Henderson, W. A. [William Safire]

The Housekeeper’s Instructor; Or, Universal Family-Cook: Being a Full and Clear Display in all its Branches… To Which is Added, The Complete Art of Carving.

London : Printed for Thomas Kelly, [1823].

Early printing of Henderson’s bestselling English cookery book. Octavo, bound in three quarter contemporary calf with gilt titles and tooling to the spine, illustrated with engravings, lacking the frontispiece, one plate and with loss to another plate. Corrected and revised by Jacob Christopher Schnebbelie. From the library of William Safire, although not marked. William SafireContinue reading "The Housekeeper’s Instructor; Or, Universal Family-Cook: Being a Full and Clear Display in all its Branches… To Which is Added, The Complete Art of Carving."

Boccaccio, Giovanni

The Decameron.

London : Isaac Jaggard, 1620.

First edition in English of Boccaccio’s masterpiece, published by Jaggard published three years prior to his printing of the Shakespeare First Folio. Boccaccio’s masterpiece. Folio, 2 volumes, bound in full morocco by Riviere, gilt titles and tooling to the spine, all edges gilt, errata leaf at end of volume one, B1 is a cancellans, woodcutContinue reading "The Decameron."

Translated by Edward Fitzgerald. Illustrated by Will Pogany

Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam.

London : George G. Harrap & Co. Ltd., n.d..

Elaborately bound example of Pogany’s finely illustrated Rubaiyat. Octavo, bound in full crushed red morocco by Banytun Riviere with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, quadruple gilt ruling, fleuron cornerpieces, and central gilt arabesque to the front and rear panels, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles, marbled endpapers,Continue reading "Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam."

Dickens, Charles

The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby.

London : Oxford University Press, 1968.

Elaborately bound Oxford illustrated edition of one of Dickens’ most popular novels. Octavo, bound in full crushed blue morocco by Sangorski and Sutcliffe with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, double gilt ruling and fleuron cornerpieces to the front and rear panels, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles,Continue reading "The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby."

Machiavelli, Niccolò

Discorsi Di Nicolo Machiavelli Pra La Prima Deca Di Tito Livio [bound with] Il Prencipe di Nicolo Machiavelli. [Machiavelli’s Discourses bound with The Prince].

Palermo : Apresso gli heredi d'Antoniello degli Antonielli , 1584 [London: John Wolfe].

Rare 16th century printing of John Wolfe’s famed fictitious Italian editions of Machiavelli’s fundamental works of political history and philosophy. Octavo, elaborately bound in full crushed morocco with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, double gilt ruling and central motifs to the front and rear panels, giltContinue reading "Discorsi Di Nicolo Machiavelli Pra La Prima Deca Di Tito Livio [bound with] Il Prencipe di Nicolo Machiavelli. [Machiavelli’s Discourses bound with The Prince]."

Moore, Thomas

The Poetical Works of Thomas Moore. [Fore-Edge Painting].

London : Frederick Warne and Co., n.d..

The Albion edition of Moore’s poetical works. Octavo, bound in full polished tree calf with elaborate gilt 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 and inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt, tissue-guarded engraved frontispieceContinue reading "The Poetical Works of Thomas Moore. [Fore-Edge Painting]."

Hamilton, Edward

The River-Side Naturalist: Notes of the Various Forms of Life Met With Either In, On, or By The Water, or In Its Immediate Vicinity.

London : Sampson, Low, Marston, Searle, & Rivington, Limited, 1890.

First edition of Hamilton’s work on riverside flora and fauna. Octavo, bound in full polished calf with elaborate gilt tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, morocco spine label lettered in gilt, double gilt ruling and fleuron cornerpieces to the front and rear panel, central gilt insignia of Haileybury College, giltContinue reading "The River-Side Naturalist: Notes of the Various Forms of Life Met With Either In, On, or By The Water, or In Its Immediate Vicinity."

Strachey, Lytton

Eminent Victorians: Cardinal Manning, Florence Nightingale, Dr. Arnold, General Gordon.

London : Chatto and Windus, 1960.

Finely bound example of the work that placed Strachey firmly in the top rank of biographers. Octavo, bound in full crushed red morocco by Sangorski and Sutcliffe with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, double gilt ruling and fleuron cornerpieces to the front and rear panels, giltContinue reading "Eminent Victorians: Cardinal Manning, Florence Nightingale, Dr. Arnold, General Gordon."

Blishen, Edward. Illustrated by Brian Wildsmith

Oxford Book of Poetry for Children.

London : Oxford University Press, 1963.

First edition of Blishen and Wildsmith’s acclaimed illustrated compilation of children’s poetry. Quarto, bound in full crushed red morocco by Sangorski and Sutcliffe with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, double gilt ruling and fleuron cornerpieces to the front and rear panels, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles,Continue reading "Oxford Book of Poetry for Children."

Waugh, Evelyn

Decline and Fall.

London : Chapman & Hall, 1962.

First revised edition of Waugh’s first published novel. Octavo, bound in full crushed green morocco by Sangorski and Sutcliffe with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, double gilt ruling and fleuron cornerpieces to the front and rear panels, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, all edgesContinue reading "Decline and Fall."

Goldoni, Carlo

Le Commedie Del Dottore Carlo Goldoni Avvocato Veneziano Fra Gli Arcadi Polisseno Fegejo Prima Edizione Fiorentina Dell’ Autore correta, riveduta, ed ampliata.

Firenze : Eredi Paperini, 1753-1755.

First corrected Florentine edition of Goldoni’s comedic works. Octavo, 12 volumes, bound in full vellum, frontispiece portrait of Goldoni by Pitteri after Piazetta. In good condition. Armorial bookplates and ownership inscription. A rare set published during Goldoni’s lifetime.

Milne, A. A. Decorations by Ernest Shepard

Now We Are Six.

London : Methuen & Co. Ltd., 1960.

Finely bound example of the third book in Milne’s beloved Pooh series. Octavo, bound in three quarter morocco over marbled boards by Sangorski and Sutcliffe with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, marbled endpapers, top edge gilt, decorations by Ernest Shepard. In near fine condition.

Roubayyat de Hafiz et d’Omar Khayyam. [The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám].

Paris : Francis LeBegue, [1921].

Finely bound example of the Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám. Octavo, bound in full levant morocco with gilt titles to the spine, gilt Art Deco style decorations to the front and rear panel, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, top edge gilt, decorated borders and initials. One of 300 copies. Text in French. Translated byContinue reading "Roubayyat de Hafiz et d’Omar Khayyam. [The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám]."

Goldoni, Carlo

Nuovo Teatro Comico Dell’Avvocato Carlo Goldoni Poeta Di S. A. R. Il Serenissimo Infante di Spagna Don Filippo Duca Di Parma, Piacenza, Guastalla, ec. [New Comic Theater of the Lawyer Carlo Goldoni].

Venezi : Francesco Pitteri, 1753-1755.

Rare complete set of Pitteri’s 1757 printing of Goldoni’s works of comic theater. Octavo, ten volumes bound in full vellum with gilt tooling to the spine, engraved frontispiece portrait of Goldoni by Pitteri after Piazetta. In good condition. Armorial bookplates. A rare complete set of this scarce printing published during the author’s lifetime.

Trollope, Anthony

The Macdermots of Ballycloran.

London : Chapman and Hall, nd.

Finely bound example of Trollope’s first published novel. Octavo, bound in three quarters morocco over pebbled boards with gilt titles and tooling to the spine, marbled endpapers. In very good condition.

Twain, Mark [Samuel L. Clemens]

Roughing It.

Hartford, Connecticut : American Publishing Company, 1872.

First edition, mixed state of Twain’s first semi-autobiographical work of travel literature, essentially a prequel to The Innocents Abroad, lacking the word ‘he’ on page 242 but with the advert present on page 592 (BAL 3337). Octavo, bound in three quarter morocco with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raisedContinue reading "Roughing It."

Farrell, James T. [William Safire]

Studs Lonigan. A Trilogy Containing Young Lonigan, The Young Manhood of Studs Lonigan, and Judgment Day.

New York : The Modern Library, [1938].

First edition, early printing of Farrell’s well-regarded trilogy. Octavo, bound in three quarter morocco with gilt titles and raised bands to the spine, marbled endpapers, top edge gilt. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “Jan 9/ 1950 For Bill Safire with best wishes Jim Farrell.” The recipient, William Safire wasContinue reading "Studs Lonigan. A Trilogy Containing Young Lonigan, The Young Manhood of Studs Lonigan, and Judgment Day."

Burton, Richard F

A Plain and Literal Translation of the Arabian Nights’ Entertainments, now entitled The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night… [with] Supplemental Nights.

Benares : Printed by the Kamashastra Society for Private Subscribers only, .

First Burton edition of The Arabian Nights. Octavo, 16 volumes, bound in three quarter red crushed morocco, gilt titles and tooling to the spine, raised bands, top edge gilt, illustrated. In near fine condition.

Apollinaire, Guillaume. [Pablo Picasso]

Alcools: Poems (1898-1913). Avec un Portrait de L’Auteur par Pablo Picasso.

Paris : Mercure de France, 1913.

First edition of Apollinaire’s first collection of poems, signed by him and Pablo Picasso. Octavo, bound in three quarter morocco with gilt titles and raised bands to the spine, patterned endpapers, frontispiece portrait of the poet by Pablo Picasso. Association copy, inscribed by both Apollinaire and Pablo Picasso on front free endpaper, “A A P.N.Continue reading "Alcools: Poems (1898-1913). Avec un Portrait de L’Auteur par Pablo Picasso."

Twain, Mark. [Samuel Clemens]

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Tom Sawyer’s Comrade).

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

First edition, first issue of Mark Twain’s masterpiece. Octavo, bound in full dark green morocco with morocco spine label lettered in gilt, raised bands to the spine, mar top edge gilt, with 174 illustrations by Edward W. Kemble. With all of the agreed upon first issue points for the clothbound book: page 9 with “Decided”Continue reading "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Tom Sawyer’s Comrade)."

Stetson, Charlotte Perkins [Charlotte Perkins Gilman]

Women and Economics: A Study of the Economic Relation Between Men and Women as a Factor in Social Evolution.

Boston : Small, Maynard & Company, 1898.

First edition of this landmark work. Octavo, bound in full leather, gilt titles to the spine, raised bands, gilt ruled to the front and rear panels, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt. In fine condition.

Mead, Margaret

Coming of Age In Samoa: A Psychological Study of Primitive Youth for Western Civilisation.

New York : William Morrow & Company, 1928.

First edition of Mead’s pioneering work which, upon publication, established her as the most famous anthropologist in the world. Octavo, bound in full leather, gilt titles to the spine, raised bands, gilt ruled to the front and rear panels, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt, illustrated. In fine condition.

[Temple, Henry J.]

The New Whig Guide.

London : W. Wright, 1819.

First edition of this collection of 19th century British political pasquinades. Octavo, bound in full contemporary calf with with gilt ruling to the spine, red morocco spine label lettered in gilt. From the library of William Safire with his bookplate to the pastedown. William Safire was an important American author, columnist, journalist, and presidential speechwriter.Continue reading "The New Whig Guide."

Twain, Mark [Samuel L. Clemens]

The American Claimant.

New York : Charles L. Webster, 1892.

First edition of Twain’s comedy of mistaken identities with the publication date on both the title and copyright page. BAL 3434. Octavo, bound in three quarter morocco with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, top edge gilt, marbled endpapers, illustrated. From the library of William Safire withContinue reading "The American Claimant."