322 x 200 mm. (12 3/4 x 8"). 24 p.l., 172 (Z* inserted between Z3 and Z4), 171-247, [1] (blank) pp.; 2 p.l., 67, [1] (blank) pp.; 33, [1] (blank) pp, [1] leaf (errata). Contemporary mottled calf, rebacked and recornered in the 19th century, raised bands, spine panels blind-tooled in a fish scale pattern, tan morocco label, hinges reinforced with cloth. Title page with engraved coat of arms of the Royal Society, sporting the motto "Nullius in verba" ["Take nobody's word for it], and five engravings in the text (four in "Sylva," one in "Pomona"), one of these full-page. Title page with ink inscription: "Isaac Broadley / d/2 / 22d Aug. [illegible year]." Henrey 133; Keynes 41; Wing E-3517. âCovers somewhat crackled and pitted (as always with treated calf like this), cracks in joints alongside top two compartments, spine label mostly chipped away, other general wear to the leather, but the binding secure. Leaves at the beginning a bit soiled and foxed, faint browning at edges elsewhere, otherwise quite nice internally, with only minor defects. Printed on larger paper than the 1664 first edition, our expanded second edition of Evelyn's agricultural treatise has more than twice as many pages as its predecessor. Well known as a diarist, a book collector, and a founder of the Royal Society, Evelyn (1620-1706) published a number of important books (either original works or translations from the French) on architecture, navigation, gardening, and arboriculture. The texts in the present volume relate to the last two of these topics. England in the 17th century was already seriously deforested and, consequently, short of wood for constructing a navy. Evelyn addressed the Royal Society with a plea for reforestation, and this address became the treatise "Sylva." "Pomona," a discourse on fruit trees and the making of cider, was already included in the first printing of "Sylva," as was the "Gard'ners Almanac," which proved to be Evelyn's most popular work. The engravings here depict 17th century technology for logging and pressing cider. Second Edition, "much Inlarged [sic] and Improved.".
520 x 370 mm. (20 1/2 x 14 1/2"). 4 p.l., XXIX, [1], 46; [4], 48 pp. Two volumes bound in one. Edited and with notes on the life and work of Zabaglia by Filippo Maria Renazzi. SPLENDID CONTEMPORARY RED MOROCCO, VERY ATTRACTIVELY GILT, covers with frames formed by thick and thin gilt rules filled with alternating fleuron tools above an undulating ribbon roll, central panel framed by multiple gilt rules connecting ornate floral corner- and sidepieces, flat spine divided into panels by multiple plain and decorative rules, these panels with rectangular centerpiece composed of volutes, arabesques, and floral tools, marbled endpapers. Engraved portrait of Zabaglia by Girolamo Rossi after a drawing by Pietro Leone Ghezzi, engraved vignettes on both title-pages, and 62 FINE ENGRAVED PLATES, 10 OF THEM FOLDING, after designs by Francesco Rostagni. Berlin Katalog 2755; Brunet V, 1515 ; Graesse VII, 501; Cicognara 968 (all citing the first edition). âTrivial signs of use to the binding and contents with insignificant imperfections only: AN EXCEPTIONALLY FINE COPY, the attractive binding lustrous and virtually unworn, and THE PLATES REMARKABLY CLEAN, FRESH, AND BRIGHT, with especially ample margins. This is a remarkably beautiful copy, inside and out, of the second, enlarged edition of a fundamental work for the history of engineering and the construction of buildings, expanding the original 1743 edition for educational use, with text in academically appropriate Latin in addition to the original Italian. Niccola [or Nicolò] Zabaglia (1667-1750) began working as a day laborer on the construction of St. Peter's Basilica in 1686, and was employed full time on the project by 1691. According to Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani, "by 1696, he was able to demonstrate his ability as a mechanic, moving the large porphyry cup and the bronze statues placed in the Vatican baptistery." Although illiterate, he was an ingenious practical engineer. DBI notes that "the preparation of scaffolding and exceptional castles, and the transport of extraordinary weights" were his strongest skills. For the Vatican, he organized the removal, transportation, and installation of several obelisks at St. Peter's and other churches, figured out a way to move a large marble altar, and prepared the scaffolding needed to construct, maintain, or restore areas of St. Peter's. He was involved in strengthening its famed dome after the earthquakes of 1703 and 1730, inventing the necessary machines to do the work and training the construction crew. This volume's splendid oversized engravings illustrate the machinery and instruments used for the restoration of the domeâ"elaborate hoisting devices, construction tools, pulleys, scaffolding, ornamental tiles, etc.â"as well as the craftsmen at work. The transportation of the Vatican obelisk by Domenico Fontana in 1590 is represented by a fine selection of plates from Carlo Fontana's work on St. Peter's ("Templum Vaticanum," published in 1694 and derived from Domenico's original "Delle transportazione dell'obelisco Vaticano"). This undertaking may be compared with the plates depicting Zabaglia's methods for transporting and erecting obelisks. The greatest honor conferred on the unofficial "Engineer of the Vatican" in his lifetime was the first edition of this work, published at Rome by Niccolò & Marco Pagliarini in 1743, with a total of 55 plates. The present second edition is enlarged with a biography of Zabaglia written by jurist Filippo Maria Renazzi (1742-1808) and with eight more plates, which are among the very best and largest in the book; it is less commonly encountered than the first edition. This may be due to the fact that, if put to the intended use in educational settings, copies of the 1824 edition would have seen far more wear and tear than the earlier printing. Second Edition with the Addition of Later Machines and Premises.
160 x 205 mm. (6 1/4 x 7 5/8"). Single column, 35 extant lines in a gothic hand. With several marginal doodles and pen trials, probably done in a later hand. âPreviously used in a binding and thus with several small wormholes and creases, verso with some staining and scraping (but most of the text still legible), and overall a very good specimen. Written in a distinctive and rather pretty hand, this specimen probably comes from a biblical commentary or a collection of sermons. The passage preserved here delves into Genesis 27:27, where Jacob succeeds in deceiving his old, blind father Isaac into blessing him, instead of Esau, the favored son. The ruse is accomplished partly through scent, as Jacob is wearing Esau's garments, and this element of the story leads to a detailed exploration of various types and the significance of odors. Though this fragment has been previously used as binding waste, the extant text is very well preserved and almost entirely legible.
273 x 193 mm. (10 3/4 x 7 1/2"). Single column, 31 lines, text in two sizes in a gothic hand. Rubrics in red, several one- and two-line initials in red, and two larger initials in red. A few lines with neumes, later notations in the margins (now quite faded). âVellum a bit soiled and creased as expected, fading to four or five lines where the spine was placed, several notches along one edge, other imperfections due to its reuse as binding scrap, but still an excellent specimen that is almost entirely legible. Written in a neat and attractive hand, this sizable leaf from a Missal remains mostly quite legible, with all its rubrication intact, despite having been used as part of a binding. A few lines also show musical notation from the earliest generation of neumes. They are described as "in campo aperto," which means literally "in an open field," because they and they alone occupy the space (or "field") above the text. They are also described as adiastematic because they appear in a straight line, whereas later diastematic neumes reflect changes in pitch by being placed in a higher or lower vertical position above the text. At the time the present leaf was written out, the neumes here simply served as an "aide memoire" to the singer, who had already learned the melody orally.
173 x 103 mm. (6 7/8 x 4"). xl, 239, [1] pp. EXCELLENT DARK BLUE STRAIGHT-GRAIN MOROCCO, GILT, BY BOZERIAN (signed at tail of spine), covers with a frame of double gilt rules and cresting palmette roll, flat spine divided into panels with swirling medallion centerpiece, turn-ins with bead and star roll, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt. Engraved frontispiece portrait of Mably, title page with medallion portrait of Phocion. A Large Paper Copy. Brunet III, 1264. âJust the slightest hint of rubbing to joints and extremities, a handful of leaves with faint browning, but clearly A FINE COPY, the text clean and fresh with extremely ample margins, and the binding lustrous and scarcely worn. This is a restrained yet elegant binding from the Bozerian atelier on a work by the French philosopher Mably (1709-85). First published in 1763, "Conversations of Phocion" sets forth major themes in Mably's own thought in the guise of a series of dialogues between the 4th century B.C. Greek statesman and various contemporaries. Our author was a friend of Jean Jacques Rousseau and was influenced by his writings on republicanism and natural human equality. A short biography of the writer by Gabriel Brizard begins this work. Active in Paris during the first quarter of the 19th century, the Bozerian binderies produced many fine books that are praised today especially for their technical achievement and elegance of design. François Bozerian, generally called Bozerian le jeune (1765 - ca. 1818), was known to have worked from just after the turn of the century until his death, and for much of that time, he worked with his elder brother Jean-Claude (1762-1840). Among other distinguished work, the Bozerians did a considerable number of bindings for the Imperial Library at the instigation of Joseph Van Praet, the librarian responsible for building much of the original collection of the Bibliothèque Nationale.
145 x 100 mm. (5 3/4 x 3 7/8"). 8 p.l., 400 pp. Contemporary calf with triple blind-ruled fillets, neatly rebacked (using original leather), raised bands ruled in blind, endpapers (said in a pencilled note to be) from a Strassburg incunable, ca. 1470. Printer's device (Schreiber Device 16) on title. Front pastedown with the bookplate of Magdalen College, Cambridge, with their cancellation stamp. Renouard, p. 144; Schreiber 198; Adams S-1763. âRear cover with a group of small (but rather deep) gouges, minor abrasions and scratches to the leather elsewhere, light wear to spine, but the binding quite secure and nicely restored; contents in excellent condition, with just the occasional trivial mark or light dampstain. This is a pleasing example of a 16th century scholar's portable volume that features the first edition of the first work in a trilogy decrying the fanatical Renaissance cult of Ciceronianism, written by the renowned classical scholar Henri II Estienne. As Schrieber observes, there was during the author's time a "fanatic adherence . . . to the vocabulary and idiom of Cicero, with the exclusion of any words or expression not found in his writings." But in "On Latin Wrongly Regarded as Suspect," Schreiber says Henri "demonstrates that some Latin words, although suspect by the Ciceronians, because they appear superficially to derive from French, are actually well attested in ancient Latin texts." Among those texts are the plays of Plautus (ca. 254-184 B.C.); in the added treatise here, Estienne notes, "the French love the Latinity of Plautus more than any other people do, for in many respects, his speech has greater affinity with theirs than with anyone else's." He emphasizes the influence Plautine Latin appears to have had on the development of French. Grandson and namesake of the founder of the printing dynasty, Henri II (1528-98) was a brilliant classicist best known for producing a Greek lexicography ("Thesaurus graecae linguae," 1572) that was the standard reference for 300 years. His standing as a humanist and his influence on classical studies was recognized by the 2022 printing of nine of his essays in English and the original Latin (Henri Estienne, "On Books"), including an excerpt from the present work. The contemporary binding here incorporates recycled leaves from an incunable, which a pencilled note attributes to "Strassburg ca. 1470." The fragmentary text appears to be a commentary on the Bible.
245 x 165 mm. (9 3/4 x 6 1/2"). vii, [4], 298, [2] pp. Very attractive red crushed morocco by Zaehnsdorf (stamp-signed on front turn-in) covers and spine compartments framed by multiple gilt rules, raised bands, gilt lettering, wide turn-ins with multiple gilt rules, red silk endleaves, top edge gilt, other edges untrimmed. In a (slightly chipped and faded) red buckram dust jacket. With numerous black & white illustrations. A Large Paper Copy. âTiny chip and one-inch crack to head of rear joint, a thin crack just beginning along front joint, extremities lightly rubbed, but an appealing copy, clean and fresh internally with generous margins, in a finely crafted, very lustrous binding. This is a classic work by a woman Tidcombe describes as "one of the first people to write intelligently in English on both contemporary and historical bookbinding," offered here in a binding by the famed workshop where she got her start. Sarah Treverbian Prideaux (1853-1933) began binding when she was 31, training in London under Zaehnsdorf and in Paris under Gruel, and worked for 20 years. She was very interested in the history of the craft and in the techniques of earlier binders. Tidcombe says she "knew more about the history of bookbinding, both trade, and non-trade, than other binders," a knowledge that was an asset to her both when she bound and when she taught and lectured on binding. She wrote a number of articles in the 1890s for "The Bookbinder" and the "The Library" in the U.K., and for "Scribner's Magazine" in the U.S. Eight of these articles are collected here: "Some English and Scottish Bindings of the Last Century," "Characteristics and Peculiarities of Roger Payne, Binder," "Les Relieures Français," "Design in Bookbinding," "Some French Binders of To-day," "Early Stamped Bindings," "Early Italian Bindings," and "Some Notes on Pattern-making." Hungarian-born binder Joseph Zaehnsdorf (1816-86) served his apprenticeship in Stuttgart, worked at a number of European locations as a journeyman, and then settled in London, where he was hired first by Westley and then by Mackenzie before opening his own workshop in 1842. His son and namesake took over the business at age 33, when the senior Joseph died, and the firm flourished under the son's leadership, becoming--and remaining for many years--a leading West End bindery. The present example of their work features very high quality material, meticulous finishing, and an overall elegance. No. 227 OF 500 COPIES of the First American Edition.
465 x 325 mm. (18 1/4 x 12 3/4"). 14 p.l. (including two frontispieces), 253, (i.e., 252), [1] leaves, followed by the final plate (complete). SPLENDID CONTEMPORARY MARBLED CALF, VERY PROBABLY A PRESENTATION BINDING BY THE PUBLISHER, expertly restored incorporating original sides and backstrip, covers quite ornately gilt with wide frame composed of two intricate rolls and gilt rules, central panel with elaborate cornerpieces of curling leaves, volutes, and floral tools, very large oval centerpiece composed of two concentric Baroque-style frames heavy with plumes, scallop shells, flowers, volutes, and many small tools encircling a similarly framed center oval topped with a coronet; raised bands, spine attractively gilt in compartments with large central fleuron and lavishly scrolling cornerpieces, two red morocco labels, densely gilt turn-ins, Albrizzi's special daubed endpapers, all edges gilt. WITH 84 ELEGANT ENGRAVINGS: two frontispieces (one of Apollo and the muses, with flying angels holding a tondo portrait of the author, the other of Empress Maria Theresa of Austria, to whom the edition is dedicated), charming vignette on title page of Tasso riding on a half shell into a Venetian dock (and being welcomed by a female personification of Venice petting one of a pair of lions), 20 vignette initials, 20 large vignette headpieces, 20 vignette tailpieces (19 large and one smaller), and FEATURING 20 EXQUISITE LARGE PLATES, each within a decorative frame, as well as a final large plate showing Tasso and the publisher Albrizzi out in nature, all BY GIAMBATISTA PIAZZETTA. A Large Paper Copy. Front pastedown with (early 19th century?) armorial bookplate of "Marcuard." Cohen-de Ricci 978; Brunet V, 666; Graesse VI (pt. 2), 33. âCovers with some faint scratches, gilt on centerpieces a little rubbed, with minor loss (perhaps in an effort to efface), other minor signs of use to the leather, but the exceptionally handsome binding remarkably impressive (even with restorations and minor defects), the gilt dazzling and the volume generally giving off a feeling of grandeur. Occasional minor foxing, smudges, or small stains, but still QUITE A FINE COPY, crisp and bright internally, with vast margins and excellent impressions of the plates. This is a remarkably fresh and clean contemporary copy of one of the finest illustrated books of the 18th century. It is a wonderful oversized illustrated Venetian printing of a great Italian classic, which the normally reserved Graesse describes as a "magnificent edition in regards to the printing and the paper: the 20 plates and the headpieces by Piazzetta are beyond all praise." The engravings are highly detailed, romantic Rococo illustrations of a major artist, Giambatista Piazzetta (1682-1754). Palluchini (as reported by Benezit) comments on the "subtle unity and vibrant luminosity" of Piazzetta's chiaroscuro, and he remarks that "Piazzetta's striking use of light, together with the bold compositions and handling seen in some of his works, make him an important precursor of Tiepolo." As for the author, Britannica says it as well as anyone: in his "Jerusalem Delivered," Tasso (1544-95) "aimed at ennobling the Italian epic style by preserving strict unity of plot and heightening poetic diction. He chose Virgil for his model, took the first crusade for [his] subject, [and] infused the fervor of religion into his conception of the hero Godfrey." But his inclination toward romance clashed with his original epical intentions, and the work became a classic early example of the poetry of sentiment. "This sentiment, refined, noble, natural, steeped in melancholy, exquisitely graceful, pathetically touching, breathes throughout the episodes of the 'Gerusalemme,' finds metrical expression in the languishing cadence of its mellifluous verse, and sustains the ideal life of those seductive heroines whose names were familiar as household words to all Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries." Unfortunately, the work, while still in manuscript, was condemned by contemporary critics on both religious and literary grounds, and the sensitive and conscientious author suffered a nervous breakdown, was later visited by a violent insanity, and was confined for seven years. When he was released, he discovered that his masterpiece had been published and that he was now famous. He was to have received the laurel crown with which Petrarch alone had been honored, but he died just before the presentation. As recorded by Doyle in the catalogue for their November, 2010, sale, other copies are known to exist in this same splendid binding, a fact that strongly suggests they came from the publisher and were intended for dedicatees. (That Doyle copy--measuring three-quarters of an inch shorter than ours and with cracked joints and missing an inch of spine leather--sold for $11,250.).
225 x 177 mm. (8 7/8 x 7"). CHARMING ROYAL BLUE CRUSHED MOROCCO BY BAYNTUN-RIVIERE, covers with five gilt figures of children (one at center, one in each corner) based on illustrations in the book, upper cover with gilt lettering, raised bands, spine compartments with the figure of Winnie-the-Pooh, marbled endpapers, top edge gilt, other edges untrimmed. In an excellent (presumably original) cloth-covered fleece-lined slipcase (slightly faded) Illustrated throughout by E. H. Shepard. A Large Paper Copy. Binder's instructions for opening the book properly laid in at front. âAN OUTSTANDING COPY, very clean and bright internally, in an unworn binding. This is a copy of the deluxe first edition of Milne's first work to feature Pooh and Christopher Robin, the latter based on Milne's son, who bore the same name and to whom the book is dedicated. The volume contains 44 poems for and about children, including the famous "Vespers," written about the real-life Christopher Robin when he was three years old. Illustrator E. H. Shepard's adorable, mischievous tots and their animal friends provide a sweet and whimsical accompaniment to the text. Alan Alexander Milne (1882-1956) began his writing career at "Punch," where he became well known for his wit. He was the successful author of plays and mystery novels before he began writing verses to amuse his young son during a rainy vacation in Wales in 1923. "When We Were Very Young" was published the following year, enlivened with drawings by "Punch" illustrator Shepard. According to DNB, "It was a huge success and was acclaimed in The Times as 'the greatest children's book since Alice [in Wonderland].'" Over the next four years, it was followed by "Winnie-The-Pooh," "Now We Are Six," and "The House at Pooh Corner," establishing Milne as one of the most beloved children's authors of the 20th century. Our volume was bound by a venerable English workshop. Founded in Bath in 1894, the Bayntun bindery has provided beautiful bindings for bibliophiles for more than a century. In 1937, Bayntun acquired the Riviere bindery, which had been in business since 1829, and began signing its bindings "Bayntun-Riviere," as here. It is now the last of the great Victorian trade binderies still in family ownership. FIRST EDITION. No. 67 OF 100 COPIES SIGNED by the author and illustrator.
140 x 83 mm. (5 1/2 x 3 1/4"). [216], [48] unnumbered leaves. VERY APPEALING CONTEMPORARY VELLUM OVER BOARDS, ALMOST CERTAINLY BY EDWARDS OF HALIFAX, covers bordered by a Neoclassical pentaglyph and metope roll against a blue wash, center of each board with large gilt-bordered medallion containing the gilt monogram "M L C" on a blue background, flat spine divided into panels by gilt pentaglyph and metope border (the one at the bottom over blue wash), panels with classical urn centerpiece and volute cornerpieces, second panel with gilt titling on a blue background, turn-ins with gilt chain roll, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt. WITH A FINE FORE-EDGE PAINTING, VERY PROBABLY BY EDWARDS, depicting Fountains Abbey in Yorkshire. IN THE ORIGINAL (rubbed and soiled, but quite intact) soft green LEATHER SLIPCASE. Title page with ink ownership inscription of M: L: Carey. Griffiths 1783/6. âSpine decoration a bit faded in places, rear turn-in lifting just a little at one corner, title and a couple of gatherings with moderate foxing, but still quite an excellent copy, the binding showing virtually no wear, the text clean and fresh, and the painting well preserved. This is an extremely pleasing little book in period vellum produced by one of the most important families in the history of English bookbinding. The Edwards of Halifax bindery was founded by William Edwards (1723-1808) and continued by several of his brothers, half-brothers, and sons (by far the most important of the sons being Thomas, who lived from 1762-1834). This famous firm produced a number of important innovations in binding design, the most significant being the idea of concealing a painting under the gilt of the fore edge. This hidden treasure could be revealed, once the edge was fanned out, as a special surprise element of the volumes they bound--typically in Etruscan calf, or, as in the present case, in vellum decorated with gilt and blue wash. The painting here is rendered in the subtle hues typical of Edwards paintings--soft grays and greens, in this instance--and the scenic ruins are one of the favored Edwards subjects. For these reasons, we speculate that it may well have been done at or near the time of publication. In any case, our painting is particularly pleasing for its sense of depth, partly accomplished both by clever use of shadow and by considerable finely painted three-dimensional architectural detail.
240 x 165 mm. (9 1/2 x 6 1/2"). 222 pp.Edited, with Introduction, Annotations, Bibliography, & Analytical Index by Charles Oscar Paullin. Publisher's blue paper boards backed with linen, flat spine with printed paper label, edges untrimmed, a couple of quires unopened. In matching (moderately worn) blue paper slipcase. With frontispiece portrait of Commodore Hazard Perry, color map of the battle, three black & white photogravure facsimiles, and two sepia-toned portraits, of Major General William Henry Harrison and Commander Robert Barclay. Addition printed paper title label attached to rear pastedown. Slipcase with "Lamprecht" written in pencil on front cover. âA very fine copy: clean, fresh, and bright internally, and protected by its case from shelfwear and soiling. This handsomely printed, limited edition contains 19 documents associated with the Battle of Lake Erie, a naval conflict between British and American troops fought during the war of 1812. The American fleet gained a crucial advantage against Great Britain in this battle, enabling them to safeguard the Ohio Valley while also gaining access to Canada. Success is chiefly owed to the actions of Oliver Hazard Perry (1785-1819), the "Hero of Lake Erie," whose brilliant strategy and leadership secured a stunning victory over the British Commander Robert Heriot Barclay. Founded in 1892 for men interested in "the critical study of books in their various capacities to please the mind of man," the Rowfant Club was named for the Sussex home of leading English book collector Frederick Locker-Lampson (1821-95). The present work is typical of their fine output and refined aesthetic tastes.
270 x 220 mm. (10 5/8 x 8 5/8"). 1 p.l., vi-xx, [ii], xxi-xxii, [2], 159, [1], 102 pp. Lacking half-title and errata. Contemporary quarter calf over marbled boards, smooth spine with gilt rules and lettering (front joint solidly albeit inelegantly repaired). With three folding plates, each with a letterpress explanatory leaf. Henrey 1384. âLower joint cracked, corners very rubbed, covers a bit worn and soiled; small repaired tear to title, dampstaining to margin corners in subscriber's list, plates torn along folds in a few places, three leaves with light overall browning, other trivial defects; not without significant imperfections, but generally clean and fresh, and a better copy than might be expected, given its use in what must have been unprotected circumstances. A unique book issued at the advent of the popularity of the importation of exotic plants into England, this is an important work on the construction and heating of greenhouses, which also includes an exhaustive list of exotic plants suitable for the greenhouse environment, remarks on the history of gardening, an essay on the stove, tips for the successful propagation of a wide variety of species, and directions for preserving seeds brought to England over vast distances by ship. The book covers the origin of artificial hothouses in 15th century Korea, and the first stove-heated greenhouse in England, which was erected at the Chelsea Physic Garden in 1681. The popularity of these structures continued to grow in the 18th century among the elite--particularly after Joseph Banks' invigoration of Kew Gardens with botanical specimens sourced from all over the world. The author especially encourages the cultivation of pineapples and grapes in the hothouse, which can "be matured in the highest state of perfection" and which are "what every gentleman of rank and fortune would wish to possess." The plates here include the plans and elevations of a 160-foot-long general stove, an idealized greenhouse featuring Ionic columns, and a greenhouse built by controversial botanist Richard Anthony Salisbury (erected before personal and professional scandals caused him to be shunned by the botanical community). Little biographical information is known of our author, Richard Steele, but Henrey notes that he received assistance with the text for this work from Adrian Hardy Haworth (1768-1833), an entomologist and botanist who founded a private natural history museum and garden in Chelsea, and who, in the words of DNB, "became something of a celebrity, consulted by the managers of provincial natural history museums and visited by foreign botanists." The present work is significant enough to command an interest, even when copies that are not in fine condition.
165 x 115 mm. (6 1/2 x 4"). 144 pp. EXTREMELY PRETTY CONTEMPORARY RED STRAIGHT-GRAIN MOROCCO, ELABORATELY DECORATED IN GILT AND BLIND, covers with wide frame of closely spaced interlocking drawer handle tools in blind, the frame enclosing a large central panel with very densely gilt cornerpieces featuring foliate sprays and much stippling; gilt-decorated raised bands, spine panels with scrolling gilt lozenge centerpiece and intricate blind elaboration, all edges gilt. With 32 charming woodcuts in the text, engraved by Austin and Hole after Craig. Front pastedown with bookplate of W. Giffard Lenfestey. âSpine uniformly faded to a rose color, first three gatherings with sprinkled foxing, isolated minor spots in the text (a few more on last two leaves), but still a very appealing copy, the leaves fresh, and the charming binding with bright covers and next to no wear. Purportedly a series of translations from an ancient Indian manuscript, these short and often inspirational pieces, first printed in 1750, are presented in a style similar to the biblical book of Proverbs. Although the book was originally attributed to Robert Dodsley, the first part of it is now thought to have been the work of Lord Chesterfield (some or all of the second part may have been written by Mrs. Teresia Constantia Phillips). According to Bryant, our artist, William Marshall Craig, "was painter in water-colours to the Queen, and miniature painter to the Duke and Duchess of York"; the long-lived engraver William Austin died at 99 in 1820. Although this work in some edition or another can be obtained fairly easily, one would have difficulty finding a copy in a contemporary binding as charming and pretty as the one offered here.
229 x 152 mm. (9 x 6"). Five volumes. Edited by John Payne Collier. VERY ATTRACTIVE DEEP BLUE PEBBLE-GRAIN MOROCCO, HANDSOMELY GILT, covers with frames of one dogtooth and three plain rules, raised bands, spines in antique-style compartments with delicate scrolling cornerpieces and intricate central fleuron surrounded by small tools, densely gilt floral turn-ins, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt. With frontispiece portrait of Spenser in volume I. Front pastedown with armorial bookplate of Herbert Lionel Bashford, M. A., Dibon Lodge, Godalming. See: Day, "History of English Literature to 1660," pp. 187-89. âSpines just a shade darker than covers, a couple covers with a slightly blotchy appearance due to leather preservative, but quite an attractive set in generally fine condition, the text fresh and bright, and the leather lustrous. The first modern English poet to achieve major stature, Spenser (ca. 1552-99), in Day's words, demonstrated "with his fluency in many meters and stanzaic forms . . . that English was at least the equal to any other language as a vehicle of great poetry." While his poems, particularly "The Faerie Queene," look backward as the culmination of the allegorical verse tradition of the Pearl Poet, Langland, and Chaucer, he has influenced with "his fertile imagination and especially his sensuous imagery and melodic language" nearly every important English poet who followed him. (Day) DNB praises Collier's "Spenser," first published in 1862, as "an excellent edition, with the completest life of the poet that had as yet appeared." Despite his great knowledge and love of early English authors, Collier (1789-1883) suffered a certain diminished respect because of his propensity for textual fabrication. This was true particularly in the case of the notorious "Perkins folio," supposedly containing an early copy of Shakespeare's works with superior variant readings, which turned out to be forged. Britannica comments that these "fabrications . . . may charitably . . . be attributed to literary monomania, but . . . it is difficult to speak with patience [of them], so completely did they for a long time bewilder the chronology of Shakespeare's writings." Apart from its important content, this set is quite lovely on the shelf. The bindings are unsigned, but they have the feel and appearance of work done by James Hayday (1796-1872), one of the most prominent and productive English binders of the 19th century. The present set is typical of Hayday's decorative work for a large market, using high quality leather and being liberal with gilt embellishment.
With edges unfolded: 280 x 200 mm. (11 x 7 7/8"). Single column, 23 lines, in a large proto-gothic hand. Rubrics in red, numerous one-line initials in red, one three-line initial in red. The one-time spine with two paper labels pasted on, one with titling in ink, and one with the letters "H H." âWith inconsequential small holes and stains, the label obscuring a few lines, a couple of words faded, but with the entire text present within good margins, legible, generally clean, and in overall excellent condition, especially given that it was used as a binding. Written in a large, handsome script, the text here includes the opening of the celebrated 23rd Psalm (22 in the Vulgate numbering), which begins with "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want" ("Dominus regit me, et nihil mihi deerit"). After its original life as part of a late 12th or early 13th century manuscript, this good-sized leaf was then used on the cover of a binding, and it still retains the title and what appears to be a shelf location on an old paper label along what would have been the spine. The structure of the binding is clearly visible on this leaf, making it an excellent example for a teaching collection, or for anyone interested in the reuse of Medieval manuscripts.
