Antiquarian and Collectors’ Books

SAPPHO. - [Anne DACIER.] Les Poesies D'Anacreon et de Sapho, Traduites de Grec en Francois, avec des Remarques par Mademoiselle le Fevre. Paris: Denys Thierry & Claude Barbin, 1681. First edition of Dacier's translation, 12mo (161 x 90mm.) Engraved frontispiece, engraved head and tail-pieces, text in French and Greek. (Toning, browning.) Contemporary calf, gilt lettering to spine (light rubbing). Provenance: 'A.C.' (ink inscribed to front pastedown).

DAVID GARRICK. - Francois Beroalde DE VERVILLE. Le Moyen de Parvenir, Contenant La Raison de tout ce qui a été, est & sera. Nulle Part: 1000700407 [Holland: 1747.] 2 vols. Derniere Édition, 12mo (131 x 82mm.) 12pp. Avertissement 'Guillaume Meyer' to rear of vol. 2., manuscript annotations mounted to rear pastedowns. (Moderate browning and spotting throughout, pencil highlighting throughout both volumes.) Near contemporary half calf over marbled paper-covered boards (rubbing, surface wear and fading). Provenance: David Garrick, actor and playwright (initial blank ink inscribed 'Bought at David Garrick's Sale, April 30, 1823'); Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex (bookplates to the front pastedowns); R.F.W. Brandt (stamps to the initial blanks) (2).

LA FONTAINE, Jean de. Contes et Nouvelles en Vers. Paris: Plassan and Chevalier, 1792. 2 vols. 8vo (193 x 115mm.) 2 engraved portrait frontispieces, 79 engraved plates after Charles Eisen, half-titles, letterpress vignettes and tailpieces. (Intermittent spotting and browning, creasing to title of vol. 2 and rear leaves, occasional minor soiling.) Contemporary mottled calf, two green morocco lettering pieces to the spines (rubbing, some surface loss to extremities). - And a further five volumes (including another copy of Fontaine's work 'Contes et Nouvelles, en Vers', 2 vols., 1780, 12mo) (7).

[GROSE, Francis.] Lexicon Balatronicum. A Dictionary of Buckish Slang, University Whit, and Pickpocket Eloquence… and now considerably altered and enlarged with the Modern Changes and Improvements, by a Member of the Whip Club. London, Pall-Mall: for C. Chappel, 1811. 8vo (211 x 133mm.) (Spotting to preliminaries, browning.) Near contemporary half calf over marbled paper-covered boards (upper cover nearly detached, rubbed to extremities). - And a further three volumes (including Thomas Dilworth's 'The Young Book-Keeper's Assistant: Shewing Him in the Most plain and easy Manner, the Italian Way of Stating Debtor and Creditor', 1793, 8vo, and Alain-René Lesage's 'Le Diable Boiteux: or, the Devil Upon Two Sticks', 1763, 8vo) (4).

BUSINESS. - Mathieu de LA PORTE. La Science Des Negocians, et Teneurs de Livres, ou Instruction Generale. Paris: Guillaume Cavelier and Charles Osmont, 1704. First edition, oblong 4to (120 x 192mm.) In 3 parts. (Browning and offsetting to first leaves, toning, occasional damp-staining, crease to title, lacking front blank?) Near contemporary calf, paper label to spine in manuscript (repair to top of spine, extremities rubbed, endpapers replaced). Note: scarce. A work on business administration, often reprinted. The first part deals with accounting, the second with double-entry book-keeping and third with various aspects of business, such as letters of credit.

EUROPE. Recueil de Diverses Relations Remarquables des Principales Cours de L'Europe, Ecrites pour la pluspart par des Ambassadeurs qui ont Residé a ces Cours. Cologne: [Amsterdam] chez Pierre du Marteau, 1681. 12mo (128 x 68mm.) (Spotting and browning from X-Ff, illegible name to title.) Contemporary calf, gilt lettering and decoration to spine (some fading to lettering, light rubbing). Note: rare. Translated from the original Italian, a compendium of anecdotes and protocol for European ambassadors and diplomats.

BONAPARTE, Napoleon. - Laurence STERNE. La Vie et Les Opinions de Tristram Shandy, Traduites de l'Anglois de Stern, Par M. Frénais. London [Paris: Hubert Martin Cazin],1784-1785. 3 vols. (of 4). Engraved portrait frontispiece, half-titles. (Toning, browning to half-titles, damp-staining to frontispiece, note in manuscript hand to half-title of volume 1.) Contemporary panelled calf, g.e. (rubbing to extremities, lacking lettering pieces). Note: on the half-title of volume 1 is a note in a mid-19th century hand: 'this book was the property of Buonaparte and was [sic] in the sale of his library brought from St. Helena [sic]'. The title-pages bear the circular black stamp used by Napoleon's librarian, Mameluke Ali. When Napoleon died in 1821, there were 3,500 books in his library at Longwood House, St. Helena. As in this example, Mameluke's stamp is rarely clear. Provenance: M. Stanger (name inscribed verso the front-free endpaper); Napoleon Bonaparte (stamps to title-pages) (3).

D'AUDIGUIER, Vital. Histoire des Amours Lysandre et de Caliste- Histoire der Liefde van Lysander en Caliste. Amsterdam: Jean de Ravesteyn, 1663. 12mo (123 x 68mm.) Title, additional engraved title, 16 engraved plates. (Toning, browning, occasional damp-staining, blanks replaced, note in manuscript hand about the book on initial blank, paper repair to last leaf.) 19th century diced morocco (some loss to spine and seam split, inner hinge weakened, endpapers replaced). Provenance: J. Beer (bookplate to front pastedown); Joseph Knight (bookplate to front-free endpaper).

LE ROUX, Philibert Joseph. Dictionaire Comique, Satyrique, Critique, Burlesque, Libre & Proverbial. Amsterdam: Michel Charles le Cene, 1718. First edition, 8vo (183 x 120mm.) Title in red and black. (Browning, occasional spotting, illegible name to title.) Near contemporary calf (lacking lettering piece, surface rubbing). - And a further four volumes (including a 'Nouvelle Édition' of Philibert Joseph Le Roux's 'Dictionaire Comique', 1750, 8vo, and 'Anecdotes Secrettes', 1746, 12mo, attributed to Antoine Pecquet, and 'Elite des Bons Mots et des Pensées Choisies', 1704, 12mo) (5).

HERMANN, Hugo. Pia Desideria. Lyon: Pierre Guillimin, 1679. New edition, 12mo (113 x 54mm.) 47 numbered and engraved illustrations. (Toning, paper repair to last leaf, trimming to upper margins with loss to headlines.) Contemporary calf (lacking lettering piece, upper joint splitting, light rubbing). Note: the emblems are accompanied by Latin verses, taken mostly from the psalms. - And a further five volumes (including, in Greek, Homer's 'Odyssea', 2 vols., 1811, 16mo, and three volumes in Latin) (6).

ENNIUS, Quintus. Poetae Vetustissimi Fragmenta Quae Supersunt ab Hieron. Amsterdam: Henrik Wetstein, 1707. 4to (198 x 142mm.) Title in red and black, engraved frontispiece of the poet meeting Virgil, index to rear. (Toning.) Contemporary vellum, manuscript lettering to spine (minor marks, browning). Note: an experimenter with literary forms, this volume contains Ennius' 'Annales', his year-by-year history of the Roman Republic in verse. Considered the 'father' of Latin poetry because he was the first to use Latin as a literary language in competition with the Greek language. Provenance: George Cornewall Lewis (bookplate verso initial blank).

GRATIAN. Decreti huius plenissimum argumentum. Paris: John Petit and Thielmann Kerver, 1516. Signed in 8s (214 x 151mm.) Gothic letter, title in red and black with printer's device, double-column text surrounded by commentary, large woodcut verso title of Gratian in his study surrounded by popes and cardinals, woodcut of the 'Tree of Kindred and Affinity', decorative woodcut initials, 2pp. of contemporary bound-in leaves to front and rear with manuscript notes. (Marginal loss to title affecting woodcut to verso, a 3-inch tear to 'Tree of Kindred', occasional marginal damp-staining and corner creasing,) Contemporary calf over wooden boards (rebacked), housed within a 20th century brown cloth-covered solander box. Note: dated to title and to colophon at p.582. Provenance: Robert Rickman (name inscribed to title-page).

SOPHOCLES. Sophoclis Tragoediae Septem, Cum Interpretationibus Vetustis & valde utilibus. Frankfurt: Petrus Brubach, 1544. 4to signed in 8s (226 x 165mm.) Title in red and black, text in Greek with commentary surround, woodcut headlines and initials, printer's colophon to rear with device representing Janus Bifrons. (Toning, occasional browning, partial crease on title-page, notes in an 18th century manuscript hand on title, lacking blanks.) Contemporary German elaborately blind-stamped pigskin with date '1544', mounted paper label to spine (some soiling, extremities rubbed). Provenance: Adam Krolik (name tooled to the upper cover).

PINKERTON, Robert. Russia: or, Miscellaneous Observations on the Past and Present State of that Country and its Inhabitants. London: Seeley & Sons., 1833. First edition, 8vo (243 x 146mm.) 8 hand-coloured lithographic plates. (Browned to margins, occasional spotting, lacking half-title.) Contemporary half calf over marbled paper-covered boards, gilt lettering to spine (rebacked with original spine laid down, label residue to front pastedown, rubbing, minor surface loss to spine and upper cover).

BURMA. - Frederick Brickdale DOVETON. Reminiscences of the Burmese War, in 1824-5-6. London and Taunton: W.A. Woodley, 1852. First edition, 8vo (179 x 114mm.) 5 tinted lithographs with tissue-guards. (Toning to margins, occasional spotting and damp-staining to plates, an annotation in ink to p.4.) Original red cloth blind-stamped with pictorial gilt to upper cover, original spine laid-down (rebacked, light rubbing). Note: scarce. Provenance: Royal Dublin Fusiliers (bookplate to front pastedown); H.W. Higginson (name inscribed to initial blank).

RICHARDSON, Samuel. A Collection of the Moral and Instructive Sentiments, Maxims, Cautions, and Reflections, Contained in the Histories of Pamela, Clarissa, and Sir Charles Grandison. London: for S. Richardson, 1755. First edition, 8vo (167 x 96mm.) Title, 'Table to the Sentiments' to rear. (Browning.) Early 19th century blind-stamped cloth (rubbing to extremities). Provenance: T.F. Redding (ink name inscribed to the initial blank).

BIBLE, In English. The Holy Bible Containing the Old Testament and the New, Newly Translated out of the Original Tongues and with the Former Translations diligently Compared and Revised. London: John Bill and Christopher Barker, 1671. Engraved General title with architectural borders, red-lined throughout, numerous engraved plates, NT title dated 1669 and with imprint 'In the Savoy' and with engraved Royal coat-of-arms, includes Apocrypha. (Toning, occasional browning, K8 with small marginal tear, Ee3 with marginal loss, lacking blanks.) [Bound with:] 'The Book of Common Prayer, And administration of the Sacraments'. London: John Bill and Christopher Barker, 1671. Engraved plate of Charles II. (Toning.) [Bound with:] 'The Whole Book of Psalms'. London: T.R. for the Company of Stationers, 1669. (Last leaves with corner creases, C5-C6 partially adhering, marginal damp-staining to last leaves.) 8vo (171 x 115mm.) Near contemporary calf, gilt rectangles with floral corner-pieces (endpapers replaced, light rubbing.) Note: scarce. Text ends on Aaa3 b and the Xx8 a headline is 'Paul's Ministry'. [Herbert 705.]

BIBLE, In English. The Holy Bible Containing ye Old and New Testaments Newly Translated out of ye Original Tongues and with the former Translations diligently Compared and revised. London: John Field, printer to the Parliament, 1653. 24mo signed in 12s (118 x 60mm.) OT only, engraved General title showing David and the Evangelists and with a list of books verso, with 'The Book of Psalms'. (Lacking 5 psalms to rear, ending at Dd2 b, toning.) Mid-18th century black morocco, gilt borders with triangle-shaped gilt fleuron corner-pieces, g.e. (rubbing to extremities). Note: the engraved title is signed 'L. Lucas fecit'. Provenance: Mary Rutherfurd (name inscribed to initial blank). [Herbert, 639.]

SPENCE, Joseph. A Parallel; in the Manner of Plutarch: Between a most celebrated Man of Florence and One, scarce ever heard of, in England. London: at Strawberry-Hill by William Robinson, 1758. Limited edition, one of 700 copies. Engraved portrait vignette of Antonio Magliabechi to title-page, 1p. advertisement verso last leaf. (Browning, some offsetting, spotting to endpapers.) [Bound with:] John ARMSTRONG. 'The Art of Preserving Health: a Poem'. London: A. Millar, 1754. Fourth edition. Half-title, engraved vignette to title-page. (Toning, occasional spotting.) 8vo signed in 4s (173 x 108mm.) Near contemporary half calf, red morocco lettering piece to the spine (rubbing to extremities). Provenance: Thomas Borrett (armorial bookplate to the front pastedown); J. Ballad (ink name inscribed on front-free endpaper); Charles H.L Woods (ink name inscribed on front-free endpaper).