Melbourne: Edward A. Vidler, 1920.
With illustrations by Napier Waller
Octavo, two black & white plates by Napier Waller; original pictorial wrappers with yap edges. A two-act play with an unusual idea for staging involving cinematic sets. Illustrated by Napier Waller. More
London: Cresset Press, 1928.
Cresset Press limited edition
Large quarto; vellum, uncut and limited to 250 copies. Number 7 of an edition of 250: with the bookplate of Vyvyan Edwards. A beautiful copy of Bacon's Essayes, printed on Batchelor's Kelmscott hand-made paper, with titles and initials designed by Joscelyne Gaskin. More
London: J. Johnson et al. 1803.
Awarded to abolitionist Thomas Fowell Buxton
Ten volumes, octavo, engraved portrait frontispiece and folding table, prize-plate & bookplate, later gift inscription from Buxton to his son; early diced calf with the insignia of Trinity College Dublin to the boards. A fine and most attractive... More
London: Privately Printed, 1916.
With pencil revisions probably by the author
Octavo, original wrappers, uncut, partly unopened. A very good copy of the only edition, with pencil revisions to several poems, probably by Baylebridge himself. Christened Blocksidge, the Australian poet and short story writer is better known as William Baylebridge... More
London: George Cawthorn, 1797.
The "most esteemed" English plays
34 volumes, 16mo., engravings; contemporary sprinkled calf, blue morocco spines richly gilt. A most handsome set of collected plays by the famous publisher Bell, 'the mischievous spirit, the very Puck of booksellers' (DNB). This fine collection includes many of the most... More
London: W.Bulmer and Co., 1796.
From the library of Frances Mary Currer
Folio, stipple engraved frontispiece and engravings in text; a charming copy in half dark green morocco, marbled boards, armorial bookplates for Frances Mary Richardson Currer and Mathew Wilson, contemporary ink ownership signature of 'M R Currer' on half... More
London: J. M. Dent, 1922.
Colour plates by Edmund Dulac
Six volumes, octavo, with a total of 60 colour plates (including frontispieces), otherwise a most attractive set in uniform half polished navy calf by Bayntun with ornate gilt spine ornament and crimson labels. Collected edition of the Brontë novels, here... More
Paris: chez Brunet, 1814.
The bibliographer's grail
Four volumes, octavo; contemporary half calf, flat spines gilt with black leather labels. Second edition, greatly expanded from the first of the most famous rare book bibliographies. 'Brunet's annotations… are often still unsurpassed. There is hardly any other bibliography in which the wide... More
London: F. and C. Rivington, 1797.
"A gang of felons and murderers..."
Octavo in fours; contemporary quarter calf. First edition, Burke's continues to oppose peace with France: published posthumously. Extending his long-held opposition to the Revolution in France, this letter, published from drafts left by Burke, maintains his steadfast opposition... More
London: T. Cadell and W. Davies et al. 1814. Five volumes, thick octavo, light spotting to endpapers; contemporary full tan calf, double red and green spine labels. Handsome 1814 edition of the first and most enduring work of legal writer Richard Burn. The Justice of the Peace and Parish Officer... More
London: W. Nicol for John Murray, 1835. Two volumes, octavo, extra-illustrated with 71 plates by Hogarth and others (inlaid to size or pasted down); in contemporary dark green pebble grain morocco gilt, all edges gilt. A very handsome extra-illustrated copy of Butler's famous mock epic, in fine condition. This edition... More
![Marino Faliero, Doge of Venice [bound with] Werner, A Tragedy. George Gordon BYRON.](/pictures/thumb/2408062.jpg?v=1434432042)
London: John Murray, 1821.
Lord Byron's influences
Tall octavo, missing both half-titles, 'Marino Faliero' without terminal ad.; contemporary green half morocco, gilt, Attractive volume of two important works by Byron. First edition, first issue of Marino Faliero: the Doge's speech on page 151 consists of only five and a half... More
Nangazaki [Paris]: "Klnporzenkru, L'an du monde 59749" 1749. Two volumes in one, duodecimo, first title lightly stained and with an early ms attribution to 'Cahusac'; in old dark blue paper boards, red leather label. "Last edition" of this charming and rare book which had been suppressed by the authorities in... More
Amsterdam: Louis Elzevir, 1653.
Build a wall "lest the English should break in and bring heresy."
24mo., engraved title, all edges gilt; in nineteenth-century full red morocco, gilt arms of Henry J.B. Clements on front cover, spine banded and gilt. Attractive small Elzevir edition of this utopian work by the... More
Melbourne: Lothian, 1911. Small octavo; original blue cloth, top edge gilt. Author's presentation copy of his first book of verse, with a long presentation inscription to Jack Vincent, dated 28 November 1947. More
Edinburgh: William Blackwood, 1875. Small octavo; in a handsome vellum binding, boards with black morocco onlays, decorated ornately with gilt Greek key motif, morocco label and tailpiece, gilt dentelles, marbled endpapers. A beautifully bound copy of the second edition, revised and corrected, of this attractive nineteenth-century version of the poems... More
London: R. Royston, 1676.
The dreaded 'cauldron of boyling oyl'
Folio, with a frontispiece and double page 'Tree of Faith' plate, several other cuts in the text; contemporary gilt-ruled polished crimson calf, spine with gilt decorated panels between raised bands. A beautifully printed history of the early church, illustrated with... More
Melbourne: W.H. Glen & Co., circa 1888. Octavo; modern marbled cloth-backed boards with original printed stiff wrappers bound in. A rare musical souvenir of the lavish opening of the Centennial International Exhibition, held in the Exhibition Building in Melbourne, to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the landing of the First... More
Paris: Henri Plon, 1871. Duodecimo, quarter red-brown morocco. Early French edition of Chesney's electrifying tale of the German invasion of England. Its depiction of the humiliation of the English in battle, but also the crushing despair of life under German rule, positions this work as one of the most important... More
London: John Nichols, 1800. Four volumes, octavo; title pages with armorial ownership stamp; in a fine contemporary binding of tree calf, flat spines gilt, double morocco labels. A most attractive set of this famous book. Chesterfield (1694-1773) is chiefly remembered as the author of these famous Letters, begun in 1737... More
London: H. Rhodes, et al. 1696.
Before Laureateship
Quarto; in a vellum by Riviere. First edition of Cibber's first play. Colley Cibber (1671-1757) was himself an actor, especially noted for playing lead roles, most usually fops. Eventually he became a leading player/manager in Drury Lane, as well as the author... More
Lyon: Vander Aa, 1692.
Handsome uniform panelled calf binding
Eleven volumes, duodecimo, the first with four engraved folding plates, and all eleven volumes embellished with charming ornamental title-pages; a handsome set in mid eighteenth-century panelled calf with original labels. Attractively bound set of Cicero in eleven volumes, noted as 'respectable... More
London: R. Baldwin, 1755 [i.e., 1754-, 1756.
A sharpening wit unleashed upon London society
140 original numbers bound into two volumes, small folio, with woodcut decorations; corner of first title-page renewed with two letters supplied in ink, most of the imprints at the end of each number trimmed away or... More
Venice: circa 1430. Illuminated leaf on vellum, 469 x 353 mm., with illuminated initial "I", 122 x 90 mm. (body of initial); initial on a burnished gold ground and painted in rich colours of blue, red, green and ochre, the initial extended with lush leafy decoration in similar colours with... More
