Welcome to Christmas.

1875.

Rare 19th century album on Christmas. Octavo, bound in full black morocco, elaborate ruling in blind and in gilt, silk moire endpapers, eight cardstock leaves, six in cream and two in grey, all hand lettered and or painted in traditional Victorian Christmas imagery. The title leaf with quill and pen, surmounted with elaborate titling inContinue reading "Welcome to Christmas."

Tennyson, Alfred Lord

Queen Mary: A Drama.

London : Henry S. King and Co, 1875.

First edition of the first book in Tennyson’s historical trilogy. Small octavo, original green cloth with gilt titles to the spine. Association copy, inscribed by the author to his son on the title page, “Hallam from A.” Tennyson’s eldest son Hallam Tennyson, 2nd Baron Tennyson served as his father’s personal secretary and served as hisContinue reading "Queen Mary: A Drama."

Swinburne, Algernon Charles

Auguste Vacquerie.

Paris : Librarie Nouvelle, 1875.

First separate edition of this rare Swinburne title. Octavo, original wrappers. Wise 87. In very good condition. Housed in a custom half morocco and folding chemise slipcase.

Verne, Jules

The Mysterious Island: Wrecked in the Air.

New York : Scribner, Armstrong & Co., 1875.

First American edition, first English language edition in book form, and first authorized edition of the first part of the crossover sequel to Verne’s famous Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas and In Search of the Castaways. Slim octavo, original green cloth decorated in gilt, with forty-eight illustrations. Scribner Armstrong published this slim, double-column volumeContinue reading "The Mysterious Island: Wrecked in the Air."

Verne, Jules

The Mysterious Island: Dropped From the Clouds.

London : Sampson, Low, Marston, Low, & Searle, 1875.

First edition in English in book form of the first volume of Verne’s Mysterious Island trilogy, preceding the Scribner Armstrong’s first American edition. Octavo, original publisher’s cloth decorated in gilt, all edges gilt, illustrated, tissue-guarded frontispiece. Accompanied by an autograph note signed by Verne and dated the year he published “Two Years’ Vacation” his SouthContinue reading "The Mysterious Island: Dropped From the Clouds."

Poe, Edgar Allan

The Works of Edgar Allan Poe.

Edinburgh : Adam and Charles Black, 1875-1881.

Finely bound edition of the complete works of Edgar Allan Poe. Octavo, four volumes bound in three quarter calf over marbled boards with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised bands, all edges marbled, tissue-guarded frontispiece to Vols. I and II, illustrated with etchings and headpieces in each volume, foldingContinue reading "The Works of Edgar Allan Poe."

Eliot, George

Daniel Deronda.

Edinburgh & London : William Blackwood, 1876.

First edition in the original parts of Eliot’s final and most controversial work, which essentially predicts the foundation of Israel. Octavos, four volumes in eight parts in the original wrappers with 4 half-titles and 8 section titles as issued, advertisements to each part with the exception of the final part, slips to the rear ofContinue reading "Daniel Deronda."

Trollope, Anthony

The Prime Minister.

London : Chapman and Hall, 1876.

First edition of this classic work, which examines one of the most enduring questions in government; whether a morally scrupulous gentleman can make an effective leader. Octavo, original cloth, four volumes. In near fine condition. An exceptional example, one of the nicest examples we have seen.

James, Henry

Roderick Hudson.

New York : James R. Osgood and Company, 1876.

First edition of one of James’ earliest novels. Octavo, original cloth. In near fine condition. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell and chemise box. An exceptional presentation.

Whitman, Walt

Two Rivulets: Including Democratic Vistas, Centennial Songs, and Passage to India.

Camden, New Jersey : Author's Edition, 1876.

Scarce first edition, first issue with the blank leaf between ‘As a Strong Bird’ and ‘Memoranda’ and single leaf of advertisements for Whitman’s books inserted between the back flyleaves. One of only 100 copies. Octavo, bound in full morocco with gilt titles and elaborate gilt tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised giltContinue reading "Two Rivulets: Including Democratic Vistas, Centennial Songs, and Passage to India."

Eliot, George

Daniel Deronda.

Edinburgh & London : William Blackwood and Sons, 1876.

First edition of Eliot’s final and most controversial work, which essentially predicts the foundation of Israel. Octavo, four volumes bound in contemporary half morocco over marbled boards by Proudfoot Binder with gilt titles and ruling to the spine in five compartments within raised bands, marbled endpapers, stamp signed by Proudfoot on the verso of theContinue reading "Daniel Deronda."

Eliot, George

Daniel Deronda.

Edinburgh and London : William Blackwood and Sons, 1876.

First edition in the publisher’s cloth of Eliot’s final and most controversial work, which essentially predicts the foundation of Israel. Octavo, eight volumes in the rare original publisher’s cloth, with the half-titles and errata slip to vol. 3. In good condition, stamps. Exceedingly rare in the publisher’s cloth issue with only one other example tracedContinue reading "Daniel Deronda."

Twain, Mark [Samuel L. Clemens]

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.

Hartford, Conn : The American Publishing Company, 1876.

First edition, second issue of one of the great masterpieces of American literature and Twain’s best-selling book. Octavo, original blue cloth elaborately stamped in gilt, illustrated with frontispiece and numerous in-text illustrations by True Williams and others. Second issue with the half-title and frontispiece printed on the same leaf. The first and second printings wereContinue reading "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer."

Burton, Richard F

A New System of Sword Exercise for Infantry.

London : William Clowes and Sons, 1876.

First edition of this classic text. Small octavo, bound in three quarters leather over marbled boards, illustrated. In near fine condition.

Carroll, Lewis. [Charles Lutwidge Dodgson]

The Hunting of the Snark: An Agony in Eight Fits.

London : Macmillan and Co., 1876.

First edition of Carroll’s whimsical nonsense poem. Octavo, original publisher’s decorated cloth, all edges gilt, with nine illustrations by Henry Holiday. Near fine in the scarce original dust jacket. The jacket is complete with the top third of the front panel bent behind, hence the different shade of color. Copies of the first edition ofContinue reading "The Hunting of the Snark: An Agony in Eight Fits."

Forster, John

The Works and Life of Walter Savage Landor.

London : Chapman and Hall, 1876.

Finely bound set of Forster’s famed biography of the English poet. Octavo, 8 volumes bound in full crushed levant morocco by Riviere & Son with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised bands, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles, top edge gilt, tissue-guarded engraved frontispiece of Landor to volume one. InContinue reading "The Works and Life of Walter Savage Landor."

Twain, Mark [Samuel L. Clemens]

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.

Hartford : American Publishing Company, 1876.

First edition, first printing, mixed state of the apotheosis of American boyhood. Octavo, bound in three quarters morocco over cloth, gilt topstain. In near fine condition with half-title and frontispiece on the same leaf, with 1875 on the copyright page and 1876 on the title page, and with the 10-point type to the word “THE”Continue reading "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer."

Doyle, Richard [John Maynard Keynes] [J.M.]

Manners and Customs of ye Englyshe.

London : Bradbury, Agnew, & Co., 1876.

Finely bound edition of this satirical collection of 40 humorous sketches and illustrations that parody mid-19th-century Victorian life, from the collection of British economist John Maynard Keynes. Oblong octavo, bound in full red morocco with gilt titles to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, “Keynes Family Library” stamped in gilt to theContinue reading "Manners and Customs of ye Englyshe."

Verne, Jules

Michael Strogoff, the Courier of the Czar.

New York : Scribner, Armstrong & Company, 1877.

First American edition of this historical tale of adventure taking place during a Siberian revolt by the Tartars and what many consider one of Verne’s finest novels. Octavo, original cloth, with Ninety Full-Page Illustrations. Translated by W. H. G. Kingston. Revised by Julius Chambers. In near fine condition. A nice example.

Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth

The Poetical Works of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. [Fore-edge Painting].

London : George Routledge & Sons, 1877.

Finely bound example of the collected poetical works of Longfellow. Octavo, bound in full contemporary crushed levant morocco with elaborate gilt tooling to the spine and panels, morocco spine label lettered in gilt, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt, decorated with a concealed fore-edge painting of a pastoral scene, illustrated. InContinue reading "The Poetical Works of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. [Fore-edge Painting]."

Twain, Mark. [Samuel L. Clemens]

Punch, Brothers, Punch! And Other Sketches by Mark Twain.

New York : Slote, Woodman & Co., 1878.

First edition, second issue of Twain’s collection of short stories with the author’s name in facsimile autograph, undecorated cream end-papers, and second state scrap book illustration to the rear paste down. BAL 3378. Small octavo, original green cloth stamped in black with gilt titles to the spine. From the library of William Safire with hisContinue reading "Punch, Brothers, Punch! And Other Sketches by Mark Twain."

Macaulay, Thomas Babington

Critical and Historical Essays Contributed to the Edinburgh Review by Lord Macaulay.

London : Longmans, Green, and Co, 1878.

Finely bound new edition of the historical essays of Macaulay. Octavo, 3 volumes, bound in full polished tree calf with elaborate gilt tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, morocco spine labels lettered in gilt, double gilt ruling to the front and rear panels, gilt turn-ins, inner dentelles stamped in blind,Continue reading "Critical and Historical Essays Contributed to the Edinburgh Review by Lord Macaulay."

Chaucer, Geoffrey

Poetical Works of Geoffrey Chaucer.

London : George Bell and Sons, 1878.

Finely bound set of Chaucer’s poetical works. Small octavos, four volumes bound in three quarters morocco by Bayntun Bindery with gilt tooling to the spine and red morocco spine labels lettered in gilt in six compartments within raised bands, top edge gilt, marbled endpapers, tissue guarded frontispiece portrait of Chaucer to volume one. In nearContinue reading "Poetical Works of Geoffrey Chaucer."

Tolstoy, Leo

The Cossacks: A Tale of the Caucasus in 1852.

New York : Charles Scribner's Sons, 1878.

First edition in English of the author’s classic work. Octavo, original cloth. Translated by Eugene Schuyler. In very good condition.