Rare books from Ironwood Hills Books

Second UK edition of Parry's 1819-20 Northwest passage expedition. Issued 1821 from same plates as first edition except for typographical corrections (see Arctic Bibliography #13145). Condition is good or better. 19th century full leather binding, marbled endpapers. The primary condition issue is that the front hinge is starting. Front corners of boards are rubbed; stain on back board. The interior is excellent, the only markings are pencil notes on the list of plates, complete with all plates, some foxing on early pages. Pagination: [8], xxix, half title, 310, half title appendix, clxxix, blanks. All 20 plates and maps present and accounted for. Hill 1311. This is Parry's first book but not his first voyage to the arctic which was 1818. Wonderful plates and maps. Please feel free to inquire. See images of the book you will receive.

Scarce 19th century reprint of Hakluyt's very rare 16th century work. 1889-1890 four volume set, published in Edinburgh by Edmund Goldsmid is complete with quarter leather spines and with original matching marbled boards. Volumes have two title pages and a half title. The first title page is dated 1891 and notes this set is a portion of a larger work "Hakluyt's Complete Collection of Voyages" published by Goldsmid in 1891. On inspection one can see that these are the 1889-1890 volumes with the 1891 promotional title page added later. This set began life at the Public Library of New London with the only evidence being the bookplate. Later this set arrived at Ambassador College Library of Pasadena, California with only evidence being stamps on the title pages and paper edges. No pockets ever. When I acquired this set the spines of volumes 1 & 2 were perished and were replaced with black leather with gilt titles. Original matching psychedelic cobalt marbled boards remain. Pagination: Volume 1: [2], 383,… Read More

Ten (of 12) volumes: Haustellata volumes 1-4, Mandibulata 1-6, lacking volume 7 and supplement. First editions by Baldwin and Cradock, London. 1828-1835. Overall good condition. Complete with all plates and pages. Bindings are mixed. Seven volumes light tan full leather (goat?) with Yapp style bindings. Marbled endpapers and edges. Two half leather, marbled board bindings and one museum library rebind (~75 years old). The interiors are excellent except for vol. 6 Mandibulata which has water toning upper outer corner affecting last quarter of volume and final two plates. Haustellata volume 4 has museum library stamp on title page and plates are in a back pocket; has interesting old scientific marginalia. The value here is in the matching 7 volumes (Haustellata 1-3; Mandibulata 1-4). First appearance of Darwin's work in print. See Freeman pages 19-20. A note on the Yapp bindings: These are clearly 19th century bindings. I find no clues to identify the binder. The leather is limp. When I got this set all… Read More

1616 London edition. Modern full leather fine binding by Starr Bookworks. Interior has prior owner's initials and date (1839) on title page. Paper is good and remains supple. Last page shows the most wear and is backed with rice paper; another smaller repair p.xvi. Paginates: blank, [16], 333, [3], blank. Wonderful printing work and ornamental devices. An early psychology text matching temperament with profession. Please see scans of the book you will receive. Feel free to inquire.

Four volume, hardcover, 1809 first edition. In original quarter leather with paper boards. Leather spines are much degraded, boards show much wear, all hinges cracked, but everything holding together. Interiors are very good. The paper is wonderful, bright, supple, minor foxing, no interior writing or other evidence of ownership. Written in Italian. Paginates: V1: blank, title page, xi, 363; V2: blank, half title, title, 543, blank; V3: blank, half title, title, 553, blank; V4: blank, half title, title, 477, blank. Howes B627. Please see scans of the books you will receive. Note: this heavy set may require extra postage.

Fisher Unwin London Atlantic Limited Edition #350/620, signed by author, 28 volumes complete. 1924. Overall condition is very good with the following defects noted: leading edges of all boards show wear at top corner (see image), a few gutters have cracked paper (all binding is sound), sunning to spines. Interiors are a high point. Prior book sellers pencil note in volume 1 otherwise no markings or bookplates. All page gatherings remain uncut except for a few in vol. 1. A matching set with limitation pages in each volume. See L. W. Currey p. 528 & Hammond "G" for more info. Please see scans of the books you will receive. Note: shipping cost will be calculated at time of purchase and cost to buyer will be actual cost only. Feel free to inquire.

Complete 18 volume set, half leather with original boards and modern matching spines. 1824. Overall condition is very good. Recent fine binding using original boards. Old blanks are gone, this has new blanks. Only interior markings are pencilled numbers on back of title page. Some foxing in text, heavier in maps. Many pages uncut. 17 unpaginated maps and one plate of vocabulary. Set is a compilation of journals and texts from every major European voyage of discovery from antiquity to 1800. Kerr is not so much an author as an editor. Wherever possible he reproduced the original texts and journals. He edited them to reduce redundancy but maintain fidelity to the original text. His first volume shows the trouble he went to. He has rendered into English 9th century Icelandic texts then proceeds on to 9th and 10th century Anglo-Saxon texts. Where meaning is obscure he annotates generously. This was a major effort by a true scholar. The maps show a commensurate effort to create the best maps from the… Read More

First edition, hardcover, 1823. Volume resewn and recased using original full leather boards with sympathetic new leather spine using the original red leather title label. New blanks and endpapers. Binding tight. Paper shows moderate foxing. Old ownership signature on preface dated 1857. No other writing or markings. Paginates 510 pages plus one old blank. Uncommon book in above average condition. Please see images of the book you will receive. Feel free to inquire. Howes B715, Hill 180. Note: These are primary source documents for the War of 1812.

This is complicated so bear with me. This is a sammelband (collection) of four titles from the publisher Muir. Listed in order of binding: First title "Life of Thomas Paine" (1833) is not attributed but appears to be abridged Sherwin's biography of Paine (See OCLC: 933006301). Second title "Rights of Man" (1833) requires no explanation. Next two titles written by Peter MacKenzie are rare and make up most of the value. Third title "Exposure of the Spy System" is the 1832 first edition of this work. Includes frontis of Hardie's grave. The fourth (final) title "Trial of James Wilson" is the 1832 first edition. The whole thing paginates: 48, viii, 104, [2], 242, 48. Bound in high quality quarter leather with marbled boards fine binding by Starr Bookworks. Defects are: page 21/22 of "Rights" has a repaired hole affecting a few words (see scan); list of Paine's works has some check marks; title page of "Spy" has small edge tear not affecting anything. Feel free to inquire. Please see scans of the book you… Read More

Hardcover, 1554 Paris edition. Condition is very good. 19th century full leather binding, all edges gilt, marbled endpapers. Paginates by leaves (1 leaf=2 pages): 127, plus 1 leaf index. 2 blanks front and back look like they are from the old rebind. Title page and last page of index are pages with the most wear: title page has old ownership stamp, and a few stains. All other pages are near fine or fine. Paper is excellent quality: supple, lightly toned, not fragile. Binding is sound. Front blank endpaper has two inscriptions in Spanish. One is dated April 23, 1880. The other is earlier and signed by Alfredo Chavero (same as ownership stamp). No other writing or markings. A small book approximately 4.5 x 3.25 inches. Please see scans of the book you will receive. Feel free to inquire. Notes: I think first edition of this collection is 1530 (see OCLC: 925369798). And just so you know: the English translation of the title is my own and could be completely wrong.

Pamphlet, 1825, Andover, Mass. Early edition. Condition is Fair: wraps show significant general wear, top outer corner of blank and last wrap missing causing loss of part a letter. Interior has ownership inscription on front blank with date of 1827, old prior seller's price on blank. No other writing or markings. Spine reinforced with paper in distant past. Paginates: wraps, blanks, 48. Illustrations included in pagination. Complete as issued. This edition is uncommon. WorldCat locates ~15 copies. See OCLC: 34635134 & 22449258; Rosenbach 681. Harlan Page is the engraver, author is unknown. Please see images of the book you will receive. Notes: identification of edition priority is a challenge. The undated New-York Religious Tract Society is generally considered the true first. The sources on this make conclusory statements and there is reason to doubt them. I put together a summary of my research for those who are interested.[Indigenous, South Pacific, theology]

First edition, second printing, Verona, 1770. This enlightened physician correctly recommended citrus for treatment of scurvy. Little noticed then and now as his name is nearly forgotten. A very rare item. I do not locate any translation in English. WorldCat locates 3 copies. See OCLC: 14316323; 869038856. Pamphlet bound in modern grey boards, title on spine. Condition is Very Good: primary condition issue is dampstain that runs through entire text. Worst is seen on title page. A few old corner folds. Printed on superior 18th century laid paper which remains supple and bright. No interior writing, prior owner's name plate on front blank. 43 pages, modern blanks. For the collector of medical history. Please see images of the book you will receive. Feel free to inquire. Notes: Recognition of scurvy on sea voyages was noted in the 15th century and correct treatment identified in 16th century. The majority medical establishment ignored the knowledge of observant sailors for the next 200 years. This text… Read More

First French edition, three volumes, 1787, Paris. Old full leather bindings with decorative gilt spines. Sparrman accompanied Cook on his second voyage as a naturalist and physician. This is an account of that trip and his observations of Africa which appears to have intrigued him more than than the Antarctic. Paginates: V.1: xxxii, map, 388, 3 plates; V.2: [2], 366, 5 plates; V.3: [2], 363, 8 plates. Vol. 1 has modern marbled blanks nearly matching the originals, other volumes with original marbled blanks. Complete with 16 plates, 1 large map. Overall condition is Very Good: hinges have been conserved, new blanks v.1, no interior writing or markings of any kind. One plate edge conserved with Japanese paper, small hinge tear on map conserved. Minimal foxing and staining. All paper edges marbled. Spine ends of volumes 1 & 2 somewhat diminished. Binding is sound. It has the more plates than all but the first edition in Swedish (which is excruciatingly rare). See Howes S828, Hill 1616, Howgego S154,… Read More

First edition, first issue, hardcover, 1844, New York. True first issues are uncommon and are discussed in the Notes section below. Overall condition is Very Good but not without defects. Old plain gray paper boards, possibly original, certainly 19th century. Boards have a general patina and small ink stain on back. Binding is sound. Endpapers are an odd yellow with a waxy feel. The yellow papers have central darkening that does not affect any other leaves. Prior bookseller notes seen on ffep. Stamp of New Jersey Historical Society on title page, pp. 164, 166. No other writing or stamps seen. The half title, title and map are lacking top outside corner not affecting image or text in any way (see images). The front blanks have water injury which lightly affects map and title page (see images). Paginates: blanks (3 leaves), foldout map, viii, 166, [2 pp adverts], errata slip (21 lines), blanks (3 leaves). The errata slip is lacking a corner (see image). Complete as issued. See Field 1595. Feel free to… Read More

Second edition, full leather, Troy, New York, 1797. Includes the occasionally missing frontis. Condition is Good or better: original full leather boards in above average condition with modest general wear. Only the bottom front corners show slightly more than minimal wear. The other corners, edges, spine and hinges are sound. Binding is sound. Leather label on spine still legible although that is not well seen on images. Interior is likewise in good condition. Only writing is old faded ink signature on back free blank. No other writing; mild to moderate foxing throughout. The laid cotton paper pages are still supple and easily read. The title page has a 3 inch closed tear expertly repaired (see image). There are some minor edge tears seen throughout but none affecting text. Paginates: blanks(2), frontis, (i)-180, blank(1). I suspect one rear blank leaf is missing, otherwise paginates complete as issued. Please see images of the book you will receive. Feel free to inquire. Notes: First edition is 1797,… Read More