Etching & Etchers by Philip Gilbert Hamerton - 1868

Boston: Ticknor and Fields, 1850. One of 2,500 copies published of this true first edition, on 16 March 1850, according to C.E. Frazier Clark Jr.'s definitive "Nathaniel Hawthorne - A Descriptive Bibliography". Number A16.1 in Clark's bibliography and number 7600 in BAL. This copy is in the following states and sub-states, again as described by Clark: Binding: in the style of Ticknor format A. Brown bold-ribbed T cloth with blind-stamped floral device inside ruled panels on both covers. Spine gold-stamped. Cream-colored wove endpapers. The contents are listed on pp. iii-iv and there is no preface. This is a key indicator of the first edition versus the second edition, which includes a preface. The other variants between the first and second editions are also present. These consist of sixty-nine typographical and spelling errors and punctuation changes throughout the text. For example, on page 21 line 20 "reduplicate" appears instead of "repudiate."… Read More

Boston: Hilliard, Gray & Company, 1836. 1st edition. Leather. Very Good. 1st edition, 1836. 2 volume set, complete. A Very Good set. 8vo., [Vol.1] xliii, (i), 690; [Vol.2] li, (i), 769 pp. Bound in contemporary full an leather, with titles on red morocco labels on the spine. Spine volume numbers stamped in blind, as are the spine and board border fillets. Volume 1 has a pull at the spine's crown, with a loss, and a small area on the front board where the leather has peeled partial away. Volume two was protected by an old, handmade coarse paper jacket, which deteriorated, but served its purpose admirably. Scattered foxing throughout both volumes. Both hinges and joints remain strong. An attractive set. OCLC locates just one set, at the Nationale Biliotheque, with other institutions holding either volume 1, or volume 2. Constitution scholar and Supreme Court Justice, Joseph Story's (1779-1845) work, one of over 30 he authored on the Law. He shaped the Court, and American law perhaps more so than even… Read More

Small 8vo. Bound in contemporary vellum. Printed by Jean Antoine Huguetan, Lyons 1638. (Colophon at end dated 1627; printing privilege dated 1626.) Second Edition of this comprehensive treatise on geomancy.Illustrated with numerous diagrams, schematic woodcuts and tables in text, as well as 10 plates, 1 of which is an engraved single-page plate, while the other 9 are fold-out woodcut diagrams or letterpress tables, some bound to face each other; plus large engraved printer's device with an armillary sphere on title-page; a few decorative woodcut head-pieces and initials.The Opus Geomantiae Completum "is divided into three parts devoted respectively to the theory, practice and questions taken from previous authors. The theory is largely astrological. Instead of jotting down four rows of dots at random, a wheel with sixteen projections is spun or whirled in order to obtain one of the sixteen geomantic figures. Fludd is cited more than once, also Arabic authors like Geber and Aomar, medieval Latins like… Read More

Catalogus van een groote verzameling … prent-kunst, door voornaame Italiansche, Fransche, Engelsche, Nederlandsche en andere Meesiers, waar by veele proefdrukken. Mitsgaders losse en gebonden prent-werken. Keurlyke optische Instrumenten, als telescopen, door J. van der Bilt, Nachtkyker, door Dollond, Brand-Spiegel en Illuminatie-kasten, kunstige geschilderde Stellen Glaasen, Toverlantaarn, met beweegende en andere Voorwerpen, Chamber-Obscura, Kunst-Stukken, door Kampman en andere magnetische Rariteiten. Laastelyk eenige fraaye Kunst-Kasten. Al het welke ... nagelaaten door wyllen den Kunst-Minaar den Heer Jan de Groot, op Maandag den 10 December 1804, en volgende dagen, zal verkocht worden, te Amsterdam, ... door de makelaars: Philipppus van der Schley, Jan de Bosch Jeronimusz, Jan Yver, Cornelis Sebille Roos, Roelof Meurs Pruyssenaar en Jacobus Vinkeles. ... Te Amsterdam, by de Wed. H. W. en C. Dronsberg, P. den Hengst en Zoon, en Jan Yver, Boekverkoopers (1804). (2), 128, (2) pages. Cont. Dutch… Read More

Carnegie Institution, Washington; 1937-1938. Hardcover First Edition 6 volumes, pp xxviii, 465; Vol. II, (xii), 607; Vol.III, (x), 493; Vol. IV, xii, 496; Vol. V, in 2 parts, containing black and white photographic plates, engraved plates (many folding), and folding maps showing ground plans, terrain, cross sections, etc. Folio, green cloth. Excellent condition and as such a rare find ; In Volume 5 part II, three of the plates (214, 215, 216) were neatly cut out, probably for an exhibit, but are re-inserted but loose. No damage of the images. V. IIIs back board has been bumped, as shown. Previous owners name in V. I, as shown. Some underlining on illustration list. Morley's study the Mayan monuments and heiroglyphic inscriptions, the result of nearly forty years of expeditions and research. This is a classic work in remarkable condition and a must for any serious student of Mesoamerica.

London: Printed for Iohn Grismand, 1621. First Edition. Hardcover. [26], 317 (but actually 315), [11], 182, 185-264, [12]pp. Recent chocolate brown half calf over marbled boards, blind tooling on the sides, spine with five raised bands, gold lettering and decorations. Engraved title in compartments representing the history of creation by Simon van de Passe, head-pieces, initials and tail-pieces, text enclosed in borders. Index and errata for the first and second week at end. The English translation of Simon Goulart's Commentaires et annotations sur la semaine de la création du monde de G. de Saluste, sieur du Bartas. Title page edges and fore edges of eleven leaves skillfully repaired. Sporadic foxing, an occasional spot and minor soiling, previous owner's name in ink on title. A very good copy. ; Folio.

Fair HC. Text in French and Latin. Contemporary full red-brown morocco leather over boards; elaborate gilt-stamped pointille design incorporating multiple frames, floral patterns and arabesques on both covers and spine (see photos); raised bands on spine; 2 brass clasps at cover fore edges (lacking); all edges gilt; swirled comb pattern end papers; all text and plates are copper-plate engravings - verso with scenes of celebration of the mass, recto with prayers in Latin and French; 96 engraved plates by Jean Collin, Guillaume de Gheyn, I. Durant, perhaps others. Title page, 2 blank pages, dedication to Marquis de Chasteu-neuf (verso), portrait, advice to reader (verso), 2 leaves lacking, verso plate nos. 3 - 38, recto plate nos. 2 - 38, Jesus portrait, litany, Mary portrait, litany, 19 plates with psalms and scenes from life of David, Extraict du Privilege du Roy (Sep 20, 1652), 2 pp in fine hand writing (humanist miniscule?) titled 'Sequentia' and 2 pp titled 'Hymnus'. Covers and spine are bright… Read More

Hibiya Company Ltd., Hong Kong, 1976 Book. Good. Hardcover. Signed by Author(s). 1st Edition. English text; 2 hardcover volumes with dust jacket in slip case.; 27.5 x 41 x 7 cm; 5.2 kg; The 2 volumes comprise: TEXT with 98 pages and PLATES with 87 colour plates (174 images, showing the front and rear of each piece).; Volume I, minor signs of wear on the exterior. Interior in very good condition apart from a few lines on three pages from the introduction that were highlighted with a green marker.; Volume II, minor signs of wear on the exterior. Interior in very good condition.; The slipcase shows signs of wear and a small crack on top.; LIMITED EDITION OF 1,000 COPIES OF WHICH THIS IS NUMBER 733. SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR HUGH MOSS.; "In this book I believe Hugh Moss has made a quite conclusive case for the authenticity of the yu chih marked porcelains. By doing so he has corrected a far-reaching error of recent Western scholarship in the field of Ch'ing porcelain. An essential part of his case… Read More

Richard Bentley. London. 1847. Bentley's Standard Novels and Romances, volume 25. Reprint of the 1833 edition. 8vo. (7 x 4.5 inches). Illustrated frontis engraving by Pickering. Publishers dark brown morocco grained cloth with elaborate blind stamped decorative border to the boards. Spine lettered and decorated in gilt. Yellow endpapers with lists of other titles published by Bentley. Neat previous owner bookplate to the top of the front paste down endpaper. Some staining to the bottom of the frontispiece, not affecting the image or type, otherwise a very clean and fresh copy. The cloth is clean and tidy, with sharp corners, and the gilt on the spine still bright and fresh. A little rubbing to the extremities but this is a superior copy. Scarce in such nice condition.

London: Printed by T.H. for R. Scott, T. Bassett, R. Chiswell, and J. Wright, 1681. GESTA ROMANORUM. Early English edition. Small octavo [5 5/8 x 3 1/2 inches; 143 x 89 mm]. [236] pp. Bound without front and back blank, same as the British Library copy. Text in black letter. Besides this copy, we could only find two other copies at auction in the past 100 years. And no earlier, complete copy has ever come up at auction on ABPC or Rare Book Hub. Full contemporary sheep, rebacked to style. Board ruled in blind. Spine lettered and ruled in gilt. Spine stamped in blind with lozenges, including a crest of John Caley. All edges dyed red. A few leaves trimmed close at top edge, occasionally touching headline. Previous owner's old ink signatures on front free endpaper. Bookplate of Fairfax Murray on front pastedown. Overall very good. "A rare edition of this classic collection of fictions, of which there were more than 20 editions in English before 1700." (Quaritch) "An English translation, probably based… Read More