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(Paris: Barbou) Amsterdam, 1762. 2 volume set, 7 inches tall. The celebrated and very scarce Fermiers-Generaux edition. Complete with half-titles, 2 engraved portraits and 80 superb plates after Eisen by Aliamet, Delafosse, Longueil, Le Mire et al.. with over 50 delightful and ornate vignettes by Choffar. The later binding is by Sangorski & Sutcliffe in the style of the period with gilt raised bands, extra floral gilt tooling to the panels, fine and ornate gilt tooling to the boards, gilt dentelles and all edges. The bindings have been expertly rebacked. Internally exceptionally clean and fresh with slight creasing to a couple of plates. A fine set of this great example of French 18th century printing.

London: Robinson, 1796. 3 volume set, 8.25 inches tall. A beautiful set of the first English edition in remarkably fine condition. In full 18th century cat's paw calf with twin labels and gilt bands. Blue edges. A neat ink inscription 'Marcus Gage' is on the top of the title pages. From the collection of Martin Orsky, a pencil inscription on the free endpaper states 'bound by Mackenzie of Dublin', though I can see no evidence for this assertion. A neat ink shelf number is on the pastedown endpapers. With the map and plates. As fine a copy of this work as one could hope to find.

Amsterdam: sumptibus Jacobi Wetstenii, 1743. 4 volume set, 11.5 inches tall. A magnificently bound set with gilt raised bands and superb gilt tooling to the panels. Simple gilt fillets framing the boards, dentelles and all edges gilt. The index was published in 1746. With the armorial bookplate of Tatton Park. Slightly rubbed but with no loss or splitting. Beautifully printed in Greek and Latin. Dibdin considered this to be the most accurate and most beautiful edition of the works of Lucian, the great satirist and rhetorician.

Boston: Dana Estes, n.d. c. 1900. 32 volume set, 9 inches tall. Imposing set bound in true Edwardian style. Half morocco with raised bands, elegant gilt panels, titles and top edge. This deluxe edition was limited to 1000 copies of which this is number 304. Some very slight rubbing but an elegant, grand finely illustrated set.

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.

London: Harding and Lepard, 1835. 12 volume set bound in 6 volumes, 11 inches tall. A superb full hard grain morocco with gilt raised bands, extra gilt panels, blind and gilt fillets framing the boards, dentelles and all edges gilt. With 240 full page engraved portraits from Elizabeth York in 1502, through to The Duke of Wellington in the 1830's. Some foxing to the plates, as usual. A stunning set.

Paris: Ernest Bourdin, 1842. 2 volume set, 10.5 inches tall. A beautiful set bound in full cat's paw calf by Charles Lewis, one of the finest London binders of the period. With gilt raised bands, twin labels and wonderful gilt tooling to the panels. Gilt dentelles and all edges. Illustrated with engraved vignettes throughout by Charlet. Armorial bookplate. In the original French.

Amsterdam: Elzevir ( Apud Ludovicum & Danielem Elzevirios), 1665. 3 volume set, 7.75 inches tall. A wonderful set in a full crushed morocco, unsigned but possibly by Clarke at the beginning of the 19th century. With gilt raised bands, superb gilt floral tooling to the panels. Gilt rolls, fillets and corner tools frame the boards. Fine engraved frontispiece to volume 1. Gilt dentelles and all edges. Sold at Sotheby's in December 1857. A fine set of this work by this great Roman Historian, in the original Latin.

Paris: chez la Veuve P. Bertrand, 1714. Full calf, 11 inches tall. Splendid full later cat's paw calf with gilt raised bands, twin labels and fine floral gilt tooled panels. Gilt dentelles and pink edges. With 65 portraits of the French kings. Some foxing to the preliminaries. Expert repair to the title page. With the bookplates of the Marquis de Biencourt of the Château de Masfaure.

London: Chapman and Hall, 1872 & 1873. 16 volumes, 8.5 inches tall. A splendid run in a classic Victorian half calf with gilt raised bands, twin labels and floral gilt tooling including the ever present shamrock to the panels. Slightly rubbed and bumped. Profusely illustrated throughout with full page engravings by Phiz. Admired by Trollope and Dickens, Charles Lever's tales of Irish Life were hugely popular.

Paris: Chez Ambroise Tardieu, 1821. 4 volume set, 8 inches tall. A delightful full mottled calf by Bayntun of Bath with gilt raised bands, twin labels and very fine gilt tooling to the panels. A wide gilt roll frames the boards. Dentelles and all edges gilt. Decorated with 8 engravings by Alexandre-Marie Colin, a student of Girodet. Slight rubbing to the edges and some light foxing. An exceptional set of this licentious novel.

London: Richard Bentley, 1840-48. 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. Autograph letter in black ink bound in, dated 6 March 1863, 2 pages.

Amsterdam: Chez Pierre Humbert, 1731. 2 volume set, 10 inches tall. A superb early 18th century full French calf with gilt raised bands, twin morocco labels and extra gilt tooling to the panels. Pink edges. Fine full page engravings throughout. Slight foxing to the title page, otherwise clean. From the library of Madame de Simiane at the Chateau de Cirey. A fine set.

London: Edward Moxon, 1850. 4 volume set, 7 inches tall. A very finely bound set in full morocco in remarkably bright and fresh condition with gilt raised bands, delicate gilt tooling to the panels, a wide gilt roll framing the boards, dentelles and all edges gilt. Portrait.

London: John Murray, 1816. 3 volume set, 8.5 inches tall. Half blue calf with gilt raised bands. Foxing to the preliminaries. A fine set.

London: Longman, Hurst, Rees et Orme, 1809. 4 volume set, 9.5 inches tall. Very finely bound in half calf with gilt raised bands, label and ornate gilt tooling around a gilt tooled onlay in each panel. Engraved plates by Smirke. From the Library and with the bookplate of Robert J. Hayhurst. An English edition in the original French. Very slight fading. A splendid copy of this celebrated 18th century picaresque novel.

London: Longman, Hurst, Rees and Orme, 1808. Full morocco, 7.5 inches tall. A very fine crushed morocco by Riviere with gilt raised bands, densely tooled gilt floral panels, triple fillets framing the boards, dentelles and all edges gilt. Bookplate. First edition.

London: Dent, 1923. 2 volumes, 7 inches tall. Exceptionally pretty set bound in full pink straight grain calf by Riviere withgilt raised bands, labels, ornate gilt tooled panels, dentelles and all edges gilt. The boards are framed within gilt rolls. Decorated throughout with charming illustrations by Charles Brock.

London: Longman et al., Printed by Gedge and Barker, Bury, 1812. Full calf. 5.75 inches tall. A fine example of this curious and rare title. With gilt raised bands, extra gilt panels, dentelles and all edges. Portrait of Shakespeare. Not signed but bound by Clarke and Bedford toward the end of the Victorian era. Expert repair to the top corner of the title page and slight stain to upper board, but overall a splendid copy.

Philadelphia: Carey and Hart, 1840. Full morocco, 7.5 inches tall. A most attractive binding in exceptional condition with extra gilt tooling to the spine and boards and all edges gilt. The contributions include Edgar Allen Poe's 'William Wilson' and Harriet Beecher Stowe's 'Justice and Charity'. With all 9 engraved plates. A neat small square patch has been pasted to a corner of the front free endpaper, presumably to cover up a previous owner's name and a stamp has been obscured at the head of the title page. A superb example of this celebrated annual.