Antiquarian and Collectors’ Books

[TUKE, Richard.] Memoires of the Life and Death of Sir Edmondbury Godfrey, late Justice of the Peace for Middlesex, who was Barbarously Murthered by the Papists, upon the first Discovery of the Horrid Plot. London: John Hancock, 1682. First edition, 8vo (148 x 90mm.) Engraved portrait frontispiece by Van Hove, advertisement leaf to rear. (Chipping to margins of frontispiece, A1-B8 detached, spotting, browning, marginal damp-staining from G2-K2.) Contemporary calf (surface rubbing). [ESTC, R40676.]

CAPABLANCA, José Raúl. My Chess Career. London: G. Bell and Sons Ltd., 1920. First edition, 8vo (212 x 134mm.) Photographic frontispiece with tissue-guard, 4pp. publisher's advertisements to rear. (Lacking front-free endpaper, marginal damp-stain throughout, creasing to tissue-guard). Original blue cloth (bumped to all extremities, staining to lower cover).

MINIATURE BOOK. - Oliver and Boyd (publisher). The Little Warbler. Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd, [circa 1830.] 3 vols. in 1, 18mo (64 x 39mm.) 3 engraved frontispieces, 3 additional titles. (Browning, some spotting.) Contemporary red morocco (light rubbing). - And a further three volumes (including 'The Elegant Miniature Pocket Book', 1806,12mo) (4).

MINIATURE BOOKS. - William SHAKESPEARE. [The Works.] London: Allied Newspapers Ltd., [n.d. circa 1930.] 40 vols., 12mo (50 x 32mm.) Original black cloth (some fading), all contained within a three-tier plywood miniature bookcase (occasional mark) (40).

BIBLE, In English. The Book of Common Prayer, and Administration of the Sacraments, and Other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church. Oxford: by the University, 1705. 12mo (122 x 60mm.) Portrait frontispiece of Queen Anne, 47 engraved plates, with the Psalms of David. (Ten plates loose, toning, corner creases.) Early 18th century black morocco, elaborate gilt to spine, g.e. (light rubbing). Provenance: R. Harris (name inscribed on initial blank). - And a further four religious volumes (5).

MANUSCRIPT. [A young woman's dairy written during a stay in British-ruled 'Ceylon' in the months before and after the start of the First World War. N.p.:] Ceylon, February- November 1914. 99pp., manuscript, (203 x 160mm.) Mostly legible hand-written leaves relating the life of a young woman living in various DWP bungalows, mostly relating to her social life. (Mild toning.) Original black wrappers (surface marks). Note: the unnamed writer describes a frenetic whirl of social activities, tennis, bridge, golf, with occasional references to the wild-life, Hindu temples, a wedding, a conversation with the Hindu 'boy' about reincarnation and the 120-year life span of all human beings. There is a partner- or husband- Denys, but he appears to be working all the time, inspecting DWP buildings. On her birthday, the emotion finally spills: 'I felt horrid all the day. Called on the Vaughans'. On August 5th, while playing tennis, they hear that England has declared war on Germany. Her last entry, on leaving Aden, and returning to England, becomes unexpectedly transcendent: 'the sea was oily calm, so much so that the reflection of the stars in the water was most noticeable…zodiacal light'.

COMMONPLACE BOOK. - Anthony HIGHMORE. [A manuscript commonplace book compiled by Anthony Highmore, legal writer. N.p.: circa 1800.] 229pp., manuscript, 8vo (185 x 122mm.) Excerpts in a single legible hand relating to literary, legal and philosophical matters. (Browning, occasional spotting.) Later green paper-covered boards, morocco lettering pieces to the spine (wear to lettering pieces, Highmore's armorial bookplate to the front pastedown). Note: Highmore was an active abolitionist. He also wrote papers on Fox's libel bill, charities, excise and a paper on idiocy and lunacy.

FASHION. [Journal des Dames et des Modes. N.p.:] 1816-1822. Plates (only), 8vo (201 x 114mm.) 160 hand-coloured plates. (Toning, minor soiling to 1 plate, marginal loss to 2 plates, 40 plates to rear loose.) Contemporary black morocco (text-block nearly detached, worn). - And a related volume ('The Lady's Magazine, or Entertaining Companion for the Fair Sex', 1804, 8vo) (2).

[THOMAS, Maurice.] Indian Antiquities: or, Dissertations… of Hindostan, compared, throughout, with the Religion, Laws, Government, and Literature, or Persia, Egypt, and Greece. London: for the author, 1794-1796. 6 vols. (of 7, lacking vol. 6 part 2)., 8vo (226 x 140mm.) 28 engraved plates, most folding, list of subscribers', half titles in volumes 1, 3 and 6 part 1. (Occasional marginal damp staining to plates, toning, insect damage to A-A4 of volume 1.) Near contemporary boards, manuscript titling to spines (worn) (6).

CHILDERS, Erskine. The Riddle of the Sands. London: Sidgwick & Jackson, 1942. Reprint, 8vo (179 x 120mm.) Folding map as frontispiece, 3 further maps, mounted notes relating to the history of the novel on the front pastedown, mounted card on the front-free endpaper. (Toning.) Original yellow cloth (fading, soiling to covers, rubbing to extremities). Note: the mounted notes on the front pastedown are written by Lt. Col. R. Despard Davies. He writes: 'The 'Riddle' and Today: Childers was shot as a spy just after the last war. One of the characters in the book I know well, lives near me in Kingswear. The voyage was actually carried out'. It is known that Childers used to sail around the Frisian Islands prior to writing the book, but the extent to which the novel is based on real events is still disputed. Provenance: Tom Fletcher (gift inscribed to on the front-free endpaper by R. Despard Davies).

CHISWICK PRESS. - Vera SALOMONS. Charles Eisen. London: John and Edward Bumpus Ltd., 1914. Limited edition, this being number 2 of 100 copies on large paper, 8vo (222 x 138mm.) Portrait frontispiece and additional title dated 1917, 39 photogravures after illustrations by Eisen, each with a captioned leaf, preface by Emile Bertaux. (Browning to front-free endpapers, offsetting of frontispiece.) Original red patterned paper-covered boards, gilt ruled with fleur-de-lys to upper cover, t.e.g. Note: a bound-in leaf from the author explaining that the war delayed publication of this volume, and another leaf explaining that the war- a 'grim abyss'- has also taken Emile Bertaux, who wrote the preface. The book was eventually released in 1921. - And a further volume published by the Chiswick Press ('Shakespeare's Jest Books', 1814-1815, 8vo) (2).

BAILEY, J. (publisher). The Fashionable Swindler, or, Villany Displayed; being the Genuine History, and Surprising Events, Frauds, Deception and Remarkable Occurrences, of the Celebrated and Elegant Sharper, George R-. London: John Bailey, [circa 1822.] 12mo (173 x 99mm.) Hand-coloured folding etched frontispiece. (Toning, mild browning, rear blank replaced, lacks leaf C1.) 20th century red morocco over marbled paper-covered boards, gilt titling to spine (endpapers replaced). Note: scarce. - And a further seven miscellaneous volumes (including the unauthorized edition of Peter Beckford's 'Thoughts Upon Hare and Fox Hunting', 1796, 8vo, and John Hoyland's 'A Historical Survey of the Customs, Habits, & Present State of the Gypsies', 1816, 8vo) (8).

ALMANACKS. The Edinburgh Almanack, or Universal Scots and Imperial Register for 1825. Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd, 1824. 12mo (137 x 78mm.) (Toning.) Contemporary straight-grain red morocco, gilt fleur-de-lis to spine, g.e. (spine ends bumped, minor soiling). Provenance: Robert Kinner (ink name inscribed to initial blank). - And a further twenty-five almanacks from 1752-1836 (26).

ALMANACKS. The Court and City Register; or, a Gentleman's Complete Annual Calendar, for the Year 1784. London: J. Jollifee, [1783.] (Toning, light spotting to title-page.) [Bound with:] Rider's British Merlin: for the Year of Our Lord God 1784. London: the Company of Stationers, 1784. (Toning.) 12mo (138 x 73mm.) Near contemporary red morocco, foliate gilt to spine, bosses, g.e. (some scuffing, minor discolouring to lower cover, lacking clasps). - And a further sixteen almanacks from 1761 to 1876 (including 'The East India Kalendar, or Asiatic Register' for 1797', 12mo, and 'The American Kalendar; or, United States Register', 1797, 12mo, and 'The Royal Kalendar; or, Complete and Correct Annual Register for England, Scotland, Ireland, and America', 1797, 12mo) (17).

[NELSON, Horatio.] British Public Characters of 1798. London: R. Phillips, [1799.] 8vo (211 x 123mm.) Folding engraved frontispiece. (Browning to title, creasing to rear leaves, frontispiece repaired with large loss, blanks replaced.) 20th century brown half morocco over marbled paper-covered boards (endpapers replaced). Note: contains the first biographical sketch of Lord Nelson. Provenance: Captain John Lumley (name inscribed to title-page). - And a further thirty-four miscellaneous volumes (including 'Letters on the Elements of Botany, Addressed to a Lady', translated and adapted by Thomas Martyn from J.J. Rousseau, 1785, 8vo, and John Hill's 'The Family Herbal', 1812, 8vo) (35).

[GLASSE, Hannah. The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy. London: A. Millar, circa 1767.] 8vo (195 x 121mm.) With 48pp. appendix and 23pp. index to rear. (Lacking title-page and all before A3, browning, moderate spotting throughout.) Near contemporary diced calf (upper cover nearly detached, rubbing, blanks replaced). Provenance: J. Humphrey (paper name-plate in manuscript mounted on front blank). - And a related volume (a manuscript of recipes, 22 leaves [1875-1877], 8vo) (2).

[ALLESTREE, Richard.] The Ladies Calling. Oxford: at the Theatre, 1720. Eleventh impression, 4to (193 x 114mm.) Engraved frontispiece, contents leaf to rear. (Light spotting, browning throughout, marginal insect damage from Hh2-Ll4.) Contemporary calf, later black morocco lettering piece to spine (rebacked, endpapers replaced). - And a related volume (Donald Walker's 'Exercises For Ladies, Calculated to Preserve and Improve Beauty', 1837, 8vo) (2).

LAMBERT, Marchioness Anne-Therese. Advice from a Mother to her Son and Daughter. London: Thomas Worrall, 1729. First English edition, 12mo (162 x 91mm.) Title, engraved headpieces, 12pp. publisher's advertisements to rear. (Browning, lacking blanks.) Contemporary calf, later green morocco lettering piece to the spine (rebacked, endpapers replaced). Note: scarce. The Marchioness de Lambert was an influence in the saloniere culture of her time and known 'for the sublimity of her intellect'. In this work, she makes clear the gender stereotypes that stifle women in society and advises her daughter to find her freedom by understanding that 'the greatest Art is to know how to find everything in yourself'. Provenance: Thomas Saul (name inscribed to title-page).

[HILL, John.] 'Juliana-Susannah SEYMOUR'. The Conduct of a Married Life: Laid down in a Series of Letters. London: R. Baldwin, 1754. Vol. 2 (only). 12mo (170 x 95mm.) Title, 2pp. publisher's advertisements to rear. (Toning, occasional corner creases.) Near contemporary boards, later green morocco lettering piece to spine (rebacked, endpapers replaced).