Shop — page 9 of 28

Fair copy in French from the 1740s of much of Rollin’s Histoire Ancienne together with an original continuation of the work up to the present day: ‘De L’histoire depuis. J.[esus] C[hrist]’ which deals with ‘Le Royaume d’Angleterre’ and the execution of Mary Stuart by Elizabeth I. Small quarto bound in parchment over pasteboard with traces of printe… Read more…

Rare Colonial Intelligence Report compiled in Lagos some twenty years before Nigeria achieved independence. Homemade brownish paper wrappers with punched holes for tied binding; title and author in black ink on cover. Seemingly a ribbon copy, typed on rectos only, signed in type at the end: ‘H.L.M. Butcher D.O. 23rd MAy, 1939.’ A fine copy. ff71 OC… Read more…

Morris’s Art of the People lecture in its first edition printed in Birmingham where the lecture was given in February 1879. Contemporary cloth-backed boards, a little toning to paper stock; thirteen leaves of blank blue lined paper bound-in at rear. A near fine copy of a scarce item. Morris’s lecture contains the memorable assertion that ‘I have ne… Read more…

High quality photo-album by an Anglo-Canadian artist who became a leading figure in the depiction of indigenous peoples in British Columbia and Alaska. The collection is housed in a commercially produced photo album bound in red buckram, slightly stained and scuffed, ‘Reminiscences’ in gilt on the upper cover; 12 card leaves with 8 window-mounted s… Read more…

Uncommon signed copy, with Christine Keeler’s signature in blue biro on the title page. A fine copy in a fine jacket of the third impression of Keeler’s autobiography. The Profumo affair in which Keeler was embroiled was a major scandal in twentieth-century British politics. After lying about his affair with Keeler in Parliament, Profumo resigned,… Read more…

Simon Bailey’s copy - an Anglican priest who was among the earliest to develop AIDS and stay in parish ministry. Black roan, a large octavo binding, faded and rubbed to edges. Bailey’s bookplate appears on the first black flyleaf: ‘Simon Bailey Westcott Hl[ou]se Eastertide 1981.’ A well-used copy, particularly around the printed order for Holy Comm… Read more…

Inscribed by Roald Dahl on the inside of the front cover to an Anglia TV producer who was involved in the filming of these stories for British TV. The book is bound in the publisher’s printed card wrappers, very slightly rubbed. Dahl’s inscription is written in blue ink: ‘To Ron Love Roald Dahl’ - the usual form of inscription used by the author fo… Read more…

‘Admiralty Office’ document recording the break-up of Admiral Hosier’s fleet after the failed Blockade of Porto Bello in present day Panama during which Hosier died of disease alongside thousands of his sailors. Foolscap size bifolium with ‘Pro Patria’ watermark, docket title and old horizontal folds, some fingermarking. The list of vessels is divi… Read more…

Twenty six books and magazines containing criticism or works by Sylvia Plath, owned by the poet’s sister in law, Olwyn Hughes, at least one of which bears her critical annotation relating to Plath. Olwyn Hughes only met Plath half a dozen times and their relationship wasn’t easy. After the American poet’s early death Ted Hughes’ sister became one o… Read more…

The final volume complete with the elusive ‘London. 1899-1900. Map Showing Place of Religious Worship, Public Elementary Schools for the Sale of Intoxicating Drinks’ in the pocket at the rear. The map is in very good condition, bright and complete, some browning along the horizontal folds and a couple of tiny punctures at the cross-folds. The book… Read more…

Rare printed summary of the case brought by the Earl of Derby in an appeal hearing made in the House of Lords: 1 copy only in the United States. Large bifolium, folded horizontally with docket title and drop head title. Short tears at ends of folds and browning to the outermost panel which bears the docket title. Interesting annotation in a contemp… Read more…

Satirical broadside celebrating the repeal of the Stamp Act, espousing a pro-trade and pro-American message. In this example of Carington Bowles’s 1766 engraving the imprint line from below the image has been removed and the paper trimmed just inside the plate mark. It is printed on laid paper with vertical chain-lines and a large crowned paper wat… Read more…

Autobiographical manuscript of the Anglo-French painter Theodore Roussel’s early life from 1847 to the 1880s which cites his most famous work, The Reading Girl (Tate Britain), together with several sketches, an etching, autograph letter and a manuscript draft of the painter’s will. Roussel (Theodore, 1847-1926) was a French-born English Painter and… Read more…

Anglo-American Shakespearian actor Henry Scharf’s prompt copy annotated for performance by himself and his brother, George Scharf, later the founding Director of the National Portrait Gallery. Small octavo bound in robust contemporary calf and diced blue cloth. The play has been interleaved with blueish paper (’W H Tucker 1836’ watermark) with addi… Read more…

Unsophisticated and attractive example of this satire on Richard Cobden complete with uncoloured illustrations and found here in the publisher’s binding with the binder’s ticket of ‘Remnant and Edmonds’ still present on the lower pastedown. Straight grain red cloth with gilt decoration, slightly discoloured, a bump two thirds of the way up the spin… Read more…

A Yorkshire woollen weaver’s day-book, a small octavo bound in brown leather over board, grazing to panels with rubbing to edges and top of spine; binding sound. Front endpapers comprise a printed ‘Almanack for 1854’ and ‘Commercial Stamps, Taxes &c, Sold by John Baildon, Bookseller, Bull Green, Halifax’. Overleaf a contemporary hand-written ink in… Read more…

A good copy with a ticket to Coward’s performance ‘at the piano’ on Lake Maggiore tipped into the verso of the title page. Opposite is a card signed, no doubt at this performance, by Noel Coward. Marking to board but internally very good. Read more…

First edition in the original cloth which has been repaired with new endpapers inserted. The book is now square and easily readable. Occasional browning to the text which collates complete with all plates as called for. The novel continues the adventures of the silver-tongued Psmith, one of Wodehouse's best loved characters, and his friend Mike Jac… Read more…

Scarce signed copy of an already uncommon work. Publisher’s blue cloth, lightly marked. Internally clean. Asquith has written her name in black ink at the top of the flyleaf suggesting that this may have been her own copy of this book about bringing up children - largely full of sound advice from this cataloguer’s quick browse. A near very good cop… Read more…

First edition, second impression of Christie's The Murder on the Links in the publisher’s original binding. Decorative orange cloth, a little faded along the outer hinges but otherwise very good, a small line on the lower cover. Internally the text (pp320) is unmarked with a further 8 pages of adverts beginning with The Mysterious Affair at Styles.… Read more…

A lifetime's financial records of the third member of the Gladstone family to own Fasque House in Aberdeenshire. Lord Lieutenant of Kincardineshire and the third Baronet, Sir John Robert Gladstone was the son of Sir Thomas Gladstone (elder brother of William Ewart Gladstone) and grandson of the Scottish business tycoon Sir John Gladstone who founde… Read more…

Stirring 1925 manuscript speech to Scottish veterans made by Britain's commander on the western front in which he urged Scotland's soldiers to look after each other in peacetime - 'the hardest battle of their lives' - even as they readied themselves for the moment 'when storm and peril once more threaten our beloved country, men such as they, may o… Read more…

pp 180. First UK edition of the recollections of this American writer. Very good in embossed brown cloth. 1856 presentation inscription on front free end paper. With frontispiece and illustrations by William Harvey. Previous owner's notes about the artist taped to front paste down. Read more…

Fine presentation copy inscribed by Lord Kelvin on the title page to his devoted sister: ‘Elizabeth King. 24 Hamilton Terrace from her brother W.T. March 2/ 89’. Very smart green publisher’s cloth binding with dark green coated endpapers, clean fresh text throughout, pp460 plus 2 pages of adverts at the end, illustrated throughout. Elizabeth Thomso… Read more…

A royal presentation copy, No 14 of 50 copies bound in full vellum with top edge gilt. Inscribed on the flyleaf: ‘To H.R.H. Princess Louise Duchess of Argyll this life of Claverhouse is by gracious permission presented with the author’s homage. December 6th. 1911’. Bookplate of ‘John Darby’ opposite. Further signed on the limitation page. Some brow… Read more…