Recent Acquistion: Notre-Dame de Paris (popularly known as The Hunchback of Notre-Dame by Victor Hugo, published 1831)

First edition, first issue with no subsequent edition statement on the title page. Two volumes, exquisitely bound by Cuzin in nineteenth century full green morocco with raised bands to the spine and geometric border design to covers and spine compartments. Titled in gilt, with gilt dentelles and edges and marbled endpapers. 212mm x 130mm (page size). Engraved title pages to both volumes, complete with half titles. A fine, tall set, barely trimmed with many leaves uncut, all beautifully clean with no chips or tears. Two inconspicuous book-labels to the front blank. The binding has been retained in sparklingly fine condition. A superb example of this rarity of Gothic literature in a fine Parisian binding.

Recent acquisition: Chronicles of Golden Friars (Joseph Sheridan LeFanu, published 1871)

First edition. Three volumes. 12mo. Original sand-grain violet cloth, gilt titles. Line engraved title pages. Sheridan Le Fanu was unquestionably the Victorian master of ghost and supernatural stories. This collection of tales came to LeFanu at the inn in Golden Friars, Northumberland. The tales are: 'A Strange Adventure in the Life of Miss Laura Mildmay'; 'The Haunted Baronet'; and 'The Bird of Passage'. Spines and parts of the boards sunned, inner hinges of volume 3 neatly repaired, occasional light soil and staining. First editions of Le Fanu are excessively rare.

Recent acquisition: Kelroy, a Novel, first edition (Rebecca Rush, published 1812)

 


Rare 1st edition HB bound in contemporary full crimson calf with gilt decor with original endpapers. Neat prev. owner name 'Martha Edwards' on first preliminary page in fine hand plus another name on title page (John Payne? London 23 18th 1812). An interesting feature is the inclusion of conformity to the act of the Congress of the United States, entitled "An Act for the encoutagement of learning." by the District of Pennsylvania on the reverse of title page.

Recent acquisition: The Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America (John James, published 1849)

Three lithographic titlepages, three leaves of letterpress contents. 150 handcolored lithographic plates after John James Audubon and John Woodhouse Audubon, the backgrounds after Victor Audubon, printed and colored by J.T. Bowen of Philadelphia. Expertly bound to style in half calf over period purple cloth covered boards, spine with raised bands lettered in the second and third compartments, the others decorated in gilt, marbled endpapers [With:] The Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America . New York: J. J. Audubon, 1846-1851-1854. 3 volumes, small 4to (11 x 7 1/2 inches). Half-titles, list of subscribers. Expertly bound to style uniform to the above in half calf over period purple cloth covered boards.

Recent acquisition: Great Expectations three-volume set (Charles Dickens, published 1861)

First Editions, First Printings of all three books without any "edition" printed on the title pages. Later editions such as second, third, fourth and fifth impressions state the impression on the title page. A wonderful set bound in the ORIGINAL publisher's purple/blue cloth limited to 1000 copies printed. This book was First published without illustrations in 36 weekly parts in Dickens's magazine All the Year Round from 1 December 1860 to 3 August 1861.

Recent acquisition: 15th-century illuminated Bible

An example of manuscript illumination and the very first translation of the Hebrew Bible and glosses into Castilian. 1,046 pages containing the first translation of the Hebrew bible into Castilian by Rabbi Moses Arragel at the behest of Don Luis de Guzmán, Knight of the Order of Calatrava. Executed in Maqueda, Spain from 1422 to 1430. Six are known to exist.

Recent acquisition: The Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands: Containing the Figures of Birds, Beasts, Fishes, Serpents, Insects, and Plants. Together with their Descriptions in English and French. (Mark Catsby, c. 1729)

 


2 volumes, comprising 10 parts and Appendix, bound in one volume, large folio (51 x 37 cm). Contemporary diced russia, covers with gilt border of palmettes and stylized fleur-de-lys, cornerpieces with floral sprays and acorns, spine gilt in compartments with black morocco label, marbled endpapers. Title-pages printed in red and black in English and French, text in parallel columns of English and French, with the list of 'encouragers' (subscribers list with the name 'Iley'), dedication leaf in each volume (vol. I, Queen; vol. II, Princess of Wales), 'An Account of Carolina, and the Bahama Islands' bound following plates and descriptive text of volume II with an etched headpiece by Catesby and historiated woodcut initials and tailpiece, 3-leaf index to volumes I and II bound at end of volume II, single-leaf index to Appendix bound in volume III with the Appendix text and plates, first 20 text pages of volume II with page numbers altered to 1-20 from 120-140, text and plates on paper watermarked with various crowned shields. Tiny marginal tear to text leaf F2, pl. 62 and second vol. title, some mostly light but variable offsetting, very occasional light spotting.