" It is a man's duty to have books. A library is not a luxury, but one of the necessaries of life. "
— Henry Ward Beecher
History & Biography
The Uneven Road.
London: John Murray, 1955. [Military history] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (23 x 15cm), pp.viii; 335; [1]. Publisher's yellow cloth, titles in dark brown to spine, pictorial dust-jacket with printed price of 21s. net. Illustrated with two maps and six double sided photographic plates. Internally fine, light offsetting to endpapers and spotting..... More
Dare to be a Daniel.
London: Hutchinson, 2004. [Politics] SIGNED FIRST EDITION. Octavo (25 x 16cm), pp.x; 278. Publisher's black cloth, gilt titles to spine, red endpapers, photographic dust-jacket. Signed by the author to the title page. Illustrated with two suites of photographs. Ex Libris Lord Moynihan, recent bookplate detailing provenance affixed to flyleaf. Dust-jacket..... More
A Woman in Charge: The Life of Hillary Rodham Clinton.
London: Hutchinson, 2007. [American Politics] EX-LIBRIS LORD MOYNIHAN, First UK Edition. Octavo (24 x 16cm), pp.viii; 628; [4]. With four double-sided black and white plates. In publisher's black cloth with gilt titles to spine. With original pictorial dust-jacket. Black endpapers. Recent bookplate detailing provenance affixed to flyleaf. A fine copy..... More
An Introduction to Heraldry, Containing the Rudiments of the Science in General, and other Necessary Particulars Connected with the Subject.
London: Printed for T. Egerton, and White and Cochrane, 1810. FIRST EDITION, augmented with cuttings and a hand-painted illumination. Octavo, pp.[4]; 158; [2]. With 12 engraved plates, one chromolithographic plate, and one folding table of tinctures. Many heraldry-themed newspaper cuttings from the 1930s pasted and loose to all endpapers, and..... More
A Residence in France, During the Years 1792, 1793, 1794, and 1795; Described in a Series of Letters from an English Lady: With General and Incidental Remarks of the French Character and Manners.
London: T.N. Longman, 1797. SECOND EDITION. In two volumes. Crown Octavo. pp. xxxiv, 448; 464. In contemporary full mottled calf with gilt titles to red morocco labels on spines. Upper joints split; corners bumped, with heavy wear to edges. Head and tail bands loose or damaged. Front free end-paper to..... More
State of the Nation: British Theatre since 1945.
London: Faber and Faber, 2007. [Theatre] INSCRIBED FIRST EDITION. Octavo (24 x 16cm), pp.viii; 435; [5]. With a suite of four double-sided colour photographic plates. INSCRIBED by the author in blue ink to title page: "For Edward | Best Wishes | Michael Billington | 19th November 2007". Publisher's orange cloth..... More
The Debt We Owe: The Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund 1919-1989.
Shrewsbury: Airlife Publishing, 1989. INSCRIBED FIRST EDITION. Octavo, pp.[8], 216. With a colour frontispiece portrait of Viscount Trenchard, and 12 double-sided black and white plates. INSCRIBED by the author to Guy Huntrods, a prominent Tunbridge Wells based veteran, for his 75th birthday, in bright blue ink to title page. Also..... More
The Romance of St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle.
London: Raphael Tuck and Sons, 1933. [Architecture]. INSCRIBED FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 14cm), pp.78 [2]. With 12 photogravure illustrations and a chromolithographic frontispiece. INSCRIBED by the author in black ink to front free endpaper: 'F. M. Bridge / from / H. W. Blackburne. / august 1933.' Publisher's blue cloth..... More
Northern Ireland in the Second World War.
Belfast: Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1956. [Second World War] FIRST EDITION, EX LIBRIS CLEMENT ATTLEE. Octavo (25 x 16cm), pp.xvi; 569 [3]. With eight black and white photographic plates, some double-sided, as well as 12 folding maps. Publisher's dark green cloth with gilt titles to spine. With Attlee's distinctive bookplate..... More
The Principles of Gothic Ecclesiastical Architecture. With an explanation of technical terms, and a centenary of ancient terms.
London: David Bogue, 1846. [Gothic Architecture] VINTAGE EDITION, the eighth, with illustrations. Octavo (18 x 12cm), pp.xii; 330 [2]. With an eight-page publisher's catalogue tipped onto the flyleaf. With 228 in-text wood engravings. Publisher's blind-decorated green cloth with gilt titles to spine. All edges untrimmed; yellow-coated endpapers. Rear hinge split;..... More
The Reformation of the Church of England. Its History, Principles, and Results. A.D. 1514-1662.
London: Rivingtons, [1881] 1882-1885. [Church History]. FINELY BOUND, the Sixth Edition of volume I and the First Edition of volume II. In two volumes. Octavo (22 x 15cm), pp.[2] xii; 567 [3]; pp.[2] xii; 622. With an index to both volumes. Contemporary tan full calf prize binding, with raised bands..... More
The Character of Queen Elizabeth. Or, a Full and Clear Account of Her Policies, and the Methods of Her Government both in Church and State. Her Virtues and Defects. Together with the Characters of Her Principal Ministers of State. And the greatest part of the Affairs and Events that Happened in Her Times.
London: Printed for Richard Chiswell, 1693. [English History] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 13cm), pp.[32]; 376 [2]. With a copper engraved frontispiece by John Sturt showing Elizabeth and Mary. Contemporary speckled calf, recently re-backed with the original spine leather laid over. Raised bands; no external title labels. Ownership marks in..... More
Letters on the Spirit of Patriotism: on the Idea of a Patriot King: and on the State of Parties, at the Accession of King George the First.
London: Printed for T. Davies, 1775. FINELY BOUND NEW EDITION. Octavo, pp.xxxvi, 243. Including an introduction and dedication by the publishers, as well as comments on the character of Bolingbroke from the Earl of Chesterfield, Lord Orrery and Alexander Pope. In contemporary full tan calf with raised bands and gilt..... More
Liddell Hart; A Study of his Military Thought.
Aldershot: Gregg Revivals. 1991. Reprint with new preface. Octavo, pp. x, 289, 3 of adverts. Grey cloth with gilt titles to spine and upper board. Slight yellowing to the edges, a fine copy. More
The War Romance of the Salvation Army.
Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott Company, 1919. FIRST EDITION. Crown Octavo. pp. 356 [4]. With 16 b/w photographic plates including frontispiece; 14 being double-sided. In publisher's brown cloth with red titles to spine and upper board. With original pictorial dust jacket. Near-fine with some wear to jacket edges and minor chipping to..... More
Rock of Exile: A Narrative of Tristan da Cunha.
London: J.M. Dent and Sons, 1957. [Wartime Travel] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (22 x 15cm), pp.[4] x; 196. With seven double-sided photographic plates and a frontispiece, as well as an illustrated map and vignette illustrations to chapter headings, all by Foster. Publisher's yellow cloth with black titles to spine. With the..... More
Boswell's Life of Johnson, Including their Tour to the Hebrides.
London: John Murray, 1860. Edited by John Wilson Croker; 'A New Edition'. Quarto, pp.874; [14], 'Answers to Review'. With portrait engravings. Bound in brown half morocco over marbled sides, raised bands and gilt ruling to spine, edges speckled red, drab endpapers. Clean within, some spotting to first and final leaves..... More
The Life of Samuel Johnson.
London: Sir Isaac Pitman and Sons, 1907. FINELY BOUND, illustrated. In two volumes. Quarto (26 x 21cm), pp.[2]; xxxii; 576; [2]; pp.[2]; xvi; 577-1172; [2]. With 262 illustrations, including six photogravure plates. Other illustrations are lithographic reproductions of engravings. In contemporary green full morocco by J.S.H. BATES of Leicester, with..... More
The Life of Samuel Johnson. The Temple Bar Edition, Including 'Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides'.
New York, NY: Gabriel Wells, 1922. FINELY BOUND. In ten volumes. Medium Octavo. With a frontispiece engraving of Johnson and other engraved plates. No. 115 of 750 sets originally for sale. With a bibliographical introduction by Clement Shorter and an introduction to each vol. by the following: Aleyn Lyell Reade;..... More
The Life of Samuel Johnson. Including a Journal of his Tour to the Hebrides.
Philadelphia, PA: J.B. Lippincott and Co., 1865. [Biography] FINELY BOUND, a New Edition, with notes etc. In four volumes. Octavo (19 x 14 x 12cm), pp.xxxvi; 25-468 [2]; pp.[2] 479 [3]; pp.[2] 452 [6]; pp.[2] 452 [6]. With an engraved frontispiece to volumes I and II. Contemporary tan half calf..... More
Life of Samuel Johnson. Comprehending an Account of his Studies, and Numerous Works, in Chronological Order; With his Correspondence and Conversations.
London: Henry Washbourne and Co., 1857. FINELY BOUND. Octavo (23 x 15cm), pp.ix; [blank]; 580. Finely bound in ornately blind stamped mid brown full morocco, gilt titles and raised bands to spine, all edges gilt, marbled endpapers. Text in double column. With a warm gift inscription from Thomas Heathcote Gerald..... More
The History of the Valiant Knight Arthur of Little Britain. A Romance of Chivalry. Originally Translated from the French by John Bourchier, Lord Berners. A New Edition. With a Series of Plates, from the Illuminated Drawings contained in a valuable Ms. of the Original Romance.
London: Printed for White, Cochrane and Co., 1814. Limited Edition to 175 regular copies. Quarto; pp: half title page, frontispiece, title page, (12), (1), vi - xxvii, (1), iv, 544. Illustrated with black and white plates based on drawings from the original manuscript. Complete. This edition is edited by Edward..... More
The Niger Explored.
London: Oxford University Press, 1968. [African Colonial Exploration] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (22 x 14cm), pp.xii; 263 [1]. With six black and white plates, and numerous maps. Publisher's orange cloth with gilt titles to a blue background on spine. With the dust-jacket illustrated with a detail from a painting by Captain..... More
Farewell to Cricket.
London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1950. [Cricket Biography]. FIRST EDITION. Octavo (22 x 15cm), pp.320. With 28 black and white photographic illustrations including a frontispiece. In publisher's green cloth with darker green titles to spine. With original green pictorial dust-jacket. Slight reading lean; some rubbing to jacket edges and joints. Large..... More
Clavis Calendaria; or, a Compendious Analysis of the Calendar: Illustrated with Ecclesiastical, Historical, and Classical Anecdotes.
London: Printed for the Author, and sold by Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown [etc.], 1815. [Chronology]. FINELY BOUND, third edition. In two volumes. Octavo (22 x 14cm), pp.[4]; x; 404 [4]; pp.[6]; 406 [4]. With a frontispiece woodcut of an Anglo-Saxon 'Almonaght' and occasional in-text wood engravings and tables..... More