Search Results: Rare Book Room from Michael Pyron, Bookseller, ABAA

New York: Duell, Sloan and Pearce, 1941. Hard Cover. Very Good+ binding/Very Good+ dust jacket. Octavo. [111] pp. Second printing of the first ordinary issue. As issued, in reddish tan cloth with dust jacket. A very bright copy in a similarly fresh jacket with just a bit of rubbing to the edges and spine and some toning; $2.00 price intact on the front flap; previous owner name on the front free endpaper, else clean. Originally issued by the publisher the previous year in a limited edition, signed by Cummings, this is an early printing of the first trade edition. Uncommon in such a nice dust jacket. Firmage notes that the jacket of the second and third printings so note on the front flap. Curious as this jacket makes no such declaration. Firmage A18.b.

[New York: Privately Printed by the De Vinne Press], 1887. Hard Cover. near Very Good binding. Royal Octavo. xvi, 300 pp. Limited edition, numbered 189, inscribed and dated, "Jan. 1888" by Francis on a preliminary blank. Green cloth with title in gold on the spine; top edge gilt; fore- and bottom-edge left deckled; rubbing to the extremities including light fraying at the spine ends and corners; hinges a little loose; contents clean but for some occasional offsetting from some leaves that were laid in (only a few instances). An account of an around the world tour in 1875-1876 compiled from Francis's letters. Illustrated by 24 printed reproductions from photographs with a nearly half of them relating to South Asia. Smith F60.

Ulissipone [Lisbon]: apud Michaelem Deslandes Serenissimi Regis typographum, 1718. Vellum Binding. Good binding. Folio. [12], 417, [7] pp. Second edition. Contemporary limp vellum with slightly yapp edges and remnants of ties; author's name in old-fashioned calligraphic fashion on the spine; several early owner names on the flyleaf, each successively crossed out long ago. Binding moderately toned and rippled as expected, but remains a stately binding; a bit of toning to the contents and scattered tidelines, this this remains a clean copy. Originally issued in 1688, this is the second edition. In depth discussion of capacity and disability, inheritance and succession, and incompatibility of offices in Spanish and canon law in addition to the intersection of all of those matters as they overlap in practice. Important civil and canon law work.

London: R. Edwards, 1806. Hard Cover. Very Good binding. Octavo. 35, [1], 71 [1] pp. Second Edition, printed the same year as the first. Handsomely rebound in modern cloth with stamped leather spine label; textblock untrimmed. Stamps on a half dozen pages from a defunct library; title pages is chipped with some loss at the fore-edge margin, not affecting text; pages are somewhat toned/foxed. A remarkable captivity narrative from the French Revolution in which O'Neill recounts his abusive treatment as a prisoner of war as well as his escape. The narrative concludes with a rousing call to arms for all men to stand against their foe. Uncommon.

London: printed by T. Miller for J. Mawman and Baldwin, Cradock, and Joy, 1819. Full Leather. Very Good binding. Octavo. Vol. I: xii, 388; II: viii, 375; III: viii, 398 pp. First Edition, Thus. 30 engravings (10 per volumes). Later binding in full calf in a 19th century simplification of the Harleian style with a large central lozenge stamped in blind within series of blind and gold tooled borders with ornamental corners; quite a handsome binding with morocco title and volume labels on an ornately tooled spine; board edges and turn-ins tooled in gold; all edges marbled; marbled endpapers; handsewn silk headbands and the remnants of silk ribbon markers. Some scuffing to the leather and a small split starting at the bottom of the front joint of Volume I.

London: Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1948. Hard Cover. Very Good binding. 12mo. 514, [2 (blank)] pp. First English edition. As issued, in publisher's cloth. Binding is fairly fresh; textblock is a bit over-opened at the title page, but solid; stray ink (perhaps "24") on the title page, else contents are clean; two leaves have long vertical creases. Though a distinguished novelist, poet, and critic with a long bibliography, All the King's Men is arguable Warren's most recognized works. This is a presentable copy of the first English edition. Grimshaw A7.k1.

London: Baldwin and Cradock, 1829. Hard Cover. Poor binding. Octavo. Vol. I: iv, 320; II: iv, 312 pp. First edition. As issued, in publisher's boards backed in cloth with printed paper title labels. A reference or binding copy; heavy wear to the joints, spines, and board edges; boards are tentatively attached; water-staining to the endpapers of Volume II and very faintly the adjacent leaves; occasional pencil underlining to the text, but largely a clean copy with scant and scattered foxing. Uncommon.

Philadelphia: Benjamin Warner, 1821. Full Leather. Fair binding. Octavo. x, 128 pp., 4 plates. First American Edition from the Second London. Bound in contemporary calf. Spine is desiccated and the leather at the joints is separated but the cords are tentatively holding; spine label is gone. Previous owner name on the preliminary blanks; textblock is toned throughout. The four folding, hand-colored plates are present with only minor closed tears at the intersection of the folds. "Saunders was the first to describe paracentesis in acute middle-ear suppuration" Garrison & Morton 3362.

Georgetown, Columbia: J. M. Carter, 1814. Full Leather. Good+ binding. 239pp. 12mo. [4], 9-279, [1 (index)] pp. Second edition, revised and enlarged. Bound in contemporary marbled calf with morocco title label on the spine. A solid copy with limited wear; contents are moderately to heavily foxed throughout; one leaf with a closed tear in the fore-edge margin; rear flyleaf is lacking to top quarter; else without notable flaw. This series of essays began at pseudonymously published articles in 1810 in a Georgetown newspaper and culminated in sixty one essays (in the early editions) collected in this work, Arator, first published in 1813. In his biography of Taylor, Henry H. Simms writes of the praise for Taylor's work that came from the luminaries of the time: John Adams, James Madison, and Thomas Jefferson who reportedly purchased a drilling machine sight unseen because Taylor recommended it (Simms 148-9). More than just practical agriculture, Taylor, as suggested in the title, had a series of… Read More

Petersburg, VA: Printed by Whitworth & Yancy for John M. Carter, 1818. Full Leather. near Good binding. 239pp. 12mo. 239, [1] pp. Fifth edition, revised and enlarged. Full bound in contemporary calf with red morocco title label on the spine. Front board is nearly detached; spine somewhat desiccated, otherwise light wear; contemporary owner name of one Samuel H. Whitman is penned repeatedly on both pastedowns; free endpapers are missing; moderate to heavy foxing throughout. This series of essays began at pseudonymously published articles in 1810 in a Georgetown newspaper and culminated in sixty one essays (in the early editions) collected in this work, Arator, first published in 1813. In his biography of Taylor, Henry H. Simms writes of the praise for Taylor's work that came from the luminaries of the time: John Adams, James Madison, and Thomas Jefferson who reportedly purchased a drilling machine sight unseen because Taylor recommended it (Simms 148-9). More than just practical agriculture,… Read More

London: William Pickering | printed at the Government Press, Malta, 1840. Soft Cover. Good binding. Quarto. [2], 70, 89, [1], 103, [1 (errata)] pp. First edition, thus. As issued, in flexible cloth with printed paper title label on the spine. Spine is fairly worn with the label largely perished, but the textblock, while a bit shaken is holding moderately well; covers are a bit soiled and the corners are bumped; previous owner names including that of Reginald Waterfield (1899), principle of Cheltenham College; an earlier name of P. Newman, Exeter College dated May 24, 1848. Contents are otherwise clean. Beautifully printed edition of Aristophanes with Pickering's distinct printer's mark on the title page. In his Checklist of Books Published by William Pickering, Kelly surmises that this was printed at Frere's expense in a small edition of about 160 copies. Kelly 1840.1.

London: Printed by Robert White for George Calvert, 1654. Quarter Leather. Good binding. Small octavo. [24], 222, [2 (blank)] pp. First edition. Backed in modern speckled calf with marbled paper over boards; spine is tooled in blind with gold-stamped morocco title label; a very elegant binding. Contents are generally toned, towards the edges of the leaves; some very fine pinhole worming to the upper margin of the first half of the book, offsetting to the endpaper from the original leather turn-ins; intermittent tidelines to the bottom portion of the textblock from very early moisture exposure, often faint when present; series of ownership markings including the the name of M. Bakewell on the front free endpaper; additionally, the half-title and title page are stamped, "S. Davies". All things considered, quite a presentable volume of this systematic, philosophical approach to the rigors of logical thought. The authorship is in question with some sources citing the author on the title page Zachary… Read More

New York: Richards and Company, 1846. Hard Cover. near Good binding. Octavo. 48 pp. Stitched into yellow, printed wrappers, all in later quarter leather over flexible boards. Wrappers are quite stained with some tidelines on the rear wrapper and a few leaves into the pamphlet; pages edges are worn; a few pencil notes on the first preface page identifying the relations of some of the individuals involved. A scandalous affair between Mrs. William R. Myers (Virginia Pollard Myers) and Dudley Marvin Hoyt. Upon the discovery of the affair by William's brother, Col. Samuel S. Myers (an early marginal note identifies Col. Myers as the owner of the Richmond Theater), William, Samuel, and William S. Burr sought out Hoyt in the small hours of the night and shot him in his bed. A murder touching some very respectable families in Richmond--Virginia Pollard was the daughter of Major Richard Pollard and sister of Confederate author, Edward A. Pollard; Virginia's uncle was William C. Rives. The incident garnered… Read More

New York: Random House, 1951. Hard Cover. Very Good binding/Good dust jacket. Octavo. xiv, 402 pp. First edition, first printing, signed by Williams on the front free endpaper. In publisher's cloth with dust jacket. A fairly bright copy with light wear to the spine ends and corners; front hinge a trifle over-opened behind the flyleaf; light age toning to the margins of the leaves else contents clean. Dust jacket is worn with chipping at the head and tail of the spine; scuffing to front panel; lengthy closed tear along the rear fold; price intact on the front flap. Williams's account of his life, friendships, and accomplishments. This copy signed in an unsteady post-stroke hand by Williams. Important reflections a giant of 20th century poetry, scarce signed.

Richmond, VA: Wyatt M. Elliott, 1861. Original Sewn Wrappers. Very Good binding. Octavo. 64 pp. First Edition. Bound as issued in stitched wrappers; light soiling as well as some creasing to the wrappers; limited shelfwear; minimal foxing. A very nice copy of an uncommon pamphlet, presenting, as Nevins writes, "fervent pleas that the Old Dominion cast her lot with her Southern sisters" (Nevins II, p. 245) in seceding from the Union. Not unexpectedly, a number of the arguments center around slavery. Uncommon. Sabin 1395.

New York: Samuel French, 1931. Hard Cover. Very Good binding. Octavo. [8], 308 pp. Third printing. Issued in gray/green cloth that has faded fairly evenly to light brown; titled in gold on the front cover and spine; a nice copy with light shelfwear, only. A fantastic presentation copy inscribed by actor and playwright, Luther Adler to actor Frances Farmer on behalf of The Group [Group Theatre], a New York based theater collective that included such luminaries as, Lee Strasberg, Elia Kazan, Cheryl Crawford, Sidney Lumet, Anna Sokolow, Clifford Odets, and Paul Green, the author of this present collection of plays. November 4, 1937 at the Belasco Theatre, Adler and Farmer co-starred in one of Group Theatre's more successful Broadway productions, Odets's "Golden Boy." That production opened a few months after this book was inscribed (August 1937); one might surmise that it was a gift from Adler to Farmer thanking her for agreeing to be involved. While it was a short-lived collective (1931-1941), Group… Read More

Oxford: I. L. [Lichfield] for Henry Curteyn, 1629. Disbound. Fair binding. Small quarto. [16], 340 pp. First and only edition. Title within lovely woodcut border. Lacking final 4 leaves (7 pages of text and a blank). Disbound. Binding remains on the spine; ex-library copy with perforation-stamps on title and the leaf following; generally age toned, soiled, and dog-eared, but fairly solid research copy despite the lacking 7 pages. Sole edition of this Calvinist/Puritan treatise by a prominent member of the Westminster Assembly. The address "to the Reader" states that the book is "the summe of sundry Lectures deliuered in mine own Charge" St. Magnus, London, and that some had accused him of altering what he had preached before publishing it. Uncommon in commerce. Madan I, p. 143. ESTC S107058.

Reading, PA: Johann Ritter, 1826. Full Leather. Good binding. 12mo. xii, 322, [2] pp. First edition. In contemporary leather with morocco title label. Within the pagination are four blank leaves of a "Familien-Register"--two of which have been excised, presumably because there was family information; the remaining two leaves have not been filled in. General edgewear including a split starting at the top and bottom of the front joint; board remains attached, but it is weak. Each part with its own title page. Uncommon Reading, PA imprint. First Century of German Language Printing in the United States, 2829. Shaw & Shoemaker 24763. Pennypacker 5-1047.

London: Trelawney Saunders, 1850. Hard Cover. Very Good binding. Octavo. xii 164 pp., frontis, 2 plates. First edition. In publisher's blue, embossed cloth; a separately published folding map to accompany this volume is not present and is itself fairly uncommon, otherwise all plates are present. Binding is a trifle shelfworn and has a notable forward lean; corners and spine ends softened; very sensitive conservation work to some to some weak spots in the cloth; additionally, the a few preliminary leaves have been sympathetically reattached and the front hinge mended; all in all, some very discreet and professional work. Contents are largely clean but for some light foxing to the three engravings; a few leaves have been roughly or carelessly opened leaving some tears in the margin. Previous ownership stamp of 20th century American archaeologist Harry Evelyn Dorr Pollock on the front free endpaper; Edmonds & Remnants, London binder's ticket on the rear pastedown. Uncommon. Sabin 2771.

New York: E. P. Dutton & Co, 1960. Hard Cover. Very Good+ binding/Very Good dust jacket. Octavo. 287 pp. First American edition, first printing, signed and dated by Durrell. In publisher's cloth with dust jacket. A very nice copy with only trivial shelfwear rubbing; textblock has an extremely slight forward lean; dust jacket is sunned at the spine and somewhat soiled on the back panel; it nevertheless remains quite crisp and is in Very Good or better condition; price intact on the bottom of the front flap. Clea is the final book in Durrell's famed Alexandria Quartet; quite scarce signed.