Fine Bindings and Sets

Horace

Quintus Horatius Flaccus.

London : Gulielmus Pickering, 1824.

Rare second Pickering Diamond edition, large paper issue, with an additional engraved title page. 12 mo, bound in full morocco, gilt titles to the front panel, raised bands, marbled endpapers. In very good condition. Housed in a custom chemise and half morocco slipcase.

France, Anatole

Le Puits de Sainte Claire.

Paris : Calmann Levy, 1895.

First edition of this novel by the Nobel Prize-winning French writer regarding tales based on Italian historical characters and events. Octavo, original printed wrappers and glassine wrapper, Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the half-title page, “Fernand Calmettes son vieil ami Anatole France.” The recipient, Fernand Calmettes was a writer and editor and contemporaryContinue reading "Le Puits de Sainte Claire."

Disraeli, Benjamin

Vivian Grey.

London : Henry Colburn, 1826-27.

First edition of Disraeli’s first novel. Octavo, original gray boards with printed spine labels, 5 volumes, half-titles present in Volumes 2 and 5, as issued; terminal ads in Volumes 1-4. Bookplates to each volume, in very good condition. Housed in a brown cloth clamshell box. Complete first editions are uncommon, especially in the original boards.

Horatius Flaccus, Quintus (Alexis de Tocqueville)

Horatii Opera (The Complete Works of Horace).

John Pine : London, 1733-37.

First Pine edition of the collected works of ancient Roman poet and political figure Quintus Horatius Flaccus (Horace), “the most elegant of English eighteenth-century books in which text and illustrations alike are entirely engraved” (Ray). French statesman Alexis de Tocqueville’s copy, inscribed to him by his father in Volume I, “Donné à mon fils AlexisContinue reading "Horatii Opera (The Complete Works of Horace)."

Campbell, John

A Political Survey of Britain: Being a Series of Reflections on the Situation, Lands, Inhabitants, Revenues, Colonies, and Commerce of This Island.

Dublin : T. Ewing and C. Jenkin, 1775.

Rare second edition of John Campbell’s classic survey of late sixteenth century Britain. Octavo, four volumes, bound in full contemporary calf, raised bands, red and green morocco spine labels, gilt titles. In good condition.    

Boswell, James

The Life of Johnson.

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. Quarto, bound in contemporary half calf over marbled boards. Frontispiece portrait of Samuel Johnson, engraved by J. Heath after the Sir Joshua Reynolds (1756) painting. Volume one isContinue reading "The Life of Johnson."

Voltaire (Arouet, François-Marie)

Vie de Moliere.

Lausanne : Chez Francois Grasset & Comp, 1772.

Early edition of Voltaire’s biography of one of the most influential and widely translated writers of all time. Octavo, bound in full sprinkled sheepskin. Gilt titles and tooling to the spine, pictorial endpapers, all edges red, ribbon bound in. In very good condition with some rubbing to the extremities. Tasteful period bookplate.

Halley, Edmond

Astronomical Tables with Precepts both in English and Latin for Computing the Places of the Sun, Moon, Planets, and Comets.

London : Printed for William Innys, 1752.

First edition in English of Halley’s classic work. Quarto, bound in contemporary full calf, gilt titles to the spine, gilt embossed stamp of The Society of Writers to the Signet on the front and rear panel, copper-engraved frontispiece portrait. Edited by John Bevis. In very good condition with light rubbing and wear.

Muir, John

The Writings of John Muir: The Manuscript Edition.

Boston : Houghton Mifflin Company, 1916-24.

The Manuscript edition of The Writings of John Muir. Octavo, 10 volumes, bound in original special deluxe three quarters morocco over marbled boards, leather edges ruled in gilt, gilt titles and tooling to the spine, raised bands, matching endpapers, top edges gilt. With volumes 1 through 8 of this set each containing an original gelatinContinue reading "The Writings of John Muir: The Manuscript Edition."

Dodge, Mary Mapes

Hans Brinker Or, The Silver Skates. A Story of Life in Holland.

New York : James O'Kane, 1866.

First edition of the author’s second and best known work. Octavo, original green cloth, gilt titles to the spine. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the half-title page, “Presented to Robert Dale Owen by the author January, 1866.” The recipient Robert Dale Owen was responsible for introducing the legislation to establish the Smithsonian. HeContinue reading "Hans Brinker Or, The Silver Skates. A Story of Life in Holland."

Sterne, Laurence

The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy.

London : T. Becket, 1777.

Finely bound set of Sterne’s Tristram Shandy. Octavo, 6 volumes, bound in contemporary full polished brown calf, black morocco spine labels, smooth spines with gilt rules and decorations, marbled endpapers. Frontispiece in volume one after Hogarth. In near fine condition.

Twain, Mark [Samuel L. Clemens]

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn [Tom Sawyer’s Comrade].

New York : Charles L. Webster and Company, 1885.

First edition, first issue of Twain’s masterpiece, one of approximately 500 copies bound in publisher’s three-quarters morocco binding. Octavo, original three-quarters brown morocco and marbled boards, gilt-decorated spine, marbled endpapers. Lithographic frontispiece and with 174 illustrations by E.W. Kemble, photographic portrait frontispiece of the bust of Mark Twain by Karl Gerhardt. Copies of Huckleberry FinnContinue reading "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn [Tom Sawyer’s Comrade]."

Photographic View Book of China, Manchuria, and Korea.

Japan c. 1930.

First edition, oblong quarto, original boards. Gilt-lettered cloth, string-bound. Text in Japanese with captions in both Chinese and English. Illustrated with  photographs throughout, large folding panorama of the Great Wall of China; folding map of Korea, Manchuria and portions of northeastern China. A unique record of history.

Thackeray, William Makepeace [Cosway]

Vanity Fair: A Novel Without a Hero. [Cosway].

London : Bradbury and Evans, 1848.

First edition, first issue of Thackeray’s masterpiece. Octavo, bound in full red morocco by Bayntun Riviere in Cosway-style binding with a miniature portrait of Thackeray inset into the front panel, engraved frontispiece, engraved additional title, and 38 engraved plates, spine in gilt compartments, gilt inner dentelles, all edges gilt, ivory silk doublures. The first issue,Continue reading "Vanity Fair: A Novel Without a Hero. [Cosway]."

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 contemporary polished calf, gilt titles and tooling to the spine, rebacked. Lightly rubbed, moderate wear. A veryContinue reading "The Law of God."

Sheridan, Richard Brinsley; Illustrated by Hugh Thomson

The School For Scandal.

London : Hodder & Stoughton, c. 1911.

Finely bound by Asprey. Quarto, bound in full morocco, gilt titles and tooling to the spine, raised bands, gilt ruled to the front and rear panels, gilt turn-ins, all edges gilt. Illustrated with 25 tipped in color plates by Hugh Thompson. In near fine condition.

Foxe, John. [Wright, Paul]

The New and Complete Book of Martyrs, or, An Universal History of Martyrdom: Being Fox’s Book of Martyrs.

London : Printed for Alex Hogg, 1784.

Folio, bound in full brown calf, gilt title and tooling to the spine, front and rear panel, raised bands. Engraved frontispiece, copiously illustrated with engravings throughout. In very good condition with some spotting.

Falconer, William

The Poetical Works: With a Fore-Edge Painting of a British Flagged Frigate. [Fore-Edge Painting].

London : William Pickering, 1836.

Octavo, bound in straight-grain full green morocco, gilt titles and tooling to the spine, all edges gilt. With a fore-edge painting of a British-flagged three-masted frigate, sails full, with land on the horizon.

Bacon, Francis

The Works of Francis Bacon, Baron of Verulam, Viscount St. Albans, and Lord High Chancellor of England.

London : J. Johnson, 1803.

Large octavo, 10 volumes. Bound in full contemporary calf. Gilt titles and tooling to the spine, edges speckled. Frontispiece of Francis Bacon in volume one. With the early armorial bookplate of J. Lawson Whalley and the modern bookplate of Elmer Holmes Bopst, namesake of New York University’s Bopst Library. In very good condition.

Brunt, Samuel

A Voyage to Cacklogallinia: with a Description of the Religion, Policy, Customs and Manners of that Country.

London : J. Watson, 1727.

First edition of this early 18th century satire published in imitation of Jonathan Swift’s masterpiece Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World, or, Gulliver’s Travels. Octavo, bound in full brown morocco by Charles Thurman, Binder. Raised bands, gilt titles and tooling to the spine, embossed front and rear panels, engraved frontispiece. From the libraryContinue reading "A Voyage to Cacklogallinia: with a Description of the Religion, Policy, Customs and Manners of that Country."

Power, Sir D'Arcy and H.J. Waring [King Edward VIII]

A Short History of St Bartholomew’s Hospital 1123-1923, Specially Bound on the Occasion of the 800th Anniversary of Its Foundation.

London : Charles Whittingham and Griggs, Ltd, 1923.

Elaborately bound presentation copy, belonging to King Edward VIII. Octavo, full tan morocco, elaborately gilt tooling to the spine, front and rear panels with black morocco inlays, cornerpieces of thistles and flowers, front panel with central crown and gilt medallion portraits of Rahere and Harvey, silk endpapers. Full-color frontispiece illustration of The Tomb of Rahere in theContinue reading "A Short History of St Bartholomew’s Hospital 1123-1923, Specially Bound on the Occasion of the 800th Anniversary of Its Foundation."

Williams, John H. (Editor)

The Canoe and the Saddle or Klalan and Klickatat to Which Are Now First Added His Western Letters And Journals.

Tacoma : John H. Williams, 1913.

Octavo, bound in three quarters morocco over cloth, gilt titles and tooling to the spine, gilt topstain, marbled endpapers, frontispiece. With sixteen color plates and more than one hundred other illustrations. Signed by John H. Williams on the title page. Edited, with an Introduction and Notes by John H. Williams. In near fine condition.

Fyvie, John [Cosway]

Comedy Queens of the Georgian Era. [Cosway].

London : Archibald Constable, 1916.

Octavo, bound in full dark blue morocco Cosway-style binding by Bayntun. Both the front and rear panels with a double gilt fillet border around an inner border incorporating ornamental cornerpieces, upper cover set with an oval portrait miniature of an actress under glass, within an ornamental gilt border, lower cover with panel border; raised bands,Continue reading "Comedy Queens of the Georgian Era. [Cosway]."

Bugatti

Bugantics: Bugatti Owner’s Club.

London : Bugatti Owner's Club, 1931-1955.

One Hundred Issues of Bugantics. Octavo, 9 Volumes, bound in the original publisher’s cloth, gilt titles and decorated tooling. Profusely illustrated with photographs, tables, brilliant period advertising and drawings. These bound volumes, prepared by the Bugatti Owner’s Club by special subscription, were compiled without covers, the design of which has remained the same since itsContinue reading "Bugantics: Bugatti Owner’s Club."