Results 17 - 24 of 59 results


Laws of Cricket Illustrated - Charles Chas Crombie (illustrator)

1907 - Kegan Paul, London - First Edition
A superb large folio (38.5 x 27.5 cm) of Crombie’s well known ‘Laws of Cricket’ containing twelve magnificent colour plates of humorous interpretations of the MCC laws. The last plate demonstrating the recently amended rule 13, with the Umpire calling ‘Over’ after six balls (prior to 1900 an ‘Over’ consisted of five balls).

Crombie was commissioned to produce these for ‘Perrier’ ‘The Champagne of Table Waters’, and the work includes Perrier’s additional full page colour advertisement at the rear, and smaller colour Perrier advertisements to the verso of each of Crombie’s illustrations, the latter only present in the first edition.
 
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Price HK$ 15,000



Les Grand Crus Bordelais - Alfred Danflou

1867 - Librairie Goudin &, Bordeaux - First Edition in this format (a smaller work was published in 1866 with only 19 photographs of the 1st and 2nd growths)
A rare and remarkable work on Bordeaux, in beautiful condition, two volumes bond in one, containing fifty-five early photographs of the great Châteaux of Bordeaux, with their history, vintages and other contributions, in French.

Of superb quality, the plates of the Châteaux include Lafite, Latour, Mouton, all accompanied by a history and contemporary description of the Châteaux and wine vintages. With a long and interesting commentary on the classifications of first and second Crû, strongly in favour of reclassifying to Premier Cru, Branne-Mouton (purchased and renamed Mouton-Rothschild in 1853 by Baron Rothschild but herein referred to by it’s former name), for which they would have to wait a further century until 1973, and referring to both the 1855 Exposition Universelle de Paris, and London’s Great Exhibition in 1851. There are additional chapters on ‘La Système Féodal Appliqué Aux Vins du Médoc’ and ‘Les Grand Vins de Saint-Émilion’.

A truly important and visually imposing work on Bordeaux and a vital part of any wine book or photographic collection.
 
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Price HK$ 100,000



My Partner, Ben Hogan - Jimmy Demaret

1954 - McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York - First Edition
First edition of this classic biographical story of the life of golfing legend Ben Hogan, by his friend and fellow Texan Jimmy Demaret. Illustrated throughout with photographs and drawings. Scarce in the complete and unclipped example of the delicate dust jacket.

‘The story of one of our greatest players, related with some wit and aplomb by one who was a pretty fair golfer himself.’ - Joseph Murdoch,
The Library of Golf.

In 1948, Jimmy “The Wardrobe” Demaret (also known for his vivacious style) broke the U.S. Open scoring record at the Riviera Country Club, but still lost by two strokes to Hogan. It was little known that Demaret was one of Ben Hogan’s few and closest friends. In this regard, the book offers a lively and appreciative run through Hogan’s life and game.

Demaret himself was a three time Masters champion and published this book the year after Hogan won his 1953 Grand Slam winning the Masters, the U.S. Open, and the British Open in the same year.
 
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Price HK$ 5,000



The Christmas Books. Being; A Christmas Carol, The Chimes, The Cricket on the Hearth, The Battle of Life and The Haunted Man - Charles Dickens, Charles Brock (illustrator)

1905-1907 - J.M. Dent and Co., London - First Editions to be Illustrated by Charles Brock in Colour
An attractive set of these classic seasonal tales, splendidly illustrated and presented in festive green and cranberry red bindings, all housed in a bespoke fleece-lined cloth slipcase with ribbon pull.

Beginning with
A Christmas Carol when old, surly Ebenezer Scrooge receives a visit from the ghost of Marley, his late business partner, on Christmas eve, and he beholds a series of visions of the past, present, and future that make him decide to amend his ways…

‘After the success attained with
A Christmas Carol in 1843 Dickens continued the series throughout the 1840s, maintaining what he called "the Carol philosophy" to "strike a sledgehammer blow" for the poor, uneducated, and repressed. In typical Dickens fashion he drove his message home with a mixture of humour and good cheer’. [David Purdue]. 
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Price HK$ 20,000



Reports from Committees of the House of Commons. Vol. XI. Miscellaneous Subjects: 1782-1799 [containing] Report from the Committee upon the Distilleries in Scotland. Reported by the Right Honourable Sylvester Douglas, 11 June 1798; 12 July 1799. - William Eden, Sylvester Douglas

1803 - House of Commons, London - Re-printed by Order of the House, First Edition Thus.
This massive and scarce set of reports provides an in-depth study of the Scottish whisky industry, supported by hundreds of testimonies, and letters, provided by distillers, distiller’s agents, innkeepers, farmers, spirit dealers, grain merchants, the church, commissioners of excise, revenue officers, chemists, brewers, physicians, solicitors, landowners, and at least one butcher. There are also extensive lists and statistics of all the Scottish distillers, method of distilling, quantities produced, duties paid, quantities of grain used.

Nearly 500 pages, printed in double-columns, illustrated with eleven full page plates of stills and distilling apparatus, a large (47x60.5cm) folding hand coloured ‘
General Map of Scotland’ (by Laurie and Whittle, London, 1799) and 11 woodcuts in the text.

The extent of the problems of taxation and collection are evidenced by over 100 folio pages listing distillery prosecutions and seizures (527-640) combined with relevant extracts from court reports.

One interesting section compares other methods of producing spirits, which range from Spanish brandy and Dutch gin, to the distillation practised by the ‘
Natives at Chatra in Ramgur, and other Provinces in India’ (692-704).

In addition to the two main reports by Sylvester Douglas (pages 319-511, and 512-804), there is a three part report on ‘
Illicit Practices used in Defrauding the Revenue’ which relate to smuggling and ‘piratical practices’ and cover Whisky amongst other dutiable goods (pages 228-299). The remaining ten reports cover other areas of the Treasury (pages 3-226 & 303-317). 
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Price HK$ 30,000



1902 - George Newnes, London - First Edition First Issue [misprint 'you' for 'your' page 13 line 3]
A finely bound first edition of this legendary and terrifying mystery in which Holmes and Watson must investigate the menacing devil-beast that haunts the moors around the Baskerville ancestral home. Dramatically illustrated with sixteen plates by Sidney Paget. To be read in a big leather armchair on a stormy night, whisky to hand.

Sherlock Holmes still remains the world’s best-known and best-loved fictional detective’ and
The Hound of the Baskervilles one of the most desirable and classic works of detective fiction. Arguably the great detective's most charismatic case; "Holmes is at his very best, and it is a highly dramatic idea" - Doyle, to his mother, 2nd April 1902. 
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Price HK$ 18,000



The Pipe Book - Alfred Dunhill

1924 - A. &, London - First Edition
The first edition of this remarkable reference work, profusely illustrated throughout with 28 full page plates (four in colour) and 230 illustrations in the text of the vast variety of pipes available up to that time. Uncommon in this fine condition and with the original delicate dust jacket.

In 1907, in London, Alfred Dunhill, a young man in his early 30s, opened his first tobacconist's shop. It was an instant success, custom blending individual tobaccos as well as carrying smokers' accoutrements. Dunhill began to develop a collection of pipes from around the world, which was then catalogued. From this emerged, in 1924,
The Pipe Book, which has rarely been out of print since that date.

‘You do not need to be a smoker of pipes, or of tobacco in any form, to enjoy this book. If you like to be entertained and instructed by unique information, you will find it a fascinating volume.’ –
New York Times. 
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Price HK$ 4,000



A Complete and Universal Dictionary of Signals for the boats of Her Majesty's Fleet - Arthur Parry Eardley-Wilmot, Commander Royal Navy

1850 - W. J. Cleaver, London - First Edition
A rare first edition of Vice-Admiral A.P. Eardley-Wilmot’s compendious Dictionary of Signals.

Inscribed by Eardley-Wilmot to Sir John Cam Hobhouse, who was a close of friend of Lord Byron and the ‘best man’ at Byron’s wedding.

In contemporary binding and illustrated with twenty two plates of which eight are hand-coloured. Housed in later bespoke slipcase of card and carbon fibre sail material.

Besides an ordinary flag-signalling plan, it contains the following systems: Homograph to be made with a sword -Tiller-StickStretcher, and a Handkerchief or Flag; with Hats, Caps, Balls or Flags rolled up; with Oars, Boathooks, Stretchers or Thwarts; numbered Balls; Flags and Yards for Calms; Distant Signals; Signal Box for Day and Night; Semaphoric Signs (Pasley’s); Telegraph with Four Balls, Boat Hook Staff and Mast; and Semaphore with Boats’ Thwarts.
 
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Price HK$ 12,000



 
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