Napoléon

London: Henry Colburn, 1817. Half morocco, 13 inches tall. A smart later half morocco by Zaehnsdorf with gilt raised bands, fine gilt tooling to the panels and all edges gilt. From the Library of the Late Christopher Foyle of Beeleigh Abbey. Half title, additional decorative title, frontispiece, 26 aquatint plates with contemporary hand-colouring, including a folding view of the Battle of Waterloo, and 2 folding maps. The colouring is exceptionally bright and fresh. Tooley states that the frontispiece is often missing and replaced with the 'Portraits of General Officers', as in this case. Minor repair to the margins of the title page. A super copy of this classic work.

London: John Murray, 1837. 13 volume set, 8 1/2 inches tall. An exceptionally neat and tidy set in an early Victorian half calf binding with wide raised bands, twin labels and pallets framing the boards. Pink speckled edges. Complete with the often absent index volume. Two bookplates. With an autographed letter from Colonel John Gurwood to Admiral Sir Philip Durham dated 1843 tipped in. A couple of very small marks otherwise a remarkably clean set, inside and out.

London: The Times Bookclub, 1911. 4 volume set, 8 inches tall. A classic early 20th century tree calf with gilt raised bands, twin labels and fine gilt tooling to the panels. Gilt dentelles and top edges. A sparkling set of this well illustrated edition.

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: Richard Bentley, 1836. 2 volume set, 8 1/2 inches tall. A splendid set of the first English language edition in full morocco with wide gilt raised bands and intricate blind tooling to the panels. Twin gilt fillets and a blind roll frame the boards. Embellished with 16 fine full page portraits. A particularly neat set of this scarce first edition.

London: Sampson Low, Marston and Company, 1900. 2 volume set, 9 inches tall. A stunning half calf by 'C. Cross. Binder to the Queen'. With gilt raised bands, triple labels and delicate gilt tooling to the panels. Gilt top edges. Profusely illustrated with maps, battle plans, and photogravures. A late edition of this classic biography in a fine binding.

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: Richard Bentley, 1883. 3 volume set, 9 inches tall. A very handsome late Victorian half calf with gilt raised bands, twin labels and elegant gilt tooling to the panels. Bumped tips. With 20 engraved plates, as called for. A handsome 'New and Revised Edition' of this classic work on Napoleon by the wife of General Jean-Andoche Junot, one of Napoleons most trusted officers during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars.

London: Henry Colburn, 1840. 2 volume set, 8 3/4 inches tall. A good looking half calf with wide gilt raised bands, twin labels and simple inked pallets in the panels. Foxing to the engraved plates, the text, plans and maps being clean. Alexander was Captain in the British Army and Lieutenant-Colonel in the Portuguese Service, he was a traveller, soldier and author and was largely responsible for the preservation and transfer of Cleopatra's Needle to England. A smart set of this scarce life of the Iron Duke.

London: Arthur L. Humphreys, 1903. Half morocco, 6 1/2 inches tall. A lovely heavy half morocco for Sawyer with gilt raised bands, top edge and simple gilt framed panels with corner tools. One of Arthur L. Humphreys deluxe printings on hand-made paper. From the Library of the Late Christopher Foyle of Beeleigh Abbey. Parallel texts in French and English. A delightful copy of this scarce work.