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  • RARE COLOUR PLATE BOOK IN FULL MOROCCO BY TOUT
    A Touch at the Fine Arts by ALKEN, Henry
    ALKEN, Henry
    A Touch at the Fine Arts

    London: Thomas McLean, 1824. Full morocco, 11.25 inches tall. A very fine binding by TOUT with gilt raised bands, floral gilt tooling to the panels and elaborate gilt tooling to the boards. Wide dentelles, doublures and gilt top edge. 12 superb hand coloured lithographs satirising the arts.

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  • SUPERB FIRST EDITION IN FULL MOROCCO BY RIVIERE
    Finish to the Adventures of Tom, Jerry, and Logic, in their pursuits through London. by EGAN, Pierce. CRUIKSHANK, Robert (Illustrated by the pencil of).
    EGAN, Pierce. CRUIKSHANK, Robert (Illustrated by the pencil of).
    Finish to the Adventures of Tom, Jerry, and Logic, in their pursuits through London.

    London: G. Virtue, 1830. Full morocco, 9 1/2 inches tall. A pristine copy in glorious full morocco by Riviere with gilt raised bands and wonderful gilt centre tools indicative of our heroes dissolute adventures in London, playing cards, Champagne bottles and dancers. The boards are framed within gilt corner tools and triple fillets. Gilt dentelles and top edge. Embellished with all 36 hand coloured aquatints from designs by Robert Cruikshank. This is a magnificent copy of this hilarious work from the Library of the Late Christopher Foyle of Beeleigh Abbey.

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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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  • A MAGNIFICENT SET WITH INTERESTING PROVENANCE
    The History of the Life of King Henry the Second. by LYTTLETON, George, Lord
    LYTTLETON, George, Lord
    The History of the Life of King Henry the Second.

    London: Sandby and Dodsley, 1767 & 1767; Dodsley, 1771. 3 volume set, 11 1/4 inches tall. A magnificent set with gilt raised bands, remarkable twin labels and ornate gilt tooling to the panels. The 3rd volume, which was printed a few years later has variations to the binding, in particular the labels and more conventional end papers, contrasting with the continental blue wavy paper used in the first 2 volumes. Volume I contains a prefix, being 'The History of the Revolutions of England from the Death of Edward the Confessor to the Birth of Henry II' and Book I with notes and appendix. Volume II contains Book II and Book III with notes, appendix and index. Volume III contains…

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    London: Sandby and Dodsley, 1767 & 1767; Dodsley, 1771. 3 volume set, 11 1/4 inches tall. A magnificent set with gilt raised bands, remarkable twin labels and ornate gilt tooling to the panels. The 3rd volume, which was printed a few years later has variations to the binding, in particular the labels and more conventional end papers, contrasting with the continental blue wavy paper used in the first 2 volumes. Volume I contains a prefix, being 'The History of the Revolutions of England from the Death of Edward the Confessor to the Birth of Henry II' and Book I with notes and appendix. Volume II contains Book II and Book III with notes, appendix and index. Volume III contains Book IV, 'The Last Book' (Book V) and notes, appendix, index and errata. With the martial bookplate of Vane Londonderry, From the library of Charles William Vane (formerly Stewart), third Marquess of Londonderry. Vane served with distinction throughout the Peninsula War. His dashing and dandified portrait by Sir Thomas Lawrence is at the National Portrait Gallery. He amassed magnificent libraries in his various Country Houses. There is some sporadic foxing, scuffing and rubbing and the top corner of the upper board of Volume I has been bumped with some loss of leather. Lord George Lyttleton was an English statesman, author and landscape gardener. He was a friend and supporter of Alexander Pope in the 1730s and of Henry Fielding in the 1750s; the latter dedicated his greatest novel Tom Jones to Lyttelton.

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  • FIRST BASKERVILLE EDITION IN MAGNIFICENT FULL CRUSHED MOROCCO
    De Rerum Natura Libri Sex. by LUCRETIUS (Titus Lucretius Carus)
    LUCRETIUS (Titus Lucretius Carus)
    De Rerum Natura Libri Sex.

    Birmingham: Baskerville, 1772. Full morocco, 11 1/2 inches tall. A magnificent later binding by Birdsall with gilt raised bands, delicate gilt tooled panels around a pomegranate centre tool, and exceptionally precise lettering especially at the tail. The crushed leather of the boards is framed within 4 gilt fillets. Wide gilt and blind dentelles and all edges gilt. Slight foxing to the title page then clean. At the head of the title page is an an early inscription 'Given Mr Penn (?) by Dr. Davis, head master of Eton, on his leaving that school'. Jonathan Davies was head at Eton 1773-1792. The armorial bookplate of Andrew Irving, Assistant Master of Charterhouse is on the reverse of the free endpaper. A…

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    Birmingham: Baskerville, 1772. Full morocco, 11 1/2 inches tall. A magnificent later binding by Birdsall with gilt raised bands, delicate gilt tooled panels around a pomegranate centre tool, and exceptionally precise lettering especially at the tail. The crushed leather of the boards is framed within 4 gilt fillets. Wide gilt and blind dentelles and all edges gilt. Slight foxing to the title page then clean. At the head of the title page is an an early inscription 'Given Mr Penn (?) by Dr. Davis, head master of Eton, on his leaving that school'. Jonathan Davies was head at Eton 1773-1792. The armorial bookplate of Andrew Irving, Assistant Master of Charterhouse is on the reverse of the free endpaper. A fine example of the first Baskerville edition of this work which was a great influence on the Augustan Poets, in particular Virgil and Horace.

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  • FINE PRINTING IN MAGNIFICENT FULL MOROCCO BY CATHERALL & PRITCHARD
    The Book of Common Prayer noted by John Merbecke. by PRAYER. (MERBECKE, John)
    PRAYER. (MERBECKE, John)
    The Book of Common Prayer noted by John Merbecke.

    London: William Pickering, 1844. Full morocco, 9 1/2 inches tall. An extraordinary and magnificent full hard grain morocco by Catherall & Pritchard with gilt raised bands, ornate gilt tooling to the panels and boards, gilt dentelles and all edges gauffered. Unpaginated, including facsimile title page and colophon of Richard Grafton (1550), printed in red and black throughout. Ornamental initials and woodcut headbands and musical notations. Light foxing. From the library, and with the bookplate of, R.H.L.-C. de Beaumont.

    A reprint of a volume of selections from the 'Book of Common Prayer' as set to music by John Marbecke (or Merbecke). First printed in 1550 by Richard Grafton, and here reprinted by Charles Whittingham at the Chiswick Press.

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  • FIRST EDITION IN A MOST ATTRACTIVE AND UNUSUAL FULL CALF
    Répertoire du Théâtre François, ou Recueil des Tragédies et Comédies, Restées au Théâtre depuis Rotrou, pour faire suite aux éditions in-octavo de Corneille, Molière, Racine, Regnard, Crébillon, et au théâtre de Voltaire. Avec des Notices sur chaque auteur, et l'examen de chaque pièce. by PETITOT, Claude Bernard
    PETITOT, Claude Bernard
    Répertoire du Théâtre François, ou Recueil des Tragédies et Comédies, Restées au Théâtre depuis Rotrou, pour faire suite aux éditions in-octavo de Corneille, Molière, Racine, Regnard, Crébillon, et au théâtre de Voltaire. Avec des Notices sur chaque auteur, et l'examen de chaque pièce.

    Paris: Perlet, 1803. 23 volume set, 8 1/4 inches tall. A most attractive and unusual full calf from the period of publication. The very elegant spines have gilt bands, twin labels and ornate and delicate centre tooling, typical of the period. A fine gilt roll frames the boards which blend tree calf with speckled lozenges in a superb fashion. Minor rubbing. With the armorial bookplates of Lord Kinnaird. A lovely set of Petitot's greatest work.

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  • LIMITED EDITION IN WONDERFUL FULL CRUSHED MOROCCO
    Poems on Several Occasions. by DOBSON, Austin
    DOBSON, Austin
    Poems on Several Occasions.

    London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner, & Co., 1895. 2 volume set, 7 1/2 inches tall. A wonderful full crushed morocco by Bumpus with gilt raised bands and extraordinary fine and elaborate gilt tooling to the panels and boards. Gilt dentelles and all edges. Number 61 of 750 copies printed on Deckle Edge Paper, with etchings on Handmade Paper. A truly spectacular binding in pristine condition.

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  • 1 OF 150 COPIES IN GORGEOUS FULL CALF
    The Poetical Works of Percy Bysshe Shelley. by SHELLEY, Percy Bysshe
    SHELLEY, Percy Bysshe
    The Poetical Works of Percy Bysshe Shelley.

    London: George Bell, 1892. 5 volume set, 7 1/2 inches tall. A gorgeous full calf by Sotheran of Piccadilly with gilt raised bands, twin labels and gilt tooled panels. The boards are framed within corner tools and twin fillets. gilt dentelles and top edges. 150 copies of the Large Paper Edition, of which this is number 65, have been printed of this Aldine edition. Portrait. A delightful set of the works of this great romantic English poet.

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  • NEAT FIRST EDITION WELL ILLUSTRATED IN FINE HALF CALF
    Celebrated Trials, and Remarkable Cases of Criminal Jurisprudence, from The Earliest Records to the Year 1825. by BORROW, George (editor).
    BORROW, George (editor).
    Celebrated Trials, and Remarkable Cases of Criminal Jurisprudence, from The Earliest Records to the Year 1825.

    London: Knight and Lacey, 1825. 6 volume set, 8 inches tall. A very good looking clean set in later half morocco by Bayntun with gilt raised bands, twin labels and ornate gilt tooling to the panels. All edges gilt. Embellished with 35 fine engraved plates, several folding. With entertaining and informative work is published anonymously but it is usually considered to have been edited by a young George Borrow.

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  • SUPERB COPY WITH ORIGINAL WATERCOLOUR INSCRIBED
    Le Train de 8 h. 47 by COURTELINE, GEORGES
    COURTELINE, GEORGES
    Le Train de 8 h. 47

    Paris: Chez Sylvian Sauvage, 1927. Half morocco, 9.5 inches tall. with raised bands and fine gilt tooling with onlays, gilt top edge. This is example V of XX lettered 'examplaires de collaboration'. With splendid illustrations by Andre Dignimont including an original watercolour signed and inscribed to Pierre Macorlan, the celebrated french novelist and songwriter.

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  • PRIVATELY PRINTED IN SUPERB ART NOUVEAU HALF MOROCCO
    Merry Songs and Ballads. by FARMER, John S.
    FARMER, John S.
    Merry Songs and Ballads.

    Privately Printed For Subscribers Only, 1897. 5 volume set, 9 inches tall. A beautiful half morocco binding in the Art Nouveau style by Zaehnsdorf with one raised band, the titles in a floral cartouche above and a superb floral design below. Gilt top edges. The corners are slightly bumped and the cloth boards a little rubbed and marked. This comprehensive and extraordinary collection of songs and ballads popular before 1800 is privately printed for subscribers to allow some bawdy and explicit material to be included. A superb set finely printed on handmade paper.

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  • 60 FULL PAGE ENGRAVED VIEWS IN SUPERB FULL MOROCCO
    Italian Scenery. From Drawings made in 1817. by BATTY, Miss (Elizabeth Frances)
    BATTY, Miss (Elizabeth Frances)
    Italian Scenery. From Drawings made in 1817.

    London: Rodwell and Martin, 1820. Full straight grain morocco, 10.5 inches tall. A glorious Regency binding with wide gilt raised bands and dense blind tooling to the panels. The boards are magnificently tooled in blind and gilt. All edges gilt. There is a tiny amount of worming effecting the gutter of the front endpaper and preliminaries. With 60 splendid views and vignette on the title page. A superb example of this scarce work.

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  • A FINE EXTRA-ILLUSTRATED SET IN GLORIOUS FULL MOROCCO
    Chatterton's Works. From the Crown Edition of The Poets of Great Britain. Comprising: The Life of Chatterton; Poems; Political Letters; Rowley's Poems. by CHATTERTON, Thomas
    CHATTERTON, Thomas
    Chatterton's Works. From the Crown Edition of The Poets of Great Britain. Comprising: The Life of Chatterton; Poems; Political Letters; Rowley's Poems.

    London and New York: Chiswick Press, Charles Whittingham and Co., c.1900. 2 volumes, 6 3/4 inches tall. A glorious full morocco binding almost certainly by by The Harcourt Bindery of Boston with gilt raised bands and remarkable floral gilt tooling and onlays to the panels and boards. Wide gilt dentelles frame exquisite green crushed morocco doublures featuring a red rose. Watered silk free endpapers. All edges gilt. These two volumes, containing the works of Thomas Chatterton, were part of a deluxe set, the Crown Edition, of 'The Poets of Great Britain' originally published in 72 volumes. This extra-illustrated set in this splendid binding is believed to be number 1 of 10 such sets. Fine sets of Chatterton's Poetical Works are scarce.

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  • HILARIOUS SATIRE BEAUTIFULLY ILLUSTRATED IN FULL CRUSHED MOROCCO
    The English Spy. by BLACKMANTLE, Bernard (pen name of) WESTMACOTT, Charles Molloy
    BLACKMANTLE, Bernard (pen name of) WESTMACOTT, Charles Molloy
    The English Spy.

    London: Sherwood, Gilbert, and Piper, 1825-26. 2 volume set, 9 1/2 inches tall. Bound in superb full crushed morocco by William Brown of Edinburgh with gilt raised bands and panels framed within a series of gilt pallets. First edition, first issue. Triple gilt fillets frame the boards, gilt dentelles and all edges. With the armorial bookplate of shipowner R Cyril Lockett. Decorated with 72 hilarious hand-coloured aquatints by Robert Cruikshank. With the scarce woodcut. There is a faint stain on the lower board of the second volume, otherwise a pristine example of this great comic work subtitled " An original Work, Characteristic, Satirical, and Humorous. Comprising scene and sketches in every rank of Society, being Portraits of the Illustrious, Eminent, Eccentric and Notorious.

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  • SCARCE TITLE IN GEORGIAN FULL DICED CALF
    Collections Relating to the History of Mary Queen of Scotland. by ANDERSON, James
    ANDERSON, James
    Collections Relating to the History of Mary Queen of Scotland.

    Edinburgh: Printed by Mosman and Brown, 1727-28. 4 volume set, 10 1/2 inches tall. An exceptionally nice set of this very scarce title in Georgian full diced calf with gilt raised bands, twin labels and splendid gilt centre tools to the panels. A gilt fillet and wide blind roll frame the diced boards. Pink speckled edges. Some foxing, mostly confined to the preliminaries. A collection of all the material available to Anderson at the time relating to Mary Queen of Scots.

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  • A FINE EXTRA-ILLUSTRATED SET IN GLORIOUS FULL MOROCCO
    Robert Herrick's Works. From the Crown Edition of The Poets of Great Britain. Comprising: Hesperides; His Noble Numbers: or, His Pious Pieces; by HERRICK, Robert
    HERRICK, Robert
    Robert Herrick's Works. From the Crown Edition of The Poets of Great Britain. Comprising: Hesperides; His Noble Numbers: or, His Pious Pieces;

    London and New York: Chiswick Press, Charles Whittingham and Co., c.1900. 2 volumes, 6 3/4 inches tall. A glorious full morocco binding almost certainly by by The Harcourt Bindery of Boston with gilt raised bands and remarkable floral gilt tooling and onlays to the panels and boards. Wide gilt dentelles frame exquisite green crushed morocco doublures featuring a red rose. Watered silk free endpapers. All edges gilt. These two volumes, containing the works of Robert Herrick, were part of a deluxe set, the Crown Edition, of 'The Poets of Great Britain' originally published in 72 volumes. This extra-illustrated set in this splendid binding is believed to be number 1 of 10 such sets. A superb set of the works of this great lyric poet.

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  • SCARCE TITLE IN FULL LEATHER WITH EXTRAORDINARY TOOLING ON THE EDGES
    A Digest of the Laws of England. by COMYNS, Sir John
    COMYNS, Sir John
    A Digest of the Laws of England.

    London: Strahan and Woodfall, 1792. 6 volume set, 9.5 inches tall. An extraordinary 18th century binding in full sheep with blind bands, splendid triple labels and twin blind fillets framing the boards. With exceptional speckled pink lettering to the edges indicating that this set belonged to the Circuit Library of the Chester Crown Court. There are no other inscriptions and the text is very clean. There has been expert repair to the joints of two of the volumes. We can find no other examples of this style of lettering on the edges. A remarkable set of this scarce work.

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  • A FINE EXTRA-ILLUSTRATED SET IN GLORIOUS FULL MOROCCO
    Coleridge's Works. From the Crown Edition of The Poets of Great Britain. by COLERIDGE, Samuel Taylor
    COLERIDGE, Samuel Taylor
    Coleridge's Works. From the Crown Edition of The Poets of Great Britain.

    London and New York: Chiswick Press, Charles Whittingham and Co., c.1900. 2 volumes, 6 3/4 inches tall. A glorious full morocco binding almost certainly by The Harcourt Bindery of Boston with gilt raised bands and remarkable floral gilt tooling and onlays to the panels and boards. Wide gilt dentelles frame exquisite green crushed morocco doublures featuring a red rose. Watered silk free endpapers. All edges gilt. These two volumes, containing the works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge, were part of a deluxe set, the Crown Edition, of 'The Poets of Great Britain' originally published in 72 volumes. This extra-illustrated set in this splendid binding is believed to be number 1 of 10 such sets. A superb set of the works of this great romantic poet.

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  • SUPERB COMIC PLATES IN EXTRAORDINARY FULL CALF
    The Tour of Doctor Syntax in Search of the Picturesque; The Second Tour of Doctor Syntax, in Search of Consolation; The Third Tour of Doctor Syntax, In Search of a Wife. by COMBE, William. ROWLANDSON, Thomas (illustrator).
    COMBE, William. ROWLANDSON, Thomas (illustrator).
    The Tour of Doctor Syntax in Search of the Picturesque; The Second Tour of Doctor Syntax, in Search of Consolation; The Third Tour of Doctor Syntax, In Search of a Wife.

    London: Ackerman, c. 1825. 3 volume set, 9 3/4 inches tall. A superb and extraordinary full mottled calf, c. 1830, with large gilt tooled label on a smooth back, gilt bands and an ornate 'starburst' of gilt tooling to the spine. The boards have a delicate floral roll framing the almost cat's paw smattering of gray and brown mottling. Blind dentelles and all edges gilt. Decorated with 80 splendid hand-coloured aquatints by the great humorous illustrator Thomas Rowlandson. All three volumes declare themselves to be 3rd editions but to confuse matters the first volume also states that it is the 9th edition on the engraved title page. A succession of editions came out shortly after the first and the…

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    London: Ackerman, c. 1825. 3 volume set, 9 3/4 inches tall. A superb and extraordinary full mottled calf, c. 1830, with large gilt tooled label on a smooth back, gilt bands and an ornate 'starburst' of gilt tooling to the spine. The boards have a delicate floral roll framing the almost cat's paw smattering of gray and brown mottling. Blind dentelles and all edges gilt. Decorated with 80 splendid hand-coloured aquatints by the great humorous illustrator Thomas Rowlandson. All three volumes declare themselves to be 3rd editions but to confuse matters the first volume also states that it is the 9th edition on the engraved title page. A succession of editions came out shortly after the first and the plates in this set are all dated the same as the first. Having been used for so many 'strikes' the images are more flat and less clearly defined than in the 1st editions. There is some staining and browning to some plates particularly in the third volume. But still a lovely complete set in a super binding.

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