History

Liverpool: Brown, Barnes & Bell, 1878. 2 volume set, 16 1/2 inches tall. A huge and spectacular morocco binding by the great Victorian bookbinders of Liverpool, Fazakerley. A binding of the highest quality, perhaps an exhibition piece, with gilt raised bands and ornate gilding to the panels and boards, incorporating liver birds, floral flourishes and pallet work, framed within twin fillets. All edges gilt and fine gilt dentelles. The endpapers are also a delight, involving more liver birds, urns and floral designs. Embellished with 72 plates. A charming and nostalgic look at the lost buildings and areas of Old Liverpool in excellent condition, inside and out.

London: Bohn, 1848. Half morocco, 15 inches tall. A glorious tall copy from the library of the Duke of Gloucester at Kensington Palace. Prince Henry Duke of Gloucester was the third son of King George V, brother of King George VI and King Edward VIII. In pristine condition this copy was bound by J. Wright, one of the finest binders of the early Victorian period, with gilt raised bands, label and magnificent gilt armorial centre tools. All edges gilt. Decorated with 60 full page hand coloured plates, all dated 1811-13.

London: Methuen & Co., 1896. 7 volume set, 8 1/2 inches tall. A really elegant Victorian full calf with gilt raised bands and extra gilt panels around an 'Eagle of Jove (Aëtos)' centre tool. Three gilt fillets frame the boards, the upper boards bearing the gilt blocked crest of Oriel College, Oxford. Gilt dentelles and all edges. With the armorial bookplate of Harold Hamilton Broadmead of Enmore Castle. An exceptionally clean and smart set of Gibbon's 'Decline and Fall', one of the greatest histories ever written.

London: John Murray, 1850. 2 volume set, 9 inches tall. A pristine set of this classic work in full mid-Victorian honey calf. With gilt raised bands, exquisite floral gilt tooling to the panels and double gilt fillet framing the boards. First edition. With the bookplate of Edward Nicholas Hurt of Wirksworth. This superb set is in pristine condition, both in terms of the text block and binding, evidently having not been read.

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.

London: Longman et al., 1851. 5 volume set, 6 1/2 inches tall. Exquisite little set with gilt raised bands, extra gilt panels and triple labels. Note the spectacular volume label. The tree calf boards are framed within an ornate floral gilt roll. Each volume has an engraved frontispiece. From the library of Edward Nicholas Hurt, most of whose books were of this highest quality.

London: John Murray, 1853-54 & 1871. 8 volumes, 9 inches tall. The Earl Stanhope was styled Viscount Mahon between 1816-1855, the later volume precedes the text of the 7 volume set and is uniformly bound in an elegant half crushed morocco by Roger De Coverley, one of the greatest binders of the period. The bindings have gilt raised bands, splendid gilt centre tools and gilt top edges. There is some foxing to the preliminaries, then perfectly clean. Stanhope was an antiquarian politician and much respected historian.

London: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1875 & 1877. 10 volume set, 8 1/2 inches tall. A very handsome Victorian full calf with gilt raised bands, twin labels and finely gilt panels around a pomegranate centre tool. A splendid set of the Works complete in 8 volumes and the Life complete in 2 volumes. There is some minor rubbing and the engraved frontispiece of the Life is offset, otherwise a clean and pristine set of this great history.

London Hutchinson & Co. and Stanley, Paul & Co., 1903-1914. 13 volume collection, 8 1/2 inches tall. A good looking Edwardian half morocco by the great London firm of bookbinders, Sangorski and Sutcliffe, for Brentano's of New York. With gilt raised bands, neat gilt tooled panels around a fleure des lys centre tool and gilt top edges. There is rubbing and a certain blotchiness to the spines, but this a still a very presentable collection of some very scarce and highly entertaining titles, in fact we couldn't find another run of these works. Illustrated throughout. Andrew C.P. Haggard was the brother of the immensely successful novelist H. Rider Haggard.

London: John W. Parker, 1855: 1855. 4 volume set, 8 3/4 inches tall. A spectacular mid-Victorian full hard grain pink morocco by Grieve of Edinburgh, with gilt raised bands, green labels and a blind Aldus leaf centre tool. Wide gilt rolls and blind fillets frame the boards. With the armorial bookplate of Peter Carmichael. Maps, including 2 double page. A superb set of this great history devoted to the relationship between the conquering Spanish forces and the native American Indians.

London, Paris, New York: Goupil & Co., 1899. Full morocco, 12 1/2 inches tall. A sumptuous binding by Riviere in an unusual orange goat skin, with gilt raised bands and very fine extra gilt tooling to the panels and gilt roll and triple fillet framing the boards. Gilt dentelles and all edges. Beautifully printed and with illustrations throughout including the colour portrait of Oliver Cromwell. One of a series of extravagantly produced, mostly Royal, biographies. Deluxe limited edition in very fine condition.

London: Scott, Webster, & Geary, 1839. 4 volume set, 9 inches tall. In a magnificent Victorian full calf with gilt raised bands, twin labels and superb extra-gilt tooling to the panels. Twin gilt fillets frame the boards. With an engraved frontispiece and 22 engraved portraits. Slight foxing to the plates and the preliminaries, otherwise clean. From the library of George Capron of Southwick Hall. An extremely smart set of this classic history of the Reformation of the Church of England by this great historian, philosopher and theologian.

London: Longman et al., 1830-1832. 2 volume set, 6 1/2 inches tall. Exquisite little set with gilt raised bands, extra gilt panels and triple labels. Note the spectacular volume label. The tree calf boards are framed within an ornate floral gilt roll. Each title page has an engraved vignette. This 2 volume set constituted the first part of 'The History of the Western World' But is complete in itself. From the library of Edward Nicholas Hurt, most of whose books were of this highest quality.

London: Richard Bentley, 1859. 2 volume set, 8 3/4 inches tall. A delightful full Edwardian calf binding with gilt raised bands, twin labels and ornate gilt tooling to the panels. Portraits. A neat ink previous owner's signature on the title pages.From the library of Alfred de Rothschild but without his bookplate. A well written and fascinating memoirs covering, amongst many other subjects, The Union with Ireland, The American Wars of Independence, The French Revolution and his own mental illness. A superb set in pristine condition.

London, Paris, New York: Goupil & Co., 1901. Full morocco, 13 inches tall. A magnificent binding with gilt raised bands and handsome Edwardian gilt tooled panels and boards. One of a limited edition of 1250 examples. Embellished with a splendid colour portrait frontispiece and monochrome plates throughout. A little foxing to the preliminaries and slight rubbing but still a fine example of Goupil's luxurious productions.

London, Paris, New York: Goupil & Co., 1900. Full morocco, 13 inches tall. A magnificent binding with gilt raised bands and handsome Edwardian gilt tooled panels and boards. One of a limited edition of 1500 examples. Embellished with a splendid colour portrait frontispiece and monochrome plates throughout. A little foxing to the preliminaries and slight rubbing but still a fine example of Goupil's luxurious productions.