NPT Books

Sotheby's, English Furniture, Ceramics and Decorations: Including Property from the Collections of the Dowager Duchess of Bedford and Mrs. Douglas Auchincloss Oct. 20 & 21, 2003. No....

Two Private Presses The Four Wind Press and the Stone House Press on Long Island by Joan Digby, Limited 1st Ed 1/200. Published by The Four Winds Press, New York, 1988. The story of ...

Fine Furniture: A Timeline in Woods by Mallett & Son Antiques. Mallett & Sons Antiques, 2007. 1st Ed softcover. 144 pp. Illustrated with furniture, mirrors, and accessories all photo...

How to Detect Damaged, Altered and Repaired Stamps by Paul W. Schmid. Published by Palm Press Huntington, NY, 1979. Avoid costly mistakes. Paul Schmid explains how to detect alterati...

Introduction to United States Revenue Stamps by Richard Friedberg and Classic U.S. Imperforate Stamps by Jon Rose. Published by Linn's Stamp News, 1994/1990. 1st Ed softcover.s Reven...

Fundamentals of Philately by L.N. Williams. Published by American Philatelic Society, 1990. 1st Ed hardcover. The book includes 2 chapters on general collecting and the remaining 13 ...

Winterthur by Jay E. Cantor, Signed and Inscribed by the Author. Published by Harry N. Abrams, New York, NY, 1986. 2nd Ed hardcover with dust jacket. Traces the history of the Delawa...

The Jay Hoffman Collection of United States Stamps: Sale 956, Thursday & Friday, May 8-9, 2008, by Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Inc. One of the most important collections to c...

Dutch Colonial Homes in America by Roderic H. Blackburn, Photography by Geoffrey Gross and Susan Piatt, introduction by Harrison Frederick Meeske. Hardcover with dust jacket. 240 pp....

Wine Lover's Devotional: 365 Days of Knowledge, Advice, and Lore for the Ardent Aficionado by and Signed by Jonathon Alsop. Published by Quarry Books, 2010. 1st Ed hardcover. For tru...

Sotheby's Catalog, An Important Russian Imperial Jewel. Geneva 17 November 2005. 1st Ed hardcover. "An impressive and highly important diamond ornament from the collection of the Russian Imperial Family, Russia, second half of the 18th century. This diamond necklace with bowknot clasp is not only a remarkable jewel in itself, but its Russian royal provenance puts it in a class of its own. It evokes the blinding splendour of Catherine II, Empress of Russia: the magnificence of her court, her parks, her palaces, her art collections, and monuments. The most striking and colourful figure on the stage of European political life, for thirty four years she ruled a mighty empire which stretched from Siberia to Poland and left it stronger, larger and richer than when she came to the throne in 1762. After her death in 1796, her friend the Prince de Ligne, who had named her Catherine the Great, declared that this title- which has never been lost- resumed all her genius, courage, sense of justice, and force of character. Using her court as a stage, she played the part of an autocratic but enlightened ruler to perfection, imposing in her public appearances, kind and charming in private. The French ambassador, the Comte de Ségur who noticed how “her majestic head and brow, proud look and dignified deportment made her seem taller than she was”, was also impressed by her feminine grace “ her aquiline nose, well shaped mouth, Saxe blue eyes beneath dark lashes, gentle glance and seductive smile”. In spite of her success, she once confided to the Prince de Ligne that she could have served Russia better if she had been born a man. Ever the courtier, he assured her that being a woman was a positive advantage. “Believe me, you are so much more impressive in your beautiful embroidered orange red velvet dolman or tunic than a man decked out in boots and shoulder sash can ever be. In addition the five huge diamonds blazing out from your hair are far more effective than a man’s hat which is either ridiculously small or ridiculously big”. He was right. Her diamond jewellery proclaimed her power and her rank as Empress and appealed to the Russian taste for sumptuous goods. It impressed the Rev. William Coxe, visiting St. Petersburg in 1778: “the glory and the splendor of the clothing of the court and abundance of precious stones leave the opulence of other European courts far behind” and his opinion was shared by the acute Madame de Stael...

Die Fouquet, 1860-1960: Schmuck-Kunstler in Paris by Sigrid Barten. (The Fouquet 1860-1960: jewelry artists in Paris." Published by Benteli, 1984. 1st Ed hardcover with dust jacket. ...