Tess of The D'Urbervilles -
Thomas Hardy
1895 - Osgood, London - First Single Volume Edition
Finely bound early edition, and the first to contain a new additional preface by Thomas Hardy, as well as a frontispiece portrait of the author by H Macbeth-Raeburn
‘In Tess, Hardy presents a world in which the human spirit is battered down by the forces, not of fate, but of social hierarchy. Tess’s eventual death, one of the most famous in literature, is a direct result of human cruelty and as such represents one of the most moving indictments of the lives of nineteenth-century English women in all of literature’ – Alvin Birdy.
More details
Price HK$ 5,500
1895 - Osgood, London - First Single Volume Edition
Finely bound early edition, and the first to contain a new additional preface by Thomas Hardy, as well as a frontispiece portrait of the author by H Macbeth-Raeburn‘In Tess, Hardy presents a world in which the human spirit is battered down by the forces, not of fate, but of social hierarchy. Tess’s eventual death, one of the most famous in literature, is a direct result of human cruelty and as such represents one of the most moving indictments of the lives of nineteenth-century English women in all of literature’ – Alvin Birdy.
More details
Price HK$ 5,500
Culinary Jottings: A Treatise in Thirty Chapters on Reformed Cookery for Anglo-Indian Exiles -
Colonel Kenney-Herbert “Wyvern”
1885 - Higginbotham & Co., Madras - Fifth Edition
A scarce example of this popular cook book by ‘Wyvern’, expanded and revised from the first edition (’Culinary Jottings for Madras)published seven years earlier. All early editions are scarce because being a working cook book it is prone to all the usual issues that modern cookbooks are also in danger of, combined with the original cheap paper and glues used for its production in Madras.
With numerous chapters including two on ‘Our Curries’ and ‘Curries and Mulligatunny’, as well as ‘Camp Cookery’, ending with a fascinating essay about the British kitchens of India.
Recipes include helpful hints and advice, for example ‘Potted Prawns ought to be oftener seen at Madras than they are’ and suggestions on where to purchase the best potted meats, anecdotes (see ‘Mulligatunny’), a complete chapter titled ‘Notes on Curing of Meat’.
Published by legendary Indian book sellers Higginbotham’s, this work and other titles by ‘Wyvern’ ‘swept Higginbotham’s from being just a book establishment into becoming a part of India’s print and publishing history’ [Bangalore Mirror]
More details
Price HK$ 3,800
1885 - Higginbotham & Co., Madras - Fifth Edition
A scarce example of this popular cook book by ‘Wyvern’, expanded and revised from the first edition (’Culinary Jottings for Madras)published seven years earlier. All early editions are scarce because being a working cook book it is prone to all the usual issues that modern cookbooks are also in danger of, combined with the original cheap paper and glues used for its production in Madras.With numerous chapters including two on ‘Our Curries’ and ‘Curries and Mulligatunny’, as well as ‘Camp Cookery’, ending with a fascinating essay about the British kitchens of India.
Recipes include helpful hints and advice, for example ‘Potted Prawns ought to be oftener seen at Madras than they are’ and suggestions on where to purchase the best potted meats, anecdotes (see ‘Mulligatunny’), a complete chapter titled ‘Notes on Curing of Meat’.
Published by legendary Indian book sellers Higginbotham’s, this work and other titles by ‘Wyvern’ ‘swept Higginbotham’s from being just a book establishment into becoming a part of India’s print and publishing history’ [Bangalore Mirror]
More details
Price HK$ 3,800
Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám -
Omar Khayyám, Richard Le Gallienne
1925 - Dodd, New York - A New Edition with Fifty added Quatrains
Awake ! my soul, and haste betimes to drink,
This sun that rises all too soon shall sink,–
Come,come, O vintner, ope thy drowsy door !
We die of thirst upon the fountains brink.
A fine John Grabau binding of the Persian poem of life, by the renowned 11th century philosopher, poet, mathematician and astronomer Omar Khayyám, paraphrased by Richard Le Gallienne.
More details
Price HK$ 7,000
1925 - Dodd, New York - A New Edition with Fifty added Quatrains
Awake ! my soul, and haste betimes to drink,This sun that rises all too soon shall sink,–
Come,come, O vintner, ope thy drowsy door !
We die of thirst upon the fountains brink.
A fine John Grabau binding of the Persian poem of life, by the renowned 11th century philosopher, poet, mathematician and astronomer Omar Khayyám, paraphrased by Richard Le Gallienne.
More details
Price HK$ 7,000
Travels in West Africa - Congo Français, Corisco and Cameroons -
Mary Henrietta Kingsley
1897 - Macmillan and Co., London - First Edition
A near fine first edition, illustrated throughout, including 16 halftone plates, 2 lithographic plates, and numerous in-text photographs.
‘From fighting with crocodiles, to being caught in a tornado on the slopes of Mount Cameroon, all while wearing her habitual trailing skirts, high collars, and fur cap, the solo adventures of Victorian traveller Mary Kingsley (1862-1900), as narrated in her best selling book, Travels in West Africa are nothing short of incredible.’
‘I have seen many wild animals in their native wilds, but never have I seen anything to equal gorillas going through the bush; it is a graceful, powerful, superbly perfect hand-trapeze performance.’
More details
Price HK$ 5,000
1897 - Macmillan and Co., London - First Edition
A near fine first edition, illustrated throughout, including 16 halftone plates, 2 lithographic plates, and numerous in-text photographs.‘From fighting with crocodiles, to being caught in a tornado on the slopes of Mount Cameroon, all while wearing her habitual trailing skirts, high collars, and fur cap, the solo adventures of Victorian traveller Mary Kingsley (1862-1900), as narrated in her best selling book, Travels in West Africa are nothing short of incredible.’
‘I have seen many wild animals in their native wilds, but never have I seen anything to equal gorillas going through the bush; it is a graceful, powerful, superbly perfect hand-trapeze performance.’
More details
Price HK$ 5,000
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.
More details
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.
More details
Price HK$ 16,000
Atlas de la France Vinicole - Tome IV. Les Vins de Champagne -
Louis Larmat
1944 - Louis Larmat, Paris - First Edition
Beautiful and finely bound large format folio, profusely illustrated with colour maps, chart, photographs and vignettes, with descriptions and history of the Champagne areas, text in French apart from the preface which is also in English, German and Spanish.
Containing seven large colour folding maps of: Champagne (size 100x52cm); Montagne de Reims; Vallée de la Marne; La Cote des Blancs; Vallée de la Marne et L’Aisne (100x42cm); Montagne de Reims & Vallée de L’Ardre; Vignobles du Bar-Séquanais et du Bar-Sur-Aubois (62x40cm).
The large folding chart in colour shows the annual production of Champagne between 1844-1942, colour coded with the quality of each Vintage from Trés Bon to Trés Mauvais. In addiiton to the chart and maps are twelve full page illustrations, some from photographs, and numerous vignettes throughout.
More details
Price HK$ 10,500
1944 - Louis Larmat, Paris - First Edition
Beautiful and finely bound large format folio, profusely illustrated with colour maps, chart, photographs and vignettes, with descriptions and history of the Champagne areas, text in French apart from the preface which is also in English, German and Spanish.Containing seven large colour folding maps of: Champagne (size 100x52cm); Montagne de Reims; Vallée de la Marne; La Cote des Blancs; Vallée de la Marne et L’Aisne (100x42cm); Montagne de Reims & Vallée de L’Ardre; Vignobles du Bar-Séquanais et du Bar-Sur-Aubois (62x40cm).
The large folding chart in colour shows the annual production of Champagne between 1844-1942, colour coded with the quality of each Vintage from Trés Bon to Trés Mauvais. In addiiton to the chart and maps are twelve full page illustrations, some from photographs, and numerous vignettes throughout.
More details
Price HK$ 10,500
Golf -
Cecil Leitch
1922 - J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia & London - First American Edition issued same year as the First English Edition.
‘The golfing life and experiences of this very great English lady golfer’ - Joseph Murdoch, The Library of Golf.
Charlotte Cecilia Pitcairn Leitch (nicknamed Cecil) was the first superstar of women’s golf. In 1914 she won the first of her four British Ladies Amateurs, taking the title from Muriel Dodd. Her opportunity to possibly win several more was interrupted for five years during the First World War. She retired having won 12 national titles, five French Ladies Amateurs and one Canadian Women's Amateur.
With fifty illustrations, including photographic plate laid onto front covers, and full page black and white photographs.
More details
Price HK$ 1,800
1922 - J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia & London - First American Edition issued same year as the First English Edition.
‘The golfing life and experiences of this very great English lady golfer’ - Joseph Murdoch, The Library of Golf.Charlotte Cecilia Pitcairn Leitch (nicknamed Cecil) was the first superstar of women’s golf. In 1914 she won the first of her four British Ladies Amateurs, taking the title from Muriel Dodd. Her opportunity to possibly win several more was interrupted for five years during the First World War. She retired having won 12 national titles, five French Ladies Amateurs and one Canadian Women's Amateur.
With fifty illustrations, including photographic plate laid onto front covers, and full page black and white photographs.
More details
Price HK$ 1,800
Listen! The Wind -
Anne Morrow Lindbergh
1939 - Harcourt, New York - First Edition
A lovely copy – in its striking original dust jacket – of Anne Morrow Lindbergh’s beautifully written account of her and her husband’s 1933 flight in their single-engine Lockheed ‘Sirius’ from Africa to South America, as they survey 30,000 miles of coastal aviation routes across the Atlantic Ocean.
With a foreword, and map drawings by Charles Lindbergh.
More details
Price HK$ 2,800
1939 - Harcourt, New York - First Edition
A lovely copy – in its striking original dust jacket – of Anne Morrow Lindbergh’s beautifully written account of her and her husband’s 1933 flight in their single-engine Lockheed ‘Sirius’ from Africa to South America, as they survey 30,000 miles of coastal aviation routes across the Atlantic Ocean.With a foreword, and map drawings by Charles Lindbergh.
More details
Price HK$ 2,800