Cervantes Saavedra, Miguel de

El Ingenioso Hidalgo Don Quixote de la Mancha: Nueva Edicion, Corregida Por La Real Academia Española.

Madrid : Don Joaquin Ibarra, 1780.

The deluxe illustrated Ibarra edition of Cervantes’ masterpiece. Quartos, 4 volumes. Bound in full 19th century green morocco with central motif and cornerpieces stamped in blind to the panels, gilt titles and tooling to the spine, elaborate double-ruled gilt borders, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt, engraved frontispiece to each volume and 31 engraved plates throughout,Continue reading "El Ingenioso Hidalgo Don Quixote de la Mancha: Nueva Edicion, Corregida Por La Real Academia Española."

Percey, William

The Compleat Swimmer: Or, The Art of Swimming: Demonstrating The Rules and Practice thereof, in an Exact, Plain, and Easie Method. Necessary to be Known and Practiced by All Who Studie or Desire their own Preservation.

London : Printed by J. C. for Henry Fletcher, 1658.

First and only edition of one of the earliest treatises on swimming, preceded only by Sir Everard Digby’s short Latin tract, published in 1589 and translated into English in 1595; and the Dutchman Nicholas Wynman’s De arte natandi, 1538. 12mo, bound in full 19th century calf with gilt titles and tooling the spine, gilt rulingContinue reading "The Compleat Swimmer: Or, The Art of Swimming: Demonstrating The Rules and Practice thereof, in an Exact, Plain, and Easie Method. Necessary to be Known and Practiced by All Who Studie or Desire their own Preservation."

[Cleveland, Grover; James A. Garfield; Ulysses S. Grant; Benjamin Harrison; Rutherford B. Hayes; William McKinley; Theodore Roosevelt]

19th-Century Presidents, Vice Presidents and other Dignitaries Signed Autograph Album.

Philadelphia : J.B. Lippincott & Co, [1872].

Rare and remarkable autograph book compiled by West Virginia senator and industrialist Henry Gassaway Davis (1823-1916) containing 289 historic autographs, including seven presidents, seven vice presidents, and scores of members of the Senate, House of Representatives, and presidential cabinets, as well as a few other 19th-century notables. Octavo, bound in full crushed levant morocco byContinue reading "19th-Century Presidents, Vice Presidents and other Dignitaries Signed Autograph Album."

Lewis, C.S. Illustrations by Pauline Baynes

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, Prince Caspian, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, The Silver Chair, The Horse and His Boy, The Magician’s Nephew, The Last Battle.

London : Geoffrey Bles and The Bodley Head, 1950-1956.

Complete first edition set of C.S. Lewis’s best-selling work, one of the best-selling series of all time which has sold 120 million copies in 47 languages. “Adored by children and academics alike, these books are extremely collectable, sought-after, and scarce” (Connolly, 186). Octavo, seven volumes bound in full crushed green morocco by Temple Bookbinders withContinue reading "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, Prince Caspian, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, The Silver Chair, The Horse and His Boy, The Magician’s Nephew, The Last Battle."

Bunyan, John

The Holy War, made by Shaddai upon Diabolus.

London : Printed for Dorman Newman and Benjamin Alsop, 1682.

Exceptionally rare first edition of this allegorical epic, which Macaulay said “if The Pilgrim’s Progress had not been written, The Holy War would have been the greatest English allegory” (Cambridge History of English Literature). Octavo, engraved portrait frontispiece by R. White. In very good condition, final advertisement leaf present, sig.B damp-stained at lower outer corners, cornerContinue reading "The Holy War, made by Shaddai upon Diabolus."

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."

Staunton, Sir George. [Sir George Macartney]

An Authentic Account of an Embassy from the King of Great Britain to the Emperor of China; Including Cursory Observations Made, and Information Obtained, In Travelling Through That Ancient Empire, and a Small Part of Chinese Tartary.

London : Printed by W. Bulmer and Co. for G. Nicol, 1797.

Rare first edition of the official account of Lord Macartney’s voyage and embassy to the Qianlong emperor in 1792-94, the failure of which led to the establishment of the British trading post at Hong Kong. Three volumes (two quarto volumes of text and one folio atlas volume of plates) bound by Clarke Preston in full diced calf with morocco spine labels lettered in gilt, elaborate gilt tooling to the spine in six compartments within raisedContinue reading "An Authentic Account of an Embassy from the King of Great Britain to the Emperor of China; Including Cursory Observations Made, and Information Obtained, In Travelling Through That Ancient Empire, and a Small Part of Chinese Tartary."

Gibbon, Edward

The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.

London : Printed for W. Strahan; and T. Cadell, In The Strand, 1776-1788.

First edition, first state of Gibbon’s “masterpiece of historical penetration and literary style” (PMM). Quarto, six volumes, bound in modern half calf over marbled boards by Bayntun-Riviere with morocco spine labels lettered in gilt, gilt ruling to the spine in six compartments within raised bands, all edges speckled red, engraved frontispiece portrait of Gibbon byContinue reading "The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire."

Dickens, Charles

The Christmas Books: A Christmas Carol; The Chimes; The Cricket on the Hearth; The Battle of Life; The Haunted Man and The Ghost’s Bargain.

London : Chapman and Hall/Bradbury & Evans, 1843-48.

Complete first edition set of Charles Dickens’ Christmas Books. Octavo, 5 volumes, original cloth with gilt titles and tooling to the spine and front panels, all edges gilt, frontispiece, title page vignettes. A Christmas Carol is a first printing with 4 hand-colored plates, red and blue title page, ‘Stave 1’ and uncorrected text, chalky greenContinue reading "The Christmas Books: A Christmas Carol; The Chimes; The Cricket on the Hearth; The Battle of Life; The Haunted Man and The Ghost’s Bargain."

Locke, John

A Second Letter Concerning Toleration.

London : Printed for Awnsham and John Churchill, at the Black Swan in Ave-Mary Lane, 1690.

First edition of John Locke’s landmark second Letter of Toleration, a profound influence on Jefferson, Madison and the architecture of the American Constitution on freedom of religion. Octavo, bound in three quarter calf with gilt titles to the spine, marbled endpapers. In very good condition, paper repair to lower corner D1, faint early ink ownershipContinue reading "A Second Letter Concerning Toleration."

Acts Passed at the Second Congress of the United States of America: Begun and Held at the City of Philadelphia, In the State of Pennsylvania, On Monday, The Twenty-Fourth of October, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Ninety-One: And o the Independence of the United States, the Sixteenth. [Bound With]: The Constitution of the United States of America; As Proposed by the Convention Held at Philadelphia, Sept. 17, 1787, and Since Ratified by the Several States.

Philadelphia : Printed by Francis Childs and Joseph Swaine, Printers to the United States; Printed by John Fenno, 1791-c. 1793.

First printing of the Second Acts of Congress, bound with an even more rare printing of the Constitution. Octavo, original full calf, red morocco spine label lettered gilt. From the library of the first (and longest serving) Secretary of the United States Senate, Samuel Allyne Otis with his signature to the second page. Otis wasContinue reading "Acts Passed at the Second Congress of the United States of America: Begun and Held at the City of Philadelphia, In the State of Pennsylvania, On Monday, The Twenty-Fourth of October, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Ninety-One: And o the Independence of the United States, the Sixteenth. [Bound With]: The Constitution of the United States of America; As Proposed by the Convention Held at Philadelphia, Sept. 17, 1787, and Since Ratified by the Several States."

Stadius, Joannes. [Edmond Halley]

Ephemeris Anno Christi 1554.

Cologne : Apud haeredes Arnoldi Birckmanni, 1570.

Edmond Halley’s sixteenth-century copy of Flemish mathematician Joannes Stadius’ widely consulted astronomical almanac, first published in 1554. Quarto, bound in full English calf with an elaborate gilt lozenge to the center of each panel, gilt titles and tooling to the spine in five compartments within raised bands, printer’s device to the title page. From theContinue reading "Ephemeris Anno Christi 1554."

Fitzgerald, F. Scott

The Works of F. Scott Fitzgerald. This Side of Paradise, Flappers and Philosophers, Tales of the Jazz Age, The Beautiful and Damned, The Vegetable, The Great Gatsby, All the Sad Young Men, Taps at Reveille, Tender is the Night, The Last Tycoon.

New York : Charles Scribners, 1920-1941.

First edition, first printings of each of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s works. Octavo, 10 volumes, bound by full green morocco by the Harcourt Bindery, gilt titles to the spine, raised bands, gilt ruled to the front and rear panels, inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, twin rule to turn ins, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt. F. Scott FitzgeraldContinue reading "The Works of F. Scott Fitzgerald. This Side of Paradise, Flappers and Philosophers, Tales of the Jazz Age, The Beautiful and Damned, The Vegetable, The Great Gatsby, All the Sad Young Men, Taps at Reveille, Tender is the Night, The Last Tycoon."

Tolstoy, Lev Nikolayevich. [Leo]

The Complete Works of Count Leo Tolstoy.

Boston : Dana Estes & Company Publishers, 1905.

The Edition de Luxe of the complete works of Leo Tolstoy, limited to one thousand numbered copies. Octavo, 28 volumes bound in full elaborately decorated marbled levant morocco with gilt titles, tooling, and three red morocco floral inlays to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, quadruple gilt ruling, botanical gilt scrolling andContinue reading "The Complete Works of Count Leo Tolstoy."

Van der Hooght, Everardo

Biblia Hebraica, Secundum Ultimam Editionem Jos. Athiae, a Johanne Leusden, Denuo Recognitum, Recensita Variisque Notis Latinis Illustrata, ab Everardo Van Der Hooght. Editio Prima Americana, Sine Punctis Masorethicis.

Philadelphia : Printed by William Fry for Thomas Dobson, 1814.

Very rare first edition of the first Hebrew Bible published in America. Octavo, 2 volumes, bound in full contemporary calf, including half-titles and front and rear blanks, as well as scarce publisher’s notice in volume one (not found in all examples); Van der Hooght’s four leaf Preface bound in at front of second volume, moroccoContinue reading "Biblia Hebraica, Secundum Ultimam Editionem Jos. Athiae, a Johanne Leusden, Denuo Recognitum, Recensita Variisque Notis Latinis Illustrata, ab Everardo Van Der Hooght. Editio Prima Americana, Sine Punctis Masorethicis."

Atwood, Margaret

The Complete Works of Margaret Atwood. [The Edible Woman, Surfacing, Lady Oracle, Life Before Man, Bodily Harm, The Handmaid’s Tale, Cat’s Eye, The Robber Bride, Alias Grace, The Blind Assassin, Oryx and Crake, The Year of the Flood, MaddAddam, The Heart Goes Last, Hag-Seed, and The Testaments].

Toronto : McClelland and Stewart Limited/Alfred A. Knopf Canada, 1969-2019.

Complete true first edition set of the novels of Margaret Atwood, finely bound in full morocco by the Harcourt Bindery. Octavo, 16 volumes bound in full red crushed levant morocco by the Harcourt Bindery with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in five compartments within raised gilt bands, gilt ruling to the front andContinue reading "The Complete Works of Margaret Atwood. [The Edible Woman, Surfacing, Lady Oracle, Life Before Man, Bodily Harm, The Handmaid’s Tale, Cat’s Eye, The Robber Bride, Alias Grace, The Blind Assassin, Oryx and Crake, The Year of the Flood, MaddAddam, The Heart Goes Last, Hag-Seed, and The Testaments]."

Carrera, Pietro

Il Gioco De Gli Scacchi Di D. Pietro Carrera Diviso in Otto Libri. (The Game of Chess).

Militello : Giovanni de' Rossi, 1617.

Rare first edition of one of the early chess manuals, and the first book printed in Militello at Prince Francesco Branciforte’s private press. Octavo, bound in full contemporary vellum with ink titles to the spine, large engraving of the Branciforte coat of arms opposite the dedication page, woodcut illustrations throughout the text. In near fine condition.Continue reading "Il Gioco De Gli Scacchi Di D. Pietro Carrera Diviso in Otto Libri. (The Game of Chess)."

Carroll, Lewis. [Charles Lutwidge Dodgson]

Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland.

London : MacMillan and Co, 1879.

Early edition with sixty-second thousand stated on the title page of this classic work, boldly inscribed by the author on the half-title page, “Edith Mary Alice Berkeley from the Author, May 15/80.” Octavo, original cloth, gilt titles to the spine, all edges gilt, publisher’s cloth s, all edges gilt, housed in a modern scarlet morocco slipcaseContinue reading "Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland."

Paine, Thomas

Dissertations on Government, the Affairs of the Bank, and Paper-Money.

Philadelphia : Printed by Charles Cist, 1786.

First edition of Paine’s defense of the Bank of North America. Small octavo, bound in three quarters leather over marbled boards with gilt titles and tooling to the spine. Rare.

Dickens, Charles

A Tale of Two Cities.

London : Chapman and Hall, June-December 1859.

First edition, first issue of one of Dickens’ most enduring works, with p.213 in part 7/8 mispaginated “113”, and signature mark ‘b’ present on List of Plates at end, etched frontispiece, additional title and 14 plates by “Phiz” (Hablot K. Browne). Octavo, original blue-green wrappers. Complete with all the advertisements called for by Hatton &Continue reading "A Tale of Two Cities."

Locke, John

Two Treatises of Government: In the former, the False Principles and Foundation of Sir Robert Filmer, and his Followers, Are Detected and Overthrown. The latter is an Essay Concerning The True Original Extent, and End of Civil-Government.

London : Printed for Awnsham and John Churchill, at the Black-Swan in Pater-noster Row, 1694.

Rare second edition of Locke’s famed treatises on government. Duodecimo, elaborately bound in full contemporary calf with ruling and tooling stamped in blind to the front and rear panels, all edges speckled. In good condition with rubbing, losses to the corners, and the spine rebacked. Lacking pages 337-352, which are supplied in facsimile and looselyContinue reading "Two Treatises of Government: In the former, the False Principles and Foundation of Sir Robert Filmer, and his Followers, Are Detected and Overthrown. The latter is an Essay Concerning The True Original Extent, and End of Civil-Government."

Cervantes Saavedra, Miguel de. Translated by Thomas Shelton

The History of Don-Quichote. The First Parte and The Second Part of the History of the Valorous and Witty Knight-Errant, Don Quixote of the Mancha.

London : Printed for Edward Blount, 1620.

Exceedingly rare first complete edition in English of Cervantes’ masterpiece comprised of a second edition of the first part and first edition of the second part. Small quarto, bound in full crimson crushed levant morocco by Riviere & Son, gilt titles and elaborate gilt tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands,Continue reading "The History of Don-Quichote. The First Parte and The Second Part of the History of the Valorous and Witty Knight-Errant, Don Quixote of the Mancha."

Saint Augustine

Of the Citie of God: With the Learned Comments of Jo. Lod. Vives.

London : George Eld, 1610.

First edition in English of Augustine’s monumental work. Translated by John Healey. Folio, bound in full contemporary English panelled calf with gilt titles to the spine in six compartments within raised bands, central ornament tooled in gold to the front and rear panels, rebacked. Decorative woodcut head-pieces and decorative and woodcut initials, including three twelve-lineContinue reading "Of the Citie of God: With the Learned Comments of Jo. Lod. Vives."

Tolstoy, Leo. [Count Lyof N Tolstoi]

Anna Karenina.

Moscow : T. Ris, 1878.

First edition in Russian of Tolstoy’s masterpiece. Octavo, 3 volumes, bound in three quarters calf, gilt titles, raised bands. Housed in a custom box. In near fine condition. First editions in Russian are rare.