[Rarebooks] Offering: A Few Select Rare Books at 50% Discount

Mon Mar 27 20:49:37 EDT 2023

A few Selected Rare Items from Stock, Offered at 50% Off:

1)

ROBERTS, David., R.A.
FROM THE NILE TO THE JORDAN. Monuments of The Exodus of the Israelites. Illustrated by Fourteen Autotype View After David Roberts, R.A.

London: Seeley, Jackson, Halliday, 54, Fleet Street, 1873. Octavo; bound in an elaborate full leather publisher's binding, the front panel with Egyptian motifs stamped in gilt and blind, the title embossed with raised lettering over reverse-gilt blocking, elaborate decorative borders; spine panel with four raised bands and small gilt decorations in the compartments, coated yellow endpapers, all edges gilt. 86 pp + [4] pp ads, 14 full-page autotype views of Middle Eastern scenes accompanied by descriptive text. Ink inscription on first blank leaf, "Harry S. Hore from E.M.H. Sept 28, 1879" plus another, later signature dated 1931. Light foxing to preliminary and terminal leaves, minor rubbing / light wear to binding extremities; a very good copy of a very attractive book. This appears to be a deluxe publisher's binding. Rare. Item #312677

¶ David Roberts RA RBA (1796-1864) was a Scottish painter. He is especially known for his work 'The Holy Land, Syria, Idumea, Arabia, Egypt, and Nubia', a prolific series of detailed lithograph prints of Egypt and the Near East that he produced from sketches made during long tours of the region (1838–1840). These and his large oil paintings of similar subjects made him one of the most famous and important Orientalist painters of the 19th Century.

The finely printed autotype (carbon process) plates depict:

- The Hypaethral Temple at Philae (frontispiece);
- The Pyramids and Sphinx
- Luxor, From the Nile
- Entrance to the Temple of Luxor
- Hall of Columns, Karnac
- Colossal Statues at Thebes
- Obelisk of On
- Overflow of the Nile
- The Wells of Moses
- Wady Barah
- Wady Feiran
- SinaiGulf of Akaba, Ezion Geber
- The Jordan.    

Price: $950.00 US save 50%    $475.00 US

Here:

[ https://www.thompsonrarebooks.com.com/book.php?id=312677  ]( https://www.thompsonrarebooks.com.com/book.php?id=312677 )

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2)

BENSON, Arthur Christopher.
THE ISLES OF SUNSET. Inscribed Presentation Copy.

London: Isbister & Company, 15 & 16 Tavistock Street, Covent Garden. 1904. First Edition, First Impression. Octavo, original blue pictorial cloth designed in white, black, gray and yellow, front panel titled in white, spine panel ruled and lettered in gilt. Top edges trimmed, others uncut. Title page printed in black & red. 307 pp. AUTHOR'S PRESENTATION COPY, inscribed to his friend and fellow author Edmund Gosse on the front free endpaper: "Edmund Gosse / from his friend, the / author / Nov 12th 1904". Later bookplate of William Henry Escott on front paste-down. A virtually fine copy, the coloured pictorial front panel unrubbed. An excellent association copy. Item #311919

¶ A much sought-after collection of highly regarded short stories with two supernatural tales, 'The Slype House' and 'The Waving of the Sword'. Sir Edmund William Gosse CB (1849-1928) was an English poet, author and critic; a friend of Lord Tennyson, Robert Browning, Algernon Charles Swinburne, Thomas Hardy, Henry James, Robert Louis Stevenson and others, he was also an early champion of the Irish authors WB Yeats and James Joyce. A major literary association.    

Price: $1,750.00 US save 50%    $875.00US

Here:

[ https://www.thompsonrarebooks.com.com/book.php?id=311919 ]( https://www.thompsonrarebooks.com.com/book.php?id=311919 )

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3)

LEWIS, M.G.
THE MONK. A TALE OF THE INQUISITION.

London: G. Purkess, Compton Street, Soho; And All Booksellers, No Date [1850]. First Edition with these Illustrations. Title from illustrated title page. An additional printed title reads "The Monk, by M.G. Lewis, Esq. ... Beautifully illustrated. Octavo, bound in contemporary half-calf over marbled paper boards, the spine with raised bands and elaborately decorated in the compartments, contrasting leather title label lettered in gilt, marbled endpapers and page edges, all edges trimmed. 281 pp., illustrated title page plus numerous sensational wood-engravings throughout the text. Bound from 36 penny numbers, but issued as such with the extra printed title leaf. This copy belonged to Franz Pollack-Parnau (1903-2003), with his printed booklabel on the inner front cover. Pollack-Parnau was a scion of a Moravian family that had amassed a fortune in the textile industry. His library in the family palace at Vienna's Schwarzenbergplatz is legendary. Light rubbing & scratches to marbled paper covers, the leather is firm and the hinges are tight and holding well, a few minor interior marks but overall a beautiful copy. Item #312011

¶ A major Gothic novel by Matthew Gregory Lewis, first published in 1796, concerning the corruption and downfall of the monk Ambrosio. It is one of the most important Gothic novels of its time. This beautiful edition was issued as a popular 'Penny Dreadful' in 36 penny numbers. There is another issue which lists the publisher as "J. and H. Purkess, 60 Dean Street, Soho" on the extra inserted title page; that issue is later, as Joseph & Henry Purkess, successor to George Purkess the Elder, were active at 60 Dean Street from 1863 to 1875. (Cf. Philip A.H. Brown, London publishers and printers, c. 1800-1870, p. 153). See Summers, A GOTHIC BIBLIOGRAPHY, p. 421.    

Price: $1,500.00 US save 50%    $750.00 US

Here:

[ https://www.thompsonrarebooks.com.com/book.php?id=312011 ]( https://www.thompsonrarebooks.com.com/book.php?id=312011 )

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4)

AYRTON, Michael.
THE TESTAMENT OF DAEDALUS. With a Foreword by Rex Warner. Finely Bound by The Ashley Bindery.

London: Methuen & Co. Ltd., 36 Essex Street, WC2. [1962]. First Edition (& 1st printing). Octavo, bound in full brown morocco leather with a fine abstract design in inlaid black leather and gilt on front and rear panels, spine panel with lettering in gilt done by the Ashley Bindery, Somerset, UK. 71 pp + 16 full-page black & white plates by Aryton at the rear. The Aryton-illustrated dust jacket has been sectioned and tipped in on the last 3 pages (front & rear panel, plus the two flaps). With the binder's stamp "19 AB 78" on the rear inner turnover (Ashley Bindery, 1978). A fine copy, housed in a fine felt-lined marbled-paper slipcase. A lovely copy, in a unique binding. Item #312824

From the estate of Stan Toller, a bookbinder who was active in the 1980's and 90's in Victoria, British Columbia. The Ashley Bindery was associated with Michael Lewis, Bookseller of Ashley House, Croscombe, near Wells in Somerset - a slip is laid into the book which gives the following information: "There was a bookseller in Somerset by the name of Lewis. His wife was French - and a bookbinder. Their son went into the binding business, setting up as "Ashley Bindery". As well as apprenticing to his mother, Stan thinks that he probably studied under Edgar Mansfield in London (Mansfield, a New Zealander, became very famous for a new "abstract" style of decoration...). In any case, Stan used to purchase from the old Mr. Lewis - and in each one of Lewis' catalogues, he would feature a few of his son's bindings. Stan purchased 4 of them (including this lovely Michael Ayrton). "    

Price: $750.00 US save 50%    $375.00 US

https://www.thompsonrarebooks.com.com/book.php?id=312824

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5)

DICKENS, Charles.
OLIVER TWIST.

London: Richard Bentley, New Burlington Street. 1839. Second Edition. Octavo, Three Volumes. Original reddish-brown horizontally-ribbed cloth, front & rear covers with an arabesque design stamped in blind, spine panel lettered OLIVER / TWIST / [short rule] / BOZ / VOL I. [II. III] / LONDON / BENTLEY along with four sets of blind-stamped bands; light yellow-coated endpapers. 331 + [4, ads]; 307; 315 pp; Frontispieces in each volume, 24 plates in total, all by George Cruikshank, the final plate in Volume III being the later "Church" plate as the original "Fireside" plate was withdrawn as it was not to Dickens' liking. A very nice set of the Second Edition, issued very shortly after and in the same format as the First Edition. There is some moderate foxing to the plates, spines and edges of covers lightly tanned and slightly marked; a very good, clean set in the original cloth, completely unrestored. A desirable set in this condition. Item #312730

¶ The First issue of the First edition of OLIVER was published on November 9, 1838. There are several variant issues - the changing the final plate and, later, changing Dickens' name from "Boz" to "Charles Dickens" on the title leaf. The "Second Edition" was issued December 17, 1838, the titlepage with the same setting of type as the "Charles Dickens" issue but with the words SECOND EDITION added and AUTHOR OF "THE PICKWICK PAPERS." printed beneath Dickens name. The date was changed from 1838 to 1839 by substituting a "9" in copies issued after the end of December. The type in Vol. II is reset, the other volumes were printed from standing type or with the resetting of some signatures; most of the early textual errors are herein corrected. OLIVER TWIST is - along with A CHRISTMAS CAROL - the most loved and well-known of all the great novelist's works.    

Price: $750.00 US save 50%    $375.00 US

https://www.thompsonrarebooks.com.com/book.php?id=312730

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6)

FIRBANK, Ronald.
THE ARTIFICIAL PRINCESS.; With an Introduction by Sir Coleridge Kennard. Illustrations by Hugh Easton.

London: Centaur Press. 1934. First Edition. Octavo, original yellow buckram cloth titled in gilt on spine panel. Issued in a limited edition of 60 copies of which 50 are for sale; this copy unnumbered. 84 pp, frontispiece and two additional full-page plates by Easton printed on white coated paper. This limited and illustrated issue was printed from the same plates as the unillustrated Duckworth trade edition, with a re-set title page, and published about one week later. Cloth very slightly marked but a very nice copy; in the original glassine dust wrapper which is somewhat chipped and frayed. Item #311200

¶ This volume was designed as an addition to the five-volume WORKS, 1928. Benkovitz A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF RONALD FIRBANK, A13(b).    

Price: $500.00 US save 50%    $250.00 US

https://www.thompsonrarebooks.com.com/book.php?id=311200

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7)

STORM, Hyemeyohsts, with David Carson and Sandy Storm.
THE MAGNIFYING GLASS. Inscribed Presentation Copy of the Author's First Book.

Pembroke, North Carolina: Quetzal / Vihio Press, 1971. First Edition. Octavo, original printed wrappers. 16 pp, unpaginated, illustrated by Sandy Storm. Issued in an edition of 100 numbered copies, this being copy No. 92. INSCRIBED PRESENTATION COPY, Inscribed: To Toni (drawings) / To Robin / Hyemeyohsts Storm / Sandy Storm" (signed by both). Some moderate soiling to covers; very good. The author's first book. Rare. Item #311739

¶ Hyemeyohsts Storm first rose to prominence with the publication of SEVEN ARROWS (Harper & Row, 1972). THE MAGNIFYING GLASS was a very small publication pre-dating SEVEN ARROWS, this copy is inscribed to two of the dedicatees of SEVEN ARROWS, Robin & Tony Ridington. The Ridingtons were anthopologists who owned a house in Vancouver at the time, SEVEN ARROWS was partially written in their house while Storm was staying with them.    

Price: $1,500.00 US save 50%    $750.00 US

https://www.thompsonrarebooks.com.com/book.php?id=311739

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Michael John Thompson, Antiquarian Bookseller
5275 Jerow Road
Hornby Island, BC
Canada V0R 1Z0
Ph: 250-335-1182
http://www.ThompsonRareBooks.com

Past President of the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of Canada.
Rare books and associated material bought and sold and appraised.