LIVY; [Pedro DE LA VEGA, translator].

Todas las decadas de Tito Livio paduano, que hasta al presente se hallaron y fueron...

[(Colophon:) Cologne [i.e. Antwerp?], Arnold Birckmann], 1553.

A handsome copy of Livy’s History in Spanish, containing the surviving books as well as Florus’s Epitome, in a contemporary Augsburg binding produced by a bindery in the service of the Fugger family.

£3500

STRABO.

Strabonis geographicorum lib. XVII ... iam denuo a Conrado Heresbachio … ad fidem Graeci exemplaris, authorumque …...

Basel, Johann Walder, 1539.

Second edition of Strabo’s masterful Geographica in the Latin translation of the German Humanist and friend of Erasmus, Konrad Heresbach (1496–1576), here found with the first Latin translation of an epitome of Strabo’s work by the Basel professor of physic and logic, Hieronymus Gemusaeus...

£2500

RUSCELLI, Girolamo.

Le imprese illustri con espositioni, et discorsi …

[(Colophon:) Venice, Comin da Trino di Monferrato, 1572.]

Second edition of one of the finest emblem books of the sixteenth century, illustrated with over one hundred engravings depicting the imprese of notable figures in Italy and beyond, our copy bound for Giacomo Boncompagni, illegitimate son of Pope Gregory XIII.

£2750

THEOCRITUS et al.

Theocriti aliorumque poetarum Idyllia. Eiusdem Epigrammata …

[Geneva], Henri Estienne, 1579. [bound with:] [PSALTER.] Psalmorum Davidis … [Geneva], Henri Estienne, 1575.

An outstanding volume uniting the Estienne Greek bucolic poets (Theocritus, Bion, and Moschus) and the Estienne Greek Psalms in an Henri Estienne presentation binding.

£9000

PORTA, Giambattista della.

De humana physiognomonia … libri IIII; qui ab extimis, quae in hominum corporibus conspiciuntur signis,...

Hanau, Wilhelm Antonius for [Frankfurt,] Peter Fischer, 1593.

The second Latin edition and the first to be published in Germany of this richly illustrated work on physiognomy by the Italian polymath Giambattista della Porta (1535–1615), a beautiful copy in strictly contemporary German white calf.

£2500

HOSSCHIUS, Sidronius.

Sidronii Hosschii e Societate Iesu elegiarum libri sex. Praemittuntur illustrissimorum virorum poemata in...

Antwerp, Balthasar Moretus ‘ex officina Plantiniana’, 1656.

First collected edition of the neo-Latin verse of the Flemish Jesuit and poet Sidronius Hosschius (Sidron de Hossche, 1596–1653), edited after his death by his fellow poet Jacques van de Walle (1599–1690), and prefaced with poems on Hosschius’ death commissioned by the future Pope Alexander...

£600

[PSALMS.]

Les Pseaumes de David, mis en Vers François, revus et approuvez par le Synode Walon des Provinces-Unies. Nouvelle Edition.

Amsterdam, ‘aux dépens de l’Eglise Françoise de Londres’, 1729’.

New edition of the metrical Psalms of the Pléiade poet Clément Marot and the theologian Théodore de Bèze, extensively revised, with a new version of 149 Psalms, printed for the use of Huguenot émigrés.

£950

[ALMANACK.]

Calendarium Tyrnaviense ad annum Jesu Chris[ti] M. DCC. XXXI[.] …

[Tyrnau (Trnava), 1731.]

A remarkable almanack binding of part-printed, part-manuscript vellum, prepared for presentation at the Habsburg court in Vienna to the Genoese diplomat Clemente Doria.

£1850

MÄNDL, Kaspar.

Christliche Sitten-Lehr und heylsame Anmuthungen gezogen auß Betrachtung deß bitteren Leyden und Sterbens unsers...

Augsburg, Matthias Wolff, 1737.

A superb example of Rococo decorative binding, exploiting all available materials – silks, metals, beads, papers, gilding, and leather – to extraordinary (if perhaps excessive) effect.

£6750

[BIBLE.]

Biblia sacra vulgatae editionis … [with:] Novum Jesu Christi Testamentum, vulgatae editionis, Sixti V pont. max. jussu...

Paris, Jacques Vincent, 1741/1740.

An attractively bound copy of the Old and New Testament in the Vulgate version, issued by the noted Parisian printer Jacques Vincent (1671–1760).

£975

[WALLPAPER BINDING.]

‘Chassereau des Biens et Rentes deves a joseph Paul Roegier et marie margu te [sic] Bourdeau son espouse,...

Hainaut, 1750–1773.

A manuscript account book compiled by Joseph Paul Roegier and his son, recording receipts over a quarter-century, in an attractive and unusual binding reusing a large fragment of gilt leather wallpaper.

£3500

[BASKERVILLE PRESS.]

The Book of Common Prayer, and Administration of the Sacraments, and other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church,...

Third and final edition of Baskerville’s octavo prayer book. The prayers for the Royal Family on cancels B8, C6, and D3 include the name of Queen Charlotte, whom George III married in 1761. This copy also includes the ‘occasional prayers’ which were only printed for part of the edition and are...

£1200

TACITUS; J.N. LALLEMAND, editor.

Quae exstant opera.

Paris, J. Barbou for Desaint & Saillant, 1760.

A handsomely bound set, with striking gilt brocade endpapers preserving the name of the Augsburg manufacturer, elegantly ‘printed by Barbou and called by Harwood “one of the most beautiful and correct of all his classics.” The text is from Ernesti’s first edition, but it contains the readings...

£750

[HYMNAL.]

Neu-vermehrt- und vollständiges Gesang-Buch, worinnen sowohl die Psalmen Davids, nach D. Ambrosii Lobwassers, Uebersetzung...

[Likely Swabia, for] Philadelphia, Ernst Ludwig Baisch, 1774.

First and only edition thus of this German hymnal, issued in Philadelphia by Ernst Ludwig Baisch under his own imprint but printed in Germany, bound by an itinerant German Pennsylvanian binder with printed waste from Charles Cist’s Americanische Stadt und Land Calender for 1797, with inscriptions...

£3500

[MINIATURE BOOKS.]

‘Hebdomadaire, ou bibliotheque secrete’.

France, c. 1800.

A charming miniature diary in seven volumes, hidden within a compartment of a book-form box.

£2750

HAMILTON, ‘Eliza’ [Elizabeth].

Translation of the Letters of a Hindoo Rajah; written previous to, and during the Period of...

London, J. Crowder for G. & J. Robinson, 1801.

Second edition of Hamilton’s first separately published work, a pseudo-Oriental satire on British society, in a very well-preserved gilt paper binding imitating calf.

£575

[ALMANACK.]

Kalendario manual y guia de forasteros en Madrid, para el año de 1806.

[Madrid,] Imprenta Real, [1806]. [bound with:] Estado militar de España, año de 1806. [Madrid,] Imprenta Real, [1806].

A handsome and well-preserved Spanish embroidered binding, with metallic threads and sequins around a colourful garden scene.

£2000

[ALMANACK.]

London Almanack for the Year of Christ 1820.

[London,] Printed for the Company of Stationers, [1820].

An extraordinary binding of silver filigree over blue silk on a miniature London Almanack for 1820.

£2750

[ALMANACK.]

L’Esprit des chansonniers, extrain [sic?] des meilleurs poëtes.

Paris, Le Fuel, [1826?].

A very rare enamelled metal binding with an enchanting design of birds and squirrels, from the collection of the bookbinder, collector, and bibliographer Léon Gruel.

£2750

[EMBROIDERED BINDING.]

Notebook in cross-stitch binding.

[Germany, nineteenth century.]

A delightful and highly unusual cross-stitch binding, likely designed to be embroidered at home by its owner.

£650