Rare and Collectible Books   

A superb set bound by Bayntun of Bath  in full crimson crushed morocco pictorially stamped with a central gilt bust of  Dickens within circular frame on upper board, rear board with Dickens signature in gilt, raised bands with compartments decorated with holly leaves and stars, all edges gilt, marbled endpapers, inner gilt dentelles, board edges trimmed in gilt. Internally, this set is in magnificent state with the hand colored plates in “A Christmas Carol”  in rich, deep color, all free from foxing. All with the original covers bound in at rear. First editions, mixed states. 

Dickens, Charles. A CHRISTMAS CAROL in Prose Being a Ghost Story of Christmas.  Stave One, illustrated by John Leech, London, Chapman & Hall, 1843; Half-title in blue,  title page in red and blue, eight illustrations of which four are hand colored (including frontispiece), 166pp., (2)pp. ads listing eight Dickens titles.  

Dickens, Charles. THE CHIMES: A Goblin Story. Some Bells That Rang An Old Year Out And A New Year In. London, Chapman & Hall; 1845. Half-title, Frontispiece facing second state vignette title, title page, (1)pp. ad following title page, 175pp. 

Dickens, Charles. THE CRICKET ON THE HEARTH.  London, Bradbury & Evans; 1846. Half-title, engraved frontispiece and vignette title page, regular title page,174pp.,  (2)pp. ad at rear (second state), with a comma after Evans and with five dots as opposed to four in the last illustration entry. These points have no priority and have been found to occur randomly. 

Dickens, Charles. THE BATTLE OF LIFE A Love Story.  London, Bradbury & Evans; 1846. Half-title, frontispiece (“Dance Round the Appletree”) facing the fourth state vignette title page, 175pp., (2)pp. ads in later state listing twelve titles.  

Dickens, Charles. THE HAUNTED MAN and The Ghost’s Bargain. A Fancy for Christmas-Time. London, Bradbury & Evans; 1848. (2)pp. ad  “works by Mr. Dickens”  listing three titles, verso listing four Christmas books, frontispiece facing vignette title page each with circular illustrations, title-page, half-title follows illustration page, 188pp. with the period on page 188 after headline and comma after printer's present.[pb.6189]

$6500

Flaubert, Gustave. SALAMMBO. London: Saxon & Co., 1886. Quarto. #51/100 proof copies on heavy Dutch hand-made paper signed by dedicatee: Henry M. Stanley, translator: M. French Sheldon, introductory author: Edward King and the Publisher Saxon & Co. Beautifully bound by Zaehnsdorf in full brown morocco paneled in gilt, raised bands with compartments stamped in gilt, lavish inner gilt dentelles over marbled paper, top edge gilt. front inner hinge weakening a bit, and a few spots of darkening to spine and boards. A very nice copy. [pb.0182]

$2750

A BEAUTIFUL, FINE COPY SIGNED BY STEINBECK

Steinbeck, John. THE GRAPES OF WRATH. New York, The Viking Press, (1939). First Edition, first printing. Inscribed by the author. One of 20^th century’s most influential works for which Steinbeck won the Pulitzer prize for Literature in 1940. Later, made into a film starring Henry Fonda as a farmer forced to leave his home during the Dust Bowl and travel to California in search of a better life.  Bound in the original beige pictorial cloth, top edge stained yellow, illustrated endpapers with the printing of “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” as suggested by Steinbeck’s wife Carol, the co-dedicatee. In an absolutely gorgeous,  dust jacket with no tears, chips, or soiling.

Inscribed by Steinbeck to noted bookseller Charlotte Newbegin with her Post Street bookseller’s ticket  to upper edge of rear endpaper.  In 1952, Charlotte purchased a small book shop, known as “The Old Book Shop” during the 1920s, located on Post in the heart of San Francisco. She would later move to Tillman Place.  Charlotte passed away in 1989 at age 86 but left a legacy, known by many famous editors, publishers, writers and collectors alike.  [Pb.6095]  See our full collection of steinbeck.

$27,500

LIMITED TO ONLY 750 COPIES

Chapman, Kenneth M. PUEBLO INDIAN POTTERY [Two Volumes] from specimens in the famous collection of the Indian art fund, with introduction and notes by Kenneth M. Chapman, Curator of Indian arts fund and the laboratory of anthropology, Santa Fe, (New Mexico) . Nice, France 1933-1936: C. Szwedzicki, First Edition. Folio. Limited edition of only 750 copies signed by the publisher C. Szwedzicki. Two volumes in original portfolios (12"x17 1/2"); with ties; vellum pictorial label on front cover of each; containing 100 photo-lithographic hand-colored plates laid in (50 in each portfolio). Two text volumes are in parallel; English in the left column and French in the right column and are stitched, title pages are printed in red and black. Minor wear to portfolios, but text and plates are fine; bookplate of Spokane Public Library on pastedowns. A complete set, quite rare, locating only one set at auction since 1984.[pb.6023]

 $6000

chromolithographic plates

Gibb, William. THE ROYAL HOUSE OF STUART. London: (Macmillan & Co], 1890. Large Folio (12 1/2"x17 1/2"). Original green cloth portfolio with ties; with vellum label on front panel, printed in red and black. Illustrated by a series of forty plates in colours, laid in. Drawn from relics of the Stuarts. All 40 chromolithographic plates are present, with 2 leaves of "List of Subjects" and title leaf. One inch tear at top of front joint of portfolio; light browning of the title leaf; plates are fine. All in all a very handsome copy.[pb.6028]

 $750

NICE LETTER TO MRS. HOWELL (DIXIE'S WIFE)

 SIGNED BY HARPER LEE

Lee, Harper. TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD [with Ls]. (New York, 1999): Harper-Collins, Octavo. Thirty-fifth Anniversary edition, 22nd printing signed by the Ms. Lee on the half-title with an important and interesting autograph letter, signed by Harper Lee laid in, dated 13 January 1999 (1 page, 4 1/8" x 7". Letter is to Mrs. Howell, wife of Dixie Howell, who is mentioned in the book, "To Kill A Mockingbird". In the story, Scout, who is attempting to cheer up her brother, tells him that he resembles Dixie Howell. A fine, as new copy in like dust jacket. Millard "Dixie" Howell (b. Nov. 24, 1912-d. Mar. 2, 1971). Famed football player for the University of Alabama, from 1932 to 1934. He played running back and was an excellent punter. Mr. Howell was accepted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1970. [pb.5003]

$8000

INSCRIBED BY THE AUTHOR

Doctorow, E. L. WELCOME TO HARD TIMES. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1960. First Edition. Octavo. First Printing. Author's first book INSCRIBED to a close acquaintance whom he thought highly of signing his name "Ed" rather than the usual "E.L." . "To......../with admiration/Ed Doctorow/ Dec. 1965", 180pp., bound in 1/4 white cloth over orange paper covered boards lettered in black, top edge red. Quite possibly one of the finest copies to be offered in several years. While the pages do have the usual noted browning, the book itself is pristine, in unclipped, pristine dust jacket. Basis for the 1967 western starring Henry Fonda, Warren Oates and Kennan Wynn.[pb.5012]

 $2500

[Diodorus Siculus] ‎Booth, G. THE HISTORICAL LIBRARY OF DIODORUS THE SICILIAN, IN FIFTEEN BOOKS. The First Five, Contain the Antiquities of Egypt, Asia, Africa, Greece, the Islands and Europe. The Last Ten, An Historical Account of the Affairs of the Persians, Grecians, Macedonians, and Other Parts of the World. To Which Are Added, the Fragments of Diodorus That are Found in the Bibliotheca of Photius: Together with Those Publish’d by H. Valesius, L. Rhodomannus, and F. Ursinus. Quarto. London; Printed by Edward Jones, for Awnsham and John Churchil, …... and Edw. Castle, 1700.  English translation. Two title pages dated 1700 and two other title pages dated 1699 by same London printer. [27], 797pp. (with a few leaves mis-numbered, see complete collation below), [36]pp index, contains 3 folding maps. Early bookplates of William Borlase and Edmund McClure.

Bound in contemporary calf, early professional rebacking with corners renewed, raised bands ruled in gilt, brown morocco label gilt, lacking one front blank. A few inter-mitten leaves browned. Small closed tears to front blank and first map at outer margin and gutter, off-setting to edges of end sheets.  In all, a very handsome copy of this English translation of Diodorus’s historical work.

Collates complete.

A-[A-4]; a-[b4]; B-[no U]Z; Aa-Zz; Aaa-[Mmm4, title page for last ten books dated 1700]; Qqq-[no u]Vvv[4]; [no W] Xxx-Zzz[4]; Aaaa-[no V or W]Xxxx-Xxxx2; Title page to The fragments dated 1699 Yyyy-Zzzz[4]; Aaaaa-Ccccc; Ccccc2 is title page to Henry Valesius His Fragments dated 1699, [Cccc3-4]Ddddd-Hhhhh2; Hhhhh[3] is title page to Fragments out of the Lost Histories dated 1699; Hhhhh[4]-Lllll[2]; Mmmmm A table of the Principle Matters-[Mmmmm2]; Nnnnn2-[Qqqqq2 mis-bound after Rrrrr2 and with extra Rrrrr-Rrrrr2] Ttttt[2].

Provenance: From the library of Edmund McClure(?) and William Borlase.

William Borlase (1695-1772), Was an English antiquary and naturalist. He was educated at Exeter College, Oxford, and in 1719 was ordaine. In 1722 he was presented to the rectory of Ludgvan, and in 1732 he obtained in addition the vicarage of St Just, his native parish. In the parish of Ludgvan were rich copper works, abounding with mineral and metallic fossils, of which he made a collection, and thus was led to study somewhat minutely the natural history of the county. In 1750 he was admitted a fellow of the Royal Society; and in 1754 he published, at Oxford, his Antiquities of Cornwall (2nd ed., London, 1769). His next publication was Observations on the Ancient and Present State of the Islands of Scilly, and their Importance to the Trade of Great Britain (Oxford, 1756).  In 1758 appeared his Natural History of Cornwall. He presented to the Ashmolean museum, Oxford, a variety of fossils and antiquities, which he had described in his works. Borlase was well acquainted with most of the leading literary men of the time, particularly with Alexander Pope, with whom he kept up a long correspondence, and for whose grotto at Twickenham he furnished the greater part of the fossils and minerals. [pb.6062]

$1650

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