Search Results: Authors starting with R from Rooke Books

London: Cambridge University Press, 1935-1938 . First edition. Paperback. Very Good. 10" by 7". None. An uncommon interesting historical record of men of war between 1650 and 1700. First edition of List of Men-of-War 1650-1700 in the original publisher's paper wraps. This collection has four volumes. The work is complete in five. Published by the Cambridge University Press as part of the Society for Nautical Research Occasional Publications No. 5.Includes the following works.  Part I, English Ships, 1649-1702 (1935) compiled by R. C. Anderson Part II, French Ships, 1648-1700 (1935) compiled by Pierre Le Conte Part III, Swedish Ships by H. J. Borjeson, Danish-Norwegian Ships by P. Holck, and German Ships by W. Vogel and H. Szymanski (1936) Part IV, Ships of the United Netherlands 1648-1702 (1938) compiled by A. Vreugdenhil Parts I and III have an index inserted.  In the original publisher's paper wraps. Externally, very smart. There is some minor bumping to the heads and tails of the spines… Read More

London: Edward Arnold, 1902. Cloth. Good Only. 16" by 12". Edith Harwood. A limited edition copy of this courtly masque written in the early twentieth century to honour King Edward VII. This masque follows the history of the 'Edwards' of England. It features Edward the Confessor, the Lawgiver, The Second, The King of Chivalry, The Fourth, The Child King, The Founder and the King (VII). This pageant was written especially for the coronation of King Edward VII and was finished in the week of the ceremony. Printed at the Guild of Handicraft Press at Essex House. Illustrated throughout by Edith Harwood. Limited edition, number 55 of 300. Charles Robert Ashbee was an English architect and designer. He was a prime mover of the Arts and Crafts movement. In a full cloth binding with pictorial boards. Externally, generally smart. Tidemarks to the bottom of the front and rear boards, resulting in a small amount of cockling to the tail of several pages but no permanent tidemarks.… Read More

London: Guild and School, 1896. First edition. Paperback. Very Good. 12.5" by 9". None. A scarce first edition of this work issued in an attempt to prevent the demolition of 'Trinity Hospital'. Illustrated with thirteen plates. Written by the architect and designer Charles Robert Ashbee as an attempt to demonstrate why this beautiful building should be saved. Ashbee was an important figure in the Arts and Crafts movement and worked in many mediums. Illustrated, with thirteen plates which depict architectural details of the building, maps of the grounds, and aerial views of the area. Collated, complete.Trinity Hospital was originally built in 1695 to provide housing for retired sailors. They are the oldest almshouses in Central London. Ashbee succeeded in his campaign to save the building, who set up the 'Committee for the Survey of the Memorials of Greater London'. They were the first buildings to be put on his preservation register which became the listed building system.A fantastic work,… Read More

London: National Society's Depository, c1892. First edition. Cloth. Very Good. 7.5" by 5". W S Stacey. A late nineteenth century novel, illustrated throughout by W S Stacey. Believed first edition. Undated. dated using Copac and inscription to the recto of half-title page. With a publisher's catalogue to the rear of the 'National Society's Books for Prizes and Rewards.' Illustrated throughout, with four full page plates by W S Stacey. In publisher's cloth binding. Externally, generally smart. Patches of light rubbing to the extremities and to the head and tail of spine. Further rubbing to the joints. Bumping to the head and tail of spine. Front hinge is tender. Gift inscription to the half-title page, dated 1892. Internally, binding is slightly strained but firm. Pages are generally bright. Scattered spots to pages. Very Good

London: John Murray , 1855. First edition. Cloth. Very Good. 8" by 5". Not Stated . The scarce first edition of this charming painting guide by British painter Charles Robert Leslie, with illustrations. The first edition of this work, a scarce edition to find. A complete and comprehensive hand-book for painters, containing directions and instructions for painting a variety of subjects, from imitation of nature and style, distinction between laws and rules, self-teaching, beauty of form, drawing, expression and composition, and much more. Written by C. R. Leslie, English genre painter in the nineteenth century. With numerous plates of illustrations. In the original publisher's full cloth binding. Externally sound with shelf wear, minor bumping to head and tail of spine and extremities, sunning to spine, minor damp mark to front board. Internally, firmly bound. Few light minor spots to the occasional leaf, otherwise pages are generally bright and clean throughout. Featuring plates of illustrations.… Read More

Not Stated: Not Stated, 1877 . Hardback. Good Only. 19.5" by 14". C. G. R. Thackwell. A collection of fifteen signed plates by English army Captain C. G. R. Thackwell, depicting defensive field fortifications. With the printed title label 'Field Fortification' to the front board. Label hand signed 'C. G. R. Thackwell' in two places, and dated 'Sept. 1877.'Captain Thackwell was mentioned in Winston Churchill's first published work of non-fiction, 'The Story of the Malakand Field Force' (1890), and appeared in Hart's army list from the 1870s to 1890s.Thackwell served in the Afghan war in 1878-80 in the Hissarlik and Lughman Valley Expeditions, and was severely wounded. He served in further expeditions in 1881, and was present at the 1882 Battle of El Kebir.Consisting of six loosely inserted plates - some hand drawn in pencil - and with a further nine plates bound within the work.Each loosely inserted plate is signed and dated 1877 by Thackwell, with two plates hand coloured, and the plates 'Eye Sketch… Read More

Newcastle: Oriel Press, 1972. Paperback. Near Fine. 10" by 8". Various. The first three volumes of the history of the society of the Glass Circle and the art of decorative glass, first edition. The books cover the origins of the Circle of Glass, the collectors, George Ravenscroft, Jacobite engravers and the Hoare Bills. Numerous illustrations throughout along with graphs showing the popularity of different types of glass and advertisements for glass businesses. The Glass Circle was an exclusive club for collectors of glass, established in 1937 to discuss the glass as an art form. Three volumes of an eight volume set. Missing five volumes. In a paper binding. Externally, smart with rubbing to spine edges and marks to boards. Closed tear to rear board corner of volume II and bumping to corners. Front hinge of volume I is strained but firm. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are bright and clean. Near Fine

Paris : Editions France Empire , 1958. First edition. Paperback. Very Good Indeed/Very Good Indeed. 7.5" by 5" . Not Stated . The first edition of this volume telling of aero-polar expeditions, in the unclipped dust wrapper. The first edition of this work by Admiral Lepotier, in the original French. Recounting of the fifth Antarctic expedition led by Admirals Byrd and Dufek, of the aerial prowess of their predecessors in the polar regions, and of the passage of the raid Transantarctic from Fuchs-Hillary to South Pole I. Illustrated with photographs in black and white. With the unclipped dust wrapper. In the original publisher's paper wraps. Externally very smart with only minor shelf wear. The dust wrapper is unclipped ad excellent with only minor shelf wear and a touch of sunning to the spine. Internally, firmly bound. The pages are clean with some age toning, as usual. Illustrated with photographs in black and white. Most leaves are unopened. Very Good Indeed

Leiden: S. C. Van Doesburgh, 1894. Leather. Very Good Indeed. 9.5" by 6.5". None. A scarce edition of Dr. Steinmetz's ethnological study into cruelty and vengeance, in the original German language. German language. Two volumes. Scarce work. A detailed ethnological study into acts of cruelty and vengeance, with reference to philosophy of law and the enjoyment of power. Written by Dr. Sebald Rudolf Steinmetz, a Dutch ethnologist and sociologist. Bound in half calf with cloth boards. Externally, smart with light shelf wear to the extremities and fading to the cloth. The odd mark to the boards. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are very bright and clean throughout. Very Good Indeed

London: Collins, 1952. Cloth. Very Good/Very Good. 7" by 4.5". None. An attractive copy of Edith Caroline Rivett's scarce work, The Sixteenth Stair. Found in the original unclipped dust wrapper. An attractive copy of Edith Caroline Rivett's scarce work, The Sixteenth Stair. Found in the original unclipped dust wrapper. Lacking front free endpaper. Originally published in 1942, The Sixteenth Stair is the twenty second novel in Rivett's series featuring Chief Inspector MacDonald. In this novel, MacDonald is sent to St. John's Wood after a man discovers a body at the foot of the stairs in a seemingly abandoned house. Writing under the pseudonyms E. C. R. Lorac, Carol Carnac, and Mary Le Bourne, Rivett earned increasingly favourable reviews with Sampson Low before moving to the more prestigious imprint of Collins Crime Club in 1936. In the publisher's original blue cloth binding. Externally, rather smart. Lightly rubbed to the boards and the spine, with some light bumping and rubbing to… Read More

Not stated: Not stated [Ibis], 1936-1937 . Cloth. Very Good Indeed. 9" by 6". None. A very scarce collection of two works by F. C. R. Jourdain from the Ibis journal on ornithology. Birds of Southern Spain by F. C. R. Jourdain, two articles on ornithology collected and rebound together in cloth. From Ibis journal, the International Journal of Avian Science, a peer-reviewed scientific journal of the British Ornithologists' Union established in 1859. Francis Charles Robert Jourdain was a notable British ornithologist and oologist who specialised in breeding biology of birds in the Palaearctic region. Includes The Birds of Southern Spain Part I (1936) and The Birds of Southern Spain Part II (1937). Rebound in modern cloth. Externally, very smart. There is some minor bumping to the head and tail of the spine and to the extremities. Internally, firmly bound. The pages are very bright and clean. Very Good Indeed

Not stated: Not stated [IBIS], 1911-1912 . Cloth. Very Good. 9" by 6". Not stated. A very scarce collection of reprinted works by ornithologist F. C. R. Jourdain from IBIS rebound in cloth. Notes on the Ornithology of Corsica by Francis C. R. Jourdain rebound in cloth. A collection of articles from IBIS, reprinted from the volumes from 1911 and 1912, and bound together in modern cloth. Francis C. R. Jourdain was a notable ornithologist and oologist, who specialised in birds of the Palaearctic region. The complete four parts of this very scarce work, with only one copy held at the library of the Scottish Ornithologists' Club.Part two is illustrated with two text figures. Collated, complete. Rebound in modern cloth. Externally, smart. There is some bumping to the head and tail of the spine and light bumping to the extremities. There is a faint mark to the rear board. Internally, firmly bound. The pages are bright and clean with the odd spot and age toning to the endpapers. Very Good

London: Longmans, Green, Reader, and Dyer, 1875. Cloth. Good. 7.5" by 5". None . A new edition of this biography of the Duke of Wellington by G R Gleig. The revised People's Edition. Biography of the Duke of Wellington by G R Gleig.Arthur Wellesley, the first Duke of Wellington, was celebrated for his prolific and successful military career in the Napoleonic Wars; when he died, the nation mourned. He was given a state funeral, becoming one of the few British subjects to have been honoured in this way.Illustrated with frontispiece. In the original publisher's full cloth binding. Externally with light bumping to head and tail of spine and extremities, back strip gently darkened. Internally, firmly bound. Pages generally very clean throughout. Good

London: Richard Bentley, 1849. Leather. Very Good. 7" by 4.5". None. A pocket-sized edition of James' historical novel. George Payne Rainsford James (1799-1860) was a writer of novels and histories, serving as British Historiographer Royal for King William IV. His most famous work was 'Richelieu: A Tale of France'; 'Darnley' was his third novel, published after 'Richelieu', originally in three volumes. 'Darnley' takes Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley (1545-1557) as its subject, the second husband of Mary, Queen of Scots.This edition is complete in one.Illustrated with a full plate frontispiece. In a half calf binding. Externally a trifle rubbed, particularly to the spine and raised bands with a little loss to the leather. Internally firmly bound, pages generally bright and clean with the odd spot more prominent to the first pages, a small tear of about an inch to the title page. Very Good

London: Richard Bentley , 1839. Cloth. Good. 7" by 4.5". None. An uncommon volume detailing the history of Chelsea hospital and its traditions. An early edition of this uncommon work. Written by the author of "The Country Curate," The Subaltern," The Chronicles of Waltham," etc. [G R Gleig]Detailing the history and traditions of the Royal Chelsea Hospital, home of the Chelsea Pensioners. About three hundred army veterans live in at the Royal Chelsea Hospital today, including those who have served in Korea, the Falkland Islands, Cyprus, Northern Ireland and World War II. The site is a Grade I and II, a beautiful building left by Charles II and Sir Christopher Wren. The rich history and traditions are explored in this nineteenth century volume.Lacking the frontispiece. In the original publisher's cloth binding. Externally smart with slight shelf wear and a slight bumping to the head and tail of the spine. With a minor tape marking to the front and rear board. Internally, firmly… Read More

London: Richard Bentley, 1839. Cloth. Good Only. 9" by 6". Not Stated. A comprehensive biography of the Sun King, Louis the Fourteenth, unusual in a complete four volume set. A four volume set in the publisher's original cloth bindings, with Louis the Fourteenth's coat-of-arms gilt stamped to the front boards. Binder's label to the front paste down of Volume I. Frontispieces to all volumes. George Payne Rainsford James (1799-1860), was an English novelist and historical writer who held the honorary office of British Historiographer Royal during the last years of William IV's reign. This is his biography of King Louis XIV of France (1638-1715), also known as Louis the Great or the Sun King, with an exploration of his era. He was one of the most powerful and certainly one of the longest reigning monarchs in Europe. Significant and influential achievements were made during his reign, such as the construction of the Canal du Midi, the patronage of artists, and the founding of the French Academy of… Read More

Leipzig: Alphons Dürr, 1862. Cloth. Very Good. 7" by 5". Not Stated. Volume I and II of one of G. P. R. James's romances, bound in one volume; now a scarce find. Two volumes bound in one, in the publisher's original cloth binding. Bookplate to the front paste down. George Payne Rainsford James (1799-1860) was an English novelist and historical writer, best known for his novel Richelieu: A Tale of France. This two-volume novel, part of Dürr's collection of Standard American and British Authors, is a historical work set in 1658 England, including actual events and personalities of the time. Now a scarce find.A page of publisher's advertisements to the rear. In the publisher's original cloth binding. Externally, fairly smart, though faded to the spine. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are bright but spotted throughout. Very Good

London : Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley , 1831. First edition. Cloth. Very Good. 7.5" by 5". None. The complete set uniformly bound, making up this romantic, adventure novel from English novelist and historical writer, George Payne Rainsford James. First edition. George Payne Rainsford James was for many years British Consul at various places in the United States and on the Continent. He held the honorary office of British Historiographer Royal during the last years of William IV's reign, and published several official pamphlets. At an early age he began to write romances, and continued his production with such industry that his works reach to 100 volumes. His books had considerable and immediate popularity. Among his other works are Richelieu, The Smuggler, The Huguenot, Henry of Guise, and The Man at Arms. Complete in three volumes. Rebound in cloth bindings with gilt lettering to the spines. Externally, all volumes are sound, aside from light fading to the spines and extremities. One… Read More

London : Saunders and Otley, 1842. First edition. Leather. Good Only. 8" by 5". None. A uniformly bound set of fictional works from English novelist and historical writer, George Payne Rainsford James. First edition. George Payne Rainsford James was for many years British Consul at various places in the United States and on the Continent. He held the honorary office of British Historiographer Royal during the last years of William IV's reign. His literature career was encouraged by Washington Irving and Walter Scott. James' books had considerable immediate popularity. Among his others are Richelieu, Philip Augustus, The Huguenot, Henry of Guise, The Man at Arms, The King's Highway, The Commissioner: or, De lunatico Inquirendo, Agincourt and The Smuggler. Complete in three volumes. Rebound in half calf bindings with marbled boards. Externally, all volumes are rubbed, with light wear to extremities and spines. One front joint is cracked. Two front, and two rear hinges are slightly strained.… Read More

New York: Harper & Brothers, 1842. First edition. Cloth. Good. 7.5" by 4.5". None. The first american edition of George Payne Rainsford James' 'Morley Ernstein', complete with two volumes bound in one. The scarce first American edition. Complete in two volumes, bound in one. In the original, full, cloth binding with title plate. George Payne Rainsford James was an English novelist and historical writer, who held the title of British Historiographer Royal, for the last years of William IV's reign. He is best known for his first novel, 'Richelieu: A Tale of France', which was admired by Sir Walter Scott, who advised him to take up writing as his career. 'Morley Ernstein', is an enjoyable and adventurous novel inspired by James' travels in France and Spain, in the aftermath of Napoleon. With two pages of publisher's advertisements to the front of the book, and twelve pages of the publisher's catalogue to the rear of the book. In the original full cloth binding. Externally, a trifle… Read More