New York: Burt Franklin, (1970). Hardcover. 8vo. Reprint of 1925 edition. Blue cloth boards with gilt title to spine. Pristine interior. Tight binding. 88 pages. BOB/112304. Near Fine. More
London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner, and Co., 1893. Hardcover. Printed at the Ballantyne Press for Kegan Paul and bound by Riviere. Near fine in three quarter vellum backed blue cloth boards with dark blue leather title label to spine. Minor chipping to edges of title label. Elaborate gilt stamping to spine. Bookplate of Hamill featuring a centaur to front pastedown. Sporadic foxing throughout. Includes 25 illustrations. 111 pages plus notes. An attractive book. POE/070308. Near Fine. More
San Jose, CA: 2007. Paperback. A UNIQUE ARTISTS’ BOOK which has been signed and dated by the artist. The words “Star Spell” are written largely in resist and have been watercolored over to reveal the words across the twilight sky background. The familiar rhyme reads: “Star light / star bright / first star / I see tonight / I wish I may / I wish I might / have the wish / I wish tonight.” Fine in grey paper wrappers with white hand lettered title to spine and silver star to front panel. The interior is bound accordion style and is hand painted and lettered in white on Zerkall Book paper. This is a charming book by well known calligrapher, Cari Ferraro. In addition to her unique artists’ books and small limited editions, she has written several books detailing her calligraphy techniques. [16 pages.] ARTB/012408. Fine. More
Brussels: G. Van Oest, 1912. Hardcover. Folio. Bellini (c.1400-c.1470) was a key figure in the development of Renaissance painting in northern Italy. He also founded something of a dynasty, with his sons and son-in-law, Andrea Mantegna, all becoming famous painters in their own right. Most of Bellini’s paintings have disappeared, and his two surviving sketchbooks, one at the Louvre and one at the British Museum, are how he is best remembered. These two oversized folio volumes lavishly reproduce the masterful drawings from each sketch book along with a facing description of each. Volume I has 134 plates and Volume II has 100. Many are on double pages and fold out. Very good in the original half vellum with brown paper boards and gilt title to spine and front boards. As with most heavy books, the joints show some splitting but have been repaired and are holding tight. The vellum has some soiling and spotting, and there is minor scuffing to the paper boards. The interior is bound tightly and is very clean. ART/8122. Very Good. More
Rochester NY: Leopard, Sue Huggins, 2005. Leopard, Sue Huggins. Hardcover. 8vo. 3 of 10 copies. SIGNED BY ARTIST. Lovely work by this noted printmaker and book artist. Fine in beige cloth boards with title label on front and long beige ribbon ties. Six accordion style fold out pages reproduce stunning color prints by Huggins, each with a water theme. Unpaginated. PRI/051107. Fine. More
New York: Duffield and Company, 1916. Parrish, Maxfield. Hardcover. 8vo. This scarce title includes a charming MAXFIELD PARRISH frontispiece color illustration titled “Courage.” With over 40 short stories for children. Very good in red cloth boards with dark red title and illustration to spine and front board. There are a few white scuff marks to the front board, minor wear to edges, and a small closed tear to head of spine. There is minor foxing to the first few pages and a few pages have folded corners. This uncommon book would make a good addition to a serious Maxfield Parrish collection. 341 pages. CHILD/041107. Very Good. More
London: Clover Hill Editions at the Rampart Lions Press, 1974. Burne-Jones, Edward. Unbound. Prints (sold individually) of Burne-Jones’s illustrations, which were originally designed to accompany The Story of Cupid and Psyche in a Kelmscott version of Morris’s The Earthly Paradise. The book was never completed. The original woodblocks, carved mostly by William Morris, were left to the Society of Antiquaries after his death. The blocks were “rediscovered” in the 1960s, and in 1974, the Rampant Lions Press published an edition of the work using them. These engravings were printed from those original wood blocks. The book and prints were in a limited edition of 100. A separate cloth box housed 44 loose prints. Paper size: 13 x 9 inches. Image size: 4 x 2 inches. PRE/100716. Fine. More
London: Clover Hill Editions at the Rampart Lions Press, 1974. Burne-Jones, Edward. Unbound. Prints (sold individually) of Burne-Jones’s illustrations, which were originally designed to accompany The Story of Cupid and Psyche in a Kelmscott version of Morris’s The Earthly Paradise. The book was never completed. The original woodblocks, carved mostly by William Morris, were left to the Society of Antiquaries after his death. The blocks were “rediscovered” in the 1960s, and in 1974, the Rampant Lions Press published an edition of the work using them. These engravings were printed from those original wood blocks. The book and prints were in a limited edition of 100. A separate cloth box housed 44 loose prints. Paper size: 13 x 9 inches. Image size: 4 x 2 inches. PRE/100716. Fine. More
London: Clover Hill Editions at the Rampart Lions Press, 1974. Burne-Jones, Edward. Unbound. Prints (sold individually) of Burne-Jones’s illustrations, which were originally designed to accompany The Story of Cupid and Psyche in a Kelmscott version of Morris’s The Earthly Paradise. The book was never completed. The original woodblocks, carved mostly by William Morris, were left to the Society of Antiquaries after his death. The blocks were “rediscovered” in the 1960s, and in 1974, the Rampant Lions Press published an edition of the work using them. These engravings were printed from those original wood blocks. The book and prints were in a limited edition of 100. A separate cloth box housed 44 loose prints. Paper size: 13 x 9 inches. Image size: 4.25 x 3.25 inches. PRE/100716. Fine. More
London: Clover Hill Editions at the Rampart Lions Press, 1974. Burne-Jones, Edward. Unbound. Prints (sold individually) of Burne-Jones’s illustrations, which were originally designed to accompany The Story of Cupid and Psyche in a Kelmscott version of Morris’s The Earthly Paradise. The book was never completed. The original woodblocks, carved mostly by William Morris, were left to the Society of Antiquaries after his death. The blocks were “rediscovered” in the 1960s, and in 1974, the Rampant Lions Press published an edition of the work using them. These engravings were printed from those original wood blocks. The book and prints were in a limited edition of 100. A separate cloth box housed 44 loose prints. Paper size: 13 x 9 inches. Image size: 4 x 2 inches. PRE/100716. Fine. More
London: Clover Hill Editions at the Rampart Lions Press, 1974. Burne-Jones, Edward. Unbound. Prints (sold individually) of Burne-Jones’s illustrations, which were originally designed to accompany The Story of Cupid and Psyche in a Kelmscott version of Morris’s The Earthly Paradise. The book was never completed. The original woodblocks, carved mostly by William Morris, were left to the Society of Antiquaries after his death. The blocks were “rediscovered” in the 1960s, and in 1974, the Rampant Lions Press published an edition of the work using them. These engravings were printed from those original wood blocks. The book and prints were in a limited edition of 100. A separate cloth box housed 44 loose prints. Paper size: 13 x 9 inches. Image size: 4 x 2 inches. PRE/100716. Fine. More
London: Clover Hill Editions at the Rampart Lions Press, 1974. Burne-Jones, Edward. Unbound. Prints (sold individually) of Burne-Jones’s illustrations which were originally designed to accompany The Story of Cupid and Psyche in a Kelmscott version of Morris’s The Earthly Paradise. The book was never completed. The original woodblocks, carved mostly by William Morris, were left to the Society of Antiquaries after his death. The blocks were “rediscovered” in the 1960s, and in 1974, the Rampant Lions Press published an edition of the work using them. These engravings were printed from those original wood blocks. The book and prints were in a limited edition of 100. A separate cloth box housed 44 loose prints. Paper size: 13 x 9 inches. Image size: 4.25 x 3.25 inches. PRE/100716. Fine. More
London: Clover Hill Editions at the Rampart Lions Press, 1974. Burne-Jones, Edward. Unbound. Prints (sold individually) of Burne-Jones’s illustrations which were originally designed to accompany The Story of Cupid and Psyche in a Kelmscott version of Morris’s The Earthly Paradise. The book was never completed. The original woodblocks, carved mostly by William Morris, were left to the Society of Antiquaries after his death. The blocks were “rediscovered” in the 1960s, and in 1974, the Rampant Lions Press published an edition of the work using them. These engravings were printed from those original wood blocks. The book and prints were in a limited edition of 100. A separate cloth box housed 44 loose prints. Paper size: 13 x 9 inches. Image size: 4.25 x 6.25 inches. PRE/121807. Fine. More
London: George Allen, 1898. Hardcover. Quarto. 93 of 300 copies. A beautifully illustrated collection of poetry featuring angels, hell, tombs, soldiers, knights, cemeteries, shipwrecks, and more. Black and white illustrations on each page by Anna Richards (1834 - 1900), best known for her children's books including "A New Alice in the Old Wonderland." Raised in Pennsylvania as a Quaker, she became the wife of the celebrated American landscape painter, William T. Richards. Their daughter Anna Richards Brewster was also a painter. This collection of verses, first published in 1881, was designed "to give expression to every possible form of conflicting thought and feeling" (preface of 1881 edition). The sonnets printed in calligraphic style on fine woven paper. This volume has been rebound in full dark grey leather with five raised bands to spine with no lettering to it or front board. The interior is lovely save for some light offsetting to many pages caused by facing illustrations. Previous ownership inscription dated 1899, gifted to Esther Morton Smith to front free endpaper. Smith (1865 - 1942) was an American poet and artist. 57 pages plus 3 page index of first lines. PRI/031308. Near Fine. More
Boston: Roberts Brothers, 1870. Hardcover. 8vo. The uncommon FIRST AMERICAN EDITION. This was to be Rossetti’s last attempt at fiction. The title story, Commonplace, was a Jane Austen-like work of satirical social observation and commentary. It was the tale of three parentless sisters and their paths to marriage or another fate. It was published May 5, 1870, and was not well-received, unlike her earlier poetical works. Bound in original green publisher’s cloth with gilt title and author to spine. Very good plus except for wear to top and bottom of spine and bumping to board corners. Dark brown endpapers. There is light spotting to front endpapers, title page and contents page as well as to fore-edges, otherwise the interior is clean and bright. Some pages have very light creases to upper right margins. An extremely nice copy of Rossetti’s last fictional work. 329 pages plus 5 pages of ads. PRERAPH/102407. Very Good +. More
Boston: Little, Brown & Company, 1909. Hardcover. 8vo. A beautiful set of the complete poems of Rossetti. It includes those that were published both before and after his death, with a preface and notes written by his brother, William Michael Rossetti. The works are categorized (poems, lyrics, translations, etc.) and within each category are in the approximate order they were written. Elegantly bound in three quarter brown leather with burgundy and blue marbled boards. There are six gilt compartments to spine, four with a floral design and the title and volume number in the other two. The marbled endpapers match the covers. The interior is clean and bright, with the first few signatures in each volume slightly loose but holding well. A previous owner has written little adages about life in pencil on the free endpaper in each volume. Frontispiece portrait of Dante Rossetti in Volume I. Volume I has 336 pages.; Volume II has 293 pages. PRERAPH/043008. Near Fine. More
London: 1892. Slipcased. Scarce. “The Novel Review” and its predecessor “Tinsley’s Magazine” were published 1867-1892. The periodical’s purpose, as stated by the editor, was to meet a want created by the increasing quantity of fiction published each year (896 new novels in 1891 alone) by providing a means for ordinary readers to be able to select the works most worth reading. Each issue was to list all novels published that month, with critical reviews of the more important works. This issue includes a very interesting piece by the young G. Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) in which he reviews his own first few novels, saying that this was because of “the extreme difficulty of finding anyone else who has read them.” At this point in his writing career he had achieved limited success, so the ironic and somewhat bitter tone of the article is not surprising. Very good in the original fragile wraps with pictorial cover. There is chipping, particularly to the spine, and the covers have extensive darkening. There is darkening to the first few pages of ads and to the last few. The text itself is reasonably bright and clean. There are illustrations of Mrs. Humphry Ward, Bjorstjerne Bjornson, and Shaw, all protected by tissue guards. Housed in a faded green slipcase with chipped quarter leather back, with a two-fold folder protecting the periodical. A wonderful rare item for the Shaw completist. Pages 193 - 284. LIT/092707. Good. More
London: Smith, Elder, 1888. Hardcover. 8vo. FIRST EDITION. SIGNED LETTER. Includes a one and a half page handwritten and signed letter by Ward to her publisher. Also features the bookplate of accomplished Danish actor, Jean Hersholt (1886 - 1956), which is pasted down to the front end page of Volume I. Hersholt, perhaps best known for his role as Shirley Temple’s grandfather in Heidi (1937), appeared in over one hundred films, directed several films, won a Golden Globe Award, and was nominated for an Academy Award. He was also an eminent collector of books by Hans Christian Andersen and translated many of Andersen’s fairy tales into English. These were later published in six volumes and are still considered to be one of the best English translations. Born in Australia, British author Mary Augusta Ward (1851 - 1920) published under her married name, Mrs. Humphry Ward. She was passionate about improving education for the poor, and supported opening Oxford University to women. She helped form the Association for the Education of Women in 1878; however, she was also an anti-suffragette and served as the founding president of the Women's National Anti-Suffragette League in the early 1900s. This novel, which was a best seller in the 1800s, follows a Victorian clergyman through his religious crisis in which he doubts his faith after reading the work of German rationalist philosophers. Instead of turning to atheism, he becomes a "constructive liberal" and gets involved in social work with the poor and uneducated. It was written loosely as a response to a sermon by John Wordsworth suggesting that religious unsettlement leads to sin. Her overly sensitive treatment of the subject led to it being a great success during a time period in which it may easily have viewed as blasphemy. A very good triple decker set in the original blue cloth with gilt titles to spines and black titles to front boards. There is a small closed tear along the exterior front joint of Volumes I.and II All volumes have minor wear and a few chips to the book cloth along the corners, edges, and hinges. Bumping to corners, minor rubbing to boards, and wear to joints. The interiors remain very clean overall. There are floral patterned end pages in first two volumes and variant chocolate colored end pages in Volume III. The set is housed in an attractive dark green half-morocco slipcase with maroon and gilt leather labels to spine. There are a few minor scuff marks to the case and a closed tear to the hinge of the tri-fold sleeve which fits within. Volume I has 371 pages; Volume II has 374 pages plus ads; Volume III has 411 pages. LIT/031908. Very good. More