Winnie-the-Pooh -
A. A. Milne, Ernest H. Shepard (illustrator)
1926 - Methuen & Co. Ltd., London - First Edition
‘On Wednesday, when the sky is blue, And I have nothing else to do, I sometimes wonder if it's true That who is what and what is who.’
A fine first edition in a fine and thus rare example of the original dust jacket. A.A. Milne’s most famous children’s story, set around Milne’s home near ‘100 Aker Wood’ in Ashdown Forest, East Sussex.
Winnie was the name of the Canadian Black Bear at London Zoo, befriended by Christopher Robin, and originally the Mascot of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade. The Pooh is believed to have come from the name of a royal swan in the park and the two combined by Christopher Robin himself.
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Price HK$ 65,000
1926 - Methuen & Co. Ltd., London - First Edition
‘On Wednesday, when the sky is blue, And I have nothing else to do, I sometimes wonder if it's true That who is what and what is who.’A fine first edition in a fine and thus rare example of the original dust jacket. A.A. Milne’s most famous children’s story, set around Milne’s home near ‘100 Aker Wood’ in Ashdown Forest, East Sussex.
Winnie was the name of the Canadian Black Bear at London Zoo, befriended by Christopher Robin, and originally the Mascot of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade. The Pooh is believed to have come from the name of a royal swan in the park and the two combined by Christopher Robin himself.
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Price HK$ 65,000
An Old Chinese Garden. A Three-fold Masterpiece of Poetry, Calligraphy and Painting -
Wen Chen Ming, Kate Kerby and Mo Zung Chung
1923 - Chung Hwa Book Company, Shanghai - First Edition
Rare and large presentation of poetry and calligraphy by ‘Wen Chen Ming [Wen Zhengming], famous landscape artist of the Ming Dynasty’, with ‘studies written by Kate Kerby’, translations by Mo Zung Chung, and a two page introduction by her husband Philip Kerby.
Representing a fusion of painting, calligraphy, and pastoral poetry honouring the tradition of Chinese landscape design. Illustrated with eighty eight finely printed plates, consisting of thirty three calligraphy plates of poems matched to thirty three plates of paintings, eleven individual plates of calligraphy, one calligraphic title page.
Printed on thin handmade mulberry paper, with separate sheets of translations, descriptions, and title pages, all separated by blank sheets, and one additional facsimile letter of appreciation from Frank B. Noyes, President of The Associated Press, Hong Kong.
Housed in the publisher’s original and delicate blue silk covers, bound in Chinese style with gilt braided ties, and separate art-deco gilt braided bookmark, usually lacking.
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Price HK$ 9,000
1923 - Chung Hwa Book Company, Shanghai - First Edition
Rare and large presentation of poetry and calligraphy by ‘Wen Chen Ming [Wen Zhengming], famous landscape artist of the Ming Dynasty’, with ‘studies written by Kate Kerby’, translations by Mo Zung Chung, and a two page introduction by her husband Philip Kerby.Representing a fusion of painting, calligraphy, and pastoral poetry honouring the tradition of Chinese landscape design. Illustrated with eighty eight finely printed plates, consisting of thirty three calligraphy plates of poems matched to thirty three plates of paintings, eleven individual plates of calligraphy, one calligraphic title page.
Printed on thin handmade mulberry paper, with separate sheets of translations, descriptions, and title pages, all separated by blank sheets, and one additional facsimile letter of appreciation from Frank B. Noyes, President of The Associated Press, Hong Kong.
Housed in the publisher’s original and delicate blue silk covers, bound in Chinese style with gilt braided ties, and separate art-deco gilt braided bookmark, usually lacking.
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Price HK$ 9,000
Boogie-Woogie - Signed -
Danny Moynihan, Damien Hirst
2000 - Duck Editions, London - First Edition, One of 500.
A fine first and limited edition signed by Damian Hirst who designed the dust jacket and by the author Danny Moynihan, art dealer and gallery manager.
‘Art is about life; the art world is about money. Boogie Woogie is where the two collide’ - Damian Hirst.
‘Boogie Woogie is a fast-paced satirical novel that dives into the dark excesses of the international art scene of the 1990s. The movement within the book has a constant beat. Driven by the pursuit of fame, fortune and the 20th century masterpiece, Boogie Woogie reveals the inner workings of these circles through ambition and borderline obsession, sex, money, and drugs’ – Aesthetica.
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Price HK$ 4,000
2000 - Duck Editions, London - First Edition, One of 500.
A fine first and limited edition signed by Damian Hirst who designed the dust jacket and by the author Danny Moynihan, art dealer and gallery manager.‘Art is about life; the art world is about money. Boogie Woogie is where the two collide’ - Damian Hirst.
‘Boogie Woogie is a fast-paced satirical novel that dives into the dark excesses of the international art scene of the 1990s. The movement within the book has a constant beat. Driven by the pursuit of fame, fortune and the 20th century masterpiece, Boogie Woogie reveals the inner workings of these circles through ambition and borderline obsession, sex, money, and drugs’ – Aesthetica.
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Price HK$ 4,000
East of the Sun and West of the Moon - Old Tales From the North -
Kay Nielsen, Peter Christen Asbjørnsen, Jørgen Engebretsen Moe
1914 - Hodder & Stoughton, London - First Edition
A beautiful example of one of the twentieth centuries finest illustrated books by the Danish illustrator Kay Nielsen.
‘For I have a step-mother who has bewitched me, so that I am a White Bear by day, and a Man by night’
‘She lives in a Castle which stands East of the Sun and West of the Moon, and there, too, is a Princess, with a nose three ells long.’
A marvellous collection of fifteen Norwegian folk tales ‘Norske Folkeeventyr’ gathered by legendary Norwegian folklorists Peter Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe on their journeys across Norway in the mid-nineteenth century, and translated into English, perfectly enhanced by Nielsen’s spectacular artwork, which is presented on twenty-five tipped in colour plates, twenty-two black and white illustrations, numerous decorations, borders, and gilt and black illustrated endpapers.
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Price HK$ 25,000
1914 - Hodder & Stoughton, London - First Edition
A beautiful example of one of the twentieth centuries finest illustrated books by the Danish illustrator Kay Nielsen.‘For I have a step-mother who has bewitched me, so that I am a White Bear by day, and a Man by night’
‘She lives in a Castle which stands East of the Sun and West of the Moon, and there, too, is a Princess, with a nose three ells long.’
A marvellous collection of fifteen Norwegian folk tales ‘Norske Folkeeventyr’ gathered by legendary Norwegian folklorists Peter Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe on their journeys across Norway in the mid-nineteenth century, and translated into English, perfectly enhanced by Nielsen’s spectacular artwork, which is presented on twenty-five tipped in colour plates, twenty-two black and white illustrations, numerous decorations, borders, and gilt and black illustrated endpapers.
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Price HK$ 25,000
The History of Java -
Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles
1817 - Printed for Black, London - First Edition
A beautifully presented first edition set of this landmark work one of only 900 copies, finely bound by Riviere and Son, with large original sheets and untrimmed edges. ‘A magnificent survey of the customs, dress, language, religion, culture, and history of the Javanese people as written by Thomas Stamford Raffles, British colonial agent cum Imperial statesman and later founder of modern Singapore.
The marriage of a scientifically original text with beautiful illustrations by an accomplished aquatint engraver resulted in a book about Indonesia of outstanding quality; indeed a masterpiece.’ [Bastin and Brommer]
Those illustrations include a include a large (114x44cm) folding linen-backed hand-coloured map ‘Map of Java’ with inset ‘Mineralogical Sketch of the Island of Java’ and an engraved map of the ‘Countries referred to in the Brata Yud’ha &c’, ten finely hand coloured aquatint costume plates engraved by William Daniell who visited the island in 1785 and 1793, two soft-ground etched frontispieces, nine engraved vignettes, and a further fifty five black and white plates which include seven of temples (one of which is double page), two musical scores, ten of alphabets and inscriptions, eight of weapons and tools, two of musical instruments and masks, and twenty six others.
Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles (1781-1826) ‘was interested in every aspect of his subject, and devotes whole sections to Javan ethics, literature, poetry, music and musical instruments, drama, games of skill and methods of hunting, besides the more ordinary matters of interest, population, natural history, religion, antiquities, and the military system. At the end of the second volume a hundred and fifty pages are given up to the comparative vocabularies of Java and the neighbouring islands, and the whole is a unique monument erected by a great ruler to those over whom he rules, and incidentally, to his own honour, stands very high in its own class and the aquatint plates are full of interest’ [Prideaux]
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Price HK$ 95,000
1817 - Printed for Black, London - First Edition
A beautifully presented first edition set of this landmark work one of only 900 copies, finely bound by Riviere and Son, with large original sheets and untrimmed edges. ‘A magnificent survey of the customs, dress, language, religion, culture, and history of the Javanese people as written by Thomas Stamford Raffles, British colonial agent cum Imperial statesman and later founder of modern Singapore.The marriage of a scientifically original text with beautiful illustrations by an accomplished aquatint engraver resulted in a book about Indonesia of outstanding quality; indeed a masterpiece.’ [Bastin and Brommer]
Those illustrations include a include a large (114x44cm) folding linen-backed hand-coloured map ‘Map of Java’ with inset ‘Mineralogical Sketch of the Island of Java’ and an engraved map of the ‘Countries referred to in the Brata Yud’ha &c’, ten finely hand coloured aquatint costume plates engraved by William Daniell who visited the island in 1785 and 1793, two soft-ground etched frontispieces, nine engraved vignettes, and a further fifty five black and white plates which include seven of temples (one of which is double page), two musical scores, ten of alphabets and inscriptions, eight of weapons and tools, two of musical instruments and masks, and twenty six others.
Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles (1781-1826) ‘was interested in every aspect of his subject, and devotes whole sections to Javan ethics, literature, poetry, music and musical instruments, drama, games of skill and methods of hunting, besides the more ordinary matters of interest, population, natural history, religion, antiquities, and the military system. At the end of the second volume a hundred and fifty pages are given up to the comparative vocabularies of Java and the neighbouring islands, and the whole is a unique monument erected by a great ruler to those over whom he rules, and incidentally, to his own honour, stands very high in its own class and the aquatint plates are full of interest’ [Prideaux]
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Price HK$ 95,000
The History of Java - with - Memoir of the Life and Public Services of Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles - together with the folio atlas – Plates to Raffles History of Java -
Sir Thomas Stamford and Sophia Raffles, Sophia Raffles
1830 - John Murray, London - Second Editions
A very rare and near fine set of the two most comprehensive works on the history of Indonesia and Singapore in the publisher’s uniform cloth bindings including the folio atlas, nearly all of which were apparently remaindered by the publisher Henry Bohn, who then reissued them separately [Abbey Travel].
The folio Atlas contains all seventy-two engravings originally in the first edition of ‘History of Java’ and together with twenty-two additional plates, not originally included. Those illustrations include a large (114x44cm) folding map ‘Map of Java’ with inset ‘Mineralogical Sketch of the Island of Java’ and an engraved map of the ‘Countries referred to in the Brata Yud’ha &c’ and ten finely hand coloured aquatint costume plates engraved by William Daniell who visited the island in 1785 and 1793.
The ‘Memoir’ is illustrated with an engraved frontispiece, a folding map of ‘The Island of Singapore’, and a larger folding ‘Map of the Indian Archipelago’, a large folding facsimile of a letter from Raffles to Thomas Horsfield, and five folding aquatint lithograph plates, four of which are by William Daniell, made during his two visits to Java.
Raffles ‘History of Java’ is a magnificent survey of the customs, dress, language, religion, culture, and history of the Javanese people as written by Thomas Stamford Raffles, British colonial agent cum Imperial statesman and later founder of modern Singapore. ‘The marriage of a scientifically original text with beautiful illustrations by an accomplished aquatint engraver resulted in a book about Indonesia of outstanding quality; indeed a masterpiece.’ [Bastin and Brommer]
Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles (1781-1826) ‘was interested in every aspect of his subject, and devotes whole sections to Javan ethics, literature, poetry, music and musical instruments, drama, games of skill and methods of hunting, besides the more ordinary matters of interest, population, natural history, religion, antiquities, and the military system. At the end of the second volume a hundred and fifty pages are given up to the comparative vocabularies of Java and the neighbouring islands, and the whole is a unique monument erected by a great ruler to those over whom he rules, and incidentally, to his own honour, stands very high in its own class and the aquatint plates are full of interest’ [Prideaux]
‘During his last voyage back to England, the ship of Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles (1781–1826) caught fire, consuming many of the papers from which future biographers might have worked. When he died two years later, the task of sifting through the surviving materials and recording his life and career fell to his widow Sophia (1786–1858). Her substantial biography, remains an essential source of information about one of the key figures of British colonialism in the East Indies. At the centre of the book, interspersed with many of her husband's letters, is Raffles' struggle against his Dutch opponents, with whom he clashed on ideological grounds - he noted with distaste their mistreatment of the local population and their advocacy of slavery. It was this rivalry which convinced Raffles to found Singapore as a trading post’. [CUP]
More details
Price HK$ 48,000
1830 - John Murray, London - Second Editions
A very rare and near fine set of the two most comprehensive works on the history of Indonesia and Singapore in the publisher’s uniform cloth bindings including the folio atlas, nearly all of which were apparently remaindered by the publisher Henry Bohn, who then reissued them separately [Abbey Travel].The folio Atlas contains all seventy-two engravings originally in the first edition of ‘History of Java’ and together with twenty-two additional plates, not originally included. Those illustrations include a large (114x44cm) folding map ‘Map of Java’ with inset ‘Mineralogical Sketch of the Island of Java’ and an engraved map of the ‘Countries referred to in the Brata Yud’ha &c’ and ten finely hand coloured aquatint costume plates engraved by William Daniell who visited the island in 1785 and 1793.
The ‘Memoir’ is illustrated with an engraved frontispiece, a folding map of ‘The Island of Singapore’, and a larger folding ‘Map of the Indian Archipelago’, a large folding facsimile of a letter from Raffles to Thomas Horsfield, and five folding aquatint lithograph plates, four of which are by William Daniell, made during his two visits to Java.
Raffles ‘History of Java’ is a magnificent survey of the customs, dress, language, religion, culture, and history of the Javanese people as written by Thomas Stamford Raffles, British colonial agent cum Imperial statesman and later founder of modern Singapore. ‘The marriage of a scientifically original text with beautiful illustrations by an accomplished aquatint engraver resulted in a book about Indonesia of outstanding quality; indeed a masterpiece.’ [Bastin and Brommer]
Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles (1781-1826) ‘was interested in every aspect of his subject, and devotes whole sections to Javan ethics, literature, poetry, music and musical instruments, drama, games of skill and methods of hunting, besides the more ordinary matters of interest, population, natural history, religion, antiquities, and the military system. At the end of the second volume a hundred and fifty pages are given up to the comparative vocabularies of Java and the neighbouring islands, and the whole is a unique monument erected by a great ruler to those over whom he rules, and incidentally, to his own honour, stands very high in its own class and the aquatint plates are full of interest’ [Prideaux]
‘During his last voyage back to England, the ship of Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles (1781–1826) caught fire, consuming many of the papers from which future biographers might have worked. When he died two years later, the task of sifting through the surviving materials and recording his life and career fell to his widow Sophia (1786–1858). Her substantial biography, remains an essential source of information about one of the key figures of British colonialism in the East Indies. At the centre of the book, interspersed with many of her husband's letters, is Raffles' struggle against his Dutch opponents, with whom he clashed on ideological grounds - he noted with distaste their mistreatment of the local population and their advocacy of slavery. It was this rivalry which convinced Raffles to found Singapore as a trading post’. [CUP]
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Price HK$ 48,000
Notes on a Cellar-Book - Signed -
George Saintsbury
1921 - Macmillan & Co., London - Édition de Luxe. One of Five Hundred Signed Copies
Édition de Luxe, signed by Saintsbury and limited to 500 copies.
Since its first publication, the classic Notes on a Cellar-Book has remained one of the greatest tributes to drink and drinking in the literature of wine. A collection of tasting notes, menus, and robust opinions, the work is filled with anecdotes and recollections of wines and spirits consumed from the heights of Romanée-Conti to the simple pleasures of beer, flip, and mum.
‘Wine pleased my senses, improved my moral and intellectual powers, besides enabling me to confer the same benefits on other people’ – George Saintsbury.
‘Few wine books posses the iconic status of George Saintsbury's Notes on a Cellar-Book.’ – Wine Spectator.
‘As much a model for wine writing as . . . an historical document revealing how wines were once regarded and how times have changed’ – Bloomberg.
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Price HK$ 5,000
1921 - Macmillan & Co., London - Édition de Luxe. One of Five Hundred Signed Copies
Édition de Luxe, signed by Saintsbury and limited to 500 copies.Since its first publication, the classic Notes on a Cellar-Book has remained one of the greatest tributes to drink and drinking in the literature of wine. A collection of tasting notes, menus, and robust opinions, the work is filled with anecdotes and recollections of wines and spirits consumed from the heights of Romanée-Conti to the simple pleasures of beer, flip, and mum.
‘Wine pleased my senses, improved my moral and intellectual powers, besides enabling me to confer the same benefits on other people’ – George Saintsbury.
‘Few wine books posses the iconic status of George Saintsbury's Notes on a Cellar-Book.’ – Wine Spectator.
‘As much a model for wine writing as . . . an historical document revealing how wines were once regarded and how times have changed’ – Bloomberg.
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Price HK$ 5,000
Franny and Zooey -
J.D. Salinger
1961 - Little, Boston - First Edition
A fine first edition of Salinger’s third book. Two stories about the Glass family, which originally appeared in the New Yorker, following on from ‘Raise High the Roof Beam’ [1959].
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Price HK$ 6,000
1961 - Little, Boston - First Edition
A fine first edition of Salinger’s third book. Two stories about the Glass family, which originally appeared in the New Yorker, following on from ‘Raise High the Roof Beam’ [1959].
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Price HK$ 6,000