ABA Featured Books

157 letters. Mostly folio (ca. 29 x 21 cm., a few slightly smaller, a few 8º), first 120 letters bound together in nineteenth-century quarter dark green straight-grained morocco over marbled boards (minor wear to corners, edges), smooth spine with gilt bands and "Cartas de I.F.S." (probably bound by the recipient, Rodrigues de Gusmão); remaining 37 letters laid in at the end. Written in ink, in an even, fairly legible hand. Light browning, but not at all fragile. Some letters include the cover, from which the postage stamp is excised, with occasional loss of a few words when the cover is on the verso of a page of text. In very good condition. A penciled note on the front flyleaf by the son of Rodrigues de Gusmão, dated 10 August 1888, reads: "Colleção de Cartas dirigidas por Innocêncio Francisco da Silva, ed. do Dicc. Bibliographico Portuguez, ao seu amigo Francisco Antonio Rodrigues de Gusmão, A. de varias obras, Socio da Academia Real das Sciencias, etc. Lancei aqui este apontamento no 10 de… Read More

A Highly Impressive Illuminated manuscript, Brilliant Watercolours and Gouache on Mulberry paper comprising 204 panels, laid onto heavier paper and bound concertina style, depicting an elaborate Daoist religious ceremony, including a procession of musicians, banner bearers, dignitaries, deities and mythical creatures, and Kaigen-kuyo or the ritual of the eye-opening ceremony, the Five Thunder Gods are invoked to dispel demons (the blue figures with flaming red hair), the twelve animals of the zodiac are present representing the blending of religious and secular Chinese beliefs, as well as drawing attention to the importance of the date of the ceremony (the second day of the second division of the second month of winter, in the eleventh year of the reign of Tongzhi, a ren shen year).
Titled and dated on opening leaves, approximately 30metres (100ft) long, 27cm (10.5ins) high, blue calf covers, silk floral fitted case.
Account of a Daoist religious ceremony, Chongfu Altar, Shanxi Province, Northern… Read More

London: Ward, Lock and Co., , 1888. I consider that a man's brain originally is like a little empty attic, and you have to stock it with such furniture as you choose." A Great Detective's Debut, or The Case of The Missing Rare Book DOYLE, Arthur Conan. A Study in Scarlet. London: Ward, Lock and Co., 1888 [i.e. March 1889]. First edition in book form of the first Sherlock Holmes story (preceded only by the story's appearance in Beeton's Christmas Annual 1887). Second impression with mis-spelling "youuger" for younger in the second paragraph of the publishers' preface. Octavo (7 1/4 x 4 3/4 inches; 185 x 121 mm.). [iii] title; [iv] blank; [v] publisher's preface (with paragraph 2, line 3: youuger); [vi] blank; [vii] contents; [viii] blank [1]- [169]; [170] blank; advertisements; [171- 182] pp. With six line drawings within the text by Charles Doyle, the author's father, on pp. 32, 57, 64, 98, 124, 158. The title-page has been very neatly repaired at the edges and pp. 75-78 with very slight fore… Read More

London: J. Hogarth, [1849]. Of the three works, The Kaffirs Illustrated is the most uncommon" (Tooley). With Thirty Beautiful Hand-Colored Plates ANGAS, George French. The Kafirs Illustrated, in a Series of Drawings taken among the Amazulu, Amaponda, and Amakosa Tribes; also, Portraits of the Hottentot, Malay, Fingo, and other races inhabiting Southern Africa: Together with Sketches of Landscape Scenery in the Zulu Country, Natal, and the Cape Colony. London: G. Barclay for J. Hogarth, [1849]. First Edition. Large folio (19 9/16 x 14 1/8 inches; 497 x 359 mm.). [ii], [i]-viii, [9-52] pp. Lithographed frontispiece portrait on India proof paper mounted, lithographed title-page, lithographed dedication leaf, and thirty finely hand-colored lithographed plates drawn on stone by G.F. Angas, M. & N. Hanhart, B.W. Hawkins, A. Laby, J. Needham, and W. Wing, after Angas. Eleven wood-engraved illustrations in the text. Small closed tear repaired to margin of plate 17, not affecting illustration. Plate number… Read More

Augsburg: [J. Sittich], January 1514. Quarto (210 x 155mm). Title within four-part woodcut border, 87 woodcuts, 10 of these large including 1 full page lunar figure, numerous initials, all in bright contemporary hand-colour, with working volvelles. Contemporary quarter pigskin over wooden boards.
A rare, richly illustrated calendar from the Augsburg Renaissance.
Printed calendars and almanacs became extremely popular in the fifteenth century and provided ordinary people with the basic knowledge required to plan their daily routines. The market for calendars was first tapped by Gutenburg, who published a calendar which calculated the times of new and full moons and planetary positions, with readings every two to three days. All earlier calendars, however, were superseded by those of Regiomontanus (1436-1476) whose calculations were far more accurate; he recorded several eclipses of the moon and his interest led him to make the important observation that longitude at sea could be determined by… Read More

London, J.Pine, 1739, First Edition, Folio(560 x 390mm), contemporary mottled half calf gilt, spine restored, with engraved title with allegorical historiated border, printed dedication, 2 pp list of subscribers, 23pp text, 5 double-page plates each with 2 engraved maps,double-page map of the British Isles showing the track of the Armada,
10 double-page engraved plates of the sea battles printed in green and blue, all within highly decorative allegorical borders, incorporating medallion portraits, and 2 double-page engraved maps of Devon and Cornwall and the Thames(not in the Berlin Catalogue and present in only a few subscribers copies), all engraved by Pine after Gravelot and Lempriere.
Subscribers Copy of one of the finest naval works ever produced.
After the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588 Lord Howard of Effingham,
commander of the British Fleet, commisioned Robert Adams to produce a series of charts representing the various phases of the action during the battle.The Dutch artist H.C.Vroom… Read More

FIRST PRINTED ACCOUNT OF BATTLE OF TRAFALGAR AND NEWS OF NELSON'SDEATH – TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE NEWS REACHES LONDON2 Broad Sides, manuscript letter from Federico Carlos Gravina y Nápoli and Engraved printedInvitation to the Funeral Procession of Nelson.All housed in a custom ½ blue morocco clamshell box lined with white moiré silk and piecesloosely framed in an archival matting for presentation and protection.GIBRALTAR CHRONICLE EXTRAORDINARY. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1805. Broadside,30.5 x 21cm, printed in two columns, English and French.Prints Vice-Admiral Cuthbert Collingwood's letter to Henry Fox, acting Governor of Gibraltar,headed Euryalus, at Sea, October 22, 1805, beginning, Sir, Yesterday a Battle was fought byHis Majesty's Fleet, with the Combined Fleets of Spain and France, and a Victory gained.Collingwood concludes the letter with, Our loss has been great in Men; but, what is irreparable,and the cause of Universal Lamentation, is the Death of the NOBLE COMMANDER IN CHIEF, whodied in the… Read More

London: Printed by J. Smeeton, 1802. M'Cringer's Treatise on Modern Education With Eight Superb Hand Colored Plates Etched by Thomas Rowlandson ROWLANDSON, Thomas. M'CRINGER, Joel [aka J[ames]B[rydges]. WILLYAMS. A Compendious Treatise on Modern Education, in which the following interesting subjects are liberally discussed: The Nursery, Private Schools, Public Schools, Universities, Gallantry, Duelling, Gaming, Suicide. By the late Joel M'Cringer, D.D. F.R.S. A.S.S. Rector of the United Parishes of Pigworth, Goosebridge, and Honeytown, in Middlesex ; Vicar of Cornsteadcum-Haybury, in the same county ; Prebendary of St. Glebemore ; Whitehall preacher, and domestic chaplain to the Right Honourable Lord Trainwell; to which also are added, coloured designs both characteristic and illustrative, delineated by J.B. W******* Esq. and etched by Thomas Rowlandson. London: Printed by J. Smeeton, 1802. First edition. Oblong folio (10 1/2 x 13 1/2 inches; 267 x 343 mm.). [ii, title, verso blank], [i]-viii,… Read More

London: Printed by T. Bensley and sold by Messr.Cadell and Davies, etc. 1813-17.
First Edition, 3 volumes, Large Folio, half red calf over marbled boards, complete with numerous plates on 111 hand-coloured sheets of antiquities and mosaic pavements, of which 37 are folding or double-page, 3 hand-coloured titles, engraved dedication, 7 part titles with 6 in colour, 4 engraved ll of lists of plates in colour with hand-coloured engraved vignettes, a fine copy of a rare work.A SUPERB COPY OF A VERY SCARCE WORK. One of 200 Sets Only and One of the Most Important Works on Roman Antiquities in Britain.
An extraordinary series of engravings recording Roman mosaic floors and antiquities excavated in Great Britain in the late 18th century.Samuel Lysons was one of the first archaeologists to investigate the Roman sites in Britain, as well as being a leading intellectual of his time and a benefactor of the British Museum, to which he donated many artifacts. Between 1793 and 1796, he undertook extensive… Read More

London: Thomas East, 1582, Small quarto (194 x 137 mm). 170 leaves, woodcut border device surrounding title,early ms on verso, woodcut initials throughout, an early but later calf binding with elaborate gilt drops, central gilt device on both covers, a very attractive binding.First English edition of one of the first works in English on world exploration. Dedicated to Sir Francis Drake.Originally published in Coimbra in 1551, the present text represents one of the most important historical works of the first great age of discovery. Translated by Nicholas Lichefield.Most of the ...Historie... is devoted to the great Portuguese thrust into Asia in the early 16th century, chronicling their epic expansion to India, the East Indies, and China between 1497 and 1525. Castanheda himself spent some two decades in the Portuguese colonies in the East, and so was well equipped to write this account. It is one of the primary sources for the early Portuguese trading empire, a model that the British were beginning… Read More

London: Published by Thomas McLean... Printed by W. Lewis, 1821. Considered the Most Comprehensive and Most Famous Work by Henry Alken" (Dixon) With the Hand Colored Frontispiece dated 1820 ALKEN, Henry. The National Sports of Great Britain. By Henry Alken. With Descriptions, in English and French. London: Published by Thomas McLean... Printed by W. Lewis, 1821 [-1820]. First edition. Large folio (19 x 12 inches; 482 x 305 mm.). [2, title in English, verso title in French], [2, preface in English], [2, preface in French], [2, contents in English, verso contents in French], 50 leaves of text with English on recto and French on verso. Hand-colored aquatint frontispiece dated 1820 with small and inoffensive 1/8 inch wide marginal stain just extending into the image; Hand-colored aquatint frontispiece dated 1821, and fifty superb hand colored aquatint plates, each with a corresponding leaf of text with English on the recto and French on the verso. Contemporary full green straight-grain morocco gilt.… Read More

Christian Egenolff, Frankfurt, 1551. Folio, (330 x 240mm),[18], 352, [1] with over 900 woodcut illustrations. A very attractive binding in contemporary panelled calf, blind tooled borders with arabesque designs, spine gilt in compartments, leather gilt title-pieces.
Adam Lonicer (Lonitzer) (1528-1586) had studied in Marburg and Mainz before becoming professor of mathematics at the Lutheran University of Marburg. It was there that he received his medical degree and he later pursued a medical career as the city physician of Frankfurt. In 1554 (the same year as he received his medical degree), he married Magdalena Egenolph, the daughter of the controversial Frankfurt printer Christian Egenolph, who had been involved in one of the first copyright disputes – in this case over Egenolph's pirating of an edition of Brunfels' Herbarum vivae eicones. Figala (1973) points out that Egenolph specialized in the publication of herbals and whether it was a result of this or his own professional interests, Lonicer… Read More

Ten Proof Engravings published by Douglas Cleverdon in 1929. Headpiece, tailpiece and eight full pages, each signed and dated (1929) by David Jones. Sheet size 26.5 x 21.5, plate size (full page) 17.5 x 13.5cm. Housed in a custom board folder with a hand painted paper label. Ernest Percival Pearce's bookplate to the inner board and inscribed in pencil in an unknown hand below and numbered 16.X.72 DJ . Further inscribed in pencil inside the paper folder by an unknown hand DJ 19-11-60 . Very early bowing of the boards. Loosely laid in is H/W correspondence (a one sided letter and a postcard) from David Jones to Mr Pearce dated '29 Sept. 1971' and 'Feb 25th 1956' respectively. The engravings are all in near Fine condition. Illust. 4 with a very tiny rust spot near bottom left corner of blank margin. Illust. 7 with a tiny unobtrusive spot below the signature. Otherwise the plates are all in excellent condition. Only one such set has appeared at auction at Sotherbys in 1982 where they refer to the '8… Read More

[Lisbon, Manoel de Lyra], 1595.. FIRST EDITION. 4°, full crimson morocco by Sansorski & Sutcliffe, London (mid-twentieth century?), spine gilt with raised bands in six compartments, short author-title lettered gilt in second compartment from head, place and date lettered gilt at foot, covers triple ruled gilt, with gilt tooling at corners of inner rule. Edges with double gilt rule. Inner dentelles gilt. All text block edges gilt. In a slipcase of marbled boards. Woodcut arms of the dedicatee, D. Joeronymo de Castro, on title page. Numerous woodcut and typographical headpieces, tailpieces and initials. Large woodcut printer's mark on verso of final preliminary leaf, repeated on leaf 162 verso. Overall in fine condition. Armorial bookplate of Walter Corrêa de Sá e Benevides. (4), 186 [i.e., 184], (3) ll. [ ]4, A-Z8, ¶3. Lacks the final blank leaf ¶4. Error in foliation.: skips from 176 to 179. *** FIRST EDITION, very rare, of the collected works of Sá de Miranda. The second edition of 1614 is… Read More

London: Paternoster-Row; and No. 9, Cleveland-Street, Fitzroy-Square: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown; and William Daniell, 1814. 1st Edition . Hardcover. Very Good. Folio - over 12 - 15" tall. DANIELL William. A Magnificent series of plates, almost all of equal quality and the most important colour plate book on British topography - Tooley. First editions of Vols I-VI and VII. 8 volumes in 4, tall 4to, aquatint dedication, 308 hand coloured plates and one tinted lithographic plate (complete) by and after Daniell, the majority of the plates with grey wash borders, some scattered light spotting, contemporary half green crushed morocco gilt, spines gilt in six compartments, titled in two and with floral, foliate and naturalistic tools in the remainder, over green cloth, some edges lightly sunned, gilt edges, red marbled endpapers. Armorial bookplates to fpds (William Strang Steel) & CEA. V1/2, [3], (iv-v), [1], [1], 2-215, [1], [1] errata, [1]. (1815), [3], 4-223, [1] pl list. V3/4,… Read More