Isherwood, Christopher

Lions and Shadows: An Education in the Twenties.

London : Leonard & Virginia Woolf at The Hogarth Press, 1938.

First edition of Isherwood’s semi-autobiographical novel about bohemian London in the 1920s. Octavo, original cloth. Near fine in a very good dust jacket. Housed in a custom full morocco clamshell box.

Cellini, Benvenuto; Fritz Kredel [Illustrator]

The Life of Benvenuto Cellini: Written By Himself.

New York : The Limited Editions Club, 1937.

The Limited Editions Club signed limited edition of this autobiographical account by the Italian Renaissance sculptor, goldsmith, and writer Benvenuto Cellini. Quarto, bound in full modern morocco by Sangorski & Sutcliffe / Zaehnsdorf with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, gilt ruling to the front and rearContinue reading "The Life of Benvenuto Cellini: Written By Himself."

Guizot, M

L’Histoire De France Depuis Les Temps Les Recules Jusqu’en 1789 Racontee A Mes Petits-Enfants Par Ms. Guizot. [The History of France From The Earliest Times To The Year 1789. Related For The Rising Generation by M. Guizot].

Paris : Librairie Hachette, 1872-1876.

First edition of Guizot’s history of France, continued by Madame Guizot de Witt from her father’s notes. Quarto, 5 volumes bound in three quarter crushed red morocco over marbled boards with gilt titles and elaborate gilt tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, marbled endpapers, top edge gilt, ribbons bound in,Continue reading "L’Histoire De France Depuis Les Temps Les Recules Jusqu’en 1789 Racontee A Mes Petits-Enfants Par Ms. Guizot. [The History of France From The Earliest Times To The Year 1789. Related For The Rising Generation by M. Guizot]."

Gierach, John; Glenn Wolff [Illustrator]; Carolyn Chadwick [Binder]; Nick Lyons [Publisher]

Fishing Bamboo.

New York : Lyons & Burford, Publishers, 1997.

First limited deluxe edition of this collection of angling essays on bamboo fly rods. Octavo, bound in three-quarters Nigerian goatskin over silk moire covered boards with a flat piece of bamboo hand-planed by Mike Clark inset into the spine, gilt ruling to the front and rear panels, top edge marbled blue, with black and whiteContinue reading "Fishing Bamboo."

Chaucer, Geoffrey

The Poetical Works of Geoffrey Chaucer.

London : William Pickering, 1852.

The Aldine edition of Chaucer’s brilliant poetical works. Duodecimo, six volumes, bound in full contemporary tan calf with morocco spine labels lettered in gilt and elaborate gilt tooling to the spine in six compartments within gilt raised bands, all edges marbled, marbled endpapers, frontispiece portrait of Geoffrey Chaucer to Vol. I, decorated with botanical headpieces,Continue reading "The Poetical Works of Geoffrey Chaucer."

Heeren, Arnold Hermann Ludwig. [Translated by George Bancroft]

Reflections on the Politics of Ancient Greece.

Boston : Cummings, Hilliard & Co, 1824.

First American edition of Bancroft’s translation of Heeren’s monumental work on politics in Ancient Greece. Octavo, bound in full contemporary calf with gilt ruling to the spine and a red morocco spine label lettered in gilt, all edges marbled. From the library of William Safire with his bookplate to the pastedown. William Safire was anContinue reading "Reflections on the Politics of Ancient Greece."

Eliot, George

Felix Holt: The Radical.

Edinburgh and London : William Blackwood and Sons, 1866.

First edition of this classic political work. Sextodecimo, three volumes, half-calf bound in three quarter morocco over marbled boards with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, top edge gilt, marbled endpapers. In very good condition with rubbing to the hinges and extremities, light toning.

Waugh, Evelyn

Decline and Fall.

London : Chapman & Hall, 1931.

Pocket edition of Waugh’s first published novel. Octavo, bound in full morocco by the Harcourt Bindery, illustrated, gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, gilt ruling to the front and rear panels, gilt inner dentelles stamp-signed by the Harcourt Bindery, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt. An exceptional presentation.

Kipling, Rudyard

Barrack-Room Ballads, Departmental Duties, and The Seven Seas.

London : Methuen and Co. and George Newnes, 1899.

Finely bound early printings of Kipling’s collections of songs and poems regarding the late-Victorian British Army and voyages on the high seas. Octavo, three volumes, bound in three quarters morocco over marbled boards with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in 6 compartments within raised gilt bands, top edge gilt, others uncut, marbled endpapers.Continue reading "Barrack-Room Ballads, Departmental Duties, and The Seven Seas."

McCarthy, Justin

A History of Our Own Times: From the Accession of Queen Victoria to the Berlin Congress.

London : Chatto & Windus, Piccadilly, 1879.

Finely bound edition of this classic historical work. Octavo, four volumes, bound in three quarter red calf over marbled boards with gilt titles and elaborate tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, black morocco spine labels,  all edges marbled, marbled endpapers. In very good condition.

France, Anatole; Sylvain Sauvage [Illustrator]

The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard.

New York : The Limited Editions Club, 1937.

The Limited Editions Club signed limited edition of Anatole France’s first novel. Quarto, bound in full modern morocco by Sangorski & Sutcliffe / Zaehnsdorf with gilt titles to the spine in six compartments within raised bands, all edges gilt, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, frontispiece, with water-color illustrations. Boldly signed by illustrator SylvainContinue reading "The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard."

Guichardin, Francois

Histoire Des Guerres D’Italie.

London : Paul & Isaac Vaillant, 1738.

Quarto, 3 volume complete set. Attractive contemporary calf, gilt tooling to the spine, raised bands. Marbled endpapers. In good condition with some rubbing to the boards.

The New Whole Duty of Man, Containing the Faith as well as Practice of A Christian: Made Easy For the Practice of the Present Age, AS the Old Whole Duty of Man was design’d for those unhappy Times in which it was written: And Supplying the Articles of the Christian Faith, Which are Wanting in that Book. Though Essentially Necessary to Salvation. [Fore-Edge Painting].

London : Printed for W. Bent, 1823.

Finely bound example of this classic Protestant devotional work. Octavo, bound in full morocco with gilt titles and tooling to the spine, elaborate gilt ruling to the front and rear panels, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt, decorated with a concealed fore-edge painting of a maritime view, engraved frontispiece. In goodContinue reading "The New Whole Duty of Man, Containing the Faith as well as Practice of A Christian: Made Easy For the Practice of the Present Age, AS the Old Whole Duty of Man was design’d for those unhappy Times in which it was written: And Supplying the Articles of the Christian Faith, Which are Wanting in that Book. Though Essentially Necessary to Salvation. [Fore-Edge Painting]."

Campan, Jeanne Louise Henriette [Marie Antoinette]

Memoirs of the Private Life of Marie Antoinette to Which Are Added Personal Recollections Illustravtive of the Reigns of Louis XIV, XV, XVI.

New York : Brentano's, 1917.

Finely bound example of this personal firsthand account of the French queen’s domestic world written by her first lady-in-waiting. Octavo, two volumes, bound in full dark blue morocco with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, gilt ruling and elaborate gilt tooling to the front and rear panels,Continue reading "Memoirs of the Private Life of Marie Antoinette to Which Are Added Personal Recollections Illustravtive of the Reigns of Louis XIV, XV, XVI."

Lanfrey, Pierre [Napoleon]

The History of Napoleon the First.

London and New York : Macmillan and Co., 1871-1879.

First English edition of this critical biography that attempts to demythologize Napoleon Bonaparte. Octavo, four volumes, bound in early twentieth century three-quarters morocco over marble covered boards by Zaensdorf with gilt titles and elaborate tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised bands, top edges gilt, marbled endpapers. In very good condition.

Facsimiles of Declaration of Independence and the Treaty of Waitangi.

New Zealand : R.E. Owen, Government Printer, 1960.

Finely bound example of this compilation of documents related to the Declaration of the Independence of New Zealand and the Treaty of Waitangi. Quarter, bound in full pebbled leatherette with gilt titles to the front panel, containing numerous facsimiles of original signed documents, many folding. In very good condition. Rare.

Van Evrie, John H

Negroes and Negro “Slavery:” The First an Inferior Race: The Latter its Normal Condition.

New York : Van Evrie, Horton & Co, 1861.

First edition of this vehemently proslavery work by the New York physician who attacks the “great ‘Anti-Slavery’ delusion'” of Wilberforce and others, published the year the nation erupted into civil war. Octavo, original publisher’s brown cloth with gilt titles to the spine, quadruple ruling stamped in blind to the front and rear panels, tissue-guarded frontispiece,Continue reading "Negroes and Negro “Slavery:” The First an Inferior Race: The Latter its Normal Condition."

Bourget, Paul

Le Disciple.

Paris : Collection Française, 1925.

Limited Collection Française edition of Bourget’s most notable work. Octavo, bound in three quarters calf over marbled boards with gilt tooling to the spine in three compartments within raised gilt bands, black morocco spine labels lettered in gilt, gilt topstain, marbled endpapers, illustrated with colored engravings. One of 1021 numbered copies, this is number 233.Continue reading "Le Disciple."

Cadet de Gassicourt, Charles-Louis

Cours Gastronomique, ou Les Diners de Manant-Ville, Ouvrage Anecdotique, Philosophique et Literature.

Paris : Imprimerie de Brasseur Aine, 1809.

Second edition of this work on French Gastronomy, containing its history throughout the country’s various regions. Octavo, bound in full calf with gilt titles and tooling to the spine, red morocco spine labels, marbled endpapers, ribbon bound in, lacking the folding engraved plate of the gastronomic areas of France. In very good condition. Rare.

Peixotto, Ernest

Romantic California.

New York : Charles Scribner's Sons, 1912.

Finely bound edition of this classic in travel and tourism for the state of California. Octavo, bound in full morocco with gilt titles to the spine in six compartments within raised bands with a design of a California mission and bell on the front panel, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, top edge gilt,Continue reading "Romantic California."

Burton, Captain Sir Richard F

A Mission to Gelele, King of Dahome.

London : Tylston and Edwards, 1893.

Memorial edition of this mid-19th-century travel narrative by British explorer Richard Burton. Octavo, two volumes, bound in three-quarters morocco over cloth with gilt titles and ruling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, top edge gilt, marbled endpapers, tissue-guarded frontispiece, with appendices. In near fine condition.

Chamich, Father Michael; Johannes Avdall [Translator]

History of Armenia.

Calcutta : Printed at Bishop's College Press, 1827.

First edition of the English translation of the history of Armenia from B.C. 2247 to A.D. 1780. Octavo, volume one only out of two, bound in full tree calf with gilt titles and elaborate tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, gilt ruling to the front and rear panels, morocco spineContinue reading "History of Armenia."

Roberts, Lord Frederick Sleigh

Forty-One Years in India: From Subaltern to Commander in Chief.

London : Richard Bentley and Son, 1898.

First edition of Commander-in-Chief of the British Army Lord Robert’s memoirs. Octavo, 2 volumes bound in full vellum with morocco spine labels lettered in gilt and gilt tooling to the spines, double gilt ruling and gilt coats of arms to the front and rear panels, marbled endpapers, all edges red, illustrated with tissue-guarded engravings andContinue reading "Forty-One Years in India: From Subaltern to Commander in Chief."

Jackson, James

Cases of Cholera Collected at Paris, in the Month of April, 1832, in the Wards of MM. Andral and Louis at the Hospital La Pitie.

Boston : Carter, Hendee, and Co, 1832.

First edition of Jackson’s work detailing six cases of Cholera collected at the Hospital de la Pitie at Paris. Octavo, original publisher’s boards and paper spine label. In very good condition. Ownership inscription.