Search Results: History from Quercus Rare Books

London: W. Clowes and Sons, 1863. One of the more important addresses to the Royal Geo Society. In addition to other reports on exploration, pages 62 to 73 recount "Speke and Grant's Discovery of the Sources of the Nile." This expedition had commenced in 1860; Speke was joined by James Augustus Grant (1827-1892), altogether a more amiable companion than with Burton in the journey of 1856; a year after this address Speke would be dead, one day prior to his scheduled debate with Burton. This is a Very Good (Minus) copy of the First Edition. An historically important and scarce item. Originally paper-covered wraps with sewn-in textblock.The front and back covers are now gone; bits of the spine do remain. Otherwise, a sound copy with clean text; 84 pages, incomplete. The last two pages have a postscript and notice of a Special Meeting on June 22; the text stops in mis-sentence.. . First Edition. Soft Cover. Very Good (Minus)/No Jacket. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall.

New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1958. The incredible story of Pappy Boyington, Medal of Honor winner, leader of a famous flying squadron of misfits known as "the Black Sheep." Definitely the stuff of legends! This is a Later Printing (6th) of the First Edition; a Near Fine copy, with bright orange cloth binding with silver lettering. The dustjacket is from the Fifth Printing, and is unclipped. Some chipping and creasing at the margins. In an archival plastic protector. Size: 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. Later Printing.. Hard Cover. Near Fine/Very Good.

New York: Simon and Schuster, 1954. "Known for his Singular Wound as Borgnefesse, Captain of the Buccaneers TOLD BY HIMSELF, and edited by Gustave Alaux and A. t'Serstevens, translated by Malcolm Barnes, published by Simon and Schuster in New York, 1954." A rollicking and picaresque tale of life as a pirate; Le Golif (1640-1710) may even have been telling the truth, occasionally. Not a common book. This is a Very Good (Plus) copy of the First American Edition (stated First Printing). Blue paper-covered boards with a red cloth spine; titled in gilt on the spine. Clean text; 242 pages. Very mild bumping, and the gilt on the spine seems a bit dulled; minor chipping to bottom of rear panel. The dustjacket is unclipped, but it shows soiling and chipping around the margins. In an archival plastic protector.. First American Edition.. Hard Cover. Very Good (Plus)/Very Good (Minus). 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" Tall.

New York, Chicago and San Francisco: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1990. This is a Near Fine copy of the First Edition (stated) Bright yellow cloth binding, with titling in red on the spine. Clean text; 342 pages, indexed. There is a splash of discolorationon the rear free endpapers; else a Fine copy. The dustjacket has a crease to the front flap; else a Fine copy. In an archival plastic protector.. First Edition. Hard Cover. Near Fine/Near Fine. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.

New York: The Literary Guild of America/Harper & Brothers, 1928. The author's second book, a biography of the revolutionary former slave Henri Christophe (1767-1820) who became Emperor of Haiti. This is a Very Good copy of the First Edition (stated). Paper-covered boards illustrated in yellow, blue, and black; black cloth spine with a paper title label. Clean text; x, 207 pages; bibliography; with an author bio and an ad for his previous book in the rear. Frontis illustration, with five others within; also cover and endpapers by Mahlone Blaine (1894-1969). Mild bumps; edgewear at the margins.. First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good/No Jacket. Illus. by Mahlon Blaine. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.

London: E.P. Publishing Limited, 1972. Polymath/explorer Captain Sir Richard F. Burton was always fascinated with the history of the sword. First published in 1884, he had planned it to eventually consist of three volumes. The original issue is a high spot for Burton collectors and quite pricey if found. This is a Near Fine copy of a facsimile edition that will certainly serve, although itself is rather scarce. Bright red cloth binding with gilt titling on the spine. Clean text; xxxix, 299 pages. Indexed. Numerous illustrations. With a new Forward by J.G. Cluff. The only defect noted is a shadow offset to the paste-downs from the flap of the wrapper, which is Very Good Plus, having some wrinkling along the margins and a clipped price. In an archival plastic protector.. Facsimile Edition. Hard Cover. Near Fine/Very Good Plus. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.

Sheffield: J. W. Northend, 1968. Here is a very handy little book for the silver collector. "With notes on Gold Markings, and Marks on Foreign Imported Silver and Gold Plate. Old Sheffield Plate Makers' Marks 1743-1860." Pocket-size, and in a sturdy binding. Near Fine to Fine condition (appears unread); clean text, with multiple illustrations. 93 pages, with a couple of blanks for Notes. The 12th Edition. Size: 16mo - over 5¾" - 6¾" tall. Twelfth Edition.. Soft Cover. Fine/No Jacket.

London: Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, and Green, 1831. An uncommon history by the Scottish jurist and historian Sir James Mackintosh (1765-1832), along with two other great writers of the age. This is an incomplete set (5 of the original 8 volumes) of mostly First Editions, in Very Good to Very Good (Plus) condition. Marbled paper-covered boards with leather spine and tips. Four raised bands on the spines, with gilt ruling and decorations. Titled in gilt in a black compartment, the Volume in a red one. Clean texts, exceptionally bright and clear, with no foxing. Volume #2 (1831) has x, 381 pages, with appendix; Volume #3 (1832) has xlii, 367 pages, appendix; Volume #4 (1835) has xv, 377 pages; Volume #6 (1843) has xii, 367 pages; Volume #8 has xiii, 356 pages, with a frontis illustration. Rubbed at the margins, and the leather is a bit dry, but still an attractive set. . Firts Thus. Half-Leather. Very Good (Plus)/No Jacket. 16mo - over 5¾" - 6¾" tall.

New York: Simon & Schuster, 1955. The conviction of Dreyfus in 1894 put a face to French anti-Semitism. Through the efforts of Emile Zola, the case was reopened; he was exonerated and went on to serve in World War One. This is a Fine copy of the First Edition (stated First Printing).Blue paper-covered boards with a gray linen spine; lettered in gilt. Clean text; 274 pages, indexed. This is a Review Copy, with card from publisher laid-in. The dustjacket is unclipped; tanning on the spine and the margins of the covers; small closed tear on front cover at the bottom. In an archival plastic protector. Size: 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. First Edition.. Hard Cover. Fine/Very Good Plus.

Boston: Allen and Ticknor, 1833. The tale of Caspar Hauser (1812-1833), a supposed "wild child" raised outside of normal civilization, has fascinated the world for two centuries now and resulted in at least two motion pictures and several literary treatments. The author, [Paul Johann] Anselm Von [Ritter] Feuerbach (1775-1833) was a famous legal scholar of the time, but his fame now is linked to this wild innocent. This is a Very Good (Plus) copy of the Second American Edition (stated) from a year aftyer the First. Far from a common book. Purple cloth binding (now more of a pink) with a green paper label on the spine. Clean text; ix, 168 pages; very bright and clear. Frontis engraving of Hauser; Preface by Francis Lieber. Contemporary signature on the FFEP. Mild bumps, with the spine faded to a tan colour. Was Hauser a fake? Modern scholarship suggests he was, but we live in less miraculous times. Judge for yourself. . Second American Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good (Plus)/No Jacket. 12mo -… Read More

London: William Clowes and Sons, 2002. This is a Fine copy of a facsimile edition published by Pierway in an edition LIMITED to 750 copies. "Bayonet Exercise" was originally published in 1853 and is one of the high spots for the Burton collector. Considered an influential work of militaria quite separately from Burton's later fame as a Victorian polymath. Extremely rare in the original. Penzer [41-42] notes "This is probably the rarest of all Burton's books, and forms one of the most important works on the bayonet ever published." Bright red textured cloth binding, decoratively stamped and ruled on the covers, with gilt titling on the front. Clean text; 36 pages, with a four-page publisher catalog of the publisher's military titles in the rear; marbled endpapers. . Facsimile Edition. Hard Cover. Fine/No Jacket. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall.

New Haven: Yale University Press, 1939. A fascinating bit of World War One naval history, written by a participant. This is a Fine copy of a Later Printing (the 5th). Black cloth binding with white lettering on the spine. Clean text;270 pages, very bright and fresh. Maps as endpapers. The dustjacket is a striking design by Willis Birchman; it has been price-clipped and has some wrinkling around the edges. In an archival plastic protector. Size: 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. Later Printing.. Hard Cover. Fine/Very Good.

New York: Oxford University Press, 1969. The famed literary critic first wrote about the scrolls in 1955. Here is his Revised and Expanded Version of "The Scrolls from the Dead Sea." A Near Fine copy of the Third Printing of this First Edition Thus. Well worth a read today. Dark green cloth binding with gilt titling on the spine. Clean text; 320 pages; indexed. There is a touch of rub to the corners (not bumped, still square). The dustjacket is Very Good, with rubbing, creasing, and some small chips at the margins. In an archival plastic protector.. Later Printing. Hard Cover. Near Fine/Very Good. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall.

New York, Lodon, & Bombay: Longmans, Green, and Company, 1896. The last great work by the Irish historian (1838-1903), which was controversial on its publication. Two large, attractive volumes: 471 pages, with 24 pages of publisher's catalog; and 489 pages, with index. Dark blue cloth binding, stamped in the blind; gilt lettering on the spine. Clean text, with many pages unopened. The previous-owner signature/stamp on the half-title pages is that of R.H. Wallace-Williamson, Captain of the 1938 Curtis Cup Matches. Lovely books by a great writer. No dustwrappers. Size: 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. First Edition.. Hard Cover. Near Fine/No Jacket.

New York: W.W. Norton & Company Inc, 1967. One of the better modern biographies of the famous Victorian polymath/explorer. This is a Very Good copy of the Second Printing of the First Edition. Red cloth binding with fancy gilt decorations and titling on the spine. Clean text; 390 pages, Notes, bibliography, list of Burton's works, index. This is an ex-libris copy, but the treatments evident are quite minimal: top edge has stamp "5-7", bottom edge has stamp "Library Copy' and there is evidence of pocket removal on last page. The dustjacket is complete, unclipped, with just some hints of wear at the tips. In an archival plastic protector.. Second Printing. Hard Cover. Very Good/Near Fine. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.

New York: Harper & Bros, 1953. Huxley's "historical narrative" of religious hysteria in 17th-Century France. Originally published in 1952; this is a Fine copy of a Later Printing, one year later. Orange paper-covered boards with red cloth spine. Spine titles and decoration in black, red, and gilt. Clean text; 340 pages, indexed, and w2ith a bibliography. Exceptionally clean and bright. The dustjacket shows some light edgewear, with some creasing at the head of the spine. In an archival plastic protector. Size: 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. Later Printing.. Hard Cover. Fine/Near Fine.

New York: Harper & Bros, 1871. Despatches sent from Paris during the Franco-German War (by balloon!), the first report s of the Paris Commune. Labouchere (1831-1912) exposed the Piggot forgery against Charles Stuart Parnell and sat as an M.P. himself. Although a very popular book at the time, the "Diary" is quite scarce today. This is a Very Good copy of the First American Edition, preceding the Macmillan by a year. Marbeled paper-covered binding with a brown cloth spine (no lettering), that show very little wear. The text is clean, bright, and supple, still quite readable. 131 pages, and in the rear, the publisher has added some 12 pages of adverts for various series available. Of interest, although Labouchere's portrait is on the Title Page, his name is not. This is an ex-library copy, with the 19th-century stamps of two different libraries scattered throughout, and evidence of label removal on the FFEP. However, the stampings are not intrusive, and considering the scarcity of this… Read More

New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Company, 1972. "The influence of disease in shaping the great events of history." This is a Fine copy of a Later Printing (5th) of the First American Edition. Dark gray cloth binding with white titling on the spine. Clean text; 248 pages. Indexed. The dustjacket is also Fine; in an archival plastic protector.. Later Printing. Hard Cover. Fine/Fine. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.

New York & London: W.W. Norton & Company, 1996. "A cultural history of the Titanic disaster." This is a Near Fine copy of the First Edition. Green paper-covered boards with a black cloth spine titled in silver. Clean text; vii, 300 pages. Indexed. Small crease to one corner on front, else Fine. The dustjacket is unclipped. Some faint wrinkling at head and foot of the spine, else Fine. In a plastic protective cover.. First Edition.. Hard Cover. Near Fine/Near Fine. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.

New York: D. Appleton and Company, 1892. Published anonymously, but known to be Albert Dresden Vandam (1843-1903); A well-known journalist based in Paris, he was witness to the Prussian Siege. First Edition Thus. This is a Very Good copy of the "Authorized Edition," two volumes published as one, issued in America two years after the English version. Light green cloth binding with a decorative cover and gilt lettering on the spine. Clean text; 478 pages with 2 pages of publisher's adverts in the rear. This is a sound copy, but it has some spotting on the front cover and the spine. Lacking a dustjacket. Size: 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. First American Edition.. Hard Cover. Very Good/No Jacket.