réf. 1786New York and London: Funk & Wagnalls Company 1901. A stout octavo of 588 pp. color frontispiece and black and white plates by T. de Thulstrup. An exquisite example of a publisher's Art Nouveau binding designed by George Whaton Edwards signed with his initials. Scarlet cloth with cover and spine decorations consisting of Corinthian pillars in astonishly bright heavy gilt and a fern frond in striking olive green. Warmly inscribed and signed by the illustrator on the front free endpaper this is a perfect copy of a boldly handsome volume. hardcover books
réf. 4929AMERICAN IRON TRADE THE STATE OF THE TRADE AND MANUFACTORY OF IRON IN GREAT-BRITAIN CONSIDERED. London: 1750. 8vo. Disbound. 15 pages. First edition. Sabin 90633; Kress S-1991; Goldsmiths' Library 8504. An interesting anonymous tract largely about the trade in iron from the American colonies. Rare. Kress only records a photo copy. 4929. unknown books
1869réf. 351956Cairo: Maṭbaʻat WÄdī al-Nīl 1869. 12 pp. 1 vols. 8vo. Rose printed wrappers. Removed. Very good. Contemporary note in English at top of front wrapper "E.A. Park presented by the Vice Consul at Cairo. 12 pp. 1 vols. 8vo. Speech on the history of Arab Ottoman trade noting the key position of Egypt as nexus between Red Sea and Mediterranean commercial routes. This was delivered at a time when Egypt was asserting greater claims of sovereignty under Isma'il and when the trade laws were moving away from shari'a basis to a commercial code often derived from European models. The author is named as the learned Italian Cavalieri Francis Anton DiMarca. Not in OCLC Maṭbaʻat WÄdī al-Nīl unknown books
réf. 77306New York NY.: Sweet's Catalogue Service. Very Good. Hardcover. The books in this 4 Volume set are all hard-bound in green cloth with black stamping on the upper covers and spines. The covers show light scuffing and light edge-wear. The bindings are solid. The contents are bright and clean with illustrations but also with some foxing to the fore-edge of Volume I. . Sweet's Catalogue Service hardcover books
réf. 1914New York: The H. K. Fly Company 1911. An octavo 307 pp. bound in cobalt blue cloth with an extaordinary Art Nouveau pictorial cover of a songbird in the branches of a flowering tree against a bright gilt sky. Titles on cover and spine also gilt. This sentimental novel was written by Charles Server from the play by Edgar Selwyn. The back cover and spine have some light spotting noticed only when the book is turned into certain lights. A whisper of wear at the extremites else this is a brilliant copy of an exceptional publisher's binding of the Arts and Crafts period of design. hardcover books
1883réf. 236859Kansas City Missouri: Press of Ramsey Millett & Hudson 1883. Illustrated with 2 full-page Engravings. 76 pp. 1 vols. 8vo. Original wrappers printed in red and black. Vertical crease to front wrap and a few corners previously turned down a few prices realized in pencil. Very good. Illustrated with 2 full-page Engravings. 76 pp. 1 vols. 8vo. Over sixty-five Galloway bulls and heifers on the block giving detailed pedigree. With an introduction by Matthews explaining the his interest in the breed. Not in OCLC Press of Ramsey, Millett & Hudson unknown books
1961réf. 119641Tanganyika 1961. hardcover. Illus. some color. many tables. slim 8vo cloth d.w. Tanganyika December 1961. unknown books
1794réf. 354283Philadelphia: Printed by Francis Childs and John Swaine 1794. 8pp. Dbd. Contemporary ownership signature on titlepage and manuscript notes on final leaf. Very good. 8pp. Dbd. This copy bears the ownership signature of noted New York jurist and legal scholar James Kent who ran for Congress from New York in 1793 but was defeated by his brother-in-law Theodorus Bailey. He would go on to a distinguished career as a judge on the Chancery court and as an author of legal commentaries. At the conclusion of the text is a manuscript note: "Mr. Wadsworth stated in the House of Representatives the 19th May 1794 that within the last six months American vessels & property had been captured by the British Privateer in the W. Indies to the extent of one million of dollars - & that other nations had seized American property to ½ mil. dol. & that the total loss to our commerce was 1½ mil. dol." In this report to President Washington the new Secretary of State Edmund Randolph details the depredations against American shipping caused by the powers involved in the French Revolutionary Wars. He quotes from a study by the "committee of Philadelphia" on the interference with American trade by the British French Spanish and Dutch and summarizes the methods used by those countries. The British impress American sailors into service the French are embargoing American goods etc. He makes no recommendations as to an appropriate response. OCLC locates four copies. Scarce. EVANS 27917. OCLC 8090321 Printed by Francis Childs and John Swaine unknown books
1802réf. 354336Washington 1802. 4pp. Dbd. Contemporary manuscript page inscription and early stain in upper outer corner not affecting text. Minor foxing and offsetting. Good. 4pp. Dbd. Congressional report calling for government encouragement of infant industries by allowing certain raw materials to be imported free of duty while imposing a 20% duty on imported fur hats brushes stone ware printing types saddles cannon ball and glass ware and other duties on gun powder cordage soap candles of tallow window glass and iron. SHAW & SHOEMAKER 3412 unknown books
1963réf. 382227Washington: Government Printing Office 1963. Hardcover. Very Good. First edition. House Report No. 281 88th Congress 1st Session. Octavo. 2 494pp. In the original publisher's cloth. Ex-library with small ink stamp front pastedown and some ink ruling on the title page else near fine with no other markings. An investigation into the ownership and control of communications facilities prepared by the Office of Network Study of the Federal Communications Commission. A nice copy scarce in the trade. Government Printing Office hardcover books
1904réf. 39516Copenhagen: forhen A. Christiansens Forlag Hermann-Petersen 1904. 50 Double-page colored plates after Rasmus Christiansen mounted on stubs. Introduction by Jul. Wulff. 1 vols. Oblong folio. Original leather-backed burgundy cloth lettered on cover in gilt. Spine repaired inner hinges strengthened. Some minor rubbing pencilled numbers in upper right margin of several plates. Very good. 50 Double-page colored plates after Rasmus Christiansen mounted on stubs. Introduction by Jul. Wulff. 1 vols. Oblong folio. DANISH TRADES FESTIVAL PARADE. In July 31/1 August 1904 a grand festival and parade was held in celebration of Danish Industry and Tradesmen. The elaborate floats representing the trades are depicted in these fine double-page colored plates including those of the printers the bakers the stroller-makers the pavers the bookbinders the furriers barrelmakers cigar and tobacco merchants bicyclewheel makers photographers metalsmiths hatmakers carriagemakers clockmakers wigmakers and many others. Under each illustration is text describing those involved. forhen A. Christiansens Forlag (Hermann-Petersen) unknown books
1764réf. 28707Paris: Aux dépens de la Compagnie 1764. 1 vols. 12mo. 19th century marbled boards paper manuscript label. Blanks at front and back removed marginal repair to title some soiling at front and back else very good with the signature of La marquise des Armoises d'espineaux with the 1765 date throughout. 1 vols. 12mo. Not in Kress Aux dépens de la Compagnie unknown books
1802réf. 374694Montreal 1802. 1p. Slight loss of paper caused by removal of wax seal on right margin not affecting text. Old fold. Else fine. 1p. An excellent autograph letter signed from this prominent fur trader explorer and author of TRAVELS AND ADVENTURES IN CANADA AND THE INDIAN TERRITORIES published in 1809. Henry was sixty-three at the time this letter was written and mainly occupied with directing fur operations from Montreal. He evidently writes concerning his son's bad debts: "My last to you was by last post was so much hurt by Robert's behavior that I scarcely remember what I wrote. his Horse and Gigg it is only just that the produce of it should go to pay those Gentm who indorsed his notes - how these Gentm could be persuaded to do such a thing is beyond my comprehension without consulting you. if he is turned loose he may be induced to commit some act worse than what he has already done - therefore if he can get clear of his imposing creditors - send him here as soon as possible - but dont come under any promise to any other to whom he owes only those acted by yr orders. unknown books
1823réf. 374695Montreal 1823. 1p. 1p. "I received yours of the 10 of November last and according to your wish I have inclosed to you my order to Mr. William MacIntosh to sell one of the 400 acre lots and pay you your demand which I hope he will do soon. I have left it unsealed for you to read it and afterwards seal it and deliver to him. I would wish to know how much Judge Thomas got from Mr. MacIntosh for the 400 acre lot which he sold by his order and let me hear from you what Mr. MacIntosh will do . unknown books
1688réf. 368775Montreal 1688. In French. 2pp. recto and verso on a single leaf. Signed by Perrot Bleinz and notary Benigne Basset. With an English transcription. Quarto. Old folds. Near fine. Provenance: Archibald de Léry MacDonald; Lawrence Lande. Exhibition: An Exhibition of Early Documents and Printed Material Relating to the Beginnings of Trade in North America from the Private Collection of Dr. Lawrence M. Lande McGill University May 30-July 15 1985 with an 8-page exhibition catalogue. In French. 2pp. recto and verso on a single leaf. Signed by Perrot Bleinz and notary Benigne Basset. With an English transcription. Quarto. Scarce seventeenth century voyageur fur trade contract for an expedition to the wilderness to trade with the Ottawa signed by one of the most important early traders and explorers of Canada and the upper midwest. "Partnership agreements such as this one of Nicholas Perrot are of great rarity" Lande. Perrot 1644-1717 was an explorer interpreter trader commandant diplomat and seigneur. He was one of the best-known figures in the early fur trade of New France particularly during the latter part of the 17th century and took possession of large tracts of land in the Great Lakes region in the name of King Louis XIV. His travels commonly took him deep into unexplored territory and he was the first Frenchman to explore the Upper Mississippi in what is now Wisconsin and Minnesota. Perrot arrived in New France about 1660 as a young donné or contracted assistant in the company of Jesuit Missionaries and travelled to the western Great Lakes region where he gained the friendship of the local First Nations people by trading guns for furs believing that they were entitled to defend themselves from their enemies. He also took the opportunity to learn several Native languages which served him well during his career. Perrot soon entered the fur trade full time and began forming business partnerships. He enlisted himself as a translator with government authorities and participated in peacekeeping missions to bring warriors of several First Nations together to sign peace treaties. By 1685 he was appointed Commandant-in-Chief at Bais des Puants present day Green Bay Wisconsin and surrounding regions and travelled to the upper reaches of the Mississippi River in the territory of the Sioux tribes where he built Fort St. Antoine in present-day Minnesota. During the spring of 1687 in preparation for taking part in raids on Indian villages in the Seneca country Perrot left his store of furs with the Jesuits at St. Francois-Xavier mission in present-day Wisconsin. While out with the raid party a fire at the mission destroyed his entire fur inventory valued at more than 40000 livres. Financially ruined Perrot returned to Montreal to deal with creditors and renew partnership agreements like the present. In the summer of 1688 Perrot partnered with Simon Bleinz to undertake an expedition to trade with the Ottawa Indians and other Nations. Perrot had always been a staunch ally of Governor Frontenac and had obtained a fur trade license from the governor for this venture to ensure that his activities were in keeping with the rules and regulations of the trade. The agreement states that Perrot would supply Bleinz with goods food provisions a canoe and other necessary supplies for the voyage and that Bleinz would convey the goods to the trading area and do all that he was able for the success of the partnership. Bleinz had the option of taking at his own expense six shirts two capots or hooded coats of blanket cloth moosehide or other material and one rifle to trade for his own personal profit. The pelts resulting from the venture were to be distributed evenly amongst Bleinz another unnamed associate of the partnership and Perrot. An "apichimon" or bonus of six beaver pelts was to be paid to Bleinz by the partnership upon the successful conclusion of the expedition. "Perrot who was often unappreciated even during his lifetime was France's best representative among the Indians of the west. His knowledge of the languages of the country his natural eloquence the happy blend of daring and coolness that were the essence of his character had made it possible for him to win the esteem confidence and even affection of the Indians. The Potawatomis the Menominees the Foxes the Miamis the Mascoutens and the Sioux granted him with the honours of the pipe of peace the rights and prerogatives enjoyed by their own chiefs. His credit was not less among the Ottawas and the Hurons. During the last four decades of the 17th century at a time when alliance with the nations of the west was indispensable in order to ward off the Iroquois peril and allow access to new territories Perrot thanks to the influence that he had acquired rendered valuable assistance to the colony" Dictionary of Canadian Biography. The present document is from the famed collection of Lawrence M. Lande 1906-1998 detailed as item 107 in his second bibliography of his collection The Founder of our Monetary System John Law Compagnie des Indes & the Early Economy of North America Montreal: 1984. Lande began collecting manuscript material relating John Law the Compagnie des Indes and the fur trade - North America's first economy - as early as the 1960s principally working with dealers Izzy Ehrlich and Alfred Van Peteghem purchasing material from the collections of Thomas Phillips Philip Sang and historian Archibald Lery MacDonald the assemblage of which Van Peteghem termed an "unparalleled feat." All of the printed material and many of the documents were donated by Lande in his lifetime; however a grouping of the manuscript items including the present document were sold by his heirs after his death. Lande Founder of our Monetary System 107 unknown books
1860réf. 717Philadelphia 1860. Book. Sm. 8v illustrated title wrappers. Pp. 47. Wrapper printed in red and black. Minor marginal wear; very good. unknown books
1835réf. 16876Paris: De L'Imprimerie Royale 1835. First edition. 1 vols. Folio. Original red morocco-backed red cloth by Delauney with stamp with royal monogram on upper cover. Rubbed upper joint starting head of spine chipped. First edition. 1 vols. Folio. With a notation from John B. Murray that this "was one of 9 volumes presented by His Majesty Louis Phillippe King of the French to John B. Murray New York 1846 and is now given to his nephew Archie Murray June 1872." The last must have donated it to a library as there is a discreet gift notation in gutter following title and a subject heading in upper margin of title written in pencil. A good copy. De L'Imprimerie Royale unknown books
1908réf. 77578St. Louis Missouri: W. N. Matthews & Brother. Very Good. 1908. Softcover. This book is soft-bound in brown wrappers with black printing on the covers. The covers show a thin line on the upper cover and light wear to the edges and spine-ends. The metal brad binding is solid. The contents are bright and clean with illustrations. . W. N. Matthews & Brother paperback books
1902réf. 74564Chicago: R. R. Donnelley & Sons Co. Very Good. 1902. Softcover. Soft-bound in tan wrappers with red and blue printing -wrappers show soiling and edge-wear. The lower wrapper is almost detached. The contents are bright and clean with illustrations throughout. There is a small damp-stain to the outer edge of the pages at the front. 79 pages complete - . R. R. Donnelley & Sons Co. paperback books
1912réf. 3345J.E. Gilleland New Cambria MIssouri 1912 This is an original 18 page catalog issued for Spring and Summer of 1912 covering rugs carpets linoleums curtains draperies shades mattings etc. It is shown as catalog "B" on the cover. The catalog is oblong about 6in x 9in and is profusely illustrated in color and black and white. Great period photos and samples of patterns in use in the early 20th century. Staples rusted with a few leaves detached but otherwise very clean and near fine with virtually no wear. Included is the original envelope. Scarce J. E. Gilleland paperback books
1867réf. ST20572Hamilton Scotland: W. Naismith 1867. FIRST EDITION. 168 x 106 mm. 6 1/2 x 4 1/4". vii 183 pp. In the very rare original green paper wrappers. Spine cocked wrappers somewhat soiled spine with paper beginning to lift along the bottom inch of the rear joint other minor exterior defects but the volume solid and internally in excellent condition. QUITE A GOOD COPY of a fragile inexpensively produced volume one would expect to find in shambles. Told in the form of letters drawn from the author's actual correspondence as well as his contemporary journals this first-hand account by a young sailor of the transatlantic slave trade in the years 1800-04 brings those horrific voyages vividly to life. At the same time the author writing in direct unvarnished prose makes it clear he is at least as much an observer of difficult sea life in general as he is concerned with the abolition of a great evil. In the preface Robinson 1786-1875 explains his reasons for publishing this record of his time aboard a slave ship: "I have heard so many gross misstatements respecting West Indian slavery and the horrors of the 'Middle Passage' that I formed the resolution should time be allowed me to give the result of my own experience . . . in order to disabuse the minds of many well-meaning people." He is rightly aware that some readers may be offended by unconvincing apology in an account encumbered with naïveté : "It is doubtless the opinion of many that I put myself into a wrong position and incurred blame and obloquy by entering into this obnoxious trade at all. It may be so; I will not dispute the matter. I certainly did not feel myself comfortable or at home in the service. But let it be remembered in my favour that the trade was then a lawful one; whilst at the same time I was induced to enter it by what is called an accidental circumstance . . . and an irresistible desire for a seafaring life so completely carried me away that it became a matter of perfect indifference to me where the ship went if not to the bottom provided I was aboard of her--or in what trade engaged if not a pirate." As indicated the letters originating in various ports in England West Africa and the West Indies depict a harsh life at sea for all involved but most especially for the wretches who made up the ship's cargo. An accident on board nearly cost Robinson his foot and ended his career at sea just a year before in his words "the united voice of a generous and philanthropic people" passed the Emancipation Bill into law ending British participation in the slave trade. The phrasing here makes it clear our narrator had his heart mostly in the right place. This is a very rare book which is not surprising for a pocket-sized work from a provincial press near Glasgow issued in insubstantial paper wrappers. OCLC records just two copies in libraries both in the UK while RBH and ABSA seem to list no copies at auction except the present one. W. Naismith unknown books
réf. 37490TRADE CARD T.H. WEBSTER TEACHER OF ARCHITECTURE PERSPECTIVE &. London: circa 1810. Engraved card. 2 5/8 x 3 7/8 inches. Webster 1772-1844 revised John Imison's Elements of Science and Art in 1808. On the blank verso he has added his address: No. 6 Clipstone Street. unknown books
1927réf. 250121New York: William Edwin Rudge 1927. First Edition. One of 50 copies specially bound with a double-page frontispiece color reproduction of a trade card for a Mitchell & Crosdale Philadelphia dealer in Sperm Whale Lard & Tanners Oils Candes Rice & c. of Whale killing. XLIV plates uncut. 25 pages of text. 1 vols. 4to. Bound in quarter vellum and patterned boards. Very Fine in remains of original glassine. First Edition. One of 50 copies specially bound with a double-page frontispiece color reproduction of a trade card for a Mitchell & Crosdale Philadelphia dealer in Sperm Whale Lard & Tanners Oils Candes Rice & c. of Whale killing. XLIV plates uncut. 25 pages of text. 1 vols. 4to. William Edwin Rudge unknown books
réf. 2431New York: 1928. Original tri-fold wrappers with price list. The company manufactured quality metalwork for home interiors and exteriors publishing interesting catalogs from their location at 119 East 57th Street N. Y. City. A fine copy. Todhunter Inc. featured a wide variety of styles. paperback books
réf. 2424New York: 1928. Original tri-fold wrappers. The company manufactured quality metalwork for home interiors and exteriors publishing interesting catalogs from their location at 119 East 57th Street N. Y. City. A fine copy. Todhunter Inc. featured a wide variety of styles but favored traditional motifs as well as items with a decided Arts and Crafts influence. paperback books
