The History of the Conquest of Mexico by the Spaniards

The History of the Conquest of Mexico by the Spaniards

London: T. Woodward, 1724

FIRST EDITION IN ENGLISH of Antonio Solis' exceedingly popular and quite romantic version of the conquest of Mexico. "It has been translated into the principal languages of Europe; and such is the charm of its composition, and its exquisite finish as a work of art, that it will doubtless be as imperishable as the language in which it is written..." – William H. Prescott.

Folio. 18th century panelled calf, elaborately gilt spine in 7 compartments, red spine label. Armorial bookplates on front pastedown. Engraved portrait of Cortes by G. Vertue, 8 engraved plates and maps including the folding panorama of Mexico City. Sabin 86487.

Joints cracked but firm; corners lightly bumped. Light paste-action in margins of first and last leaves; engraved portrait lightly toned. A fresh and appealing copy, clean throughout.

Provenance: Henry Duke of Kent (bookplate); Thomas Philip Earl de Grey (bookplate).

$4,000

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Roma Sotteranea, or an account of the Roman Catacombs

"New Edition, Rewritten and Greatly Enlarged". Two volumes. Octavo. 23 chromolithographs, folding plan of the Cemmetary in pocket of rear board, numerous wood-cuts (1 folding); Woodburytype frontispice in volume II. Includes Northcote's EPITAPHS OF THE ROMAN CATACOMBS. A superb set: cloth clean, gilt bright, occasional trivial to extremities.

$650

The Works of the Learned Sr. Thomas Brown

FIRST EDITION. "Seventeenth-century readers approached Thomas Browne as an encyclopedic polymath with wide-ranging opinions of general interest in science and religion." –Claire Preston Reid Barbour, Sir Thomas Browne: The World Proposed Folio. Bound in full early calf, skillfully rebacked. Small repair at top margin of title, generally a sound, attractive copy.

$950

Osservazioni Istoriche Sopra Alcuni Medaglioni Antichi

FIRST EDITION.“Buonarroti, the great-nephew of Michaelangelo the Younger who was himself the great-nephew of the artist, was born in 1661 and at the age of twenty left his native Florence to go to Rome, where he spent the next eighteen years or so devoting himself largely to antiquarian studies. He filled notebook after notebook with sketches, some rapid and some very careful, of coins, medals and other small objects, and he quickly earned the reputation of being one of the greatest antiquarians of his day... Through his membership of Queen Christina’s circle and later of the Arcadian Academy, he met many of the leading figures of the intellectual community and became closely involved in some of the most important scholarly enterprises of the time... In 1698 Buonarroti published his first book, which was devoted to medals belong to Cardinal Capegna, his principal patron... As might be expected from an author coming from such a cultivated background... he shows a greater feeling for quality than was usual among numismatists.” —Francis Haskell, History and its images: Art and the Interpretation of the past. Quarto. Early vellum. Engraved title vignette and additional title, 33 engraved plates, 3 folding, numerous engravings in text, wood-engraved initials. Wear with loss at spine head; generally clean throughout. A very attractive volume.

$1,200

Television (Seeing by Wire or Wireless)

Dinsdale's Seeing by Wire or Wireless was the first book entirely devoted to subject of television. Dinsdale gives and account of the demonstration of John Baird's successful television system in January 1926, details similar previous experiments, and describes the mechanics of television. Overall, the history of television is well-documented in Dinsdale's work, and Baird's system paved the way for future developments in television, leading to the first high-definition broadcasting system in 1936. First edition. Original wraps, no dust cover; in clamshell box.

$1,700

Manuel du Libraire et de l'Amateur de Livres

SECOND EDITION. "The best and last of the general rare book bibliographies... Brunet's annotations about the scholarly and commercial value of the books he listed are often still unsurpassed. There is hardly any other bibliography in which the wide range of its author's knowledge is more favorably displayed."–Grolier Club Octavo. Contemporary full-calf bindings in very good condition, spines with five raised bands and elaborate blind stamping, all edges marbled.

$1,000

A Dictionary of the English Language

The sixth edition and first (authorized) quarto edition. The text is based on Johnson's revised fourth edition of 1773. “The [1785] quarto is set in three columns, with rather heavy column rules. The original folio design is followed, except that all the illustrative quotations are set in small type, and the differentiation of verse from prose quotations by the use of a deeper indent is not observed... the 1785 design combines clarity with relative compactness.” –Paul Luna, Anniversary Essays on Johnson’s Dictionary Two volumes. Quarto, contemporary tree calf expertly rebacked preserving the original spine; spine elaborately gilt (in six compartments with red and black leather labels), marbled endpapers. Some foxing to portrait and title of volume I, some occasional spotting, generally clean.

$2,500

Some Famous Sailing Ships and their Builder, Donald McKay

FIRST EDITION. "McKay's skills as a shipbuilder were only exceeded by his chutzpah. He was the Stradivarius of clipper ships. McKay started the race to build ever bigger clippers and gave his ships such chauvinistic names as Sovereign of the Seas and Great Republic. In the first four years of the California gold rush, McKay's yards turned out 160 examples of what became known as "extreme clippers". His ships quickly dominated the trade to Hawaii, China, Australia, and the East Indies." –Richard F. Selcer, Civil War America, 1850-1875 Octavo. Deluxe original half morocco over marbled boards, marbled endpapers. With 10 color plates and 48 additional illustrations. Minor rubbing at corners. Neat contemporary inscription (frontispiece verso). Clean throughtout. An attractive volume.

$275

Ulysses S. Grant: Vellum Document Signed

SIGNED BY ULYSSES S. GRANT AS PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.Partly-printed vellum document signed, “U.S. Grant,” as president. Military commission appointing H. Schuyler Ross a First Assistant Engineer in the Navy. Countersigned by George M. Robeson as Secretary of the Navy. Washington, 1873. Approximately 19 1/2x16 inches; slightly faded signature, usual folds, minor soiling, seal intact.

$1,700

T.E. Lawrence to His Biographers

FIRST EDITION, 1/500 COPIES SIGNED BY ROBERT GRAVES AND BASIL LIDDELL HART. WITH THE ORIGINAL DUSTJACKETS. Two volumes. Octavo. Original linen bindings, original dust jackets. Housed in publisher's slipcase. Spines and front panel of jacket for Hart volume somewhat toned; minor wear to slipcase. A handsome set.

$3,500

Colonna Traiana, erreta del Senato, e Popolo Romano all'Imperatore

FIRST EDITION. COMPLETE WITH 128 engraved plates (including title and dedication). "The Column of Trajan was dedicated on May 18, AD 113, and commemorates a series of militray campaigns waged by the emperor in Dacia between AD 101 and 106... The column itself if composed of 17 separate drums of fine Luna marble, and the carved spiral frieze contains 155 different scenes featuring 2,600 carved figures... the fine details of the carvings... have proven to be of enormous use to historians and archaeologists in reconstructing the particulars of Roman military equipment and tactics, as well as the interactions of the Romans with barbarians."–Gregory S. Aldrete, Daily Life in the Roman CIty: Rome, Pompeii, and Ostia Oblong folio. 128 engraved plates (incl. title & dedication); without the 9 leaves of text (as often). Uncut in 19th century half roan (some light wear to edges, short splits in lower joints, foxing to title & a few other plates, mainly in the margins).

$9,000

Veteres arcus Augustorum triumphis insignes

FIRST EDITION. A splendid work beautifully illustrated with 48 superb engravings (on 46 sheets) depicting bas-reliefs of triumphal arches in Rome. Folio. 18th-century calf, spine elaborately gilt with gilt-stamped spine label, marbled endpapers. Engraved portrait of dedicatee (Cardinal Pietro Ottoboni), 48 engraved plates. Binding lightly rubbed with moderate wear at spine head; clean throughout. A lovely wide margined copy.

$8,000

The Photographic History of the Civil War

"The grandfather of pictorial histories, this mammoth work is a necessary part of any Civil War library. The work contains 3,389 images that constitute an important source on the war's appearance—its battlefields, common soldiers, officers, forts, diseases, camp scenes, army movements, and materiel." Eicher, The Civil War in Books 771."The greatest single collection of Brady illustrations" (Allan Nevins). The Mathew Brady photographs represent the first instance of a comprehensive photo-documentation of a war. New York: The Review of Reviews, 1911. Quarto, original blue cloth gilt. Ten volumes. An exceptional set, gilt uncommonly bright. Only occasional trivial wear to bindings. Very rare in this condition.

$1,250

SOLIS Y REBADENEYRA, ANTONIO