Antiquarian and Collectors’ Books

HORSFIELD, Thomas Walker. The History of the Antiquities of Lewes and Its Vicinity. Lewes: Sussex Press, J. Baxter, 1824-1832. 2 vols. (including supplement), first edition, 4to (277 x 215mm.) Folding lithographic frontispiece, folding map, 6 folding genealogies, 42 engraved or lithographed plates, numerous wood-engraved illustrations. (Spotting and browning throughout, small tape repairs to verso of frontispiece and other leaves, pp.93-132 of vol. 2 are detached). Contemporary vellum backed boards, morocco lettering pieces to the spines (rubbed to extremities) (2).

GEOLOGY. - Reinhard BRAUNS. The Mineral Kingdom… translated with additions by Leonard J. Spencer. Esslingen: J.F. Schreiber, 1912. 4to (275 x 196mm.) 91 plates (73 coloured), numerous illustrations within text. (Toning to margins, small stamp to top right corner of every plate, stamps to copyright page). Modern brown cloth (replaced endpapers and blanks, gilt titling and reference number to spine). Provenance: Worthing Public Library (bookplate to the front pastedown).

GEOLOGY. - Gideon Algernon MANTELL. A Pictorial Atlas of Fossil Remains. London: H.G. Bohn, 1850. First edition, 4to (280 x 209mm.) 74 hand-coloured lithographic plates (1 folding). (Toning to margins, occasional spotting.) Modern maroon cloth (replaced endpapers and blanks, label to spine). Provenance: Worthing Public Library (bookplate to the front pastedown).

GEOLOGY. - Gideon Algernon MANTELL. The Geological Structure of the Country Seen From Leith-Hill in the County of Surrey. Dorking: printed by Robert Best Ede, [n.d. but circa 1844]. Signed and dedicated by G.A. Mantell ('To Mrs. Carr, with the kind regards of the author, May 23rd, 1845'), 4to (295 x 230mm.) 3 engraved plates with tissue-guards. (Spotting and staining to plate margins, text cracked at p.8.) Original morocco-backed boards, paper titling to upper cover (spine missing, rubbing to all extremities, soiling to upper cover, rear cover loose). Note: scarce.

H.M.S.O (publisher). Drawings of the Flags in Use at the Present Time by Various Nations. Admiralty… by Authority. London: printed under the authority of His Majesties Stationery Office by Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1916. 4to (277 x 179mm.) 202 chromolithographic plates, additional chromolithographic title. (Browning to margins, minor soiling, text cracked at plate 25 and plate 150). Original cloth (rubbed to all extremities).

JONES, Alfred E. The Old English Plate of the Emperor of Russia. London: privately printed by W.H. Smith & Son at the Arden Press, Letchworth, 1909. 4to (310 x 236mm.) Titles in red and black, 50 plates. Original brown half-morocco (minor rubbing to extremities). Provenance: Robert Milnes-Crewe (bookplate to the front pastedown); The West Horsley Place Collection.

TREDGOLD, Thomas. Elementary Principles of Carpentry… a Treatise on the Pressure and Equilibrium of Beams and Timber Frames, the Resistance of Timber and the Construction of Floors, Roofs, Centres, Bridges, &c. London: Printed for J. Taylor, 1820. 4to (262 x 209mm.) 22 engraved plates to rear, numerous tables. (Two small tape repairs to preliminaries, browning to margins.) Contemporary half-calf, five raised bands to the spine with morocco lettering piece to the second compartment (rebacked, replaced endpapers, rubbing to extremities). Provenance: the Royal Institute of British Architects (small stamps to verso of the plates and title-page).

KURTH, Willi (editor). The Complete Woodcuts of Albrecht Dürer. [N.p.:] Privately printed, [n.d. but circa 1940s.] Numerous illustrations of the woodcuts. (Toning to margins.) Original cloth with Dürer's monogram to the upper cover, dust-jacket (browning and chipping to extremities). Provenance: Sybil Waller (bookplate to the front pastedown designed by Austin Osman Spare).

BREMER PRESSE. - Ralph Waldo EMERSON. Nature. Munich: Bremer Presse, 1949. Limited edition, this number 80 of 280 copies. 4to (276 x 189mm.) Title and initials in red and black, limitation page to rear. Original vellum, gilt ruled, gilt titling to spine, t.e.g., slipcase (some browning to margins of case). - And a related volume from the Bremer Presse ('Ballads and Songs of Love', 1930, 4to) (2).

SWINDLEHURST, Thomas W. (calligrapher). - Isaac WALTON. An Extract from the Complete Angler. [N.p.: n.d. but exhibited 1952.] 6pp. transcript, 8vo (233 x 146mm.) In red and black inks. Original goatskin-backed fishskin (boards slightly warped), slipcase. Note: entered in the 'Arts & Crafts Society Florence Exhibition, 24th April-15th May 1952' with tag and label tipped-in.

HEWITT, Graily (calligrapher). - Alfred Lord TENNYSON. A Dream of Fair Women. [N.p.:] 1943. 16pp. transcript, 8vo (254 x 177mm.) Illuminated, red or blue ink initials. Original blue half-morocco. - And one other relating to Graily Hewitt with a tipped-in a.l.s. from Hewitt ('Lettering'. London: 1930. Limited edition of 380 copies, this number 11 of 370 copies for sale, signed by Hewitt, 4to, original buckram) (2).

KELMSCOTT PRESS. - [Geoffrey CHAUCER. The Canterbury Tales. N.p.: printed by William Morris at the Kelmscott Press, 1896.] A single page only, l4, folio (417 x 288mm.) Woodcut initials and devices, one side printed in red and black and with an intricate woodcut border. Original buckram-backed Curwen Press style patterned paper-covered boards (minor rubbing to extremities).

KELMSCOTT PRESS. - Alfred Lord TENNYSON. Maud, a Monodrama. Hammersmith: Printed by William Morris at the Kelmscott Press, 1893. Limited edition, this one of 500 copies, 8vo (251 x 141mm.) Title and first leaf with decorative woodcut borders, decorative woodcut initials, decorations and devices, stanza numbers printed in red. (Occasional very minor soiling, light browning from silk tie to preliminary blank.) Original limp vellum, lettered in gilt to the spine, green silk ties (some minor spotting and soiling to covers, minor wrinkling, one silk tie frayed short), card slipcase (extremities rubbed and soiled). Provenance: Thomas W. Swindlehurst (bookplate to front pastedown).

NASH, John (illustrator). - Edmund SPENSER. The Shepheardes Calender conteyning Twelve Aeglogues Proportionable to the Twelve Monethes. London: The Cresset Press, 1930. Limited edition of 350 copies, this number 260, folio (327 x 197mm.) Additional decorative title, 12 illustrations, all hand-coloured in pochoir, all by John Nash. (Very minor offsetting.) Original vellum-backed silk-covered boards (minor light soiling), card slipcase (soiled, browned and spotted). Provenance: Thomas W. Swindlehurst (bookplate to front pastedown and writing to slipcase).

MANUSCRIPT. - [No 1 This Book Contains the Rules and Orders relating to the Grammar School at Camberwell Surry. N.p. but Surrey: n.d. but circa 1630-1839.] A bound manuscript containing material relating to the formative and later years of Camberwell Grammar School, folio (323 x 212mm.) Comprising the 36pp. charter for the school by Rev. E. Wilson, handwritten on vellum paper; 4 and 9 handwritten lines from 1635 and 1687 detailing the admittance of '12 poore scholars', verso a 'memorandum' from 1688; a handwritten list of the books belonging to the school; a 222pp. handwritten and numbered document in various hands (from 1642-1839) detailing the minutes from meetings and information relating to pupils, staff and governors with signatures of the attendees. (Some creasing, small tears and soiling to margins.) 18th century vellum with ink title on upper cover.

EARLY PRINTING & MANUSCRIPTS. [Fragments of Manuscripts and Early Printing from Bindings from the library of Mansion House, Bengeworth, Worcestershire. N.p.: n.d.] Folio (379 x 257mm.) Manuscript material: 26 fragments (22 mounted and 4 loose), including a 2pp. treatise on Roman law on the rights of woman and children regarding property, circa 1300; 1p. from same treatise on the emancipation of slaves; 2pp. commentary on the New Testament (from Augustine?) on 'Matthew' xxIII 29-33, circa 1500; a fragment in red and blue ink on the Hypostatic Union; 4 small illuminated initials (one damaged) on two fragments, early 14th century; 2 small fragments from a breviary; 3 on logic; 2 from a concordance to the Bible on the duties of parents, 1 on angels verso; fragment from 1489 an Inquest held in Surrey 'Pleas of the crown'; 4 fragments (possibly on virginity, marital duties and the treatment of children and related subjects verso); 3 more fragments on divinity and also 3 ornaments in red and blue, 1 illuminated; 1 loose strip (possibly from the 'Sentences' of Peter Lombard). Printed material: 16 fragments (10 mounted and 6 loose) including a 2pp. fragment 'Tractatus Represaliarum'; 2 fragments from a 16th century dictionary in English ('Med-Myr' headed 'RE' and 'RI'); a small fragment (85 x 55mm at largest point) printed by William Caxton from his 'Doctrinal of Sapyence', it being a portion of 15 lines in Caxton's type 5, circa 1479. Loosely inserted many detailed antiquarian notes on the material and family-related ephemera, including letters and genealogical notes on the 'Cooper' family. Many fragments window-mounted with adhesive tape in a vellum album with 'Hops Gloucester, 1757' on the upper cover (minor soiling to covers). Provenance: Oswald Greenwaye Knapp (bookplate to front pastedown, likely compiler); Anthony Howe Denney (bookplate to front-free endpaper).

LIPSIUS, Justus. Epistolarum Selectarum, E Quibus Tertia nunc primum in lucem Emissa [Centuria I and II]. Antwerp: Ex Officina Plantiniana, 1601. [Bound with:] Centuria Miscellanea, 1602; Centuria Prima Belgus, 1602; Centuria Secunda Ad Belgas, 1602; Centuria Tertia ad Belgas, 1602; Centuria Singularis, 1602. 4to (247 x 170mm.) Title-page for 'III. Centuriae' bound as general title, engraved printer's device to titles (uniform browning to the second part of the volume.) Original vellum, titled 'IVSTI LIPSI OMNIS' to second compartment of spine (soiling to covers and spine worn.) Provenance: Edward Bensley (bookplate to front pastedown). Note: Lipsius published three volumes of his letters ('Centuriae') during his lifetime; the other two were published after his death.

CHINA. - Donald MENNIE. The Grandeur of the Gorges. Shanghai: A.S. Watson & Kelly & Walsh, 1926. First, limited edition, this number 358 of 1000 copies, 4to (313 x 250mm.) 50 mounted photographic plates (12 hand-coloured). Original pictorial brocade silk embroidered covers (in 11 colours) showing a scene on the Yangtze River (few minor marks to lower cover), original box with tissue. Note: the Yangtze river is the longest waterway in Asia and the three gorges are known as the most scenic section of the river. Boats used to take hours to traverse the five locks of the dam but now, using the elevator, it takes forty minutes.

ELEPHANTS. - Jean Pierre L.L. HOUEL. Histoire Naturelle des Deux Éléphans, Male et Femelle, du Muséum de Paris, Venus de Hollande en France en L'an Vi. Paris: L'Auteur, Hotel d' Angeviller, Pogens and others, 1803. 4to (323 x 246mm.) 20 engraved plates by Houel with tissue-guards. (Some spotting and browning to margins, occasional crease to preliminaries.) Contemporary red morocco with repeating gilt decoration to spine (heavily rubbed to extremities and spine ends, some surface wear to covers). Note: Houel's illustrations depict the life of two Indian elephants brought to Paris in 1797. The engravings show the elephants, bathing, courting, mating and, finally, a plate of an elephant being born.