8,041 results
1944ref. 2613341944. Poster. Offset Lithograph. 28 x 20 inches. This poster features a vibrantly colored and striking image of a blue-eyed baby girl framed by bold red and blue lettering which urges the population to buy war bonds. This poster is in good condition is creased as issued at original folds. Some rips near edges. unknown books
1917ref. 230473San Francisco: John Henry Nash 1917. Limited. hardcover. good. 40pp. Slim 4to cloth-backed boards with paper spine label; uncut edges. San Francisco: John Henry Nash 1917. Spine quite worn and frayed but internally clean and near fine. Limited edition -- number 44 of only 100 numbered copies. John Henry Nash unknown books
1937ref. 221004San Fransisco: Book Club of California 1937. Limited. hardcover. very good. Slim folio cloth-backed patterned boards somewhat soiled; paper spine label partially lacking. San Francisco: The Book Club of California 1937. Limited Edition -- one of 300 copies. Very good. Laid in is a leaf from the Old Testament the end of Chapter XXII & the beginning of Chapter XXIII with one initial letter. The leaf is lightly stained in the margins; the book is very good with rust marks from a paper clip on two blank pages and very lightly on the title page. The boards are lightly rubbed on the front with stains on the back cover and bumped corners. One of 300 copies printed at the Grabhorn Press. Gsabhorn Bibliography 275. Book Club of California unknown books
1799ref. 26898Brussels: Flon 1799. First. hardcover. very good. Thick 8vo 500 pages. 1/2 tan calf marbled boards. Bruxelles: Flon An VII 1799. First Edition. Very good . An important study on the origin and antecedents of printing by the Belgian bibliographer who did much to establish Gutenberg as the originator of the art. Brunet VI 31191. Biog. univ. 11 66-67. Flon unknown books
1852ref. ST20768London: Simpkin & Marshall 1852. FIRST EDITION. 153 x 102 mm. 6 x 4". 64 pp. Publisher's deluxe red pebble-grain morocco gilt covers with graceful Romantic-style frame central panel of upper cover with gilt lettering that of lower cover with gilt ornament spine blind-stamped to resemble raised bands panels with gilt ornament gilt turn-ins pale yellow endpapers all edges gilt. With title page vignette frontispiece portrait of Wellington and three full-page engravings of battles. Printed entirely in gilt on "enamel" gloss paper. Front free endpaper with faint pencilled signature. Binding very slightly soiled joints and extremities a little rubbed trivial soiling to front endpapers otherwise quite a fine copy the text entirely clean fresh and bright with sparkling gold. This now-scarce luxuriously produced little volume celebrates the life and military achievements of Arthur Wellesley Field Marshall and 1st Duke of Wellington perhaps the most widely admired Briton of the 19th century--and does so in glittering fashion. The key facts of Wellington's life and the decisive battles of his storied career are related here in sparkling gold text and images on alabaster white pages. Poet laureate Tennyson's funerary ode described Wellington 1769-1852 as "the last great Englishman" and his death evoked great mourning in response to his life of public service. DNB notes that his defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo crushing the emperor's ambition for European dominance put him in a class of his own: "No man certainly no Briton had ever been in such a situation before in Europe the object of universal hero-worship and gratitude." Wellington was particularly notable among senior military officers for his determination to lead his troops on the frontline in battle. The three battles depicted in the illustrations here attest to this: in "The Battle of Assaye" we see him on horseback two horses were shot from under him during the conflict wielding his sword as he bears down on enemy cannon. At the "Battle of Vittoria" he is shown leading the infantry to face the enemy with bayonet fixed. And in the decisive "Battle of Waterloo" scene he is once again with the cavalry wheeling to attack the advancing French. The frontispiece shows Wellington astride his famed horse Copenhagen who was his mount at Waterloo. Our volume concludes with a chronology of principal events in the duke's life. It is notable that such a handsome memorial work was produced so quickly after Wellington's sudden death on 14 September 1852: a contemporary ad in Bent's Literary Advertiser notes our title was published on 15 November three days before Wellington's state funeral on the 18th. Copies of this work are rare: we could trace no auction sales and OCLC records only seven copies just one in North America. Simpkin & Marshall unknown books
1902ref. 56590London 1902. 14 x 13-1/2 printed in colors blue purple brown yellow & green. The text and portrait of the King and Queen Alexandra are in blue inside a multi-colored floral border. Some wrinkled at the folds other wise fine. A remarkable survival. Fragile. "On the occasion of the Thanksgiving Service at St. Paul's on Sunday their Majesties will drive along Victoria Street the Embankment and Ludgate Hill returning by Holborn Street Oxford Street Hyde Park and Constitution Hill. unknown books
ref. ST15039bBMcMinnville Oregon: Phillip J. Pirages 2019. ONE OF 84 COPIES in floral-patterned cloth from a total edition of 165 COPIES. Text: 244 x 154 mm. 9 1/8 x 6 1/8"; Case: 502 x 372 mm. 19 3/4 x 14 5/8". ii 75 pp. Bound in floral-patterned cloth after a Morris design by Amy Borezo who also constructed the case holding the volume and leaves. The book printed letterpress on Zerkall Book Laid Vellum paper by Arthur Larson at Horton Tank Graphics. Book layout by Jill Mann. EACH COPY WITH FIVE LEAVES: ONE FROM THE KELMSCOTT CHAUCER with multiple six-line initials AND ONE EACH FROM THE PRESSES OF FOUR GERMAN PRINTERS FROM THE 1470s--PETER SCHOEFFER JOHANN MENTELIN GÜNTHER ZAINER AND ANTON KOBERGER. ◆The incunabular leaves consistently excellent with only minor defects and the Kelmscott leaves which were never part of a bound volume in entirely fine condition. This is a unique leaf book in the way that it combines three elements: a significant private press production involving people at the top of their craft a scholarly commentary that contributes to a further understanding of the history of printing and--most important--five leaves: one from the Kelmscott Press "Works" of Geoffrey Chaucer and four from books issued by German printers at work in the 1470s. The book has been printed and bound by hand by gifted professionals; the essay addresses a topic of significance to typophiles in a considerably more thoroughgoing way than has been done before; and the assemblage of leaves represents a powerful visual reinforcement of the text as well as an opportunity to share in the ownership of four important incunabula along with the extraordinary Kelmscott Chaucer. The story of the production is heavy on serendipity: in the winter of 2012 after purchasing a very incomplete copy of the Kelmscott Chaucer at auction we considered the possibility of producing a leaf book but because the Chaucer--universally considered to be one of the most beautiful books ever printed--had been written about by so many different people in so many different ways we didn't know what aspect was left for us to explore. The one topic we fastened on as thus far inadequately examined is the origin of the work's typeface. We soon learned that Morris who is known to have owned more than 500 incunables most admired--and was consequently most likely to have been influenced in his typographic design by--Peter Schoeffer of Mainz Johann Mentelin of Strassburg Günther Zainer of Augsburg and Anton Koberger of Nuremberg. Over the course of the years succeeding the purchase of the defective Chaucer we were fortunate beyond all expectation to acquire incomplete books from each of these four eminent printers. As a result the present leaf book will allow the reader not only to read in the accompanying essay about the influence on Morris of his typographic forebears but also to compare with his or her own eyes the resemblances between the Kelmscott leaf and the leaves from four centuries earlier. Phillip J. Pirages unknown books
1494ref. EPL96Venice: Bevilacqua 1494. Paperback. Very Good. Printed gloss. Size: 300 x 210mm. Bevilacqua paperback books
1987ref. 43129Long Island City NY: APES 1987. stiff paper wrappers. Printing Equipment. 4to. stiff paper wrappers. 272 pages. One of the annual equipment catalogues issued by this firm. Filled with illustrations. APES unknown books
ref. 50994Long Island City: American Printing Equipment and Supply Co n.d. stapled self paper wrappers. Printing Equipment. 4to. stapled self paper wrappers. 48 pages. A catalogue of composing room equipment cabinets tables racks cases etc. Much of the equipment offered was for schools. Illustrated priced. American Printing Equipment and Supply Co unknown books
1976ref. 110213Long Island City NY: American Printing Equipment & Supply Co 1976. stiff paper wrappers. Printing Equipment. 4to. stiff paper wrappers. 332 pages. The "Bicentennial Edition" of the company's catalogue. Organized by type of equipment including type specimens. Index of products available. "Prices Void" stamped on front wrapper. Wrappers slightly bent at edges. Back wrapper and spine soiled. American Printing Equipment & Supply Co unknown books
1985ref. 892671985. STENCIL PRINTING SERIZAWA Keisuke; YOSHIDA Kogor. KIRISHITAN MONOGATARI. Tokyo Gohachi Showa 60 1985. Bound Western-style in wrappers large 26.7 x 26.3 cm album of bw stencil prints by Serizawa illustrating a brief text by Yoshida a famous scholar and historian. Pictorial vignetttes of the 16th century introduction of Christianity to feudal Japan. One of 200 copies. In about new condition in the original wraparound cover with a printed paper title label and shipping slipcase. unknown books
1923ref. 884591923. WOODBLOCK PRINTING CLAUDEL Paul. SAINTEGENEVIEVE Poeme Par Paul Claudel. Tokio Chinchiocha A.D. 1923. #610 of 1000cc. Tall folding album 32.5 x 13.5 cm bound in paulownia wood kiri. An illustration by Tomita Keisen and a page reproducing Claudel's script were cut into woodblocks by the master Igami Bonkotsu as well as the title design by Noemi Pernessin and a series of text illustrations by Audrey Parr. The rest of the text which is entirely in French is typeset. A lovely French-Japanese collaboration created at the moment that Tokyo was crushed by earthquake and fire. In the original publisher's clasped chitsu case. Near fine. unknown books
1882ref. ST16453Glasgow: Printed by Robert Anderson for Private Circulation 1882. ONE OF ONLY 50 COPIES. 195 x 122 mm. 7 3/4 x 4 7/8". 1 p.l. x 103 1 pp.From George Bannatyne's manuscript compiled A.D. 1568. BEAUTIFUL CITRON CRUSHED MOROCCO ELABORATELY TOOLED IN GILT BY RAMAGE stamp-signed on front turn-in covers with six concentric frames--intricate filigree roll pointillé-tooled floral vine and alternating small ornaments--enclosing a central panel with cornerpieces semé with rows of fleurs-de-lys large oval medallion at center radiating ornate fleurons raised bands spine compartments with large central medallion containing a vase of flowers delicate tooling in corners gilt titling turn-ins framed by filigree roll and alternating small ornaments brown and tan silk jacquard endleaves patterned in a Medieval motif top edge gilt. Printer's device on title page decorative woodcut initials and headpieces. Spines evenly sunned to a warm honey brown corners lightly rubbed short faint scratch to lower board but the binding virtually unworn and happily free of the splaying that plagues vellum books. Leaves lightly rumpled but A VERY FINE COPY the vellum leaves creamy clean and bright and the binding glittering with gold. Printed on luxurious vellum and limited to just 50 copies presumably for private circulation among friends of the printer this is a lovely edition of 16th century poems by a mysterious author believed to have been a poet and musician associated with the court of Mary Queen of Scots. This work contains all 36 extant poems attributed to Scott ca. 1520-82/3 including what is considered to be his most historically important work "Ane New Yeir Gift to Quene Mary" 1562 written in support of the young Scottish queen caught between Catholic and Protestant agendas. His other poems consist largely of lyric verses on love and sexuality which DNB describes as possessing "exceptional metrical variety and vernacular directness" with "a musician's ear for rhythm and melody." Scott's poems are known to us via the Bannatyne manuscript now held in the National Library of Scotland which ranks among the most important documents of Scottish Medieval literature. Written by George Bannatyne in 1568 during a period of confinement due to an outbreak of plague it contains a mixture of both secular and religious material including the sole extant copies of several texts. In the preface to the present work the publisher notes that Scott's poetry has been faithfully reproduced from that manuscript and thus "for the first time accurately printed." Very little is known regarding the life of Alexander Scott but he seems to have been attached to the court of Mary Stuart through John Erskine a guardian and counselor to the queen. Given the very limited number of copies made it is not surprising that this work is extremely rare on the market. Printed [by Robert Anderson] for Private Circulation unknown books
ref. ST15039cAMcMinnville Oregon: Phillip J. Pirages 2019. ONE OF 47 COPIES numbered I-XLVII bound in flexible vellum from a total edition of 165 COPIES. Text: 244 x 154 mm. 9 1/8 x 6 1/8"; Case: 502 x 372 mm. 19 3/4 x 14 5/8". ii 75 pp. Bound in flexible vellum with ties inspired by Kelmscott Press bindings by Amy Borezo who also constructed the case holding the volume and leaves. The book printed letterpress on Zerkall Book Laid Vellum paper by Arthur Larson at Horton Tank Graphics. Book layout by Jill Mann. EACH COPY WITH FIVE LEAVES: ONE FROM THE KELMSCOTT CHAUCER WITH woodcut borders woodcut beginning word and A WOODCUT SCENE DESIGNED BY EDWARD BURNE-JONES AND ONE EACH FROM THE PRESSES OF FOUR GERMAN PRINTERS FROM THE 1470s--PETER SCHOEFFER JOHANN MENTELIN GÜNTHER ZAINER AND ANTON KOBERGER the Zainer leaf featuring at least one woodcut initial. ◆The incunabular leaves consistently excellent with only minor defects and the Kelmscott leaves which were never part of a bound volume in entirely fine condition. This is a unique leaf book in the way that it combines three elements: a significant private press production involving people at the top of their craft a scholarly commentary that contributes to a further understanding of the history of printing and--most important--five leaves: one from the Kelmscott Press "Works" of Geoffrey Chaucer and four from books issued by German printers at work in the 1470s. The book has been printed and bound by hand by gifted professionals; the essay addresses a topic of significance to typophiles in a considerably more thoroughgoing way than has been done before; and the assemblage of leaves represents a powerful visual reinforcement of the text as well as an opportunity to share in the ownership of four important incunabula along with the extraordinary Kelmscott Chaucer. The story of the production is heavy on serendipity: in the winter of 2012 after purchasing a very incomplete copy of the Kelmscott Chaucer at auction we considered the possibility of producing a leaf book but because the Chaucer--universally considered to be one of the most beautiful books ever printed--had been written about by so many different people in so many different ways we didn't know what aspect was left for us to explore. The one topic we fastened on as thus far inadequately examined is the origin of the work's typeface. We soon learned that Morris who is known to have owned more than 500 incunables most admired--and was consequently most likely to have been influenced in his typographic design by--Peter Schoeffer of Mainz Johann Mentelin of Strassburg Günther Zainer of Augsburg and Anton Koberger of Nuremberg. Over the course of the years succeeding the purchase of the defective Chaucer we were fortunate beyond all expectation to acquire incomplete books from each of these four eminent printers. As a result the present leaf book will allow the reader not only to read in the accompanying essay about the influence on Morris of his typographic forebears but also to compare with his or her own eyes the resemblances between the Kelmscott leaf and the leaves from four centuries earlier. Phillip J. Pirages unknown books
ref. ST15039cBMcMinnville Oregon: Phillip J. Pirages 2019. ONE OF 47 COPIES numbered I-XLVII bound in flexible vellum from a total edition of 165 COPIES. Text: 244 x 154 mm. 9 1/8 x 6 1/8"; Case: 502 x 372 mm. 19 3/4 x 14 5/8". ii 75 pp. Bound in flexible vellum with ties inspired by Kelmscott Press bindings by Amy Borezo who also constructed the case holding the volume and leaves. The book printed letterpress on Zerkall Book Laid Vellum paper by Arthur Larson at Horton Tank Graphics. Book layout by Jill Mann. EACH COPY WITH FIVE LEAVES: ONE FROM THE KELMSCOTT CHAUCER WITH woodcut borders and initials and A WOODCUT SCENE DESIGNED BY EDWARD BURNE-JONES AND ONE EACH FROM THE PRESSES OF FOUR GERMAN PRINTERS FROM THE 1470s--PETER SCHOEFFER JOHANN MENTELIN GÜNTHER ZAINER AND ANTON KOBERGER. ◆The incunabular leaves consistently excellent with only minor defects and the Kelmscott leaves which were never part of a bound volume in entirely fine condition. This is a unique leaf book in the way that it combines three elements: a significant private press production involving people at the top of their craft a scholarly commentary that contributes to a further understanding of the history of printing and--most important--five leaves: one from the Kelmscott Press "Works" of Geoffrey Chaucer and four from books issued by German printers at work in the 1470s. The book has been printed and bound by hand by gifted professionals; the essay addresses a topic of significance to typophiles in a considerably more thoroughgoing way than has been done before; and the assemblage of leaves represents a powerful visual reinforcement of the text as well as an opportunity to share in the ownership of four important incunabula along with the extraordinary Kelmscott Chaucer. The story of the production is heavy on serendipity: in the winter of 2012 after purchasing a very incomplete copy of the Kelmscott Chaucer at auction we considered the possibility of producing a leaf book but because the Chaucer--universally considered to be one of the most beautiful books ever printed--had been written about by so many different people in so many different ways we didn't know what aspect was left for us to explore. The one topic we fastened on as thus far inadequately examined is the origin of the work's typeface. We soon learned that Morris who is known to have owned more than 500 incunables most admired--and was consequently most likely to have been influenced in his typographic design by--Peter Schoeffer of Mainz Johann Mentelin of Strassburg Günther Zainer of Augsburg and Anton Koberger of Nuremberg. Over the course of the years succeeding the purchase of the defective Chaucer we were fortunate beyond all expectation to acquire incomplete books from each of these four eminent printers. As a result the present leaf book will allow the reader not only to read in the accompanying essay about the influence on Morris of his typographic forebears but also to compare with his or her own eyes the resemblances between the Kelmscott leaf and the leaves from four centuries earlier. We have additional copies of this binding available at different price points. Please contact us directly for more details. Phillip J. Pirages unknown books
1790ref. ST14261Paris: Drouhin 1790. FIRST EDITION. 265 x 205 mm. 10 3/8 x 8". Two volumes. VERY ATTRACTIVE CONTEMPORARY MARBLED CALF GILT IN A NEOCLASSICAL DESIGN covers with a cresting palmette frame featuring ornate urn ornaments at corners flat spine divided into compartments by Greek key roll floral spray centerpieces one green and one black label marbled endpapers. With 55 PLATES OF COSTUMES designed by Philippe Chéry and engraved by Pierre-Michel Alix 50 of these PRINTED IN COLOR five in black and white a couple of these with color highlights applied by hand and with a color portrait of the author from the 1802 edition tipped in at front. Colas 717; Hiler p. 542; Lipperheide 3203; Cohen-de Ricci 227; Brunet IV 1135. One corner worn to board joints and extremities lightly rubbed but the bindings lustrous and generally very attractive. First volume slightly browned throughout second volume occasionally so volume II with two-inch marginal stain to upper gutter affecting four quires and six plates but not touching text or images two plates with pen marks in margins touching lettering but not image other trivial defects but still an excellent copy internally the colors especially clear and pleasing. This is an elegant production with the Neoclassical binding being the perfect complement to the color engravings of ancient Greek and Roman costumes that illustrate the present history of theatrical attire. In the two volumes here theater critic and historian Jean Charles Le Vacher de Charnois 1749-92 covers Classical tragedies and comedies as well as later interpretations of these dramas by playwrights including Racine. Le Vacher de Charnois intended a series of books encompassing as the title indicates theatrical costumes from all nations and from the ancient to the modern; however the French Revolution interrupted his scheme and as a monarchist he was imprisoned in 1792 for his writings in support of the aristocracy. It was long thought that he had died in the massacres at the Abbaye prison in September of that year but later research indicates that he may have been executed during the Reign of Terror in 1794. The artists who illustrated this work were at the opposite end of the political spectrum. Painter Philippe Chéry 1759-1838 studied with Jacques-Louis David and adopted his master's passionate support for the Revolution as well as his Neoclassical style. Engraver Pierre-Michel Alix 1762-1817 was a specialist in color printing best known for his portraits of leaders of the French Revolution and later of Napoleon and First Empire dignitaries. While the handsome binding here is unsigned the palmette roll on the covers is very similar but not identical to one used by Bozerian see Culot "Jean-Claude Bozerian" roll #44 and plate #XXIV. Perhaps our binder had trained in that atelier as the design and workmanship are certainly of that level. Drouhin unknown books
1773ref. 15878Birmingham: John Baskerville 1773. FIRST BASKERVILLE EDITION. Contemporary tree calf rebacked. An excellent copy from the library of Edward Davenport with his armorial bookplate. First Baskerville edition of this excellent work. Baskerville 1706-1775 was the greatest printer of his era. He began experiments in letter founding and produced his amazing series of types now named after him. “The volume itself can be divided into two main parts. First it contains Sallust’s opus which consists of the following works: two historical monographs Bellum Catilinae ca. 42/1 BC and Bellum Iugurthinum c. 41-40 BC; the extant fragments of Sallust’s Histories written in the conventional annalistic style and covering events from 78 BC onward; and a series of short works which have been wrongly ascribed to Sallust. They are two letters addressed to Caesar Orationes ad C. Caesarem de republica ordinanda and an invective against Cicero C. Crispi Sallustii Declamatio in M. Tullium Ciceronem. It is very likely that both the letters and the invective were actually written after Sallust’s death possibly by rhetoricians writing during the early empire. Finally the second part of the volume contains a summary of Roman history composed by Florus in the second century AD Lucii Annaei Flori Epitome rerum romanarum Lucius Annaeus Florus’ abridgement of Roman history. Composed in a panegyric style it covers 700 years emphasizing the wars leading to the reign of Augustus who is praised for being the emperor who finally brought peace to the Roman world. While in Baskerville’s edition we find this historical summary divided into four books the arrangement currently accepted by scholars is in two books with the following generic title: Flori epitomae de Tito Livio bellorum omnium annorum DCC libri duo”Pablo Alvarez River Campus Libraries University of Rochester. Sallust 86-35 BC was a fourth-century writer historian and politician. A Roman aristocrat he was later a partisan of Julius Caesar. He is the earliest known Roman historian with surviving works to his name. Lucius Annaeus Florus 74-130 AD was a Roman historian born in Africa compiled his history of Rome that despite a number of flaws in geographic and chronological detail was used as a textbook into the nineteenth century. John Baskerville unknown books
1882ref. ST12705Paris: A. Quantin 1882. UNIQUE COPY ON VELLUM printed for M. A. Werlé. 206 x 140 mm. 8 1/8 x 5 1/2". xxxii 247 pp. 1 leaf colophon.With a bio-bibliographical notice by Fernand Drujon. Pleasing burgundy Jansenist crushed morocco by Canape et Corriez stamp-signed in gilt on front turn-in dated 1930 on rear turn-in raised bands turn-ins richly gilt marbled endpapers all edges gilt on the rough. Decorative head- and tail-pieces throughout and eight engraved plates comprised of a frontispiece portrait in four states one on vellum three on paper and an allegorical vignette also in four states. Verso of front free endpaper with ex-libris of Jean Furstenberg. ◆Two small dark spots to upper cover a couple of leaves with naturally occurring minor discoloration to vellum but A FINE COPY--especially clean fresh and bright internally and in a lustrous unworn binding. Given its illustrious provenance and its singular status as the only copy printed on vellum this is a quintessentially bibliophilic copy of the poems of French cleric and diplomat Cardinal François-Joachim de Pierre de Bernis 1715-94. Admired as a witty epigrammist at the court of Louis XV where Madame de Pompadour presided Bernis composed poems on such conventional themes as love and the natural world but also verses contemplating manners and mores fashion independence and love of country. Since none of his poems was published before his death he was not widely known as a poet during his lifetime but in another sphere he performed important service to his country as France's ambassador to Rome. He provided shelter and succour there for refugees from the French Revolution earning the papal epithet "Protector of the Church of France." The present work was printed for Count Alfred Werlé whose father had inherited the Veuve Clicquot Champagne house from the Widow Clicquot. Alfred took over the operation in 1884 and greatly expanded the Veuve Clicquot-Ponsardin vineyards. The volume subsequently passed into the library of the great collector Jean or Hans Furstenberg 1890-1982 who put together one of the finest collections of 18th century books ever assembled. In 1974 the Furstenberg collection was sold en bloc to Dr. Otto Schäfer whose marvelous library had already become distinguished for its fine and historic bindings. A. Quantin unknown books
1796ref. ST12327Paris: P. Didot l'aîné 1796. ONE OF 100 COPIES. 330 x 235 mm. 13 x 9 1/4". 2 p.l. 165 1 pp. Original gray boards flat spine dark gray paper title label two-thirds of the leaves UNOPENED. Engraved printer's device on title page and SEVEN FINE COLOR-PRINTED ENGRAVINGS AFTER PEYRON BY CHAPUY AND LAVALLÉE SOME FINISHED BY HAND. Cohen-de Ricci 730; Brunet III 1860. ◆A couple of very small brown spots and just a hint of soiling as well as minor abrasions to covers corners somewhat mashed as expected isolated trivial foxing to text but A VERY FINE COPY clean and bright internally with vividly colored plates and in a surprisingly sturdy and generally well-preserved original temporary publisher's binding. This is the fine Levy copy of a strictly limited Large Paper edition of a handsomely illustrated work offered here in what seem to be the publisher's temporary boards mostly unopened and virtually untouched internally. Attractively printed with enormous margins the text of the first and by far the most important work here is a prose poem on love supposedly translated from the Greek by one of the great political philosophers of the Enlightenment Charles de Secondat Baron de Montesquieu 1689-1755. In its own day the work was popular largely because of its racy content; today it is considered as a more serious accomplishment by modern scholars who are inclined to see it as a philosophical fable. The colophon informs us that this limited edition was printed with a new type cut and cast by Firmin Didot "with such perfection that up to this moment none other can equal it." The dramatic and animated plates are strikingly different from the Eisen engravings in other editions of this work and are more modern in sensibility than the usual 18th century French engravings. The colophon notes that the plates were broken after the 100 copies of this edition were printed. Our copy was in the outstanding library of American bibliophile Jacques Levy 1905-80 a man of wide-ranging interests who assembled an eclectic collection over 40 years always with a discriminating eye toward visually pleasing and historically important bindings and illustration. In his sale Sotheby's described our binding as being publisher's boards and although the volume seems almost too well preserved to be original we are persuaded by the collector's reputation that this is the correct characterization. P. Didot l'aîné unknown books
1982ref. ST16482Bayreuth: Printed by Chr. Scheufele Offizin Stuttgart for Bear Press 1982. No. 1 OF 10 COPIES ON VELLUM plus a "special" edition of 25 copies and 185 copies on Kochi Japanese paper. 223 x 148 mm. 8 7/8 x 5 3/4". 50 pp. 2 leaves.Translated and with an afterword by Wolfram Benda. Publisher's fine burgundy morocco by Erwin Lehr upper cover with gilt rose in recessed square flat spine with gilt titling turn-ins with gilt fillet frame pale yellow silk pastedowns. In the original burgundy suede slipcase. With three large initials in burnished gold and four signed and numbered original etchings by Peter Klitsch. Printed in red and black. Signed in the colophon by the artist the binder and the publisher/translator. In mint condition. This is the splendid deluxe version of a finely crafted private press edition of Wilde's fairy tales "The Nightingale and the Rose" "The Happy Prince" and "The Selfish Giant." It is the third work issued by the Bear Press founded in 1979 by literary scholar Wolfram Benda and still in operation. According to the firm's website "at a time when the craftsmanship and ethos of the artisan in bookmaking have been damaged by ever-increasing industrialization and neglect . . . The Bear Press . . . tries to achieve the highest possible degree of technical and artistic perfection in its printed works." The font used to print the text and the artist chosen to illustrate each work are carefully selected to express "the individual author's personality and intention." Even the discriminating aesthete Wilde 1854-1900 would be pleased with the choices here especially for the luxurious vellum printing: the type is set in refined Walbaum Antiqua and shown off with special effect by the creamy leaves; the etchings by Austrian artist Peter Klitsch b. 1934 are meticulous detailed and reminiscent of the work of Wilde's friend Aubrey Beardsley; and the binding is the epitome of tasteful restraint flawlessly executed with premium materials. The three tales here first appeared in 1888 and are bittersweet in their themes of love and self-sacrifice. His stories for children were one of Wilde's early successes and DNB notes "Their permanent place in child affections refutes the vulgarism that Wilde's literary reputation arose from his legal notoriety. In all cases the fairy tales are on the child's side celebrating the courage and generosity of the poor and vulnerable while their satire mocks the kind of pomposity and hypocrisy children can recognize." We have been able to trace just two other copies of the vellum printing at auction in ABPC and RBH. [Printed by Chr. Scheufele Offizin, Stuttgart, for] Bear Press unknown books
1814ref. 30733Philadelphia: G. und D. Billmeyer 1814. Very Good. Philadelphia: G. und D. Billmeyer 1814. Reprint. 12mo. iv 1 2-148 vii 1 2-585; 9 pp. register; 1 2-26 pp. catechism. Contemporary sheep with two metal clasps; five raised bands. Light wear to edges; minor scuffing; chipped at spine ends. Binding sound. Allentown bookseller's ticket in German to front pastedown; ownership inscription of Mary Deshler of Lehigh Pennsylvania dated 1841 to preliminaries; interior else tone but unmarked; Very Good. Arndt & Eck 2037. G. und D. Billmeyer unknown books
1964ref. 1403250n.p.: n.publ 1964. Hardcover. Octavo iii vi vii xi 37 pages. In Good plus condition. Bound in the publisher's green cloth bearing gilt lettering to the spine. Boards have moderate wear including mild sunning slight whitish scuffs to the joints and minor edge wear. Text block has very slight wear including slight age toning to the edges. Frontispiece. NOTE: Shelved in Netdesk Column U ND-U. 1403250. FP New Rockville Stock. n.publ hardcover books
ref. 66249Very Good. Silk scarf measuring 12" x 12". Two fold lines one horizontal one vertical through the center. 1" split in the cloth to the surface. A sporty design by John Held Jr. Utah Artist John Held Jr. 1889-1958 was a prominent illustrator of the 1920s and 1930s. He began by drawing sports and political drawings for The Salt Lake Tribune when he was just 16 years old. Held moved to New York City in 1910 where he went on to gain notoriety for his drawings in the popular magazines "Life" "The New Yorker" "Vanity Fair" "Judge" and "College Humor." His work epitomized the Jazz Age. He is most recognized for creating the short-haired "flapper. unknown books
ref. ST15039aAMcMinnville Oregon: Phillip J. Pirages 2019. ONE OF 32 COPIES in linen-backed blue paper boards from a total edition of 165 COPIES. Text: 244 x 154 mm. 9 1/8 x 6 1/8"; Case: 502 x 372 mm. 19 3/4 x 14 5/8". ii 75 pp. Bound in linen-backed blue paper boards inspired by Kelmscott Press bindings by Amy Borezo who also constructed the case holding the volume and leaves. The book printed letterpress on Zerkall Book Laid Vellum paper by Arthur Larson at Horton Tank Graphics. Book layout by Jill Mann. EACH COPY WITH FIVE LEAVES: ONE FROM THE KELMSCOTT CHAUCER with multiple 3-line initials AND ONE EACH FROM THE PRESSES OF FOUR GERMAN PRINTERS FROM THE 1470s--PETER SCHOEFFER JOHANN MENTELIN GÜNTHER ZAINER AND ANTON KOBERGER. The incunabular leaves consistently excellent with only minor defects and the Kelmscott leaves which were never part of a bound volume in entirely fine condition. This is a unique leaf book in the way that it combines three elements: a significant private press production involving people at the top of their craft a scholarly commentary that contributes to a further understanding of the history of printing and--most important--five leaves: one from the Kelmscott Press "Works" of Geoffrey Chaucer and four from books issued by German printers at work in the 1470s. The book has been printed and bound by hand by gifted professionals; the essay addresses a topic of significance to typophiles in a considerably more thoroughgoing way than has been done before; and the assemblage of leaves represents a powerful visual reinforcement of the text as well as an opportunity to share in the ownership of four important incunabula along with the extraordinary Kelmscott Chaucer. The story of the production is heavy on serendipity: in the winter of 2012 after purchasing a very incomplete copy of the Kelmscott Chaucer at auction we considered the possibility of producing a leaf book but because the Chaucer--universally considered to be one of the most beautiful books ever printed--had been written about by so many different people in so many different ways we didn't know what aspect was left for us to explore. The one topic we fastened on as thus far inadequately examined is the origin of the work's typeface. We soon learned that Morris who is known to have owned more than 500 incunables most admired--and was consequently most likely to have been influenced in his typographic design by--Peter Schoeffer of Mainz Johann Mentelin of Strassburg Günther Zainer of Augsburg and Anton Koberger of Nuremberg. Over the course of the years succeeding the purchase of the defective Chaucer we were fortunate beyond all expectation to acquire incomplete books from each of these four eminent printers. As a result the present leaf book will allow the reader not only to read in the accompanying essay about the influence on Morris of his typographic forebears but also to compare with his or her own eyes the resemblances between the Kelmscott leaf and the leaves from four centuries earlier. Phillip J. Pirages unknown books
