Gifts

Petty, Sir William

The Political Anatomy of Ireland…To Which is Added Verbum Sapienti.

London : Printed for D. Brown and W. Rogers, 1691.

First edition of this seminal, early statistical survey that analyzes 17th-century Irish land, people, and government to propose improvements for efficiency, taxation, and union with England. Duodecimo, bound in full speckled calf with gilt titles to the spine in six compartments within double ruled gilt bands, morocco spine label, and gilt turn-ins. In very goodContinue reading "The Political Anatomy of Ireland…To Which is Added Verbum Sapienti."

Kingsley, Charles

The Water-Babies: A Fairy Tale for a Land-Baby.

London and Cambridge : Macmillan and Co., 1863.

First edition of this Victorian moral fantasy. Octavo, bound in three-quarter crushed levant over marbled boards with gilt titles and ruling to the spine in six compartments within raised bands, gilt ruling to the front and rear panels, all edges gilt, marbled endpapers, with two illustrations by J. Noel Paton. In near fine condition. BookplatesContinue reading "The Water-Babies: A Fairy Tale for a Land-Baby."

Kipling, Rudyard

The Day’s Work.

London : Macmillan and Co., Limited, 1914.

The Bombay edition of this collection of 13 Kipling short stories mainly written between 1893 and 1896 while Kipling was living in Vermont. Octavo, bound in three-quarters morocco over cloth covered boards by Morrell with gilt titles and ruling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, gilt ruling to the front andContinue reading "The Day’s Work."

Kipling, Rudyard

Many Inventions.

London : Macmillan and Co., Limited, 1913.

The Bombay edition of this collection of Kipling poems and tales. Octavo, bound in three-quarters morocco over cloth covered boards by Morrell with gilt titles and ruling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, gilt ruling to the front and rear panels, top edge gilt, marbled endpapers. In near fine condition.

Blixen, Karen [Isak Dinesen]

Den Afrikanske Farm. [Out of Africa].

Copenhagen : Gyldendal, 1937.

First Danish edition of the author’s classic memoir, which recounts events of the seventeen years when Blixen made her home in Kenya. Octavo, original wrappers. In near fine condition. Rare in this condition.

Blixen, Karen [Isak Dinesen]

Out of Africa.

London : Putnam, 1937.

First British edition of the author’s classic memoir, which recounts events of the seventeen years when Blixen made her home in Kenya. Octavo, original publisher’s cloth. Near fine in a very good price-clipped dust jacket. An exceptional example, rare in this condition.

le Carre, John

The Looking-Glass War.

London : Heinemann, 1965.

First edition of the author’s fourth novel. Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “B. Payne best wishes John le Carré.” Near fine in a very good dust jacket with toning to the spine.

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.

Kingsley, Charles

The Roman and the Teuton: A Series of Lectures Delivered Before the University of Cambridge.

Cambridge and London : Macmillan and Co., 1864.

First edition of this classic collection of Kingsley’s Cambridge lectures. Octavo, bound in three quarters morocco over marbled boards by Tout & Sons with gilt titles and floral tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, gilt ruling to the front and rear panels, top edge gilt, marbled endpapers. In near fineContinue reading "The Roman and the Teuton: A Series of Lectures Delivered Before the University of Cambridge."

Rosendahl, Commander C.E

What About the Airship? The Challenge to the United States.

New York : Charles Scribners Sons, 1938.

First edition of this spirited defense of the airship that calls for America to secure and maintain airship superiority. Octavo, original publisher’s blue cloth with gilt titles to the spine and front panel, top stain red, illustrated with 16 black and white photographic plates. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper,Continue reading "What About the Airship? The Challenge to the United States."

Smith, D. Murray

Arctic Expeditions from British and Foreign Shores from the Earliest Times to the Expedition of 1875-76.

Glasgow, Melbourne, and Sydney : Thomas Liddell, 1877.

Finely bound edition of this history of Arctic exploration. Quarto, bound in full contemporary black morocco with gilt titles and elaborate tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised bands, elaborate pictorial front and rear panels stamped in blind and gilt, all edges gilt, rebacked with original spine laid down, tissue-guarded frontispiece. Illustrated withContinue reading "Arctic Expeditions from British and Foreign Shores from the Earliest Times to the Expedition of 1875-76."

Kingsley, Charles

Westward Ho!

Cambridge : Macmillan and Co., 1855.

First edition of Kingsley’s historical novel based on the Preston Somers Expedition of 1595. Small octavo, bound in three quarters morocco over marbled boards by Tout & Sons with gilt titles and floral tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, gilt ruling to the front and rear panels, top edge gilt,Continue reading "Westward Ho!"

Smeeton, George; Illustrated by George Cruikshank

Doings in London: or Day and Night Scenes of the Frauds, Frolics, Manners, and Depravities of the Metropolis.

London : Orlando Hodgson, c. 1830.

Finely bound example of this spirited survey of London life. Octavo, bound in three-quarters modern morocco with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, double gilt ruling to the front and rear panels, marbled endpapers, frontispiece and title page vignette, illustrated with thirty-three black and white engravings. InContinue reading "Doings in London: or Day and Night Scenes of the Frauds, Frolics, Manners, and Depravities of the Metropolis."

Amis, Kingsley [Writing as Robert Markham]

Colonel Sun.

London : Jonathan Cape, 1968.

Rare uncorrected proof of the first edition of the first Bond title published by Kingsley Amis. Duodecimo, original light green pictorial wrappers. In very good condition.

Muir, John

A Thousand-Mile Walk to the Gulf.

Boston and New York : Houghton Mifflin Company, 1916.

First trade edition of this travelogue chronicling the renowned naturalist’s 1867 journey on foot from Indiana to Florida. Octavo, original publisher’s green cloth with titles stamped in white, color pictorial cover label, top edge gilt, tissue-guarded frontispiece portrait of John Muir, illustrated with several plates from photographs and a map. In very good condition. EditedContinue reading "A Thousand-Mile Walk to the Gulf."

Armstrong, Neil; Buzz Aldrin; Michael Collins

Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins Signed Photograph.

c. 1969.

Glossy black and white photograph signed by NASA astronauts Neil Armstrong, Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin, and Michael Collins. Apollo 11 crew members Armstrong, Aldrin, and Collins are pictured waving for photographers from the Lunar Lander Ladder on Earth at an exhibit in Bombay, India, as part of the Apollo 11 “Giant Step” World Tour in 1969. BoldlyContinue reading "Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins Signed Photograph."

Stephenson, Neal

Snow Crash.

New York : Del Rey, 2022.

First edition of the 30th anniversary edition of this “brilliantly realized” (The New York Times Book Review) breakthrough novel from visionary author Neal Stephenson, a modern classic that predicted the metaverse and inspired generations of Silicon Valley innovators. Octavo, original half cloth, pictorial endpapers, illustrated with decorations. Boldly signed by Neal Stephenson on the titleContinue reading "Snow Crash."

Armstrong, Neil

Neil Armstrong Twice Signed Clark Anniversary Celebration Program.

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Rare original 75th Anniversary Celebration program of the Clark Equipment Company signed by astronaut Neil Armstrong. Square duodecimo, original pictorial wrappers, illustrated with black and white photographs, sixteen pages, golden bookmark tassel, dated May 7-9, 1978. Boldly signed by Neil Armstrong in blue felt tip on his biographical page and on a back “Notes” page.Continue reading "Neil Armstrong Twice Signed Clark Anniversary Celebration Program."

Kingsley, Charles

The Water-Babies: A Fairy Tale for a Land-Baby.

London and Cambridge : Macmillan and Co., 1863.

First edition of this Victorian moral fantasy. Octavo, bound in three-quarter Turkey morocco over marbled boards by Tout & Sons with gilt titles and floral tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, gilt ruling to the front and rear panels, top edge gilt, marbled endpapers, with two illustrations by J. NoelContinue reading "The Water-Babies: A Fairy Tale for a Land-Baby."

Kingsley, Charles

Andromeda and Other Poems.

London : John W. Parker and Son, 1858.

First edition of this collection centered on the Greek myth of Andromeda’s rescue from a sea monster by Perseus. Duodecimo, bound in three quarters morocco over marbled boards by Tout & Sons with gilt titles and floral tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, gilt ruling to the front and rearContinue reading "Andromeda and Other Poems."

Bergonzi, Bernard [H.G. Wells]

The Early H.G. Wells: A Study of the Scientific Romances.

Manchester : Manchester University Press, 1961.

First edition of this later social novel in which Wells examines the divergent lives of two brothers against the backdrop of a changing modern society. Octavo, original publisher’s cloth, frontispiece. From the collection of British science fiction author Christopher Priest with his ownership signature to the front free endpaper. Priest’s most famous works include TheContinue reading "The Early H.G. Wells: A Study of the Scientific Romances."

The Whole Art of Fishing. Being a Collection and Improvement of All That Has Been Written Upon the Subject: With Many New Experiments. Shewing the Different Ways of Angling, and the Best Methods of Taking Fresh-water Fish. To Which is Added, the Laws of Angling.

London : E. Curll, 1714.

First edition of this comprehensive 18th-century manual on the art of angling. Duodecimo, bound in full contemporary sprinkled tan sheepskin with the front and rear panels ruled in gilt, gilt crest of Francis Ferrand Foljambe to the foot of the spine, all edges speckled red, turn-ins stamped in black, engraved frontispiece. In very good conditionContinue reading "The Whole Art of Fishing. Being a Collection and Improvement of All That Has Been Written Upon the Subject: With Many New Experiments. Shewing the Different Ways of Angling, and the Best Methods of Taking Fresh-water Fish. To Which is Added, the Laws of Angling."

The Annual Register, or a View of the History, Politics, and Literature, for the Year 1776.

London : Printed for J. Dodsley, 1777.

Rare first edition, first issue of the The Annual Register for the Year 1776, a long-established reference work, written and published each year beginning in 1758 under the editorship of Edmund Burke. Octavo, bound in full brown calf with gilt titles to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, gilt ruling to theContinue reading "The Annual Register, or a View of the History, Politics, and Literature, for the Year 1776."

Buchan, John

Sir Walter Scott.

London : Cassell and Company Ltd, 1932.

First edition of this comprehensive and sympathetic biography of the renowned Scottish novelist, poet, and historian Sir Walter Scott. Octavo, bound in three quarters leather over marbled boards with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised bands, marbled endpapers, frontispiece portrait of Sir Walter Scott. In near fine condition.