British Collectibles and Curiosities

Set of 8 West Point Cadets in box by W. Britain. One with loose arm/rifle. Winter dress. Pre-WWII. Original Whisstock box, as found. Box: 14.75" x 3.5" x 1.25" h. Figures: 2.75" x 1"...

A weathered and well-preserved 170 year old limestone ionic capital. A neoclassical architectural fragment from history, it is of classical ionic style w...

Sir John Soane’s Museum, London – by Stefan Buzzas and Richard Bryant. 1997, 2nd Edition. Full-color art and architecture book showing the rooms of the Soane House museum. Sir ...

An English Regency period neoclassical inlaid mahogany architectural ballot box with a broken pediment top over canted fluted plasters on the sides below, c...

BRAUND, J.- "ILLUSTRATIONS OF FURNITURE candelabra musical instruments from the great exhibitions of London & Paris with examples of similar articles from Royal Palaces and noble man...

Hand modeled fore-and-aft rig in a glass and bronze case waving the American flag. A simply stunning clipper ship model leaving no detail to attention undone. A seemingly spectacular...

A beautiful English Wedgwood jasperware vessel with a neoclassical design, circa 20th century, England. Piece is a matte stoneware in a light green with a white a neoclassical raised...

Newton, ISAAC. Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica Rare 1726 third edition of newton's principia, the last edition edited by newton and the basis for all subsequent editions. One of only 1250 copies printed. "The Principia is generally described as the greatest work in the history of science. Copernicus, Galileo and Kepler had certainly shown the way; but where they described the phenomena they observed, Newton explained the underlying universal laws. The Principia provided the great synthesis of the cosmos, proving finally its physical unity. Newton showed that the important and dramatic aspects of nature that were subject to the universal law of gravitation could be explained, in mathematical terms, within a single physical theory. With him the separation of natural and supernatural, of sublunar and superlunar worlds disappeared. The same laws of gravitation and motion rule everywhere; for the first time a single mathematical law could explain the motion of objects on earth as well as the phenomena of the heavens. The whole cosmos is composed of inter-connecting parts influencing each other according to these laws. It was this grand conception that produced a general revolution in human thought, equalled perhaps only by that following Darwin's Origin of Species. It was the final, irrevocable break with a medieval conception based on Greek and Roman cosmology and a scholastic system derived from the medieval interpretation of Aristotle... Newton's universe, almost independent of the spiritual order, ushered in the age of rationalism, scientific determinism and the acceptance of a mechanistic view of nature" (Printing and the Mind of Man 161). On the history and importance of the third edition: Towards the end of his life, Newton "gave one last effort to the Principia. It is clear that he regarded the Principia rather than the Opticks as his masterwork... He worked over the Principia without end to hone its language to a perfect expression of his ideas. Perhaps the appearance of a reprint of the second edition in Amsterdam in 1723 stimulated Newton to put his plan for a new edition into action. Perhaps a serious illness in 1722 reminded him that he could not delay forever. We know only that printing of an edition more sumptuous than either of the others began in the fall of 1723. As editor, Newton had the services of a young member of the Royal Society, Henry Pemberton... In the fall of 1723, Pemberton addressed to him the first of thirty-one communications which stretched over the following two-and-a-half years while the edition passed through the press... Through 1724 and 1725 the edition made its slow but steady progress toward completion with none of the delays that stopped the press during the second edition. Newton dated the preface 12 January 1726. It was the last day of March when Martin Folkes presented a copy 'richly Bound in morocco Leather' to the Royal Society in Newton's name. In all, 1,250 copies were printed..." (Westfall, The Life of Isaac Newton...

Silver card case, with hallmarks, Robert Thornton, Birmingham, England, 1877. Card case with opening (hinge) on one of its smaller sides, made of silver in its color and decorated w...

A pair of Coade stone figurative panels. Stamped Coade, Lambeth, 1786.

Rare and important large engraved map of Africa with old water coloring accents. The cartouche on the upper right reads "Africa with all its states, kingdoms, republics, regions, ...

Early 19th century carved marble bust of Sir Walter Scott. Beautifully depicted wearing tartan and on a period neoclassical socle. Large-scale and hero...