Personal Narrative of Travels to the Equinoctial Regions of the New Continent, During the Years 1799-1804. Vol. IV (4), Second Edition. (1825) by Alexander de Humboldt; Aimé Bonpland; Helen Maria Williams (translator) - 1825

Volume 1 of Burney's 5 volume history of the exploration of the Pacific Ocean. 1803. Volume is ex-library copy with library stamps of University of California dated 1870 and found on title page, p.57 and p.131. Soundly bound in modern blue buckram. Collation: Title page, xii, [8], 391 with 5 maps and modern end blanks. Overall condition is good with some condition issues. All repairs described are professionally done. Title page rehinged. Frontis map and map opposite p. 277 are original. Frontis map is rehinged. 3 maps bound at end are professional full size reproductions (image of California map is provided). Appendix (pgs. 385-391) is also professional reproduction. Page 20 has closed tear repaired with rice paper. Water stain at head of spine waxes and wanes on pages 121-146, and 193-249; occasionally encroaching on text. Ink stain margin of p.220-21. Stain of indeterminate origin penetrating margins of p.273-78. On the plus side: binding is sound, volume is (now) complete, pages are wide margined… Read More

Second UK edition of Parry's 1819-20 Northwest passage expedition. Issued 1821 from same plates as first edition except for typographical corrections (see Arctic Bibliography #13145). Condition is good or better. 19th century full leather binding, marbled endpapers. The primary condition issue is that the front hinge is starting. Front corners of boards are rubbed; stain on back board. The interior is excellent, the only markings are pencil notes on the list of plates, complete with all plates, some foxing on early pages. Pagination: [8], xxix, half title, 310, half title appendix, clxxix, blanks. All 20 plates and maps present and accounted for. Hill 1311. This is Parry's first book but not his first voyage to the arctic which was 1818. Wonderful plates and maps. Please feel free to inquire. See images of the book you will receive.

First edition of Volume 1, 1737, London. Volume 1 of 2. Modern fine binding of quarter leather and marbled boards by Starr Bookworks. Interior is good. Library stamp on title page, some notations on preface, occasional pencil notes in text. Title page is backed with rice paper. Some edges chipped not affecting text. Last page is high quality facsimile. Paginates: [12], 420. Modern blanks. Extremely rare. OCLC locates 10 physical copies. Auction records do not find any sold at auction. Please see scans of the book you will receive. Feel free to inquire.

Four volume, hardcover, 1809 first edition. In original quarter leather with paper boards. Leather spines are much degraded, boards show much wear, all hinges cracked, but everything holding together. Interiors are very good. The paper is wonderful, bright, supple, minor foxing, no interior writing or other evidence of ownership. Written in Italian. Paginates: V1: blank, title page, xi, 363; V2: blank, half title, title, 543, blank; V3: blank, half title, title, 553, blank; V4: blank, half title, title, 477, blank. Howes B627. Please see scans of the books you will receive. Note: this heavy set may require extra postage.

First House edition of this famous report. 1845. Complete in original binding except for the gigantic map which is available in full size color thick glossy paper professional reproduction ($25 extra if desired). Pagination: 583 pages, 22 plates, 4 maps, all blanks present. Includes fascinating pencil diagram of oil rig on back of map. Oil rig drawing titled "Sheffield Oil Company. Warren(?), Co., Pa." That pencil drawing is the only interior writing or ownership marking anywhere in the book. Condition is a mixed bag. Original half leather marbled boards show heavy wear and looks like they were professionally rehinged in the distant past. Binding is sound. Pages show moderate to heavy toning and foxing. Some plates have weird 'dot' foxing I have never seen elsewhere (see scan). Marbled endpapers. A nice well maintained copy suitable for reading and research with a cool drawing. Howes F372; Wagner-Camp 115:2; Graff 1436. House Doc. No. 166. Feel free to inquire. Please see scans of the book you will… Read More

Volume 1 of Burney's 5 volume history of the exploration of the Pacific Ocean. 1803. Volume is ex-library copy with library stamps of University of California dated 1870 and found on title page, p.57 and p.131. Soundly bound in modern blue buckram. Collation: Title page, xii, [8], 391 with 5 maps and modern end blanks. Overall condition is good with some condition issues. All repairs described are professionally done. Title page rehinged. Frontis map and map opposite p. 277 are original. Frontis map is rehinged. 3 maps bound at end are professional full size reproductions (image of California map is provided). Appendix (pgs. 385-391) is also professional reproduction. Page 20 has closed tear repaired with rice paper. Water stain at head of spine waxes and wanes on pages 121-146, and 193-249; occasionally encroaching on text. Ink stain margin of p.220-21. Stain of indeterminate origin penetrating margins of p.273-78. On the plus side: binding is sound, volume is (now) complete, pages are wide margined… Read More

Scarce 19th century reprint of Hakluyt's very rare 16th century work. 1889-1890 four volume set, published in Edinburgh by Edmund Goldsmid is complete with quarter leather spines and with original matching marbled boards. Volumes have two title pages and a half title. The first title page is dated 1891 and notes this set is a portion of a larger work "Hakluyt's Complete Collection of Voyages" published by Goldsmid in 1891. On inspection one can see that these are the 1889-1890 volumes with the 1891 promotional title page added later. This set began life at the Public Library of New London with the only evidence being the bookplate. Later this set arrived at Ambassador College Library of Pasadena, California with only evidence being stamps on the title pages and paper edges. No pockets ever. When I acquired this set the spines of volumes 1 & 2 were perished and were replaced with black leather with gilt titles. Original matching psychedelic cobalt marbled boards remain. Pagination: Volume 1: [2], 383,… Read More

First American edition of this book. Published by T. Allen, New York, 1792. Binding is fine. Modern half leather and marbled boards by Starr Bookworks. Interior is very good. Has a few stamps from New York Mercantile Library. Edges show foxing, interior is toned, occasional old creases, no vandalism, writing or other issues. Pages remain supple. Lacking old blanks, otherwise complete as issued. Lee was a British born career military officer who sought to lead the Continental Army in place of Washington. Lee is most famous now for his various hasty and leisurely retreats including being captured in his night gown by the British in 1776. After a prisoner exchange in 1778 Lee resumed command only to be court-martialled a few months later for insubordination. He must have had something going for him because he survived 30 years of military encounters where strategic withdrawal was not always an option. One of those characters that would be hard to imagine if he did not actually exist. See Howes L85. A… Read More

A married set in very good condition. Second edition, 1758, London. Original full leather boards. Volume 1 has a new spine (sometime in last 50 years) by Edward F. Gruver, Washington, DC. V.1 has bookplate and pencil notations of prior owner and booksellers, no other markings. The first four leaves after the map are loose at the bottom and remain attached at the top. Volume 2 has the original binding, no interior markings of any kind. Paginates: Volume 1: new blank, old blank, map, 4 leaves, 324, 5 leaves, old blank, new blank; Volume 2: blank, map, 6 leaves, 308, 1 blank (all original). See Howes B968; Hill 218/219; Field 206. Please see images of the books you will receive. Notes: The beautiful laid paper of 18th century London is gorgeous; supple, readable, amazing. Check out the map of North America from 1747 by Emanuel Bowen - upper midwest labeled New France; Louisiana extends west to New Mexico. More images are available. Feel free to inquire. [Amerind]

First edition of Volume 1, 1737, London. Volume 1 of 2. Modern fine binding of quarter leather and marbled boards by Starr Bookworks. Interior is good. Library stamp on title page, some notations on preface, occasional pencil notes in text. Title page is backed with rice paper. Some edges chipped not affecting text. Last page is high quality facsimile. Paginates: [12], 420. Modern blanks. Extremely rare. OCLC locates 10 physical copies. Auction records do not find any sold at auction. Please see scans of the book you will receive. Feel free to inquire.