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Paris: Chez la Veuve Estienne, 1741. 4 volume set, 6.5 inches tall. A lovely 18th century English tree calf set from the library of the 3rd Marquess of Londonderry, with gilt bands, labels and yellow edges. A very fine set in pristine condition. In the original French.

Amsterdam: Changuion, 1772. 5 volume set, 8 inches tall. A very fine 18th century binding in full citron straight grain morocco with a series of gilt bands, triple labels and dense blind tooling to the panels. The boards have a series of blind and gilt rolls. All edges gilt. Armorial bookplate and the bookseller's ticket of Pickering of Piccadilly. Slightly rubbed but still a binding of real quality.

London: Cassell, c.1900. 3 volume set, 9 inches tall. A handsome Edwardian half calf by Root with gilt raised bands, twin labels and neat gilt framed panels to the boards. Gilt top edge. Armorial bookplate. Portrait and thrilling illustrations throughout. One of the most popular Victorian crime writers, unusual in a fine binding.

London: Privately printed for the Navarre Society, 1922. 5 volume set, 9 inches tall. A very handsome half morocco with gilt raised bands, finely gilt and inked tooling to the panels and gilt top edges. A strictly limited edition printed on laid paper. A splendid and profusely illustrated edition of these sixteenth century tales.

London: E. Grant Richards, 1905 & 1906. 4 volume set, 5 inches tall. A delightful set of this series of chapbooks beautifully bound by Truslove & Hanson of Mayfair with gilt raised bands and extra-gilt panels. Gilt top edges. Armorial bookplates.

Paris: Didot, 1810. 2 volume set, 6 1/2 inches tall. Scarce utopian novel in superb full mottled calf from the beginning of the 19th century. With gilt bands, twin labels and very fine gilt tooling to the panels. Speckled edge. A neat ink owner's name 'Stewart' at the head of the first title page. A remarkable work purporting to be the travels of a Chinese explorer in Europe 100 years in the future. 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. A splendid example of this rare and fantastical work.

London: Henry Colburn, 1848. 5 volume set, 7 3/4 inches tall. A handsome mid-Victorian full calf with gilt raised bands, twin labels and fine gilt tooling to the panels. Triple blind fillets and corner tools framing the boards. Portrait. With the armorial bookplate of William Balfour. A fine set of the considerably enlarged 3rd edition.

London: Rivington, 1818. 6 volume set, 8 1/2 inches tall. An elegant Regency full speckled calf in pristine condition with a flat back, gilt raised bands and ornate gilt tooling to the panels. Pink speckled edges.

Edinburgh: Sir D. Hunter Blair and J. Bruce, 1811. 2 volume set, 4 1/2 inches tall. A delightful full Regency 'mahogany' calf with beautiful tooling and rich patina. With gilt raised bands, and elaborate and delicate gilt tooling to the panels. The boards have a wonderful gilt panel within a series of gilt and blind fillets. All edges gilt. In superb condition.

London: T. Egerton et al., 1796. 2 volume set, 9 3/4 inches tall. A remarkable Georgian full straight grain morocco with gilt raised bands, very fine gilt tooling to the panels and an extraordinary series of blind fillets and rolls framing the boards. With gilt dentelles and all edges. Embellished with aquatint vignettes on the engraved title pages, and a further 45 engraved or aquatint plates. There is heavy foxing to the title pages and less to the rest of the prints. The binding itself is rubbed but firm and not splitting. A striking copy of the second, enlarged, edition.

London: Henry Colburn, 1837. 2 volume set, 8 3/4 inches tall. A terrific full calf binding with very fine extra gilt tooling to the wide raised bands and spectacular panels. Twin labels and elaborate gilt tooling and blind fillet and roll framing the boards. There is a neat ink inscription ....'on his leaving Eton' dated Easter 1845 on the first blank. Engraved portrait frontispieces and a further 14 engraved portraits and plans, some folding. Some rubbing and foxing but still a very handsome set which covers so many momentous naval battles and adventures.

London: William Tegg, 1878. 2 volume set, 9 inches tall. A classic Victorian full calf with gilt raised bands, twin labels and handsome gilt tooling to the panels. Gilt corner tools, twin fillets and a blind fillet frame the boards. Gilt dentelles. A thoroughly entertaining work 'Guide to the Year: Relating the Popular Amusements, Sports, Ceremonies, Manners, Customs, and Events, incident to the 365 Days in Past and Present Times; Being a Series of 5000 Anecdotes and Facts....'

Padova: Zanon Bettoni, 1811, 1812, 1817. 6 volume set, 8 1/2 inches tall. A beautiful set in full cat's paw calf with gilt raised bands, delicate gilt tooling to the panels and twin labels. The boards are framed within a pair of gilt fillets. Contains the bookplate with the inscription “Philosophemur" (let us philosophise), which belongs to Dr. James Musgrave. He owned many books worthy of note, including the later ownership of Sir Isaac Newton's personal library. Carlo Goldoni was perhaps the greatest Italian playwright and librettist of the 18th century, famed for his wit and comedic style. He wrote in Italian and French making much use of his native Venetian language. In the original Italian.

London: How and Parsons, 1842. 2 volume set, 7 inches tall. Full calf extra gilt by Riviere. With gilt raised bands, twin labels, fine floral tooling to the panels, wide dentelles and gilt top edges. With frontispieces and title pages by George Cruikshank. With the cloth boards and spines bound in. A superb copy in pristine condition.

London: Routledge, 1869 & (1872). 2 volumes, 7.5 inches tall. Superb full calf bindings by Tout with triple labels and elegant gilt tooling to the panels. With gilt dentelles and all edges. Original cloth covers bound in. Slight rubbing to the joints and a stain on the top of the second title page, otherwise perfectly clean. Profusely illustrated throughout. Sir William Schwenck Gilbert, English dramatist, librettist, poet and illustrator best known for the fourteen comic operas produced with the composer Arthur Sullivan.

Argentoratum (Strasbourg): Johann Georg Treuttel, 1783. 4 volume set, 9 inches tall. A good looking set in quarter calf with vellum tips. Gilt raised bands, elaborate blind tooling to the panels and untrimmed edges. Superficial cracking to the upper joint of the first volume but still solid. Edited by Richard François Philippe Brunck, the great French Classicist. These celebrated plays are in the original Greek.

London: John Murray, 1854. 3 volume set, 8 1/2 inches tall. A classic mid-Victorian full calf with gilt raised bands, twin labels, and ornate gilt tooling on the panels. Blind corner tools and twin fillets frame the Trinity College Dublin embossed prize plate. Prize bookplates on each front paste down endpaper. A very good looking set of this celebration of the great English Poets by Samuel Johnson.

London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1880. 5 volume set, 8 3/4 inches tall. A smart half morocco binding with gilt raised bands and ornate floral gilt tooling to the panels. Gilt top edges. With the armorial bookplate of Farnham of Quorn of Quorn Hall. Embellished with portraits and views. Some light rubbing, otherwise a fine set of this celebrated Life of H.R.H. Prince Albert, Consort to Queen Victoria.

Rodwell and Martin, and Colburn, 1820. 4 volume set, 8 1/2 inches tall. Full early Victorian full calf with gilt raised bands, twin olive labels and exceptionally fine gilt tooling to the panels. The boards are marked and scuffed but with no splitting. A rather splendid, though somewhat worn, set of this important and scarce work.