KERMABON, ADELIE-MARIE
Sumptuous late 19th century Book of Hours manuscript created by female porcelain artist Adelie-Marie Kermabon for the French publishing firm Maison Bouasse-Lebel. Kermabon, born in Saint-Malo, was a student of the more famous porcelain artist Delphine de Cool-Fortin (1830-1921), whose works were exhibited at the Woman's Building at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Kermabon had a number of her own works exhibited at French art exhibitions during the 1870s and 1880s, and extant records of those catalogs show that she worked mostly on porcelain. The manuscript offered here is exquisite. Every page is elaborately decorated with numerous scenes, personages, fantastic beasts, and architectural backgrounds. The initials J. O. are stamped into the leather box which holds the manuscript. The manuscript is bound in elaborately decorated calf. Although this genre of manuscript was not uncommon in 19th century France, this creation is a one of a kind. 18.5 x 12.5cm. 76pp., [iv].
[ALOYS MERZ OR CARL FRIEDRICH VON GERAULT]
Very rare pamphlet on the conversion of two men to Catholicism - one, John Thayer (1755-1815), a Protestant pastor from New England and the first native New Englander to be ordained a Catholic Priest, and the second, Johann Joseph Keideck, a rabbi from Cologne, Germany. Thayer was born in Boston and attended Yale College. Following his studies, he became a Congregationalist minister and served as a chaplain during the American Revolution. While visiting Rome in 1783 he converted to Catholicism and in 1789 was ordained a Catholic priest in Paris. His priestly career was spent serving Catholic communities in Boston, Virginia, and Kentucky, and Limerick, Ireland. 8vo (16 x 10.5cm), 48pp. Library stamps to verso of title-page and verso of final leaf, some foxing and light browning throughout. Bound in paper wrappers, tears to spine. I could locate only two copies of this work in the United States.
SOLOVIEV, VLAIDIMIR (1853-1900)
The second edition of one of Soloviev's most important works, translated into English and published as God, Man, and the Church by Donald Attwater in 1937. Any publications of Soloviev during his lifetime are quite rare, and Russian publications during his early career are exceedingly so. The booklet published here by the University of Moscow, at which he as a lecturer, is a collection of four essays written between 1882-1884. The original Russian title means the 'Religious Foundations of Life', but was altered in post-1885 editions to the 'Spiritual Foundations of Life.' The contents include essays on prayer, fasting, and the Church and Society. The appendix includes an essay on the Russian schism. Although I have been able to locate translations and later reprints of this work (e.g. in the collected works of Soloviev compiled in the early 20th century), I have not been able to locate any copies published during the author's lifetime in the original Russian. It is also interesting to note that Attwater, who provided the English translation, was working off a French translation and not the original Russian. Large 8vo (26 x 16cm), v, 198pp., [i]. Light foxing throughout, title-page with ink inscription, top corner clipped. Bound in publisher's wrappers, wear and tear to wrappers, spine, and edges. Overall in good condition
CORONELLI, VINCENZO (1650-1718)
The first octavo edition of Coronelli's important work on Greece, published during the war between Venice and the Ottoman Empire in which Venice was to ultimately prevail and conquer the Morea territory of southern Greece. This book can therefore be viewed as part propaganda celebrating the Venetian cause and part guide to the newly conquered territories. A folio edition of the work was published the same year and therefore Coronelli refers to the octavo edition as the 'second edition'. Contominas states that all the engravings from the folio edition are included here, but have been re-engraved to fit the smaller format. Although the collation of the double-page plates seems to vary, the most complete edition that I located includes an engraved title and 43 double-page plates. Our copy also includes 43 double-page plates in addition to a half-title and an engraved title-page, and therefore appears to be complete. Although this edition was influential in informing the European readership about Greece, it does not appear in the bibliography of Atabey or Blackmer. 8vo (16.5 x 11.5cm), half-title, engraved title, [x], 237pp. & 43 double-page plates (maps, plans, views, etc.). A few occasional spots; light damp-staining to a few leaves. Due to the nature of the smaller octavo format double-page plates the inner hinges tend to obscure the middle part of the plates. Rebound in modern calf.
XENOS, STEFANOS
First edition, presentation copy from the author with inscription on title-page. Over two-thirds of the work is devoted to original source material. As indicated on the title-page, included is: "a collection of the principal treaties, conventions and protocols, concerning the Ionian Islands and Greece, concluded between 1797 and 1864". Large 8vo (26.5 x 18cm), iv, 124pp., 303pp. Original red blindstamped cloth, title page slightly spotted. Slight wear and soiling to binding. A handsome book. Uncommon on the market. [Blackmer 1850]
VARTABET SAPRITCHIAN, DIMOTHEOS
A rare account of a diplomatic mission by two Armenian clerics to the court of Emperor Tewodros of Ethiopia. As stated in the title, the mission was carried out on behalf of the Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem, and was originally written in Armenian. In order to appeal to a wider audience, the text was translated into French and published in Jerusalem at a press in an Armenian monastery. Two parts in one volume. 8vo (22 x 15cm), [xvi],181pp. & 175pp. With half-title, printed title, engraved title, and engraved frontispiece all present. Several images in text. Engraved plates with some browning and foxing, a few spots of scattered foxing in preliminaries. Rebound in modern red morocco with bookplate of Ethiopian scholar David W. Phillipson on front endpaper.
A tiny and rare edition of Newbery's Bible abridged for children (first 1757), notable for the unusual negative imprint, and for the diatribe on the verso of the title-page, which reads: "The Public are desired to observe, that F. Newbery, at the Corner of St Paul's Church Yard and Ludgate-street, has not the least Concern in any of the late Mr. John Newbery's Entertaining Books for Children", and in order to avoid the "paltry compilations" of the latter, customers are warned to buy only from Carnan and Newbery junior. All editions of this book are rare; some do not survive, and none are known in more than a handful of copies. This edition is not listed in ESTC, but Roscoe J27 (11) lists three copies in the United Kingdom. None are found in the United States except an imperfect copy at the University of Florida. 16mo (9 x 6.5cm), [16], 176pp. With 61 woodcut illustrations in text. Title coming away at inner margins, final page rather dusty, cut close throughout, sometimes shaving text but sense recoverable. Bound in early black roan, spine flap loose, 19th century ownership inscriptions.
A collection of Latin translations of Greek texts, the most prominent being an ancient Greek history in two books by Byzantine writer Gemistos Plethon. Plethon was born in Constantinople and spent much of his life in Mistra in the Peloponnesus, an important cultural center in the late medieval Byzantine Empire. He was a very early proponent of neo-Hellenism, believing that the people of the Peloponnesus were the direct heirs of the ancient Greeks. His name, Plethon, derives from Plato, for whom he had great admiration. His work on ancient Greek philosophy - especially that of Aristotle and Plato - continues to be of great interest to scholars of the Byzantine period. This book also includes orations by Dionysius of Halicarnassus, as well as several other minor works by Greek writers. 4to (21 x 14.5cm), [xiv], 103pp., [i]. Printer's colophon on verso of last leaf. Toned throughout with some light damp-staining. Bound in modern quarter cloth over boards.
The first edition of the rules of the Congregation of the Mission, the religious society founded by St. Vincent de Paul. Founded in 1625, the society was concerned especially with charitable works and expanded rapidly in Europe and abroad. The edition offered here is the only one published during the saint's lifetime and includes an exhortation by Vincent to this followers. There are several variants of this first edition, some have a different engraved portrait of Vincent, others have a different spelling on the title-page, and still others include an errata sheet at the end (this one does not). 12mo (12 x 6.5cm), [iv], 112pp., [ii]. Engraved title-page, engraved portrait, and engraved plate of Christ. Bound in contemporary calf, some wear to spine.
