Rare books from Dale Cournoyer Books

London: John Murray, 1853. First Edition . Hardcover. Vg+/No Jacket. 8vo. xv, [1] 417 pgs. 4 colour lithograph plates with tissue guards. All in excellent condition. 2 b/w plates & several in text illustrs.Folding colour map at end.(no tears) Blue, blind stamped cloth with gilt decoration to front cover & gilt titles along the spine. Recently recased with a new cloth back with original cloth over. Original endpapers preserved. Excellent restoration overall. No names, no marks in text, not exlibris. Priority shipping recommended. Additional photos available if required. Inquiries welcome. (Cooke & Holland, The Exploration of Northern Canada, 1978,pg.182)

London: Richard Bentley, 1838. First Edition . Hardcover. Near Fine/No Jacket. Volume I: xii, [1] 403 pp. 6 b/w plates. Folding map. *As Found; all plates & map from each volume are gathered in volume one. Volume II: vi, 441 pp. Errata. Page 435 incorrectly follows pg, 440. Rebound in brown cloth with red leather title labels. J.S. Polack (1807-1882) lived in New Zealand during 1831-37 and 1840-50. As an enterprising businessman and land speculator, Polack traded in timber and flax and in 1835 set up the countries first brewery. He also learned the Maori language and warned against the destructive effects of unorganized European settlement on Maori society, while arguing the benefits of systematic colonization. This two volume work, published in 1838, was the first of two successful books Polack published about his experiences in New Zealand, and is still regarded as an important and impartial source about the period immediately before the Treaty of Waitangi. The Treaty, signed in 1840,… Read More

Edinburgh: Maclachlan, Stewart, and Co.. Half-Leather. Vg/No Jacket. 8vo. Please note that this volume is an ex-library copy with numbers on the spine, library identification stamps on the first contents page, and no other library marks in the text. All the plates are present (8) and are gathered at the end with the exception of plate VIII, which is bound in at page 136. Expect some moderate age toning to preliminary pages, spotty foxing to the end plates, two pages with short repaired tears, and a little shelf wear/ scuffing to half leather, marbled paper binding. In excellent condition overall. (see photos) Contents include: Transactions of the Botanical Society. Volume I. 1844. xxxii, 207 pgs. beginning with "Report on the Progress and State of Botany in Britain, from March 1839 to February 1840, both inclusive, read at the Fourth Anniversary Meeting, 1840, by Society President, Robert Kaye Greville; followed by 25 other reports by various members or guests. [bound with] A Catalogue of… Read More

New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1987-1996. First Editions . Hardcover. Vg/Vg. 3 Volumes. 627 pgs. - 404 pgs. - 449 pgs. Each volume with Index & Bibliography. Name to front endpapers. No marks in text. Volume one a little shaken. Vol. 2 and 3 are gently used. Dust jackets with light wear overall. The Wen xuan is the oldest surviving anthology of Chinese literature arranged by genre, compiled by Xiao Tong (501-531) "It was one of the primary sources of literary knowledge for educated Chinese in the premodern period, and is still an essential work for specialists in classical Chinese literature." An oversized 3 volume package; additional shipping charges required.

London: Richard Bentley & Son, 1886. 1st U.K.edition . Full-Leather. Near Fine/No Jacket. Heavy 8vo. Superb 19th century binding, given as a 2nd class prize at Queenwood College (Hampshire ?) Royal blue hard-grained morocco leather with gilt & blind tooled decorations in the Art Nouveau style.Only minor wear to spine ends and corners.Rear hinge of Vol.II starting but secure. Aeg. Inside dentelles.Six panels with raised bands and fine gilt tooling to spines.Ribbon bookmarks bound in. Small bookplate on each front pastedown endpaper. Light creases to ffep's.Typical light foxing to prelims with other trivial scattered foxing within the text.Text is generally bright and fresh...bindings tight. VOLUME I. pgs.xxv,428 (one leaf) 17 b/w full-page illustrations,including frontis portrait of Greely that has offset to partially detatched tissue guard. Multiple in-text illustrations.5 maps (1 folding) VOLUME II. pgs.xiii,444. 26 b/w full-page illustrations,including frontis. Multiple in-text… Read More