Antiquarian and Collectors’ Books

KIRBY, William F. European Butterflies and Moths. London: Cassell, Petter, Galpin & Co., 1882. 4to (272 x 206mm.) 62 lithographed plates, all but 1 hand-coloured, tissue-guards. (Some spotting to several guards, occasionally to plate margins.) Near contemporary half calf, black morocco lettering piece to the spine (rubbing to extremities).

BINDINGS. - Thomas WRIGHT. The History of Ireland; From the Earliest Period of the Irish Annals, to the Present Time. London and New York: John Tallis and Company, [circa 1854.] 3 vols., 4to (269 x 182mm.) Numerous steel-engraved plates. (Toning, occasional spotting, surface loss to front pastedowns.) Near contemporary red half calf, burgundy and brown morocco lettering pieces to the spines (rubbing to extremities, minor scuffing, some dust-soiling to covers). - And a further thirty-six volumes, mainly history and literature (including John Frost's 'Pictorial History of America', 2 vols., 1856, 8vo) (39).

BIBLE, In English. The New Testament of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ According to the Present Authorized English Version. London: De La Rue, Cornish and Rock, [1831.] Large 4to (285 x 203mm.) Text printed throughout in gold, double-column on white enamelled paper. (Some dust-soiling to title and some margins, soiling verso the front-free endpaper, last text leaf 4T, loose.) Original burgundy full morocco with wide Greek-key border in blind around a central vignette of the Ascension in blind to both covers, spine in blind with an altar and Sacrament before a church window and the agony in the Garden above, red silk doublures, elaborate gilt turn-ins, g.e. (rubbing to extremities, wear at top of spine). Note: rare. Thomas De La Rue set up business in London in 1821 as a printer and stationer. In 1830, along with Samuel Cornish and William Rock he received a Royal Letters Patent for the printing of playing cards and the publication of this bible, and the presenting of it to King William IV, likely secured the patent. The De La Rue company progressed to printing postage stamps, and then bank notes. The company is still trading and describes itself as 'the world's largest commercial security printer and paper maker'.

BIBLE, In English. The New Testament of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ According to the Present Authorized English Version. London: De La Rue, Cornish and Rock, [1831.] Large 4to (291 x 200mm.) Text printed throughout in gold, double-column on white enamelled paper. (Title nearly detached and soiling verso, occasional dust-soiling to margins.) Original burgundy full morocco with wide Greek-key border in blind around a central vignette of the Ascension in blind to both covers, spine in blind with an altar and Sacrament before a church window and the agony in the Garden above, green silk doublures, elaborate gilt turn-ins, g.e. (rubbing to extremities, especially at top of spine, front-free endpaper browned). Note: rare. Thomas De La Rue set up business in London in 1821 as a printer and stationer. In 1830, along with Samuel Cornish and William Rock he received a Royal Letters Patent for the printing of playing cards and the publication of this bible, and the presenting of it to King William IV, likely secured the patent. The De La Rue company progressed to printing postage stamps, and then bank notes. The company is still trading and describes itself as 'the world's largest commercial security printer and paper maker'. Provenance: J.H. Hoiser (gift inscribed to on paper name-plate mounted to front-free endpaper).

BINDINGS. - Gilbert WHITE. The Natural History of Selborne. London: White, Cochrane, and Co., et al., 1813. 2 vols., 8vo (213 x 121mm.) Half-titles, 2 engraved frontispieces, 2 engraved plates, including 1 hand-coloured of 'A Hybrid Bird', 17pp. 'Index' to rear of volume two. (Offsetting of plates, toning, blanks replaced, 1 plate heavily spotted.) Near contemporary calf, two morocco lettering pieces to the spines (rebacked, endpapers replaced). - And a further thirty-one volumes of mainly 19th century literature (33).

MILITARY. - George TANCRED. Historical Record of Medals and Honorary Distinctions Conferred on the British Navy, Army & Auxiliary Forces. London: Spink & Son., 1891. 3 vols., 4to (237 x 181mm.) Chromolithographed plates, and profusely interleaved with manuscript notes, names of medal recipients and mounted paper illustrations. (Toning, a quire loosening in volume 1.) Original red half calf (joints rubbed) (3).

COOKERY. A Collection of Ordinances and Regulations for the Government of the Royal Household, Made in Divers Reigns, from King Edward III to King William and Queen Mary. Also Receipts in Ancient Cookery. London: for Society of Antiquaries by John Nichols, 1790. 4to (262 x 210mm.) Engraved title device. (Spotting to preliminaries.) Contemporary brown calf, gilt ruled, brown morocco lettering piece to spine (inner hinge weakening, lightly rubbed). Note: includes details of royal household banquets and the recipes to the rear are from a 15th century manuscript. Provenance: Samuel Boddington, M.P. (armorial bookplate verso the title-page).

BOTANY. - John MILNE & SONS. The British Farmer's Plant Portfolio. Specimens of the Principal British Grasses, Forage Plants, and Weeds With Full Descriptions. Montrose: Robert R. Balfour, 1890. Second edition, folio (411 x 272mm.) Title, 7pp. 'Preface', 56 dried plant specimens mounted on card with printed captions, 1p. 'Index'. (Toning, offsetting of plants, minor soiling.) Original roan-backed red cloth, gilt lettering to upper cover (tape repair to spine, some scuffing). Note: scarce.

GARDENS. - William ROBINSON. Gravetye Manor, or Twenty Years' Work round an Old Manor House. London: John Murray, 1911. Folio (390 x 277mm.) Etched frontispiece by Philip Pimlott with captioned tissue-guard, 36 illustrations, including 4 plates, 'Le Jour Viendra' armorial bookplate to front-free endpaper. (Toning, spotting to endpapers). Original full limp vellum, gilt lettering to spine and upper cover (lacking ties, soiling mainly to upper cover, spotting to lower cover). Provenance: Peter Herbert, late owner of Gravetye Manor (bookplate verso front-free endpaper).

GARDENS. - William ROBINSON. Gravetye Manor, or Twenty Years' Work round an Old Manor House. London: John Murray, 1911. Folio (389 x 277mm.) Etched frontispiece by Philip Pimlott with captioned tissue-guard, 36 illustrations, including 4 plates. (Mild toning.) Original full limp vellum, gilt lettering to spine and upper cover, green silk ties (ties frayed), original cloth-covered box (damp-stained, spotting, browned). Provenance: Peter Herbert, late owner of Gravetye Manor (bookplate verso front-free endpaper).

GARDENS. - William ROBINSON. Gravetye Manor, or Twenty Years' Work round an Old Manor House. London: John Murray, 1911. Folio (395 x 286mm.) Etched frontispiece by Philip Pimlott with captioned tissue-guard, 36 illustrations, including 4 plates. (Toning, spotting to pastedowns and endpapers.) Original card covers, black lettering to spine and upper cover (chipping to margins, some loss to spine panel, some staining). Provenance: Peter Herbert, late owner of Gravetye Manor (bookplate verso upper cover).

GARDENS. - William ROBINSON. Home Landscapes. London: John Murray, 1914. First edition, folio (327 x 265mm.) Photographic plates, tissue-guards. (Mild toning.) Original half vellum, gilt titling to spine, t.e.g., original box (worn). Provenance: Peter Herbert, late owner of Gravetye Manor (bookplate to front pastedown).

BOTANY. - William ROBINSON. [Flora and Sylva. London: 17, Furnival Street, E.C., 1903-1905.] 3 vols., author's 'dummy' copy, 4to (319 x 240mm.) 66 chromolithographed plates after H.G. Moon, tissue-guards, wood-engraved illustrations, several author annotations in blue crayon to margins. (Lacking title and half-title to volume 1, toning, some spotting to plates and tissue-guards in volume 2.) Original half vellum over white cloth, gilt titling to spines (some spotting and browning to vellum). Provenance: William Robinson (bookplate to front-free endpaper of volume 3); Peter Herbert, late owner of Gravetye Manor (bookplate to front-free endpaper of volume 1 and front pastedowns of volumes 2 and 3) (3).

BOTANY. - William ROBINSON. Flora and Sylva. London: 17, Furnival Street, E.C., 1903-1905. 3 vols., with 5 a.l.s. from William Robinson to E.A. Bowles, 4to (313 x 240mm.) 66 chromolithographed plates after H.G. Moon, tissue-guards, wood-engraved illustrations, a newspaper obituary of botanical artist Henry George Moon tipped-in on initial blank, 2 a.l.s.' mounted to front-free endpapers of volumes 1 and 2, the other 3 loosely inserted. (Mild toning, some spotting to plates in volume 3.) Original half vellum over white cloth, gilt titling to spines, t.e.g. (minor soiling to cloth, some scuffing). Note: the letters from Robinson to the horticulturist and writer E.A. Bowles cover the period of 'Flora and Sylva''s publication and reference the 'considerable loss' it causes Robinson financially. However, Robinson also suggests that it was the early death of botanical artist Henry George Moon which caused him to stop because 'there was no-one generally I could depend on whose work would be worth reproducing in the best way, a very costly affair'. Provenance: Peter Herbert, late owner of Gravetye Manor (bookplate to front pastedown of volume 1) (3).

BOTANY. - William ROBINSON. Flora and Sylva. London: 17, Furnival Street, E.C., 1903-1905. 3 vols., 4to (318 x 241mm.) 66 chromolithographed plates after H.G. Moon, tissue-guards, wood-engraved illustrations. (Toning, light spotting to some plates and tissue-guards.) Original blue cloth, gilt titling to upper covers and spines, t.e.g. (minor staining to spines, extremities rubbed). Provenance: from the estate of Peter Herbert, late owner of Gravetye Manor (3).

GARDENS. - William ROBINSON. [Home Landscapes. London: John Murray, 1914.] First edition, author's copy, folio (328 x 265mm.) Photographic plates, tissue-guards. (Title and 'Contents' leaves excised, numerous annotations, some extensive, and emendations in the author's hand throughout, toning.) Near contemporary green half morocco (sunned to spine, rubbed to extremities). Note: a second edition of 'Home Landscape' was published in 1920, but the author's emendations were not included. Provenance: Peter Herbert, late owner of Gravetye Manor (bookplate to the front pastedown).

GARDENS. - William ROBINSON. Home Landscapes. London: John Murray, 1920. Second edition, author's copy, folio (333 x 264mm.) Photographic plates, tissue-guards. (Toning, contemporary newspaper cuttings related to the author mounted on the front pastedown and front-free endpaper.) Original green cloth, gilt lettering to spine (rubbing to extremities). Provenance: William Robinson (bookplate and name-plate to the front pastedown). - And a further copy of the second edition ('Home Landscapes', 1920, folio) (2).

BOTANY. - William ROBINSON. Flora and Sylva. London: 17, Furnival Street, E.C., 1903-1905. 3 vols., 4to (318 x 240mm.) 66 chromolithographed plates after H.G. Moon, tissue-guards, wood-engraved illustrations. (Toning, occasional browning.) Original blue cloth, gilt titling to upper covers and spines, t.e.g. (extremities bumped, upper joint of volume 1 splitting). Provenance: Charles F. Townley (bookplates to front pastedowns); Peter Herbert, late owner of Gravetye Manor (bookplates to front-free endpapers) (3).

CARTER, Howard and A.C. MACE. The Tomb of Tutankhamen. London: Cassell and Company, Ltd., 1930-1927. 2 vols. [of 3], mixed impressions, 8vo (232 x 153mm.) Numerous photographic plates. (Toning, light spotting throughout volume 1.) Original brown cloth, gilt lettering (spine lean rubbing to extremities of volume 1, inner hinge of volume 2 weakening). Note: volume 1 is the fourth impression of 1930, volume 2 is the first impression of 1927. - And a further fifteen volumes (including Austen H. Layard's 'Discoveries in the Ruins of Nineveh and Babylon', 1853, 8vo) (17).