Vidal, Gore

1876: A Novel.

New York : Random House, 1976.

First edition of this classic novel. Octavo, original cloth. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the “Valerie love Gore.” The recipient, Valerie Gore was the author’s sister. Vidal’s father remarried in 1939 and had two children with his second wife; Valerie was born in 1946. The two remained close throughout the years. Near fineContinue reading "1876: A Novel."

Mandela, Nelson

Long Walk To Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela.

South Africa : MacDonald Purnell, 1994.

First South African edition of this classic autobiography, which has went on to sell over six million copies worldwide. Octavo, original black cloth, cartographic endpapers, illustrated with photographs. Boldly signed on the title page by the author, “NMandela 28.2.96.” Fine in a fine dust jacket.

Vidal, Gore

Screening History.

Cambridge, MA : Harvard University Press, 1992.

First edition of this work by the award-winning novelist. Octavo, original cloth. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the title page, “Valerie, love, Gore Vidal.” The recipient, Valerie Vidal was the author’s sister. Vidal’s father remarried in 1939 and had two children with his second wife; Valerie was born in 1946. Fine in aContinue reading "Screening History."

Franklin, Dr. Benjamin

Chess Made Easy. New and Comprehensive Rules for Playing the Game of Chess.

Philadelphia : James Humphrey, 1802.

First edition of the earliest known book on chess printed in America. 32mo,bound in half leather over marbled boards, illustrated with engraved frontispiece. In very good condition with some rubbing to the extremities, frontispiece repaired, title-page repaired and dampstained. An exceptional rarity, with only one example appearing at auction in the last 75 years.

[George Washington]

George Washington Marble Bust.

.

Rare marble bust of George Washington depicted as general. The entire piece measures 12.5 inches by 10.5 inches.  

Vidal, Gore

The Second American Revolution and Other Essays (1976-1982).

New York : Random House, 1982.

First edition of this collection of essays. Octavo, original half cloth. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the title page, “Kit all love Gore Vidal.” The recipient, Katherine “Kit” Vidal was Eugene Vidal’s second wife; he married her in 1939 when she was a 20 year old model with the Powers Agency, only sixContinue reading "The Second American Revolution and Other Essays (1976-1982)."

Roosevelt, Theodore

Outdoor Pastimes of an American Hunter.

New York : Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1905.

First edition of Roosevelt’s important collection of first-hand hunting accounts, including a lengthy description of newly created wilderness reserves. Octavo, original cloth, gilt titles to the spine and front panel, frontispiece portrait of Roosevelt with tissue guard present, illustrated with photographs. Signed by the author in the year of publication on the second preliminary leaf,Continue reading "Outdoor Pastimes of an American Hunter."

McPherson, James M. and Alan Brinkley

Days of Destiny: Crossroads In American History.

New York : DK Publishing, 2001.

First edition of this illustrated work by the Pulitzer Prize-winning historian. Quarto, original illustrated boards, illustrated throughout. Boldly signed by James M. McPherson on the title page. Fine in a near fine dust jacket.

Mandela, Nelson

I Am Prepared to Die.

Kent : A.G. Bishop & Sons, Ltd, c. 1965.

Second edition of Mandela’s Rivonia Speech. Octavo, original illustrated wrappers. Signed and dated on the front panel, “NMandela 25.3.05.” In fine condition.

Palestine Pamphlets. Terrorist Methods With Mines and Booby Traps.

Jerusalem : Headquarters, Chief Engineer, Palestine & Transjordan, 1946.

Very rare restricted British Army manual dealing with terrorist explosive devices and methods. Octavo, original illustrated wrappers, frontispiece and 6 plates, 16 full-page text-illustrations. Only 2 copies can be traced in institutions (National Library of Israel and Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library, Toronto). In very good condition.

Kalashnikov, Mikhail

Conversation With A Gunsmith.

2012.

Octavo, original illustrated boards, illustrated throughout. Boldly signed by Mikhail Kalashnikov on the title page. In near fine condition. Books signed by Kalashnikov are uncommon.

Fanning, David

The Narrative of Colonel David Fanning: (A Tory in the Revolutionary War with Great Britain): Giving an Account of His Adventures in North Carolina, From 1775 to 1783 as Written by Himself, with an Introduction and Explanatory Notes.

Richmond, VA : Printed for Private Distribution Only, 1861.

First edition of the first book printed in the Confederacy. Quarto, original stiff paper wrappers, one of approximately 50 copies issued on regular paper. Ten being issued on thick paper, and twenty copies destroyed in a fire. In very good condition, reinforcement to the hinges. Housed in a custom full morocco clamshell box. Howes F26.Continue reading "The Narrative of Colonel David Fanning: (A Tory in the Revolutionary War with Great Britain): Giving an Account of His Adventures in North Carolina, From 1775 to 1783 as Written by Himself, with an Introduction and Explanatory Notes."

Washington, George; John Adams; Thomas Jefferson; James Madison; James Monroe; John Quincy Adams; Andrew Jackson; Martin Van Buren; William Henry Harrison; John Tyler; James Polk; Zachary Taylor; Millard Fillmore; Franklin Pierce; James Buchanan; Abraham Lincoln; Andrew Johnson; Ulysses S. Grant; Rutherford B. Hayes; James Garfield; Chester A. Arthur; Grover Cleveland; William McKinley; Theodore Roosevelt; William H. Taft; Woodrow Wilson; Warren G. Harding; Calvin Coolidge; Herbert Hoover; Franklin D. Roosevelt; Harry Truman; Dwight D. Eisenhower

Autographs of the Presidents of the United States of America.

1783-1956.

Elaborately bound collection of Presidential autographs, containing the autograph of each of the first 34 Presidents of the United States from George Washington to Dwight D. Eisenhower. Quarto, bound in full red morocco by Riviere & Son with gilt titles and ruling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, gilt presidential sealContinue reading "Autographs of the Presidents of the United States of America."

Morgaine, Daniel. [William Safire]

Un Tour Du Siecle en 80 Jours. [A Turn of the Century in 80 Days].

Paris : Editions Denoel, 1998.

First edition of Morgaine’s work documenting the major events of the 20th century. Octavo, original pictorial wrappers. Preface by Yves Courriere. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the half-title page to Helene and William Safire. The recipient, William Safire was an important American author, columnist, journalist, and presidential speechwriter. He joined Nixon’s campaign forContinue reading "Un Tour Du Siecle en 80 Jours. [A Turn of the Century in 80 Days]."

Britain Junior.

New York : British Information Services, 1944-1945.

Rare collection of ten issues of Britain Junior, issued by the British Ministry of Information in wartime England. Quarto, ten issues, illustrated with photographs. In fine condition. Uncommon.

[Beaton, Cecil; Winston S. Churchill]

War In Pictures.

London : L. T. A. Robinson, 1940-1941.

Rare collection of five issues of War in Pictures featuring several rare Cecil Beaton wartime photographs. Folio, the collection includes the August 1940, September 1940, January 1941, June 1941, and July 1941 issues of the popular WWII periodical. Each issue contains numerous large-format wartime photographs, many by Cecil Beaton including a large portrait of WinstonContinue reading "War In Pictures."

Buckingham Palace Bound List of Subscribers.

1927.

Finely bound list of subscribers to Mr. J. Parr’s farewell gift, presented on his retirement , 31 March 1927. Octavo, bound by Truscott & Son in full crushed scarlet morocco with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, quadruple gilt ruling to the front and rear panels, cipherContinue reading "Buckingham Palace Bound List of Subscribers."

Ames, Nathaniel. [Benjamin Franklin]

An Astronomical Diary or Almanack, for the Year of Our Lord Christ 1771.

Boston : Printed and Sold by the Printers and Booksellers, [1770].

First edition of Nathaniel Ames’ 1771 Almanack, containing the first known printing of “the most famous of American epitaphs” (Mark Van Doren). 12mo, original wrappers stitched as issued. In very good condition. Housed in a custom cloth chemise and half morocco slipcase. An exceptional example of this scarce early almanac.

Du Fresne, Rafaelle. [Leonardo Da Vinci]

Trattato Della Pittura Di Lionardo Da Vinci Nuovamente Dato In Luce, Colla Vita Dell’ Istesso Autore, Scritta Da Rafaelle Du Fresne. Si sono giunti i tre libri della Pittura, ed il trattato della Statua di Leon Battista Alberti, colla vita del medesimo, E di nuovo ristampato, corretto, ed a maggior perfezione concotto.

In Parigi ed in Napoli : Giacomo Langlois ed Francesco Ricciardo a spese di Niccola, e Vicenzo Rispoli, 1733.

Rare third augmented edition of the preferred work in Italian of da Vinci’s work on painting. Folio, bound in stiff paper wrappers, illustrated with text engravings throughout, with two full-paged portraits of da Vinci and Alberti, lacking the final two text leaves: H1 & H2. The true date of the Parisian edition, as in allContinue reading "Trattato Della Pittura Di Lionardo Da Vinci Nuovamente Dato In Luce, Colla Vita Dell’ Istesso Autore, Scritta Da Rafaelle Du Fresne. Si sono giunti i tre libri della Pittura, ed il trattato della Statua di Leon Battista Alberti, colla vita del medesimo, E di nuovo ristampato, corretto, ed a maggior perfezione concotto."

Roosevelt, Franklin Delano; Winston S. Churchill. [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow]

Sail On, O Ship of State! The Longfellow Verse in Mr. Roosevelt’s Message to Mr. Churchill.

: Raphael Tuck & Sons, Ltd., [1941].

Rare lithographic broadside signed by Franklin Delano Roosevelt as the thirty-second President of the United States and Winston S. Churchill as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom at the Atlantic Conference; one of only two known examples of this broadside specially printed at Churchill’s direction and signed by both world leaders at their first wartimeContinue reading "Sail On, O Ship of State! The Longfellow Verse in Mr. Roosevelt’s Message to Mr. Churchill."

Callender, James Thomson

The American Annual Register, or, Historical Memoirs of the United States, for the Year 1796.

Philadelphia : Printed and Sold by Bioren & Madan, January 19, 1797.

First edition, first issue in book form of Callender’s searing exposé. Octavo, bound in three quarter contemporary calf over marbled boards, morocco spine label lettered in gilt. In very good condition. Housed in a custom cloth chemise and half morocco slipcase. Ownership inscriptions. The first printing of this work is exceedingly scarce as it wasContinue reading "The American Annual Register, or, Historical Memoirs of the United States, for the Year 1796."

[Jefferson, Thomas]

Second Congress of the United States: At the First Session, 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. An Act to extend the Time limited for settling the Accounts of the United States with the Individual States.

Philadelphia : Childs & Swaine, 1792.

Scarce printing of an early United States law providing for the funding of the national debt, signed by Thomas Jefferson as Secretary of State. Folio, one page. The document, which also carries the printed signatures of President George Washington, Vice President John Adams, and House Speaker Jonathan Trumbull, was approved January 23, 1792. Individual actsContinue reading "Second Congress of the United States: At the First Session, 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. An Act to extend the Time limited for settling the Accounts of the United States with the Individual States."

Hoover, Herbert

The Challenge to Liberty.

New York : Charles Scribner's Sons, 1934.

First edition of Herbert Hoover’s challenge to Roosevelt’s New Deal arguing it abandoned “the heritage of liberty.” Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “To my good friend and consultant- from Herbert Hoover Samuel Blythe.” Near fine in a very good dust jacket. A nice association.

Roosevelt, Franklin Delano

Whither Bound? A Lecture at Milton Academy on the Alumni War Memorial Foundation May 18, 1926.

Boston and New York : Houghton Mifflin Company, 1926.

First edition of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s first book, being the text of a lecture delivered by him at Milton Academy on the Alumni War Memorial Foundation on May 18, 1926. Octavo, original cloth. One of one thousand copies printed. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the title page on the occasion of publication (andContinue reading "Whither Bound? A Lecture at Milton Academy on the Alumni War Memorial Foundation May 18, 1926."