The oversized, folding maps of France and the world featurehand-colored provincial and continental borders; two additional oversized, steel-engraved plates depict the gods atop Mt. Olympus and the seven wonders of the world.

Early editions of this work are uncommon.

•  Quérard, La France littéraire, 341.   Contemporary marbled paper–covered boards, spines with gilt-stamped leather title-labels; bindings faded and with some soiling/rubbing (most notably to spines). rubbed. Half-title of vol. I, pp. vii/viii of preface, and printed volume labels all bound in at back of vol. II; some signatures of vol. I unopened. Title-pages with traces of mostly effaced inscriptions; first and last few leaves of both volumes very lightly waterstained. One plate with two short tears from lower edge, not touching image. Solid and interesting.  (27048)

Click the interior image for an enlargement.

•  Contemporary half calf over marbled paper–covered sides, gilt spine extra; sides and edges of paper showing light scuffing, spine leather a bit darkened; attractive. Marbled endpapers; all edges marbled to match endpapers and sides of covers. Front pastedown with small paper adhesions. One signature separated. An attractive edition, a pretty copy.

•  Shaw & Shoemaker 44408.   Plain blue-green paper wrappers, much worn and creased, sewing loosening. Lower corners bumped; pages age-toned and lightly spotted. Much worn but not written or scribbled on; this copy easily imaginable as a critical element of some respectful child's nightly bedtime ritual.  (30253)

•  Very good; light wear to corners and spine extremities, spine gilt slightly dulled. Offsetting to pastedowns; back free endpaper torn. All edges gilt; pages clean. Inscription dated 1877 to front flyleaf. (1945)

The book is profusely illustrated with pen drawings by Eric Palmquist, who has signed the colophon; of these, some are full-page, and some are spread across two pages with the text printed beneath. Most are smaller in-text drawings, including an extensive series of decorative tailpieces.

This edition was prepared under the supervision of Ragnar Svanström at the Royal Printing House in Stockholm, Sweden, and is limited to 1500 copies. Designer Karl-Erik Forsberg used a hand-set Berling Roman font which he himself designed; Forsberg also drew uncial letters, printed in red ink, for use on the title-page and for the canto-opening initials.

The binding is half natural Swedish linen stamped on the spine in red and black; the sides are covered with Swedish paper hand-grained to look like wood, and bear a small gold-stamped design of a warship, the Norse drakkar.

This is numbered copy 972 of 1500 printed; it wassigned by the illustrator.  The relevant Club newsletter is laid in.

Binding:  Quarter tan Swedish linen with streaked red paper–covered sides, front cover with gilt-stamped Viking ship, spine with decorative title in black and red, in the original matching slipcase with printed paper spine label.

•  Bibliography of the Fine Books Published by the Limited Editions Club, 232.   Binding as above, spine slightly sunned, slipcase with moderate shelfwear to edges and one edge opening. A solid, attractive copy of a handsome book.  (29946)

This is numbered copy 972 of 1500 printed, signed at the colophon by the illustrator; the appropriate LEC newsletter, in its (unstamped) envelope, is laid in.

•  Bibliography of the Fine Books Published by the Limited Editions Club, 483.   Binding as above, in original glassine dust wrapper and publisher's slipcase; wrapper with spine darkened and torn with loss, front panel crumpled; book clean and fresh, one leaf not with damage but a natural paper flaw at edge; slipcase showing only minimal shelfwear. A very nice copy.  (30124)

•  Not in Garrison & Morton.   Contemporary treed sheep, spines with gilt-stamped leather title and volume labels; joints and edges mildly rubbed, a few small scuffs to spines. Provenance markings as above; vol. I with a few leaves having small portion of outer margin chewed. Pages age-toned, otherwise almost entirely clean, a few with light spots of foxing. Once virtually required for physicians' working libraries, this is still desirable for significance, illustrations, and general interest.  (29932)

illustrated with six halftone plates by Edmund Marion Ashe

Signed binding: Publisher's maroon textured cloth, front cover with blind-stamped lion rampant outlined in black, gilt-stamped title, and outlined heart and roundel decorations. Signed by American illustrator and book designer Thomas Maitland Cleland (front cover blind-stamped “C”).

•  Binding as above, mild rubbing at extremities and joints, front cover clean and beautiful. Scattered small smudges, pages predominantly clean. A nice copy.  (28579)

•  McKitterick/Rendall/Dreyfus 47. Full marbled handmade cloth; leather label at head of spine with title in gilt, label missing one corner. All edges untrimmed. Bookplate on front pastedown of volume.

The added engraved title-page here is embellished with engravings from the designs of Richard Westall, and the frontispiece and added title-page were engraved by John Scoles. Among the four wood-engraved illustrations for the seasons, three are definitely by Alexander Anderson. “Spring” and “Summer” are signed “Anderson” and “Winter” is signed “A.”

•  Shaw & Shoemaker 42282; Pomeroy, Alexander Anderson, 565a.   Uncut and partially unopened copy. Publisher's printed paper over boards softly rubbed, obscuring some printing detail; very fragile, with joints cracked and weak, paper of spine cracked and chipped. Initials “JSH” inked on front free endpaper; a different monogram inked at top of title-page. All plates in nice impressions and frontispiece with protective tissue guard; some foxing/offsetting to this and engraved title-page opposite. Very evocative.  (9907)

The volume is extensively illustrated in color and black-and-white; this is a work of art reference as well as historical reference.

•  Publisher's terra-cotta cloth, front cover and spine with gilt-stamped title, corners bumped yet cloth pristine, in dust-jacket; wrapper with wear at corners and spine extremities, one short edge tear to upper front edge. Pages age-toned; clean and unmarked.  (26183)

Is it giving away too much if we reveal that “The Girl Sport” is also known as “The Bonanza Widow”???

•  Publisher's quarter red cloth and printed paper–covered sides; spine sunned, extremities rubbed. The printed spine label is laid in. Pages clean. Swell.  (28247)

•  Publisher's pebbled cloth, front cover black- and gilt-stamped with vignette and decorative title, spine with gilt-stamped title; binding showing minor wear over extremities. All page eges gilt. Front fly-leaf with gift inscription dated 1885; pages with light spots of foxing, otherwise clean. (5780)

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Binding:  Publisher's green calf, done by the Tapley-Rutter Company, with marbled paper–covered sides, spine gilt extra, in original slipcase.

•  Limited Editions Club, Bibliography of the Fine Books Published by The Limited Editions Club, 1929–1985, 502.   Fine, in a near fine slipcase (paper cracked along a small portion of one edge, and carefully laid back down).   (21808)

Provenance:  Front free endpaper with early inked gift inscription in a childish hand “To Miss Phebe Webber from Lyman”); back free endpaper with inked gift inscription in more sophisticated hand from the recipient of the first (“Presented to Eddie Ferris by his new Aunt Phebe”).

•  Not in Sternick, Children's Series.   Publisher's dark teal-green cloth, covers blind-stamped, spine gilt-stamped; corners and spine rubbed, cloth with areas of light discoloration. Inscriptions as above. Scattered spots of foxing; a very few short edge tears extending into text without loss.  (28753)

Upchurch's account of his life and accomplishments includes descriptions of the founding of various lodges and the establishment of their rules, his observations on visiting chapters in California and a number of other states, and (in passing) the poor living conditions in San Francisco's Chinatown; it is illustrated with portraits of the author, depictions of lodge charters and regalia, and other memorabilia. Poems and eulogies were added by Samuel Booth, the editor, who also did his best to shape the plain-spoken Upchurch's thoughts into publishable form while not making any attempt at literary polish.

Binding:  Publisher's roan, front cover with decorative gilt-stamped frame and gilt-stamped facsimile of Upchurch's signature ("Fraternally yours"), back cover stamped in blind. All edges gilt.

This is the original first edition, not a modern reprint. Actual holdings (as opposed to microform or online files) are uncommon in U.S. institutions.

•  Bound as above; rubbed overall most notably at edges and joints, front joint cracked but holding, spine with paper shelving label. Front pastedown with institutional presentation bookplate, lines unused. Pages faintly age-toned, otherwise clean; one leaf with small edge chip.  (29694)

The work was limited to 100 copies, all printed on Japan vellum. It has an engraved vignette on the black and red printed title, small illustrations or vignettes on 50 text pages, 11 vignette borders or headpieces (three of them in color, 10 of them in anextra state), and 10 tipped-in color plates. The illustrations are by Henri Gervex, J.A. Gonzalès, L. Kratké, Albert Lynch, Adrien Moreau, and Félicien Rops.

Binding:  Full red crushed morocco with five raised bands. Covers with a triple-rule gilt border; spine gilt extra with gilt beading on bands. Triple gilt fillet on board edges. Wide turn-ins richly tooled in gilt and with cream and blue leather inlays that are also gilt-tooled. Blue silk pastedowns and free endpapers. Marbled paper fly-leaves. All edges gilt. Binding signed “David.”

Provenance:  Red leather bookplate of Cortlandt Field Bishop, the famed collector of the early 20th century and, at one time, owner of the TWO most important auction galleries in NY/USA.

Original full-color wrappers bound in.

•  Vicaire, VII, 924.   Uncut copy. Bound as above with original wrappers bound in. Light refurbishment of front joint (outside). A fabulous copy.   (26675)

•  Sabin 48484.   Contemporary Mexican mottled sheep with gilt spine extra; leather lightly worn at edges and with some scuffing. First and last few leaves with soiling/staining, and a few leaves browned due to the nature of their paper; else, clean with only the odd spot or smudge.  (27521)

Provenance:  Front free endpaper with inked inscription reading “A Thanksgiving Appreciation to Miss Alta Anderson from the Parents and Pupils of the Emerson St. Presbyterian S.S. Nov. 28, 1917.”

Signed binding: Publisher's deep violet-blue cloth, front cover with wide gilt border of floral and vine design, spine with gilt-stamped title and fleurons. Signed “EE,” with the second E reversed: Edward B. Edwards, who also designed the interior frames.

•  Binding as above, spine slightly dimmed. Pages and plates clean. A lovely copy.  (28954)

The volume was printed by the Haddon Craftsmen and the aquatone illustrations by Edward Stern & Company; there are 20 mounted photographic facsimiles of Van Gogh letters, sketches, and lithographs.

This is numbered copy 383 of 650 printed.

•  Publisher's red cloth, covers and spine with veneers of wood-grain paper, in original slipcase; spine and slipcase sunned. Internally crisp and clean.  (30128)

•  Bengesco, Voltaire, 514; Cohen & de Ricci 1035; Graesse 393. Not in Ray, Art of the French Illustrated Book.   Mid-19th-century half dark green morocco and marbled paper–covered sides, leather edges with gilt fillet, spine with gilt-stamped title; spine faintly sunned, minor wear to corners and spine extremities. Top edge gilt. Front pastedown with unidentified dolphin and anchor bookplate. Tissue guard present following frontispiece but not elsewhere. Original ribbon bookmarker present and intact. A very few instances of small, light spots, most pages and certainly the “figures gravèes”) clean and fresh.  (28347)

Click the images for enlargements.

Provenance:  Inside front wrapper, faint pencilled inscription, “Lydia Smith from Theodosia Warfield.”

•  Publisher's printed paper wrappers, spine resewn some time ago. Scattered light spots, corners bumped. Pp. 3/4 torn at inner margin with loss of paper and three letters, not affecting ease of reading.  (27838)

Provenance:  “Jos. Clementson” rather beautifully indited on title-page and p. 1; a “Basinghall Street” address provided in the former place, but the surname there some time ago inked through.

•  ESTC T63197; Hazen 65; NCBEL, II, 1589; Printing & the Mind of Man 211 (for first edition).   Recent quarter calf and marbled paper–covered sides, spine with gilt-stamped leather title-label and interesting, rather deeply blind-tooled compartment decorations; binding clean, fresh, and handsome. Contemporary ownership inscriptions inked as above; frontispiece with small area of offsetting from ink and crease across one corner. One plate with lower outer corner torn away, affecting caption but not image. Pages faintly age-toned, with scattered light spotting only. A delightful book.  (28372)

Provenance: The publisher-issued bookplate and box label proclaim that this copy belonged to L. Haskell Sweet, a New York businessman.

•  Coigney 308.   Publisher's quarter vellum and marbled paper–covered sides, spine with gilt-stamped title; original glassine dust wrapper and original charcoal-colored paper-covered box with personalized label present, wrapper with chips, short tears, and some creasing, and box split at seams with two side elements fully detached (one lost). Vellum of the volume's spine faintly darkened and spotted, book otherwise clean and fresh with top edges gilt; sweet identification as above. A good catch.  (28332)

Bindings: Straight-grained maroon morocco, covers framed in gilt triple fillets, spines with gilt-stamped author and title; board edges with gilt roll, turn-ins with gilt double fillets. All edges gilt.

Provenance:  Front pastedowns each with armorial bookplate of collector John Train; front fly-leaves with early inked ownership inscriptions of Lucy S. Sanford and T. (or J.?) Lister.

•  NSTC 2W4371. Bound as above, rubbed at joints/extremities, hinges (inside) tender; text block of vol. II starting to separate from spine and front free endpaper with outer edge chipped.  Pages generally clean; moderate foxing to some plates, with offsetting to surrounding pages. Unusual and very attractive.  (30156)

The volume was designed by Lewis F. White and printed in an edition of 920 copies; this is numbered copy 648, andsigned by the artist.

•  Publisher's airbrush-patterned paper–covered sides with copper foil backstrip stitched in black (stitching intact); front upper outer corner and back outer edge bumped, paper showing minor wear, foil chipped at head and foot. Front free endpaper with inked ownership inscriptions dated 1933 and 1977. Stains and smudges to early leaves with the occasional spot elsewhere; most plates and pages with waterstaining to upper outer corner, not touching images. Not a “painful” copy but not pristine either; priced accordingly.  (29246)

The volume opens with a wood-engraved frontispiece and title-page, the latter done by Augustus Kinnersley; vignettes by Phinneas F. Annin, E.J. Whitney, and others are sprinkled throughout, many featuring children with birds or animals. First published in 1842.

Binding:  Publisher's dark terra-cotta cloth, front cover black- and gilt-stamped, spine with gilt-stamped title, back cover with blind-stamped frame. All edges gilt.

•  Bound as above; minor wear to extremities, otherwise fresh and bright. Pages gently age-toned with very few spots of light foxing. A very nice copy.  (30287)

•  Publisher's red cloth; dust jacket. Top of dust-jacket is a little frayed with tiny tears with slight loss of paper; short tears to front crease of the dust jacket at base of spine. A very good copy.  (21998)

Binding:  Publisher's brick-colored cloth, front cover decoratively stamped in black and gilt withthree affixed CHROMOLITHOGRAPHIC illustrations of children at play.

•  Binding as above, spine and extremities moderately worn, small spots of light discoloration mostly confined to spine and edges. Pages faintly age-toned with intermittent light spotting; six images with early hand-coloring as above. Really, a very pleasing copy anda covetable gift for anyone who appreciates the joys of childhood.  (30281)

Click the images for enlargements.

•  Publisher's maroon cloth, front cover with gilt-stamped title and vignette of an invalid, spine with gilt-stamped title; minor wear to edges and extremities, spine with small area of discoloration at head. Ex–social club library with one of its most attractive bookplates on front pastedown, title-page pressure-stamped, small inked numeral on dedication page, no other library markings. Front free endpaper with early pencilled ownership inscription. Pages slightly age-toned, otherwise clean.  (27183)

•  Publisher's blue cloth, spines with gilt-stamped titles; lacking dust jackets and front free endpaper of vol. I with affixed publisher's blurb clipped from same; spines with inked call numbers. Neat institutional rubber-stamps on front pastedowns, first text pages, and lower and outer page edges of closed books (not title-pages). Pages clean. (20791)

This work is rarely found in the deluxe binding: The handsomely gilt-stamped publisher's cloth is the norm.

•  NSTC 2W24418; Allibone 2762.   For binding, see: Morris & Levin, Art of Publisher's Bookbindings, 44. Binding as above, showing minor wear to extremities and front cover vignette, original silk bookmark detached and laid in. Volume slightly shaken with text block starting to pull away from spine; this is the kind of volume that wants to do that, and the reader will want to “cradle” it in hand — that done, no worries. Front fly-leaf with early pencilled gift inscription and with a Maine druggist's small ticket. Mild to moderate foxing. Both funny and decorative, in a publisher's binding that may fairly be called “DAZZLING.”  (26748)

•  Publisher's brown paper–covered boards, front cover with title and author's signature stamped in black, and with affixed printed paper illustration; without dust-jacket, paper mottled, edges and extremities rubbed, front cover with two small scrapes. A few faint smudges to some pages, otherwise clean.  (29138)

Binding:  Publisher's cream-colored paper, front cover with black-stamped lyre decoration, back one with black-stamped laurel wreath; spine with black-stamped decorations (no title). All edges gilt.

•  Binding moderately rubbed, spine darkened. Two leaves with tears from margins extending into text, without loss; pages and plates clean. Inherently a bit fragile, this is standing up well to the years.  (27087)

•  Sabin 106261; Palau 379641. Contemporary mottled sheep and calf as above, corners and edges worn, all joints cracking, both volumes with minor worming to front covers and pinholes to spines; vol. I with loss of leather over spine head (half of top compartment). Pencilled check marks scattered throughout; front free endpaper and recto of last text page of vol. II with annotations.

•  Sabin 106266; Palau 379645. Volumes bound in paper wrappers, back wrapper lacking in both cases; front wrappers reinforced with printed papers taken from other items. Reverse of frontispiece in vol. I and front pastedown in vol. II with small bookplates of private collector. Edges untrimmed. Scattered spots; pages and plates generally in good clean condition.

Binding:  Russell-Rutter Company binding of quarter dark green morocco with green linen–covered sides, front cover with embossed portrait in black.

This is numbered copy 972 of 1500 printed, signed by the illustrator at the colophon. The appropriate LEC newsletter is laid in, noting that this volume is part of the LEC's British poets series.

•  Bibliography of the Fine Books Published by the Limited Editions Club, 425.   Binding as above, in original glassine wrapper and black paper-covered slipcase with gold spine label; spine leather very slightly, almost unnoticeably sunned, book otherwise clean and fresh. Wrapper with spine darkened and torn, with loss; one side of slipcase with two faint scratches, overall showing only minimal wear. Book/slipcase as a whole in beautiful clean condition; book's pages crisp. (30088)