Complete Body of Architecture Adorned with Plans and Elevations, from Original Designs

Complete Body of Architecture Adorned with Plans and Elevations, from Original Designs

WARE, ISAAC

Complete Body of Architecture Adorned with Plans and Elevations, from Original Designs

London: T. Osborne and J. Shifton, 1756

FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE, with plate numbers within the plate lines and the plate at 70-71 uncorrected and reading“Warwick Shire”.

“We hope to lay down in one body the whole science of architecture, from its first rudiments to its utmost perfection; and that in a manner which shall render every part of it intelligible to every reader; to acquaint the gentleman with what, on every possible occasion, he should design in his edifice; and to instruct the practical builder in not only what he ought to do, but how he should execute it, to his own credit, and to the advantage of the owner.” –Isaac Ware, Complete Body of Architecture

“The modern concept of architecture as a profession was formed after about 1750 ... [the] two major books of English professional architectur- al instruction of the eighteenth century [were] Ware’ Complete Body of Architecture and Sir William Chambers’s Treatise on Civil Architecture” (Studies in Eighteenth-Century British Art and Aesthetics).

Folio, full contemporary calf, elaborately gilt spine in seven pan- els. Engraved frontispiece, title in red and black with engraved vignette, engraved head-piece and 114 plates (many of them fold- ing). Boards lightly rubbed, skillful repairs at hinges and spine ends, clean throughout. An excellent copy.

$8,000

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[Opera, in Greek]

Folio (320 x 205mm). Bound in modern calf, with elaborate armorial device of Nicolas Chevalier (1532-1630) inlaid on sides (preserved from the original binding). Greek type, Estienne’s device on title. A clean, wide-margined copy; the first few leaves skillfully reinforced at inner margins.

$3,500 (Retail)

Seven Pillars of Wisdom

FIRST AMERICAN TRADE EDITION. "Some Englishmen, of whom Kitchener was chief, believed that a rebellion of Arabs against Turks would enable England, while fighting Germany, simultaneously to defeat Turkey. Their knowledge of the nature and power and country of the Arabic-speaking peoples made them think that the issue of such a rebellion would be happy: and indicated its character and method. So they allowed it to begin..."— Seven Pillars of Wisdom, Introduction Octavo. Original cloth, original dust jacket. Dust jacket in first state with back blank. There was a 1926 printing of 22 copies to secure the U.S. copyright, followed by a 1935 limited edition of 750 copies, followed by this first American trade edition.

$450 (Retail)

HERODIANI HISTOR[IARUM] LIB[RI] VIII

ESTIENNE'S SUPERB 1581 EDITION OF HERODIAN. The second part comprises the editio princeps of the Roman history by Zosimus, an early sixth century historian who wrote in Greek and is a key source for the period 395-410. Zosimus’ original Greek text is accompanied by Estienne’s own Latin version of Zosimus’ text. ‘For this edition of Herodian … Estienne has thoroughly revised, and made additions to, the popular Latin translation of Angelo Poliziano; he prints his corrections, additions, and textual comments in the margins.’ (Schreiber). Quarto. Elegant 18th-century smooth calf, triple gilt fillet, spine gilt, two red morocco spine lables lettered in gilt, all edges gilt, marbled endpapers. Printer’s device on title. Clean throughout, a superb copy.

$3,900 (Retail)

McClellan's Own Story

FIRST EDITION. Octavo. Original gilt decorated green cloth. Spine slightly toned with minor wear at ends, front hinge split (but holding), clean throughout, cosmetic wear at rear hinge. A solid copy in the attractive original binding.

$395 (Retail)

Ralph 124C 41+

SCARCE FIRST EDITION, SIGNED BY GERNSBACK, of one of the foundational texts in science fiction."In April 1911 'Modern Electrics' began serializing Gernsback's Ralph 124C 41+, written to exemplify (Gernsback's) contention that fiction could serve to teach science... Thoroughly deficient as fiction, the story nevertheless predicts radar, microfilm and microfiche, tape recorders, television, wireless transmission of power, planet hormones, and weather control" (American National Biography).Ralph 124C 41+ was published when many other magazines were struggling, and it led Gernsback to almost single-handedly establish a place for science fiction stories, as he allowed contemporary writers space in his science magazines. The success of these stories may have induced Gernsback to create the first science fiction magazine, Amazing Stories, which started publication the year after Ralph 124C 41+ was printed in book form. The Hugo Awards, science fiction's most prestigious prize, were named in honor of Hugo Gernsback.Signed on the front free endpaper. Octavo, original blue cloth with gilt lettering, original dust jacket. Bookplate of Roy V. Hunt, editor and artist for the science fiction magazine The Alchemist on front pastedown. Book fine with cloth exceptionally bright; original dust jacket with some tape reinforcement at verso edges; closed tear at top of front panel and very minor edgewear. Rare signed.

$9,500 (Retail)

La Photographie n'est pas l'art

FIRST EDITION, SIGNED BY MAN RAY. A FINE COPY. "I paint what cannot be photographed, that which comes from the imagination or from dreams, or from an unconscious drive. I photograph the things that I do not wish to paint, the things which already have an existence." -Man RayOctavo, stamped blue wrappers, with the black die-cut outer wrapper. A fine copy, signed by Man Ray on the title page. A FINE COPY.

$12,000 (Retail)

Learning from Las Vegas

"A seminal statement in the history and theory of architecture... one of the defining texts of postmodernism" – Aaron Vinegar, I Am a Monument: On Learning from Las Vegas FIRST EDITION of this landmark work. "We should not emphasize the ironic richness of banality in today's artistic context at the expense of discussing its appropriateness and inevitability on a wider basis."Folio. Original gilt-lettered blue cloth, original glassine dust jacket. Book fine; original glassine jacket with chips at spine ends and base of upper wrapper. A very good copy.

$1,100 (Retail)

Ultramarine

FIRST EDITION, PRESENTATION COPY, INSCRIBED BY LOWRY TO MONTGOMERY EVANS on the front free endpaper: To Montgomery Evans / from Malcolm Lowry-33 / Inglewood / Caldy Westkirby / Wirral / Cheshire. Provenance: Library of Roger Rechler (lot 203); Montgomery Evans (presentation inscription and bookplate).

$13,500 (Retail)

Earth In the Balance: Ecology and the Human Spirit

"A global environmental crisis threatens to overwhelm our children's generation. Mitigating the crisis will require a planetary perspective, long-term thinking, political courage and savvy, eloquence and leadership––all of which are in evidence in Al Gore's landmark book."–Carl SaganFIRST EDITION, SIGNED AND INSCRIBED BY AL GORE: "For the grandchildren of Sally and Paul Robinson". A fine copy in the original dust jacket.

$225 (Retail)

For Whom the Bell Tolls

First edition of Hemingway's finest novel. Original cloth, original dust jacket. An excellent copy.

$1,200 (Retail)

Tableaux, statues, bas-reliefs et carnees de la Galerie de Florence et du Palais Pitti

FIRST EDITION. With 200 engraved plates reproducing the superb statuary, painting, bas-reliefs, cameos and gems of Florence. Four volumes. Royal folio. Contemporary morocco over cloth boards.

$15,000 (Retail)

History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire

FIRST EDITION of Vols II-VI, THIRD EDITION of vol I. This is the first issue of Volume I to set Gibbon's footnotes at page-bottom instead of an the end of the volume, a major iomprovement in readability. "To [his] task Gibbon brought a width of vision and a critical mastery of the available sources which have not been equalled to this day; and the result was clothed in an inimitable prose" (PMM). Six volumes. Quarto. Rebound in period style quarter calf over marbled boards, the spines gilt with red morocco title and volume labels. An attractive and desirable set. Clean throughout.

$7,500 (Retail)