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Dear Friend
A summer spent acquiring rare books and manuscripts comes to fruition this week at the York Book Fair where we are showing an unpublished 18th century philosophical treatise on pain, and a fine collection of anatomical drawings of the human skeleton. There are presentation copies from the actor-manager Charles Kean as well as Matthew Arnold and James McNeill Whistler alongside Edward Elgar's score of Wagner's Parsifal. We are offering the birth-certificate of one of the great disaster movies and a near-complete run of the most enduring of the World War One trench newspapers.
Best wishes,
Christian
Biblia Sacra Vulgatae Editionis, Sixti V. Pont. Max — Pope Clement VIII, Jean Jullieron, Jacques de Fornazeris — 1614
Beautifully bound early 17th century Vulgate Bible in a mid to late 17th century binding over wooden boards. Elaborately gilt with two half wheels framing a central lamb of God motif, the design is richly gilt which survives more brightly on the lower board. Upper part of upper hinge just starting. Only the lower clasp remains functional. Gauffered gilt edges. A little discolouration to the preliminaries; an old ink number/letter combination in the corner of the engraved title page, purpose unkn…… Read more
Hydriotaphia, Urne Buriall, or a Discourse of the Sepulchrall Urnes found in Norfolk Together with The Garden of Cyrus, or the Quincuncial, Lozenge — Thomas Browne — 1658
A lovely copy of Thomas Browne’s major literary contribution to Hermetic Wisdom in his discourse on the Quincunx which appears in this first edition, following on from his meditation on death, dying and the human quest for immortality, or Urn Burial with which the book begins. Hydriotaphia is one of the earliest English archaeological monographs, being inspired by the discovery of Saxon burial urns in his native Norfolk - Browne tentatively ascribes them to the Roman period. In truth the text is…… Read more
Manuscript Assessment of the Revenues of the Churches of England and Wales — Unknown Author — 1775
A late 18th century manuscript assessment of the income of the Churches of England and Wales deriving from its cathedrals, deaneries and parishes. Written more than 200 years after the pioneering valuation, Valor Ecclesiasticus, this manuscript seems likely to have played a role in the attempt to resolve with certainty the church’s actual income during this period, which culminated in the full Church Commissioner’s report of 1835, Liber Ecclesiasticus. This meticulously presented manuscript from…… Read more
CONTEMPORARY MANUSCRIPT COPY Mock Poem or Whiggs Supplication part ii.d — Samuel Colville — 1670s?
Pre-publication manuscript copy of a satire on Presbyterian Covenanters and religious factionalism that managed to ride the Hudibras popularity wave drew readers from both sides of the partisan divide. Before the poem’s publication in 1681 its author Samuel Covill was already complaining about the manuscript’s extensive circulation (other versions survive at the Brotherton in Leeds, Oxford and in Scotland) but this copy which certainly shares a binding with a manuscript currently offered by Quar…… Read more
UNPUBLISHED 18TH CENTURY PHILOSOPHICAL MANUSCRIPT: Pain: the Cause of Human Volition, and of All Voluntary Motion as Pleasure is the End Design’d by All Voluntary Activity. By Philo. Veritas — ‘Philo Veritas’ Thomas Letchworth — 1780
Unpublished late eighteenth century authorial working manuscript of an ambitious philosophical tract written by the controversialist, London poet, publisher and Quaker preacher Thomas Letchworth. Already a published writer on Liberty and Necessity in a slightly earlier controversial exchange with Augustus Toplady (1776), in this tract Letchworth deals with human volition and its connection with pain, a major philosophical topic of the age. Working in a tradition that originates with Hobbes, at t…… Read more
The Yorkshire Concert - Sung by Mr. Emery at Covent Garden Theatre — George Cruikshank — 1805
Rare broadside with contemporary colouring, etched onto wove paper in very good condition. Pasted to cream card; contemporary hand colouring remains bright; glue marks to edges; a little age toned as expected; measures 23.5 cm x 22 cm. First Search locates only 1 copy listed world wide at Yale University Library. The broadside depicts the comic actor John Emery performing a popular song written by Charles Dibdin, Jr. at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden and remains a key example of how regional i…… Read more
The Gentleman's Diary [with] The Ladies' Diary [with] Vox Stellarum [with] Merlinus Liberatus [with] Old Poor Robin [with] Speculum Anni [with] Atlas ouranios — Almanacks; Francis Moore, John Partridge, Poor Robin, Henry Season, Robert White — 1808
A handsome volume of 7 almanacs from 1808, printed in red and black, and with tabs or finding-strips at the gilt fore-margin for each almanac, attractively bound in full straight-grain red morocco, gilt border on covers, all edges gilt, gilt spine (faded). A very good copy with the signature of ‘E. Bourne’ on the recto of the second free end-paper and the autograph of ‘Mr. Davies’ scored through. The collection collates: SEVEN ALMANACS. 1806. 1 The Gentleman's Diary, or the Mathematical Reposito…… Read more
MARIA EDGEWORTH’S ANNOTATED COPY Journal of a Residence in India — Maria Graham — 1812
A compelling association copy bringing together the Anglo-Irish novelist Maria Edgeworth who owned and annotated this copy and her Scottish-born friend, Martha Graham, who wrote this pioneering travel book about time spent in India. Edgeworth, who corresponded regularly with Graham, has inscribed the title page ‘Maria Edgeworth’ and added comments and marginal lines throughout the text, reading and annotating the entire book, appendices excepted only. In one of a handful of verbal annotations Ed…… Read more
ANATOMICAL MANUSCRIPT: The Human Skeleton Illustrated & Described by T.H. Cromek 1827 — Thomas Hartley Cromek — 1827
Very large - though not quite life-size - manuscript anatomical album containing twelve magnificent pencil anatomical drawings ‘from nature’ with the artist’s extensive handwritten descriptive text. Though best known for his later architectural and topographical watercolours, Cromek’s early anatomical work is well documented and when in 1827 he was commissioned by the Leeds surgeon Thomas Teale to produce detailed anatomical drawings these are the product of the commission. For Cromek’s patron,…… Read more
Cresswell - Opie - Fry - Gurney: Norfolk Family History and Commonplace book of the Hyper-Connected Cresswell Family — Francis Joseph Cresswell; Hudson Gurney, Rachel Elizabeth Fry, Amelia Opie —
A fascinating commonplace book cum family history by the super-connected Norfolk Cresswell family charting the inter-linked lives of the Gurneys, Opies, Frys, Wodehouses and Cresswells. The volume brings together original material by Francis - Frank - Joseph Cresswell, poems by his mother Rachel Elizabeth Fry as well as contributions from other members of the intermarried banking and nonconformist dynasties who include Amelia Opie and Hudson Gurney. Looming over the manuscript is the achievement…… Read more
INSCRIBED BY CHARLES KEAN - Shakespeare’s Play of The Winter’s Tale, Arranged for Representation at The Princess’s Theatre, with Historical and Explanatory Notes....as First Performed on Monday, April 28th, 1856. — William Shakespeare - Charles Kean — 1856
Charles Kean’s revised version, inscribed by the actor and theatre manager himself, and found complete here with its rare glazed, printed wrappers as first issued. Kean has inscribed the play to his ‘attached friend’, Mrs Heath - perhaps the widowed mother of Caroline Heath, a member of Kean’s company who played many major Shakespearian roles for Kean including Ophelia, Cordelia, Juliet, and in this production of A Winter’s Tale, performed as Florizel, son of Polixenes. An excellent copy of the…… Read more
PRESENTED TO OPHELIA'S MOTHER - Shakespeare’s Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, Arranged for Representation at The Princess’s Theatre, with Explanatory Notes.... as Performed on Monday, January 10th, 1850. — William Shakespeare - Charles Kean — 1859
Charles Kean’s revised version of Shakespeare’s greatest tragedy, presented on his birthday and inscribed by the actor and theatre manager himself, who took the role of Hamlet himself. This copy is found complete with the uncommon, printed wrappers as first issued. Kean has inscribed the play to his ‘attached friend’, Mrs Heath, mentioning that he presented this playscript on his birthday - 18th January. Mrs Heath seems likely to have been the widowed mother of Caroline Heath, (Mrs Caroline Heat…… Read more
MELBOURNE JOURNALIST’S MANUSCRIPT FROM THE 1860S: Horae Industria. Howard Spensley - The Telegraph — Howard Spensley — 1869
Lengthy Euro-centric commonplace book written by the Australian journalist, Howard Spensley, later lawyer-turned politician, and constructed with a view to keeping his faraway British heritage in mind. Born in Middlesex in 1834, Spensley emigrated for England to Australia in 1859 where he worked as a journalist at The Daily Telegraph in Melbourne before being called to the bar in Victoria in 1871 and it is from this early period working in Australia in the late 1860s and 1870s that this manuscri…… Read more
Wanderings in the West, During the Year 1870 — Henry Buss — 1871
A scarce First Edition handsomely bound in a later half brown calf over marbled boards, titled and tooled in gilt to 6 panelled spine. An inscription to the half title by the author points to the volume being gifted to Brentford Free Library, ‘To the Brentford Free Public Library with the Author’s Best wishes for its success 1894’. A very square, sound and unmarked copy with several neat library stamps to preliminaries and final leaf. The author appears to have written below his name in pencil o…… Read more
In Memoriam David Dunbar - Dumfries — David Dunbar — 1873
Rare privately printed ‘in memoriam’ volume for the Dumfries poet and politician David Dunbar who gave his home town its nickname, ‘Queen of the South.’ Laid into this volume is a large albumen photograph of Dunbar, an annotated Scottish family photograph take at College House, Dollis Avenue, Finchley (1911) and a photograph of the grave of Jane Crosbie. DESCRIPTION: Small quarto bound in grubby blue cloth over boards, worn to edges and spine ends. ‘Castle Douglas’ bookseller’s ticket to the ora…… Read more
Discourses in America - PRESENTED TO LADY DOROTHY NEVILL — Matthew Arnold [Lady Dorothy Nevill] — 1885
A delightfully American-slanted presentation copy of Arnold’s New York and Boston lectures which the writer inscribed to his London friend Lady Dorothy Nevill after he was unable to attend her Fourth of July party in 1885. Arnold has inscribed the book on the half title: ‘To Lady Dorothy Nevill with unaffected regard from Matthew Arnold - July 10th 1885’. The circumstances that preceded this inscription are explained by a letter from Arnold tipped onto the first flyleaf in which he addresses ‘La…… Read more
Mrs Henry Morton Stanley versus Miss Strutt Cavell & ‘Stella of the Star’ — Womens’ Liberal Unionist Association; Agatha Richardson, E O Callaghan, Henry Pymm, Henry Morton Stanley — 1893
A bizarre compilation of print and manuscript items recounting the controversy that erupted between Mrs Henry Morton Stanley - Dorothy Tennant - the Womens’ Committee of the Unionists of North Lambeth and the disruptive young woman journalist, Miss Strutt Cavell of the leftist newspaper, The Star. A one page introduction in the neat hand of Henry Pymm sets the scene for Mrs Pymm’s invitation in January 1893 to an ‘At Home’ hosted by Dorothy Tennant, also Mrs H.M. Stanley, British painter, author…… Read more
‘THE LOUISIANA MINSTRELS’ PLAY MANCHESTER: 1890s Playbills & Programmes from the Vibrant Suburban Manchester Theatrical Scene — Albert Ireland — 1890s 1896
1890s Manchester’s vibrant cultural life writ large in this album of professional and amateur theatrics and music, which was dominated by a single cultural phenomenon, a local black-face troupe originating from south-Manchester:‘The Louisiana Minstrels’. The album reveals that its creator, Albert Ireland, was also musical director for many of the Minstrels shows that played the Public Hall, Chorlton cun Hardy during this period - with 10 programmes for their vastly popular shows within the album…… Read more
Charles Lamb and the Lloyds ‘WITH CORRECTIONS FOR SECOND EDITION’ — Edward Verrall Lucas — 1898
The author’s copy of the first edition which he has annotated liberally ‘With corrections for Second Edition’ as he puts it on the title page. This second edition never came, lending particularly interest to the emendations made by this recognised expert on the essayist and friend of Coleridge and Wordsworth, Charles Lamb. The annotations can be dated to the year after first publication, 1899, from a sheet laid in which offers Lucas’s signed ‘Preface to Second Edition’ which attributes many of t…… Read more
Football in Shanghai & ‘Feted’ in Hawaii: A British Marine’s China Station Diary on Board HMS Amphitrite, Dodging the Russian-Japanese War and Meeting the Sultan of Muscat — British Marine — 1902-1905
Three year diary written by a marine on board HMS Amphitrite which includes an account of meeting the Sultan of Muscat during a visit in June 1902 when the vessel became the largest warship ever to visit the Gulf. Arriving on the China Station the vessel took a ‘long trip across the Pacific Ocean’ via Yokohama to Honolulu in Hawaii where the diarist describes how the ship was ‘thrown open to visitors & thousands from all part of the Sandwich Isles came to have a look at “Go[d] damn” Britisher wi…… Read more
LIMITED EDITION The Village Hall Weybridge 1915 — Pupils of The Hall School, Weybridge; Eva Gilpin [Lady Sadler]; E. Cassels Gillespy — 1915
A remarkable educational experiment and book-making in the form of a collection of lino-cut prints, lithographs, watercolours, woodblock prints and accompanying text which was created by the ground breaking educationalist Eva Margaret Gilpin and her school’s gifted art teacher, Miss E Cassels Gillespy. Under the sponsorship and protection of Sir Michael Sadler (later the husband of Eva Gilpin) the school was likely the first in England to put linoleum and tools into the hands of its pupils: ‘Mis…… Read more
The Wipers Times. Or Salient News [with] The Kemmel Times [with] The Somme Times [with] The B.E.F. Times [with] The Better Times — Frederick Roberts, John ‘Jack’ Pearson, [Gunner] Gilbert Frankau, E J Couzens, Lancelot Pentecost — 1916
Rare, near-complete run of the most important of the newspapers to emerge from the trenches of the Western Front during the First World War. The brainchild of two members of the 12th Battalion of The Sherwood Foresters who located a serviceable printing press amidst the ruins of Ypres, this run comprises 22 of the 23 original issues - only exceeded by the complete set held by The National Army Museum in London. This collection has superb provenance to Lieutenant Lancelot Shaw Pentecost who serve…… Read more
Index to the Songs and other Lyrics by Charles Dibdin jun.r 1768-1833 - MANUSCRIPT — Edward Rimbault Dibdin; Charles Dibdin — 1919
Unpublished manuscript identifying and classifying the song lyrics written by the English dramatist, composer and theatre manager Charles Dibdin Junior (1768-1833), researched and written by his descendant. Edward Rimbault Dibdin has adapted a tabbed notebook to contain around 800 single line song entries noting titles, first lines, plays and books as well as including a list of 63 actual book titles to the rear - this latter list including manuscript resources available to Dibdin for his resear…… Read more
ILLUSTRATED TYPED MANUSCRIPT BY A FUTURE PUBLISHED AUTHOR - The King's Man And Other Stories — Aubrey Feist — 1923
Typed manuscript running to 147 pages of 6 stories authored by 19 year old Aubrey Feist of Norwich who grew up to become a well-known British novelist and playwright. Red cloth boards titled in gilt to spine; endpapers clean, just beginning to crack over gutters; hand stitched text block very sound; hand drawn title page stamped 22 Nov 1923 to tail; clean throughout with a few pencil annotations to pp 106 -107. Typed to verso and recto throughout. A full page hand painted frontispiece opens the…… Read more
The Folklore of Fairy-Tale — Percival Macleod Yearsley — 1924
The author’s copy, revised throughout for a projected but unpublished version of the book intended to form part of The Thinker’s Library in the 1930s, a publication of the Rationalist Press Association which included volumes by Darwin, H G Wells and Herber Spencer. Earlier in the decade Macleod Yearsley contributed The Story of the Bible (in fact a secular history) to the series in 1933 and this was intended as a follow up volume - which didn’t happen. All of Yearsley’s revisions are attempts to…… Read more
On Pennbrook Hill - UNRECORDED — Clarence Blair Mitchell — 1926
Unrecorded privately printed rarity, presumably bound and designed for family distribution by a New York City lawyer and avid sportsman who split his time between his primary residence in Manhattan and his beloved country estate, Pennbrook, located in the Somerset Hills of New Jersey. Half bound in green roan over green cloth, tooled and titled in gilt to edges and spine. Green marbled endpapers unmarked. Binders label to front free verso reads, ‘The Atelier Bindery / For Charles Scribners Sons’…… Read more
JOHN CARTER’S RESEARCH COPY Sir Thomas Browne’s Hydriotaphia and the Garden of Cyrus — Thomas Browne - John Carter - W A Greenhill — 1929
Bibliographer and antiquarian John Carter’s interleaved, massively annotated copy which he used to prepare his 1932 limited edition of the book which was illustrated by Paul Nash and printed by the Curwen Press. This interleaved copy also formed the basis of Carter’s subsequent scholarly edition which appeared through Cambridge University Press in 1958. Carter has used William Greenshill’s small octavo classic edition in its 1929 reprint, having it custom-bound in green buckram and interleaved t…… Read more
‘AFTERNOONS OF ECSTACY... here I am talking about our little world when the whole great world is aflame’: A Loved-Up Second World War Diary — [William] Bill Howkins — 1941 - 1942
Private Second World War private, manuscript diary written by 27 year old Bill Howkins who wears his heart on his sleeve throughout and simply can’t decide whether he’s in love or simply infatuated with 21 year old Mary. Both were stationed at an RAF camp in Cardington, Bedfordshire and the diary offers an intimate window into everyday base life, the human need for normalcy amid conflict and reveals how personal connections and romantic attachment buffers the monotony and stress of military serv…… Read more
French Friendship Album from the Mid-Century — Jeanne Disy, Marcia Magdalena, L Courard,Ida Dehaes, Paul Colon, Legros, L Tribel etc — 1941 - 1956
Hand drawn original sketches, cartoons, water colours, signatures and inscriptions fill this attractive French friendship album, addressed to the album’s owner Denise. The 28 full page works within, from very artistically inclined friends include landscapes, still lives, birds, comic characters, pastoral scenes and portraits in a variety of mediums from pen and pencil to water colour. The names of the artists, occasional inscriptions and dates appear to the tail of most of the leaves. A landscap…… Read more
Casino Royale; Live and Let Die; Moonraker; Diamonds are Forever; From Russia with Love; Dr. No; Goldfinger; For Your Eyes Only; Thunderball; The Spy Who Loved Me ; On Her Majesty's Secret Service; You Only Live Twice; The Man with the Golden Gun; Octopussy — Ian Fleming — 1955 -1976
A complete set of Ian Fleming's James Bond novels and stories. This attractive soft cover set includes 1 first printing (The Spy Who Loved Me) and 2 second printings (The Man With the Golden Gun and Octopussy). The books are generally about very good, clean and unmarked throughout, the rest of the imprints are mixed reprints. A lovely set.
A Night to Remember - CINEMATIC READER’S REPORT — R Groves [Walter Lord] — 1956
From the Elstree Archive of the Associated British Picture Association, this is the birth certificate of the 1958 film of the sinking of the RMS Titanic: A Night to Remember. An in-house reader’s report written 1st-2nd April 1956, the 22 page typed report offers a breathless synopsis of Walter Lord’s book before offering the following, glowing verdict on its filmic possibilities: ‘This is one of the great sea stories of the world... the story still grips the imagination; and without doubt would…… Read more
Watership Down — Richard Adams — 1976
Signed limited edition, number 90 of 250 copies, bound in crushed green morocco by Sangorski and Sutcliffe. A lovely example of this beautifully produced book, in its original slipcase as issued. A fine copy with just a little fading to the spine; bright gilt decoration and all edges gilt. Inner dentelles and marbled endpapers, numbered to the title page and signed by the illustrator below his frontispiece opposite, and by Richard Adams in red pen on the verso of the title page. Adams’ 2 page fo…… Read more
AN ARTISTIC FRIENDSHIP: LETTERS BETWEEN THE CELEBRATED ENGRAVER AND ARTIST ROBIN TANNER & HIS OLD FRIEND, MAJOR RILEY. — Robin Tanner; Major Riley; Millicent Riley; Heather Tanner — 1978 - 1983
A remarkable collection of letters from two natural writers with, most unusually, both sides of the correspondence reunited after their deaths by their families. These hand-written, frequently illustrated letters (in all c60,000 words) were penned during the 1980s and bring together the celebrated engraver and pioneering arts educationalist Robin Tanner and his long time friend and colleague Major Riley. As the pair, both writing during their own 80s, look back at their lives and careers, their…… Read more
12 Artist’s Sketch Books — John Gilbey Bowles — 1980 -2000
Twelve artist’s sketch books bursting with an eclectic profusion of images drawn by distinguished British artist, John Gilbey Bowles, b.April 13, 1929. A strange, bizarre, colourful, multifarious and often nihilistic range of portraits, animals, landscapes and studies pour from the leaves alongside rambling social and political commentary highlighting the artist’s observations in response to the world around. Wild animals, other worldly landscapes, Karl Marx, Sid Vicious, Kokoschka, Anthony Blun…… Read more
Rebecca - FIRST DRAFT OPERA LIBRETTO — [Daphne Du Maurier] Edward Marsh — 1983
Edward Marsh’s first draft manuscript libretto for Wilfred Joseph’s operatic version of Du Maurier’s Rebecca. Adapted as a film by Hitchcock, Du Maurier's classic of romantic fiction boasts one of the great first lines in English literature: 'Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again' and tells the twisted tale of Maxim de Winter, his first wife Rebecca and the housekeeper Mrs Danvers. In this 77 page notebook (c10,000 words) the librettist for Opera North’s inaugural opera commission from 1…… Read more
The Golfing Record Book - SILVER PLATED GIFT EDITION — Unknown — 1987
A gift edition golfer’s record book featuring the cards and layouts of the seven championship courses; a list of Open winners since 1860 and sections for handicap records and best rounds. Oblong large octavo in pristine condition with an applied sterling (probably) silver plate on the cover depicting golfers within full green calf. Text block crisp and clean; gift inscription in blue ink to title page. Presented within original blue card presentation box. A lovely piece of golfing memorabilia.
INSCRIBED Poor Things - Episodes From the Early Life of Archibald McCandless M.D. Scottish Public Health Officer — Alasdair Gray — 1993
First paperback edition inscribed by the author and in very good condition. Illustrated soft covers show just the slightest of shelf wear. Text block crisp and unmarked, a little age toned as expected, particularly to edges. Characterfully inscribed to front free ‘FOR MICHAEL from Alasdair 11-8-1993’. A great copy of this Whitbread and Guardian Fiction winning novel.… Read more
Call the Midwife - INSCRIBED — Jennifer Worth SRN — 2002
Inscribed First Edition in very good condition signed by the author. Illustrated softcovers and endpapers just a little shelf worn to corners. Inscribed by the author on the title page ‘To Tess, with best wishes for Christmas 2002. Jennifer Worth’. Additionally inscribed ‘to Tess from Derek’. Text block clean and crisp throughout. 294 pp. A very nice copy of this influential memoir was first published in this paperback form before being taken up by a mainstream publisher, televised and going on…… Read more
Virginia Woolf : Critical and Primary Sources Volumes 1 - 4 — Vera Neverow; Jeanne Dubino; Kathryn Simpson; Gill Lowe; Virginia Woolf — 2020
A collection of 4 volumes which bring together a collection of influential critical articles and significant academic writing on the work of the modernist writer, Virginia Woolf. In mint condition throughout, protected by original, unopened shrink wrap covering. Each volume includes a substantial contextualising introduction which surveys Woolf studies in the decade covered beginning with the academic rediscovery of Woolf in the mid-1970s and charting the development of Woolf scholarship up to 2…… 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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