Rare books from First Folio

New York: Scribner's, 1907. The much sought-after New York Edition LIMITED TO 156 COPIES on Ruisdael handmade paper, this no. 44. Volumes 1 -18 are clean with some chipping to the spine labels; volumes 21-22 with yellowed spines; volumes 23-24 with faded spine labels; volume 24 with some soil to the spine. Altogether quite sound. The much sought-after New York Edition LIMITED TO 156 COPIES on Ruisdael handmade paper, this no. 44. 24 volumes. Illustrated with 24 original photogravures as frontispieces by Alvin Langdon Coburn. Large 8vo. Bound with cream-colored buckram spines over Italian handmade paper sides, spine labels of brown simulated leather. Henry James wrote 18 new prefaces for this edition; two additional volumes were issued posthumously. BAL 10665; Edel & Laurence A64b. RARE.

Paris: Libraire de Firmin-Didot Et Cie, 1888. Petite" first edition. Fine. ( One monochrome plate in Vol II with half-inch spot due to cohesion with resulting small hole in facing page not affecting any text; also a very small brown spot on lower edge of a page not affecting text).. Petite" first edition. Six volumes. Square 8vo. Illustrated with 500 plates, 300 in vivid chromolithography printed by Didot, and 200 in camaieu (monochrome) - complete. Bindings marked Brentano's Paris. Bound in half royal blue crushed morocco with gold-veined marbled sides and marbled endpapers, t.e.g., the spine richly gilt with floral ornaments. "This edition... is known as the small or 'petite' edition. The same text and plates were published at the same time in a larger edition, folio size, usually described as the "grande edition". The only difference is in the size of the page and color of the paper. Plates are printed from the same lithograph plates, but in the 'grande edition' they are on titled paper. (Hiler &… Read More

Easthampton, MA: Cheloniidae Press, 1981. ONE OF TEN ARTIST'S PROOF COPIES, total edition 110. Signed by the artist, the printer, and both binders. Tray case has rubbing and wear, all else fine. ONE OF TEN ARTIST'S PROOF COPIES, total edition 110. Signed by the artist, the printer, and both binders. Folio. A suite of seven etchings laid in a folder with accompanying descriptions in letterpress. Text printed by Harold P. McGrath at Hampshire Typothetae. The upper cover of the folder is in full black niger morocco with the figure of a whale's head in full bas-relief produced by David Bourbeau of the Thistle Bindery. All housed in a quarter leather tray case produced by Gray Parrot (case measures 15 1/2" X 23 1/4"). This is copy "D" of the 10 artist's proof copies, signed in the colophon. Each etching is also pencil-signed by the artist. A remarkable and stunning production.

London: William Pickering, 1836. Large paper copy. The First Nicholas Edition. Moderate foxing primarily due to the properties of the various papers of the extra plates.. Large paper copy. The First Nicholas Edition. Extra-Illustrated and expanded to four volumes. There are 318 extra plates, 23 colored. Bound by Riach in full green morocco with marbled endpapers, a.e.g., the spines with gilt titles and simple panel ornaments, the covers with a series of ruled frames with cornerpieces, dentelles. This edition was a favorite of the extra-illustrator... [a set] was exhibited at the International Fisheries Exhibition, London, 1883... containing some 5,000 extra-illustrations... [and] extended to 41 volumes. (Coigney 44). Kelly. Pickering Checklist, 1836.17; Keynes, p. 94 (a Keynes "Special Merit" title; Horne 43.

London: Shakespeare Press, 1817. First edition. Fine. First edition. Three volumes. Royal 8vo, 250 cm. (vi), vi, (ii, corrections and additions), ccxxvi, 410p, (ii); (iv), 536p, (ii); (iv), 544p, (ii, additional erratum). Copiously illustrated with wood and copper engravings including 35 full-page plates. Bound by the Monastery Hill Bindery in full brown morocco with marbled endpapers, t.e.g., the spine with gilt titles and triple-ruled panels, the raised bands extending onto the covers and terminating in fleurons in blind. Beautifully printed by William Bulmer at his celebrated Shakespeare Press. "[Bulmer] spared no pains to render the typography of his press the most correct and beautiful England had hitherto known." (Talbot Baines Reed. A History of the Old English Letter Founderies). A beautifully printed, beautifully illustrated, handsomely bound wide-margained copy. A true collector's copy. Windle and Pippin A28. With the bookplate of Julie Parker Whitman, collector and Pierpont Morgan… Read More

Col. Agrippinae: Sumpt. Haered. Bern. Guualteri et Sociorum, 1639. Remarkably well-preserved with some minor areas of loss. Miniature book (3 7/8" - 97mm). Six volumes. Volumes I, II, IV, V with engraved title page (wanting in Vol. III), Vol. VI with typographic title with engraved vignette. Vol. VI with extra-canonical books, followed by Index Testimoniorum a Cristo et Apostolis... Hebraicorum Chaldaeorum Graecorvmqve and Index Biblicus. Vol. VI names publishers: Sumpt. Viduae Bernardi Gualteri & Sociorum - all matching the collation in Darlow and Moule. All bound in contemporary speckled calf with marbled endpapers, a.e.g., the spines in five panels with gilt titles and extensive decoration, the covers edged in straight and wavy gilt rules. Each volume housed in contemporary dark brown gilt decorated morocco slipcase lined with pattern papers. Darlow and Moule 6216; Welsh 581. Marshall Field & Company bookseller's label laid in. "One of the smallest Latin Bibles ever printed". (Darlow and Moule).… Read More

London: Thomas Bensley for R. Bower, 1805. This printing with the plates dated 1801 and 1802 on Whatman paper watermarked 1805. Plates fine, some light soiling to pages, fine binding. A very desirable copy. This printing with the plates dated 1801 and 1802 on Whatman paper watermarked 1805. Large folio (18 3/4"). (iv), 102p, (ii, plate list). Illustrated with 48 hand-colored aquatint plates. Bound in full tan morocco with marbled endpapers, a.e.g., the spine with gilt titles, the upper cover with morocco title label from the original volume inset. Abbey. Travel 369 citing this 1805 printing; Brunet III, 1556 for 1801; Lowndes III, 1523 for 1801; Colas 2018; Hiler & Hiler p. 577 for 1804; Blackmer Sale 830 for 1801.

London: The Casanova Society, 1923. First English Edition" . Limited to 750 set on antique paper - this out of series. One spine just slightly darker than the rest, yet all quite attractive. First English Edition" . Limited to 750 set on antique paper - this out of series. 16 volumes bound in 8. Illustrated with 16 color frontispieces. Bound in half maroon morocco with marbled sides and endpapers, t.e.g., the spines in 6 panels with gilt titles, the other 4 panels with a star and emanating rays.

Edinburgh and London: William Blackwood and Sons, 1844. Sixth edition. Minor wear, but sound and very good, contents clean. Sixth edition. Ten volumes. Bound by Hayday in full calf with marbled endpapers and text block edges, the spine with red and green title labels, the panels densely gilt, cover borders ruled in gilt and blind with small corner-pieces, gilt edges and turn-ins. Each volume with label on paste-down, "From the Library of Charles Dickens, Gadshill Place, June, 1870". This does not however comport with other volumes from Dickens' library that would require his personal bookplate as well.

Weimar: The Cranach Press, 1927. No. 105 of 225 copies (Nos. 201 to 225 were not for sale). There was also a German edition and a French edition. Occasional light spotting to the text, else fine with slight bumps to outer corners. No. 105 of 225 copies (Nos. 201 to 225 were not for sale). There was also a German edition and a French edition. Folio. 116p. Printed on Maillol-Kessler paper hand-made from pure hemp fibre and linen, and sold by Emery Walker. Eric Gill designed and cut the title and lettering around and fourteen initials ornamented by Maillol. With forty-three illustrations drawn and cut in wood by Aristide Maillol (1861-1944). Set by Erich Dressler and Walter Tanz in Jensen roman and Johnston italic. Bound in full crimson crushed morocco with simple vertical gilt spine title of artist and author, t.e.g. (The binding is signed in blind on the rear turn-in which is hard to decipher, but we believe it to be W.L. Smith & Sons). The Book as a Work of Art, The Cranach press of Count Harry… Read More

Boston: Bradlee Whidden, 1900. Limited to 500 copies (no. 46). Small chip to each crown, spine evenly mellowed to golden brown, all else fine. A remarkable work.. Limited to 500 copies (no. 46). Two volumes. [xvi], 161p; [xvi], 163-361p. With over 400 photographic illustrations, including over 100 with transfers of species from life - ACTUAL WINGS. Beautifully bound in full green crushed morocco with marbled endpapers, a.e.g. the spines in uneven panels with gilt titles and butterfly vignettes and decorative panel frames, the covers with gilt fillet border and large gilt butterfly corner pieces. "New methods of printing color, often too difficult to be practical, were sometimes undertaken by enthusiasts. Denton says the plates in this book 'are direct transfers from the insects themselves; that is to say, the scales of the wings of the insects are transferred to the paper while the bodies are printed from engravings and afterward colored by hand... I have had to make over fifty thousand of these… Read More

London: A. Millar, over-against Catharine-street in the Strand, 1749. First edition. Fine, lovely condition, outer hinges of Volume I professionally repaired. First edition. Six volumes. 12mo, lxii, errata, 214p; (ii) 324p; 370p; (ii), 312p; (ii), 294p; (ii), 3049. Complete with appropriate cancels. Bound in full speckled calf with marbled endpapers, a.e.g., the spines densely gilt with red and black title and date labels, the covers with triple fillet rules and floral corner pieces, dentelles. (Penciled note on flyleaf of Vol I. reads "collated perfect, B. Quaritch..."). Ashley Library Catalogue, II, p 115-116: Grolier English One Hundred, No. 48.

London: Printed at the Shakespeare Press for John Major, 1831. Fine. xxvi, 293p (i). Illustrated with wood engravings in the text and the complete set of fine engravings on India paper. Bound by Riviere in full maroon crushed morocco, t.e.g., the spine densely gilt with floral ornamentation, the sides with triple fillets, fancy dentelles. Unique copy with original pencil drawings by George Cruikshank marked in his hand: "Copies of Hogarth" and with a self-portrait of Cruikshank in the margin, and also the original drawing for the engraved plate of "The Public Lecture". Also the original drawings for "The Laughing Audience" and "The Company of Undertakers", with directions to the engraver. Provenance: From the collection of H. W. Brunton, literary executor of George Cruikshank, with his signature on the flyleaf, and subsequently from the library of Charles H. Senff (1841-1927, industrialist, book and art collector) with the book plate of his widow, Gustavia A. Senff (1858-1927).

Mexico City, 1958. Fine. Jerry Lewis' copy of the composer's holograph score marked up with directions for music, stage and performance in red and black pencil and ink. Folio [186p] bound in black vinyl imprinted in gilt " Rock-A-Bye Baby, Music Score by Walter Scharf, Scored in Mexico City at the Churubusco March 26-28, 1958", Jerry Lewis" Rock-a-Bye Baby is an American musical comedy film starring Jerry Lewis along with Mariyln Maxwell, Connie Stevens, Hand Conried &c. The feature song by Harry Warren and Sammy Cahn, a spoof on rock and roll music, was sung by Jerry Lewis and includes a drum solo performed by Lewis. Some reports maintain that Lewis conducted the orchestra.

London: Philip Lee Warner for the Medici Society, 1910. No. 244 of 500 copies. Printed on handmade Riccardi Paper. Bindings quite fine, the morocco opening of the slipcase are somewhat worn and chipped. No. 244 of 500 copies. Printed on handmade Riccardi Paper. Four volumes. Quarto. Illustrated by W. Russell Flint with 48 tipped-in color plates. Bound by Stikeman & Co., N.Y. in full red crushed morocco, t.e.g., the spines with gilt titles and a floral ornament in each panel surrounded by a four ruled frame with tiny cornerpieces, the covers decorated with a very large frame of Art Nouveau curvilinear style with large flowers in each corner inlaid in marocco, and with a series of highly decorative rules, the doblures of blue crushed morocco with similar rules and a rule of trailing vines with four inlaid flower petals, red watered silk flyleaves. Each volume housed in a morocco-lined slipcase of marbled paper-covered boards. A beautiful edition in stunning bindings.