Fine Bindings and Sets

Valie, P.A

Modern Golf.

London : Adam and Charles Black, 1909.

First edition of this early work by Vaile. Octavo, finely bound in full green morocco by Asprey, gilt titles and tooling to the spine, triple gilt ruled to the front and rear panels, marbled endpapers, inner dentilles, all edges gilt. Illustrated with numerous full-page photographic plates and diagrams, including frontispiece photo with tissue-guard. In fineContinue reading "Modern Golf."

Tennyson, Alfred Lord

Queen Mary: A Drama.

London : Henry S. King and Co, 1875.

First edition, first issue of the first book in Tennyson’s historical trilogy with “behled” on page 126. Small octavo, bound in full red morocco, gilt titles to the spine, elaborate gilt tooling to the spine and panels, double gilt ruled, all edges gilt, marbled endpapers. Association copy, signed by Alfred Tennyson on the title pageContinue reading "Queen Mary: A Drama."

Masson, Charles [James Lewis]

Narrative of Various Journeys in Balochistan, Afghanistan, The Panjab, & Kalat, During a Residence in those Countries.

London : Richard Bentley, 1842.

First edition of this narrative of Lewis’ travels between 1826 and 1838 through Balochistan, Sind, the Hazara, Afghanistan and the Punjab. Octavo, four volumes. Bound in full morocco, gilt titles and tooling to the spine, morocco spine labels, gilt ruled, marbled endpapers, illustrated with engravings, folding map. From the library of James Stephen “Steve” FossettContinue reading "Narrative of Various Journeys in Balochistan, Afghanistan, The Panjab, & Kalat, During a Residence in those Countries."

Thoreau, Henry David

The Manuscript Edition of The Writings of Henry David Thoreau.

Boston : Houghton Mifflin and Company, 1906.

The manuscript edition of the writings of Henry David Thoreau. With the original manuscript sheet by Thoreau from his journal tipped-in to volume 1. The two page manuscript fragment comprises 58 lines from “Autumnal Tints,” in altered form, published in the Atlantic Monthly, October 1862, and collected in Excursions the following year. The fragment concludesContinue reading "The Manuscript Edition of The Writings of Henry David Thoreau."

Tolstoy, Leo

The Works of Leo Tolstoy. Including: War and Peace, Anna Karenina, Resurrection.

New York : Charles Scribner's Sons, 1903.

Limited edition of the works of Leo Tolstoy, one of one hundred and fifty copies printed on Ruisdael paper, this is number sixty-eight. Octavo, 25 volumes. Bound in three quarters morocco, gilt titles and tooling to the spine, raised bands, gilt ruled to the front and rear panels, top edge gilt, marbled endpapers, two frontispiecesContinue reading "The Works of Leo Tolstoy. Including: War and Peace, Anna Karenina, Resurrection."

Zola, Emile

Le Capitaine Burle: Comment on Meurt pour une Nuit d’Amour aux Champs la Fete a Coqueville L’Inondation.

Paris : G. Charpentier, 1883.

Rare first edition of Zola’s novel exploring human weakness and desire, written at the height of his career. Octavo, bound in three quarters morocco over marbled boards, gilt titles and tooling to the spine, marbled endpapers, top edge gilt. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the half-title page, “a Edouard Noel mon de’voue confrereContinue reading "Le Capitaine Burle: Comment on Meurt pour une Nuit d’Amour aux Champs la Fete a Coqueville L’Inondation."

Crawford, Francis Marion

Our Silver: A Letter Addressed to George S. Coe, Esq. Chairman of Executive Council of the American Bankers’ Association.

New York : Douglas Taylor, 1881.

Rare first edition of Francis Marion Crawford’s treatise on the supply and demand for the silver dollar in the United States. Octavo, bound in three quarters morocco over marbled boards, gilt titles and tooling to the spine, top edge gilt. In very good condition.

Lord Byron. Drawings by Chalon, Leslie, Harding, Herbert, Meadows, Stephanoff, E. Corbould, Fanny Corbaux, Jenkins & Westall. Engraved under the Superintendence of Mr. Charles Heath

Heath’s Illustrations to the Works of Lord Byron, From Drawings by The First Artists.

London : A. Fullarton, And Co, c.1830.

Finely bound example of the poems of Lord Byron, each accompanied by a period engraving. Quarto, bound in three quarters morocco over decorative boards, gilt titles and tooling to the spine, raised gilt bands, inner dentelles, all edges gilt, frontispiece engraved portrait of Lord Byron. Illustrated with 36 full page engraved plates. In very goodContinue reading "Heath’s Illustrations to the Works of Lord Byron, From Drawings by The First Artists."

Bysshe Shelley, Percy

The Poetical Works of Percy Bysshe Shelley. Revised by William Michael Rossetti.

London : E. Moxon, Son, & Co, 1870.

Finely bound example of the Poetical Works of Shelley. Octavo, 2 volumes. Bound in full contemporary calf by Zaehnsdorf, gilt titles and tooling to the spine, morocco spine labels, gilt ruled, raised bands, inner dentelles, top edge gilt, marbled endpapers. Frontispiece of Shelley to volume one. Folding facsimile manuscript of Shelley’s writing to volume two. CarefullyContinue reading "The Poetical Works of Percy Bysshe Shelley. Revised by William Michael Rossetti."

Moliere, Jean-Baptiste Poquelin

Les Oeuvres De Monsieur De Moliere, Reveues, Corrigees & Augmentees (Tartuffe).

Paris : Chez Denys Thierry, 1682.

First complete and first illustrated collected edition, including 6 previously unpublished plays of the works of Moliere. Small octavo, 8 volumes. Finely bound in full crushed red morocco by Pouillet, gilt titles to the spine, raised bands, inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt, illustrated with engravings throughout. In near fine condition. An exceptional example.

Cervantes Saavedra, Miguel de

Vida Y Hechos Del Ingenioso Hidalgo Don Quixote De La Mancha: Con Muy Bellas Estampas Gravadas Sobre Los Dibujos de Coypel, Primer Pinto de el Rey de Francia.

En Haia [The Hague] : Por P. Gosse y A. Moetjens, 1744.

Rare early printing and one of the most highly coveted editions of Cervantes’ masterpiece. Octavo, 4 volumes, bound in full calf, gilt titles and elaborate gilt tooling to the spine, burgundy spine labels, triple gilt ruled, marbled endpapers, all edges red, ribbons bound in, with numerous engravings after the drawings of Antoine Coypel, renowned forContinue reading "Vida Y Hechos Del Ingenioso Hidalgo Don Quixote De La Mancha: Con Muy Bellas Estampas Gravadas Sobre Los Dibujos de Coypel, Primer Pinto de el Rey de Francia."

Holinshed, Raphael

The First and Second Volumes of Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland With: The Third volume of Chronicles, beginning at Duke William the Norman [Holinshed Chronicles].

London : John Harrison, George Bishop, Rafe Newberie, Henrie Denham, and Thomas Woodcocke, 1587.

Preferred second edition of the greatest Elizabethan repository of English history which served as an important source for Shakespeare’s plays. Folios, 3 volumes bound into 2, bound in full calf, gilt titles and tooling to the spine, raised bands, red morocco spine labels, gilt ruled, woodcut initials and title pages. Separate title pages and pagination forContinue reading "The First and Second Volumes of Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland With: The Third volume of Chronicles, beginning at Duke William the Norman [Holinshed Chronicles]."

Cooley, Arnold J

A Dictionary of the English Language Exhibiting the Orthography, Pronunciation, and Definition of Words According to the Prevailing Usage of Correct Writers and Speakers.

London and Edinburgh : W. and R. Chambers, 1861.

First edition of Cooley’s Dictionary of the English language. Octavo, bound in three quarters morocco, gilt titles and tooling to the spine, black spine label, raised gilt bands, marbled endpapers. Author’s preface. In very good condition.

Nadaud, Gustave

Chansons De Salon Populaires et Legeres Operettes.

Paris : Henri Plon, 1867.

Finely bound example of the popular songs and operettas of French chansonnier Gustave Nadaud. Octavo, bound in three quarters morocco over marbled boards, gilt titles and tooling to the spine, raised bands, marbled endpapers. In very good condition with light rubbing to the extremities.

Thackeray, William

The Virginians.

London : Bradbury and Evans, 1858-59.

First edition of Thackeray’s memorable historical novel. Octavos, 2 volumes, bound in three quarters morocco over marbled boards,  raised bands, gilt titles and tooling to the spine, marbled endpapers, all edges marbled, illustrated. In near fine condition with light rubbing to the extremities.

Dickens, Charles

The Personal History of David Copperfield.

London : Bradbury and Evans, May 1849-November 1850.

First edition in parts of “the most perfect of all the Dickens novels” (Virginia Woolf). Original serial issue. Twenty parts in nineteen, octavo four to thirty-two pages of preliminary advertisements; text continuously paginated 1-624; eight leaves of preliminaries follow text in final part. Frontispiece, vignette title-page and thirty-eight additional inserted plates, the majority with tissueContinue reading "The Personal History of David Copperfield."

Schola Italica Artis Pictoriae sive Tabulae insigniores in Romanis Pinacothecis Adservatae.

Rome : Petri Pauli Montagnani-Mirabili, 1806.

Rare first edition of Schola Italica Artis Pictoriae sive Tabulae insigniores in Romanis Pinacothecis Adservatae. Folio, bound in three quarters morocco, gilt titles and tooling to the spine, raised bands, fine engraved pictorial title and 39 plates. In very good condition. Rare.

Nobbes, Robert

The Compleat Troller, or, The Art of Trolling.

London : Printed for T. James for Tho. Helder, 1682.

Rare first edition of Nobbes’ authoritative work on the history and methods of trolling. First issue with the engraved hook on page 37 pointing to the right and two woodcut illustrations in the text. Small octavo, bound in three quarters morocco over marbled boards, gilt titles and tooling to the spine, raised bands, marbled endpapers.Continue reading "The Compleat Troller, or, The Art of Trolling."

Doughty, James and Thomas

The Cabinet of Natural History and American Rural Sports.

Philadelphia : J. and T. Doughty, 1830-33.

First edition of “The first color-plate sporting book printed in America”(Grolier/Henderson). Quarto, 3 volumes. bound in contemporary half morocco over marbled boards, top edge gilt. Three engraved titles, 2 engraved portraits, and 57 lithographic plates after Thomas Doughty and others (comprising 53 hand-colored lithographs, one colored etching, two uncolored engravings and one uncolored wood-engraving), 17Continue reading "The Cabinet of Natural History and American Rural Sports."

Homer. Translated by Raphaello Maffei

Odissea Per Raphaelem Volaterranum in Latinum Conversa (The Odyssey of Homer translated by Raphael of Volterra in Latin).

Rome : Per Lacoubum Mazochium, 1510.

One of the earliest Latin translations of Homer’s epic poem, translated from the Greek by Roman Hellenic scholar Raphaello Maffei (Raphael of Volterra). Quarto, bound in contemporary vellum, rebacked, woodcut titles and printer’s device to the title page and at end of text. From the library of Robert R. Dearden, Jr. of Philadelphia with hisContinue reading "Odissea Per Raphaelem Volaterranum in Latinum Conversa (The Odyssey of Homer translated by Raphael of Volterra in Latin)."

Halford, Frederic M

Making a Fishery.

London : Horace Cox, 1895.

Signed limited first edition of Frederick Halford’s extensive guide on the creation of river and stream fisheries for sport. One of 150 numbered copies signed by Halford, this is number 35. Large octavo, original publisher’s full green morocco, gilt titles to the spine, gilt ruled, inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, frontispiece portrait of Halford with tissueContinue reading "Making a Fishery."

Leeser, Isaac

The Law of God.

Philadelphia : C. Sherman, 5605, 1845-46.

First edition of the “first English translation of the Pentateuch in America,” the 1845 Hebrew-English Bible by one of the most prominent and influential figures in American Jewish history. Octavo, 5 volumes. Translated by Isaac Leeser. Bound in full contemporary calf, gilt titles and tooling to the spine. In near fine condition. A nice example,Continue reading "The Law of God."

Boynton, Henry Walcott

Two Editions of the Golfer’s Rubaiyat.

Chicago/ New York : Herbert S. Stone/ Duffield, 1901, 1907.

Both the first and second editions of the Golfer’s Rubaiyat. Octavo, original cloth, two volumes, illustrated throughout. In near fine condition. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box.

Irving, Washington

The Works of Washington Irving: The Autograph Edition [The Legend of Sleepy Hollow; Rip Van Winkle].

New York : G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1895–97.

The Works of Washington Irving: The Author’s Autograph edition. Octavo, 40 volumes, uniformly bound in full morocco by the Knickerbocker Press, gilt titles and tooling to the spine, top edge gilt, marbled endpapers, with suede doublures and endleaves. One of 500 sets, this set contains a page of original manuscript by Irving tipped in toContinue reading "The Works of Washington Irving: The Autograph Edition [The Legend of Sleepy Hollow; Rip Van Winkle]."