History, Law, and Politics

Calligraphic Manuscript on Vellum with a Color Miniature of the Painting by Leonardo Da Vinci.

c.1900.

Rare illuminated manuscript regarding Da Vinci’s master drawing The Head of Christ (c. 1495), the basis for Da Vinci’s depiction of Jesus in The Last Supper. Da Vinci himself considered the drawing so important, he reworked it several times over the course of his life. The text is headed “Art” at the center in liquidContinue reading "Calligraphic Manuscript on Vellum with a Color Miniature of the Painting by Leonardo Da Vinci."

Hobbes, Thomas

The Moral and Political Works.

London 1750.

First edition of the collected works of Hobbes. Folio, bound in full calf to period style, raised bands, gilt spine emblems, red morocco title label, marbled endpapers, frontispiece engraved title page. In very good condition. Containing Leviathan, De Corpore, Human Nature, Behemoth (1679) and other key writings. xxviii, (2) ii, 697 (3) pp. Macdonald & HargreavesContinue reading "The Moral and Political Works."

Smith, Sydney D. Foreword by Cesar Chavez

Grapes of Conflict.

Pasadena : Hope Publishing House, 1987.

First edition, signed limited edition of Smith’s account of the relationship between the Migrant Ministry and National Farm Workers Association in the 1960s farmworkers’ movement. Octavo, original publisher’s red velvet with gilt titles and tooling to the front panel. Singed by Caesar Chavez, Chris Hartmire and Sydney Smith on the signature page. In fine condition.

Hazlitt, William

Political Essays, with Sketches of Public Characters.

London : Printed for William Hone, 1819.

First edition of one of Hazlitt’s most interesting collections, including his estimates and reviews of Southey as Laureate, of Coleridge, Burke, and Malthus (at length). Octavo, bound in three quarter morocco with gilt titles and ruling to the spine in five compartments within raised bands, marbled endpapers. From the library of William Safire with hisContinue reading "Political Essays, with Sketches of Public Characters."

Lodge, Edmund

Portraits of Illustrious Personages of Great Britain. Engraved From Authentic Pictures in the Galleries of the Nobility and the Public Collections of the Country. With Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Their Lives and Actions.

London : Printed for Harding and Lepard, 1835.

Finely bound set of Lodge’s Portraits of Illustrious Personages. Folio, six volumes, bound in full morocco with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, quadruple gilt ruling and fleuron cornerpieces to the front and rear panels, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles, all edges gilt, illustrated with 240 tissue-guardedContinue reading "Portraits of Illustrious Personages of Great Britain. Engraved From Authentic Pictures in the Galleries of the Nobility and the Public Collections of the Country. With Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Their Lives and Actions."

[Kipling, Rudyard]

Horizon: Kipling’s India.

New York : American Heritage Publishing Co. Inc., 1964.

First appearance of Kipling’s India. Quarto, bound in full cloth with gilt titles to the spine and front panel. The Autumn, 1964. Volume VI, Number 4 issue of Horizon. In near fine condition.

Brown, John. [Woodrow Wilson; Charles A. Salmond; Alexander Stewart; James Stark; et al]

John Bunyan: His Life, Times and Work.

London : Wm. Ibister Limited, n.d..

Early edition of Reverend John Brown’s important biography of his predecessor and the author of Pilgrim’s Progress, English Puritan preacher John Bunyan. Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the half-title page, “With all fraternal regards John Brown Bedford, England, August 10th 1899” and signed by his wife, “Ada H. Brown.” AdditionallyContinue reading "John Bunyan: His Life, Times and Work."

Eisenhower, Dwight D. and Mamie Doud

Dwight D. and Mamie Doud Eisenhower Signed Photograph.

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Original color photograph inscribed by the 34th President and First Lady of the United States, Dwight D. and Mamie Doud Eisenhower. Presentation photograph, inscribed on the mount, “For Mrs. Helen Colle with best wishes and warm regards from Dwight D. Eisenhower” and signed, “Mamie Doud Eisenhower.” The recipient, Helen Colle Donaldson Hollers, was a White HouseContinue reading "Dwight D. and Mamie Doud Eisenhower Signed Photograph."

Gandhi, Mahatma. Edited by C. F. Andrews

Mahatma Gandhi At Work: His Own Story Continued.

New York : The Macmillan Company, 1931.

First edition of the third volume in Andrews’ intimate biography of Mahatma Gandhi, as was related to him by Gandhi himself. Octavo, original boards, frontispiece portrait of Gandhi. Near fine in the rare original dust jacket which is in very good condition.

Nehru, Jawaharlal

Toward Freedom: The Autobiography of Jawaharlal Nehru.

New York : The John Day Company, 1941.

Second printing, published the same year as the first of Nehru’s classic autobiography. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated. Boldly signed by Jawaharlal Nehru on the title page. In near fine condition.

Klein, Gerda Weissman

All But My Life.

New York : Hill & Wang, 1957.

First edition of the author’s “moving personal testament to courage” memoir. Octavo, original cloth, frontispiece. Signed by Gerda Weissman Klein on the front free endpaper. Near fine in a good dust jacket with some wear and rubbing. Jacket design by Leo Manso.

Paine, Thomas

Rights of Man: Part the First Being An Answer to Mr. Burke’s Attack on the French Revolution [and] Rights of Man: Part the Second. Combining Principle and Practice.

London, Printed: New York : Reprinted For Berry, Rogers, and Berry, No. 35, Hanover Square, 1792-1793.

Early printing of Paine’s Rights of Man Part the First and Part the Second. Octavo, disbound. With the textual error to the date of publication to Part the First reading 1742. The first part of Rights of Man was published in February 1791 by London publisher Johnson, but was immediately suppressed. With difficulty Paine was ableContinue reading "Rights of Man: Part the First Being An Answer to Mr. Burke’s Attack on the French Revolution [and] Rights of Man: Part the Second. Combining Principle and Practice."

Anderson, Ronald Lee. [Jean-Antoine Houdon; George Washington]

George Washington Houdon Bust Sculpture.

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Life-size sculpture of the head of George Washington, after the famed Houdon bust of George Washington of 1785. Plaster, the piece measures 11.5 inches by 9 inches and is attributed to American portraitist Ronald Lee Anderson who likely sculpted the work as an exercise as a college student. French sculptor Jean-Antoine Houdon was revered forContinue reading "George Washington Houdon Bust Sculpture."

Ford, Gerald R. and John R. Stiles

Portrait of an Assassin.

New York : Simon and Schuster, 1965.

First edition of the first book about the Kennedy assassination and Lee Harvey Oswald to be authored by a member of the Warren Commission, boldly signed by Ford. Octavo, original cloth. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “To Bob O’Connor with warmest personal regards and very best wishes. Gerald R.Continue reading "Portrait of an Assassin."

Merton, Robert K

Social Theory and Social Structure.

Glencoe, IL : The Free Press, 1949.

First edition of this landmark work in sociology. Octavo, original blue cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the title page, “For Fred, your friend for quite some time, Bob.” Near fine in the rare original dust jacket with some chips and wear. Uncommon signed and inscribed.

Huie, William Bradford. [Martin Luther King, Jr.]

He Slew the Dreamer: My Search, With James Earl Ray, For the Truth About the Murder of Martin Luther King.

New York : Delacorte Press, 1970.

First edition of the sensational journalist’s report on the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Octavo, original cloth. Signed by William Bradford Huie on the half-title page. Fine in a near fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Wenk/Schwartz.

Adams, John

John Adams Autograph Letter Signed.

1809.

Exceptionally rare 16-page autograph letter signed by and entirely in the hand of Founding Father John Adams defending the ultimate necessity of American sovereignty and its precedence over international alliances. Sixteen pages, entirely in the hand of John Adams and written on both the recto and verso of each page, the letter is dated JanuaryContinue reading "John Adams Autograph Letter Signed."

Buchan, John

A History of the Great War.

Boston : Houghton Mifflin Company, 1922.

Signed limited edition of Buchan’s classic work, one of 500 numbered examples. Octavo, 8 volumes. Signed by John Buchan. In near fine condition. Uncommon in this condition.

Johnson, Lyndon Baines

The Vantage Point: Perspectives on the Presidency.

New York : Holt Rinehart and Winston, 1971.

Signed limited first edition of President Johnson’s autobiography, one of 300 copies, this is number 61. Octavo, original red cloth, pictorial endpapers, illustrated with 72 pages of photographs. Signed by Lyndon Baines Johnson. Additionally inscribed by Johnson in the year of publication on the dedication page, “To Abe Feinberg who was always there all theContinue reading "The Vantage Point: Perspectives on the Presidency."

Waldo, S. Putnam. [James Monroe; John Adams; Thomas Jefferson]

Biographical Sketches of Distinguished American Naval Heroes and the War of the Revolution, Between the American Republic and the Kingdom of Great Britain; Comprising Sketches of Com. Nicholas Biddle, Com. John Paul Jones, Com. Edward Preble and Com. Alexander Murray. With Incidental Allusions to other Distinguished Characters.

Hartford : Published by Silas Andrus, 1823.

First edition of Putnam’s work dedicated to American naval heroes of the Revolutionary War including James Monroe, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson. Octavo, bound in three quarters morocco over marbled boards with gilt titles to the spine. In near fine condition. Armorial bookplate to the pastedown. Rare.