Antique & Collectible Books

1660 1ed Execution Charles I Saumaise Royalist Defensio Regia John Milton London
Claude Saumaise was a 17th-century French scholar known for his editions and commentary of classical works and Greek anthologies. However, he also published a defense of Charles I of England following his execution. Curiously, Saumaise's 'Defensio Regia' takes on a thoroughly royalist agenda, even from a Frenchman, and Charles II even helped publish the book. This book even inspired John Milton who published his own piece of political propaganda that covered the events of Charles I and II.
In 1660, years after Saumaise' death, his son published his final response to Milton regarding Milton's own 'Defensio'. This 1660 first edition of 'Responsio'
was published in London and is considerably rare.
Item number: #17671
Price: $599
SAUMAISE, Claude
Claudii Salmasii ad Johannem Miltonum Responsio, opus posthumum.
Londini, typis T. Roycroft; impensis J. Martin, J. Allestry & T. Dicas, 1660. First edition.

Details:

·… Read More

1632 Saint Cyprian 1ed Bishop of Carthage Early Christian MARTYR Manutius FOLIO

"It is a persistent evil to persecute a man who belongs to the grace of God. It is a calamity without remedy to hate the happy."
― Cyprian

Cyprian was an Early Church bishop of Carthage from the 3rd-century. Cyprian was the first to write about the primacy of the Pope as it was set out in "The Unity of The Catholic Church". Most of his writings surround pastoral ministry, addressing many of the issues with the Roman government. He also determined prayer to be "the only refuge of the Christian".

This 1632 first edition of the works of St. Cyprian includes the annotated commentary of Jacobus Pamelius. It was collected and edited by William Morel and Paolo Manuzio, an exceedingly rare and desirable huge vellum-bound folio!

Item number: #23522
Price: $750

CYPRIAN of Carthage

D. Caecilii Cypriani Carthaginiensis Episcopi, totius Africae primatis ac gloriosissimi martyris Opera

Parisiis: [Compagnie de la Grand-Navire],… Read More

1649 Jesuit Scandals 1ed Missionaries in Guinea Protestant Jarrige Huguenot

Pierre Jarrige was a 17th-century French Jesuit who is relatively unknown today. He was a professor of theology, who through his platform, denounced the hypocrisy of other Catholics as well as the inconsistencies taught within the Catholic Church. In 1647, Jarrige converted to Protestantism after Catholic missionaries in Guinea were accused of committing murder, sexual misconduct, and other heinous acts. His descriptions of the missionaries along with the reasoning for his conversion are covered in his book 'Les Jesuites mis sur l'Echafaut'.

Item number: #24153
Price: $599

JARRIGE, Pierre

Les Jesuites mis sur l'échafaut pour plusieurs crimes capitaux par eux commis dans la provience de Guiene : avec La résponse aux calomnies de Jacques Beaufés

Leide : Chez les héritiers de J. Nicolas à Dorp, 1649. First edition.

Details:
· Collation: Complete with all pages
o 175, [1]
· References: Gregory… Read More

1857 ENORMOUS 1ed Robert Burns Soldier's Return FOLIO Faed ART Scottish Poetry

Robert Burns was one of the most important Scottish poets and lyricists. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is regarded as a pioneer of the Romantic Movement and after his death became a great source of inspiration to the founders of both liberalism and socialism, and his influence has long been strong on Scottish literature.

One of Burns' most famous poems is 'The Soldier's Return' – a poem of the heroes of war, their experiences, their loves, and their recognition. This 1857 edition is an enormous folio with full-page engravings of the art of John Faed.

Item number: #23639
Price: $550

BURNS, Robert

The soldier's return

[Edinburgh]: For the members of the Royal Association for the promotion of the fine arts in Scotland, 1857. First edition.

Details:
· Collation: Complete with all pages
o [4], 4 leaves, [2]
o 6 engraved plates
· Language:… Read More

1821 Life in LONDON Pierce Egan Boxing Illustrated by Cruikshank Tom & Jerry 2v

Known primarily for his extensive account of boxing, Pierce Egan was a well-known and popular British sportswriter. His popularity as an author spurred him to create a recurring monthly journal entitled "Life in London" in which he employed George Cruikshank to illustrate each edition. It is filled with stories, articles, and accounts of various topics including boxing, parties, and adventure stories while using his own characters Tom & Jerry which inspired the 'Tom & Jerry' cartoon characters.

Item number: #24555
Price: $750

EGAN, Pierce

Real life in London, or, The rambles and adventures of Bob Tallyho, Esq. : and his cousin the Hon. Tom. Dashall, &c., through the metropolis

London: printed for Jones & Co., 1821. First edition.

Details:
· Collation: Textually complete
o Vol. I – x, 3-656
o Vol. II – [2], ix, [1], 3-668
o 18 color plates including frontispieces and title pages
· References:… Read More

1879 Western Wilds Native American INDIANS Custer Mormonism Brigham Young MAP

John Beadle's "Western Wilds" is a rare 19th-century account of voyages in the American west, primarily through Arizona and Utah. This book offers stories of interactions with Native American Indians (such as the Shoshone and Osage tribes), General Custer's last stand and defeat, life and death of Brigham Young and the rise of Mormonism, the Mountain Meadow Massacre, mining, and much more!

Item number: #24751
Price: $499

BEADLE, John Hanson

Western wilds, and the men who redeem them. An authentic narrative, embracing an account of seven years travel and adventure in the far West; wild life in Arizona; perils of the plains; life in the cañon and death on the desert

Cincinnati, Chicago: Jones Bros. & Co., 1879. 1st edition

Details:
· Collation: Complete with all pages
o xvi, 17-628
o Double-page color map + numerous in-text illustrations throughout
· References: Wagner-Camp 103
· Language:… Read More

1825 Biographia Americana Founding Fathers Washington Franklin Jefferson Adams

"Biographia Americana" is a rare, 19th-century reference containing biographical sketches of all of the most important early American figures and founding fathers. Written and collected by Benjamin Franklin French, this book contains descriptions on figures such as:
· Samuel Adams
· John Adams
· Aaron Burr
· David Brainerd
· Henry Clay
· Jonathan Edwards
· Benjamin Franklin
· Marquis LaFayette
· Alexander Hamilton
· Thomas Jefferson
· Andrew Johnson
· John Jay
· George Washington
· Cotton Mather
· And so, so many others

Item number: #24727
Price: $499

FRENCH, Benjamin Franklin

Biographia americana; or, A historical and critical account of the lives, actions, and writings of the most distinguished persons in North America

New York: Published by D. Mallory, 1825. 1st edition

Details:
·… Read More

1736 Music CHANT 1ed Auxerre France Processional Catholic Hymns Latin Burgundy

Only known edition of this rare 18th-century Catholic processional.

Published in Lutetia Paris, "Processionale sanctae autissiodorensis ecclesiae" is an extensive collection of chant hymns used at the Cathedral of Auxerre. This music book is rather unique. While books with printed music was published during this era, few were published with the sole purpose of collecting songs for mass and corporate worship. The plainsong itself is rather difficult to comprehend when compared to modern notation – it features square note notation as well as four-line staves (though, this was not atypical of this era of church music). Hundreds of individual hymns and liturgical songs appear throughout.

Item number: #25058
Price: $599

Catholic Church

Processionale sanctae autissiodorensis ecclesiae

Lutetiae-Parisiorum: J.B.C. Ballard, 1736. First, only known edition.

Details:
· Collation: Complete with all pages
o [12], 428,… Read More

1741 MILITARY 1ed John Churchill Duke of Marlborough War of Spanish Succession

John Churchill was a 17th-century English army general who served during the Nine Years War and the War of Spanish Succession. It was his role in during the Spanish Succession War that his fame grew. In fact, from the various campaigns and battles that Churchill was involved, numerous writers would write on his successes, military service, and campaigns near the Danube and the Rhine.

One such work was John Bancks' "History of John Duke of Marlborough" – a work which describes Churchill's military plans and direction and his influence on the War of Spanish Succession.

Item number: #25245
Price: $599

BANCKS, John

The history of John Duke of Marlborough, Prince of Mindelheim ... including a more exact, impartial, and methodical narrative of the late war upon the Danube, the Rhine

London: printed for James Hodges, 1741. First edition.

Details:
· Collation: Complete with all pages
o [2], 371, [11]
o Includes… Read More

Richard Brathwait or Brathwaite (1588 – 4 May 1673) was an English poet. Brathwait was born at Burnishead, near Kendal. He entered Oriel College, Oxford in 1604, and remained there for some years, pursuing the study of poetry and Roman history. He moved to Cambridge to study law at the university and afterwards to London to the Inns of Court. His father, Thomas, died in 1610, and Brathwait went down to live on the estate he inherited. He was married at Hurworth in County Durham, 4 May 1617, to Frances, daughter of James Lawson, of Nesham Abbey. In 1633 his wife died, and in 1639 he married again. His only son by this second marriage, Sir Strafford Brathwait, was killed at sea. Brathwait is believed to have served with the Royalist army in the Civil War. Brathwait was the author of many works of very unequal merit, of which the best known is Drunken Barnaby's Four Journeys, which records his pilgrimages through England in rhymed Latin (said by Southey to be the best of modern times), and doggerel… Read More

1739 SURGERY 1ed Institutions Heister OBGYN Illustrated Anatomy Medicine Latin

Lorenz Heister was an 18th-century German anatomist and surgeon. His best-known work 'Institutiones Chirurgie' is a work on surgery and human anatomy that was translated into several languages and saw over 15 editions; in which, he is credited as being the first to coin the term 'tracheotomy'. This 1739 first Latin edition was published in Amsterdam and is notable for the dozens of exquisite folding engravings! Notably, according to Leonardo,
"the plates of instruments and bandages are still of importance today".

Item number: #25130
Price: $599

HEISTER, Lorenz

Institutiones chirurgicae in quibus quicquid ad rem chirurgicam pertinet optima et novissima ratione pertractatur

Amstelaedami: Apud Janssonio-Waesbergios, 1739. First Latin edition.

Details:
· Collation: Complete;
o [2], 715-1249, [51]
o 18 folding plates, several engraved figures on each
· References: Wellcome III, 237; Garrison-Morton… Read More

1653 PURITAN 1ed Christopher Love BIBLE Sermons on Heaven RARE Cromwell Martyr

Christopher Love was a Welsh preacher who is best remembered for being executed in 1651 by the English for his role in the plots against the English government and restore Charles II as King. During his lifetime, Love's Puritan sermons were highly sought after, however, during the English Civil War his sermons were considered treason which ultimately landed him in prison.

Love delivered a series of sermons entitled "Heavens Glory, Hells Terror" – a two part treatise of dozens of sermons. This first part includes sermons on Jesus's reappearing, his death and resurrection, on receiving eternal life through Jesus, all based on Colossians 3:4 – "When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory". This collection of sermons was published in 1653, two years after his death.

Item number: #25199
Price: $950

LOVE, Christopher

Heavens glory, Hells terror. Or, Two treatises : the one,… Read More

Brown leather binding. Boards cross hatched pattern with gilt edging, spine with gilt title and banding. A truly magnificent early copy
Thomas Dunham Whitaker (1759–1821) was an English clergyman and topographer. Born at Raynham, Norfolk, on 8 June 1759, he was the son of William Whitaker (1730–1782), curate of Raynham, Norfolk, and his wife Lucy, daughter of Robert Dunham, and widow of Ambrose Allen. In 1760 his father moved to his ancestral house at Holme, in the township of Cliviger, Lancashire, and the boy was in November 1766 placed under the care of the Rev. John Shaw of Rochdale. In November 1774, after spending a short time with the Rev. William Sheepshanks of Grassington in Craven, he was admitted to St John's College, Cambridge, and went into residence in October 1775. He took the degree of LL.B. in November 1781. His intention to enter the legal profession changed on the death of his father in the following year, when he settled at Holme. He was ordained in 1785, but remained without… Read More

1830 Saint Jane Frances Chantal Catholic Nun Care for Poor Sick Prayers Coombes

Jane Frances de Chantal was an 17th-century Catholic nun known for founding the Visitation of the Holy Mary – an order which was established to help the poor, elderly, and sick who were rejected by others. Chantal was canonized by the Catholic Church in the 18th-century after which numerous biographical sketches of her life and ministry were written. One such work was William Coombes's "History of the Life of St. Jane Frances de Chantal". This book describes her charity, her prayer life, her purity, and so much more!

Item number: #25202
Price: $499

COOMBES, William Henry

The history of the life of St. Jane Frances de Chantal : foundress and first superior of the Order of the Visitation

London: J. Booker, 1830. 1st edition

Details:
· Collation: Complete with all pages; 2 volumes
o Vol. 1 – xvi, 400
o Vol. 2 – vii, [1], 374
· Provenance: Handwritten – [Annie de Artime], 1845
·… Read More

Full green calf with gilt decoration to boards and spine and dentelles. Marbled endpapers with cloth inner joints. Professionally re-backed in dyed calf with spine overlaid.
Unique! A beautiful, refurbished compilation of two books
Vathek (alternatively titled Vathek, an Arabian Tale or The History of the Caliph Vathek) is a Gothic novel written by William Beckford. It was composed in French beginning in 1782, and then translated into English by Reverend Samuel Henley in which form it was first published in 1786 without Beckford's name as An Arabian Tale, From an Unpublished Manuscript, claiming to be translated directly from Arabic. The first French edition, titled simply as Vathek, was published in December 1786 (postdated 1787). In the twentieth century some editions include The Episodes of Vathek (Vathek et ses épisodes), three related tales intended by Beckford to be so incorporated but omitted from the original edition and published separately long after his death. William Beckford wrote Vathek… Read More