Search Results: Literature from Robert McDowell Antiquarian Books

London: Henry Colburn & Co, 1857. Hardcover. See Description. Second Forester edition, revised. 8vo. 4 volumes. Volume I, pp. xl, 429, [1]. With frontispiece of John Evelyn; a second plate depicts the Evelyn family estate at Wotton in Surrey. Volume II, pp. [4], 396. With frontispiece of Mary, John Evelyn’s wife; and (in the back) a fold out pedigree chart of the Evelyn lineage. Volume III, pp. xii, 399, [1]. Volume IV, pp. iv, 448. Bound in later half red calf with gilt spines, marbled boards and sewn-in red ribbon bookmarkers. Top edge is gilt. Binding is in superb condition with only slight signs of wear. The interior contains a few miniscule marginal tears; a possible 16 mm tear (very neatly sealed) is present on the outer edge of the title page to volume I; a faint stress mark or crease is present to the frontis (volume I). Interior pages are otherwise clean. Some leaves in volume IV are unopened. John Evelyn (1620-1706) was an English author and diarist. Evelyn’s diary (which… Read More

New York: Grolier Club, 1970. First edition. Hardcover. Tall 8vo. pp. XV, [1], 424, [2]. One of 1,650 copies. Bound in black and beige cloth with slip case. Fine condition. Contains numerous scholarly articles on Samuel Johnson and James Boswell as well as articles on Oliver Goldsmith, Tobias Smollett, the painter Sir Joshua Reynolds, etc . Fine condition.

[ Greenwich Ma. ]: John Howe, 1803. First Edition. . Hardcover. See Description. First Edition. [Printed Greenwich Ma.: John Howe, 1803]. 12mo. 12p. Side stitched pamphlet. Moderate wear; pages are age darkened. First two leaves unopened. Loosely inserted into later tan paper wraps. Contains three poems 1.) "On the Death of Mr. Ranslure Clark who Died of the Putred fever Oct. 26, 1802. in the eighteenth year of his age." 2.) On the Death of Daniel Clark who died Feb. 4th 1803. In the Ninth year of his age." 3.) On the Death of Mary Weld Clark who died of the Meazles May, 19th 1803. AEt. Sixteen Months." Also contains: "An ADRESS to Christian Parents in affliction. By the Rev. Joseph Blodget." See "Publications of the Howes of Enfield and Greenwich" in Proceedings of the American Antiquarian Society Vol. 60, p. 217-223. [Shaw & Shoemaker 4590; Stoddard, Books Unrecorded in Wegelin, 158].

Anveres: Jacobo Mevrcio, 1665. Limp Vellum. See Description. Small 8vo. 2 volumes in 1. Volume I. pp. 400, [6]. Vol. II. pp. 383, [7]. With separate title page to each volume. Bound in period vellum. Occasional faint miniscule underlining in an old hand and a couple short marginal notations; some marginal smudging / soiling; front and rear blank leaves are ragged and torn. Volume I: tiny hole in p. 271 (mostly between lines but partly obstructing a couple of letters); bottom corner tip clipped on p.399 - not effecting text; pages 400-401 are dusty / soiled. Volume II: upper corner crease on p. 81. The bottom corner tips of the last few gatherings are chipped/worn. Antonio de Guevara [1480?-1545] - Spanish writer who grew up in the court of Ferdinand and Isabella. He later joined the Franciscan order and was appointed court preacher and imperial historiographer by Charles V of Spain. In 1527 he became bishop of Guadix and in 1537 bishop of Mondonedo. Guevera's works were quite popular in their… Read More

Paris: Duchesne, 1754. First Edition. . Hardcover. See Description. First Edition. 12mo. pp. lxviii, 129, [15]. Fleuron on title and three chapter head vignettes by Aliamet, Pitre-Martenaise, and Sornique after Eisen. Bound in period mottled calf boards, re-backed with original gilt spine preserved; well rubbed but still attractive; morocco spine label is renewed; corner tips to boards are neatly repaired. Early ownership ticket on inside front cover – "D.F. Lesne, Maitre en Chirurgie, rue S. Benoit." First French translations from the German of Christian Furchtegott Gellert's fables. Some of John Gay's fables are also translated. The fables are preceded by Boulenger de Rivery's essay "Discours sur la literature allemande" (pp. lxvii) which discusses the Fables of Gellert, Gay and Fontaine. [Cohen-De Ricci, p. 182; Lewine, p. 79; Cioranescu 13457; Barbier II, p. 414].

Paris: L'Atelier du Livre, 1932. Hardcover. See Description. Jean Bouchaud. 8vo. pp. XII, 216, [4]. #397 of 2000 printed "sur velin blanc." 10 color plates (Illustrations en couleurs de Jean Bouchaud). Title page printed in red and black. Bound in 3 quarter dark purple morocco. Top edge gilt. Binder's ticket on verso of front free end paper (upper left corner). Pages are clean. Small tear or paper defect in margin of p. 121. A near fine copy. Claude Farrere (1876-1957) French novelist. Many of his works were set in exotic locations. His Fumee d' Opium (first published in 1904) is an interwoven collection of stories which focus on the opium dens and brothels of Vietnam or Cochin China during the 1930's. The book appeared in English under the title Black Opium. This edition contains illustrations by Jean Bouchaud.

Leipzig / Paris: H. Welter, 1903. Second Edition. . Hardcover. See Description. 8vo. 252p. Bound in sturdy quarter morocco with marbled boards. Extremities display some rubbing; spine is faded except in a small area on the bottom panel where a shelf sticker was once present. Library impress stamp on title page and on pp.55-56. Withdrawn ticket pasted on inside front cover. Crease in rear binder's flyleaf. Pages are generally clean. Jules Lemaitre (1853-1914) was a professor at the University of Grenoble, a drama critic for the "Journal des Débats" and a critic for the "Revue des Deux Mondes." Lemaitre was admitted to the French Academy in 1896. His "La Comedie après Moliere et le theatre de Dancourt" was first published in 1882.

Paris: La Connaissance, 1925. Hardcover. See Description. Georges Delaw. 8vo. (247 m). pp. 82, [2]. Limited edition; bottom of p. 83 is marked "Exemplaire justifie: 133". With color illustrations by Georges Delaw. Includes original velum paper wraps. Bound in full period calf with cat’s-paw pattern calf boards. Spine and inner dentelles are gilt. Miniscule rubbing is present to the extremities. Interior pages are fresh and clean. An English gift inscription dated "Christmas 1925" is written on a front free fly-leaf; the same fly-leaf contains a strip of minor rubbing/chaffing where an old Christmas card (now loosely inserted) was mounted. Anatole France (1844-1924) was a French journalist and novelist. In 1921 he won the Nobel Prize in literature. His play "La comédie de celui qui épousa une femme muette" was first published in 1908.

Paris: A. Bourdilliat, 1860. Second Edition. . Hardcover. See Description. 8vo. pp. [4], 222. Half calf with marbled boards (some rubbing). Pages clean. Book plate on inside front cover. Name in pencil on front blank. Bookseller stamp near bottom edge of half-title. First published in 1851. The second edition contains a supplement concerning the correspondence of Joseph de Maistre. Barbey D'Aurevilly (1808-1889) flamboyant French decadent writer with strong Royalist and Catholic sentiments. He was known for writing several mystical-sadomasochistic novels. His "Prophets of the Past" discusses the conservative political philosophies of Joseph de Maistre, Francois-René Chateaubriand, Félicité Robert de Lemennais and others. [De Backer Catalogue 1890; Vicaire I, 292].

Paris: Iouxte la copie imprime, 1654. Hardcover. See Description. 12mo. pp. [24], 608, [14]. With engraved title page and a portrait of the author (verso *12) both by Peter Clouwet. Bound in early full red morocco including gilt paneled boards; neatly re-backed in matching morocco with gilt stamped spine in five compartments. Staining and mild darkening are present on the covers; the extremities contain some rubbing and wear; the corner tips and the edges of the boards are neatly touched up. Interior pages contain mild marginal age toning; a chip in the outer margin of the portrait leaf is neatly patched. An old ink shelf number[?] is written on the upper verso of the title. Vincent de Voiture (1598-1648) was a French poet and letter writer. Voiture’s letters are known for their wit and fine prose. This edition is possibly an Elzevir imprint published in Holland or Belgium. [Brunet V, 1347].

Paris: Librairie Garnier Frères [ 1926 ], 1926. Hardcover. See Description. 8vo. pp. viii, 518, [2]. With numerous woodcut engravings in the text. Bound in quarter calf with marbled boards. Spine is gilt and blind stamped; areas of mild darkening are present. Interior pages are clean. Some leaves are unopened. Francois Fenelon (1651-1715) was a French author and the eventual Archbishop of Cambrai. His influential political novel "Télémaque", imagining the education and adventures of Telemachus the son of Odysseus, was first published in 1699.

New York: Simon and Schuster, 1975. 1st Edition 1st Printing. Hardcover. See Description. 8vo (21.5 cm), 284 pages. Bound in gray-tan cloth with dust jacket. Top edge of the text block shows light toning, and a small spot of faint staining. Binding and dust jacket appear almost as-new - containing only miniscule signs of wear and toning. "'Looking for Mr. Goodbar' is the story of the life and death of Terry Dunn - an attractive young schoolteacher, educated in parochial school, from a respectable family - the kind of girl you don't notice very much, the kind of girl who seems to have everything under control. until one New Year's Eve when she is murdered. In this spellbinding novel, Judith Rossner writes with haunting intensity of the temptations and problems of a young woman of today alone in a big city." [from the dust jacket]. Rossner's novel was turned into a 1977 motion picture starring Diane Keaton, Richard Gere, Tom Berenger, Tuesday Weld, William Atherton, Richard Kiley.

Boston: Richard G. Badger, 1915. 1st Edition . Hardcover. See Description. 8vo. (21 cm). Copywrite, 1915, pp. 38. With 3 black and white photo plates and 20 silhouette vignettes of fairies. Two plates depict the Delaware Water Gap and Mount Minsi. 1 plate shows the Caldeno Falls. Bound in dark gray/black papered boards. No dust jacket. The title is printed in gilt on the front cover (upper left corner) along with a blind-stamped impression of a group of fairies. Top edge of the book block is gilt; the fore-edge and the bottom edge are deckled. Binding contains some rubbing and wear to the extremities; corners are a bit bumped and worn. Interior pages show age-toning and some bumping to the lower corner tips. A mild stress mark or a partial corner crease is present on page 15 - starting 3 quarters of the way down from the outer edge. A poem about fairies dancing by the moonlight on top of Mount Minsi in Delaware.

Paris: Au Bureau des Éditeurs, 1829. Hardcover. See Description. Small 12mo. (14 cm). 3 volumes. Volume I, pp. 294, [2]. Volume II, pp. 242, [2]. Volume III, pp. 251, [1]. Bound in later quarter dark blue morocco with gilt stamped spines, sewn-in green ribbon bookmarks, marbled boards and end papers. The binding is generally fresh with only minor rubbing to the extremities. A bookplate is located on the inside front cover of each volume – "ex libris J.A. Steiner". Interior pages contain some scattered foxing and spotting – generally light. The bottom corner of p. 173 (vol. II) is chipped; a 5 cm tear part way across the lower portion of p. 215 (vol. I) is very neatly sealed. Pierre Beaumarchais (1732-1799) was a French playwright and revolutionary…. Contents: Vol. I: Notice historique sur Beaumarchais; Eugénie, drame en cinq actes et en prose; Essai sur le genre dramatique sérieux; Le Barbier de Séville, comédie en quarter actes et en… Read More

Paris: Chez Dalibon (Imprimerie de Jules Didot l’ainé) 1823-1826, 1823. Hardcover. See Description. 8vo. 9 volumes. With 12 plates including 2 portraits of Rabelais and 10 scenes after the drawings of Devéria. Included also is the fold-out "carte du Chinonois" which, according to Brunet is not found in all copies. Volume IX ("les songes drolatiques") contains an additional title page, a facsimile of the 1565 title, and 120 full page woodcut grotesques, reproduced by Thompson after those in the original edition [Brunet]. This edition includes commentaries and notes by Jacob Le Duchat, Charles Esmangart, Éloi Johanneau, Volataire etc. Bound in period cat’s-paw calf boards with gilt double fillet borders, and board edge decoration; expertly re-backed with the spine displaying gilt raised bands, gilt labels and panels stamped in blind. Binding shows areas of rubbing and wear to the extremities. Interior pages contain mild to moderate scattered foxing… Read More

London: Bell & Daldy, 1866. Hardcover. See Description. Alfred Croquis. 8vo. "New edition, revised and largely augmented." pp. XI, [3], 578. With 21 plates by Alfred Croquis including a fold-out frontispiece and an extra illustrated title. Pages are generally clean. Name is inscribed on front blank fly-leaf; withdrawn plate placed on inside front cover; library impress stamp in upper corner of title page and in corner of p. 55. Solidly bound in half red morocco with attractive gilt spine. All edges marbled. Some rubbing to extremities. Corner tips to the boards neatly patched. Francis Sylvester Mahony (1804-1866) - Irish priest and journalist who served as the Roman Correspondent for the London Daily News. He also wrote for Fraser's Magazine under the name Father Prout. The Reliques of Father Prout, an interesting collection of ballads, epigrams, satire and classical allusions etc. were first published in 1836 with 18 plates by Maclise. [See Allibone, p.1205].

Italia [Firenze?]. Hardcover. See Description. Third Edition. 2 parts in 2 volumes. Volume I, p. vii, [1], 492, [8]. Volume II, pp. [493] – 1040. Full title page in volume I and half title in volume II. Bound in quarter vellum with marbled boards, gilt spines, red morocco spine labels and sewn-in ribbon bookmarks. Binding shows some spots of bumping to the board edges. The half title in volume II contains a bottom corner crease. Interior pages are generally clean. A history of Italian literature first published in Milan, 1807.

London: G.G. Harrap & Co., 1911. First Edition. . Limp Leather. See Description. Willy Pogany. First regular edition. 4to. 223 unnumbered pages printed on stiff gray paper with numerous illustrations in black and red. Includes 16 tipped in color plates. The colophon states: "The letterpress and fine illustrations lithographed by Vincent Brooks, Day and Sons Ltd. London, the four-colour plates printed by Henry Stone and Son Ltd. Banbury. A.D. MCMXI." Pages are clean Bound in limp gray suede binding with gilt illustration on front cover - in a superb state of preservation. Illustrations by Willy Pogany.

Zurich: Heidegger und Comp., 1744. First Edition. . Hardcover. See Description. 8vo. pp. 109, [i.e. 149], [1]. Pages are generally clean with occasional mild scattered marginal foxing. Small stain on title page. Bound in period papered boards or faux-vellum (rubbed). A piece of paper covering is missing from bottom rear board. An old receipt for purchase of the book, dated 1925 is loosely inserted. Johann Jacob Breitinger (1701-1776) Influential Swiss-German literary critic whose writings, along with those of Johann Jacob Bodmer, helped to inspire a transition from Baroque to Modern German Literature. In 1740 Breitinger published his "critische Dichtkunst" (2 vols), a direct challenge to the classical viewpoint of leading Leipzig critic Johann Christoph Gottsched. Breitinger argued (contrary to Gottsched) that the poet’s passion should not be hindered by artificial rules (i.e. rhym). The feud which ensued with Breitinger and Bodmer on the one side and Gottsched on the other helped to… Read More

London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, 1847. First Edition. . Hardcover. See Description. Small 4to. (219 mm) pp. xxvi (actually 34), [2], 340. With woodcut illustrations. Bound in period half red morocco with marbled boards. Spine is gilt in 6 compartments. Tiny binder and bookseller stamps (verso of front free end paper) indicate that the binding was executed by Tout & Sons for the Boston bookseller Estes & Lauriat. Binding shows spots of rubbing to the extremities. Corner tips of the boards are neatly patched. Interior contains mild toning and occasional minor wear; faint offsetting is present from some of the illustrations; pages 116-117 display an area of light tanning due to a pressed leaf. Pages are otherwise generally clean. This is a selection of popular English ballads transcribed mostly from the Roxburghe collection of broadsides. According to the introduction: "The main purpose of the ensuing collection is to shew, in their most genuine state, the character and quality… Read More