Results 25 - 32 of 69 results

Natural History of the Strait of Magellan and West Coast of Patagonia - Robert O. Cunningham

1871 - Edmonston and Douglas, Edinburgh - First Edition
A superior example of the first edition, illustrated with folding colour map and 21 lithograph plates, some in colour.

‘The Scottish naturalist Robert O. Cunningham (1841-1918) began his 1866 voyage to South America in inclement weather, and, by the eleventh day of travel, noted a 'pond' forming in his tiny cabin aboard HMS Nassau. With never-failing humour, Cunningham presents here a record of the zoological, botanical and geological observations made across the three years he spent at sea.

As the ship's naturalist (recommended for the post by Joseph D. Hooker), his time was given wholly to research and exploration, and his findings are both fascinating and thorough. Included are his anecdotal records of seamen's slang, research into the history of the changing landscapes he visited, which had been previously documented by travellers as diverse as Drake and Darwin, statistical data on various species of animals and plants, and numerous original images. An absorbing testament of the breadth of the explorer-naturalist's interests. [C.U.P.]
 
More details

Price HK$ 10,000



Our American Adventure [&] Our Second American Adventure - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

1923 - Doran / Little, New York / Boston - First American Edition
Two volumes. The accounts of Doyle's two American tours investigating and speaking on matters of Spiritualism. Illustrated with black and white photographs.

We live in the time of dawn, and year by year the overwhelming importance of this psychic question is forcing itself upon the public attention 
More details

Price HK$ 2,600



Stage-Coach and Tavern Days - Alice Morse Earle

1900 - The Macmillan Company, New York - First Edition
‘Long ago at the end of the route,
The stage pulled up, and the folks stepped out.
They have all passed under the tavern door –
The youth and his bride and the gray three-score.


Profusely illustrated history of the days of the American stagecoach and the taverns where weary travellers inevitably stopped at along the course of their journey. Chapters include ‘
Old-Time Taverns’, ‘Tavern Fare and Tavern Ways’, ‘Early stage-coaches and other vehicles’, and ‘The Romance of the Road.’ 
More details

Price HK$ 2,000



Through Bosnia and Herzeg - Arthur J. Evans

1876 - Longmans, London - First Edition
A superior example of the first edition, illustrated throughout with over 50 in-text engravings, 4 full page plates, and a folding map outlined in colour.

Remembered chiefly for his archaeological discoveries in Crete, Sir Arthur John Evans (1851-1941) was also highly respected as an expert on the Balkans, an area then little known. Evans describes 'a land and people among the most interesting in Europe', and in 1875 he was visiting for the third time. This trip found him witnessing the outbreak of the revolt that saw Austria-Hungary take control of Bosnia. Here, however, Evans explores Bosnia's rich heritage with detailed ethnographic and anthropological observations, alongside descriptive impressions of its people and natural beauty. This work offers background not only to the revolt in that country, but also to the later deadly conflicts that would shake all of Europe. [C.U.P.]
 
More details

Price HK$ 5,000



1804 - Printed by T. Bensley for W. Miller, London - First Edition
This remarkable work contains forty-eight engraved plates of Scottish Landscapes and buildings etched by James Fittler (appointed engraver to King George III) from drawings by John Claude Nattes, each one accompanied by a detailed historic description. In addition to the more well known locations of Edinburgh and the Scottish Highlands, Nattes included places such as Aberdeen, Banff, Moray and Inverness.

In a contemporary binding (35.5 x 29 cm), also illustrated with engraved frontispiece, additional engraved title page, and engraved tailpiece.
 
More details

Price HK$ 8,000



Architectura Navalis - bound with - Architectura Civilis, Nova & Antiqua - Josephum Furttenbach, Georg Andreas B

1629 - Johan Saurn, Ulm - First Editions
A stunning, clean and complete copy of Joseph Furttenbach’s famous treaty on shipbuilding, Architectura Navalis with double-page engraved title, title in red and black, twenty stunning double-page engraved plates showing boat design, and various types of boats many engaged in action with other boats and monsters of the sea. Furttenbach was a highly influential German architect, who attempted to cover all fields of architecture in his writings. Böckler corresponded with Furttenbach and his works on architecture were intended to contribute to the rebuilding of Germany after the devastation of the Thirty Years War, his Architectura Civilis, Nova & Antiqua presents a comparative treatment of the Orders [Architectural Styles] and is illustrated with forty engraved plates, woodcut printer’s device and red and black text to title page, woodcut head pieces, and initials.  
More details

Price HK$ 95,000



Lex Parliamentaria: or, a treatise of the law and custom of parliaments. Shewing their antiquity, names, kinds, and qualities. Of the three Estates; and of the Dignity and Excellency of Parliaments, their Power and Authority. Of the Election of Members of the House of Commons in general, their Privilege, Qualifications, and Duties. Of the Electors; and their Rights, Duties; and Manner of Elections. Of the Returns to Parliament; the Sheriff's and other Officers Duty therein. Of the Manner of Election of the Speaker; and of his Business and Duty. Of the Manner of passing Bills, and the Orders to be observed in the House of Commons. Of Sessions of Parliament; as also of Prorogations and Adjournments: Together with the proper Laws and Customs of Parliaments. With an appendix of a case in Parliament between Sir Francis Goodwyn and Sir John Fortescue, for the Knights Place for the County of Bucks, 1 Jac. I. - Philips George

Circa 1701 - Printed for J. Stagg, London - The Second Edition, with large additions
A very rare printing of the second and enlarged edition, first published in 1690.

Lex Parliamentaria is a comprehensive treatise on the history of the rules, customs and practices of the English Parliamentary system at about the time of the Bill of Rights which had established, inter alia, that subjects had a right to petition the King, that elections of Members of Parliament should be free, and that Parliament should sit frequently.

Philips considers the development of Parliamentary powers, the election of Members, the rights and duties of electors, elections, the passing of Bills and the management of Parliamentary business. William and Andrew Bradford published an American edition in New York in 1716.’ [John Edwards]

This has until recently usually been attributed to George Petyt. The new attribution to the Irishman George Philips (1599?-1696) seems now to be widely accepted, however, an attribution originally claimed by both Sir James Ware (History of Irish writers, 1736) and Walter Harris, the History's editor.
 
More details

Price HK$ 12,000



The Antiquities of Scotland - Francis Grose

1797 - Hooper &, London - First Hooper &
Two magnificently illustrated large volumes of this comprehensive work, with 190 full page engraved plates, large engraved folding Index Map to the Antiquities of Scotland. ‘Shewing the Situation of Every Building Described in this Work’, two engraved title pages, and one in text Plan of Druidical Stone.

Grose (1731-91), English antiquary draughtsman and lexicographer, initiated the eighteenth-century's most extensive series of published illustrations of ancient monuments.

In 1788 he began the first of several tours of Scotland in order to produce
The Antiquities of Scotland. It was on the second of these tours, in summer 1789, that he met and immediately formed a friendship with the poet Robert Burns. Burns met him while he was staying with Robert Riddell at the Friar's Carse, collecting material for his Scottish work. Burns suggested to him that he should include Alloway Kirk in his Scottish Antiquities, and Grose agreed on condition that Burns provided a witch tale to go with his drawing. In June 1790, Burns sent Grose a prose tale with a variant in a letter to Grose, following it up with a rhymed version, "Tam o' Shanter" (see Volume II, page 31). 
More details

Price HK$ 8,000



 
Results 25 - 32 of 69 results