Fine Bindings and Sets

Byron, Lord George Gordon

The Giaour, A Fragment of a Turkish Tale; The Bride of Abydos; The Corsair.

London : John Murray, 1813.

First trade edition, first issue of Byron’s The Giaour; bound with a second edition of The Bride of Abydos and a rare first edition, first issue of The Corsair. Octavo, bound in full contemporary calf with gilt titles and tooling to the spine, gilt ruling to the front and rear panels. In near fine condition.Continue reading "The Giaour, A Fragment of a Turkish Tale; The Bride of Abydos; The Corsair."

Dickens, Charles

The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club.

London : Chapman and Hall, 1837.

First edition in book form of Dickens’ first novel and one of his greatest works. Octavo, bound in three full quarter morocco with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, all edges gilt, marbled endpapers, with 43 engraved plates by Seymour and Browne. In very good condition.

Swift, Jonathan [Robert R. Livingstone]

The Works of Jonathan Swift: Including, Gulliver’s Travels.

Edinburgh : Printed by Mrs. Mundell, 1778.

First of 4 issues, Scotch editions, from the library of Robert R. Livingstone, with his bookplate to the pastedown of each volume. Small octavo, bound in contemporary calf, spine compartments ruled with Greek key tooling, morocco spine labels. From the library of founding father Robert R. Livingston. As one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, LivingstonContinue reading "The Works of Jonathan Swift: Including, Gulliver’s Travels."

Bunyan, John

Pilgrim’s Progress [Fore-Edge Painting]

London : L. and G. Seeley, 1840.

Finely bound example with a foredge painting of a sailing ship initialed and dated 1840 of one of the most significant works of religious English literature, Pilgrim’s Progress. Octavo, bound in full morocco, all edges gilt, 15 plates and illustrations, all hand-colored, with a fore-edge painting of a sailing ship initialed and dated 1840, engravedContinue reading "Pilgrim’s Progress [Fore-Edge Painting]"

Swift, Jonathan

The Works of Jonathan Swift.

London : Bickers & Son, 1883.

Finely bound set of the works of Jonathan Swift, with notes and a life by Sir Walter Scott, one of 750 numbered sets, this is number 330. Octavo,19 volumes, bound in three quarters morocco, gilt titles to the spine, raised bands, top edge gilt. In near fine condition. From the library of Sir Ranjitsinhji VibhajiContinue reading "The Works of Jonathan Swift."

Dickens, Charles

The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club.

London : Chapman and Hall and Bradbury Evans, 1858.

Rare finely bound Library Edition of Dickens’ first novel and one of his greatest works. Octavo, two volumes bound in three quarter morocco by Sangorski & Sutcliffe with gilt titles and elaborate gilt tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, marbled endpapers, pictorial title pages. In very good condition. Housed inContinue reading "The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club."

Conrad, Joseph

The Rover.

London : T. Fisher Unwin Ltd, 1923.

First British edition of the last complete novel by Joseph Conrad. Octavo, finely bound in full morocco by Bayntun, gilt titles and tooling to the spine, raised bands, double gilt ruled, inner dentelles, all edges gilt. In fine condition. An exceptional presentation.

Barham, Richard Harris

The Ingoldsby Legends: Or, Mirth & Marvels by Thomas Ingoldsby, Esquire First Series; Second Series; Third Series.

London : Richard Bentley, 1840.

First edition, first issue of this classic work. Octavo, 3 volumes, bound in full morocco by Tout with elaborate tooling in gilt, covers repeat the floral and pointillle tooling at corners, surrounded by a single gilt fillet, dentelles feature floral garlands extending from each corner, surrounded by inner and outer gilt fillets, top edges gilt,Continue reading "The Ingoldsby Legends: Or, Mirth & Marvels by Thomas Ingoldsby, Esquire First Series; Second Series; Third Series."

Hardy, Thomas

Selected Poems of Thomas Hardy.

London : Macmillan and Co., Limited, 1924.

Finley bound early printing of the Golden Treasury Series Selected Poems of Thomas Hardy. Small octavo, bound in full crushed crimson levant morocco by Bayntun with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, elaborate gilt ruling and cornerpieces to the front and real panels, gilt turn-ins and innerContinue reading "Selected Poems of Thomas Hardy."

Trollope, Anthony

The Vicar of Bullhampton.

London : Bradbury, Evans, and Co, 1870.

First edition in book form of Anthony Trollope’s controversial novel. Octavo, bound in three quarters morocco over pebbled boards with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, morocco spine label lettered in gilt, all edges marbled and marbled endpapers, with thirty-five illustrations including tissue-guarded frontispiece by H. WoodsContinue reading "The Vicar of Bullhampton."

Chaucer, Geoffrey. [Eleanor Farjeon]

Tales from Chaucer: The Canterbury Tales Done Into Prose by Eleanor Farjeon.

London : The Medici Society, 1930.

First edition of Eleanor Farjeon’s modern adaptation of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. Octavo, bound in full morocco with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised bands, double gilt ruling and fleuron cornerpieces to the panels, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles, marbled endpapers and all edges gilt, elaborately illustrated with full colorContinue reading "Tales from Chaucer: The Canterbury Tales Done Into Prose by Eleanor Farjeon."

Wright, Richard

Native Son.

New York : Harper & Brothers Publishers, 1940.

First edition, first issue binding with “A – P” on the copyright page. Octavo, bound in full morocco, gilt titles to the spine, raised bands, gilt ruled to the front and rear panels, raised bands, all edges gilt, marbled endpapers. In fine condition. An exceptional presentation.

Dickens, Charles

Memoirs of Joseph Grimaldi. Edited by “Boz.”

London : G. Routledge & Co, 1853.

Finely bound example of Dickens’ popular retelling of the memoirs of celebrated English clown Joseph Grimaldi. Octavo, bound in full crimson crushed levant morocco by Baytun with morocco spine labels lettered in gilt, gilt titles and tooling to the spin in six compartments within raised gilt bands, double gilt rulings and fleuron cornerpieces to theContinue reading "Memoirs of Joseph Grimaldi. Edited by “Boz.”"

Hawthorne, Nathaniel

The Marble Faun: or, the Romance of Monte Beni.

Boston : Ticknor and Fields, 1860.

First edition, first issue, with 16-page catalog dated March, 1860 inserted at rear of Volume one of Hawthorne’s last major work of fiction. Octavo, original cloth, 2 volumes. In near fine condition. Housed in a custom clamshell box. BAL 7621.

Doyle, Arthur Conan

The Great Boer War.

London : Smith, Elder, & Co, 1901.

New edition, being the fourteenth impression, of Arthur Conan Doyle’s work on the Boer War, which he revised sixteen times throughout the course of the war. Octavo, bound in full morocco for the Edinburgh Angus Club with their insignia stamped in gilt to the front panel, morocco spine label lettered in gilt, elaborate gilt toolingContinue reading "The Great Boer War."

Schreiner, Olive [as Ralph Iron]

The Story of an African Farm: A Novel.

London : Chapman and Hall, 1883.

First edition of this highspot of African literature. Octavo, 2 volumes bound in three quarters contemporary morocco over marbled boards with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, top edge gilt, marbled endpapers. Published under the pseudonym ‘Ralph Iron’, the entire printing of this first edition has been estimated toContinue reading "The Story of an African Farm: A Novel."

Conrad, Joseph

The Collected Works of Joseph Conrad. [Almayer’s Folly, An Outcast of the Islands, The Nigger of “Narcissus”, Tales of Unrest, Lord Jim, The Inheritors, Youth: and Two Other Stories, Romance, Typhoon and Other Stories, Nostromo, The Mirror of the Sea, The Secret Agent, A Set of Six, Under Western Eyes, Some Reminiscences, ‘Twist Land & Sea Tales, Chance, Victory, Within the Tides, The Shadow Line, The Arrow of Gold, On Day More, The Rescue].

London : Various Publishers, 1895-1920.

Rare finely bound first edition collection of the writings of Joseph Conrad including a first issue of Almayer’s Folly. Octavo, 23 volumes bound in full crushed crimson levant morocco by Sangorski and Sutcliffe with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt banes, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles, top edgeContinue reading "The Collected Works of Joseph Conrad. [Almayer’s Folly, An Outcast of the Islands, The Nigger of “Narcissus”, Tales of Unrest, Lord Jim, The Inheritors, Youth: and Two Other Stories, Romance, Typhoon and Other Stories, Nostromo, The Mirror of the Sea, The Secret Agent, A Set of Six, Under Western Eyes, Some Reminiscences, ‘Twist Land & Sea Tales, Chance, Victory, Within the Tides, The Shadow Line, The Arrow of Gold, On Day More, The Rescue]."

The Book of Common Prayer, and Administration of the Sacraments, and Other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church, According to the Use of the Church of England: Together with the Psalter or Psalms of David, Pointed as they are to be sung or said in Churches.

Cambridge : Printed by John Archdeacon, 1771.

Rare 18th century Book of Common Prayer. Small octavo, bound in full contemporary calf tie gilt tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised bands, double gilt ruing and cornerpieces to the front and rear panels, all edges gilt, marbled endpapers. In very good condition. Ownership inscriptions. Desirable in a contemporary binding.

Hall, Norman James and Charles Bernard Nordhoff

The Collected Works of Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall.

Boston and New York : Various Publishers, 1918-1942.

Rare first edition set of the works of Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall, including a first edition of Botany Bay signed by the authors. Octavo, 13 volumes, original cloth. Botany Bay is signed by the authors opposite the copyright page. Doctor Dogbody’s Leg is inscribed by James Norman Hall on a tipped-in note, “ForContinue reading "The Collected Works of Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall."

Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft

Valperga: or, the Life and Adventures of Castruccio, Prince of Lucca. By the Author of ‘Frankenstein’.

London : G. and W.B. Whittaker, 1823.

Rare first edition of Shelley’s second novel, which has been called “a meditation on political, psychological, and sexual power” and is considered by many to be her finest work.  12mo., bound in 19th century three quarter calf over marbled boards by Bumpus, gilt titles and tooling to the spine, morocco spine labels, raised bands. InContinue reading "Valperga: or, the Life and Adventures of Castruccio, Prince of Lucca. By the Author of ‘Frankenstein’."

Hearn, Lafcadio. Edited by Elizabeth Bisland

The Writings of Lafcadio Hearn.

Boston and New York : Houghton Mifflin Company, 1922.

The Large Paper Edition of Lafcadio Hearn’s collected writings. Octavo, 16 volumes bound in full blue levant morocco by the Harcourt Bindery with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles, elaborately gilt citron levant morocco doublures, watered silk endleaves, top edge gilt withContinue reading "The Writings of Lafcadio Hearn."

Poe, Edgar Allan

The Works of Edgar Allan Poe. [Including: The Murders in the Rue Morgue, The Gold Bug, Raven, Eureka].

New York : G. P. Putnam's Sons, [1884].

The Amontillado edition of the works of Edgar Allan Poe. Octavo, 8 volumes bound in full morocco by P.B. Sanford with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in 6 compartments within raised gilt bands, double gilt ruling to the panels, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt, tissue-guarded engraved frontispiece toContinue reading "The Works of Edgar Allan Poe. [Including: The Murders in the Rue Morgue, The Gold Bug, Raven, Eureka]."

Salinger, J.D

J.D. Salinger Autograph Letter Signed.

1944.

Scarce autograph note signed by J.D. Salinger on April 4, 1944, two months and two days before he saw combat at Utah Beach on D-Day. One page from an oblong octavo autograph album bound in full leather, the note is dated 4/4/44 and reads, “Dear Molly – I just don’t have anything bright to say.Continue reading "J.D. Salinger Autograph Letter Signed."

Burney, Capt. James

A Chronological History of the Discoveries in the South Sea or Pacific Ocean. Illustrated with Charts.

London : Printed by Luke Hansard, 1803.

Rare first edition of “the most important general history of early South Seas discoveries, containing practically everything of importance on the subject; collected from all sources, with the most important remarks concerning them. Many of the early voyages to California would be inaccessible were they not collected herein” (Hill). Quarto, 5 volumes bound in fullContinue reading "A Chronological History of the Discoveries in the South Sea or Pacific Ocean. Illustrated with Charts."