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A Voyage Round the World, In the Years MDCCXL, I, II, III, IV. -
George Anson, Richard Walter
1748 - Printed for the Author, London - First Edition
A finely bound ‘Royal Paper’ copy of this beautifully illustrated work which ‘has long occupied a distinguished position as a masterpiece of descriptive travel’ (Hill), and ‘a model of what such literature should be’ (Cox).
Containing forty-two copper-engraved maps, charts, views, and coastal profiles, all but one folding, including views of Brazilian harbours and cities, Acapulco, Tenian, Port St. Julian, Magellan’s Straits, the Bay of Manila, Saipan, Lama, Lantau, Chinese junks, and others, and large folding maps of South America, the Philippines, and the Pacific Ocean, as well as a twelve-page subscriber list, and the two-page instructions to the binder.
England, at war with Spain in 1739, equipped eight ships under the command of George Anson to harass the Spaniards on the western coast of South America for the purpose of cutting off Spanish supplies of wealth from the Pacific area. Seven ships were lost and of 900 men 600 perished. As usual, scurvy took an appalling toll.
The Spanish fleet sent to oppose the British ran into storms; provisions ran out and many ships were wrecked. Thus the primary objective of the expedition was not attained. Anson, however, continued taking prizes off the Pacific coast during 1741-42, and in June 1743, near the Philippines, he captured the Spanish galleon Nostra Seigniora de Cabadonga and its treasure of £400,000 sterling, which allowed Anson and the surviving members of his crew to reach England much the richer.
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Price HK$ 59,000
1748 - Printed for the Author, London - First Edition
A finely bound ‘Royal Paper’ copy of this beautifully illustrated work which ‘has long occupied a distinguished position as a masterpiece of descriptive travel’ (Hill), and ‘a model of what such literature should be’ (Cox).Containing forty-two copper-engraved maps, charts, views, and coastal profiles, all but one folding, including views of Brazilian harbours and cities, Acapulco, Tenian, Port St. Julian, Magellan’s Straits, the Bay of Manila, Saipan, Lama, Lantau, Chinese junks, and others, and large folding maps of South America, the Philippines, and the Pacific Ocean, as well as a twelve-page subscriber list, and the two-page instructions to the binder.
England, at war with Spain in 1739, equipped eight ships under the command of George Anson to harass the Spaniards on the western coast of South America for the purpose of cutting off Spanish supplies of wealth from the Pacific area. Seven ships were lost and of 900 men 600 perished. As usual, scurvy took an appalling toll.
The Spanish fleet sent to oppose the British ran into storms; provisions ran out and many ships were wrecked. Thus the primary objective of the expedition was not attained. Anson, however, continued taking prizes off the Pacific coast during 1741-42, and in June 1743, near the Philippines, he captured the Spanish galleon Nostra Seigniora de Cabadonga and its treasure of £400,000 sterling, which allowed Anson and the surviving members of his crew to reach England much the richer.
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Price HK$ 59,000
Hudibras. With Dr. Grey’s Annotations -
Samuel Butler
1819 - Charles & Henry Baldwyn, London - New Edition, Corrected and Enlarged
Three volumes finely bound in early 20th century full tan calf. In addition to Butler’s ‘satirical polemic upon Roundheads, Puritans, Presbyterians and many of the other factions involved in the English Civil War’, this edition includes ‘The Author’s Life’ and an extensive introductory preface, combined with Zachary Grey’s details annotations throughout.
Illustrated with numerous woodcut vignettes and eight plates.
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Price HK$ 3,000
1819 - Charles & Henry Baldwyn, London - New Edition, Corrected and Enlarged
Three volumes finely bound in early 20th century full tan calf. In addition to Butler’s ‘satirical polemic upon Roundheads, Puritans, Presbyterians and many of the other factions involved in the English Civil War’, this edition includes ‘The Author’s Life’ and an extensive introductory preface, combined with Zachary Grey’s details annotations throughout.Illustrated with numerous woodcut vignettes and eight plates.
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Price HK$ 3,000
The Commentaries of Caesar, Translated into English. To which is prefixed a Discourse Concerning the Roman Art of War -
Caius Julius Caesar, William Duncan
1753 - J. & R. Tonson, London - First Edition
The magnificent folio edition of Cæsar's Commentaries, translated and with preliminary matter by William Duncan, with a superb array of 86 copper-engraved plates including six maps, most double-page.
These include the scarce fold-out "Bull" plate (The Ursus or Buffalo) and The Battle with Elephants. The other plates include numerous finely engraved battle plates, depictions of the various peoples conquered by Cæsar (Picts, Druids, Gauls, Germans, etc.), maps of the regions occupied, etc.
This is thought by many as the finest edition of Caesar's commentaries in English.
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Price HK$ 98,000
1753 - J. & R. Tonson, London - First Edition
The magnificent folio edition of Cæsar's Commentaries, translated and with preliminary matter by William Duncan, with a superb array of 86 copper-engraved plates including six maps, most double-page.These include the scarce fold-out "Bull" plate (The Ursus or Buffalo) and The Battle with Elephants. The other plates include numerous finely engraved battle plates, depictions of the various peoples conquered by Cæsar (Picts, Druids, Gauls, Germans, etc.), maps of the regions occupied, etc.
This is thought by many as the finest edition of Caesar's commentaries in English.
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Price HK$ 98,000
The Face of War - Inscribed -
Martha Gellhorn Coward
1959 - Rupert Hart-Davis, London - First Edition
First edition and first collection of the great Martha Gellhorn’s war articles.
Inscribed to war correspondent and author ‘Alan Williams, this museum piece Martha Gellhorn London, April 1997’
Like Gellhorn, Williams worked as a correspondent for the ‘Dail Express’ in many of the world’s ‘hot spots’, including Algeria, Vietnam and North Ireland, gaining a reputation for hell-raising and hard-living in dangerous settings. Later becoming ‘the master of adult entertainment and the first real challenger to Ian Fleming, although the possible influence of his godfather Noël Coward may have caused Williams to stray from a similar work ethic.
The articles are grouped into: The War in Spain; The War in Finland; The War in China; and The Second World War.
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Price HK$ 8,000
1959 - Rupert Hart-Davis, London - First Edition
First edition and first collection of the great Martha Gellhorn’s war articles.Inscribed to war correspondent and author ‘Alan Williams, this museum piece Martha Gellhorn London, April 1997’
Like Gellhorn, Williams worked as a correspondent for the ‘Dail Express’ in many of the world’s ‘hot spots’, including Algeria, Vietnam and North Ireland, gaining a reputation for hell-raising and hard-living in dangerous settings. Later becoming ‘the master of adult entertainment and the first real challenger to Ian Fleming, although the possible influence of his godfather Noël Coward may have caused Williams to stray from a similar work ethic.
The articles are grouped into: The War in Spain; The War in Finland; The War in China; and The Second World War.
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Price HK$ 8,000
Yorkshire: Coast and Moorland Scenes -
Gordon Home
1904 - A. & C. Black, London - First Edition. Number 84 of 200 of the Edition de Luxe.
A scarce example of the large (28x22cm) deluxe edition, limited to only 200 numbered copies, each signed by Gordon Home.
Yorkshire described at the beginning of the 20th Century, with over 450 pages beautifully illustrated with 32 full colour plates from paintings by Gordon Home, each with descriptive tissue guard.
Fold-out map to the rear.
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Price HK$ 3,000
1904 - A. & C. Black, London - First Edition. Number 84 of 200 of the Edition de Luxe.
A scarce example of the large (28x22cm) deluxe edition, limited to only 200 numbered copies, each signed by Gordon Home. Yorkshire described at the beginning of the 20th Century, with over 450 pages beautifully illustrated with 32 full colour plates from paintings by Gordon Home, each with descriptive tissue guard.
Fold-out map to the rear.
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Price HK$ 3,000
Memoirs of Mrs. Fitzherbert -
Charles Langdale
1856 - Richard Bentley, London - First Edition
Extra-illustrated with an additional 37 plates, combined with the original 38 plates of which 10 are colour.
Maria Fitzherbert (1756–1837) was already twice widowed when the young Prince of Wales began his pursuit of her in 1784. Initially refusing his offer of marriage, she eventually accepted it and the couple were wed in secret the following year. Though legitimate in her eyes, the union was invalid under the Royal Marriages Act of 1772, and controversial because of her Catholicism.
A posthumous attack on her faith and morals, penned by Lord Holland in his Memoirs of the Whig Party, provoked her close friend Charles Langdale (1787–1868) into publishing this defence in 1856. A champion of Catholic emancipation, Langdale was one of the first Catholics elected to Parliament. These memoirs are based on Maria Fitzherbert's own recollections, recounted to Langdale's brother, Lord Stourton. They reveal the values and beliefs of an exceptional woman who occupied a unique and precarious position within British high society.
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Price HK$ 16,000
1856 - Richard Bentley, London - First Edition
Extra-illustrated with an additional 37 plates, combined with the original 38 plates of which 10 are colour.Maria Fitzherbert (1756–1837) was already twice widowed when the young Prince of Wales began his pursuit of her in 1784. Initially refusing his offer of marriage, she eventually accepted it and the couple were wed in secret the following year. Though legitimate in her eyes, the union was invalid under the Royal Marriages Act of 1772, and controversial because of her Catholicism.
A posthumous attack on her faith and morals, penned by Lord Holland in his Memoirs of the Whig Party, provoked her close friend Charles Langdale (1787–1868) into publishing this defence in 1856. A champion of Catholic emancipation, Langdale was one of the first Catholics elected to Parliament. These memoirs are based on Maria Fitzherbert's own recollections, recounted to Langdale's brother, Lord Stourton. They reveal the values and beliefs of an exceptional woman who occupied a unique and precarious position within British high society.
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Price HK$ 16,000
The Mint - A day-book of the R.A.F. by 352087 A/c Ross. -
T. E. Lawrence
1955 - Jonathan Cape, London - First and Limited Edition
Copy number 156 of this limited edition of 2,000 copies, leather bound and oversubscribed at 3 1/2 guineas, which contained all the Uxbridge Depot ‘gros mots’ (’foul talk’) that were removed from the shorter trade edition. This copy also includes two detailed and informative press reviews from February 1955.
‘It is hereby approved that Colonel T. E. Lawrence be permitted to join the Royal Air Force as an aircraft hand under the alias of John Hume Ross’ - Chief of Air Staff, Sir Hugh Trenchard.
Lawrence was sent away to get a reference from his last employer after his recruiting officer, Captain W. E. Johns, the author of the famous Biggles books, thought him suspicious and checked Lawrence’s face with photographs of wanted criminals issued by Scotland Yard. The result
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Price HK$ 1,200
1955 - Jonathan Cape, London - First and Limited Edition
Copy number 156 of this limited edition of 2,000 copies, leather bound and oversubscribed at 3 1/2 guineas, which contained all the Uxbridge Depot ‘gros mots’ (’foul talk’) that were removed from the shorter trade edition. This copy also includes two detailed and informative press reviews from February 1955.‘It is hereby approved that Colonel T. E. Lawrence be permitted to join the Royal Air Force as an aircraft hand under the alias of John Hume Ross’ - Chief of Air Staff, Sir Hugh Trenchard.
Lawrence was sent away to get a reference from his last employer after his recruiting officer, Captain W. E. Johns, the author of the famous Biggles books, thought him suspicious and checked Lawrence’s face with photographs of wanted criminals issued by Scotland Yard. The result
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Price HK$ 1,200
The Influence of Sea Power Upon the French Revolution and Empire 1793-1812 -
Captain A. T. Mahan
1892 - Sampson Low, London - First English Edition (published the same year as the First American Edition)
An exceptional two volume set by one of the most important naval strategists of the nineteenth century, illustrated with five full page maps, one large folding map of the ‘North Atlantic Ocean’, and seven full pages of battle plans.
‘Alfred Thayer Mahan (1840–1914) was an American naval officer, in 1885 he was appointed Lecturer in Naval History and Tactics at the US Naval War College, and became President of the institution between 1886–1889. These two volumes, contain Mahan's detailed analysis of British and French naval strategy during the French Revolution. Mahan recounts chronologically the major naval battles and campaigns between Britain and France and their allies, analysing the different naval strategies used and discussing Britain's successful naval tactics.’ (CUP).
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Price HK$ 4,500
1892 - Sampson Low, London - First English Edition (published the same year as the First American Edition)
An exceptional two volume set by one of the most important naval strategists of the nineteenth century, illustrated with five full page maps, one large folding map of the ‘North Atlantic Ocean’, and seven full pages of battle plans.‘Alfred Thayer Mahan (1840–1914) was an American naval officer, in 1885 he was appointed Lecturer in Naval History and Tactics at the US Naval War College, and became President of the institution between 1886–1889. These two volumes, contain Mahan's detailed analysis of British and French naval strategy during the French Revolution. Mahan recounts chronologically the major naval battles and campaigns between Britain and France and their allies, analysing the different naval strategies used and discussing Britain's successful naval tactics.’ (CUP).
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Price HK$ 4,500