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Exceedingly rare new and revised edition of M. de Bourrienne's Life of Napoleon extra-illustrated with additional portraits and views and over 50 autograph letters and notes signed by Napoleon I, members of his family, and royal associates
DE BOURRIENNE, Fauvelet. [Napoleon].
Memoirs of Napoleon Bonaparte.
London: Richard Bentley and Son, 1885.
Exceedingly rare edition of M. de Bourrienne’s Life of Napoleon extra-illustrated with additional portraits and views and over 50 autograph letters and notes signed by Napoleon I, members of his family, associates, and the author bound in. Octavo, bound in three quarters scarlet morocco with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, marbled endpapers, top edge gilt with others uncut, tissue-guarded frontispiece and full color portrait to each volume, illustrated with engravings issued in the initial publication and over 100 extra portraits and views bound in. With over 50 autograph letters signed bound in including 3 autograph letters signed by Napoleon I (bound into Vol. I page 201, Vol. I page 369, and Vol. III page 530), and autograph letters signed by Charles J. Bernadotte, King of Spain; Joseph Bonaparte, King of Spain; Fauvelet de Bourrienne; A.A.L. Caulincort, Duc de Vicenza; Marquis Emmanuel Grouchy; Napoleon’s second wife Marie Louise. Duchess of Parma; Joachim Murat, King of Naples; Comte Horace Sebastiani, and Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington among others. With the original compiler’s printed catalog of extra material detailing the location (volume and page number) of each added engraving and autograph letter signed. In near fine condition. Accompanied by an additional military endorsement signed by Napoleon during the Peninsular War, “Approuvé Np.” An exceptional collection of significant Napoleonic era signatures.
Price: $45,000.00 Item Number: 117078
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The Constable Edition of The Works of Shakespeare; one of only 1,000 copies bound by BaynTun in cosway-style binding and elaborately illustrated with original watercolors
SHAKESPEARE, William. Edited by W. E. Henley.
The Works of Shakespeare.
Edinburgh: T. and A. Constable; Grant Richards, 1903-1904.
The Constable edition of the works of Shakespeare. Folio, ten volumes. Elaborately bound in full blue morocco by Bayntun Riviere in Cosway-style binding with hand painted portrait medallions under glass to the front panel of each volume, gilt titles to the spine, gilt tooling to the spine and front panel, fleuron cornerpiece designs within gilt frames, raised gilt bands, inner dentelles, top edge gilt, silk endleaves, ribbon bound in. Illustrated with 479 tissue-guarded plates and 531 original illustrations, 525 of which are original watercolors. One of only 1,000 copies, this is number 149. Volume X is signed by Grant Richards, who produced that volume only, on the limitation page. Each volume contains four plays, with the exception of volume ten which contains two plays followed by Shakespeare’s narrative poems and sonnets. In near fine condition. Exceptionally rare and desirable. A stunning set.
Price: $38,000.00 Item Number: 95176
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"My original soul seemed, at once, to take its flight from my body": Scarce first edition of Edgar Allan Poe's Tales; including the first appearance of The Gold-Bug, The Black Cat, The Fall of The House of Usher, and The Purloined Letter
POE, Edgar Allan.
Tales.
New York: Wiley and Putnam, 1845.
First edition, first printing with the imprints of T. B. Smith and H. Ludwig on the copyright page of one of the most important works in the history of American literature. Several of the dozen stories in this remarkable collection are among the best known in fiction including The Gold-Bug, The Black Cat, The Fall of The House of Usher, and The Purloined Letter. Octavo, bound in three quarters contemporary calf over marbled boards. Housed in a custom clamshell and chemise box. In excellent condition with light browning to the text. BAL 16146; Grolier, 100 American, 55; Heartman and Canny, pp. 90-97; Yale/Gimbel 61. One of the nicest examples we have seen of this scarce highspot of American literature.
Price: $35,000.00 Item Number: 95139
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“I am so clever that sometimes I don't understand a single word of what I am saying": The Works of Oscar Wilde; One of 80 Sets Bound in Japanese Vellum
WILDE, Oscar.
The Complete Works of Oscar Wilde.
London: Methuen & Co, 1908.
First collected edition, one of 80 sets on Japanese vellum, the rarest and most desirable of Wilde’s works. Octavo, 14 volumes, bound in original vellum, gilt titles and tooling to the spine and front panel with the design by Charles Ricketts, top edge gilt. “The text is taken in most instances from the last editions issued under the superintendence of the author. In some cases the volumes contain additional matter which had not previously been reprinted, while some of the volumes contain matter here published for the first time” (Mason). In near fine condition. Rare and desirable, especially in this condition.
Price: $27,500.00 Item Number: 103150
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"The owner of these volumes will possess an exact reproduction of the original South Polar Times which appeared month by month during the winters of 1902-03": First Limited edition of The South Polar Times; With a Signed page From Ernest Shackleton and Rudolph Blakenburg
SCOTT, Robert Falcon. Edited by Ernest Henry Shackleton.
The South Polar Times.
London: Smith, Elder, & Co, 1907-1914.
First limited edition of the complete collection of the South Polar Times, a periodical created by Scott’s crew during his two polar expeditions on the ships Discovery and Terra Nova, with a slip signed by Ernest Shackleton and Rudolph Blakenburg Quarto, three volumes, publisher’s gilt decorated cloth, all edges gilt, frontispiece to each volume, elaborately illustrated with engravings after the expedition members’ original drawings, many in color. Volumes I and II are number 177 of only 250 copies, volume III is number 256 of 350 copies. From the Adventure and Exploration collection of James Stephen “Steve” Fossett with his bookplate to the pastedown of each volume. American businessman and record-setting aviator Steve Fossett became the first person to fly solo nonstop around the world in 2002 in his 10-story high balloon Spirit of Freedom. He completed the 2002 trip in 13 days, 8 hours, and 33 minutes and set records for both the Longest Distance Flown Solo in a Balloon and Fastest Balloon Flight Around the World. Fossett was also one of sailing’s most prolific distance record holders set the Absolute World Speed Record for airships with a Zeppelin NT in 2004. He received numerous awards and honors throughout his career including aviation’s highest award, the Gold Medal of the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), which he was awarded in 2002. Fossett disappeared on September 3, 2007 while flying a light aircraft over the Great Basin Desert, between Nevada and California. Additional bookplates from the libraries of Dr. Edward Bramley and polar scientist Anthony Michaels. In near fine condition. Laid in is an scarce autograph album page boldly signed by Ernest Shackleton and American businessman and former mayor of Philadelphia Rudolph Blakenburg. An exceptional set.
Price: $20,000.00 Item Number: 95157
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"Where A Man Feels At Home, Outside Of Where He’s Born, Is Where He’s Meant To Go": First Edition Of Green Hills Of Africa; Inscribed By Hemingway
HEMINGWAY, Ernest.
Green Hills of Africa.
New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1935.
First edition of Hemingway’s second work of nonfiction, an account of a month on safari he and his wife took in East Africa during December 1933. Octavo, original green cloth, decorations by Edward Shenton. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “To Gweneth P. Beam wishing her plenty of luck Ernest Hemingway.” The recipient was a secretary at Scribners at the time of publication when Hemingway inscribed this copy to her. Some light fading to the cloth as usual in a bright near fine dust jacket with light rubbing. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box. A very sharp example.
Price: $18,500.00 Item Number: 3015
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First editions in English of each volume in Humboldt's Personal Narrative of Travels to the Equinoctial Regions of the New Continent; from the library of Steve Fossett
HUMBOLDT, Alexander von and Aime Bonpland.
Personal Narrative of Travels to the Equinoctial Regions of the New Continent, During the Years 1799-1804.
London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme and Brown, 1814-1829.
First editions in English of each volume in Humboldt’s narrative of his studies during his 21 year journey throughout the Americas which laid the foundation for the field of biogeography. Octavo, 11 volumes, bound in three quarters morocco over marbled boards, gilt titles and tooling to the spine, morocco spine label, top edge gilt, folding map. From the library of James Stephen “Steve” Fossett with his bookplate to the pastedown of each volume. American businessman and record-setting aviator Steve Fossett became the first person to fly solo nonstop around the world in 2002 in his 10-story high balloon Spirit of Freedom. He completed the 2002 trip in 13 days, 8 hours, and 33 minutes and set records for both the Longest Distance Flown Solo in a Balloon and Fastest Balloon Flight Around the World. Fossett was also one of sailing’s most prolific distance record holders set the Absolute World Speed Record for airships with a Zeppelin NT in 2004. He received numerous awards and honors throughout his career including aviation’s highest award, the Gold Medal of the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), which he was awarded in 2002. Fossett disappeared on September 3, 2007 while flying a light aircraft over the Great Basin Desert, between Nevada and California. In near fine condition. A stunning set, most rare and desirable.
Price: $16,000.00 Item Number: 95171
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LIMITED FIRST EDITION OF ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE: SIGNED BY IAN FLEMING, ONE OF ONLY 35 RESERVED FOR PRESENTATION
FLEMING, Ian .
On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1963.
Signed limited first edition, the only Bond title issued in a limited edition, one of only 35 unnumbered copies reserved for presentation signed by Ian Fleming (from a total signed limited edition of 285), of the eleventh Bond novel. Octavo, original half vellum, top edge gilt, with color frontispiece portrait of Fleming by Amherst Villiers. Near fine in the original acetate dust jacket. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box. An exceptional example.
Price: $15,000.00 Item Number: 116222
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“NIELSEN’S MOST SPECTACULAR AND CELEBRATED BOOK”: SIGNED LIMITED EDITION OF EAST OF THE SUN AND WEST OF THE MOON
NIELSEN, Kay. Asbjornsen.
East of the Sun West of the Moon: Old Tales from the North.
London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1914.
Signed limited edition of one of the most important and impressive books of the Golden Age of book illustration. One of 500 numbered copies, this is number 41. Quarto, original vellum, gilt titles and decoration to spine and front cover gilt, top edge gilt, pictorial endpapers. Signed by the illustrator Kay Nielsen. With 25 tipped in color plates. In near fine condition. A very nice example. Laid is the original notice for the Leicester Galleries exhibition held in November and December of 1914, where the watercolors for this book were offered for sale.
Price: $15,000.00 Item Number: 69026
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Rare Presidential Commission appointing Baseball Hall of Famer Joe Dimaggio as a member of the Conference on Physical Fitness and Sports; signed by President Richard Nixon
NIXON, Richard; Joe DiMaggio.
Joe DiMaggio Presidential Commission Signed by Richard Nixon.
Washington, D.C: 1970.
Rare Richard Nixon Presidential Commission appointing Baseball Hall of Famer Joe DiMaggio as a “Member of the Conference on Physical Fitness and Sports.” Dated September 25th, 1970 the appointment is signed by President Richard Nixon and Secretary of State William Rogers with the Presidential seal. Double matted and framed. In fine condition. From the personal collection of Joe DiMaggio. Included is letter of provenance from DiMaggio’s estate signed by his two granddaughters. An exceptional association linking two American icons. Double matted and framed.
Price: $15,000.00 Item Number: 95202
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First edition of the second book on architecture published in America: Owen Biddle's The Young Carpenter's Assistant
BIDDLE, Owen.
The Young Carpenter’s Assistant; Or, A System Of Architecture, Adapted To The Style Of Building In The United States.
Philadelphia: Benjamin Johnson, 1805.
First edition of the second book on architecture published in America, second only to Asher Benjamin’s Country Builder’s Assistant’ published in 1797( Shaw & Shoemaker, 8018). Quarto, bound in full calf, gilt titles and tooling to the spine, gilt ruled to the front and rear panels, illustrated with 44 engraved plates, 2 folding. In very good condition. Scarce with only 2 copies having appeared at auction in the past 50 years.
Price: $15,000.00 Item Number: 117672
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Rare French Military Artillery and Fortification Manual with text in manuscript and technical drawings throughout
French Military Artillery and Fortification Manual.
Metz: Ecole Royale de l'Artillerie et du Genie, 1818-19.
Rare early 19th century French military manual created in manuscript for the Ecole Royale de ‘Artillerie et du Genie (School of Application of Artillery and Engineering of Metz) containing lessons and technical drawings in the mechanics of artillery and construction of temporary and permanent military fortifications. Quarto, ten volumes bound in three quarters morocco over marbled boards with gilt titles to the spine and front panels, text in manuscript with technical drawings throughout. In near fine condition, internally exceptionally clean. A rare and desirable piece of 19th century French military history.
Price: $15,000.00 Item Number: 109852
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First Edition of Walt Disney's Fantasia; Inscribed by Disney and with Twelve original drawings
DISNEY, Walt; Deems Taylor .
Walt Disney’s Fantasia. With a Foreword by Leopold Stokowski.
New York: Simon and Schuster, 1940.
First edition of the lavishly illustrated companion volume to Disney’s animated musical masterpiece. Quarto, original cloth, pictorial endpapers, illustrated with 16 mounted color plates. Presentation copy, signed and inscribed by thirteen people (including Walt Disney); all who worked at Walt Disney studios in the 1940s. All of the inscriptions are to Jodie Ferguson Brudge, who was a secretary at Disney Studios, and upon her leaving to get married, raise family, she asked those that she worked with to inscribe her copy of Fantasia. This work contains the following inscriptions and illustrations, inscribed by Walt Disney on the title page, “To Jodie Best Wishes Walt Disney.” Page 10 has an original full-color illustration by Milt Banta of a card game between Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Milt Banta, with the inscription “Best Wishes Always Milt Banta.” Page 14 has a full page original illustration by Russ Dyson of a “ye olde family tree” for the Ferguson [Jodie] and Dyson branches. On the Dyson branch is a self-portrait of Dyson as a bird, with the inscription, “I Hope the Ferguson Branch Doesn’t grow any Larger! Good Luck – Russ Dyson 1/18/46.” Page 57 has an original watercolor of a tree branch and paint container, and the inscription: “Jodie – If you ever run across any automatic paint brushes like these – let me know. – Claude Coats.” Page 82 has a twenty-six line inscription that is warm and thoughtful from Ben [Sharpsteen]. Page 95 has an original color illustration of a frog fishing and the inscription, “An ‘Good Fishin’ to you all the time – Jodie. Hugh Hennesy” Page 102 has an original color illustration of a self-portrait of Bill Berg, with the inscription “Good Bye Jodie – We’ll Miss You!!! Bill Berg.” Page 118 has an original illustration of a self-portrait of Jerry Hathcock waking from a nightmare, with the inscription, “Gad!! What a Nightmare! Maybe Jodie is smart to leave. Good Bye + Good Luck, Jerry Hathcock.” Page 119 has an original illustration of a bouquet of flowers, that has been drawn into the hand/wing of the printed ostrich, with the inscription: “Best Luck and Good Wishes Jodie. Phil Barber.” Page 121 has an original illustration of a self-portrait of J. Eric Gurney who is holding a banner that reads, “Best Wishes to Jodie.” The opposite end of the banner is being held by the printed hippopotamus. Page 126 has an original illustration of a self-portrait of Nick Nichols (being held aloft by the printed elephant), with the inscription: “Bye Bye Jodie Come Back And Work For Me Again. Best Nick Nichols.” Page 159 has an original full-page illustration of Jodie as a centaurette, with the inscription, “G’bye Now. Lots of Luck an’ Stuff to Jodie. George Rowley.” The verso of the rear free endsheet contains an original illustration of a guitar player in a pancho and sombrero with the inscription, ” Good Luck Jodie. William de la Torre.” An excellent example in a very good dust jacket. A unique piece of Disney history.
Price: $14,000.00 Item Number: 96808
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First Edition of The Double Helix; Signed by Both James Watson and Francis Crick
WATSON, James D. [Francis Crick].
The Double Helix: A Personal Account of the Discovery of the Structure of DNA.
New York: Atheneum, 1968.
First edition of Watson’s ground breaking work regarding the discovery of DNA for which the author, Francis Crick and Maurice Wilkins were awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1962. Signed by both James Watson and Francis Crick on the title page. Octavo, original blue cloth, with numerous diagrams and photographic illustrations. Fine in a fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Jeanyee Wong. Foreword by Sir Lawrence Bragg. Rare and desirable signed by both Watson and Crick.
Price: $14,000.00 Item Number: 112545
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"Humanity is the same the world over in whatever garb or colour she may be clothed": Signed Photograph of Mahatma Gandhi
GANDHI, Mohandas K. (M.K.).
Mohandas K. Gandhi Signed Photograph.
Rare signed photograph depicting Mohandas K. Gandhi in profile with his palms pressed together, inscribed in Gujarati (“[Truth at all costs]”) and signed in English M.K. Gandhi on the image in blue ink. With an autographed letter signed from Amrit Kaur, the secretary to Gandhi and later Health Minister of India, to Sgt. John McAleer, written on Gandhi’s behalf, enclosing the signed photograph and responding to his letter (“…Humanity is the same the world over in whatever garb or colour she may be clothed…”), 2 pages, Poona, 5 March 1946, with envelope; photograph of Gandhi and another in rickshaws being pulled by a ceremonial guard, stamped and inscribed “Bhullo chien Desia” on the reverse; and a newspaper cutting; altogether five items mounted and framed together. In very good condition with the inscription faded. Matted and framed, the entire piece measures 19.5 inches by 16.5 inches. A nice collection with noted provenance.
Price: $13,500.00 Item Number: 100048
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“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever": Rare Mahatma Gandhi Autograph
GANDHI, Mohandas K.
Mohandas K. Gandhi Autograph.
Rare Mohandas K. Gandhi autograph, signed at the height of the struggle for Indian Independence. Signed by Gandhi, “M.K. Gandhi 28-12-38 Segaon-Wardha.” Eight miles from the city of Wardha, the Indian village of Segoan became the site of Gandhi’s Sevagram Ashram, established in 1936 when Gandhi was 67 years old. Gandhi renamed the site Sevagram, meaning “village of service”, and resided there until his death by assassination in 1948. In near fine condition. Double matted and framed with a large photograph of Gandhi. The entire piece measures 21 inches by 16.5 inches.
Price: $12,500.00 Item Number: 89151
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First Edition of Wise Blood; Inscribed by Flannery O'Connor to her editor, Robie Macauley
O'CONNOR, Flannery.
Wise Blood.
New York: Harcourt, Brace and Company, 1952.
First edition of O’Connor’s powerful first novel. Octavo, original cloth. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper to her editor, “For Robie — Flannery.” Robie Macauley was an American editor, novelist and critic whose literary career spanned more than 50 years. In 1966, Macauley became the Fiction Editor at Playboy where he published fiction by Saul Bellow, Roald Dahl, Nadine Gordimer, John Irving, Doris Lessing, Vladimir Nabokov, and Kurt Vonnegut among many others. In 1978 he became a Senior Editor at Houghton Mifflin where he was responsible for publishing The Mosquito Coast, The Marrakesh One-Two, Shoeless Joe, and several works of nonfiction. Near fine in a good first issue dust jacket with some wear to the front panel and crown of the spine. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box. An exceptional association.
Price: $12,500.00 Item Number: 92789
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Rare Elaborately Illuminated nobility diploma signed by King Charles II Of Spain
KING CHARLES II OF SPAIN. [DON CARLOS],.
King Charles II Of Spain Autograph Signed Manuscript.
Madrid: May 28, 1699.
Rare elaborately illuminated nobility diploma signed by King Charles II of Spain, appointing Don Martin Damian Mendizabal the title of Marquis of Torre Gines. Quarto, bound in full red contemporary velvet covered boards with two metal clasps, containing five illuminated leaves, two fully illuminated in color with the Royal coat of arms and portrait of King Charles II, text in Spanish. Signed by King Charles II, “Yo el Rey” and additionally signed by several Royal secretaries. Bound with a printed manuscript of the Oath of Fidelity to the King of Spain with Royal stamps dated 1701 and with two autograph letters laid in, the first dated September 17, 1701 and signed by Philip V, and the second addressed to the Marquis. Exceptionally rare.
Price: $12,500.00 Item Number: 107920
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"In an old house in Paris that was covered with vines Lived twelve little girls in two straight lines...": First Edition of Madeline; Signed by Ludwig Bemelmans
BEMELMANS, Ludwig.
Madeline.
New York: Simon and Schuster, 1939.
First edition with the 1939 date on the title page and with 12 girls instead of 11 in the “They went home and broke their bread” illustration. Thin folio, original illustrated boards, color illustrations throughout, illustrated endpapers. Boldly signed by Ludwig Bemelmans on the front free endpaper. An excellent example in a very good dust jacket. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box. Rare and desirable signed.
Price: $12,500.00 Item Number: 82390
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"Life's under no obligation to give us what we expect": First Edition of Gone with the Wind; Signed by Margaret Mitchell
MITCHELL, Margaret.
Gone With the Wind.
New York: The Macmillan Company, 1936.
First edition of the author’s classic novel. Octavo, original gray cloth. Signed by Margaret Mitchell on the front free end paper. First printing, with “Published May 1936” on the copyright page and no mention of other printings. First issue dust jacket, with Gone with the Wind listed in the second column of the booklist on the back panel, with $3.00 cost on the front flap. Near fine in the original dust jacket with some light professional restoration to the extremities. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box. A very nice example.
Price: $12,000.00 Item Number: 4313