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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
Paddiana; or, Scraps and Sketches of Irish Life, Present and Past -
Dr. A. Blenkinsop [R.F. Walond]
1847 - Richard Bentley, London - First Edition
A scarce set of two near fine volumes. Entertaining early anecdotes together with a history, and Introduction to Ireland and The Irish.
With titles such as Head-Breaking; Mrs. Fogarty’s Tea Party; Cads, Fools and Beggars; Ronayne’s Ghost; The Green Traveller; The Last Pigtail; Priests: Catholic and Others; Dublin Carmen; and An Irish Stew.
In the original publisher’s gilt and green cloth, each with wood-engraved title-vignette.
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Price HK$ 7,800
1847 - Richard Bentley, London - First Edition
A scarce set of two near fine volumes. Entertaining early anecdotes together with a history, and Introduction to Ireland and The Irish. With titles such as Head-Breaking; Mrs. Fogarty’s Tea Party; Cads, Fools and Beggars; Ronayne’s Ghost; The Green Traveller; The Last Pigtail; Priests: Catholic and Others; Dublin Carmen; and An Irish Stew.
In the original publisher’s gilt and green cloth, each with wood-engraved title-vignette.
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Price HK$ 7,800
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 Mildenhall Treasure - With an original Ralph Steadman ink cartoon -
Roald Dahl, Ralph Steadman (Illustrator)
1999 - Jonathan Cape, London - First Edition
A fine copy with an original great big red ink cartoon drawing by Ralph Steadman of Gordon Butcher on the half title page, to which Steadman has added his signature signature, if there is such a thing...
This is the true story of Suffolk ploughman Gordon Butcher who, in 1942, uncovered the greatest treasure ever found in the British Isles. It was Roman silver of unparalleled beauty and value and, not appreciating what he had discovered, Butcher was savagely cheated out of the fortune that should have been his.
The 34 masterpieces, still the most valuable Roman objects in Britain, artistically and by weight of bullion, are now housed at the British Museum.
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Price HK$ 4,200
1999 - Jonathan Cape, London - First Edition
A fine copy with an original great big red ink cartoon drawing by Ralph Steadman of Gordon Butcher on the half title page, to which Steadman has added his signature signature, if there is such a thing...This is the true story of Suffolk ploughman Gordon Butcher who, in 1942, uncovered the greatest treasure ever found in the British Isles. It was Roman silver of unparalleled beauty and value and, not appreciating what he had discovered, Butcher was savagely cheated out of the fortune that should have been his.
The 34 masterpieces, still the most valuable Roman objects in Britain, artistically and by weight of bullion, are now housed at the British Museum.
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Price HK$ 4,200
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
Hadrian’s Wall -
Jessie Mothersole, F. G Simpson
1924 - John Lane The Bodley Head Limited, London - Third Edition
A nicely bound copy of this descriptive history, with fourteen charming illustrations (six in colour) by the author, and maps and plans.
Jessie Mothersole was ‘a landscape-painter who can claim the rare distinction of having traversed on foot the entire distance from Wallsend to Bowness, as well as spending much time at places on the line. Few antiquaries have repeated the famous journey of Hutton, and Miss Mothersole is an avowed disciple of that genial old gentleman, whose quaintly sententious style - solitary walking fosters a philosophical habit of mind - has left its mark on her own. She resembles her guide both in his enthusiasm and in his comparative ignorance of archaeological detail. For she is no antiquary. She is a pilgrim, with an artist’s eye for the line of the Wall, the country over which it runs, and the character of the people who live about it. All these things she observes lovingly and truthfully and sets down without reserve. Consequently her book goes straight to the heart of all who love the Wall and the Wall country; to read her is to see distant views and to hear the wind again. But though no antiquary, she has taken trouble with this side of her work and made full use of a great opportunity; for Mr. F. G. Simpson has generously supplied her with much information which has never before reached the general public, and this gives the book a real archaeological value. Where Mr. Simpson’s hand is withdrawn, her archaeology wavers or comes abruptly to an end. But taking it all round, the book is to be heartily recommended to all prospective visitors or others who want a readable account of the Wall, and is, for the passages in which the voice is the voice of Mr. Simpson, worthy of notice by those who wish to keep abreast of the latest research. The colour plates are charming and we wish there were more of them.’ - Journal of Roman Studies, 1921.
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Price HK$ 900
1924 - John Lane The Bodley Head Limited, London - Third Edition
A nicely bound copy of this descriptive history, with fourteen charming illustrations (six in colour) by the author, and maps and plans.Jessie Mothersole was ‘a landscape-painter who can claim the rare distinction of having traversed on foot the entire distance from Wallsend to Bowness, as well as spending much time at places on the line. Few antiquaries have repeated the famous journey of Hutton, and Miss Mothersole is an avowed disciple of that genial old gentleman, whose quaintly sententious style - solitary walking fosters a philosophical habit of mind - has left its mark on her own. She resembles her guide both in his enthusiasm and in his comparative ignorance of archaeological detail. For she is no antiquary. She is a pilgrim, with an artist’s eye for the line of the Wall, the country over which it runs, and the character of the people who live about it. All these things she observes lovingly and truthfully and sets down without reserve. Consequently her book goes straight to the heart of all who love the Wall and the Wall country; to read her is to see distant views and to hear the wind again. But though no antiquary, she has taken trouble with this side of her work and made full use of a great opportunity; for Mr. F. G. Simpson has generously supplied her with much information which has never before reached the general public, and this gives the book a real archaeological value. Where Mr. Simpson’s hand is withdrawn, her archaeology wavers or comes abruptly to an end. But taking it all round, the book is to be heartily recommended to all prospective visitors or others who want a readable account of the Wall, and is, for the passages in which the voice is the voice of Mr. Simpson, worthy of notice by those who wish to keep abreast of the latest research. The colour plates are charming and we wish there were more of them.’ - Journal of Roman Studies, 1921.
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Price HK$ 900
The English Lakes (In the neighbourhood of Keswick and Penrith) -
Nelson
1868 - T. Nelson & Sons, London - First Edition
12 Chromolithograph plates of the area. Original blue cloth, lettered and blocked in gilt with a colour-printed and varnished paper title in the centre panel.
Nelson's began colour printing in 1857 and `over the next two years greatly improved their use of just five inks to create extremely convincing full-colour chromolithographs.' Gascoigne discusses their `Series of views', attractive collections of souvenir prints for tourists, at some length and notes that they were frequently updated to reflect changes. He also states that Nelson launched their series of `Pictorial guide-books' in 1869 bound in paper covers.
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Price HK$ 1,200
1868 - T. Nelson & Sons, London - First Edition
12 Chromolithograph plates of the area. Original blue cloth, lettered and blocked in gilt with a colour-printed and varnished paper title in the centre panel. Nelson's began colour printing in 1857 and `over the next two years greatly improved their use of just five inks to create extremely convincing full-colour chromolithographs.' Gascoigne discusses their `Series of views', attractive collections of souvenir prints for tourists, at some length and notes that they were frequently updated to reflect changes. He also states that Nelson launched their series of `Pictorial guide-books' in 1869 bound in paper covers.
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Price HK$ 1,200