" 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
Gift Books & Fine Bindings
The Ladies' Pocket Book of Etiquette.
Waltham Saint Lawrence: The Golden Cockerel Press, 1928. [Etiquette] PRIVATE PRESS EDITION. Small octavo (18 x 11cm), pp.[12]; 55 [5]. With four engraved plates by Sainsbury. Number 390 of 500 copies, hand-numbered to limitation page at rear. In quarter cream vegetable parchment with gilt titles to spine and red and..... More
Hellenica: A Collection of Essays on Greek Philosophy History and Religion.
London: Rivingtons, 1880. [Classics] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (22 x 15 cm), pp.[1] x; 492; [2]. Contemporary dark brown full morocco with raised bands and gilt titles to spine. Gilt armorial stamp to upper board, impaling the arms of the Bishop of Winchester and New College Oxford. Marbled endpapers and all..... More
History of Europe. From the Commencement of the French Revolution in M.DCC.LXXXIX. to the Restoration of the Bourbons in M.DCCC.XV. [and] From the Fall of Napoleon in MDCCCXV to the Accession of Louis Napoleon in MDCCCLII [1774-1852].
Edinburgh: William Blackwood and Sons, 1843-59. [European History] FINELY BOUND COMPLETE SET, various editions. Nineteen volumes. Octavo (22 x 16 x 97cm). Finely bound by W.J. MANSELL, successor to James HAYDAY in contemporary tan full calf with raised bands, gilt titles to contrasting red and green labels to spine, further..... More
The Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen.
London: George Newnes, 1899. [Children's Illustrated] FINELY BOUND, FIRST STRATTON ILLUSTRATED EDITION. Quarto (28 x 22cm), pp.[2]; xvi; 320; [2]. With over 400 in-text wood engravings by Stratton. Contemporary green full morocco dated 1900, with raised bands, gilt titles to spine and gilt decorations to upper board. All edges gilt;..... More
The Okavango River: A Narrative of Travel, Exploration, and Adventure.
London: Hurst and Blackett, 1861. [Colonial Exploration] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (22 x 15cm), pp.xxii; 364. With 17 wood engravings by Zwecker and Pearson, including a frontispiece and vignette title page. Contemporary red full calf with raised bands, gilt titles to a navy label on spine, further gilt decoration to spine..... More
A Book of Designs of Deep Sea Racing Craft. Issued Under the Auspices of the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club.
London: Ernest J. Day and Company, [1932]. FIRST EDITION. Oblong quarto, pp.viii, 116. Bound in full dark blue Morocco with gilt emblem to upper board, later respine to style. Marbled endpapers, all edges gilt. Introduction by Malden Heckstall-Smith, followed by 116 pages of plans. Some light spotting to prelims, some..... More
The Metropolis. And the Second Part of the Metropolis.
Dublin: John Barlow, 1805 and 1806. SECOND EDITION. Duodecimo. pp. 69, 87. In recent marbled paper-covered boards with navy titles to cream paper label on spine. Top right corner of title page to part two damaged and repaired. Text unaffected. Otherwise a near-fine example in an attractive new binding. An..... More
Literary Amusements; or, Evening Entertainer, by a Female Hand.
Dublin: Printed by T. Henshall for S. Price [etc.], 1782. RARE FIRST EDITION. In two volumes. Duodecimo, pp.[8], 234 [4]; pp.[8], 236 [4]. In later burgundy half morocco with gilt titles and decoration to spines. Marbled boards and endpapers. Black ink annotations to p.74 of vol. I; black ink ownership..... More
The Lincoln Crest and Monogram Album.
London: William S. Lincoln, no date [circa 1898]. [Crest and Monogram Album] ORIGINAL CREST AND MONOGRAM COLLECTION, the fourth edition. Octavo (22 x 17cm), unpaginated. An excellent contemporary collection of crests and monograms, with most pages either complete or partially filled in. Many items clipped from letters, envelopes or cards;..... More
![A Sample Book of Snuff Boxes 1820-1830]. ANONYMOUS](/images/noimage.png)
[A Sample Book of Snuff Boxes 1820-1830].
[Private Compilation]. n.d. [c.1830's]. ORIGINAL ENGRAVED DESIGNS. 157x217mm. 16 thick card leaves featuring 104 individual engraved designs for snuff boxes printed on india paper and pasted to leaves. In contemporary dark brown mottled calf boards, re-backed in later tan calf. Held together by two strong brass clasps. Title neatly added..... More
Wood's Royal Almanack for 1846.
London: J. T. Wood, 1846. MINIATURE BOOK. 30x17mm, unpaginated. With a calendar and lists of eclipses, holidays, the birthdays of members of the royal family, bankers and prices for stamps. Also with 14 engraved portraits of the royal family and Sir Robert Peel (then Prime Minister). In original blue paper..... More
The Light of Asia or The Great Renunciation. Being the Life and Teaching of Gautama, Prince of India and Founder of Buddhism.
London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner and Co., 1908. Deluxe Edition. Octavo, pp.xv; 158. Illustrated with thirty two pictures of Indian scenery from photographs taken by Mabel Eardley-Wilmott. Bound in cream vegetable parchment boards with gilt titles to spine and upper board, and illustrated to the upper and lower boards. Top..... More
Histoire des Diables de Loudun, Ou de la Possession des Religieuses Ursulines, Et de la condamnation et du suplice D'Urbain Grandier, Cure de la meme Ville. Cruels effets de la vengeance du Cardinal de Richelieu.
Amsterdam: Aux Depens de la Compagnie, 1740. [Huguenot History] EARLY EDITION. Octavo (16 x 10cm), pp.[8] 378 [4]. With a copper engraved frontispiece. All text in French. Contemporary speckled calf with raised bands, gilt titles and gilt decoration to spine. Marbled endpapers; edges speckled red. Recent repairs to head and..... More
A Companion to the Almanack, containing an Explanation of the Saints' Days and Holidays, with Biographical Sketches of the Persons, and Historical Accounts of the Events, on which the Festivals are founded. To which is prefixed, and Introduction, Explaining the Chronological and Astronomical Terms, and the general Contents of Modern Almanacks; with a brief inquiry into their origin.
London: Printed for J. Mawman, 1808. [Calendars] CONTEMPORARY BINDING, the Third Edition. Duodecimo (16 x 11cm), pp.151; [7]. Contemporary brown full calf with gilt titles and decoration to spine. Light browning and spotting to preliminaries. Contemporary black ink ownership to flyleaf. Joints rubbed and starting, but holding well. Corners bumped..... More
![The Novels of Jane Austen, comprising] Sense and Sensibility; Pride and Prejudice; Mansfield...](/pictures/thumb/55302.jpg?v=1576515246)
[The Novels of Jane Austen, comprising] Sense and Sensibility; Pride and Prejudice; Mansfield Park; Northanger Abbey; Persuasion; and Emma]. The Series of English Idylls.
London: J.M. Dent and Co., 1907-1909. [Classic Literature] FINELY BOUND FIRSTS THUS, the complete first Brock Colour editions. Six volumes. Octavo (20 x 13 x 19cm). Each volume with 24 colour illustrations by Brock, including a frontispiece and vignette title page. Recent biscuit-brown half morocco with raised bands, gilt titles..... More
![The Illustrated Novels of Jane Austen]. The works include: Sense and Sensibility, Pride and...](/pictures/thumb/52845.jpg?v=1568819749)
[The Illustrated Novels of Jane Austen]. The works include: Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, Emma, Northanger Abbey, and Persuasion.
London: Macmillan and Co., 1898-1906. [Illustrated Novels Set] FINELY BOUND AND ILLUSTRATED, later impressions. Six novels in five volumes. Octavo (19 x 13 x 20cm). Pride and Prejudice illustrated by Brock; the other titles by Thomson. 40 wood engravings per volume. In recent navy half morocco with raised bands, gilt..... More
The Works of Jane Austen. Being: Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Emma, Northanger Abbey, Persuasion, and Mansfield Park.
London: Macmillan and Co., 1895-1897. [English Literature] FIRST EDITIONS THUS - each being the first edition illustrated by either Brock or Thomson. Five volumes, octavos (20 x 13 x 18cm). Handsomely bound in recent burgundy half morocco over red cloth boards, gilt titles and tooling to spines, contrasting blue title..... More
Lays of the Scottish Cavaliers and Other Poems.
Edinburgh: William Blackwood and Sons, 1870. [Poetry] FINELY BOUND AND ILLUSTRATED, a later edition. Quarto (26 x 19cm), pp.[12]; 268. With frequent wood engraved vignettes by the Patons. Contemporary green full morocco by R. and A. SUTTABY of London, with raised bands, gilt titles and decoration to spine, and gilt..... More
Cricket. With 52 Illustrations.
London: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1920. FIRST APPEARANCE OF THIS TEXT. Octavo, pp.348. Includes a large number of illustrations. Publisher's original pictorial brown cloth blocked in gilt and colours, plain endpapers. A little edge-spotting, gift inscription to flyleaf; bing clean and fresh. A particularly sharp-looking copy. Stated as 'A New..... More
Boating
Longmans Green and Co., London 1888. FIRST EDITION. Octavo. Illustrated throughout. Elegantly hand-bound in half dark blue oasis morocco leather over marbled sides, spine gilt-lettered in six compartments with raised bands, top edge gilt. A little spotting to first and final leaves else a fine copy in attractive recent leather..... More
Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. From the Little White Bird. A New Edition.
London: Hodder and Stoughton Limited, no date [1912]. [Children's illustrated] REVISED 'BEST' EDITION. Quarto (29 x 22cm), pp.[8]; 126 [2]. With 50 chromolithographic plates by Rackham, as well as further occasional wood engravings. Exquisitely bound in full native red oasis morocco, gilt, by Sangorski and Sutcliffe, with gilt character tools..... More
Historic Memoirs of Ireland; comprising Secret Records of the National Convention, the Rebellion, and the Union; with Delineations of the Principal Characters connected with these transactions.
London: Henry Colburn, 1835. NEW EDITON. In two volumes. Large Quarto, pp.[2] xlii, 358 [2]; pp.[4] x, 464 [2]. With 38 copper engraved portraits, including a frontispiece of Barrington to vol. I, and two plates preceeding the title page in vol. II. Also with three facsimile letters and an index..... More
Memoir of the Life of Sir Marc Isambard Brunel.
London: Longman, Green, Longman, and Roberts, 1862. [Engineering]. REVISED SECOND EDITION. Octavo (23 x 15cm), pp.[2] xx; 357 [3]. With 17 illustrations, including an etched frontispiece portrait of Brunel. Contemporary full tan calf by HAYDAY, with raised bands, gilt titles to green label on spine and further gilt decoration to..... More
British Olympic Association Official Report of the XVth Olympic Games, Helsinki, July 19 - August 3, 1952.
London: World Sports, 1952. First Edition. Octavo, pp.114. Bound in contemporary brown cloth covers with gilt titles to spine. Inscribed by Olympic runner Harold Abrahams, who wrote the article on the athletics events and was one of the main characters in the film 'Chariots of Fire', and was married to..... More