Fine Bindings and Sets
Fine Bindings & Rare Book Collections or Sets for Sale Online
Raptis Rare Books maintains an extensive collection of fine bindings, rare book collections, and sets. Browse through our entire collection, use the available filters to sort and find the exact item you’re looking for then contact us to ask a question about a specific item or order directly online today.
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Exceptionally rare first edition, presentation copy of Benjamin Franklin's Experiments and Observations on Electricity; inscribed by him to Prominent Philadelphia Merchant, Colleague, and friend Thomas Livezey
FRANKLIN, Benjamin.
Experiments and Observations on Electricity, Made at Philadelphia in America, by Benjamin Franklin, L.L.D. and F.R.S. To which are added, Letters and Papers on Philosophical Subjects. The Whole corrected, methodized, improved, and now first collected into one Volume, and Illustrated with Copper Plates.
London: Printed for David Henry; and sold by Francis Newbery, at the Corner of St. Paul's Church-Yard, 1769.
First complete edition of "the most important scientific book of eighteenth-century America" (PMM), inscribed by Benjamin Franklin to prominent Pennsylvania Quaker and merchant Thomas Livezey, Jr. Quarto, bound in full contemporary calf with elaborate gilt tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, morocco spine label lettered in gilt, gilt turn-ins. Illustrated with 7 copper-engraved plates, 2 of which are folding. Presentation copy, inscribed by Benjamin Franklin on the front free endpaper, “To Mr. Livesy [sic] From his obliged Friend & humble Servant The Author.” With Thomas Livezey's ownership signature to the second free endpaper, "Thomas Livezey…
Price: $475,000.00 Item Number: 147283
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FROM THE LIBRARY OF GEORGE WASHINGTON AT MOUNT VERNON: First edition, presentation copy of Elkanah Watson's Tour in Holland; inscribed by him to George Washington
[WATSON, Elkanah] [George Washington].
Tour in Holland in MDCCLXXXIV. By an American.
Printed at Worcester, Massachusetts: Isaiah Thomas, 1790.
First edition, presentation copy of a scarce volume from George Washington's library at Mount Vernon. Octavo, bound in full contemporary sheep with pine gilt in six compartments within raised bands, burgundy morocco spine label lettered in gilt, type-ornament title-page vignette, head and tailpieces. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author to George Washington on the front pastedown, "From the Author to General Washington" and further inscribed on the front free endpaper, "New York, Feb. 1798. Sir, Please to accept this small production which has stole its way into the world. If it can beguile one moment of that anxiety which doubtless pervades your…
Price: $275,000.00 Item Number: 143919
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"THE MOST FAMOUS AND INFLUENTIAL AMERICAN POLITICAL WORK”: EXCEPTIONALLY RARE FIRST EDITION OF THE FEDERALIST
[HAMILTON, Alexander; James Madison; John Jay].
The Federalist: A Collection of Essays, Written in Favour of the New Constitution, As Agreed Upon by the Federal Convention, September 17, 1787.
New York: Printed and Sold by J. and A. McLean, 1788.
First edition of The Federalist, one of the rarest and most significant books in American political history. 12mo, bound in half calf over marbled boards, raised bands, gilt titles to the spine. In very good condition with light toning to the pages. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell and chemise box. An exceptional example of this cornerstone of Americana.
Price: $250,000.00 Item Number: 143916
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Elaborately bound collection of Presidential autographs; containing the autograph of each of the first 34 Presidents of the United States from George Washington to Dwight D. Eisenhower
WASHINGTON, George; John Adams; Thomas Jefferson; James Madison; James Monroe; John Quincy Adams; Andrew Jackson; Martin Van Buren; William Henry Harrison; John Tyler; James Polk; Zachary Taylor; Millard Fillmore; Franklin Pierce; James Buchanan; Abraham Lincoln; Andrew Johnson; Ulysses S. Grant; Rutherford B. Hayes; James Garfield; Chester A. Arthur; Grover Cleveland; William McKinley; Theodore Roosevelt; William H. Taft; Woodrow Wilson; Warren G. Harding; Calvin Coolidge; Herbert Hoover; Franklin D. Roosevelt; Harry Truman; Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Autographs of the Presidents of the United States of America.
1783-1956.
Elaborately bound collection of Presidential autographs, containing the autograph of each of the first 34 Presidents of the United States from George Washington to Dwight D. Eisenhower. Quarto, bound in full red morocco by Riviere & Son with gilt titles and ruling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, gilt presidential seal to the front panel with white and blue morocco onlays, gilt arms and motto of George Washington to the rear panel with white and blue morocco onlays and his gilt signature in facsimile, centerpieces within quintuple gilt ruling with star emblems at each corner, blue…
Price: $80,000.00 Item Number: 125384
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Samuel Johnson Pratt's Family Secrets; from the library of President George Washington; with a small note in his hand tipped in
PRATT, Samuel Johnson. [George Washington].
Family Secrets: By Mr. Pratt. Volume III. [From the Library of George Washington].
London: Printed for T.N. Longman, Paternoster-Row, 1798.
Octavo, bound in full contemporary calf with a burgundy morocco spine label lettered in gilt, gilt ruling to the spine. Vol. III of the original five volumes. Tipped in to the pastedown is a small clipped note in the hand of George Washington which reads, "with the said" and the bookplate of Benjamin Lincoln Lear. The set in which this volume originated was listed in a manuscript by Washington's private secretary Tobias Lear titled 'Catalogue of Books received from Washington' and bears the bookplate of Lear's son Benjamin Lincoln Lear. Tobias Lear served as Washington's personal secretary from 1784 until…
Price: $30,000.00 Item Number: 139518
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"War is the continuation of politics by other means": Scarce First Edition of arguably the most important treatise on political-military analysis and strategy ever written; Carl von Clausewitz's On War
VON CLAUSEWITZ, Carl Philipp Gottfried.
Vom Kriege. Hinterlassenes Werk. [On War].
Berlin: Ferdinand Dümmler, 1832-34.
Scarce first edition of arguably the most important treatise on political-military analysis and strategy ever written. Octavo, three volumes bound in contemporary half cloth over marbled boards with gilt titles and ruling to the spine. In near fine condition with light rubbing to the extremities.
Price: $20,000.00 Item Number: 123578
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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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“Ev’ry valley shall be exalted, and ev’ry mountain and hill made low: the crooked straight and the rough places plain": Rare First Edition, Third Issue of Handel's Messiah An Oratorio in Score
HANDEL, George Frideric.
Messiah An Oratorio in Score.
London: Randall & Abell, c.1767.
Rare first edition, third issue of this classic work. Quarto, bound in full diced morocco, raised bands, gilt titles and tooling to the spine, front and rear panels, marbled endpapers, 3 leaves, 188 and 35 pages, printed subscribers' list and index, engraved music. In very good condition, worming to margins, damp-staining to lower outer corner of a few leaves, small paper loss to lower outer corner of pages 93-94. First editions are rare.
Price: $15,000.00 Item Number: 143841
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First Editions of Shackletons Classic Account The Heart of the Antarctic; Inscribed by Ernest H. Shackleton
SHACKLETON, Ernest H.
The Heart of the Antarctic: Being the Story of the British Antarctic Expedition 1907-1909.
London: William Heinemann, 1909.
First editions of Shackleton’s fascinating account of the British Antarctic Expedition of 1907-1909. Large octavos, 2 volumes, original blue cloth, photogravure frontispiece to each volume, 12 captioned tissue-guarded colored, and 255 black and white other plates in all, 3 maps, panorama in end-pocket of volume II, and numerous illustrations and diagrams throughout. Presentation copy, inscribed by Ernest Shackleton on the front free endpaper. In very good condition. Trade editions signed by Shackleton are rare.
Price: $14,000.00 Item Number: 141414
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Rare First Edition of Works of Alexander Hamilton; Including an early edition of The Federalist
HAMILTON, Alexander.
The Works of Alexander Hamilton; Comprising His Most Important Official Reports; An Improved Edition of The Federalist, on the New Constitution, Written in 1788; and Pacificus.
New York : Williams and Whiting, 1810.
The first collected edition of the works of Alexander Hamilton, with an early printing of The Federalist. Octavo, 3 volumes, bound in full calf, three engraved portraits of Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay. The first volume contains five of Hamilton's reports as Secretary of the Treasury, volumes II and III are devoted primarily to the Federalist Papers, and include significant additions, incorporating changes based on Hamilton's own notes. Edited by John Wells. In very good condition.
Price: $12,500.00 Item Number: 129659
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Scarce First edition of Commandino's commentary of Ptolemy's Planisphaerium; one of the few extant examples from the Aldine Press in Roman type
PTOLOMAEUS, Claudius. Edited and with Commentary by Federico Commandino.
Ptolemaei Planisphaerium. Iordani Planisphaerium. Federici Commandini Urbrinatis in Ptolemaei Planisphaerium Commentarius.
Venice: Paulus Manutius (Aldine Press), 1558.
First separate edition and first edition of Commandino's commentary of Ptolemy's Planisphaerium, the original Greek text of which is no longer extant. Octavo, two volumes bound into one in eighteenth century vellum, all edges speckled red, Aldine device on both titles and both final pages, woodcut initials, numerous woodcut diagrams. The Ptolemaei is printed in Roman type and the Planisphaerium in Italics; examples from the Aldine Press in Roman type are scarce as the press's founder, Aldus Manutius, invented the Italic type which he used almost exclusively. The Aldine press was also the first to issue printed books in the small…
Price: $8,800.00 Item Number: 95289
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First edition in English of Johann Jacob Wecker's Eighteen Book of the Secrets of Art & Nature
WECKER, Johannes Jacob.
Eighteen Books of the Secrets of Art & Nature, Being The Summe and Substance of Naturall Philosophy, Methodically Digested. First designed by John Wecker Dr in Physick, and now much Augmented and Inlarged by Dr. R. Read. A like work never before in the English tongue.
1660: Printed for Simon Miller at the Starre in St. Pauls Church-yard, London.
First edition in English of Reade's 17th century adaptation of Johann Jacob Wecker's De secreti libri xvii [Book of Secrets] of 1582. Folio, bound in three quarter polished calf over marbled boards with gilt titles and ruling to the spine, woodcut printer's device to the title, woodcut head and tailpieces and initials, numerous woodcut diagrams in the text. In near fine condition. Lacking the engraved frontispiece, title page supplied. Exceptionally rare.
Price: $7,500.00 Item Number: 127083
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First complete edition in English of The History of Herodotus; translated by Isaac Littlebury
HERODOTUS; TRANSLATED BY ISAAC LITTLEBURY,.
The History of Herodotus. Translated from the Greek. By Isaac Littlebury.
London: Printed for Edward Castle and Sam Buckley, 1709.
First complete edition in English of Littlebury's translation of the histories of Herodotus, also the first appearance in English since Thomas Marshe's 1584 incomplete translation of only the first two books. Octavo, two volumes. Bound in full contemporary calf with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised bands, red morocco spine labels, stamped ruling, all edged speckled red, woodcut ornaments to the title pages and colophon of volume II, index. From the library of George Paterson of Castle Huntly with his armorial bookplates to the pastedowns. After amassing a large fortune with the East India…
Price: $7,500.00 Item Number: 96521
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Finely Bound Set by Sangorski and Sutcliffe of the Works of Kahlil Gibran
GIBRAN, Kahlil.
The Works of Kahlil Gibran, Including: The Prophet, The Madman, The Forerunner, Sand and Foam, Jesus the Son of Man, The Earth Gods, The Wanderer, The Garden of the Prophet, Prose Poems, Nymphs of the Valley, Spirits Rebellious, and A Tear and a Smile.
New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1962-1965.
Finely bound by Sangorski & Sutcliffe in full red morocco, gilt titles to spines direct with two raised bands and gilt tooling, gilt-ruled board edges and turn-ins, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt. Illustrated plates by Gibran. Complete with each of the text volumes of his works as published by Knopf (originally between 1918 and 1950). In fine condition. An attractively bound set of Kahlil Gibran.
Price: $6,500.00 Item Number: 82975
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First Editions of each volume of Lewis' Narrative of Various Journeys in Balochistan, Afghanistan, The Panjab, & Kalat; from the library of Adventurer and Aviator Steve Fossett with his bookplate to each volume
MASSON, Charles [James Lewis].
Narrative of Various Journeys in Balochistan, Afghanistan, The Panjab, & Kalat, During a Residence in those Countries.
London: Richard Bentley, 1842.
First edition of this narrative of Lewis' travels between 1826 and 1838 through Balochistan, Sind, the Hazara, Afghanistan and the Punjab. Octavo, four volumes. Bound in full morocco, gilt titles and tooling to the spine, morocco spine labels, gilt ruled, marbled endpapers, illustrated with engravings, 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,…
Price: $5,500.00 Item Number: 95145
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First Editions of Henry Yule's The Book of Ser Marco Polo, the Venetian, Concerning the Kingdoms and Marvels of the East; finely bound in full morocco by sangorski and sutcliffe
YULE, Colonel Henry.
The Book of Ser Marco Polo, the Venetian, Concerning the Kingdoms and Marvels of the East.
London: John Murray, 1871.
First edition of Yule's important work which correlated Polo's travels with their present-day locations. Octavo, two volumes. Bound in full morocco by Sangorski and Sutcliffe with gilt titles and tooling to the spine, gilt ruling and vignettes to the front panels, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles, all edges gilt, patterned endpapers, with maps and engraved illustrations many folding and in color. 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…
Price: $3,800.00 Item Number: 111068