Calf Bindings

We have a large stock of 18th and 19th century beautiful leather bound books in exceptional condition.

We have specialised in just these for nearly 50 years.

  • FINE EDITION IN FULL STRAIGHT GRAIN MOROCCO
    The Works of the Right Honourable Joseph Addison. by ADDISON, Joseph
    ADDISON, Joseph
    The Works of the Right Honourable Joseph Addison.

    London: T. Cadell and W.Davies, 1811. 6 volume set. 8 1/2 inches tall. A very handsome late Victorian full straight grain morocco by Sotheran with gilt raised bands and remarkable blind and gilt tooling to the panels and boards. Ornate gilt dentelles and all edges gilt. There is some fading to the spines but the set remains bright and very good looking. Joseph Addison, 1672-1719, is perhaps best remembered for founding the Spectator magazine with Ricard Steele, he was an English essayist, poet, playwright, and politician.

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  • A FINE CLEAN SET IN A SPLENDID BRIGHT HALF CALF
    The Waverley Novels. by SCOTT, Sir Walter
    SCOTT, Sir Walter
    The Waverley Novels.

    London: Nimmo, 1898. 24 volume set, 7 1/2 inches tall. A very bright and good looking classic late Victorian half calf with gilt raised bands, twin labels and ornate gilt tooling to the panels. This the 'Large Type Border Edition' and is illustrated throughout. An unusually fine set directly from a country house.

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  • SCARCE TITLE IN CLASSIC VICTORIAN FULL CALF
    The Book of Psalms. by PEROWNE, John James Stewart
    PEROWNE, John James Stewart
    The Book of Psalms.

    London: George Bell & Sons 1878. 2 volume set, 8 3/4 inches tall. A neat Victorian full calf binding by Hatchards with gilt raised bands, twin labels and delicate gilt tooling to the panels. A gilt prize block is framed on the upper boards by gilt and blind fillets. Prize bookplate. A very fine copy of the revised 4th edition.

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  • CLEAN COPY OF THE FIRST EDITION IN SUPERB FULL MOROCCO
    A Genealogical History of the Kings of England, and Monarchs of Great Britain &c.. by SANDFORD, Francis
    SANDFORD, Francis
    A Genealogical History of the Kings of England, and Monarchs of Great Britain &c..

    London, Savoy: Printed by Tho. Newcomb, for the author, 1667. Full morocco, 14 1/2 inches tall. A superb tall later binding by the great firm of Bedford, with gilt raised bands, twin labels and magnificent gilt tooling to the panels. A series of gilt fillet frame the boards, wide dentelles and all edges gilt. First edition in red and black, embellished with 5 double page engraved plates and 57 full page. With the armorial bookplates of the Hon. Hugh Howard and the Fox Pointe Collection. Slight rubbing but a very good, clean copy with wide margins.

    View basket More details Price: £2,800.00
  • TINY AND DELIGHTFUL VOLUME IN FULL CALF, EXTRA GILT
    Wit and Sagacity of Dr. Johnson. by JOHNSON, Samuel (passages from). DAVIDSON, Norman J. (selected & arranged by).
    JOHNSON, Samuel (passages from). DAVIDSON, Norman J. (selected & arranged by).
    Wit and Sagacity of Dr. Johnson.

    London: Seeley & Co., 1908. Full calf, 4 3/4 inches tall. A tiny and delightful full calf binding by Riviere with gilt raised bands, label and extra gilt tooling to the panels. Elegant gilt tooling frames the boards. Gilt dentelles and all edges. An ink previous owner's name Walter Jodak Kohler (Governor of Wisconsin) on the reverse of the free endpaper and a date on the first blank, otherwise pristine. Curious pagination. A colour frontispiece and title page, and further line illustrations by H.M. Brock. A scarce anthology of quotations from Dr. Johnson.

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  • FINE ENGRAVINGS IN COLOSSAL FULL MOROCCO BY LEIGHTON
    Gemälde-Galerie in Wien. by UNGER, William.
    UNGER, William.
    Gemälde-Galerie in Wien.

    Wien (Vienna): Verlag von H.O. Miethke, 1886. Full morocco, 26 1/2 inches tall. A colossal and superb full morocco binding by the great firm of J. Leighton of Brewer Street from the library of Alfred de Rothschild, but without his bookplate. With twin gilt raised bands and wonderful gilt tooling to the panels and boards. Gilt dentelles and all edges. With 100 copperplate engravings, as called for. A huge and very heavy volume in excellent condition.

    View basket More details Price: £3,500.00
  • A SPECTACULAR FULL 'ARTS AND CRAFTS' MOROCCO BINDING
    An Address Delivered by William Morris at the Distribution of Prizes to Students of the Birmingham Municipal School of Art on Feb. 21, 1894. by MORRIS William
    MORRIS William
    An Address Delivered by William Morris at the Distribution of Prizes to Students of the Birmingham Municipal School of Art on Feb. 21, 1894.

    London: Printed at the Chiswick Press for Longmans & Co., 1898. Full morocco, 8 1/4 inches tall. A truly remarkable binding signed 'RYE'. With raised bands and gilt framed panels. Ornately gilt boards with red and cream onlays and superb calf strapwork on the upper board. Wide gilt dentelles with delicate onlays and all edges gilt. Printed in 'Golden' type, designed by Morris for the Kelmscott Press, on hand-made paper. Slight fading to the spine and a mark on the upper pastedown endpaper where a bookplate has been removed, otherwise pristine.

    View basket More details Price: £1,250.00
  • FINE ENGRAVINGS IN COLOSSAL FULL MOROCCO BY LEIGHTON
    Die K. Bayer. Gemälde-Galerie Pinakothek München. (The Munich Gallery). by BAYER, K. REBER (text in German and French by). RAAB (engravings by).
    BAYER, K. REBER (text in German and French by). RAAB (engravings by).
    Die K. Bayer. Gemälde-Galerie Pinakothek München. (The Munich Gallery).

    Munich: P. Kaeser, 1881. Full morocco, 26 1/2 inches tall. A colossal and superb full morocco binding by the great firm of J. Leighton of Brewer Street from the library of Alfred de Rothschild, but without his bookplate. With twin gilt raised bands and wonderful gilt tooling to the panels and boards. Gilt dentelles and all edges. With 50 engraved plates, as called for. Some scratches to the lower board, otherwise in fine condition. A huge and very heavy volume in German and French.

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  • LIMITED DELUXE EDITION IN FULL CALF BY HENDERSON & BISSET
    Queen Elizabeth. by CREIGHTON, Mandell
    CREIGHTON, Mandell
    Queen Elizabeth.

    London and Paris: Boussod, Valadon & Co. (GOUPIL), 1896. Full calf, 12 3/4 inches tall. A superb full calf binding by Henderson & Bisset with raised bands and 'regal' centre tools framed within a series of pallets to the panels. A series of gilt and blind fillets with the gilt 'regal' corner tools corner tool frame the rose and crown insignia of Elizabeth Regina. Gilt dentelles and top edge.. This is the best edition of this lavish work with the plates in 2 states in a limitation of 200 numbers and 100 lettered copies of which this is number 70. Colour frontispiece and many monochrome plates throughout. A bookplate has been removed and there is some superficial damage caused by a long defunct insect, overall a magnificent copy.

    View basket More details Price: £750.00
  • SPLENDID HALF MOROCCO BY ZAEHNSDORF
    Barrack-Room Ballads and other Verses. by KIPLING, Rudyard
    KIPLING, Rudyard
    Barrack-Room Ballads and other Verses.

    London: Methuen and Co., 1894. Half morocco, 7 1/2 inches tall. A delightful binding by Zaehnsdorf with elaborate gilt floral tooling around a crossed brace of pistols on a smooth back. Gilt top edge. With an impressive 'Arthurian' bookplate. Foxing to the text. A splendid copy of these great poems and songs based on the men of the British army during the reign of Queen Victoria, including such classics as 'Gunga Din' and 'Mandalay'.

    View basket More details Price: £250.00
  • FINE EDITION IN SPARKLING HALF CALF
    The Works of Charles Dickens. by DICKENS, Charles
    DICKENS, Charles
    The Works of Charles Dickens.

    London: Chapman & Hall, 1895. 17 volume set, 8 inches tall. A classic late Victorian half calf in remarkably sparkling, pristine condition with gilt raised bands, twin labels and elaborate gilt tooling to the panels. Embellished profusely with over 700 illustrations by, amongst others, Phiz and George Cruikshank. This edition is complete in 17 volumes and is most readable and manageable.

    View basket More details Price: £2,200.00
  • NEAT EDWARDIAN HALF CALF
    The Story of Two Noble Lives. Being Memorials of Charlotte, Countess Canning, and Louisa, Marchioness of Waterford. by HARE, Augustus J. C.
    HARE, Augustus J. C.
    The Story of Two Noble Lives. Being Memorials of Charlotte, Countess Canning, and Louisa, Marchioness of Waterford.

    London: George Allen, 1893. 3 volume set, 7 1/2 inches tall. A neat Edwardian half calf with gilt pallets and top edges. Profusely illustrated throughout. Previous owners ink names on the paste down end papers and half title.

    View basket More details Price: £250.00
  • FINE EDITION IN SUPERB FULL MOROCCO BY WHITE OF PALL MALL
    The Works of Laurence Sterne. (Comprising: Tristram Shandy; A Sentimental Journey & Sermons, Letters, &c.). by STERNE, Laurence
    STERNE, Laurence
    The Works of Laurence Sterne. (Comprising: Tristram Shandy; A Sentimental Journey & Sermons, Letters, &c.).

    London: Sharpe and Son et al., 1819. 4 volume set, 9 inches tall. A beautiful Regency full red morocco by the great firm of White of Pall Mall with gilt raised bands, gilt pallets and simple centre tools. Double gilt fillets frame the boards. Gilt dentelled and all edges. Portraits in volume I and an engraved frontispiece in volume II, as called for. Very slight fading to the spines of volumes III & IV, but overall an exceptionally fine set.

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  • EXCEPTIONALLY CLEAN COPY IN FULL 18TH CENTURY SPECKLED CALF
    Le Dictionnaire Royal, François-Anglois, et Anglois-François. by BOYER, Mr. A.
    BOYER, Mr. A.
    Le Dictionnaire Royal, François-Anglois, et Anglois-François.

    London: T. Longman, B. Law et al., 1796. 2 volumes bound in 1, 11 1/4 inches tall. A magnificent large quarto in full 18th century speckled calf with raised bands, gilt pallets and a most attractive label. Some marks and scuffs to the binding but no loss or splitting. An exceptionally clean copy of Boyer's Royal French and English Dictionary.

    View basket More details Price: £450.00
  • SUPERB EDITION IN SPARKLING FULL MOROCCO BY RAMAGE
    Queen Victoria. by HOLMES, Richard R.
    HOLMES, Richard R.
    Queen Victoria.

    London and Paris: Boussod, Valadon & Co. (GOUPIL), 1897. Full morocco, 13 inches tall. A luxurious full crushed morocco by Ramage with gilt raised bands and elegant gilt tooling to the panels and boards. Delightful gilt dentelles and top edge. Occasion very light foxing. With a colour frontispiece and monochrome plates and vignettes throughout. A lavish work on the Life of Queen Victoria at the height of her reign.

    View basket More details Price: £950.00
  • FINE EDITION IN CLASSIC VICTORIAN HALF CALF
    The Works of Alexander Pope, Esq. with Notes and Illustrations by Himself and Others. by POPE, Alexander
    POPE, Alexander
    The Works of Alexander Pope, Esq. with Notes and Illustrations by Himself and Others.

    London: Longman, and Co. et al., 1847. 8 volume set, 8 1/2 inches tall. A classic Victorian half calf with gilt raised bands, twin labels and bold gilt tooling to the panels. There is foxing to, and facing, the engraved portrait in volume I, otherwise clean. A fine edition of the works of one of the greatest English poets of the 18th century with a new life of Pope by William Roscoe.

    View basket More details Price: £550.00
  • STRIKING SET IN HALF VELLUM
    Mémoires de J. Casanova. by CASANOVA, Giacomo Girolamo
    CASANOVA, Giacomo Girolamo
    Mémoires de J. Casanova.

    Paris: Garnier Frères, c.1900. 8 volume set, 9 inches tall. A striking set in half vellum with hand painted love birds and rosebuds framing the volume number. Vignettes throughout. A handsome set, in the original French, of possibly the most reliable and entertaining description of European social life during the 18th century.

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  • FINE HALF CRUSHED MOROCCO BY ZAEHNSDORF
    Richard Jefferies. A Study. by SALT, H.S.
    SALT, H.S.
    Richard Jefferies. A Study.

    London: Swan Sonnenscein & Co., 1894. Half morocco, 9 inches tall. A very pretty copy of this interesting study in a half crushed morocco by Zaehnsdorf with elaborate gilt tooling on a smooth back. Gilt top edge. Rather splendid 'Arthurian' bookplate. Embellished with a portrait and 4 engraved plates. A previous owner's neat ink signature on a blank.

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  • FABULOUS COPY OF THIS VIVIDLY ILLUSTRATED WORK IN FULL MOROCCO
    A Tour Through Paris, Illustrated with 21 Coloured-Plates. by SAMS, William
    SAMS, William
    A Tour Through Paris, Illustrated with 21 Coloured-Plates.

    London: William Sams, 1822. Full morocco, 14 1/2 inches tall. In a later full crushed morocco by Zaehnsdorf with gilt raised bands and delicate gilt tooling to the panels. A panel with elaborate gilt corner tooling and a wide and elegant roll frames the boards. Wide gilt dentelles and all edges. The folio has been preserved in a sturdy buckram case, ensuring the pristine condition of the volume. Tissues guard the plates, which show scenes of many vibrantly hand-coloured characters rather than emphasising the great buildings of the city which tend to be in the background. We see a lively portrayal of beautifully costumed Parisians in diverse walks of life. A splendid copy of one of the finest books of the period on Paris.

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  • PRETTY LITTLE SET IN 18TH CENTURY TREE CALF
    The Poetical Works. by YOUNG, Edward
    YOUNG, Edward
    The Poetical Works.

    Edinburgh: At the Apollo Press, 1777. 4 volume set, 5 inches tall. A very pretty little set in 18th century tree calf with twin labels and dense gilt tooling on a smooth back. With a neat ink previous owner's name on the first blanks. Engraved portrait and 4 engraved title pages. Excellent condition with no splits or loss. Complete in 4 volumes but printed as part of Bell's 'Poets of Great Britain'. A delightful little set of Young's Poetical works including his "Complaint: or, Night Thoughts", one of the most popular and influential poems of the 18th century.

    View basket More details Price: £380.00