple gilt ruling to the front and rear panels, gilt-ruled turn-ins and inner dentelles, marbledContinue reading "Great Expectations."

Linnaeus, Carl

Flora Zeylanica. [The Flora of Ceylon: Being a Description of the Indian plants of the Island of Ceylon].

Amsterdam : J. Wetstenium, 1748.

Early edition of this cornerstone in the history of early modern botany and colonial natural history. Octavo, written in Latin, bound in full speckled calf  with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments with raised bands, all edges speckled red, illustrated. In very good condition.

Linnaeus, Carl

Philosophia Botanica: In Qua Explicantur Fundamenta Botanica Cum Definitionibus Partium, Exemplis Terminorum, Observationibus Rariorum. [In Which Are Explained the Foundations of Botany, Together with Definitions of the Parts, Examples of Terms, and Rare Observations].

Vienna : Printed by Johann Thomas, Nobleman of Trattner, 1783.

Rare second edition of this foundational text of modern botany. Octavo, written in Latin, bound in three quarters morocco over marbled boards with gilt titles to the spine in six compartments within gilt bands, illustrated at the rear. In very good condition. Bookplate to the front pastedown and front free endpaper.

Armorial Binding.

[France] c. 1690.

Rare original armorial binding in gold and silver thread bearing a coat of arms reminiscent of the Durazzo family of Venice. Small octavo, empty, white silk with pink silk pastedowns, the outer border decorated with floral repeating motives in silver and green foil leaves, and the escutcheon crowned by a pink hat with six tasselsContinue reading "Armorial Binding."

Scopoli, Giovanni Antonio [Carl Linnaeus]

Flora Carniolica: Exhibens Plantas Carnioliae Indigenas et Distributas in Classes, Genera, Species, Varietates, Ordine Linnaeano. Volume I.

Vienna : Johann Paul Krauss, 1772.

Second edition, enlarged and revised, of one of the most important 18th-century botanical works documenting the flora of Carniola following Carl Linnaeus’s system of plant classification. Octavo, written in Latin, bound in three quarters calf over marbled boards, rebacked with cloth labels, marbled endpapers, all edges red, illustrated throughout. In good condition, bookplate to theContinue reading "Flora Carniolica: Exhibens Plantas Carnioliae Indigenas et Distributas in Classes, Genera, Species, Varietates, Ordine Linnaeano. Volume I."

Linnaeus, Carl

Oratio, qua Peregrinationum Intra Patriam Asseritur Necessitas. [An Oration on the Necessity of Travels within One’s Own Country].

Uppsala : Carolino Majori, 1741.

First edition of Linnaeus’s inaugural oration at Uppsala. Octavo, written in Latin, bound in half morocco over marbled boards with gilt titles and elaborate tooling to the spine in five compartments within raised bands, top edge marbled, marbled endpapers. In very good condition. Rare with only a handful of copies appearing at auction since 1950.

Brothers Grimm

Household Stories from the Collection of the Brothers Grimm.

London : Macmillan and Co, 1882.

Finely bound edition of this collection of classic fairytales. Octavo, bound in full dark blue morocco by Kelliegram with gilt titles and floral tooling to the spine, floral ruling to the front and rear panels with pictorial inlays of Red Riding Hood, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles, silk moire endpapers, all edges gilt, silk ribbonContinue reading "Household Stories from the Collection of the Brothers Grimm."

Jefferson, Joseph

Rip Van Winkle: As Played by Joseph Jefferson.

New York : Dodd, Mead and Company, 1899.

The Dodd, Mead and Company trade edition of Joseph Jefferson’s play adapted to text. Octavo, original green cloth over boards with gilt-stamped lettering and illustration of the Catskill Mountains, top edge gilt, frontispiece, title page vignette, with black and white illustrations throughout. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the half-title page, “To Ms SadieContinue reading "Rip Van Winkle: As Played by Joseph Jefferson."

Linnaeus, Carl

System Naturae. Book I Part III: Amphibia.

: Caldwell, c. 1788.

Later edition of this influential work. Octavo, written in Latin, bound in three quarters morocco over green cloth boards with gilt titles and ruling to the spine in six compartments within raised bands. In very good condition.

Medieval Gregorian Chant Book.

.

Rare Gregorian chant book. Elephant folio, bound in half leather over cloth boards, with sixteen pages of beautiful calligraphy of Gregorian chant on vellum. In very good condition. An exceptional presentation.

Yefremyan, Z.S. [Armenia]

Patkerazharp Bnashkharhaki Bararan. [Illustrated Geographical Dictionary].

Venice : A. Ghazaryan, 1903-05.

Rare edition of volume one of this Armenian geographical reference work. Thick quarto, written in Armenian, bound in three-quarters morocco with gilt titles to the spine in five compartments within raised bands, floral endpapers, title page vignette, illustrated throughout. In very good condition with light toning.

Wilkinson, Clennell. [Cosway Binding]

Nelson.

London : George G. Harrap & Co. LTD., 1931.

Elaborately bound Cosway style first edition of this biography of Admiral Horatio Nelson. Octavo, bound by Bayntun-Riviere in full Cosway style full crushed green morocco with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, inset hand-painted miniature scene depicting a British naval battle to the front panel under beveledContinue reading "Nelson."

Gordon, Thomas [George Washington]

Another Cordial for Low-Spirits. [George Washington’s Copy].

London : R. Griffiths, 1751.

From the library of George Washington of this compilation of political and religious essays regarding contemporary issues in Great Britain. Small octavo, volume two, bound in full contemporary brown calf with a gilt number two and ruling to the spine in six compartments within raised bands, double gilt ruling to the front and rear panels,Continue reading "Another Cordial for Low-Spirits. [George Washington’s Copy]."

Austen, Jane

The Works of Jane Austen.

London : Eveleigh Nash & Grayson, 1927.

The Georgian edition of the works of Jane Austen. Octavo, five volumes bound in three quarter contemporary calf by Riviere & Son with morocco spine labels lettered in gilt, top edges gilt, marbled endpapers, title pages in red and black. In very good condition. Housed in a custom slipcase.

Dickens, Charles

A Tale of Two Cities. [with] Charles Dickens Autograph Note.

London : Chapman and Hall, 1859.

First edition, mixed issue of one of Dickens’ most enduring works. Octavo, bound in three quarters modern half calf over marbled boards with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in five compartments within raised gilt bands, all edges marbled, marbled endpapers, illustrated with sixteen plates after H.K. Browne including the frontispiece and title vignette.Continue reading "A Tale of Two Cities. [with] Charles Dickens Autograph Note."

Chosen and Edited by Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch

The Oxford Book of English Verse 1250-1900.

London : Oxford at the Clarendon Press, 1926.

Finely bound edition of Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch’s The Oxford Book of English Verse 1250-1900. Duodecimo, bound in full contemporary dark green levant morocco by Bayntun with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, gilt ruling to the front and rear panels, front panel with morocco inlays depicting aContinue reading "The Oxford Book of English Verse 1250-1900."