Search Results: Authors starting with D from Bruce McKittrick Rare Books

The Hague: [Amsterdam, Allart and Co. for] C. Mensing et al., 1807. Contemporary calf-backed and tipped speckled boards (rubbed, joints of Vol. II split at the crown), flat spines covered in blooms and foliage, gilt red and yellow morocco labels. INTERLEAVED. The private numismatic library and spectacular coin and medal collection of the first Dutch antiquarian bookseller. THIS SET NEATLY RECORDS EVERY PRICE AND BUYER IN MANUSCRIPT ON THE INTERLEAVED BLANKS.  Damme vocationally devoted himself exclusively to old books and manuscripts. He organized auctions and counted Thomas Jefferson a customer. Over fifty years, Damme amassed more than 5700 gold, silver and bronze ancient and modern coins and medals and assembled a superb supporting library on numismatics, archaeology, antiquities and collecting. The book entries often cite bibliographies and note provenance and annotation. The coins and medals are ranked from "R" for rare to "RRRR" for unica.  The present manuscript annotations allow a… Read More

Venice: G.A. Nicolini da Sabbio, 1536. CONTEMPORARY PURPLE-DYED VELLUM OVER THIN FLEXIBLE BOARDS with overlapping foreedges, flat spine with later manuscript title and remnants of a paper label (color faded), all edges gilt and gauffered, double headbands in red and gray silk, evidence of four green linen ties. With: Partenio, Bernardino.                    Della Imitatione Poetica.  Venice, G. Giolito de' Ferrari 1560. 4to. [xvi], 248, [3]p. Scattered Greek, fine historiated woodcut initials.                                    Ad I-II: First Editions of two significant contributions to the 16th-century questione della lingua, the debate over the codification of the Italian literary language. Their tenets influenced all subsequent Italian poetry. Both volumes are in good condition (light stains on a dozen leaves, second title soiled); 1578 ownership inscription of Galeotto Bernardini - perhaps the protonotary apostolic who died in 1591.            Ad I:… Read More

Bologna: G.B. Ferroni, 1667. CONTEMPORARY RICHLY GILT TAN CALF, outer frame of geometric rolls and a wide partly pointillé roll of drawer handles, wreaths and small blooms, inner frame of the same geometric roll and a carnation and daisy roll, central panel framed by double fillet borders and lozenges in the corners, inner rectangle corner fans and fleurons around a large central rosette of repetitions of the same fan tool around a pointillé bloom, flat spine with the gilt carnation and daisy roll (base slightly cracked, minor worming), all edges gilt.             Only Edition, A THICK PAPER COPY of his scientific correspondence on meteorology, geology, natural history and physics.            In the first letter, DAVISI DESCRIBES HIS EXPERIMENTS WITH A TYPE OF RADIAL STEAM TURBINE and his investigations into sponges, soap bubbles and bloody rains. He discusses the origin of rain, snow, hail and wind and the effects of heat, humidity and atmospheric pressure. He theorizes the common… Read More

[Deventer]: [Richard Pafraet], 1483. Contemporary diapered dark calf over cambered wooden boards (worn, minor defects), evidence of clasp and catch. The 14th-century front vellum endleaf (Flanders or northern France) has fourteen lines of prayers to the Virgin Mary on one side: the other was scraped clean prior to binding. First Edition. This text was printed only in small format. In Devotio Moderna communities, men and women lived together in complete equality, refused formal vows and followed monastic patterns in their daily lives (silence, obedience, fraternal correction and canonical hours). This manual guides the pious through meditation and practical activity, including THE COPYING OF BOOKS (chap. 67). In the 16th century, both Catholics and Protestants drew on Gerardus. Spiritual advice by mystic David of Augsburg (d. 1272) concludes the work.      Pafraet was the first printer in Deventer, a center of the movement and for a while the author's home. A good copy (a few pages dusty), a few… Read More

Paris: J. Bade van Assche (Badius Ascensius), 1517. Mid-18th-century gilt-ruled tan calf (slightly stained, three small worm holes), flat spine gilt à la grotesque and gilt red morocco label, red silk marker.             First Edition, one of the earliest examples of medieval allegorical poetry. On the verge of adulthood, Archithrenius tours the vices and follies of man, e.g., the Palace of Ambition, the Hill of Presumption and the battlefield of Largesse and Avarice. In the House of Venus, every detail of the female body is described. In the Land of Gluttony, he encounters abusers of wine and food and discusses banquet settings and cooking techniques.            "Of great interest to the social historian" (Lewis), his sojourn with students at Paris (chap. III) realistically paints the squalor, hunger and desperation of young scholars just as the formal University is beginning to take shape. He finally turns to Nature, who introduces him to a beautiful maiden, Moderation, whom he weds.… Read More

[Geneva: Henri II Estienne], 1589. 18th-century gilt-paneled sprinkled calf (worn), spine and label gilt, edges sprinkled blue and green.           EDITIO PRINCEPS of the surviving political and geographical fragments of this pupil of Aristotle, here integrated into Estienne's commentary. His dialog on the customs of the ancient Athenians completes the volume. In good condition (slightly browned), Macclesfield blind stamps and bookplate. ¶Renouard, Annales...des Estienne 153,3; Cioranesco 9673.

[England], 1665. Contemporary blind-paneled English reversed calf (top and base of the front hinge cracked), narrow foliage roll decoration at the base of spine, edges sprinkled red and brown. A NEW THING IN THE WRITING OF NARRATIVE ENGLISH" - Bligh. "A SIGNIFICANT EXAMPLE OF ENGLISH PROSE IN A SEMINAL STAGE OF ITS DEVELOPMENT" - Gabrieli.           HITHERTO UNKNOWN TO SCHOLARS, THIS IS THE SECOND EXTANT COPY of the diplomat, scientist, sea captain and bibliophile's autobiographical romance.             Son of an executed regicide, suspect for his Catholic faith and secretly wed to a woman of sullied reputation, Digby sought to dramatically advance his career and fortune in 1627-28 through piracy in the eastern Mediterranean. He commanded two armed vessels and some three hundred crew. Disease reduced the latter by nearly half as they coasted North Africa, the Adriatic and Greece in search of prizes. His famous assault on the Ottoman port of Iskenderun yielded only booty seized… Read More

Paris: [J. Quillau for] J. Estienne, 1707. VOLUME ONE in contemporary RICHLY GILT RED MOROCCO WITH GILT GREEN MOROCCO DOUBLURES. VOLUME TWO in identically tooled GILT GREEN MOROCCO WITH GILT RED MOROCCO DOUBLURES.  Repetitions of a crossed feather tool, a foliage spray and a pointillé tulip make up the wide outer frame of the four exterior panels (slight loss to a small portion of gilt). A gilt foliage frame decorates the four morocco pastedowns (two green, two red), spines gilt and lettered, all edges gilt over marbling, blue silk marker in Vol. I, green silk marker in Vol. II. Apparently uncontroversial work (at least to modern eyes), this had at least nine printings during its first two years in circulation. In the Avis facing the title-page, the exclusive holder of the royal privilege, Jacques Estienne, complains of rampant piracy and of "copies très défectueuses". A highly visible theologian with a wide following, Duguet originally joined the Oratorians but withdrew from the order, when he… Read More

Tours: A. Vauquer, 1779. Contemporary gilt-ruled green morocco (slightly worn), flat spine gilt with foliage and flowers in the ruled compartments, saffron endleaves, all edges gilt, blue silk marker.             First Edition, composed expressly for the leisured class wishing to take up painting on their annual country holiday. An accomplished goldsmith known for his skillful painting restoration, Dutens lays out the basics of drawing adults and children, of human anatomy, of osteology and myology, of clothing, of landscape, of perspective and of light and shadow before moving to color and color harmony, the placement and arrangement of figures and finally a chapter on facial expression. He names his sources and encourages the reader to consult them.            Dutens suggests having to hand an articulated mannequin to aid in figure modeling and a modest portfolio of select prints to train the eye and to serve as patterns. the longest section is on color. He treats miniatures on vellum… Read More