Sale, George. [Translator]

The Koran: Commonly Called The Alcoran of Mohammed: Translated From The Original Arabic. With Explanatory Notes, Taken From the Most Approved Commentators. To Which is Prefixed, A Preliminary Discourse.

London : Printed by C. Ackers for J. Wilcox, 1734.

First edition in English of George Sale’s important translation of the Koran, the first to translate directly from the Arabic into English. Quarto, bound in full contemporary speckled calf with morocco spine labels lettered in gilt, elaborate gilt tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, sympathetically rebacked, gilt turn-ins, all edgesContinue reading "The Koran: Commonly Called The Alcoran of Mohammed: Translated From The Original Arabic. With Explanatory Notes, Taken From the Most Approved Commentators. To Which is Prefixed, A Preliminary Discourse."

Shahn, Ben

Haggadah for Passover.

The Trianon Press : Paris, 1966.

Signed limited edition of Lithuanian-born American artist Ben Shahn’s magnificently illustrated retelling of the Haggadah for Passover. Large folio, original wrappers, gilt titles to the front panel, loose leaves as issued, illustrated by Shaun with 21 color pictorial borders and line drawings and an additional double-page color lithograph also signed by him. One of onlyContinue reading "Haggadah for Passover."

[Richard M. Nixon]

The Holy Bible Containing the Old and New Testaments: Translated Out of the Original Tongues and with the Former Translations Diligently Compared. Commonly Known as the Authorized (King James) Version.

Nashville, TN : The Gideons International, 1974.

The 1974 edition of the Gideon Bible used to swear in President Richard M. Nixon before his voluntary deposition to the Watergate Special Prosecution Force on June 23, 1975, the only sworn testimony Nixon provided in connection with the Watergate proceedings. Octavo, original publisher’s cloth, pictorial endpapers. Presentation copy, inscribed by Nixon on the frontContinue reading "The Holy Bible Containing the Old and New Testaments: Translated Out of the Original Tongues and with the Former Translations Diligently Compared. Commonly Known as the Authorized (King James) Version."

Eliot, T.S

Ash-Wednesday.

New York : The Fountain Press Inc./London Faber & Faber Ltd, 1930.

Signed limited edition of T. S. Eliot’s classic “conversion poem.” Octavo, original cloth decorated in gilt, top edge gilt. One of six hundred numbered copies, this is number 151. Boldly signed by T.S. Eliot on the colophon. In near fine condition. Housed in the publisher’s original cardboard slipcase which is in very good condition. AContinue reading "Ash-Wednesday."

Peterson, Eugene H

The Message: The Bible In Contemporary Language.

Colorodo : Navpress, 2002.

First edition of the Message translation of the Bible. Octavo, original boards. Presentation copy, lenghthily inscribed by Eugene Peterson on the front free endpaper, who has written out the opening verse of Genesis, “For Douglas – ‘First this: God created the heavens and the earth- all you see, all you don’t see. Earth was aContinue reading "The Message: The Bible In Contemporary Language."

The Thirde Parte of the Bible, Conteining These Bookes. The Psalter. The Proverbes. Ecclesiastes. Cantica Canticorum. The Prophetes.

London : Henry Bynneman and Richard Jugge for William Norton, 1575.

Rare 16th century English printing of a portion of the Bishop’s Bible. Quarto, bound in 18th century half calf over marbled boards, gilt ruling to the spine, paper titular label to the front panel, title page printed within a wide woodcut compartmental border featuring and angel above the date of publication in the upper compartmentContinue reading "The Thirde Parte of the Bible, Conteining These Bookes. The Psalter. The Proverbes. Ecclesiastes. Cantica Canticorum. The Prophetes."

Siddur Avodat Israel with English Translation.

Tel-Aviv : Sinai Publishing, 1967.

Rare elaborately bound Jewish Siddur prayer book. Small octavo, bound in full silver metal with elaborate tooling to the spine and panels, inlaid turquoise decorations to the front panel, patterned enpdapers, ribbon bound in. English translation facing the Hebrew text. In fine condition. Presentation bookplate to the pastedown. An elaborate presentation.

Lewis, C.S

Transposition and Other Addresses.

London : Geoffrey Bles, 1949.

First edition of this compilation of addresses by Lewis. Octavo, original wrappers. In near fine condition with light rubbing.

Szyk, Arthur

Haggadah.

Massadah & Alumoth : Jerusalem & Tel Aviv, 1962.

First Hebrew and English translation of this wonderfully illustrated in work by Arthur Szyk. Quarto, publisher’s embossed metal binding with hinged joints, illustrated throughout, English translation printed in black and brick red. The Hebrew text is surrounded by beautiful color illuminations. Edited by Cecil Roth. In near fine condition.

Mather, Cotton

Reverend Cotton Mather Autograph Manuscript of a Sermon.

[Boston] n.d. [1685–1723].

Rare late 17th to early 18th century autograph manuscript of a sermon or devotional essay in the hand of the “first American Evangelical” Puritan clergyman Cotton Mather. Duodecimo, comprising two bifolia prepared from a folded and cut sheet of paper to a total of 8 pages, penned in dark brown ink, very densely written (asContinue reading "Reverend Cotton Mather Autograph Manuscript of a Sermon."

Wiesel, Elie. [Herman Wouk]

Messengers of God: Biblical Portraits and Legends.

New York : Random House, 1976.

First edition of this collection of portraits exploring the lives of key biblical figures. Octavo, original publisher’s half cloth. Association copy, inscribed by the author in the year of publication on the half-title page, “For Herman Wouk – in friendship, Marion and Elie Wiesel May 9, 1976.” Herman Wouk was a novelist, playwright, and essayistContinue reading "Messengers of God: Biblical Portraits and Legends."

Lewis, C.S

The Four Loves.

London : Geoffrey Bles, 1960.

First edition of this influential theological work in which C. S. Lewis examines the nature of human affection, friendship, eros, and charity, exploring their distinctions and their relation to divine love. Octavo, original cloth. Near fine in a very good dust jacket. Jacket design by Michael Harvey. A nice example.

Wiesel, Elie

Souls on Fire: Portraits and Legends of Hasidic Masters.

New York : Random House, 1972.

First edition of this exploration of Hasidism, focusing on the tales, legends, and portraits of its 18th and 19th-century masters. Octavo, original publisher’s cloth, top stain maroon, cartographic endpapers. Presentation copy, warmly inscribed by the author on the half-title page and signed in English and Hebrew, “For Maurine and Stanley Kessler – in these daysContinue reading "Souls on Fire: Portraits and Legends of Hasidic Masters."

Wiesel, Elie; Mark Podwal

A Passover Haggadah.

New York : A Touchstone Book / Simon & Schuter Inc, 1993.

First edition of this traditional Passover text paired with Wiesel’s poetic commentary. Octavo, original publisher’s half-cloth, illustrated throughout. Presentation copy, inscribed by Wiesel on the front free endpaper, “For Nick and Judy Hag sameach, Elie Wiesel.” Fine in a fine dust jacket. As commented upon by Elie Wiesel. Illustrated by Mark Podwal. Jacket design byContinue reading "A Passover Haggadah."

Bamberger, Rabbi Dr. S.; Rabbi Dr. S. Adler; Rabbi Dr. L.C. Lilienthal

The Soul of Life: A Collection of Speeches, Sermons, Laws, and Regulations Pertaining to the Jewish Religion.

New York : P. Friedman, 1897.

First edition of this work about the Jewish religion. Duodecimo, original cloth with gilt titles, floral endpapers. In very good condition wear to the spine.

Wells, H.G

Mr. Belloc Objects to “The Outline of History”.

London : Watts & Co., 1926.

First British edition of Wells’ polemical defense of The Outline of History against Hilaire Belloc’s criticisms. Octavo, original publisher’s cloth, illustrated. From the collection of British science fiction author Christopher Priest. Priest’s most famous works include The Inverted World (1974), the interconnected “Dream Archipelago” series, and The Prestige (1995), which was adapted into the 2006Continue reading "Mr. Belloc Objects to “The Outline of History”."

Wiesel, Elie; Mark Podwal

A Passover Haggadah.

New York : A Touchstone Book / Simon & Schuter Inc, 1993.

First edition of this traditional Passover text paired with Wiesel’s poetic commentary. Octavo, original publisher’s half-cloth, illustrated throughout. Presentation copy, inscribed by illustrator Mark Podwal with an original drawing of a Torah on the front free endpaper, “For Isman Schorsch, Many Happy Passovers, Mark Podwal.” Fine in a near fine dust jacket. As commented uponContinue reading "A Passover Haggadah."

Pagels, Elaine H.

The Johannine Gospel in Gnostic Exegesis: Heracleon’s Commentary on John.

Nashville & New York : Abingdon Press, 1973.

First edition of this comprehensive study examining how Gnostic texts interpret the Gospel of John. Octavo, original boards. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the title page. Fine in a near fine price-clipped dust jacket.

Ethiopian Coptic Ge’ez Bible.

Ethiopia C. 18th Century.

Rare Ethiopian Coptic Ge’ez Bible. Octodecimo, bound with twine between two wood blocks, parchment manuscript in black and red ink. The book measures 4 inches in height by inches 6 in width. Annotations in pen to the front and rear end leaves.

Kazantzakis, Nikos

Ο Χριστός Ξανασταυρώνεται. [Christ Recrucified].

Athens : Δίφρος [Difros], 1950.

First Greek edition of one of Kazantzakis’s most important novels, first published in Swedish in 1948. Octavo, bound in full cloth with red cloth spine labels lettered in gilt, patterned endpapers. Presentation copy, signed and inscribed and dated by Kazantzakis on the half-title page. In near fine condition. Rare and desirable signed by Kazantzakis.

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."

Edwards, Jonathan

A Treatise Concerning Religious Affections. In Three Parts.

Elizabeth-Town, NJ : Printed by Shepard Kollock, for Robert Hodge, 1787.

Early edition of Edwards’ Great Awakening classic. Octavo, bound in full contemporary calf with gilt titles to the spine in six compartments within raised bands. In very good condition with wear, bookplates to the front pastedown, signature to the title page.

Young, Brigham

Brigham Young Autograph Letter Signed.

1870.

Rare autograph letter signed by Brigham Young regarding passage through Utah for botanist Edward Palmer. One page, handwritten on blue-lined paper. The letter reads in full, “Salt Lake City, U.T. 27 May 1870 To Elder Thomas Collister, Bishop of Fillmore and the bishops of the various settlements between that city and St. George. Dear Brethren:Continue reading "Brigham Young Autograph Letter Signed."

Calvin, John. Translated from the French by Thomas Stocker

Two and twentie Sermons of Maister John Calvin. In which Sermons is most religiously handled, the hundredth and nineteenth Psalme of David, by eight verses aparte according to the Hebrewe alphabet.

London : [Printed by Thomas Dawson] For John Harison and Thomas Man, 1580.

Scarce first edition in English of this collection of John Calvin’s sermons. Octavo, bound in full levant morocco with gilt tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, morocco spine label lettered in gilt, double gilt ruling and central gilt arabesques to the front and rear panels, gilt turn-ins, wide typographical borderContinue reading "Two and twentie Sermons of Maister John Calvin. In which Sermons is most religiously handled, the hundredth and nineteenth Psalme of David, by eight verses aparte according to the Hebrewe alphabet."