rif. 87313San Francisco: Arion Press 1986. First Edition. First Edition. One of 425 copies this being No. 50. A portfolio of 156 bird portraits with a companion biography of the naturalist and Grayson's notes on the plates. Grayson has been hitherto largely unknown. This lavish reproduction of his paintings and the accompanying biography bring to a wider audience a recognition of his place in American ornithological history. Prospectus laid in. Fine in a Near Fine tan dutch linen tray case with just a bit of spotting to the bottom of the case not affecting any of the interior or plates and some bowing to the case lid. Companion volume is Fine in the same cloth and gold-stamped leather labels in a Fine matching slipcase. Portfolio: 160 leaves 25 x 19 inches; companion volume: 436 pages 12 x 9 inches printed in Monotype and handset Van Djick and handset Castellar capitals on Coventry Rag paper in two weights heavy weight for the plates light weight for the text from the Parson Paper Mill. Arion Press unknown books
1861rif. 222441861. Un Hermaphrodite by Louis Jourdan examines the life of the Chevalier d'Éon an eighteenth century French diplomat soldier and intelligence agent whose public identity challenged conventional understandings of gender in European society. The book recounts the career of Charles Geneviève Louis Auguste André Timothée d'Éon de Beaumont who served the French crown in diplomatic and military roles while later living publicly as a woman in London and Paris. During the eighteenth century d'Éon's gender identity became a subject of international curiosity and debate and their life intersected with the political networks of French diplomacy and espionage. Jourdan's biography situates d'Éon within the culture and politics of late ancien régime France while presenting the figure as both an accomplished state servant and an individual whose gender presentation defied prevailing social norms. Jourdan Louis. Un Hermaphrodite. Paris: E. Dentu 1861. Second edition. First published in 1836 the work provides a narrative account of d'Éon's diplomatic missions military service and later life in England and France. The author describes the Chevalier as "un savant distingué un militaire intrépide un diplomate d'une habileté consommée" characterizing the figure as a distinguished scholar courageous soldier and skilled diplomat. The text recounts d'Éon's service in the French dragoon regiments and involvement with the clandestine diplomatic network known as le Secret du Roi through which agents carried out sensitive political missions for the French monarchy in locations including Russia and England. Jourdan also presents d'Éon as an unusual personality within the social world of pre revolutionary France describing the individual as "un des éléments les plus pittoresques de cette société frivole que le coup de tonnerre de 1789 devait si brusquement réveiller." Nineteenth century interest in d'Éon's life reflected broader fascination with figures whose gender identity and public roles challenged established categories of male and female. The Chevalier's career in diplomacy and espionage combined with a later public identity as a woman produced one of the most widely discussed gender controversies of the eighteenth century and biographies such as Jourdan's helped preserve the historical record of that life for later readers. 304 pages. Half dark green glazed calf over marbled boards with raised bands and gilt decoration on the spine marbled endpapers and edges. 12mo measuring approximately 188 x 118 mm. Light rubbing to boards with clean interior pages; overall very good condition. The volume provides a nineteenth century biographical interpretation of one of the most historically documented figures associated with gender nonconformity in early modern Europe. unknown books
2006rif. 9008545Minneapolis MN: Minneapolis Institute Of Art 2006. Hardcover. Book fine Dust jacket fine. Bound in the publisher's original illustrated boards. Minneapolis Institute Of Art hardcover books
1827rif. 53021827. London: John Murray 1827. 8vo 8 179 1 pp. wood-engravings in the text. Original boards with later paper backing worn tear at backstrip head upper joint cracked and barely holding occasional foxing within. § First edition. An unusual medical biography of five 18th century English physicians narrated by a walking cane that in real life had belonged to them all. "A short time before the opening of the New College of Physicians Mrs. Baillie presented to that learned body a Gold-Headed Cane which had been successively carried by Drs. Radcliffe Mead Askew Pitcairn and her own lamented husband. The arms of these celebrated Physicians are engraved on the head of the Cane and they form the Vignettes of the five Chapters into which this little Volume is divided." The subjects are Sir John Radcliffe 1650-1714 Richard Mead 1673-1754 an early epidemiologist Anthony Askew 1722-1774 now best known as a book collector William Pitcairn 1712-1791 distinguished as a botanist and Matthew Baillie 1761-1823 a nephew of the Hunter brothers and himself a morbid anatomist. The author was William MacMichael a physician and graduate of Christ Church Oxford. The cane itself now resides in a glass case in the library of the Royal College of Physicians of London where it can be viewed by appointment. Garrison Morton 6709. Norman 1409. unknown books
1486rif. ST21011Milan: Antonius Zarotus 23 Sept. 1486. Second Edition. 285 x 195 mm. 11 1/4 x 7 3/4". 188 leaves. Single column 56 lines roman type. COMPLETE.Edited by Franciscus Puteolanus. 16th century stiff vellum raised bands ink lettering on spine. Rear pastedown with old ink inscription "E/II" possibly a library location as it also appears at the tail of the spine. Faint annotations at the very top of leaves in quires s and t. Goff S-533; BMC VI 719; ISTC is00533000. Vellum somewhat soiled corners a little bumped but the binding solid and with a certain antique appeal; text apparently though not obviously washed and pressed head margin of first leaf expertly restored isolated tiny spots of foxing other trivial imperfections but an excellent copy clean and still fresh internally with ample margins. This is the second edition of a masterful biography of Francesco Sforza Duke of Milan written by a member of his inner circle. First printed in 1482 the so-called "Sforziada"--a title reflecting the work's heightened tone and level of biographical glorification--covers Sforza's rise to power as well as an eyewitness account of events in Milan from 1421-66. It was written by the ducal secretary and official court biographer Simonetta ca. 1415 - ca. 1491 whom history knows almost entirely through this account. The work's center of attention Francesco 1401-66 was founder of the storied Sforza dynasty in Milan and ruler of that city as its fourth duke the final 16 years of his life. Although an illegitimate son from an originally humble background he had gained fame through military exploits married into the ruling Visconti dynasty and after that line was extinguished at the death of Duke Filippo Maria and following an abortive attempt to establish a Milanese democracy he assumed power as the new duke in 1450. According to Renaissance historian Gary Ianziti the work is considered "the most important achievement in the field of historical writing to emerge from Milan in the fifteenth century." The Italian Encyclopedia 1936 tells us that Simonetta "wrote not a simple biography but a living page of general Italian history from 1421 to 1466." And although the work has "notable panegyric tendencies" it is redeemed by the author's "love of precise and objective detail." Ianziti says that "like Machiavelli after him Simonetta was essentially a professional statesman steeped in the routine of chancery business; he thus brought to historical writing an insider's view of the political process. It is his consequent historical realism which . . . distinguishes Simonetta's Commentaries from other humanistic histories of the period." In addition to providing a remarkable record of Renaissance Milan this work also saved Simonetta's life. When succession struggles broke out in the Sforza family Simonetta's brother Cicco a powerful advisor to the widow of the duke was executed for supposed treason by the victor in the conflict Francesco's second son Ludovico Il Moro; Giovanni who had also been accused was spared out of respect for this biography of the patriarch. One of the earliest printers in Milan Antonius Zarotus worked as a foreman for Pamfilo Castaldi in 1471 and began printing under his own name the same year. He was a pioneer in printing music with movable type and was a prolific publisher steadily at work until 1493. Antonius Zarotus unknown books
2001rif. 49928San Francisco CA: Pomegranate 2001. Near Fine/Very Good. San Francisco CA: Pomegranate 2001. First Edition. Large quarto 33.5cm; publisher's cloth in unclipped pictorial dust jacket; xxi3213pp.; color illus. throughout. Light wear and wrinkling to dust jacket; a Near Fine copy in Very Good jacket. Signed and dated in year of publication by the curator David C. Driskell. Pomegranate unknown books
1969rif. 438404London: The Macmillan Company 1969. Hardcover. Good/Very Good. First edition. 334pp. Illustrated from black and white photographs. Ex-library with the usual markings about very good in a very good dust jacket with light internal foxing spine sunned. The Macmillan Company hardcover books
1989rif. 508338Berkeley California: Regent Press 1989. Softcover. Near Fine. Second edition. vi 42pp. Pictorial wrappers. Small sticker shadow on the front cover a but of rubbing near fine. Biographical history of Phyllis Carter who was born in Wilmington North Carolina in 1880. Regent Press unknown books
1990rif. 41960NY: Granta Books 1990. First US edition first prnt. Printed stapled wraps. No hardcover edition. 22pp. Unread copy in Fine condition. First Edition. Soft Cover. Fine/Not Issued. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. Granta Books Paperback books
1983rif. 12826Chicago IL: University of Chicago Press 1983. First Edition. Hardcover. Very Good in Very Good Dustjacket. First Edition. Hardcover. From the library of Dr. Oliver Sacks the renowned neurologist author and educator. He was in his life celebrated for his contributions to the understanding of the human brain and his ability to communicate complex scientific concepts to a broader audience. In doing so he highlighted the profound impact of neurological disorders on human identity and experience. His library is a reflection of this remarkable polymath's questing mind. Light wear to extremities spine fading on dj else tight bright and unmarred. 8vo xx 324ppIllus b/w. Yellow cloth with bookplate on ep price tag. University of Chicago Press hardcover books
2002rif. 31926London: Belmont Press 2002. First edition. First separate edition of this essay which originally appeared in "The New Yorker." Limited to 200 numbered copies signed by Franzen on the limitation page. #47/200. Designed and typeset by Libanus Press. Black & white frontispiece photograph. Sewn wraps. Unread copy in Fine condition. Franzen's first limited edition publication. Signed by Author. First Edition. Soft Cover. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. Limited Edition. Belmont Press paperback books
2002rif. 31929London: Belmont Press 2002. First edition. First separate edition of this essay which originally appeared in "The New Yorker." Limited to 200 numbered copies signed by Franzen on the limitation page. #46/200. Designed and typeset by Libanus Press. Black & white frontispiece photograph. Sewn wraps. Unread copy in Fine condition. Franzen's first limited edition publication. Signed by Author. First Edition. Soft Cover. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. Limited Edition. Belmont Press paperback books
1968rif. TB22999New York: Funk & Wagnalls 1968. First Edition. First printing Near fine in bright red cloth covered boards with gilt text stamping on the spine. A small quarto measuring 11" high by 8" deep. In a near fine price clipped dust jacket with only hints of rubbing to the ends of the spine area. 119 pages including a bibliography. Illustrated with line drawings sketches and black and white photographs. The story of the restoration of The Grange - Alexander Hamilton's home in New York City. Co-authored with Edward Anthony and with a forward by the former secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall. Funk & Wagnalls hardcover books
2000rif. 1416878California: B & R International Art 2000. First Edition First Printing. Softcover. Quarto v 74 pages. In Very Good minus condition. Bound in pictorial paper. Spine brown with black lettering. Light general rubbing and wear. Slight bumping to spine and corners. Signed flat by Maimon on tipped in page. Shelved in Case 11. 1416878. Shelved Dupont Bookstore. B & R International Art unknown books
1917rif. L0651xiv2-345-34 ad pages with illustrations from photographs including frontispiece portrait of Jack London with facsimile signature. Octavo 8 1/4" x 4 2/4" bound in original publisher's blue cloth lettered & decorated in gilt in pictorial jacket. Inscribed by the author. First Edition. Our Hawaii is a captivating travel memoir and historical narrative written by Charmian Kittredge London the wife of the famous American author Jack London. Originally published in 1917 the book chronicles the couple's extensive travels deep admiration and experiences throughout the Hawaiian Islands during their visits in 1907 and 1915–1916. Charmian initially kept detailed daily diaries during a two-year South Seas voyage on their sailboat the Snark. While Jack published his perspective in The Cruise of the Snark Charmian carved out her Hawaiian journal entries to form this standalone book. This copy is inscribed by Charmian London on the front free endpaper; "Dear Jessie: - Here's the yarn at last: and I know you'll read it for the love story it is. Lovingly Charmain Gen Ellen May 31 1918." This copy is from the library of Becky London and is signed by her on the half title page. Condition: Inscribed by the author on the front endpaper. Some wear and soiling to boards rubbing at extremities a few corners slightly bumped; scattered foxing throughout browning at page edges. Jacket lightly worn and discolored with minor stains small closed tears at folds else very good in very good scarce jacket. MacMillan Company hardcover books
1906rif. 12006Yonkers NY : Not published 1906. Unique. Contemporary 1907 three quarter morocco; signed binding. A very good copy with a brown spot on the rear cover appx. 1.5 inches in diameter. Large 4to196 leaves. There are watercolors and photographs to accompany the manuscript. Gilbert H Scribner was the Sect'y. of State for New York wealthy and part of the social blue book. In 1906 he and his wife Sarah Woodbury Pettingill celebrated their golden anniversary. This volume is a compilation of the event ephemera i.e. the scores of cards greetings and sentiments of the occasion. It is an elaborate example of period book production. The binding was commissioned and executed by Ralph Randolph Adams; it bears his studio stamp on the inside front cover with the date 1907. The illustrations accompanying the text are original watercolors - with one particularly fetching rendering of the Hudson River looking south from the residence at Inglehurst. In additon to the full page watercolors there are a series of photographs of the life of the couple. The major portion of the 'text' is made up of mounted ALs's that were sent to the couple for their celebration. The narrative portion of the chronicle is all calligraphy. Not published unknown books
1933rif. 4229New York: E P Dutton 1933. First Edition. Original cloth and pictorial dustjacket. A good copy; some wear to the margins of the dj.; some occ. internal spotting. 8vo. The illus. are by John Sloan. The autobiography of the author of ' I Cover the Waterfront ' ; the making of a newspaperman. E P Dutton hardcover books
1923rif. 45225Le Caire: Institut Français d'Archéologie Orientale 1923. First edition. Hardcover. vg. Quarto 11 1/2 x 7 1/2". 8 ii cxvi 264 2pp Vol. 1; 4 xl 277 3pp Vol. 2. Modern full burgundy cloth with gold lettering to spines. Frontispiece portrait of Silvestre de Sacy in first volume. In this seminal collection devoted to the works of French Orientalists these first two volumes of the first series are dealing with the illustrious Silvestre de Sacy and contains the various memoirs he published throughout his life. A full biography by Hartwig Derenbourg forms part of the first volume. Ex-library bindings with stickers at tail of spines. Ex-library bookplate on inside of each front cover and pocket on inside of each back cover. Library stamps to top and bottom paper edges. Minor age-toning along paper margin. Text in French. Bindings and interior in overall very good condition. Institut Français d'Archéologie Orientale hardcover books
1948rif. 42859Paris: H. Fleury Catalogue; Arts et Métiers Graphiques First Supplement 1948. Limited First edition. Hardcover. g to vg. 1/370. Folio 14 1/2 x 11". 356 4pp Vol. 1; 395 3pp Vol. 2; 400 2pp Vol. 3; 404 4pp Vol. 4; 70 2pp Vol. 5. 1/550. Folio 15 1/4 x 11 1/4" 113 3pp First supplement. Original 3/4 dark blue morocco over marbled paper covered boards with gold lettering to spines. Raised bands. Top edges gilt. Marbled endpapers. Original gold-lettered wrappers bound in. Tissue-guarded photographic frontispiece portrait of Corot in first volume. Title vignettes. Title pages in orange and black lettering. First supplement: Original glassine over printed dust-jacket and blind wrappers. Splendidly produced catalogue raisonné of Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot's work preceded by an extensive biography of the artist's life and artwork by Etienne Moreau-Nelaton. This work is lavishly illustrated throughout with hundreds of photogravures and heliotypes. One of 370 sets printed on vélin à la cuve of which this is set No. 33. With this catalogue raisonné is added the first supplement to Robaut's "L'Oeuvre de Corot" published 43 years later. The first supplement is one of 550 copies of which this is No. 298. Catalogue raisonné: Bindings rubbed along joints and raised bands. Text in French. Bindings in overall good interior in very good condition. First supplement: Original glassine partly torn. Text in French. Glassine in overall fair dust-jacket in good wrappers and interior in very good condition. H. Fleury (Catalogue); Arts et Métiers Graphiques (First Supplement) hardcover books
1805rif. 49517New York: G. & R. Waite 1805. Second American edition condensed from the first American edition published in Baltimore in 1803. This edition presents eight biographies of various important American and British figures of the American Revolutionary period including Lord Nelson Cornwallis Bushrod Washington and Edward Jenner the discoverer of the vaccine for smallpox. Scarce with only five copies located on OCLC. 4100pp. Contemporary calf gilt leather label. Minor edge wear. Contemporary ink notations on front flyleaf light foxing. Very good. SHAW & SHOEMAKER 9222. SABIN 66511. OCLC 24492244. hardcover books
1915rif. L02594875 ad pages with 20 photo plates including frontispiece. Small octavo 7 1/2" x 5 3/4" issued in light blue cloth decorated and lettered in gilt. inscribed by Charmain on front end paper. First Edition second printing. Charmian Kittredge London was Jack London's second wife. After divorcing Bess Maddern London in 1904 London married Charmian Kittredge the following year. Biographer Russ Kingman called Charmian "Jack's soul-mate always at his side and a perfect match." She was the author of several books about her life with Jack London: The Log of the Snark Our Hawaii and The Book of Jack London. The last is considered by scholars to be an important but flawed source of biographical information on London: Clarice Stasz calls it "an uneven account that omits Jack's illegitimacy yet has surprisingly frank information nonetheless concerning his personality." Their relationship became the subject of a book Clarice Stasz' American Dreamers. The couple had no children who survived them. One died soon after being born and another pregnancy ended in a miscarriage. Shortly after the death of Jack London Charmian had an affair with Harry Houdini. A PBS source cites an Houdini biographer saying: Most of the evidence of their affair convincingly reconstructed by Houdini biographer Kenneth Silverman comes from brief entries in Charmian's diaries. They saw each other over several weeks early in 1918 while Charmian was living in New York where Houdini was starring in the patriotic World War I extravaganza "Cheer Up." Charmian wrote that after they saw each other a few times Houdini made a "declaration" that "rather shakes me up." They became intimate a short time later. She wrote that one visit by Houdini had "stirred me to the deep" and that he apparently felt the same declaring "I'm mad about you" and "I give all of myself to you." Throughout she refers to him alternately as "Magic" her "Magic Man" or "Magic Lover." As intense as it apparently was their attachment did not last long. Charmian the "New Woman" whose marriage to London had included open sexual experimentation never stopped seeing other men. Condition: Inscription to front end paper. Edge wear length paraphrasing to back end paper corners bumped else a very good copy lacking jacket. Macmillan Company hardcover books
1990rif. 1200273NY: Granta Books 1990. First US edition first prnt. Printed stapled wraps. 16pp. Not issued in hardcover. Two faint impressions on the front wrap not immediately apparent; unread copy in Near Fine condition. Text is the Herbert Read Memorial Lecture delivered Feb. 6 1990. Begins" I grew up kissing books and bread." Soft Cover. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. Chapbook. The image is of the book described and not a stock photo. Granta Books paperback books
1965rif. 7371Falls Village Connecticut: The Herb Grower Press 1965. Duodecimo 17.5 x 10.5 cm. 48 1 27 1 pages. Bibliographical references. ~ Facsimile of the 1675 edition published in London by T.R. & N.T. for B. Tooke; with a supplementary "appendix". FIRST EDITION THUS limited to 250 numbered copies this is number 26 of 250. Originally published in London 1666 "printed by J. Grismond for John Crook at the Ship in St. Pauls Church-yard". The original contains a preface by John Evelyn 1620-1706 "Philocepos". It is believed Evelyn compiled the text based on "matter" given to him by Rose. This facsimile contains an appendix by Robert H. Jeffers on the life of John Rose. Rose 1619-1677 was gardener to King Charles II. by Robert H. Jeffers. The original work was later appended to the text of the English edition of Nicolas de Bonnefons' The French Gardener 1669. Late ownership inscription to foot of free front endpaper otherwise fine in publisher's paper-covered boards printed and titled in red and gold. OCLC locates eleven copies of this facsimile edition; Gabler G34730 incorrectly stating 1966 as the publication date. The Herb Grower Press hardcover books
1993rif. 23572NY:: Random House. 1993. Hardcover. Fine in Fine dust jacket. Black and white photographs. First American printing. Fine in a fine dust. jacket. 0679424377 . Random House, hardcover books
1988rif. 120053NY: Random House 1988. First edition first prnt. Beginning foxing on the top edge. Near Fine condition in a Fine dustjacket with an archival cover. Hardcovers. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. The image is of the book described and not a stock photo. Random House hardcover books
