18th Century and Earlier Books

A beautifully photographed 2 volume box set of books which presents this prestigious collection of furniture in a way that cannot be seen by visitors to the palace. Versailles was th...

A beautiful and scarce 'Bell's Edition of Shakespeare', the vanishingly scarce large paper variant, illustrated with engraved plates. The very scarce complete twenty volume set. A large paper edition, uniformly bound in full morocco. In 1785, John Bell began to issue the 36 separate plays of Shakespeare individually, collecting them here in twenty volumes in 1788 as the 'Dramatick writings of Will. Shakspere'. The set is scarcely found complete. The first two volumes here are a remarkably comprehensive and broad 'Prolegomena' to Shakespeare's works, and offer interesting analysis of Shakespeare from an era where many of his plays were often interpreted differently, both in their production and in their critical reception. The subsequent eighteen volumes consist of the plays themselves, along with notes from Samuel Johnson and George Stevens, a highlight of this particular edition. Volumes I & II: Prolegomena To The Dramatick Writings of Will. Shakespeare. Nine plates to volume I, and eight to volume II. Volume III: The Tempest and Two Gentlemen of Verona. Four plates. Volume IV: The Merry Wives of Windsor and Much Ado About Nothing. Four plates. Volume V: Measure for Measure and A Comedy of Errors. Four plates. Volume VI: Love's Labour's Lost and A Midsummer Night's Dream. Four plates. Volume VII: The Merchant of Venice and As You Like It. Four plates. Volume VIII: The Taming of The Shrew and All's Well That End's Well. Four plates. Volume IX: Twelfth Night and Winter's Tale. Four plates. Volume X: Macbeth and King John. Four plates. Volume XI: King Richard The Second...

These are a wonderful addition to a library or study! The two books date to 1777 or the era of George III. At first glance, I thought they were Italian, but upon further study, they ...

This is the FIRST EDITION of COLERIDGE'S FIRST BOOK OF POEMS. A. S. W. Rosenbach deemed it "An important literary volume." (Rosenbach 29:108). It includes four sonnets by Charles Lam...

"D’Erven Stichter’s Comptoir Almanach, Op ’t Jaar onzes Heeren Jesu Christi, 1785. Voorzien met alle de Jaar-, Paarden-, Beesten-, en Leermarkten, alsmede de Vacantien, het Varen der...

London, 1796. 64mo, 1 1/4 x 1 3/8 in. (57 x 33 mm), 24pp. Very beautiful publisher's Venetian style mosaic style inlaid morocco in green, red, and blue, with gilt decorations, centr...

Author: Ariosto (Lodovico). Title: Orlando Furioso In English Heroical Verse. By Sir John Harington of Bathe, Knight. Now thirdly revised and amend...

AUTHOR: MACHIAVELLI, Nicolas TITLE: The Works of the Famous Nicolas Machiavel, Citizen and Secretary of Florence. Written originaIly [sic] in Italian, and from thence newly and fait...

RARE: John Evelyn the Younger's first book, rare first issue with title date 1672. Rapin, René (1621-1687) and Evelyn, John (the Younger 1655 -1699), translator Of Gardens; Four Boo...

Presenting a fabulously rare antiquarian book from 1791, namely, Demosthenis Selectae Orationes by Richard Mounteney 1791 7th Edition. Leather Spine in very good condition. Leathe...

AUTHOR: HABINGTON, William. TITLE: The Historie Of Edward The Fourth, King Of England. PUBLISHER: London: by Tho. Cotes, for William Cooke, 1640. DESCRIPTION: FIRST EDITION. 1 vo...

The Chinese Pavilion at Drottningholm is one of the most remarkable "chinoiseries" anywhere in the North of Europe-not because of its size and the splendour of its collections, but b...

An extremely rare first edition: William Somner, The antiquities of Canterbury. Or a survey of that ancient citie, with the suburbs, and cathedrall. Containing principally matters of...

Author: Robinson, Mary. Title: Hubert de Sevrac, a Romance of the Eighteenth Century. Publisher: London: for the Author by Hookham and Carpenter, 1796. Description: First edition. 3 vols., 6-13/16" x 4-7/16", errata at the end of each vol., advertisement leaf at the end of vol. 3, vol. 2 M6 with early repaired tear at foot, without the half-titles, bound in fine contemporary full speckled calf, floral gilt decorated spines, gilt lettered red and green spine labels, covers ruled in gilt. Condition: Internally clean and bright, armorial bookplate of Sir John Eden to front pastedowns, extremely minor foxing to first and last leaves, inner and outer hinges fine, head and foot of spines fine, a handsom set. Additional information: An exceedingly rare gothic novel by Robinson (known as "the English Sappho") set during the French Revolution. In her lifetime Robinson was better known as an actress and lady of fashion as well as for a string of prominent affairs, including with George IV whilst he was still Prince of Wales whose portrait she wore encrusted with diamonds throughout her life but who she did not hesitate to blackmail for £5000 pounds when he cast her off. Her literary output, though derided at the time, has since been reassessed and Robinson herself now seen as a proto-feminist. Mary Robinson was one of those independent 'viragos' who upset so many conventional men at the end of the eighteenth century. She was admired by Mary Wollstonecraft...

Voyage to the Cape of Good Hope, towards the Antarctic polar circle, and round the world, but chiefly into the country of the Caffres, from the year ...

Decorate a library or office with this set of large antique books. Dated from 1727 to 1748, and printed in Paris during the reign of King Louis XV, these important leather bound books features the following: French book titled Remarques Critiques sur le Dictionnaire de Bayle, "Première Partie: A-F," published in 1748. The book was printed in Paris by Hyppolite-Louis Guerin and in Dijon by Hermil-Andrea. It includes decorative typography and a royal privilege. 1- Oeuvres Diverses de Mr. Pierre Bayle, published in 1727 in The Hague (La Haye). The book is the third volume of Bayle’s works, focused on historical and critical topics. It was printed by multiple publishers, including P. Husson, T. Johnson, P. Gosse, and others, with a decorative vignette illustration. It bears the privilege of the States of Holland and West-Friesland. 2- Oeuvres Diverses de Mr. Pierre Bayle, the fourth volume (Tome Quatrième), published in 1731. The book includes a collection of Bayle’s works on theology, philosophy, criticism, history, and literature. It was printed in The Hague (La Haye) by multiple publishers, including P. Husson, J. Swart, H. Scheurleer, and others. A vignette featuring the figure of Minerva, symbolizing wisdom, adorns the page. The publication bears the privilege of the States of Holland and West-Friesland. 3- Oeuvres Diverses de Mr. Pierre Bayle, the fourth volume (Tome Troisieme), published in 1727. The book includes a collection of Bayle’s works on theology, philosophy, criticism, history, and literature. It was printed in The Hague (La Haye) by multiple publishers, including P. Husson, J. Swart, H. Scheurleer, and others. A vignette featuring the figure of Minerva, symbolizing wisdom, adorns the page. The publication bears the privilege of the States of Holland and West-Friesland. 4- Oeuvres Diverses de Mr. Pierre Bayle, the second volume (Tome Second), published in 1727. The page highlights Bayle's work on theology, philosophy, criticism, history, and literature. Printed in The Hague (La Haye) by several publishers including P. Husson, T. Johnson, P. Gosse, and others, it features a detailed vignette of Minerva, the goddess of wisdom, along with scholarly and architectural motifs. The publication is authorized by the States of Holland and West-Friesland. 5- Dictionaire Historique et Critique by Pierre Bayle, fifth edition, published in 1734 in Amsterdam by the Compagnie des Libraires. It is the fifth volume (Tome Cinquième), covering entries S-Z. The edition is revised, corrected, and expanded with critical remarks, and includes the biography of the author by Mr. Des Maizeaux. The page features an illustrative vignette depicting a classical figure, possibly representing history or wisdom, teaching young students. 6- Dictionaire Historique et Critique by Pierre Bayle, fifth edition, published in 1734 by the Compagnie des Libraires in Amsterdam. It is the third volume (Tome Troisième), covering entries G-L. The edition is revised, corrected, and expanded with critical remarks and includes Bayle's biography by Mr. Des Maizeaux. The page also features an illustration of a classical figure seated with children, symbolizing education or wisdom, surrounded by books. The publication includes the privilege of the publisher. 7- Dictionaire Historique et Critique by Pierre Bayle, fifth edition, published in 1734 by the Compagnie des Libraires in Amsterdam. It is the second volume (Tome Second), covering entries B-F. The edition has been revised, corrected, and expanded with critical remarks, and includes Bayle's biography by Mr. Des Maizeaux. The page also features an engraved vignette of a seated classical figure, symbolizing knowledge or wisdom, teaching children with books...

Ballets Russes Richard Shead. Greenwich Editions, 1998 - Biography & Autobiography - 192 pages."A prodigious concentration of talent combined to produce the legendary Russian Ballet....

AUTHOR: [MISSAL]. TITLE: The Office of Holy Week, According to the Messel & Roman Breviary;... PUBLISHER: Paris: By the Company of Booksellers assigned to the Book of Holy Week, 1...

This is the FIRST EDITION OF ROBERT FERGUSSON'S POEMS in a very attractive binding. It presents poems in both English (1-84) and Scots (80-121) and includes a Glossary of Scots words...

This is a complete folio with 34 loose plates in colour and black and white showing elegant 18th century decorative wall panels, wall hangings and arabesques. An excellent design res...

A very good copy of Bleyswijck famous description of the history, topography, institutions, and commercial life of Delft in the 17th Century. The plates are exquisite depiction's of ...

This is Gilpin's third in his series of works tracing picturesque beauty in British natural landscapes. In it he portrays the landscapes of Scottish Highlands, and describes them lyrically in his text. Prefacing the list of Prints at the end of the second volume, the author says "With regards to the prints, which adorn these volumes, I can only say..... that few of them pretend to be 'exact portraits.' They in general 'only characterize the countries,' through which the reader is carried." The illustrations, based on Gilpin's sketches, were etched by his nephew William Sawrey Gilpin using the newly invented aquatint process. This volume also includes a technical discourse about drawing and the mixing of colors, including a chart (vol. 1, p. 131-134) William Gilpin (1724 – 1804) was an English artist, Church of England cleric, schoolmaster and author. He is best known as a travel writer and as one of those who originated the idea of the picturesque. Gilpin's tour journals circulated in manuscript to friends such as the poet William Mason and a wider circle including Thomas Gray...

A beautiful catalogue which was published in 1995, still in the original slipcase, to coincide with an exhibition of the collection of the Museum of Classical Chinese Furniture in San Francisco...

AUTHOR: SHAKESPEARE, William. TITLE: The Works of William Shakespeare. (The London Prodigal) - page 219-220. PUBLISHER: London: Printed for H. Herringman, E. Brewster and R. Bentl...

:Versailles, Trianon, Marly, The Chateaux of Loius XIV This Comprehensive volume documents for the first time twenty-one chateaux and pavilions commissioned by Louis XIV, the 'Sun K...

A beautiful facsimile copy of what is probably the most famous book ever on the subject of furniture. This book is a facsimile of the Chippendale society's own fine copy. Despite i...

A hardback book in cloth covers with dustjacket in very good condition. A unique collection of more than 700 pieces of British and European silver with each object being catalogued and specially photographed for this publication, making it a significant work of reference. Great names from Paul Storr and the royal goldsmiths Robert Garrard, Philip Rundell and Benjamin Pyne to leading Heugenots John Hugh le Sage, David Willaume...

The Dictionary of English Furniture from the Middle Ages to the late Georgian Period, by Percy Macquoid & Ralph Edwards. This is the first edition from 1927 and can be regarded as th...

A RARE EARLY EDITION OF AESOPIC LITERATURE, BEAUTIFULLY ILLLUSTRATED. Les Fables d'Esope Phrigien avec celles de Philelphe; traduction nouvelle, Enrichie de Discours Moraux et Histor...

Set of 2 Books Laques Venitiennes du Dix-Huitieme Siecle" by Saul Levy. This is a scholarly and lavishly illustrated account of Venetian 18th century lacquer furniture published in 1968 in two volumes, with 496 color illustrations - text is in French. Both volumes have their original dust jackets. Volume 1 includes an introduction of 26 pages and plates showing: armchairs, sofas, seats and benches...

'World Chronicle' 1st edition, by Schedel, Nurnberg, 1493 Original woodcut, one page with seven illustrations and Latin text By Hartmann Schedel, originally published: July 12, 1493 Illustrator: Michael...

Set of 8 large, 18th Century leather bound books having a beautiful patina, comprising the “Dictionnaire de Trevoux” a French dictionary th...

Magnificent, tall floor lectern of outstanding quality, superbly carved and detailed. Double sided lectern supported by a finely detailed eagle, on carved stem and tripod base ending...

Two brown cloth covered volumes in similar slipcase with gilt titles which was published to mark the bicentennial of Thomas Chippendale's death. Volume 1 is the text and covers - Chi...

5 volumes. Picturesque Europe. Bound in full black calf with gilt tooled and embossed cover. Gilt-tooling on spines with red and green calf labels. All edges gilt. Marbled endpapers....

A fine FIRST EDITION ELEPHANT FOLIO of Jame's Paine monumental work: Plans, Elevations and Section of Noblemen and Gentlemen's Houses, and also of Stabling, Bridges, Public and Priv...

18th First Edition of "New Art of Cooking" in Spanish with skin flap. Traditional recipes of Spanish gastronomy

Pierre Bayle's Dictionnaire Historique et Critique published in Rotterdam 1715, third edition. Measured as stacked: 15 ¼ inches wide by 10 ¾ inches deep by 9 ½ inches tall; each boo...

This is a RARE first limited edition of Watson's poems, printed on deluxe japon and bound in vellum. Unwin's Cameo series of poetry was a distinctively packaged sequence of books tha...

This late 18th century collection of 55 books, bound in animal hide and vellum, is pleasing to both the eye and the mind. From Dante's divine poetry to Petrarch's sonnets of love, an...

AUTHOR: RICAUT [Rycaut], Paul. TITLE: The History of the Present State of the Ottoman Empire. Containing the maxims of the Turkish Polity, the Most Material points of the Mahometan...

DISTINGUISHED PEDIGREE: from the libraries of Robert Hoe and John Barrymore. Elegantly illustrated and bound copy with a famed pedigree that spans from Robert Hoe—the businessman, collector, and founding member of the Grolier Club in 1884— to "The Lamberts" (probably purchased in the epic Hoe library auction of 1911-1912), who gifted it to the colorful and famous actor John Barrymore. Their bookplates adorn the inside covers, will your bookplate be next? Giarda, Cristoforo Bibliothecæ Alexandrinæ icones symbolicæ … elogiis illustratæ Milan: Giovanni Battista Bidelli, 1628. 4to, 9 5/8 x 7 inches (244 x 178 mm); (xii) + 140 pp, not including plates and inscriptions. Engraved architectural title with Saints Peter and Alexander by Cesare Bassano, 16 copperplates of female figures; woodcut dropcaps and tailpieces throughout. Later (circa 1890) red levant morocco binding by R. Petit (signed in gilt on front turn-in) with triple gilt frames on boards, raised bands, gilt title and decorative motifs in compartments; inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, professionally rebacked preserving original richly gilt backstrip in compartments; title and preliminaries stained, occasional spotting or light soiling and a few small light ink stains to covers. [Praz p.349] Provenance: Robert Hoe (blue morocco book label...

Presenting a very rare and ‘old’ antiquarian book, C Plinii Caecilii Secundi Epistolae et Panegyricus dated 1712. Published by Johannus Minellii in 1712. Covered and bound in v...

A wonderful collection of antique tattered French books discovered in France, representing The Encyclopédie méthodique par ordre des matières ("Methodical Encyclopedia by Order of Su...

A handsomely bound ten volume first complete collected edition of the works of these two celebrated Renaissance dramatists. he first complete edition of the works of these two drama...

The very scarce first edition of Samuel Croxall's translation of the fables of Aesop, illustrated throughout and in a handsome full calf binding. The very scarce first Croxall trans...

A scarce six volume collection regarding agriculture in Scotland during the eighteenth century, with delightful gilt spines. ESTC Citation No. T103102. This work examines agricultu...

This antique book titled "A Voyage to the South Atlantic and Round Cape Horn into the Pacific Ocean", and authored by W. Bennett, on the work of James Colnet...

AUTHOR: REEVE, Clara. TITLE: The Old English Baron: A Gothic Story. PUBLISHER: London: For Edward and Charles Dilly, 1778. DESCRIPTION: SECOND EDITION (FIRST EDITION THUS). 1 vol...

A beautiful Baskerville edition of John Milton's 'Paradise Lost' and 'Paradise Regain'd', both epic poems bound here in one volume. A Baskerville edition. Complete as two volumes b...

"D'Erven Stichter’s Comptoir Almanach, Op ’t Schrikkel-Jaar onzes Heeren Jesu Christi, 1760, voorzien met alle de Jaar-, Paarden-, Beesten-, en Leermarkten Alsmede de Vacantien, het ...

Biblia cum concordantijs veteris & novi testamenti & sacrorum canonum, 1519 A Bible by auteur Alberto da Castello, printed by Luca-Antonio Giunta, Latin Anno 1519, Venice 27-532-55 pages First alphabetical list- Tabula Tertia, after that comes the 1st full page woodblock plate. This title page in red and black with a surrounded frame in woodcut. Above the page “San Jerome” illustrated and below the page the printers mark “ Giunti’s Mark” from the family of printers in Florentine. The initials L A of Luca-Antonio Giunta. After this page starts a full-page woodcut illustration after that are 3 pages not numbered and then starts numbered page 2 – 532 On page 401 is also a full-page woodcut plate There are ca 345 small woodcuts...

A beautiful edition of Johnson's dictionary, a striking copy of the first edition complete in one volume. The first edition to be published in one volume, published by Harrison & Co...

Three-part plainchant polyphonic manuscript of the Nicene Creed probably originating in Spain in the late 16th or early 17th century. This large format manuscript written on paper wa...

Bloemaert, Abraham and Rosweyde, Héribert 't Bosch der Eremyten ende Eremytinnen van Aegypten ende Palestinen (...) [The Forest of Hermits of Egypt and Palestine... Hantvverpen (Antwerp): Hieronymus Verdussen, 1619. Illustrated by Abraham Bloemart. First Edition in book form. 4to, 8 7/8 x 6 3/4 inches (251 x 171 mm). ix pp, 51 sheets on cream laid paper, text in Dutch (gothic letters). 50 numbered full page copperplate engravings of Christian hermit saints (25 male, 25 female), printed recto with text pages on verso. Full-page frontispiece for the work and with an additional full-page frontispiece for each of the two sections. Full contemporary vellum, untitled, with some handling discoloration but the vellum remains supple and the binding is tight. Pages clean and bright with a couple of foxing spots and a small brown stain on the 2nd frontis titled "Sacra Eremus ascetarum"; toned page edges. Previous owner's name and date in ink on front flyleaf and small pencil and ink notations inside back cover; bookplate of Buijnsters Smets pasted inside front cover. [De Backer...

It is rare to find a set of twenty of these volumes, which were published between 1920 and 1930. Each volume contains a title page and varying amounts of text in French - up to 24 pa...

2 Volumes. Daniel Defoe, Robinson Crusoe. Bound by Morrell in full marbled calf. The covers and raised band spines display gilt-tooling with brown morocco labels. All the edges are g...

FIRST and ONLY EDITION Doni, Anton Francesco Disegno del Doni; Partito in più ragionamenti, ne quali si tratta della scoltura et pittura .... Venice: Gabriel Giolito Di Ferrari, 15...

Historical summary of the arcabuceros of Madrid ... Soler, Isidro (fl. circa 1795), Madrid, 1795. Original, leather binding. 86 pages perfect state of conservation. "Historical Comp...

Vol XV 'The Universal Magazine of Knowledge and Pleasure' by John Hinton, published 1754. The Universal Magazine of Knowledge and Pleasure was a per...