Antiquarian and Collectors’ Books

MILITARY. – H. HESKETH-PRICHARD. Sniping in France with Notes on the Scientific Training of Scouts, Observers, and Snipers. London: Hutchinson & Co., [1920.] First edition, 8vo (218 x 136mm.) 24 plates, bookplate to front pastedown. (1 plate loose, toning, occasional spotting.) Original red cloth (spine ends bumped, slight fading, hinges weakened). Provenance: A.G. Stewart Goodfellow (ink name inscribed to front-free endpaper, dated 1925). – And a further eighteen military volumes (including Humphrey Bland’s ‘A Treatise of Military Discipline’, [seven folding plates], 1743, 8vo, and Bertram Smith’s ‘Bombs and Hand Grenades’, 1918, 8vo, and Charles Oman’s ‘A History of the Art of War in the XVIth Century’, 1937, 8vo) (19).

COMICS. A collection of 80 comics, being The Simpsons (53) from 2002-2007, Star Wars (21) from 2002-2003, and 6 others.

ARCHAEOLOGY. – Charles Roach SMITH. Report on Excavations Made on the Site of the Roman Castrum at Lymne in Kent in 1850. London: For the Subscribers to the Excavations, 1852. Folding frontispiece after etching by W.H. Brooke, 10 engraved plates including 1 hand-coloured. (Toning, light scattered spotting.) [Bound with:] Charles Roach SMITH. Report on Excavations Made Upon the Site of the Roman Castrum at Pevensey, in Sussex, in 1852. London: For the Subscribers, 1858. 10 plates, including 1 folding colour plan of Pevensey Castle. (Toning, light spotting.) 4to (213 x 156mm.) Contemporary black half morocco over marbled paper-covered boards, two red morocco pieces to the spine (extremities rubbed, gilt reference to spine). Provenance: West Sussex Reference Library (labels to pastedowns). – And a further twelve volumes (including Alexander Beatson ‘A New System of Cultivation. Without Lime, or Dung, or Summer Fallows, as Practised at Knowle Farm, in the County of Sussex’, 1821, 8vo) (13).

PEARSON, William. Papers, Letters and Journals of William Pearson… edited by His Widow. London: for Private Circulation, by Emily Faithful, 1863. Inscribed by William Pearson’s wife, Alison, 8vo (208 x 130mm.) Engraved portrait frontispiece, tissue-guard. (Toning, occasional light spotting.) Contemporary black half morocco, gilt lettering, g.e. (extremities rubbed). Provenance: Thomas H. Richmond (gift inscribed to in ink on initial blank). – And a further fifteen miscellaneous volumes (including Alexander Robertson’s ‘Through the Dolomites from Venice to Toblach’, 1896, 8vo, and E.A. Wallis Budge’s ‘The Nile’, 1912, 8vo) (16).

THESIGER, Wilfred. Visions of a Nomad. London: Collins, 1987. First edition, 4to (288 x 218mm.) Numerous photographic illustrations. (Toning.) Original brown cloth, dust-jacket . – And a further fourteen volumes by and about Wilfred Thesiger (including ‘The Marsh Arabs’, 1964, 8vo) (15).

HERALDRY. – James CROSTON. County Families of Lancashire and Cheshire. Manchester: John Heywood, 1887. First edition, 4to (256 x 189mm.) Plates, illustrations in the text. (Toning.) Original brown cloth, decorative gilt to upper cover (staining to spine, wear to head of spine panel, inner hinge weakened). Provenance: Fred Colman (ink name inscribed verso frontispiece). – And approximately a further fifty-five volumes related to heraldry (including Francis Pixley’s ‘A History of the Baronetage’, limited edition being one of 210 copies, 1900, 4to, and John Burke and John Bernard Burke’s ‘Encyclopaedia of Heraldry, or General Armory of England, Scotland, and Ireland’, [1844], large 8vo, and N. Denholm-Young’s History and Heraldry 1254 to 1310’, 1965, 8vo) (approx. 56).

MANTELL, Gideon. The Wonders of Geology. London: Relfe and Fletcher, 1838. 2 vols., second thousand, 8vo (159 x 101mm.) Mezzotint frontispiece after John Martin, 6 colour lithographed plates, wood-engraved illustrations in the text. (Lacking half-title to vol. 1, toning, occasional light spotting, ink gift inscription to front pastedown, dated 1948.) Contemporary calf (some loss to lettering pieces, extremities rubbed). – And a further eight volumes (including Gideon Mantell’s ‘Geological Excursions Round the Isle of Wight’, 1847, 8vo, and William Phillips’ ‘Outlines of Mineralogy and Geology’, third edition, 1818, 12mo, and William Humble’s ‘Dictionary of Geology and Mineralogy’, 1840, 4to, and Hugh Miller’s ‘The Testimony of the Rocks’, 1872, 8vo) (9).

GEOLOGY. – William PHILLIPS. A Selection of Facts from the Best Authorities, Arranged so as to Form an Outline of the Geology of England and Wales. London: by William Phillips, 1818. First edition, 12mo (178 x 100mm.) Folding engraved geological map with hand-colouring, folding engraved plates of sections with hand-colouring, large folding letterpress ‘Order of Superposition of Strata’, 2pp. advertisements to rear. (Lacking half-title and initial blank, title browned, occasional spotting.) Contemporary calf (rebacked, endpapers replaced, extremities rubbed). – And a further three related volumes (Gideon Mantell’s ‘Petrifactions and Their Teachings’, 1851, 8vo, and John Phillips’ ‘A Guide to Geology’, second edition, 1835, 8vo, and William Rhind’s ‘Elements of Geology and Physical Geography’, second edition, 1839, 8vo) (4).

GEOLOGY. – Abraham Gottlob WERNER. Traité des Caracteres Extérieurs des Fossiles. Dijon: L.N. Frantin, 1790. First French edition, 12mo (158 x 94mm.) 8 folding tables. (Lacking 1 table.) Near contemporary marbled paper-covered boards, later red morocco label to spine (rebacked, minor loss to extremities). Note: first published in German in 1774 and translated into English in 1804. Werner has been called the ‘father of German geology’ and is known for demonstrating chronological succession in rocks.

THEATRE. – Maud ALLAN. My Life and Dancing. London: Everett & Co., [n.d. but 1908.] First edition, 8vo (181 x 118mm.) Photographic plates. (Spotting, sometimes heavy, toning.) Original green cloth, lettering in red and gilt, mounted photographic illustration of Maud as ‘Salome’ to upper cover (some fading, extremities bumped). Provenance: Minnie Caroline Bell (bookplate to front pastedown). – And a further twenty-three related volumes (including [Sax Rhomer’s] ‘Little Tich’ by Little Tich, 1911, 8vo, and ‘The Mask, A Journal of the Art of Theatre’, vol. 10, 1924, 4to, and Ellaline Terriss’ ‘By Herself and with Others’, signed by Ellaline Terriss, 1928, 8vo, and ‘Plays Produced Under the Direction of David Belasco’, signed by David Belasco, 1925, 8vo, and Phyllis Dare’s ‘From School to Stage’, 1907, 8vo, and Walter Calvert’s ‘Sir Henry Irving and Miss Ellen Terry’, 1897, 4to) (24).

MILITARY. Drill and Rifle Instruction for the Corps of Rifle Volunteers. London: for H.M.S.O by W. Clowes and Sons, 1860. Seventh edition, 8vo (181 x 101mm.) Plates, drill notes in pencil to rear leaves signed by ‘Instructor’, dated 1920. (Browned, lacking rear endpaper, pencil drawing to front-free endpaper.) Original olive blind-stamped cloth. – And a quantity of approximately seventy further military drill and exercise booklets (including ‘Rifle and Field Exercises for His Majesty’s Fleet’, 1907, small 8vo, and ‘Regulations for Musketry Instruction’, 1887, small 8vo, and ‘Revised Infantry Sword Exercise’, March 1875, small 8vo) (a quantity)

FAIRBAIRN, W.E. All-In Fighting. London: Faber and Faber, 1942. First edition, first impression, 8vo (199 x 128mm.) Numerous illustrations by ‘Hary’. Original brown cloth, dust-jacket (browned, chipped to upper margin, a few marks to upper panel). Note: scarce. A book written to help those in unarmed combat to ‘conquer our ingrained repugnance to killing at close quarters’. – And a further seven military related volumes (including W.E. Fairbairn and E.A. Sykes’ ‘Shooting to Live’, 1942, 8vo, and Frederick G. Cooke’s ‘Scouting by Night’, 1916, small 8vo, and Labore’s ‘Bomber’s Handbook’, 1943, 8vo, and ‘Land Mines and Booby Traps’, 1943, 8vo) (8).

PROVENANCE. – Thomas RUDDIMAN. The Rudiments of the Latin Tongue; or, a Plain and easy Introduction to Latin Grammar. Edinburgh: Wal. Ruddiman, 1769. Seventeenth edition, corrected, small 4to (158 x 89mm.) Note: on the rear pastedown in manuscript is the history of ownership, beginning with the father Thomas Wallis. He is represented pictorially by rule and compass, suggesting he was a draughtsman of some kind. And then, in turn, each of his children- as they learnt Latin and used the primer- are pictorially represented. The eldest son John Wallis is represented by a church spire so perhaps he entered the ministry. The youngest son has a quill and ink pot. A writer or clerk of some kind? The daughter, Susan, has a pictogram of a fortepiano or harpsichord so maybe she played, or tutored? Provenance: Thomas Wallis and family (ink name and pictograms to rear pastedown).

CRIME. – Tifield ALLEN. An Account of the Behaviour of Mr. James Maclaine, from the Time of his Condemnation to the Day of his Execution, October 3, 1750. London: J. Noon and A. Millar, 1750. Third edition, small 4to (188 x 113mm.) (Title browned and ink stained, faint creasing.) Later wrappers (creased). Note: James Maclaine came from a respectable Irish Presbyterian family. After a fairly dissipated youth he married and became a grocer. After the death of his wife and his business failing, Maclaine joined with William Plunkett and became known as the ‘Gentleman Highwayman’ after his victims reported his surprising courtesy during the robberies. Often accompanied by William Plunkett, and wearing Venetian masks, they were highly successful for a short time. A film of their exploits – Plunkett and Macleane - was released in 1999 starring Robert Carlyle. Maclaine was hanged at Tyburn in 1750.

VECELLIO, Cesare. [Habiti antichi, et moderni di tutto il mondo.] Venice: Bernardo Sessa, 1598. Second edition, 8vo (169 x 110mm.) Title in contemporary manuscript on mounted paper overlay on title, woodcut surround, woodcut initials and decorations, 207 woodcut illustrations of people in Renaissance costume. (Lacking nearly 300 woodcuts and numerous  text leaves, text-block broken, marginal losses to title, many leaves with marginal insect-damage, occasional damp-staining). Disbound. Note: an iconic and compendious work showing a vast range of European costume with an element of fantasy, too. Vecellio was a cousin of Titian, studied with him, and it is thought that Titian assisted him in the design of the illustrations.

MANTELL, Gideon. The Geology of the South-East of England. London: Longman, Rees, Orme et al., 1833. First edition, 8vo (224 x 141mm.) Half-title, lithographed frontispiece, 5 lithographed plates, including 1 folding, folding geological map with hand-colouring to rear, 16pp. publisher’s advertisements to front, wood-engraved illustrations to the text. (Newspaper clippings mounted verso half-title and verso frontispiece, toning, spotting to plate margins, newspaper clipping mounted over publisher detail on title-page.) Contemporary boards, later paper label to spine (extremities rubbed, discolouring). Provenance: George Greig (gift inscription in ink, dated 1837).  – And a further five related volumes (including Robert Bakewell’s ‘An Introduction to Geology’, fifth edition, 1838, 8vo, and Henry T. de la Beche’s ‘The Geological Observer’, 1851, 8vo, and Charles Lyell’s ‘The Student’s Elements of Geology’, 1871, 8vo) (6).

The Shakespeare Gallery: A Reproduction in Commemoration of the Tercentenary Anniversary of the Poet’s Birth. London: L. Booth and S. Ayling, 1864. 4to (203 x 156mm.) 98 mounted photographic illustrations related to Shakespeare from the Boydell Gallery. (Paper section mounted on initial blank to cover inscription, occasional spotting.) Original red cloth, pictorial gilt to upper cover, g.e. (slight fading to spine, scuffing to lower cover). – And a further eight volumes (including Alain Rene La Sage’s ‘The Devil Upon Two Sticks’, 1778, 12mo, and Horatio Smith’s ‘Festivals, Games, and Amusements, Ancient and Modern’, 1831, 8vo, and Crosby’s ‘Complete Pocket Gazetteer of England and Wales, or Traveller’s Companion’, 1807, 12mo) (9).

PRIDEAUX, Humphrey. The Old and New Testament Connected in the History of the Jews and Neighbouring Nations, from the Declension of the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah to the time of Christ. London: for R. Knaplock and J. Tonson, 1718. 2 vols. [in 3 Parts.] Fourth edition, 8vo (195 x 121mm.) 1p. publisher’s advertisement to rear. (Browning throughout, contemporary annotation to front pastedown of vol. 1.) Contemporary panelled calf (heavily rubbed, upper cover of vol. 1 detached, upper cover of vol. 2, part 2, loosely attached). Note: the fourth edition refers only to vol. 1. – And a further eight volumes (including ‘Geiriadur Saesoneg a Chymraeg- An English-Welsh Dictionary’, 1847, 16mo, and Thomas Warton’s ‘The Life and Literary Remains of Ralph Bathurst, M.D.’, 1761, 8vo, and John Campbell’s ‘The Present State of Europe’, fourth edition, 1753, 8vo, and John Bowden et al. ‘Works on Episcopacy’, 2 vols., 1831, 8vo) (11).

TRAVEL. – Charles-Lewis, Baron de POLLNITZ. The Memoirs of Charles-Lewis, Baron de Pollnitz. Being Observations he made in his late Travels from Prussia thro’ Germany, Italy, France, Flanders, Holland, England, &c. London: Daniel Browne, 1739. 2 vols., second edition, 8vo (198 x 116mm.) 1p. publisher’s advertisements, indices, translated into English by Stephen Whately. (Browning to blanks, occasional light spotting.) Contemporary full calf (inner hinges weakened, extremities rubbed, large scrape to upper cover of vol. 1, minor loss to spine ends). Note: after his adventures around the courts of Europe, Pollnitz returned to Berlin, securing a position in the court of King Frederick William I of Prussia and then with Frederick the Great, of whom he was a favourite. Provenance: William Gooch (ink name to title) (2).