Search

London: John Bell, 1785-1788. 38 volumes, 5.5 inches tall. Full straight grain dark blue morocco with gilt bands, titles, dentelles and all edges. Tiffany bookplates. Some slight foxing to the plates but generally very clean. Engraved frontispieces, title pages and plates throughout. Although this celebrated Bell's Edition first appeared in 38 volumes it is very unusual to find it in this form, with each volume bound individually, rather than with every 2 or 3 volumes bound together. There is no splitting or loss at all. An absolutely exceptional set.

Edinburgh: Adam and Charles Black, 1857. 25 volume set, 8.75 inches tall. A truly spectacular set in full dark pink morocco in marvellous condition. With gilt raised bands, twin green labels and extra gilt panels. The boards are decorated with a very delicate and ornate panel framed within a triple roll. Gilt dentelles and all edges. Engraved frontispieces, title pages, portraits and views throughout. Other than a few very superficial marks this set is in pristine condition with no wear or fading.

London: J.Johnson et al, 1798. 10 volume set, 7.5 inches tall. Splendid bindings, bound by the great Christian Kalthoeber, and with his ticket. Full 18th century tree calf with gilt 'Greek key' bands, twin labels and charming gilt floral tools to the panels. Fine gilt rolls frame the tree calf of the boards. With the armorial bookplate of Edward Astle. There is a slight nick to the head cap of volume 4 and a one inch split to the head of volume 1, but still a superb set by one of the greatest London binders of his period.

Edinburgh: A & C Black, 1865. 48 volume set, 7 inches tall. A superb mid-Victorian half calf with gilt raised bands, twin labels and extra gilt panels. The armorial bookplate of Walter F. Morice. With engraved frontispieces, title pages and vignettes. In pristine condition inside and out.

Paris: Paulin, 1845. 4 volumes bound in 2, 10.5 inches tall. A stunning full cat's paw calf by Clarke & Bedford, one of the finest London binders of the period in pristine condition. With gilt raised bands, delightful labels and superb gilt tooling to the panels. With gilt dentelles and all edges. Armorial bookplate. 83 wood-engraved plates, all but 13 by Gavarni, 1 folding map and around 600 engraved vignettes. A celebrated edition in a stunning binding. In the original French.

London: Charles Knight, 1852. 12 volume set, 9 inches tall. A particularly attractive set with raised bands, twin labels and very bright extra gilt panels. There is some scuffing and marking to the boards but absolutely no weak hinges or loss of leather. A sturdy set of this great edition edited by Charles Knight. Engraved vignettes throughout.

London: Charles Knight, 1842. 8 volume set, 9.5 inches tall. A stunning extra gilt full morocco with gilt raised bands, fine gilt tooled panels and spectacular gilt tooling to the boards. Gilt dentelles and all edges. Armorial bookplate. Occasional abrasions. A splendid set of this celebrated edition which is illustrated throughout.

London: Chapman & Hall, 1866. 9 volume set, 8.75 inches tall. An exceptionally handsome set in full red morocco with gilt raised bands, gilt titles, panels and all edges. the boards are framed with gilt and blind tooling. With the Royal cipher of Marie Therese. A fine copy of the celebrated Dyce edition of the Complete Works of England's greatest playwright.

London: Gale, Curtis and Fenner, 1814. Full morocco, 10.75 inches tall. A splendid later 19th century binding by Root with gilt raised bands, very fine panels, triple fillets framing the boards, dentelles and top edge. Adorned with 20 beautiful circular hand coloured aquatints. A superb copy of this most attractive work.

Edinburgh: Adam and Charles Black, 1877. 48 volume set, 7 inches tall. A handsome, neat mid-Victorian half calf with gilt raised bands, twin labels and elegant gilt panels. With engraved frontispieces, title pages and vignettes. In fine condition inside and out.

Edinburgh and London: Cadell, 1842. 12 volume set, 10 inches tall. In full crushed maroon morocco, with gilt raised bands, titles, dentelles, elegant panels and all edges. As usual the frontispiece and full page engravings are foxed. This is our favourite edition of Scott as it has a very readable text and engraved vignettes throughout.

LONDON: Cassell, Petter and Galpin, c.1870. 3 volume set, 10.5 inches tall. A very handsome set with gilt raised bands, twin labels and ornate gilt 'theatrical' centre tools. A gilt prize block on the upper boards and an ink prize inscription on the first blank. Illustrated throughout. A splendid set.

London: Routledge, 1858. 3 volume set, 10 inches tall. A splendid full hard grain morocco with raised bands, finely gilt panels and elegant gilt tooling to the boards. Gilt dentelles and all edges. Edited by Howard Staunton and illustrated with engravings by John Gilbert. Slightly rubbed but overall a super copy of this celebrated edition.

London: Virtue, c.1880. 8 volume set, 10.5 inches tall. A handsome robust binding with gilt raised bands, gilt tooling to the panels and a gilt blocked portrait of the Bard on the upper boards. Illustrated profusely throughout with full page engravings and vignettes.

Oxford: The University Press, 1854. 6 volume set, 8.75 inches tall. A classic full calf set bound in the middle of the 19th century. With gilt raised bands, superb extra gilt panels, twin labels and the gilt embossed blocks of the Hulme Bequest on all the boards. This Works of Robert Sanderson was collected by William Jacobson and is the definitive work of this important English theologian. A lovely set.

London: Colburn & Co, 1852. 8 volume set, 9 inches tall. A fine large type edition of this classic history. Bound in splendid half morocco with raised bands, gilt centre tools, titles and top edges. With engraved portraits of each Queen.

Paris: Alphonse Leclere, 1860. 4 volume set, 6.75 inches tall. A remarkably pretty set with gilt raised bands, fine floral gilt panels, twin labels and gilt top edge by DAVID. One of 150 examples, this being number 145. The full page illustrations, by Lefebvre, engraved by Masquelier, were prepare for Didot's edition of 1797 and are in 2 states. A metal bookseller ticket is on the first paste down endpaper and an early catalogue entry is pasted to the first free end paper. Slight fading to the lower board of volume one, otherwise pristine.

London: Richard Bentley, 1840-45. 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.

London: Richard Bentley, 1842-43. 8vo (9½" tall). Splendid 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 and a preface dated 1889 by the collector John Waugh. Autograph letter and envelope from Smith, 5 November 1841, 2½ pages, bound in.