A Ballad Book -
Charles Kirkpatrick Sharpe, Sir Walter Scott, David Laing (editor)
1880 - William Blackwood and Sons, Edinburgh and London - First Edition
‘I think you do me much honour by preserving my scribbles’ writes the colourful and eccentric Sharpe in the tipped in letter that accompanies his finely bound Ballad Book, re-edited by David Laing, with additions from Sharpe's manuscripts, and which he first printed only 30 copies in 1823, although according to Henderson, the majority of the added ballads in 1880 were of more or less questionable authenticity (ODNB). The final portion of the book prints Sir Walter Scott’s commentary on the original poems, and is taken from correspondence between Scott and his friend Sharpe.
Scarce. Illustrated with a colour frontispiece portrait, woodblock engraving plate and headpiece (as used for the original 1823 edition).
A speculative note regarding the letter - As stated in the editor’s introduction (ix) ‘Mr Sharpe’s own annotated copy’ was carefully followed to produce this work, a copy that was ‘in the possession of Sir James Gibson-Craig’. Gibson-Craig had one of the finest collection of Scottish works ever assembled, and other correspondence from Sharpe to Gibson-Craig did begin with ‘Signor Mio’, leading us to speculate that this letter accompanied the original and rare 1823 printing of which only 30 were produced, and which in this case was later given by Sharpe to Gibson-Craig.
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Price HK$ 5,000
1880 - William Blackwood and Sons, Edinburgh and London - First Edition
‘I think you do me much honour by preserving my scribbles’ writes the colourful and eccentric Sharpe in the tipped in letter that accompanies his finely bound Ballad Book, re-edited by David Laing, with additions from Sharpe's manuscripts, and which he first printed only 30 copies in 1823, although according to Henderson, the majority of the added ballads in 1880 were of more or less questionable authenticity (ODNB). The final portion of the book prints Sir Walter Scott’s commentary on the original poems, and is taken from correspondence between Scott and his friend Sharpe.Scarce. Illustrated with a colour frontispiece portrait, woodblock engraving plate and headpiece (as used for the original 1823 edition).
A speculative note regarding the letter - As stated in the editor’s introduction (ix) ‘Mr Sharpe’s own annotated copy’ was carefully followed to produce this work, a copy that was ‘in the possession of Sir James Gibson-Craig’. Gibson-Craig had one of the finest collection of Scottish works ever assembled, and other correspondence from Sharpe to Gibson-Craig did begin with ‘Signor Mio’, leading us to speculate that this letter accompanied the original and rare 1823 printing of which only 30 were produced, and which in this case was later given by Sharpe to Gibson-Craig.
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Price HK$ 5,000
Life of Napoleon Bonaparte -
William Milligan Sloane
1896 - The Century Co., New York - First Edition
Four magnificent and finely bound quarto volumes of this monumental history on Napoleon, ‘the product of many years of elaborate investigation, it was sumptuously illustrated and composed’. [DAB].
First edition, profusely illustrated with 80 colour plates, 200 black & white and tinted plates, and 17 maps.
‘Generally there is no mystery in the power of domination: he rules who is indispensable. The Jacobins needed a man, they found him in the unscrupulous Bonaparte; the Directory needed a man, they found him in the expert artillerist; France needed a man, she found him in the conqueror of Italy.’
‘Sloane, who believed "there exists no record of human activity more complete" than Bonaparte's, also summed up Napoleon's failure in one word -- exhaustion. It was not until his opponents learned the lessons "which he taught his generals by a series of object demonstrations lasting 20 years, that the teacher began to diminish in success and splendor. Judged either historically or theoretically, the strategy of Napoleon is "original, unique and unexcelled." Sloane noted that this was Napoleon's greatest achievement, because it was "his most creative."’ [Vance]
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Price HK$ 13,000
1896 - The Century Co., New York - First Edition
Four magnificent and finely bound quarto volumes of this monumental history on Napoleon, ‘the product of many years of elaborate investigation, it was sumptuously illustrated and composed’. [DAB].First edition, profusely illustrated with 80 colour plates, 200 black & white and tinted plates, and 17 maps.
‘Generally there is no mystery in the power of domination: he rules who is indispensable. The Jacobins needed a man, they found him in the unscrupulous Bonaparte; the Directory needed a man, they found him in the expert artillerist; France needed a man, she found him in the conqueror of Italy.’
‘Sloane, who believed "there exists no record of human activity more complete" than Bonaparte's, also summed up Napoleon's failure in one word -- exhaustion. It was not until his opponents learned the lessons "which he taught his generals by a series of object demonstrations lasting 20 years, that the teacher began to diminish in success and splendor. Judged either historically or theoretically, the strategy of Napoleon is "original, unique and unexcelled." Sloane noted that this was Napoleon's greatest achievement, because it was "his most creative."’ [Vance]
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Price HK$ 13,000
Heidi -
Johanna Spyri, Gustaf Tenggren (illustrator)
1923 - Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston and New York - First Edition illustrated by Gustaf Tenggren
An elegantly bound ‘Heidi’, wonderfully illustrated by Gustaf Tenggren, with four full page colour plates, and numerous black and white vignettes
At the age of five, little orphan Heidi is sent to live with her grandfather in the Alps. Everyone in the village is afraid of him, but Heidi is fascinated by his long beard and bushy grey eyebrows. She loves her life in the mountains, playing in the sunshine and growing up amongst the goats and birds. But one terrible day, Heidi is collected by her aunt and is made to live with a new family in town. Heidi cannot bear being away from the mountains and is determined to return to the happiness of life with her grandfather. [Penguin]
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Price HK$ 5,500
1923 - Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston and New York - First Edition illustrated by Gustaf Tenggren
An elegantly bound ‘Heidi’, wonderfully illustrated by Gustaf Tenggren, with four full page colour plates, and numerous black and white vignettesAt the age of five, little orphan Heidi is sent to live with her grandfather in the Alps. Everyone in the village is afraid of him, but Heidi is fascinated by his long beard and bushy grey eyebrows. She loves her life in the mountains, playing in the sunshine and growing up amongst the goats and birds. But one terrible day, Heidi is collected by her aunt and is made to live with a new family in town. Heidi cannot bear being away from the mountains and is determined to return to the happiness of life with her grandfather. [Penguin]
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Price HK$ 5,500
An Embassy to the Kingdom of Ava -
Michael Symes
1800 - W. Bulmer and Co., London - First Edition, Large Paper Copy
A stunning and rare large paper copy of ‘the first full account of Burma to be published’, finely illustrated with two folding engraved maps, eighteen engraved plates, and eight engraved botanical plates (four of which are folding). In contemporary full polished calf armourial binding of Sir Richard Colt Hoare, 2nd Baronet, and once housed in the Hoare Library at Stourhead.
Michael Symes was sent by Sir John Shore, governor-general of India, on a mission to Ava in Burma, to obtain from the emperor of Ava a permit to allow a British agent to reside at Rangoon, and to induce him to close his borders to French shipping. In diplomatic terms Symes’ mission was a success.
His detailed account, is highly interesting with keen observations and insight. ‘It is a mass of information on the history, religion, government, social systems, language, geography and economy of Burma, together with a narrative of Symes’ seven months stay in Burma, his journey to the capital and reception at court.’
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Price HK$ 42,000
1800 - W. Bulmer and Co., London - First Edition, Large Paper Copy
A stunning and rare large paper copy of ‘the first full account of Burma to be published’, finely illustrated with two folding engraved maps, eighteen engraved plates, and eight engraved botanical plates (four of which are folding). In contemporary full polished calf armourial binding of Sir Richard Colt Hoare, 2nd Baronet, and once housed in the Hoare Library at Stourhead.Michael Symes was sent by Sir John Shore, governor-general of India, on a mission to Ava in Burma, to obtain from the emperor of Ava a permit to allow a British agent to reside at Rangoon, and to induce him to close his borders to French shipping. In diplomatic terms Symes’ mission was a success.
His detailed account, is highly interesting with keen observations and insight. ‘It is a mass of information on the history, religion, government, social systems, language, geography and economy of Burma, together with a narrative of Symes’ seven months stay in Burma, his journey to the capital and reception at court.’
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Price HK$ 42,000
RESERVED - Poems -
Alfred Lord Tennyson
1857 - Edward Moxon, Dover Street - First Illustrated Edition
‘It little profits that an idle king,
By this still hearth, among these barren crags,
Match’d with an aged wife, I mete and dole
Unequal laws unto a savage race,
That hoard, and sleep, and feed, and know not me.’
A superbly bound, illustrated collection of Tennyson’s poetry featuring his celebrated works ‘Mariana’, ‘The Lotos-Eaters’, ‘Godiva’, and ‘Ulysses’, among many others. Beautifully illustrated with portrait frontispiece and 54 engraved vignettes designed by prominent Pre-Raphaelite and Victorian artists, including Dante Gabriel Rossetti, John Millais, William Holman Hunt, Thomas Creswick, and Clarkson Stanfield. Many of the artists much-admired Tennyson, and found inspiration from his poems.
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Price HK$ 8,500
1857 - Edward Moxon, Dover Street - First Illustrated Edition
‘It little profits that an idle king,By this still hearth, among these barren crags,
Match’d with an aged wife, I mete and dole
Unequal laws unto a savage race,
That hoard, and sleep, and feed, and know not me.’
A superbly bound, illustrated collection of Tennyson’s poetry featuring his celebrated works ‘Mariana’, ‘The Lotos-Eaters’, ‘Godiva’, and ‘Ulysses’, among many others. Beautifully illustrated with portrait frontispiece and 54 engraved vignettes designed by prominent Pre-Raphaelite and Victorian artists, including Dante Gabriel Rossetti, John Millais, William Holman Hunt, Thomas Creswick, and Clarkson Stanfield. Many of the artists much-admired Tennyson, and found inspiration from his poems.
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Price HK$ 8,500
Mary Poppins in the Park -
P. L. Travers, Mary Shepard (illustrator)
1952 - Harcourt, New York - First American Edition
The fourth Mary Poppins book, finely bound and magically illustrated.
‘Only the incomparable Mary Poppins can lead the Banks children on one marvellous adventure after another. Together they meet the Goosegirl and the Swineherd, argue with talking cats on a distant planet, make the acquaintance of the folks who live under dandelions, and celebrate a birthday by dancing with their own shadows. And that’s just for starters!’
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Price HK$ 3,800
1952 - Harcourt, New York - First American Edition
The fourth Mary Poppins book, finely bound and magically illustrated.‘Only the incomparable Mary Poppins can lead the Banks children on one marvellous adventure after another. Together they meet the Goosegirl and the Swineherd, argue with talking cats on a distant planet, make the acquaintance of the folks who live under dandelions, and celebrate a birthday by dancing with their own shadows. And that’s just for starters!’
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Price HK$ 3,800
Record of the University Boat Race, 1829-1880 and of the Commemoration Dinner 1881 -
George G. T. Treherne, J. H. D. Goldie
1883 - Bickers & Son, London - First Edition
James Neville McQueen’s own copy. McQueen (page 83) rowed bow in the 1860 Oxford crew, and according to Goldie ‘a better race than that of 1860 has seldom been seen’ (page 173).
Illustrated with two large and beautiful engraved plates - A Boat-race on the Cam in 1838, and The Oxford Boat in 1829, as well a facsimile of The Card of the Invitation to Dinner, a Plan of the Tables, and two vignettes titled The Old Style and The New Style. A copy of the ornate and decorated original letter press Menu is also tipped in.
‘The account of the dinner is followed by verbatim reports of the speeches, the text of two odes on the jubilee of the race, and alphabetical lists of Blues. The analytical appendices include summaries of the races, and lists of the schools, colleges, academic and athletic honours and subsequent professions of the oarsmen and coxswains. No less than 188 of 285 took Holy Orders.
Pages 131 to 201, Old Blues and Their Battles, give a detailed account of each race by W. B. Woodgate, slightly altered by the compilers.’ – Brittain, Oar, Scull & Rudder .
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Price HK$ 4,500
1883 - Bickers & Son, London - First Edition
James Neville McQueen’s own copy. McQueen (page 83) rowed bow in the 1860 Oxford crew, and according to Goldie ‘a better race than that of 1860 has seldom been seen’ (page 173).Illustrated with two large and beautiful engraved plates - A Boat-race on the Cam in 1838, and The Oxford Boat in 1829, as well a facsimile of The Card of the Invitation to Dinner, a Plan of the Tables, and two vignettes titled The Old Style and The New Style. A copy of the ornate and decorated original letter press Menu is also tipped in.
‘The account of the dinner is followed by verbatim reports of the speeches, the text of two odes on the jubilee of the race, and alphabetical lists of Blues. The analytical appendices include summaries of the races, and lists of the schools, colleges, academic and athletic honours and subsequent professions of the oarsmen and coxswains. No less than 188 of 285 took Holy Orders.
Pages 131 to 201, Old Blues and Their Battles, give a detailed account of each race by W. B. Woodgate, slightly altered by the compilers.’ – Brittain, Oar, Scull & Rudder .
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Price HK$ 4,500
Works of Jules Verne -
Jules Verne, Charles F. Horne (editor)
1911 - Vincent Parke and Company, New York - Prince of Wales Edition, Number 25 of 500 Limited Copies
‘The reason Verne is still read by millions today is simply that he was one of the best storytellers who ever lived’ – Arthur C. Clarke
A superb 15 volume limited edition set of the works of Jules Verne, handsomely bound, each illustrated with full page colour and tinted plates protected by descriptive tissue guards.
This collection features Verne’s most famous stories, including Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, From the Earth to the Moon, Five Weeks in a Balloon, Journey to the Centre of the Earth, Mysterious Island, and Around the World in Eighty Days, among many others.
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Price HK$ 38,000
1911 - Vincent Parke and Company, New York - Prince of Wales Edition, Number 25 of 500 Limited Copies
‘The reason Verne is still read by millions today is simply that he was one of the best storytellers who ever lived’ – Arthur C. ClarkeA superb 15 volume limited edition set of the works of Jules Verne, handsomely bound, each illustrated with full page colour and tinted plates protected by descriptive tissue guards.
This collection features Verne’s most famous stories, including Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, From the Earth to the Moon, Five Weeks in a Balloon, Journey to the Centre of the Earth, Mysterious Island, and Around the World in Eighty Days, among many others.
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Price HK$ 38,000