A History of the University of Oxford, Its Colleges, Halls, and Public Buildings -
R. Ackermann
1814 - R. Ackermann, London - First Edition
An excellent set of this monumental work, profusely illustrated throughout and presented in two large and majestically bound quarto volumes by Sangorski & Suctliffe of London. Includes the thirty three plates of the college founders that are often omitted
Containing the list of subscribers, engraved portrait of Lord Grenville, sixty-four hand-coloured aquatint plates after Pugin, Mackenzie, Westall, Nash, and others, seventeen stipple-engraved costume plates, and thirty-three hand-coloured founders plates.
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Price HK$ 50,000
1814 - R. Ackermann, London - First Edition
An excellent set of this monumental work, profusely illustrated throughout and presented in two large and majestically bound quarto volumes by Sangorski & Suctliffe of London. Includes the thirty three plates of the college founders that are often omittedContaining the list of subscribers, engraved portrait of Lord Grenville, sixty-four hand-coloured aquatint plates after Pugin, Mackenzie, Westall, Nash, and others, seventeen stipple-engraved costume plates, and thirty-three hand-coloured founders plates.
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Price HK$ 50,000
Sauternes. A study of the great sweet wines of Bordeaux -
Jeffrey Benson, Alastair Mackenzie, Comte A. de Lur-Saluces
1979 - Sotheby Parke Bernet, London - Number 24 of 25 copies reserved for fine binding by Zaehnsdorf
Luxuriously bound and presented homage to the golden honey elixir of France.
Signed by Château d’Yquem’s legendary Comte A. de Lur-Saluces who provides the foreword, and by both authors and photographer Godfrey Argent.
The authoritative work, with six original photographs laid on to green gilt edges card, as well as numerous photographs throughout the text by Argent, together with illustrations and maps.
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Price HK$ 15,000
1979 - Sotheby Parke Bernet, London - Number 24 of 25 copies reserved for fine binding by Zaehnsdorf
Luxuriously bound and presented homage to the golden honey elixir of France.Signed by Château d’Yquem’s legendary Comte A. de Lur-Saluces who provides the foreword, and by both authors and photographer Godfrey Argent.
The authoritative work, with six original photographs laid on to green gilt edges card, as well as numerous photographs throughout the text by Argent, together with illustrations and maps.
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Price HK$ 15,000
A History of Steeple Chasing -
William C. A. Blew, Henry Aitken, James (illustrator)
1901 - John C. Nimmo, London - First Edition
First edition of this large and beautifully illustrated work in a bespoke and elegant art-nouveau binding.
Written by the British barrister William Charles Arlington Blew (1848-1904), a prolific author of numerous works on horse breeds, management, and steeple chasing. Eileen Loder in her detailed bibliography on the history of horse racing considered this an authoritative work, covering the years up to the end of the 19th century.
With hand-coloured frontis, and 27 plates mostly by Henry Alken, the finest painter and engraver of horse racing scenes, eleven of which are coloured by hand.
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Price HK$ 6,000
1901 - John C. Nimmo, London - First Edition
First edition of this large and beautifully illustrated work in a bespoke and elegant art-nouveau binding. Written by the British barrister William Charles Arlington Blew (1848-1904), a prolific author of numerous works on horse breeds, management, and steeple chasing. Eileen Loder in her detailed bibliography on the history of horse racing considered this an authoritative work, covering the years up to the end of the 19th century.
With hand-coloured frontis, and 27 plates mostly by Henry Alken, the finest painter and engraver of horse racing scenes, eleven of which are coloured by hand.
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Price HK$ 6,000
The Three Voyages of Captain James Cook, with "The Death of Captain Cook" Plate -
James Cook, John Hawkesworth, James King
1773 - Strahan, London - Second Edition, First Edition, Second Edition
A complete set of the best possible editions, superbly bound in full tree calf and with the additional ‘Death of Captain Cook’ drawn by the John Weber who witnessed the dispute and ensuing fight. Eight quarto volumes and the elephant folio volume of plates. Magnificently illustrated with two hundred and five engraved charts and plates, many of which are double page or larger.
There is no greater set of travel works, Cook was the first scientific navigator, these three voyages made great contributions to numerous fields of knowledge,, and did more to clarify the geographical knowledge of the southern hemisphere than his predecessors had done together [Hill].
The first voyage is in its second and best edition, complete with the ‘Directions for placing the cuts’ and the ‘Chart of the Straights of Magellan’, and with the new Preface containing Hawkesworth's virulent eight-page reply to Dalrymple's whining reviews of the first edition, and the whole volume revised by the voyage's astronomer William Wales.
The third voyage is in its second and best edition, with the printing by Hughs (rather than Strahan who printed the first edition) with the text itself entirely re-set. Isaac Smith presenting a set on behalf of Cook's widow in 1821 noted that 'I am desired by Mrs Cook to request your acceptance of the 4 books sent herewith being her Husbands last Voyage round the World, as a mark of her respect the letter press of the second edition being much superior to the first both in paper & letter press' (quoted by Forbes, Hawaiian National Bibliography, 85). King George III's copy of the official account, preserved in the British Library, is also an example of this second edition. This particular set with variant title pages, dated correctly, but without edition statement or vignette of Royal Society medal.
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Price HK$ 430,000
1773 - Strahan, London - Second Edition, First Edition, Second Edition
A complete set of the best possible editions, superbly bound in full tree calf and with the additional ‘Death of Captain Cook’ drawn by the John Weber who witnessed the dispute and ensuing fight. Eight quarto volumes and the elephant folio volume of plates. Magnificently illustrated with two hundred and five engraved charts and plates, many of which are double page or larger.There is no greater set of travel works, Cook was the first scientific navigator, these three voyages made great contributions to numerous fields of knowledge,, and did more to clarify the geographical knowledge of the southern hemisphere than his predecessors had done together [Hill].
The first voyage is in its second and best edition, complete with the ‘Directions for placing the cuts’ and the ‘Chart of the Straights of Magellan’, and with the new Preface containing Hawkesworth's virulent eight-page reply to Dalrymple's whining reviews of the first edition, and the whole volume revised by the voyage's astronomer William Wales.
The third voyage is in its second and best edition, with the printing by Hughs (rather than Strahan who printed the first edition) with the text itself entirely re-set. Isaac Smith presenting a set on behalf of Cook's widow in 1821 noted that 'I am desired by Mrs Cook to request your acceptance of the 4 books sent herewith being her Husbands last Voyage round the World, as a mark of her respect the letter press of the second edition being much superior to the first both in paper & letter press' (quoted by Forbes, Hawaiian National Bibliography, 85). King George III's copy of the official account, preserved in the British Library, is also an example of this second edition. This particular set with variant title pages, dated correctly, but without edition statement or vignette of Royal Society medal.
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Price HK$ 430,000
Oliver Twist; or, the Parish Boy’s Progress -
Charles Dickens (”Boz”)
1838 - Richard Bentley, London - First Edition, First Issue
‘Please, Sir, I want some more.’
First edition in fine contemporary bindings, first issue with the 'fireside' plate’ (i.e. Rose, Maylie and Oliver) between pages 312-13 (Vol.III), which was suppressed in the second issue. Illustrated throughout with frontispieces and twenty-one plates etched by George Cruikshank.
Dickens was severely criticised for introducing criminals and prostitutes in Oliver Twist to which he responded - ‘I saw no reason, when I wrote this book, why the very dregs of life, so long as their speech did not offend the ear, should not serve the purpose of a moral, at least as well as its froth and cream’.
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Price HK$ 32,000
1838 - Richard Bentley, London - First Edition, First Issue
‘Please, Sir, I want some more.’ First edition in fine contemporary bindings, first issue with the 'fireside' plate’ (i.e. Rose, Maylie and Oliver) between pages 312-13 (Vol.III), which was suppressed in the second issue. Illustrated throughout with frontispieces and twenty-one plates etched by George Cruikshank.
Dickens was severely criticised for introducing criminals and prostitutes in Oliver Twist to which he responded - ‘I saw no reason, when I wrote this book, why the very dregs of life, so long as their speech did not offend the ear, should not serve the purpose of a moral, at least as well as its froth and cream’.
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Price HK$ 32,000
The Personal History of David Copperfield -
Charles DIckens, H. K. Browne aka ‘Phiz’ (Illustrator)
1850 - Bradbury & Evans, London - First Edition
‘Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show.’
A handsomely bound first edition of arguably Charles Dickens’ most acclaimed work, wonderfully illustrated throughout with 39 engraved plates and engraved title page vignette by Hablot Knight Browne aka ‘Phiz’.
‘In this book of David Copperfield, [Dickens] has created creatures who cling to us and tyrannise over us, creatures whom we would not forget if we could, creatures whom we could not forget if we would, creatures who are more actual than the man who made them.’ – G. K. Chesterton
The story of a boy making his way in the world, and finding himself as a man and as a writer. In the first half, before Dickens's irrepressible storytelling kicks in and the motor of the novel starts to hum with incident, we find him almost meditating on his literary beginnings. The second half displays Dickens at his magnificent, and often uneven, best. There are the characteristic prose arpeggios, the virtuoso similes and metaphors, and the parade of timeless characters: Mr Micawber, Mrs Gummidge, Betsey Trotwood, Barkis, Uriah Heep, Steerforth, Mr Spenlow (of Spenlow and Jorkins) and Miss Mowcher.
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Price HK$ 22,000
1850 - Bradbury & Evans, London - First Edition
‘Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show.’A handsomely bound first edition of arguably Charles Dickens’ most acclaimed work, wonderfully illustrated throughout with 39 engraved plates and engraved title page vignette by Hablot Knight Browne aka ‘Phiz’.
‘In this book of David Copperfield, [Dickens] has created creatures who cling to us and tyrannise over us, creatures whom we would not forget if we could, creatures whom we could not forget if we would, creatures who are more actual than the man who made them.’ – G. K. Chesterton
The story of a boy making his way in the world, and finding himself as a man and as a writer. In the first half, before Dickens's irrepressible storytelling kicks in and the motor of the novel starts to hum with incident, we find him almost meditating on his literary beginnings. The second half displays Dickens at his magnificent, and often uneven, best. There are the characteristic prose arpeggios, the virtuoso similes and metaphors, and the parade of timeless characters: Mr Micawber, Mrs Gummidge, Betsey Trotwood, Barkis, Uriah Heep, Steerforth, Mr Spenlow (of Spenlow and Jorkins) and Miss Mowcher.
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Price HK$ 22,000
Dombey and Son -
Charles Dickens, Hablot Knight Browne (illustrator)
1848 - Bradbury and Evans, London - First Edition
A handsomely bound first edition, Illustrated throughout with 39 engraved plates and engraved title page vignette by Hablot Knight Browne aka ‘Phiz’.
‘Dombey and Son is both a firm and a family and the ambiguous connection between public and private life lies at the heart of Dickens' novel. Paul Dombey is a man who runs his domestic affairs as he runs his business: calculatingly, callously, coldly and commercially.
Through his dysfunctional relationships with his son, his two wives, and his neglected daughter Florence, Dickens paints a vivid picture of the limitations of a society dominated by commercial values and the drive for profit and explores the possibility of moral and emotional redemption through familial love.’
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Price HK$ 10,000
1848 - Bradbury and Evans, London - First Edition
A handsomely bound first edition, Illustrated throughout with 39 engraved plates and engraved title page vignette by Hablot Knight Browne aka ‘Phiz’.‘Dombey and Son is both a firm and a family and the ambiguous connection between public and private life lies at the heart of Dickens' novel. Paul Dombey is a man who runs his domestic affairs as he runs his business: calculatingly, callously, coldly and commercially.
Through his dysfunctional relationships with his son, his two wives, and his neglected daughter Florence, Dickens paints a vivid picture of the limitations of a society dominated by commercial values and the drive for profit and explores the possibility of moral and emotional redemption through familial love.’
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Price HK$ 10,000
Bleak House -
Charles DIckens, Hablot Knight Browne (illustrator)
1853 - Bradbury and Evans, London - First Edition
A handsomely bound first edition of Dickens’ best and most popular works, described by Claire Tomalin (Charles Dickens: A Life) as a ‘masterpiece, with the best opening page and the richest plot, part detective story, part attack on the abuses of the legal system and sexual hypocrisy as he lays out the condition of England, moving from child workers to comfortable aristocrats’.
Wonderfully illustrated with 38 engraved plates and title page vignette by Hablot Knight Browne aka ”Phiz”.
Introducing Inspector Bucket, the first English fictional detective, who was probably based on C.K. Field of the recently formed Scotland Yard.
‘As the interminable case of 'Jarndyce and Jarndyce' grinds its way through the Court of Chancery, it draws together a disparate group of people: Ada and Richard Clare, whose inheritance is gradually being devoured by legal costs; Esther Summerson, a ward of court, whose parentage is a source of deepening mystery; the menacing lawyer Tulkinghorn; the determined sleuth Inspector Bucket; and even Jo, the destitute little crossing-sweeper. A savage, but often comic, indictment of a society that is rotten to the core, Bleak House is one of Dickens's most ambitious novels, with a range that extends from the drawing rooms of the aristocracy to the poorest of London slums.’ – from the Penguin Classics introduction.
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Price HK$ 14,000
1853 - Bradbury and Evans, London - First Edition
A handsomely bound first edition of Dickens’ best and most popular works, described by Claire Tomalin (Charles Dickens: A Life) as a ‘masterpiece, with the best opening page and the richest plot, part detective story, part attack on the abuses of the legal system and sexual hypocrisy as he lays out the condition of England, moving from child workers to comfortable aristocrats’.Wonderfully illustrated with 38 engraved plates and title page vignette by Hablot Knight Browne aka ”Phiz”.
Introducing Inspector Bucket, the first English fictional detective, who was probably based on C.K. Field of the recently formed Scotland Yard.
‘As the interminable case of 'Jarndyce and Jarndyce' grinds its way through the Court of Chancery, it draws together a disparate group of people: Ada and Richard Clare, whose inheritance is gradually being devoured by legal costs; Esther Summerson, a ward of court, whose parentage is a source of deepening mystery; the menacing lawyer Tulkinghorn; the determined sleuth Inspector Bucket; and even Jo, the destitute little crossing-sweeper. A savage, but often comic, indictment of a society that is rotten to the core, Bleak House is one of Dickens's most ambitious novels, with a range that extends from the drawing rooms of the aristocracy to the poorest of London slums.’ – from the Penguin Classics introduction.
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Price HK$ 14,000