AMERICANA TO 1820
AMERICANA TO 1820
The
“Laws of the Sea”
at a Time When
England Was!
the
Law on the Seas
Jacobsen, Friedrich Johann. Laws of the sea, with reference to maritime commerce during peace and war. Baltimore: Edward J. Coale, (J. Robinson, printer), 1818. 8vo (22 cm; 8.75"). xxxv, [1], 636 pp.
Published at a critical period in America's commercial history, this work presents the then prevailing international law on such matters as shipwreck, salvage, abandonment, blockages, embargoes, delivery, demurrage, and neutrality, to mention just a few topics.
A Dry Dock for Washington?Jefferson,
Thomas (President, 1801–1809). Message from the President of the United States, transmitting plans and estimates of a dry dock, for the preservation of our ships of war. 28th December, 1802. Referred to the Committee appointed on the 17th instant, on so much of the Message of the President of the United States, as relates to our navy yards, and the building of docks. Washington City: Pr. by William Duane & Son, 1802. 8vo (21.2 cm, 8.4"). 25 pp. 
Benjamin Henry Latrobe on the subject of constructing a dry dock in the city of Washington, and two
additional letters. P. 19 is a folding table (verso blank).
Click the image for an enlargement. • Shaw & Shoemaker 3361. Recent paper wrappers. Title-page darkened, with small chip at upper margin, two short tears at lower margin, and an early inked annotation. Short edge tears to some outer margins, not touching text. Outer edge untrimmed, bottom edge unevenly trimmed.
American Judaicum — American Provenance Joseph ben Gorion, pseud. The wonderful and most deplorable history of the latter times of the Jews: with the destruction of the city of Jerusalem. Which history begins where the Holy Scriptures end. Leominster, Mass.: Pr. by Adams & Wilder, for Isaiah Thomas, Jun., sold by them, 1803. 8vo. vi, 305 pp.
Click the interior image for an enlargement. Only the second American edition, the first having been published in Boston, 1718–22. The first edition is extremely rare, with copies reported at the AAS, Yale, the Boston Public, the Huntington, and the Library Company. Many if not all copies are incomplete or damaged. 
An important American Judaicum.
Provenance: 19th-century ownership note of John Davison (“His Book”); 20th-century bookplate of Abby Aldrich Rockefeller and John D. Rockefeller Jr. (whose “D.” stood for Davison).
• Shaw & Shoemaker 4463; Rosenbach, Jewish, 130; Singerman, Judaica Americana, 0143. Publisher's sheep, worn, hinges (inside) open and joints weak. Ex-library, with call number on binding, and rubber-stamps; private ownership indications as above, plus another. Far from an ideal copy but priced accordingly. (21704)
From
New
England to the NILE[Justel, Henri, ed.]. Recueil de divers voyages faits en Afrique et en l’Amerique, qui n’ont point esté encore publiez.... Paris: Louis Billaine, 1674. 4to (23.7 cm, 9.4"). á4ã4A–Z4Aa–Hh4 Ii2Kk4Ll21§–4§45§2 **A–**C4 a2b–g4 *A–*K4L2; [8] ff., 262, 35, [1 (blank)] 23, [1 (blank)], 49, [1 (blank)] pp., [1] f., 81, [1 (blank)] pp., 3 fold. plans, 4 maps (3 fold.), 9 plts.
Some of both the voyages and the maps make their first published appearances here—among them the New England map depicting the Maryland and Virginia coastlines, engraved by R. Michault after one contained in Richard Blome’s Description of the Island of Jamaica, part of which work appears here translated into French. 
Altogether, a volume notable both for its strong African and North American content and for the aesthetic appeal of its plates and pleasingly ornamented typography.
Single-click images where the hand appears on
• Sabin
36944; Alden & Landis 674/159;
Beinecke Lesser Antilles Collection 68; Baer, 17th-Century Maryland,
78. Recent 17th-century style mottled calf with covers framed in a gilt roll
and double-panelled in gilt fillets with gilt-stamped corner fleurons,; spine
with gilt-stamped leather title and author labels and gilt-stamped decorative
devices. Several pages (not including title) and the versos of a few plates
stamped by a now-defunct institution. Paper slightly embrittled. Light waterstaining
to a number of leaves and plates, mostly in margins; the first map with two
repairs. One leaf (blank?) prior to Colonies Angloises excised. A good
copy, in a handsome binding of recent vintage and contemporaneous style.
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Part XII . . . |