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London: The Punch Office, 1847-1848. Bradbury and Evans. 3 volumes, 9 inches tall. A wonderful set of the first editions of these great comic works. Bound by Bradstreet in the finest full crushed morocco with raised bands and gilt dentelles. From the Duke of Gloucester's library at Kensington Palace, each volume with his bookplate. Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester was the third son of King George V, brother of King George VI and King Edward VIII. Original wrappers bound in. With a total of 30 hand coloured engravings and over 300 woodcuts by John Leech.

London: Robinson, 1786. Full calf, 10 1/2 inches tall. A splendid copy of this scarce work with the elaborate bookplate of the Earls of Londonderry at Wynyard Park in full 18th century calf with gilt bands in the Etruscan key style, red label and blue edges. Complete with folding map and 18 plates. A remarkable volume with splendid provenance.

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.

London: Richard Bentley, 1839-40. 8vo (9½" tall). Superb full red crushed morocco, by TOUT. Gilt raised bands and pallets, fine gilt tooling to panels. Boards framed with gilt floral corner tool. Gilt doublures with floral patterned endpapers. Top edge gilt. Slightly foxed. Armorial bookplate. Original issues of Bentley's Magazine, bound with special title page, contents and a preface dated 1889 by the collector John Waugh. Engraved frontispiece portrait. Autograph letter by Ainsworth in black ink bound in, dated 'Nov.r 15th 1844', 1¼ pages.

London, Paris & New York, 1901. Full morocco, 12.75 inches tall. A stunning copy of the best edition bound by Zaehnsdorf for Wm. Brown in full crushed morocco with raised bands and elegant gilt panels. The royal crest on the boards is framed within a series of gilt and blind fillets and corner tools. Gilt dentelles and top edges. Colour portrait and monochrome and sepia full page plates and vignettes throughout. Limited to just 300 copies on Japanese paper, of which this is number 91. Armorial bookplate. A splendid copy of this luxurious edition.

London: Routledge, c. 1890. 16 volume set, 8 3/4 inches tall. A classic Victorian half calf with gilt raised bands, twin labels and fine gilt tooling to the panels. Illustrated throughout with full page engravings by George Cruikshank and others. From the library, and with the armorial bookplate of Sir Robert J. Black Bt.. A great friend of Dickens, but largely forgotten today, Ainsworth was a hugely popular and influential writer of historical novels in his own lifetime. Here we have a very handsome complete set.

London: William Nicol, Shakspeare Press, 1825. Full straight grain morocco, 17 inches tall. A rather splendid volume bound in the Georgian period with wide gilt raised bands, gilt titles, dentelles, all edges and the French Royal coat of arms on all boards. Together with the uniformly bound case containing the chart which measures 51.5 x 30 inches when unfolded. With the bookplate of Sir Thomas Baring Bart of Stratton Park, the eldest son of the founder of Barings Bank. Some rubbing of joints and scuffing but overall a spectacular example of this curious and scarce work.

London: Tonson and Draper, 1753. 8 volume set, 6 3/4 inches tall. An exceptionally attractive full 18th century speckled calf with gilt raised bands, twin labels (note the splendid mustard volume labels) and remarkable gilt tooling to the panels. A twin gilt fillet frames the boards. Red speckled edges. Engraved title pages and frontispieces to each volume. The Armorial bookplate of Penry Williams, the Famous Welsh artist. The inscription Philip Williams Westminster Oct: ye 11 1758 is neatly written above the bookplates. There is an assortment of minor blemishes and one major scuff, but overall a fine and elegant set.

London, Paris & New York: Goupil & Co, 1901. Full crushed morocco, 12.75 inches tall. A superb binding by Gruel with raised bands, simple elegant framed panels and boards, gilt dentelles and top edge. Limited to 300 copies printed on Japanese paper of which this is number 11. With the plates in 2 states. Fine colour frontispiece. Slight blotchiness to the boards but still a magnificent copy.

London: Chapman and Hall, 1866. 3 volume set, 8 inches tall. A superb full crushed morocco binding by Root with gilt raised bands, very fine gilt floral tooling to the panels, triple gilt fillet framing the boards, dentelles and all edges gilt. Bookplate. The very scarce first edition of this tale of 16th century France. Ainsworth was an immensely popular historical novelist whose fame in the 19th century rivalled that of Dickens.

Paris: Ménard et Desenne, 1816. 2 volume set, 8 1/4 inches tall. A splendid half mottled calf with gilt bands, centre tools and titles. A limited edition of which this set is numbered 223. There is an ink smudge on the title page of volume 1, otherwise the set is pristine inside and out. From the library of Charles William Vane (formerly Stewart), third Marquess of Londonderry, and with his elaborate bookplate. 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. A very fine set of a scarce work.

London: The Harleian Society, 1886-1892. 6 volumes, 10.5 inches tall. Magnificent full hard grain morocco by Blunson with gilt raised bands, extra gilt panels, dentelles and all edges. Deluxe bindings presented to the editor by Lord Bute, president of the society, and signed by him. The Harleian Society, founded in 1869, publishes records of the heraldic visitations of the counties of England and Wales, and other unpublished manuscripts relating to genealogy, armory, and heraldry.

London: The Harleian Society, 1889. Full morocco, 10.5 inches tall. Magnificent full hard grain morocco with gilt raised bands, extra gilt panels, dentelles and all edges. Comprising The Harleian Society volume XV. Presented to the Editor by Lord Bute. Scarce title in pristine condition.

Glasgow: William Collins, 1841. Full morocco, 7 inches tall. A lovely bright hard grain morocco for Hatchards with raised bands, and very fine gilt tooling to the panels and boards. There is a neat ink on the free endpaper 'Mary Cornelia S(?) from dear Lady Corbet. 1846'. M.C.S. has her initials and coronet on the upper board. Gauffered edges. Slight foxing to the preliminaries, then clean. A fine copy.

London: Peacock and Mansfield, 1845. Full calf, 4 inches tall. Delightful little binding in pristine condition with a fully functioning clasp and unusual and charming gilt decoration. The annual contains an engraved frontispiece and title page, useful information for 1845, a selection of engraved views, engagements diary, accounts and a selection of verse. There is a green leather pouch and space for a pencil.

London: Macmillan, 1897. Full calf, 6.5 inches tall. A delightful full calf binding by Bumpus with gilt raised bands, delicate gilt tooling to the panels and boards. Gilt dentelles and all edges. Watered silk endpapers. A finely printed and beautifully bound copy of this 12th or 13th century medieval French love story.

London: Dent, 1894. Half calf, 7 inches tall. 2 volumes bound in 1. The complete 'Emma', though published as part of Dent's 10 volume set. A delightful example in pristine condition with gilt raised bands, twin labels and simple gilt framed panels. Gilt top edge. With 6 full page illustrations.

Oxonii [Oxford]: Impensis Bliss et Baxter, 1812. Full morocco, 4.25 inches tall. A superb little binding with a gilt tooled smooth spine with flourishes surrounding the author's name within a gilt cartouche. The boards are framed within gilt and blind fillets. Gilt dentelles and all edges. Extra illustrated with a portrait of Anacreon following the title page. Ownership inscription of John Bullock (1831) and bookplate of Maurice Baring. A charming little edition of a selection of the lyric work of the celebrated Greek lyric poet, notable for his drinking songs and erotic poems.

London: Longman et al, 1822. 2 volume set, 8.5 inches tall. A splendid Georgian full diced calf with gilt raised bands, twin labels and ornate floral gilt tooling to the panels. Armorial bookplate and early ink inscription at head of the title page. Foxing to, and offsetting from the 2 engraved frontispieces. Lord Macaulay was a great admirer of Lucy Aikin and singled out this title for especial praise.