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Dear Friend
If variety be the spice, then we have it in abundance. From late medieval manuscript fragments in our bookbindings, to the exploits of Dick Turpin; from bookselling in 1800 Herefordshire, to Winston Churchill banning women from a political meeting in Preston. And, a group of manuscripts and song lyrics by Marianne Faithfull, relics of a life of 'pop fame and tabloid infamy' that are also 'a statement of bloody-minded survival'. And we all need a bit of that.
Best wishes,
Christian
LETTERED GERMAN RENAISSANCE BINDING Catechismus, oder Auslegung, unnd Erklarung der Hauptstuck Christlicher Religion oder dess Kleinern Catechismi D. Lutheri — Philipp Nicolai; Martin Luther — 1604
Distinctive and rather beautiful lettered German binding on a scarce Frankfurt, Reformation-era imprint which features a blind-stamped bust of Justice on the upper and lower covers, set within a border of cherubs. Faded gilding to the edges of the text block which have been adorned with gauffering. The book comes from a small collection of books that escaped Germany in the 1930s when its owner’s family emigrated to New Zealand to take up an academic post before crossing the world to England a ge…… Read more
WITH MANUSCRIPT WASTE An Exposition with Notes Upon the First and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians — William Sclater — 1627
Sclater’s commentary on Thessalonians bound in a pleasingly unsophisticated, entirely unrestored 17th century calf binding in which the bookbinder has introduced 16th century manuscript waste between the endpapers. Polished calf binding with raised spine bands and decorated with blind lines; old cracking to the leather with minor loss at the tail of the spine. No pastedowns, but strips of manuscript waste front and rear, bound in before the first and last flyleaves. These have writing on one sid…… Read more
Moriae Encomium: or, a Panegyrick upon folly Written in Latin by Desiderius Erasmus.... with above Fifty Curious Cuts, Designed and Drawn by Hans Holbeine — Desiderius Erasmus, Hans Holbein — 1709
Beautifully illustrated edition with 46 engravings by John Sturt which derive from a series of drawings made in the margins of a copy of the Basel 1514 edition, mostly by Hans Holbein, the rest by his brother Ambrosius. Handsome tree calf binding; outer hinges renewed, inner hinges relaid but retaining a good-looking 6 panelled spine with sun devices. Marbled endpapers and a bookplate to the front pastedown inscribed to ‘Mark Cooper. The gift of Mrs Wilson in memory of [printed] Frederick Charle…… Read more
THOMAS PILKINGTON’S OXFORD-ANNOTATED COPY Pentalogia sive Tragoediarum Graecarum Delectus, cum Adnotatione Johannis Burton. Editio Altera [Vol II only] [with] Observationes in Oedipum Tyrannum — Euripides, Aeschylus, Thomas Burgess, John Burton — 1779
An Oxford edition which has been interleaved, owned and annotated by an undergraduate of Merton College, Thomas Pilkington (1773-1811). Even as an undergraduate in the early 1790s Pilkington had already succeeded his father as the 7th Baronet Pilkington of Stanley near Wakefield in Yorkshire; this book probably stayed in the family home, Chevey Hal until the sale of its contents at auction in 1947; it has been in a private collection in Yorkshire for most of the last half century. Volume 2 only…… Read more
UNRECORDED - A Catalogue of A Large and Valuable Collection of Books, Ancient and Modern in Various Language and Every Branch of Literature — John Allen — 1800
A long, ambitious and entirely unrecorded bookseller’s catalogue printed in Hereford in 1800 and containing more than 4000 books, as well as ‘A great number of Rare and Curious Articles’. Entirely unsophisticated in appearance and bound in contemporary brown paper wrappers, the book has provenance to Hereford where it was inscribed and annotated by its first owner, ‘Thomas Evans’, after he was given this copy in February 1800. The bookseller behind the catalogue, John Allen (c1754-1828) was a le…… Read more
Napoleone per la Grazia di Dio e per le Costituzioni, Imperator de Francesi SCARCE - NAPOLEONIC DECREE FROM 1807 ESTABLISHING THE LIRA AS THE NATIONAL CURRENCY OF ITALY — Napoleon, A Aldini — 1806
Scarce 1807 Napoleonic decree in the form of a broadside printed by the Stamperia Reale in Milan which established the Lira as Italian currency. The broadside was printed by the Stamperia Reale which had been established in 1805 to produce Napoleonic legal codes and official forms needed for governmental administration following the new formation of the Kingdom of Italy. PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: In very good condition. Printed on watermarked paper (ECA below a small crest), measuring 59 cm x 45 cm.…… Read more
Narrative of The Most Remarkable Events which Occurred in and Near Leipzig Immediately Before, During and Subsequent to, The Sanguinary Series of Engagements Between The Allied Armies and The French, from the 14th to the 19th October, 1813 — Frederic Shoberl — 1814
9th edition illustrated with military maps exhibiting movements of the respective armies. Octavo half bound in calf to spine and corners over marbled boards in very good condition. Titled in gilt over red ground to spine. Boards lightly worn, renewed spine sunned. Endpapers clean front and rear, a little age toned. ‘RJR’ initialled to front pastedown in a contemporary hand. Text block entirely sound. 104 pp. plus 6 pp. titled ‘Proceedings of the Committee Formed Jan 1814 For Relieving Distress i…… Read more
The Life and Trial of Richard Turpin, a Notorious Highwayman... Among which are His Daring Robberies, Never Before or Since Equalled — [Dick Turpin] — 1815
Second edition bound in 20th century pale green paper-covered boards with a black leather spine label. Ink inscription ‘Ex libris R Lionel Foster Walliscote Whitchurch [on Thames]’ to the front pastedown. Hand coloured frontispiece and title page browned. The title page prints a long list of Turpin’s dastardly deeds: pp28, collated and complete, browning to most leaves which are trimmed along top edge but not to the foreedge and bottom edge. Bound with additional blanks to rear, thus bulking out…… Read more
Old Cures and Recipes from Innishmore, County Galway, Ireland 1810 - 1850 — Unknown Writer — c.1850
An original, small, hand written recipe book with provenance to Innishmore, the largest of the Aran Islands in County Galway where it was purchased in 1992 by a previous owner. Over 60 recipes within include Mrs Doyle’s recipe for lavender water, Mrs Chamber’s for a troublesome cough, a cure for deafness using cabbages, a cure for fits, C. O’Neill’s recipe for French Vinegar, a recipe to wash lace and an English recipe ‘to clean plates to look like new’. PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: A small landscape f…… Read more
Calligraphic and Mathematical Victorian Copy Books of Earl Fitzwilliam’s future Colliery Manager — Thomas Newbould — c.1860
Two volumes of scrupulously executed mathematical rules, examples and handwriting exercises with provenance to the estate of South Yorkshireman Mr. Thomas Newbould, future manager of Earl Fitzwilliam’s Hemingfield Colliery. Included are: 1. A small card backed exercise book containing a superb example of Victorian cursive writing practice full of proverbs, numbers and letters over 12 leaves to both recto and verso. Even better, with the name of the writer, T Newbould to the front wrapper. In exc…… Read more
‘LOFTY THOUGHTS OF NOBLE DEEDS’ - Early Victorian Poetry and Sketch Book with possible links to the Tuke Family of York — E Tuke and others — 1832
Handwritten poetry alongside naive but undeniably charming little sketches and mementos dating to 1832 fill this attractive volume. There are some clues to its ownership but the contents prove eclectic. A single sentence claims ‘Written in the beginning of E Tuke’s Book’, a poem claims to be ‘copied by [P] Tuke and a small arrangement of dried flowers surround the words ‘H Ellis to E Tuke 1832’. It is possible that the volume therefore has connections to the prominent Tuke family of Yorkshire, E…… Read more
Three Months’ Visitation, by the Bishop of Capetown, in the Autumn of 1855: with an Account of his Voyage to the Island of Tristan d’Acunha — Robert Gray (Bishop of Capetown) — 1856
First edition, inscribed in Cambridge two years after publication ‘To Frances Hester Athuissa[?] with the kind regards of the Bishop of Cape Town Cambridge Nov 2.d 1858’. Gray was the first Bishop of Capetown which stretched across 250,000 square miles when he assumed the position, making this account an unusally ambitious project. DESCRIPTION: Publisher’s green blind-stamped cloth with gilt lettering; wear to the top and tail of the spine, publisher’s binding is good condition only. Yellow coat…… Read more
Anglo-Catholic Manuscript Volume of Hymns written by a Newly Bankrupt Clergyman — John William Hewett — 1858
Substantial quarto volume of original hymns written by the enthusiastic Anglo-Catholic, educationalist, hymnist and, at the composition of this manuscript, a very recent bankrupt. Following his degree at Trinity College Cambridge and a fellowship at the Oxford movement-influenced Society of the College of St Nicolas, John William Hewett had attempted to found a large school at Bloxham in Oxfordshire which was his financial ruin. This manuscript was written the following year, 1858, dedicated to…… Read more
Stationary Engine Driving — Michael Reynolds — 1885
Third Edition in very good condition, revised and rnlarged. In eye catching red and gilt decoratively embossed boards featuring an image of a condensing steam engine designed by James Watts, dedicated to engine men and firemen throughout the United Kingdom. PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Sturdy red cloth boards with bevelled edges in good condition, age toned particularly to edges, a small bump to tail edge. Gilt titled spine lightly bumped to top and tail. Gilt embossed illustration to front board is ra…… Read more
Highways and Hedges: The Children’s Advocate — T Bowman Stephenson — 1893; 1895; 1896
Three beautifully bound volumes of this monthly magazine using the most up to date technology of the 1890s with half-tone photographs printed onto the coloured cloth. This religious periodical served as the official organ for The Children's Home, a Methodist charity focused on orphanages and charity schools. Each volume is bound in striking pictorial boards of green, red and burgundy cloths, embossed to front and rear, titled in still vibrant gilt. All 3 volumes in very good condition, very mini…… Read more
‘THIS TICKET WILL NOT ADMIT A WOMAN’ - Winston Churchill Bans Suffragettes from his Meeting in Lancashire — Winston Churchill — 1909
Ticket debarring women from attending Winston Churchill’s speech given in Preston, Lancashire, at the height of the Suffragette campaign of Direct Action. The printed ticket has been annotated in red ink: ‘This ticket will not admit a Woman, Fred Marchant Secretary’ (Liberal party agent in Preston 1909-1913). During the autumn of 1909 and in response to the Liberal government’s refusal to grant women the vote, the suffragette movement had adopted increasingly militant tactics of disrupting meeti…… Read more
The Cave Dwellers: A Dramatic Poem in Two Scenes — Granville Bantock — 1920
Manuscript libretto apparently for an unwritten opera by the English composer Granville Bantock. Bizarrely, Bantock has written the libretto inside a copy of his own printed memoir, Round the World with A Gaiety Girl, which he has had rebound to contain blank leaves for use as a notebook. Yellow coated endpapers precede the blank leaves. A manuscript title page precedes a list of ‘Characters’ on the verso of the leaf - Strong-arm, Blue-eye, Grim-heart and Hale-one with the action set in the Inte…… Read more
Winnie the Pooh by A A Milne with Decorations by E H Shephard — A A Milne — 1926
Attractive first edition of A A Milne's timeless classic of childhood. A very good copy in green cloth, a couple of very light marks to upper cover; lower cover and spine pleasingly clean, nice bright gilt; pushes to the corners, a little spine lean. Top edge gilt; 100 acre wood endpapers with two ownership signatures written above the design. The text is clean and fresh. A very appealing copy of a book which never goes out of fashion. Heffalumps and expotitions aplenty!
FLORENCE ADA KEYNES’ COPY Essays in Biography — John Maynard Keynes — 1933
Owned and annotated by John Maynard Keynes’ social reformer mother, Florence Ada Keynes, an early graduate of Newnham College, Cambridge. Acquired from a great nephew of the author, the book is initialled ‘F.A.K.’ on the half title in pencil; Keynes senior has tipped in a portrait of Robert Malthus opposite the chapter devoted to the economist which she has labelled in ink: ‘By John Linnell 1834’ and on the page preceding has added a question mark ‘?d/’ next to the dedication of this life ‘to Ma…… Read more
Photography Albums Recording Architectural Inspiration & the Architect’s Arts & Crafts Hampshire home — Robert Weir Schultz [Architect] — 1935
Two photo-albums by the Arts and Crafts Architect Robert Weir Schultz which record his architecturally inspired travels around the UK and the Hampshire home and garden that he built for himself and where he lived for 50 years. Robert Weir Schultz (1860-1951) was a Scottish Arts and Crafts architect, artist, landscape designer and furniture designer who assisted Norman Shaw as a young man, became a member of the Arts Workers’ Guild and rose to be its Master. He probably first came to Hampshire in…… Read more
Backwards to Lake Como — Loftus Wigram — 1938
First edition, a very good book, no ownership inscriptions, a very good jacket, not price clipped. A journey from London to Lake Como made facing backwards as the result of a bet.
Unto Thee I Grant (Rosicrucian Library, Volume No. V) EMBROIDERED BINDING — Supreme Grand Lodge of Amorc — 1948
The translation of a rare mystical work in very good condition presented in a unique and intriguing embroidered binding. Revised by Sri Ramatherio. A private, 1948 limited edition. Rosicrucian Library Volume No. 5. Printed and published by the Supreme Grand Lodge of Amorc. PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Original cream patterned boards just visible beneath a very individual hand stitched vernacular binding which features the emblem of a white cross on a red background with probable significance to Switzer…… Read more
FIVE ANCIENT DOVECOTES IN A MINI WATER COLOUR ALBUM — Brynmor Shaw — c.1950
A unique, handcrafted, five page mini concertina sketchbook with 5 stunning original pen and water colour works depicting ancient dovecotes, distinctive elements within the British landscape. The colours are crisp and the very accomplished images pop on the high quality textured water colour paper. Included are Broughton in Hampshire, Penmon Priory in Anglesey, Perlock in Somerset, Clifton in Notts and Mansell Lacy in Herefordshire. Beautifully made and presented. Cloth covered boards are a litt…… Read more
The Widow of Bath — Margot Bennett — 1952
First Edition, a very good copy in very good unclipped dust jacket. Hard backed grey cloth boards titled in blue to spine, very small bump to front board. Endpapers clean, text block square and sound, unmarked. Dust jacket lightly shelf worn to spine top and tail of spine. R stamped in blue to inside flap of dust jacket. 223 pp. A lovely copy.
A CONTRIBUTOR’S COPY, WITH A LETTER FROM JOHN PIPER Collins Guide to English Parish Churches — John Betjeman, John Piper [William Scudamore Mitchell] — 1958
A copy owned by the co-author with John Betjeman of the section of the book devoted to Sussex, William Scudamore Mitchell and with an affectionate letter from their mutual friend, the book’s illustrator, John Piper, tipped in. Piper writes with pleasure about the book and praises Mitchell’s contribution, ‘I enjoyed reading your restrained account of Hamsey and others.... though you are still far too generous to Strachan at Winchelsea...’ ie. churches mentioned within the book. The letter ends wi…… Read more
Vagabond ways: An Archival Collection of Handwritten Song Lyrics, Set Lists & Correspondence Across a Musical Lifetime — Marianne Faithfull [P J Harvey Van Morrison, Elton John, Bernie Taupin etc] — 1964
A collection of song lyrics, correspondence and set lists spanning nearly half a century of performing life of the singer and actor, Marianne Faithfull. This includes a song from 1964 that was intended to be Faithfull’s debut single - except that she found it ‘awful’ and refused to record it. Three of Faithfull’s albums are particularly well represented: No Prima Donna from 1994, Vagabond Ways from 1999 and Beyond the Poison. From the first of these comes Faithfull’s six page handwritten version…… Read more
JERROLD NORTHROP MOORE’S MASSIVELY ANNOTATED COPY Letters to Nimrod: Edward Elgar to August Jaeger 1897-1908 — Edward Elgar, Percy M Young — 1965
First edition owned by the leading Elgar scholar and biographer Jerrold Northrop Moore who has systematically collated every one of Elgar’s manuscript letters to Jaeger - ‘Nimrod’ - alongside this printed version, making manuscript corrections throughout, as well as adding notes relating to additional annotations that he has found among the letters (sometimes by Jaeger himself), given biographical context, corrected Young’s editorial apparatus and added references to other Elgarian manuscript ma…… Read more
Poems from William Blake’s Songs of Innocence — Maurice Sendak — 1967
A Sendak rarity made all the more intriguing in the light of the sale at auction recently of the artist’s personal copy of the source text for this work, William Blake’s hand-coloured Songs of Innocence from 1789 for in excess of one million dollars. Published as a slim octavo in purple and white card French fold wrappers, the white upper panel is a little discoloured. There is an old crease close to the edge of the inner flap of the front wrapper. Otherwise internally near fine with Sendak’s 8…… Read more
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring; The Two Towers; The Return of the King — JRR Tolkien — 1974
A set of three volumes in very good condition, second impressions of the iconic first paperback editions by Unwin Books using Tolkien's artwork on the covers. Includes the paper sleeve - slipcase - which holds the books together as a set. PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Books in very good, crisp and unmarked condition, lightly age toned. All three appear unread with none of the characteristic spine folds associated with use. Each front loose endpaper is inscribed by the previous owner ‘Michael O Rattenbur…… Read more
BOOK SAFE given to Marianne Faithfull in 1999 — Marianne Faithfull — 1837/ 1999
From the estate of Marianne Faithfull where it was used by the singer songwriter in her Paris flat. Large octavo copy of The Christian Journal Vol V Glasgow, 1837 which is soberly bound in half calf over marbled boards, repurposed as leather-lined book safe. The book safe has been inscribed on the front flyleaf to Faithfull: ‘London 26.4.99. A very happy last, before the billenium…. B.Day [drawn heart] Austin[??]’ We have not been able to identify the gift giver’s name. MARIANNE FAITHFULL (1946-…… Read more
‘RIGHT NOW. WHAT A MOMENT!’ Ritz Paris Diary 2005: Journal/ Appointments Diary of Marianne Faithfull — Marianne Faithfull — 2005
An Appointments diary-plus which covers Marianne Faithfull’s busy Parisian life during the early months of 2005 before chronicling her American tour that included a performance at the Henry Fonda theatre, later released as Marianne Faithfull Live in Hollywood. Writing in a diary printed by the Paris Ritz Hotel, Faithfull uses early entries as an aide-memoire: ‘learn text chant song’; she makes notes of Parisian appointments such as ‘Dior? 2.30’ and ‘Cliniquant da Château Garches’ for which she r…… Read more
Courage Award for the Arts from Yoko Ono to Marianne Faithfull — Yoko Ono Lennon - Marianne Faithfull — 2014
A signed, framed Certificate presented in 2014 to the singer-songwriter Marianne Faithfull by the artist and musician Yoko Ono, recognising that ‘You have been put through the thorns of scorn and misunderstanding... Your work as a creator of music, actor and performer has shown like a beacon in the world...’ - sentiments that might apply as much to Ono as the award’s recipient. The printed award (18x18cm) has been signed in black ink and mounted in a black wooden frame (27x27cm). Yoko Ono founde…… Read more
SONG LYRICS - Used in Performance by Marianne Faithfull during her 50th Anniversary Tour including Broken English and Give My Love to London — Marianne Faithfull [John Lennon, Leonard Cohen, Nick Cave] — 2018
A folder of printed song lyrics used and annotated by Marianne Faithfull during the European leg of her 50th Anniversary World tour in 2014 -2016, Give my Love to London. This ‘raw’ artefact captures a performance moment in the life of a legendary figure in rock and roll history. Onto the printed text Faithfull has added her notes and jottings, showing how she relied on the prompts they gave her so as to allow her to focus on the quality of her delivery and performance rather than memorisation.…… Read more
Dr. Christian White
Christian White Rare Books
287 Leeds Road, Ilkley, LS29 8LL
07811 455398
info@christianwhiterarebooks.com
www.christianwhiterarebooks.com
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