History, Law, and Politics

Fromkin, David

Europe’s Last Summer: Who Started the Great War in 1914?

New York : Alfred A. Knopf, 2004.

First edition of this “enormously impressive book” (The Weekly Standard). Octavo, original half cloth, illustrated with 16 pages of photographs and 1 map. Boldly signed by David Fromkin. Fine in a near fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Evan Gaffney. Jacket photograph by Gavin Bond.

Mandela, Nelson

Prisoner In The Garden.

London : Viking, 2005.

First edition of this work dedicated to Mandela’s archive. Octavo, original boards, illustrated throughout. Fine in a fine dust jacket.

Plato]. Translated from the Greek by Harry Spens

The Republic of Plato In Ten Books.

Glasgow : Printed by Robert and Andrew Foulis, 1763.

First edition in English of Plato’s Republic, marking the first appearance in the English language of Plato‘s profoundly influential dialogue concerning the nature of justice. Quarto, bound in full polished calf with raised gilt bands to the spine, morocco spine label lettered in gilt, all edges speckled red. Harry Spens was a minister at theContinue reading "The Republic of Plato In Ten Books."

Parfit, Derek

Reasons and Persons.

Oxford : Oxford University Press, 1984.

First edition of one of the most important philosophical texts of the second half the twentieth century. Octavo, original cloth. Fine in a near fine dust jacket. Small name to the front free endpaper.

Melville, Herman

Herman Melville Autograph Letter Signed.

c. 1855.

Rare autograph letter signed and entirely in the hand of great American novelist Herman Melville. One page, the letter reads in full, “Pittsfield Aug 26 Osmond Tiffany Esq. My dear Sir, With pleasure I comply with your request, but hardly think that any letter will further your object; still, if the accompanying one can beContinue reading "Herman Melville Autograph Letter Signed."

Worsdworth, Christopher

Athens and Attica: Journal of a Residence There.

London : John Murray, 1837.

Finely bound edition of Wordsworth’s work on Athens and Attica. Octavo, bound in full calf, gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, morocco spine label lettered in gilt, gilt ruling to the front and rear panels, gilt turn-ins, all edges marbled, marbled endpapers. In good condition. Armorial bookplateContinue reading "Athens and Attica: Journal of a Residence There."

Gray, Fred D

Bus Ride To Justice.

Montgomery, Al : Black Belt Press, 1995.

First edition of this Civil Rights icon’s autobiography. Octavo, original half cloth, illustrated. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the half-title page, “To Fred D. Gray Schaler Let us keep the legacy alive Fred D. Gray March 9, 1995.” Fine in a fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Breuna Baine.

King, Coretta Scott

My Life with Martin Luther King, Jr.

New York : Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1969.

First edition of Coretta Scott King’s autobiography, which recounts the history of the Civil Rights Movement and offers an inside look at Dr. King, his sermons and speeches. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “For Etta Moten Barnett with deepest appreciation for your dedicated service toContinue reading "My Life with Martin Luther King, Jr."

Pratt, Theodore

That Was Palm Beach.

St. Petersburg, Florida : Great Outdoors, 1968.

First edition of Pratt’s history of Flagler era of Palm Beach, Florida. Octavo, original pictorial wrappers, illustrated with photographs. Signed by the author on the title page. In very good condition. Front cover photograph of “the great Royal Poinciana Hotel which once stood in Palm Beach, the grandest hotel of all time, the largest woodedContinue reading "That Was Palm Beach."

Harper, William Hudson and Charles H. Ravell

Fifty Years of Banking in Chicago 1857-1907.

np : The Merchants' Loan and Trust Company, nd.

First edition of one of the earliest works on the history of banking in Chicago. Octavo, original half cloth, illustrated. In fine condition.

[Franklin, Benjamin]

Constitutions des Treize Etats-Unis De L’Amerique. [Constitutions of the Thirteen United States of America].

Paris : D. Pierres/Pissot, Pere & Fils, Libraries, 1783.

First French edition of the Constitution of the United States of America, inscribed by Founding Father Benjamin Franklin who had the translation published and personally distributed each of the 600 copies produced. Octavo, bound in one quarter calf with gilt ruling to the spine, burgundy morocco spine label lettered in gilt. Presentation copy, inscribed byContinue reading "Constitutions des Treize Etats-Unis De L’Amerique. [Constitutions of the Thirteen United States of America]."

Kirkpatrick, Jeane J. [William Safire]

The Withering Away of the Totalitarian State and Other Surprises.

Washington, D.C : The AEI Press, 1990.

First edition of this work by Ambassador Kirkpatrick, who played a major role in the foreign policy of the Ronald Reagan administration. Octavo, original boards. Association copy, inscribed by the author in the year of publication on the front free endpaper, “To Bill Safire Columnist extraordinaire. With admiration and friendship. Jeane Kirkpatrick. December, 1990.” TheContinue reading "The Withering Away of the Totalitarian State and Other Surprises."

Ward, Benjamin P. and Alvin Jewett Johnson

Johnson’s Map of Florida.

New York : Johnson and Ward, c. 1866.

Rare 19th century example of Johnson’s famed post-Civil War era map of the state of Florida. One page, the hand-colored lithographic map depicts the state in full with color coding according to county shortly following the close of the American Civil War with references to towns, railroads, villages, depots, swamps, the territories of Native AmericanContinue reading "Johnson’s Map of Florida."

Reiser, Anton. [Albert Einstein]

Albert Einstein: A Biographical Portrait.

New York : Albert & Charles Boni, 1930.

First edition of this Einstein biography written by Rudolf Kayser, a German literary historian and husband to Albert Einstein’s stepdaughter Ilse under the pseudonym Anton Reiser. Octavo, original cloth, frontispiece of Einstein. Signed and dated by Einstein in the year of publication on the front free endpaper, “Albert Einstein 1930.” Near fine in a veryContinue reading "Albert Einstein: A Biographical Portrait."

Sikorsky, Igor

The Story of the Winged-S: with New Material on the Latest Development of the Helicopter.

New York : Dodd, Meade & Company, 1942.

First edition, early printing of the autobiography of the Russian-American aviation pioneer and designer of the first viable American helicopter. Octavo, original cloth, cartographic endpapers, illustrated. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author opposite the half-title page, “To Mr. Henry Drans with kindest personal regards of I. Sikorsky Dec 16 1942.” In very good condition.

Sante, Luc

Low Life: Lures and Snares of Old New York.

New York : Farrar Strauss Giroux, 1991.

First edition of Sante’s classic work, which tells the story of New York’s Lower East Side, circa 1840-1920. Octavo, original cloth, pictorial endpapers. Boldly signed by Luc Sante on the title page. Fine in a fine price-clipped dust jacket. Jacket design by Barbara de Wilde.

The Dalai Lama of Tibet

My Land and My People: The Memoirs of His Holiness The Dalai Lama.

New York : McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc, 1962.

First edition of the Dalai Lama’s first autobiography. Octavo, original half cloth, illustrated. Boldly signed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama on the title page. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket with light rubbing, bookplate to the front free endpaper. Edited by David Howarth. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box.

Friedman, Milton, Frederick Mosteller, W. Allen Wallis, H.A. Freeman

Sampling Inspection: Principles, Procedures, and Tables for Single, Double, and Sequential Sampling in Acceptance Inspection and Quality Control Based on Percent Defective.

New York : McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc, 1948.

First edition of this early work by the Nobel Prize-winning economist. Octavo, original cloth. Boldly signed by Milton Friedman on the half-title page. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket, name to the front free endpaper. Scarce in the original dust jacket and signed by Friedman

Hawks, Frank

Speed.

New York : Brewer, Warren & Putnam, 1931.

First edition of the legendary World War I aviator’s autobiography. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated, lacking the frontispiece. Presentation copy, lengthily inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “To Rolly Ueland, the only pal I ever had – always wishing you happy landings Frank Hawks alias Hawker.” The recipient, Rolf Ueland practiced law inContinue reading "Speed."

Germains, Victor Wallace [Winston S. Churchill]

The Truth About Kitchener. To Which is Appended a Letter From General Von Ludendorff.

London : John Lane The Bodley Head Ltd, 1925.

First edition of Germains’ defense of Kitchener’s role in the First World War, from the library of Winston S. Churchill. Octavo, original cloth. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the front pastedown, “Rt Hon. Winston Churchill. from the Author V. W. Germains 23/2/27.” Germains’ defense of Lord Kitchener contains a critical analysis of theContinue reading "The Truth About Kitchener. To Which is Appended a Letter From General Von Ludendorff."

Toffler, Alvin

The Third Wave.

New York : William Morrow and Company, 1980.

First edition of the sequel to the author’s Future Shock. Octavo, original cloth. Boldly signed by Alvin Toffler on the front free endpaper. Near fine in a very good dust jacket. Jacket design by Joe Caroff.

Amishah Umshei Torah, Im Haft Arot Le-Khol Ha-Shanah. [Hebrew Chumash/The Pentateuch].

Tel Aviv : Hotsa at Sinai, c. 1950.

Rare Hebrew Chumash containing the Five Books of Moses, blessings before and after the Haftarah, and accents according to the Ashkenazic, Sephardic, and Italian rites. 32mo, five volumes, original cloth with gilt titles and decorations to the spine, text in Hebrew. The word chumash refers to one of the five books of the Torah, whichContinue reading "Amishah Umshei Torah, Im Haft Arot Le-Khol Ha-Shanah. [Hebrew Chumash/The Pentateuch]."

Keller, Helen

We Bereaved.

New York : Leslie Fulenwider, Inc, 1929.

First edition of this small book of wisdom by Helen Keller. Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, warmly inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “To Mrs Warren Monk, whose sweet faith is a bond between us. Affectionately, Helen Keller, July 24th, 1940.” In near fine condition. Uncommon signed and inscribed.

Blume, Marshall E, Jeremy J. Siegel and Dan Rottenberg

Revolution On Wall Street.

New York : W.W. Norton & Company, 1993.

First edition of this informative history of the New York Stock Exchange. Octavo, original half cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by all three authors on the front free endpaper, “To Barbara and David Holmes The pride of the Franklin Inn! Dan Rottenberg, Jeremy Siegel and Marshall E. Blume.” Fine in a fine dust jacket. Jacket designContinue reading "Revolution On Wall Street."