Search Results: Authors starting with B from Voewood Rare Books

[London] n.p. 18 March, 14 James I [i.e.1617]. One vellum sheet (210x332mm), twenty-one lines in Latin written in black ink in small gothic court hand. The capital "J" and the "b" of the first word "Jacobus" are decorated with elaborate strapwork. At the bottom right corner is the round wax seal of the Court of Chancery in amber wax pendant. On the verso is the endorsement "Per dominum custodem magni sigilli Anglia" below which, in a fine cursive hand, is Bacon's signature "Fr. B", followed by the initials "C.S." (Custos sigilli) denoting his office as Keeper of the Seal. Above this is written, in a later hand, "Stapleton". Housed in a later red morocco box lettered in gilt on the front. On the inside of the lid of the box is the label of the great collectors, Donald and Mary Hyde. This document is among the earliest to be signed by Bacon as Lord Keeper of the Great Seal: he had been appointed only eleven days previously, succeeding Lord Ellesmere on 7th March 1617, after four years as King James's… Read More

London: Victor Gollancz 1984, 1984. First edition, advance proof copy. 8vo. pp. 278. Soft blue cover, black lettering to upper cover. Small stain on upper cover. A very good+ copy.

Paris: Editions Bordas 1947, 1947. Two volumes. Limited edition. Number 392 of 800 on "velin des papeteries de rives a la forme, filigrané BFK". 4to. 275x217mm. pp. Vol. 1 [iv], 167, [1], [2]. Vol. 2 [iv], 196, [10]. Thirteen full page watercolours and numerous lithographs in the text by Roger Carle. Internally in immaculate condition and the plates are particularly fine. A striking binding (unsigned) in various shades of brown/tan morocco in blocks of wavy patterns decorated with small gilt "flames". Lettered in gilt to spine. The front and rear pastedowns have bands of brown, tan and purple morocco decorated with the gilt "flames". A very nice two volume set in a most attractive binding.

London n.p. 1725 [1727]. 4to. 225x168mm. pp. viii, 67, [1bl]. With a new statute dated 20th April 1727. Beautifully bound in near contemporary red morocco, gilt. Upper and lower covers with a border of dotted lines and a single fillet framing a border of rococo curlicues and five different fan and petal motifs. Inside this is a pattern of fine interlinked waves and between them a flower motif crowned by a bird with outstretched wings (looking not unlike a phoenix). At the inner corners are flowers and ribbons. Spine with five raised bands, compartments decorated in gilt. Turn ins decorated with a hatched pattern in gilt, marbled endpapers. All edges gilt. Plaited ribbon bookmark. Front pastedown has armorial bookplate of E.G.Fanshawe. Internally very good although there is some foxing, heavy in a few places. A very smart binding almost certainly made for an aristocratic client, particularly given the subject matter: the Order of the Bath was a British order of chivalry founded by George I in 1725, the… Read More

London: Printed for J.Whiston and B.White 1758, 1758. First edition. 4to. 210x130mm. pp. vii, [i], 99, [1bl]. Modern speckled calf, borders to upper and lower covers decorated in blind, spine lettered in gilt. Some foxing and browning but overall a very good copy of a scarce and ground-breaking book on madness and mental health. William Battie (1703-76) was a Fellow of the Royal Society and President of the Royal College of Physicians. His principal medical interest was in what he called "the mad business". He worked at Bethlem which at that time was located in Moorfields on the edge of the City of London (it still exists as a psychiatric hospital in South London and is the oldest such institution in the world). Horrified by the conditions and poor treatment at Bethlem (not least the practice of allowing the public to pay to observe the patients), Battie founded, in 1751, St Luke's Hospital for Lunatics under the patronage of the Earl of Cardigan to whom this book is dedicated. St… Read More

London: T.C.Newby 1848, 1848. First edition. Three volumes. 12mo. 190x110mm. pp. [4], 358; [2], 366; [2], 342. Bound by Bayntun-Riviere (for Henry Sotheran) in modern green half morocco, boards covered in green linen. Spine lettered in gilt, five raised bands with gilt wavy line, compartments decorated with a single gilt border. Marbled endpapers. A neat, attractive binding in excellent condition. Internally very good with only slight foxing in places. Repair to half title in volume I. Two leaves (Q11 of volume I and D2 of volume III) have been expertly repaired and there is a closed tear to the foot of D9 of volume III not affecting the text. Volume 1 lacking final leaf with publisher's advertisements. A very good copy of the scarce first edition of Anne Brontë's only separately published novel. 500 copies were printed but no more than 300 were issued as the first edition. The book sold well and the remaining copies were issued a few months later, with a new title page and a (now celebrated)… Read More

[New York]1955. Signed by Eliot in the bottom right corner. Black and white bromide print showing Eliot seated with his right hand on his hip and his left hand holding the handle of his umbrella. With his head slightly at an angle, piercing eyes, round glasses and his mouth ever so slightly open, he is at his most owlish and unknowable. One senses a Delphic apercu about to drop from his lips. Fitting then that this photograph appears on the dustjacket of the Harcourt Brace edition of the Complete Poems and Plays. 1955 also marked the year that Eliot's relationship with his secretary, Valerie Fletcher, began to develop into something deeper although it was not easy. As Eliot complained to Mary Trevelyan, "I can't get to know her at all, she shuts up like a clam." So perhaps this photograph shows Eliot in the midst of this huge shift in his inner life. It certainly seems to capture of Eliot's multitudes. Kay Bell, it is said, took up photography as a dare: in 1943, she was working as an associate editor… Read More

Lugano: Edizioni Pantarei 1986, 1986. First edition. Limited edition of 450 copies, 300 commercially available. Presentation copy from the artist: 'Dear Annamaria & José with love Aoi'. 12mo. pp. 10, [iv]. Coloured frontispiece and one coloured illustration. 16pp. black and white illustrations. The text is in Italian. The artist Aoi Huber-Kono was born in Tokyo in 1936, she now specialises in children's illustration. This monograph presents examples of her abstract work. Original tan wrappers lettered in black on spine and upper cover. A very good copy.

Paris: Ch. Mendel [1898], 1898. First edition. 280x190mm. pp. 48. Text in French. 28 photographs included in the text and seven plates. Original illustrated paper covers, with some soiling and a tear to the joint with lower cover. Internally near fine. A nice copy of a rare book which explains the techniques of photographing the female form both nude and clothed "en plein air". Paul Bergon (1863-1912) was both a photographer and a naturalist specialising in images of orchids and nudes. The photographs are beautiful, Bergon being an exponent of 'pictorialism', a movement that sought to create more painterly images in photography rather than simply record the moment. The photographs in this volume capture perfectly Bergon's artistic connections between naturism and naturalism. �

[Prague] Galerie Dila Usti nad Labem 1972, 1972. First edition. Exhibition catalogue for a show of sculptures by Stanislav Hanzik in Prague in 1972. 230x165mm. pp. 28. 14 pp of text and 16 (unpaginated) pp of photographs and 1 page of list of sculptures at the exhibition, final page blank. Text in Czech. Original brown card wrappers with Hanzik's signature printed in red on upper cover, all in excellent condition. Sudek began life as a bookbinder but after losing an arm in WWI, became a photographer and was the great 20th century chronicler of Prague. This exhibition catalogue is, although on the face of it a modest set of photographs of bronze sculptures, demonstrates Sudek's stark, clear cut style.

Venice: Lucantonio Giunta 1526, 1526. Second edition, edited by Luca Gaurico (first edition, 1495) 4to. [28], 398 leaves. Contemporary vellum, yapp edges, small wormholes on covers (one on upper and three on lower) and some waterstaining on lower cover, ties missing. Manuscript lettering to spine (partly covered by label reading "A-b") and on bottom edge of text block. Internally very good, some waterstaining to a few of the early leaves (1i (title page)-2ii and 2vii-3ii), marking to leaf r3. Previous ownership inscription on front free endpaper crossed out. Overall in excellent condition. Introductory text in gothic type. Title page printed in red and black as are some of the tables. The title page has the printer's device of Lucantonio Giunta: "Il Giglio Fiorentina", the Florentine Lily which is the symbol of Florence. Giunta was born in Florence in 1457 although he left for Venice in 1477 and began publishing books in 1489 producing over 400 books until his death in 1538.… Read More

London: Printed for & sold by Charles Corbett [c.1740], 1740. Two volumes bound in one. Folio. 365x235mm. ll. [2], 100; [2], 100. Twentieth century crimson morocco. Upper and lower covers with roll-tooled border in gilt and panels and lozenges in gilt to centre. Spine with five raised bands, compartments decorated with a geometric design and Tudor roses, second compartment lettered in gilt. Gilt turn ins, all edges gilt. Front pastedown has the burgundy morocco bookplate of W.A.Foyle of Beeleigh Abbey. Engraved title pages to both volumes and each of the 200 leaves of music has a vignette at the head engraved by George Bickham which seeks to capture the subject matter or the spirit of the song. Table of contents of volume one has been repaired and reattached. Repaired closed tear to bottom edge of leaf 35 of volume one. Fore-edge of leaf 56 of volume one has been repaired and the paper used for the repair is discoloured. Repair to bottom outer corner of title page of volume two, not affecting the… Read More

n.p. n.p. 1880-1934, 1888. An archive collection of seven sketchbooks extensively illustrated with, in total, over 500 drawings, sketches and studies by the Arts and Craft architect William Bidlake (1861-1938). The drawings are in pen and ink or pencil. Most are highly worked, detailed drawings of buildings (particularly churches) either standing alone or in the context of more developed street scenes but there are numerous studies of architectural details such as gothic window tracery and column capitals. Landscape scenes also feature and there is a small number of sketches of the human form. The standard is uniformly high throughout and demonstrates Bidlake's mastery of the decorative detail of medieval architecture. The sketchbooks are in a variety of formats but all with hardcovers and, although the covers are worn, they are all in remarkably good condition and internally they are very good indeed with the drawings beautifully preserved. 1. 150x230mm (oblong). 36 leaves with 57 drawings and… Read More

Elstree The Camera Club 1941, 1941. 1st ed, small 8vo, 60pp, illustrated throughout. Text block VG but rear internal hinge nearly 3/4 detached. In VG printed photographic board (mylar wraps, wear and bumping to extremeties). Who could resist the title for this collection of 'artistic' nudes - photographed by three of the most prominent names in the business. Roye (Horace Narbeth Roye) being well known for his glamour work with the likes of Phyllis Dixey.

London: Basil Montagu Pickering 1866. First edition thus. 8vo in 4s. 172x105mm. pp. xii, 108. Original brown cloth, paper label to spine. Joint with upper cover split, corners and label worn. Internally very good. Front free endpaper is inscribed "Frances Marten 1867, from H.C.R." On the front pastedown opposite is pasted a photograph of "H.C.R." who is Henry Crabb Robinson. The front free endpaper also has the book label of Priscilla and Samuel Meek. This reprint of Songs of Innocence and Experience contains two previously unpublished Blake poems. Two of the other poems were Bowdlerised and have lines replaced with asterisks to spare Victorian sensibilities. Henry Crabb Robinson (1775-1867), a lawyer, journalist, diarist and a co-founder of London University, has been described as one of the best connected of literary men. He "knew almost every British writer of note from Blake, Wordsworth, Coleridge, Lamb, Southey, and Hazlitt to Gaskell, George Eliot and Matthew Arnold". Crabb Robinson's friendship… Read More

London: Printed by E. Owen 1750, 1750. First edition. 4to. 264x205mm. pp. [viii], 191 [1bl]. Engraved title page within an attractive rococo border and engraved illustrations on the left margin of each page and three engravings in the text. Contemporary calf, upper and lower covers with gilt dog-tooth border and gilt fleurons at the corners. Spine with five raised bands, compartments lavishly decorated in gilt although somewhat rubbed and faded. Tan morocco label lettered in gilt. Corners bumped and rubbed and a small scuffed patch on the lower cover. Marbled endpapers. Edges sprinkled red. Internally very good. Overall a very nice copy of the first illustrated maritime dictionary in English. The illustrations are in particularly good condition and give a charming pictorial addition to the definitions of almost every aspect of boats and sailing from anchors to wrain staves. Thomas Blanckley (1717-1753) was the Clerk of the Survey at Portsmouth Dockyard and Commissioner of the Victualling Office. In… Read More

South Africa . Wooden sign (940x170mm). Metal plate screwed to each end, Painted brown with white lettering, some traces of blue paint showing through. Cracked along the centre but still holding. These unnerving signs were perhaps the most obvious manifestation of the day to day humiliation of "Petty Apartheid". Politics, as it affects ordinary people in their ordinary lives, takes place at a mundane level, apparently far removed from the machinations of the powerful. Political power, at its most basic and most pernicious, is the state telling you which bus to travel on, which beach to swim on and which bench to sit on. This sign is a political statement. It was removed, as an act of political protest from a bench in Kalk Bay on the Cape Peninsula on 15th March 1986. On the back is written in white ink "15.3.86 S.A.R. (rescued by) Giles. Kalk Bay". Sold with: Anti-apartheid struggle T-Shirt. c1985. White shirt, printed in black with a man's face and the words "Wherever… Read More

Kempen: teNeues 2004, 2004. First edition. Folio. pp. 195. Loosely inserted limited signed print 2/200. Lavishly illustrated in colour and black and white. The text is in French, Spanish, German, Italian and English. Original black cloth, blind-stamped on spine and upper cover. Illustrated dust-jacket, lettered in white, repaired at head of spine. Black cloth slipcase. Scarce. An oversize book, please ask shipping costs before ordering, particularly to locations outside Europe.

Verona: Officina Bodoni. 1968, 1968. First Bodoni edition, one of ten copies for presentation, this copy with the printed presentation: "This copy has been printed for David Earl of Crawford", and with an autograph card from the printed Giovanni Mardersteig "for David from GM. Verona, September 1969" and a pencillled presentation note to the front free endpaper. A further 180 numbered copies were also issued. Folio, 310x225mm. pp. xxxviii, 155 leaves of upright Roman and Italic typefaces and 28 leaves of Greek; xli-iii index, colophon. Original brown paper-covered boards, printed paper label to spine, original dust-jacket, housed in a custom green cloth slipcase. David Lindsay, 28th Earl of Crawford and 11th Earl of Balcarres (1900-1975), served as chairman of the National Trust from 1945 to 1965, alongside serving as trustee of the Tate and National Galleries, the British Museum, and the National Library of Scotland. A fine copy. This is a facsimile of Bodoni's 1788 Manuale… Read More

London: Printed for the author by T. Egerton. 1795. First edition. 8vo in 4s. (208x130mm). pp. [2], xxv, 3-88. K4 blank. Loosely inserted is a letter of 1993 from the Bodleian Library confirming that K4 in their copy is blank and setting out the full collation, this copy conforming to that. Contemporary red full grain morocco in fine condition. Decorative gilt borders to the upper and lower covers. Spine lavishly decorated in gilt, Greek-key design turn-ins. All edges gilt. Very slight rubbing at the head and foot of the spine. Marble endpapers. A very handsome binding. Internally near fine with only minimal spotting in places. Front pastedown has the royal armorial bookplate of "E D C". This is Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, later King of Hanover, one of the sons of George III. He was created Duke of Cumberland in 1799 and this book would have been bound for him at about that time. ESTC records copies in the BL, Bodleian and The Codrington Library together with five copies in the US. Sir… Read More