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  • LIMITED EDITION OF FIRST COMPLETE ENGLISH EDITION IN HALF MOROCCO BY ZAEHNSDORF
    The Memoirs of Casanova. by CASANOVA, Giacomo
    CASANOVA, Giacomo
    The Memoirs of Casanova.

    London: Privately Printed for Subscribers only. The Casanova Society, 1922. 12 volume set, 10 inches tall. An elegant half morocco binding by Zaehnsdorf with gilt raised bands, delicate centre tools and top edges. This is the first complete edition in English, containing the two chapters discovered and translated by Arthur Symons. The rest is the Arthur Machen translation from 1896. This set is number 258 of a lilted edition of 1000 copies. The Celebrated memoirs cover the period 1725-1803. Published privately for subscribers only due to the erotic nature of many of the entries. It is unusual to find this edition bound by a top 'West End' firm of binders shortly after the date of its printing. A splendid set of this great work.

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  • GLORIOUS RARE LIMITED EDITION
    The Book Lover's Almanac. by HENRIOT (Henri Maigrot) Illustrated by.
    HENRIOT (Henri Maigrot) Illustrated by.
    The Book Lover's Almanac.

    New York: Duprat & Co. 1893, 1894 & 1895. The first 3 volumes of this very rare limited edition, 7" tall. Beautifully bound by Canape in half red morocco with gilt raised bands, ornate tooling to the panels around a calf onlay. Gilt top edges. With the bookplates of Pierre Munier and I. Fernandez. With an ink inscription from the publisher on the first blank. Number 416 of 600 copies on handmade paper. The first volume has delightful coloured comic illustrations of various aspects of the book trade facing each month. The second and third volumes have fine monochrome plates. Copies of these volumes are exceedingly scarce and, especially in pristine condition and in fine bindings.

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  • EXTRA-ILLUSTRATED IN WONDERFUL FULL CRUSHED MOROCCO BY RIVIERE
    The Life of George Cruikshank. by JERROLD, Blanchard
    JERROLD, Blanchard
    The Life of George Cruikshank.

    London: Chatto and Windus, 1882. 2 volume set, 7 1/2 inches tall. A wonderful full crushed morocco binding by Riviere with gilt raised bands, very fine gilt tooling to the panels and with triple gilt fillets framing the boards. Gilt dentelles and top edges. With the armorial bookplates of W.H. Lever of Thornton Manor, Sir W. Hesketh Lever, Bart. and Baron, Lord Leverhulme of Bolton-Le Moors, all one and the same and the founder of 'Port Sunlight'. This beautiful set has an extra 89 plates, 34 hand-coloured, bound in, some particularly interesting ones, including Mr. Kean as Richard and as Count Bertram and 2 box tickets for His Majesty's Theatre. A unique set in pristine condition.

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  • ONE OF 50 COPIES IN OBSCENELY GILT TOOLED FULL MOROCCO
    Lettre à la Présidente. by GAUTIER Théophile
    GAUTIER Théophile
    Lettre à la Présidente.

    Paris: Privately Printed, 1850 (1890). Full morocco, 6 3/4 inches tall. An extraordinary and most attractive binding by Pétrus Ruban with gilt raised bands and gilt genitalia tooling to the panels, boards and dentelles, befitting the "indecent prose" of the text. All edges gilt. Limited to 50 copies on Japanese Paper. 'The President', was the honorary nickname attributed to Apollonie Sabatier, (pseudonym of Aglaé Savatier), who was 'one of the most bewitching Salon mistresses of the 19th century', and hosted nearly all of the French artists of her time. She was said to have astonishing wit, sensuality and beauty, and was the muse of sculptors, painters and authors alike. "In October 1850, Gautier addressed a letter to her "buffoonish and…

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    Paris: Privately Printed, 1850 (1890). Full morocco, 6 3/4 inches tall. An extraordinary and most attractive binding by Pétrus Ruban with gilt raised bands and gilt genitalia tooling to the panels, boards and dentelles, befitting the "indecent prose" of the text. All edges gilt. Limited to 50 copies on Japanese Paper. 'The President', was the honorary nickname attributed to Apollonie Sabatier, (pseudonym of Aglaé Savatier), who was 'one of the most bewitching Salon mistresses of the 19th century', and hosted nearly all of the French artists of her time. She was said to have astonishing wit, sensuality and beauty, and was the muse of sculptors, painters and authors alike. "In October 1850, Gautier addressed a letter to her "buffoonish and obscene, commenting with a Rabelaisian earthiness on what his friend and himself had learned in matters of sexuality during the journey they were making".......Madame Sabatier distributed copies to all her guests and the reading of Gautier's "indecent prose" became a popular event at Parisian evenings." It would not however be published until the death of its addressee in 1890, rather than the 1850 printed on the title page. "Tire a Tres Petit Nombre Pour quelques curieux Sur papier Imperial du Japon" The obscene frontispiece is lacking and clearly was never bound in. With the bookplate of Daniel Henry Holmes Ingalls.

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  • COMPLETE SET OF THIS RARE TITLE IN FINE HALF MOROCCO BINDING
    The Book Lover's Almanac. by HENRIOT (MAIGROT, Henri) Illustrated by.
    HENRIOT (MAIGROT, Henri) Illustrated by.
    The Book Lover's Almanac.

    Published by New York: Duprat & Co. 1893 - 97. 5 volume set, 7 inches tall. A superb complete set of this wonderful and very scarce title in a half crushed morocco binding of the period with gilt raised bands and ornate floral gilt tooling with red calf onlays to the panels. Limited to a total of 600 copies Beautifully illustrated throughout, volume I by Henriot, volume II by Robida, the remaining volumes are more serious in tone. Volume V contains an original watercolour.

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  • MAGNIFICENT FULL MOROCCO BY MACKENZIE BINDER TO THE KING
    The History of The Reformation of The Church of England. by BURNET, Gilbert
    BURNET, Gilbert
    The History of The Reformation of The Church of England.

    Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1816. 3 volume set, bound in 6, 10 inches tall. A magnificent Georgian binding in full crushed morocco by J. Mackenzie Bookbinder to the King with raised bands and superb extra gilt tooling to the panels. A smart series of gilt fillets frame the boards. Gilt dentelles on the unusually deep squares. With the armorial bookplate of Joseph Neeld. The binding which almost glows, and text are in pristine condition. A splendid set of this great seventeenth century history in defence of Henry VIII's reformation of the English Church and destruction of the monasteries.

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  • FINE EDITION IN MAGNIFICENT MOROCCO BY J. CLARKE
    La Divina Commedia (The Divine Comedy). by DANTE Alighieri
    DANTE Alighieri
    La Divina Commedia (The Divine Comedy).

    Nella Stamperia De Romanis, 1815-1817. 4 volume set, 11 inches tall. A magnificent straight grain morocco by J. Clarke, one of the finest binders in Georgian London. With gilt raised bands, elegant gilt tooling to the panels and boards. All edges gilt. Portrait and 3 engraved plans. With the armorial bookplate of William Strahan. Considered the greatest poem of the Middle Ages and the most important work in the Italian language. In the original Italian.

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  • FINE COPY OF THE FIRST EDITION IN A GLORIOUS FULL MOROCCO BINDING
    Life in London: Or, the Day and Night Scenes of Jerry Hawthorn, Esq. and His Elegant Friend, Corinthian Tom, Accompanied by Bob Logic, The Oxonian, in their Rambles and Sprees Through the Metropolis. by EGAN, Pierce
    EGAN, Pierce
    Life in London: Or, the Day and Night Scenes of Jerry Hawthorn, Esq. and His Elegant Friend, Corinthian Tom, Accompanied by Bob Logic, The Oxonian, in their Rambles and Sprees Through the Metropolis.

    London: Sherwood, Neely, and Jones, 1821. Full morocco, 9.5 inches tall. A glorious later full morocco binding by Riviere in pristine condition. With gilt raised bands, ornate floral gilt tooling to the panels, triple gilt fillet framing the boards, wide gilt dentelles and all edges gilt. With 36 hand coloured aquatints by I.R. and George Cruikshank and 3 folding pages of songs. Some offsetting from the plates. The images illustrate the hilarious and bawdy adventures of Jerry and his companions in London. A superb volume.

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  • A MAGNIFICENT SET OF THIS LARGE PAPER DELUXE EDITION
    Histoire de Gil Blas de Santillane. by LESAGE, Alain-René
    LESAGE, Alain-René
    Histoire de Gil Blas de Santillane.

    London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, et Orme, 1809. 4 volume set, 11 inches tall. A magnificent crushed and straight grain morocco with triple gilt and blind tooled raised bands and dense gilt tooling to the panels. The boards have a central straight grain panel framed by very fine and elaborate gilt and blind tooling. Gilt dentelles and all edges. Large Paper deluxe edition with india proof impressions of the plates by Smirke. Offsetting from the plates, otherwise clean. The armorial bookplate of William Strahan. Some rubbing and scuffing to the edges but with no splitting or loss. An exceptionally impressive example of this celebrated edition. In the original French.

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  • TALL, RARE EDITION IN SUPERB HALF MOROCCO
    The Arte of English Poesie. by PUTTENHAM, George.
    PUTTENHAM, George.
    The Arte of English Poesie.

    London: Printed by Harding and Wright in St. John's Square for Robert Triphook, 1811-1815. 2 volume set, 10 inches tall. A superb half morocco by J(eremiah) Larkins with gilt raised bands and exceptionally fine gilt tooling to the panels. Gilt top edges, the remainder being deckled. From the Library of the Late Christopher Foyle of Beeleigh Abbey. George Puttenham was a 16th century writer and critic. Court records describe him as a 'compulsive adulterer, a serial rapist and a wife-beater', he was also probably the author of 'The Arte of English Poesie', first printed in 1589. It is considered the most systematic and comprehensive treatise of the time on its subject. It is 'contrived into three books: the first…

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    London: Printed by Harding and Wright in St. John's Square for Robert Triphook, 1811-1815. 2 volume set, 10 inches tall. A superb half morocco by J(eremiah) Larkins with gilt raised bands and exceptionally fine gilt tooling to the panels. Gilt top edges, the remainder being deckled. From the Library of the Late Christopher Foyle of Beeleigh Abbey. George Puttenham was a 16th century writer and critic. Court records describe him as a 'compulsive adulterer, a serial rapist and a wife-beater', he was also probably the author of 'The Arte of English Poesie', first printed in 1589. It is considered the most systematic and comprehensive treatise of the time on its subject. It is 'contrived into three books: the first of poets and poesies, the second of proportion, the third of ornament.' There is no doubt about the importance of the work, with many later "poetics" indebted to this book. The first edition is exceedingly rare and this tall fine edition of 1811-1815, on hand-made paper, is itself extremely scarce. This is an exceptional example of it.

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  • FINE EDITION IN WONDERFUL FULL CRUSHED MOROCCO
    Oeuvres de Jean Racine. by RACINE, Jean-Baptiste
    RACINE, Jean-Baptiste
    Oeuvres de Jean Racine.

    Paris: D'Heran, 1807. 5 volume set, 8 1/2 inches tall. A pristine and beautiful Georgian full crushed morocco bound set by A. Tarrant with gilt raised bands, delicate gilt tooled floral designs to the panels and contrasting twin green labels. Twin gilt fillets and pomegranate corner tools frame the boards. Gilt dentelles and top edges. With the morocco bookplate of Charles Rugge Price, the bookplate of Sir David Salomons and an ink inscription on the first blank. Portrait and plates after Moreau and another series by Giradet on india paper added. A splendid set of the works of one of the greatest French dramatists of of 17th-century France and a great figure of Western literature.

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  • SPLENDID FIRST EDITION IN FULL LEATHER
    Monasticon Anglicanum by DUGDALE, William
    DUGDALE, William
    Monasticon Anglicanum

    London: Richard Hodgkinsonne, 1655. Red morocco, 13.5 inches tall. A splendid full 18th century red crushed morocco with some rather extraordinary restoration with gilt raised bands, fine floral gilt tooling to the panels, wide dentelles and all edges gilt. The lower board has been restored with cat's paw calf decorated with a gilt fleur de lys surmounted by a royal crown. Embellished with 52 engravings, several of which are folding. From the library of Charles Whibley. Bookplate. Two manuscript letters, dated 1627 and 1671 are tipped in. This work was expanded with two further volumes in 1661 and 1673. This is a most good looking copy of this celebrated work albeit with some remarkable restoration to the lower board. In Latin.

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  • COLLECTION OF EARLY EDITIONS IN WONDERFUL PANELED CALF
    History of the English People; The Making of England; The Conquest of England. by GREEN, John Richard
    GREEN, John Richard
    History of the English People; The Making of England; The Conquest of England.

    London: Macmillan, 1877-1880; 1881; 1883. 6 volume collection, 9 inches tall. A set of the 3 great histories by Green bound beautifully by Hopkins of Glasgow. With gilt raised bands, triple olive green labels and exquisite gilt tooling in the panels. The boards are decorated in the style of 17th century Cambridge panels, speckled and stenciled. Gilt dentelles and top edges. A few superficial abrasions. As nice a late Victorian bound set as one could hope to find.

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  • EXTRAORDINARY FULL MOROCCO WITH BINDER'S TICKET AND BOOKSELLER'S STAMP
    Childe Harold's Pilgrimage. The Giaour. by BYRON, Lord
    BYRON, Lord
    Childe Harold's Pilgrimage. The Giaour.

    London: John Murray, 1813. Full Morocco, 9 inches tall. An extraordinary Regency binding by J. Rodwell of Golden Square, and with their ticket, in full straight grain morocco. With blind tooled raised bands and superb blind and gilt tooled panels. The boards, most unusually, have a dense and very fine blind tooled design bordered with blind a gilt fillets and an ornate gilt roll. Gilt dentelles and all edges. There is a gilt stamp on the fore edges of the boards of Taylor & Hessey, Booksellers London. Taylor was a publisher of John Keats And John Clare. He worked for James Lackington before forming a partnership with Augustus Hessey as Taylor & Hessey in Fleet Street, London. Slight blotchiness…

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    London: John Murray, 1813. Full Morocco, 9 inches tall. An extraordinary Regency binding by J. Rodwell of Golden Square, and with their ticket, in full straight grain morocco. With blind tooled raised bands and superb blind and gilt tooled panels. The boards, most unusually, have a dense and very fine blind tooled design bordered with blind a gilt fillets and an ornate gilt roll. Gilt dentelles and all edges. There is a gilt stamp on the fore edges of the boards of Taylor & Hessey, Booksellers London. Taylor was a publisher of John Keats And John Clare. He worked for James Lackington before forming a partnership with Augustus Hessey as Taylor & Hessey in Fleet Street, London. Slight blotchiness to the spine, often seen on this shade of blue from this period, otherwise a clean and superb copy of these early editions.

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  • FINE SET IN ELEGANT FULL CALF
    The Works of Lord Byron. by BYRON, Lord. MOORE, Thomas (the Life of Lord Byron)
    BYRON, Lord. MOORE, Thomas (the Life of Lord Byron)
    The Works of Lord Byron.

    London: John Murray, 1832. 17 volume set, 6 1/2 inches tall. A very elegant William IV full calf with gilt raised bands, twin labels and neat gilt tooling, typical of the period. A gilt roll frames the boards. Very slight rubbing, but still a super set of the works of one of the greatest of English poets and leader of the Roman movement.

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  • SPARKLING COLLECTION IN FULL CALF BY BUMPUS
    Jorrocks's Jaunts and Jollities; Hawbuck Grange; Mr. Sponge's Sporting Tour; Handley Cross; Ask Mama; Plain or Ringlets; Mr. Facey Romford Hounds. by SURTEES, Robert Smith
    SURTEES, Robert Smith
    Jorrocks's Jaunts and Jollities; Hawbuck Grange; Mr. Sponge's Sporting Tour; Handley Cross; Ask Mama; Plain or Ringlets; Mr. Facey Romford Hounds.

    London: Walter Spiers, 1838; Longman et al., 1847; Bradbury and Evans, 1853; Bradbury and Evans, 1854; Bradbury and Evans, 1858; Bradbury and Evans, 1860; Bradbury and Evans, 1865. 7 volumes, 8 1/2 inches tall. Splendid, sparkling full calf by Bumpus with gilt raised bands, 'country' gilt centre tools, triple labels (excepting the first novel, 'Jorrocks's Jaunts' which was published anonymously) and with gilt corner tools and triple fillets framing the boards. Gilt dentelles and all edges. These are all first editions in single volume book form excepting 'Handley Cross'. "Jorrocks's Jaunts' has 12 full page illustrations by 'Phiz', 'Hawbuck Grange' 8 plates by 'Phiz', the remainder have hand coloured plates by Leech. Some foxing and a small superficial stain to the lower board of 'Jorrocks's Jaunts'. A wonderful collection of these hilarious, vulgar and rollicking novels of English Country life in the early nineteenth century

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  • ILLUSTRATED BY GAVARNI IN STUNNING CAT'S PAW CALF
    Le Juif Errant. by SUE, Eugène
    SUE, Eugène
    Le Juif Errant.

    Paris: Paulin, 1845. 4 volumes bound in 2, 10.5 inches tall. A stunning full cat's paw calf by Clarke & Bedford, one of the finest London binders of the period in pristine condition. With gilt raised bands, delightful labels and superb gilt tooling to the panels. With gilt dentelles and all edges. Armorial bookplate. 83 wood-engraved plates, all but 13 by Gavarni, 1 folding map and around 600 engraved vignettes. A celebrated edition in a stunning binding. In the original French.

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  • MAGNIFICENT SET IN FULL SPECKLED CALF BY R. RIVIERE
    The Life of Oliver Goldsmith. by PRIOR, James
    PRIOR, James
    The Life of Oliver Goldsmith.

    London: John Murray, 1837. 2 volume set, 8 1/2 inches tall. A beautifully bound set in full speckled calf with gilt raised bands, twin labels and wonderful gilt tooling surrounding a cornucopia to the panels. The boards are framed with a single gilt roll. This is a choice example of the early work of one of the great names in English bookbinding. Robert Riviere began as a bookseller and binder in Bath in 1829, then set up shop as a binder in London in 1840. Nixon notes that Riviere's 'outstanding ability was fully established by 1851, when he was chosen as the binder of the special edition of the Great Exhibition catalogue'. From 1881 the firm became known as…

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    London: John Murray, 1837. 2 volume set, 8 1/2 inches tall. A beautifully bound set in full speckled calf with gilt raised bands, twin labels and wonderful gilt tooling surrounding a cornucopia to the panels. The boards are framed with a single gilt roll. This is a choice example of the early work of one of the great names in English bookbinding. Robert Riviere began as a bookseller and binder in Bath in 1829, then set up shop as a binder in London in 1840. Nixon notes that Riviere's 'outstanding ability was fully established by 1851, when he was chosen as the binder of the special edition of the Great Exhibition catalogue'. From 1881 the firm became known as Riviere and son. Armorial bookplate of the celebrated collector Edward Nicholas Hurt. As usual with his books this set is in pristine condition.

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  • GAVARNI'S PARIS AND THE PARISIENS IN STUNNING CAT'S PAW CALF
    Le Diable à Paris. Paris et les Parisiens. Moeurs et coutumes, caractères et portraits des habitants de Paris, tableau complet de leur vie privée, publique, politique, artistique, littéraire, industrielle, etc, etc. Précédé d’une Histoire de Paris par Théophile Lavallée. Illustrations les gens de Paris – Séries de gravures avec légendes par GAVARNI. Paris comique – Vignettes par Bertall. by SAND, George – STAHL, P.J. – GOZLAN, Léon – PASCAL, P. – SOULIE, Frédéric – NODIER, Charles – BRIFFAUT, Eugène – LAVALETTE, S. – BALZAC, Honoré de – DELORD, Taxile – KARR, Alphonse – MERY – JUNGETIS, A. – NERVAL, Gérard de – HOUSSAYE, Arsène – AUBERT, Albert – GAUTIER Théophile, FEUILLET, Octave – MUSSET, Alfred de – BERAT, Frédéric.
    SAND, George – STAHL, P.J. – GOZLAN, Léon – PASCAL, P. – SOULIE, Frédéric – NODIER, Charles – BRIFFAUT, Eugène – LAVALETTE, S. – BALZAC, Honoré de – DELORD, Taxile – KARR, Alphonse – MERY – JUNGETIS, A. – NERVAL, Gérard de – HOUSSAYE, Arsène – AUBERT, Albert – GAUTIER Théophile, FEUILLET, Octave – MUSSET, Alfred de – BERAT, Frédéric.
    Le Diable à Paris. Paris et les Parisiens. Moeurs et coutumes, caractères et portraits des habitants de Paris, tableau complet de leur vie privée, publique, politique, artistique, littéraire, industrielle, etc, etc. Précédé d’une Histoire de Paris par Théophile Lavallée. Illustrations les gens de Paris – Séries de gravures avec légendes par GAVARNI. Paris comique – Vignettes par Bertall.

    Paris: Hetzel, 1845 - 1846. 2 volume set, 10.5 inches tall. A stunning full cat's paw calf by Clarke & Bedford, one of the finest London binders of the period in pristine condition. With gilt raised bands, delightful labels and superb gilt tooling to the panels. With gilt dentelles and all edges. Armorial bookplate. Does not include the Plan of Paris reserved for subscriber's copies only. Embellished with superb engravings and vignettes throughout.

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  • EXQUISITE FULL MOROCCO IN THE ART NOUVEAU STYLE
    Poems of Christina Rossetti. by ROSSETTI, Christina
    ROSSETTI, Christina
    Poems of Christina Rossetti.

    London: Macmillan and Co., 1907. Full morocco, 6 inches tall. An exquisite binding with beautifully gilt tooled floral calf onlays in the Art Nouveau style to the spine and upper board. Gilt dentelles and all edges. Portrait. Christina Georgina Rossetti was an English writer of romantic, devotional and children's poems, including "Goblin Market" and "Remember", as well as the words of the carol "In the Bleak Midwinter".

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