THE BUSTED BIBLIOPHILE THE BUSTED BIBLIOPHILE A Novel in
Wood Engravings 
Masereel, Frans. My book of hours. 167 designs engraved on wood by Frans Masereel. N.p.: Se trouve chez l'Auteur, 1922. Small 8vo. [6] ff., 158 plates (of 167).
Click the interior images for enlargements. Originally published in 1919, at Geneva, in an edition of 200 copies. Romain Rolland wrote the introduction. Stated on verso of title: “This edition is strictly limited to 600 copies for America. Each copy is signed. No. 180.” Signed by the author.
“Probably the Most Complete & Exhaustive History of Mexico”
Signed Presentation Copy — 48 Plates — ALS Laid In Mayer, Brantz. Mexico, Aztec, Spanish and Republican: A historical, geographical, political, statistical and social account of that country from the period of the invasion by the Spaniards to the present time; with a view of the ancient Aztec empire and civilization; a historical sketch of the late war; and notices of New Mexico and California. Hartford: S. Drake & Co., 1852. 2 vols. I: Frontis., [4], 433, [1] pp.; 12 plts. II: Frontis., 398, [2] pp.; 34 plts.
Click the images above for enlargements. This is the second edition, following the first of 1851; the author says in a laid-in letter (see below) that at the time of writing (1867), the work was “altogether out of print.” Other remarks are on the work itself, and Mexico's past, present, and possible future.
Presentation copy: Inscribed by the author to the Rev. E.A. Dalrymple of Baltimore, MD. In addition to the inscription on the front free endpaper, a three-page letter from the author is laid in at the front of the volume.
• Allibone 1253 (for first ed.); Brunet 28598; Diccionario Porrúa de historia, biografía y geografía de México (5a ed.), II, 1809; Field 1038; Palau 158999; Sabin 47100. Publisher's blind-stamped dark brown cloth, front covers with gilt-stamped decorative vignettes, spines with gilt-stamped titles; front cover of vol. II waterstained and warped with cloth starting to split along joint, back cover of vol. I with adhesions, corners rubbed, spine extremities chipped, spines sunned and with paper shelving labels. Front pastedown of vol. I with old affixed cataloguing; front free endpaper with inscription as above; front pastedowns of both vols. institutionally rubber-stamped. Offsetting from frontispieces onto title-pages; intermittent light browning and spotting. A few gatherings in vol. II unopened; some upper outer corners dog-eared. 
Despite condition “issues,” a significant work in a presentation set accompanied by a significant little letter. (24443)
Don't Give up the Ship! McCarty, W[illiam]. Songs, odes, and other poems, on national subjects; compiled from various sources.... Part second—naval. Philadelphia: Wm. McCarty, 1842. 12mo [signed in 6s] (15.6 cm, 6.1"). 467, [1 (blank)] pp. (vol. 2 only).
• Flag-waving pieces commemorating such maritime events as Commodore Perry's victory on Lake Erie and the battle between the frigates Constitution and Guerriere, and the valor of Yankee tars in general. The lyrics were collected by McCarty; no music is included but some of the tunes meant to be used are indicated. Originally accompanied by two other volumes on patriotic and military topics.
• Sabin 42997 (with other two volumes). Recently rebound in navy leather over blue cloth, leather edges blind-tooled, spine with gilt-stamped leather title label. Title-page and eight others stamped by now-defunct library. Page edges slightly embrittled, with a few short marginal edge tears. Small repair to dedication leaf. Evocative.
R.
ESTIENNE
Merula, Giorgio; et alii. Enarrationes
vocvm priscarvm in libris De re rvstica.... Philippi Beroaldi in libros XIII Columellæ
annotationes. Aldus De dierum generibus...quæ [sunt] apud Palladium. Parisiis:
Ex officina Roberti Stephani, 1543. 8vo. [79] ff. (lacks five leaves, one of
which is a blank).
• As Schreiber so succinctly describes this, it is: "The fifth and final part of the Scriptores
rei rusticae, consisting of the botanical glossaries of Merula and Beroaldo, based respectively
on Cato and Varro, and Columella. . . . " The work is printed in italic throughout and bears
version 7 of the Estienne printer's device on the title-page.The present copy lacks, at the end, Aldus Manutius's "farmer's calendar," which was intended as a commentary on Palladius.
• Renouard (2nd ed.), Annales de l'imprimerie des Estienne, 55.2; Adams M1358; Schreiber 70e. 18th-century mottled calf with round gilt spine, raised bands, plain covers, gilt ruling on board-edges, French swirl endpapers, nicely mottled edges. Lacks
the final five leaves: a blank and the separate calendar. 
Clean and crisp.
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labels . . . QUITE
Satisfactory!Metastasio, Pietro. Opere scelte di Pietro Metastasio. Drammi (vols. I, II, & 3); Azioni e feste teatrali; Opere sacre [,] poesie varie e traduzioni. Milan: Societa Tipografica de' Classici Italiani, 1820. 8vo. 5 vols. I: Frontis., LV, [1], 565, [3] pp. II: 642, [2] pp. III: 646, [2] pp. (lacking half-title). IV: 626, [2] pp. V: [4], 617, [11 (index)] pp. 
• Contemporary vellum, spines with gilt-stamped leather title and volume labels and gilt-stamped decorative bands; bindings lightly soiled, with spine labels chipped and rubbed, spines with shelving numbers in white. All page edges stained gold. Front pastedowns with institutional bookplates, title-pages with shadows of pencilled numerals. Vol. III lacking half-title. Intermittent light foxing, most pages clean. (14112)
DefendingMarie de Médici Morgues, Matthieu de. Diverses pieces pour la defence de la reyne mere du roy tres-Chrestien Louis XIII ... [Paris?], 1643. 8vo (16.8 cm, 6.6"). Vol. I only (of 2). ã8é8A–Z8Aa–Ee8 (-Ee8 [final blank]); [26], 446 [i.e., 456] pp. 
Single-click the interior image for an enlargement.
Uncommon. Searches of OCLC, RLIN, and NUC Pre-1956 find only three U.S. holdings of this edition.
• Contemporary vellum, spine with early inked title; vellum darkened, front cover with faded early inked inscription. Back free endpaper and final blank leaf lacking; front free endpaper with early inked inscription, title-page with contemporary inked ownership inscription in lower margin. Some light foxing; one early inked marginal annotation. Vol. I only; the set rare enough to make offering the “odd” volume reasonable!
Enlightenment
CatholicismMuratori, Lodovico Antonio. Della pubblica felicita oggetto de' buoni principi.... Lucca, 1749. 8vo (18.8 cm, 7.375"). [6] ff., 236 pp.
• Goldsmith’s Kress 8390. On Muratori, see: New Catholic Encyclopedia, X, 81. Contemporary vellum over paste boards with remnants of gilt label on spine; soiled, stained, and chipped with loss of top layer of vellum on rear cover and part of spine. Interior with light foxing, water- and other staining. Far from splendid, far from dead.
Theatrical! Divorce Case
in a Couple of Senses New York. Superior Court. Forrest Divorce Case. Report of the Forrest divorce case: containing the full and unabridged testimony of all the witnesses, the affidavits and depositions, together with the Consuelo and Forney letters. New York: De Witt and Davenport, 1852. 8vo. 180 pp.; illus. (lacks t.-p. & pp. 181–87).
Edwin Forrest in the New York Superior Court, lasting from 16 December 1851 to 26 January 1852, received considerable public attention. Mrs. Forrest brought her suit for divorce, which was counter-sued by her husband, a famousPhiladelphia actor. The case was argued by the able attorneys Charles O'Conor, counsel for the defendant, and John van Buren. It was finally decided in favor of Mrs. Forrest who was awarded an annual alimony payment of $3,000 by the jury. Illustrated with engraved portraits of the couple on pages 96 and 97.
Provenance: Bookplate of Dr. J. Chalmers DaCosta (1833–1963) on front pastedown. In 1885, he graduated from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia and became a surgeon. He wrote the standard textbook on surgery, which passed through ten editions. From 1907 to 1933, he headed Jefferson's department of surgery, following in the footsteps of such eminent surgeons as William W. Keen, Samuel Dr. Gross, and Thomas Dent Mutter.
• Sabin 25110. Rebound in full black cloth, gilt-stamped title on spine. Pages waterstained, some browning, spots of foxing, and a bit of bug-spotting. Lacks
title-page, and pp. 181–87; lots, lots, LOTS! of scandal (and real pain and sadness) yet left. (7337)
Palafox
on Kingship — A Handsome
VolumePalafox
y Mendoza, Juan de. Historia real sagrada, luz de principes, y subditos.
Brusselas: Francesco Foppens, 1655. 4to (23 cm, 9.1"). *4**4a–f4A–Z4Aa–
Zz4Aaa–Mmm4; [32] ff., 435, [29 (index)] pp. (add.
engr. t.-p. lacking).
Click
the interior images for enlargement.
• Sabin 58295; Medina, BHA, 1245; Peeters-Fontainas 1029; Palau 209622. Contemporary mottled sheep, spine gilt extra, with gilt-stamped leather title-label; corners, spine, and spine extremities a touch rubbed, otherwise pleasingly fresh. Front free endpaper with early inked inscription, front fly-leaf with early inked “Acto de contricion” affixed. Lacking additional engraved title-page. Final third of text block starting to pull away from spine, sewing still holding. Pages age-toned, with some instances of spotting and offsetting. All edges mottled to match binding.
“ETC., ETC.” Indeed (Pamphlet History). The story of Alsace and Lorraine and how they were lost by Germany. London: John Camden Hotten, [1871]. 16mo. [1] f., 61, [1 (blank)] pp.
• NSTC 0012071. In original printed wrappers. Spine chipped; light staining to wrappers. Ex–historical society copy: rubber-stamps, including ones on front wrapper and title-page. Inked ownership inscription on front wrapper. Eight entirely charming leaves of advertisements bound in at end, of which the last has been excised (and this has been priced accordingly). (6456)
Les Provinciales — Edition “des Quatres Langues”Pascal,
Blaise. Les provinciales ou lettres escrittes par Louis de
Montalte .... Cologne: Balthasar Winfelt, 1684. 8vo (21.3 cm, 8.4"). [40], 613,
[1 (blank)] pp.
Click the interior images for enlargements.
• BM, STC French, 1601-1700, M1313; Brunet, IV, 396; Graesse, V, 145; Printing & the Mind of Man 140. Contemporary speckled calf, scuffed, leather cracking on joints and chipped at head of gilt-stamped spine; spine gilt heavily rubbed, and spine with later hand-inked paper shelving labels. Hinges tender with back free endpaper and fly-leaves starting to separate; front free endpaper and title-page separated and partially taped into place some time ago. Front pastedown with 19th-century private collector's bookplate and early inked doodle; front free endpaper with early inked annotations regarding the Jesuit response. Light intermittent spotting; a few corners crumpled.
“Cruelty” to the“Peaceable” Penn, William. The second part of the continued cry of the oppressed for justice. Being an additional account of the present and late cruelty, oppression & spoil inflicted upon the persons and estates of many of the peaceable people called Quakers, in divers counties, cities and towns in this nation of England and Wales (chiefly upon the late act made against conventicles) for the peaceable exercise of their tender consciences towards God in matters of worship and religion. [London: Andrew Sowle], 1676. 4to (19.5 cm, 7.7"). [6], 17–114 pp. (lacking 9–16).
Click the images for enlargements. • ESTC R234420; Wing (rev.) P1362A; Smith, Friends’ books, 2.673. Modern plain paper–covered boards; back cover and spine a little dust-soiled. Lacking blank leaf at end of preliminaries and pp. 9–16 (the B signature — this opens in medias res, as to Penn's “cruelties”); title-page’s inner and outer margins each with one small repaired tear, not touching text; title-page and last page dust-soiled, with other pages age-toned. Small, small repair to inner margin of last leaf of preliminaries. Still shocking. (22907)
Woman Traveller Woman Translator Woman Owner Pfeiffer, Ida. A journey to Iceland, and travels in Sweden and Norway. Translated from the German...by Charlotte Fenimore Cooper. New-York: George P. Putnam, 1852. 12mo (19.1 cm, 7.5"). 273, [1 (blank)] pp. (lacking map).
This first American printing followed a London edition of the same year and was part of Putnam's "Library for the People."
• Textured red cloth, covers stamped in blind with an attractive branch and leaf pattern, spine gilt-stamped; spine faded. Sewing starting to loosen. Lacking map. Front free endpaper with inscription “Rachel Wiston / 1887 / Aunt Sarah Hunt.” Scattered spots of foxing, mostly to first and last few pages.
Neoplatonic
CreationismPhiloponus, Joannes Grammaticus. ... In Procli Diadochi duo de viginti argumenta De mundi aeternitate. Opus varia multiplicique philosophiae cognitione refertum. Lugduni: [colophon: Nicolaus Edoardus Campanus], 1557. Folio (33.5 cm, 13.15"). a–b4a–z6A–B6 (-B6); 295, [3 (blank)] pp. (lacking final blank f.)
Click the images above for enlargements. 
Plutarch’s
Lives
& Plutarch’s
LifePlutarchus. Plutarch’s lives in eight [sic] volumes. London: J. & R. Tonson and S. Draper, 1749. 12mo (13 cm; 5.25"). 9 vols. I: [2], xiv, [18], 292, [4], 293–95, [1 (blank)] pp.; 8 plts. II: 196 (i.e., 296) pp.; 5 plts. III: 324 pp. ; 4 plts. IV: 322 pp.; 4 plts. V: 321, [1 (blank)] pp.; 4 plts. VI: 306 pp.; 3 plts. VII: 360 pp.; 4 plts. VIII: 251, [1 (blank)] pp.; 5 plts. IX: [360] pp. (some plates lacking).
Provenance: Ownership signature of Fanny Shepherd, dated 1823; later signature of Ste. Mallinson, Jr.
• ESTC T83878; Schweiger, I, 266. Contemporary calf, each spine with gilt-stamped leather title label and gilt-stamped volume number; bindings moderately worn especially over spines, with joints open on almost all volumes but sewing holding. Front pastedowns with early inked ownership inscriptions dated 1823, front free endpaper of the first volume only with another inscription dated 1893. Moderate offsetting to pastedowns; pages with occasional small spots but generally clean. Some plates are apparently lacking (though not obtrusively so); it is unclear exactly how many plates are called for.
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Prescott’s
PERU — Pasta
españolaPrescott, William Hickling. History of the conquest of Peru, 1524–1550. Mexico City: Imprenta Nuevo Mundo for the members of the Limited Editions Club, 1957. Folio (32 cm, 12.6"). xxxvi, 252 pp., [2] pp.; illus.
signed by the illustrator and by Harry Block, the printer. The book was designed and issued to be a companion volume to the Club’s printing of Bernal Diaz del Castillo’s Discovery and Conquest of Mexico (Mexico City, 1942).
The binding is full marbled sheep (pasta española) with gilt-stamped red spine-labels and raised bands accented with gilt rules.
• Limited Editions Club, Bibliography of the Fine Books Published by The Limited Editions Club, 1929–1985, 275. Original red slipcase; rubbed, chipped and splitting along edges, with some paper loss at corners; case spine sunned. Spine leather a bit darkened, bottom of front joint starting. A very good copy, in a good slipcase.
Annals of New EnglandPrince, Thomas. A chronological history of New-England in the form of annals: Being a summary and exact account of the most material transactions and occurrences relating to this country, in the order of time wherein they happened, from the discovery by Capt. Gosnold in 1602, to the arrival of Governor Belcher, in 1730. With an introduction containing a brief epitome of the most remarkable transactions and events abroad, from the Creation.... Boston: Pr. by Kneeland & Green for S. Gerrish, 1736. 8vo (16.6 cm, 6.5"). [8], xi, [1], 20, 104, [2], 254 pp. (lacking title-page).
Click either image above for an enlargement.
Dedicated to Jonathan Belcher, this first volume ends at the year 1630, with a note that the size of the undertaking had exceeded the expectations of both the author and the bookseller. The second volume did not appear until 1755, under the title Annals of New-England.
• Sabin 65585; Evans 4068; Howes P615; ESTC W30371. On Prince, see: Dictionary of American Biography. Contemporary sheep, spine with gilt-stamped leather title-label; leather rubbed and scraped, with spine label chipped. Front pastedown with institutional stamp; front free endpaper and fly-leaf with pencilled notations. Title-page lacking; first (dedication) leaf with signature “[W?] Nathans” and two early inked inscriptions on text pages reading “Nath[.] Mason his book.” Pages browned, most heavily the first 50 pages; some other staining; a few leaves with short edge tears, in two cases touching text without loss. Sound, and still interesting reading.
French PufendorfPufendorf, Samuel. Traite de la religion chretienne par rapport ŕ la vie civile ou l'on fait voir, que l'Eglise n'est point un Etat, & que la puissance des Princes ne va pas jusqu'ŕ dominer sur la foy. ŕ Utrecht: Antoine Schouten, 1703. 16mo (13.4 cm, 5.25"). 235, 4 pp.
• 19th-century half sheep over marbled paper sides, with gilt-lettered black leather title label on spine. Binding rubbed, costing several gilt letters on spine label and leather of top compartment missing; pulled and chipped at base, joints open. Waterstains on initial pages, including title-page, and staining on endpapers. Text mostly clean. Ex-library with rubber-stamp on front pastedown and bottom edge; call number in pencil on verso of title-page. (20996)
“I
Sing the PLAID
& Sing
with All My Skill”
Ramsay, Allan. Poems.... [Edinburgh?]: 1760. 8vo (17.4 cm, 6.85"). xii, [4], 426 (–239–40), [22] pp. 
• ESTC T147963. Contemporary sprinkled calf, spine with gilt-stamped leather title label and gilt-stamped floral devices in compartments, overall somewhat worn. Small inked ownership inscription to top of title-page. Some foxing, not severe; last leaves dog-eared. One text leaf torn out, as also one preliminary leaf; despite the internal absence of publication information, the collation of this volume matches that given by ESTC.
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Pre-Fire Chicago Imprint — A Song Book Root, George F. The coronet: A collection of music for singing schools, musical conventions and choirs; consisting of a course for elementary instruction and training, a large number of part songs, solos, duets, quarters, glees and choruses, and a smaller number of tunes, anthems and chants. Chicago: Root & Cady, 1865. 8vo. 303, [1] pp.
“Vocal Training in Classes” fills the first 48 pages.
• Publisher's quarter cloth and printed paper–covered boards, spine with gilt-stamped title; covers effectively detached, sides darkened and worn, cloth split along joints and chipped at spine head. Ex-library: spine with shelving label, front pastedown with private collector's bookplate and institutional rubber-stamp. (23677)
Dun Emer for the
Busted BibliophileRussell, George William. By still waters: Lyrical poems old and new by A.E. Dundrum, [Ireland]: The Dun Emer Press, 1906. Small 8vo. 33 pp.
Click any image where the hand appears on 
• Miller 9. Publisher's quarter off-white linen with blue-green paper sides in the Kelmscott style. Ex-library with call number tag on front cover, library name blind-stamped into covers, perforation stamp of library in blank area of title-page and in blank area of lower margin of last leaf. Dust soiled binding; corners bumped; top of spine pulled. (2682)
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