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History of the Royal Residences -
William Henry Pyne
1819 - Printed for A. Dry, London - First Edition
A beautiful and luxurious first edition of one of the most ambitious aquatint books to be published on English interiors. Three finely bound volumes containing one hundred exquisite hand-coloured plates with accompanying text.
This celebrated work was the first to illustrate royal palaces and houses in any detail: volume I is a valuable record of the state rooms of Windsor Castle formed for Charles II, and concludes with the more domestic scenes of Frogmore, purchased by Queen Charlotte as a country retreat in 1793; volume II is devoted to Hampton Court, Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace; volume III's subjects are St James's Palace and Carlton House; the twenty plates devoted to the Prince Regent's residence depict what were regarded as the most spectacular interiors in Regency London.
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Price HK$ 80,000
1819 - Printed for A. Dry, London - First Edition
A beautiful and luxurious first edition of one of the most ambitious aquatint books to be published on English interiors. Three finely bound volumes containing one hundred exquisite hand-coloured plates with accompanying text.This celebrated work was the first to illustrate royal palaces and houses in any detail: volume I is a valuable record of the state rooms of Windsor Castle formed for Charles II, and concludes with the more domestic scenes of Frogmore, purchased by Queen Charlotte as a country retreat in 1793; volume II is devoted to Hampton Court, Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace; volume III's subjects are St James's Palace and Carlton House; the twenty plates devoted to the Prince Regent's residence depict what were regarded as the most spectacular interiors in Regency London.

Price HK$ 80,000
The Experienced English Housekeeper, for the use and ease of Ladies, Housekeepers, Cooks -
Elizabeth Raffald
1799 - R. Baldwin, London - The Twelfth Edition
Eighteenth century edition in contemporary binding, illustrated with one folding plate of a copper stove, two folding plates of table settings, and engraved frontispiece of the author. Organised into three sections - I: Soups, Fish, Meat, Game... II: Confectionary, Puddings, Directions to set out a Table... III: Pickling, Wines, Catchups, and a Correct List of every Thing in Season for every Month in the Year.
The amazing Elizabeth Raffald [1733-81] of Doncaster, spent fifteen years as housekeeper to Lady Elizabeth Warburton, and married the gardener in 1763, she then opened firstly a confectioner’s shop and then three inns in succession as well as a cookery school. She is said to have had sixteen daughters in eighteen years, founded Salford's first newspaper, established a registry office for servants and compiled Manchester's first Directory which she brought out in 1772, 1773 and 1781.
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Price HK$ 3,500
1799 - R. Baldwin, London - The Twelfth Edition
Eighteenth century edition in contemporary binding, illustrated with one folding plate of a copper stove, two folding plates of table settings, and engraved frontispiece of the author. Organised into three sections - I: Soups, Fish, Meat, Game... II: Confectionary, Puddings, Directions to set out a Table... III: Pickling, Wines, Catchups, and a Correct List of every Thing in Season for every Month in the Year.The amazing Elizabeth Raffald [1733-81] of Doncaster, spent fifteen years as housekeeper to Lady Elizabeth Warburton, and married the gardener in 1763, she then opened firstly a confectioner’s shop and then three inns in succession as well as a cookery school. She is said to have had sixteen daughters in eighteen years, founded Salford's first newspaper, established a registry office for servants and compiled Manchester's first Directory which she brought out in 1772, 1773 and 1781.

Price HK$ 3,500
Cups and Their Customs -
George Edwin Roberts
1863 - John Van Vorst, London - First Edition
First edition of this wonderful little work by George Edwin Roberts (1831-65) on ‘Bacchanology’ (his term), penned the same year as the first work on Cocktails was published in America by the great Professor Jerry Thomas, possibly in response to that growing threat to the English way of life.
In the original gilt illustrated boards, with hand coloured wood engraved title page, and wood engraved vignette of drinking skull to last page.
‘a tantalising collection of drinking lore and legend with several dozen recipes for cups and other tasty (or not so tasty) beverages as they were served in the mid-nineteenth century’ [Kalevala, Classic Cocktail Guides]
‘This history of cups and other vessels, the kinds of drinks they contained, and the various customs associated with drinking them, begins with Noah and continues through the Greeks and Romans and on to the middle ages and ‘modern times’. Personalities mentioned in the course of this very interesting commentary include Sir Kenelm Digby (1603-65). It ends with recipes for various “cups” prepared with a variety of ingredients, including honey mixed with herbs and spices (metheglin), ale and apples, punches with oranges, lemons, rum, brandy and green tea, and so on.
One particularly appetising drink, the “Wassail Bowl” (for Christmas Eve) contains beer, sugar, nutmeg, ginger, sherry, and slices of toasted bread floating on top. A typical wine drink is the “Claret Cup” which adds to a bottle of Bordeaux two glasses of sherry, one of Maraschino and some sugar. After icing, add a bottle of soda-water and two sprigs of borage. Since we know that these and similar concoctions are still happily consumed by beautiful people everywhere, we must conclude that they taste much better than they sound and no doubt their after-effects have been artfully neutralised by the judicious use of herbs and spices, from centuries of experience. An enjoyable book for anyone who has ever been happily punch-drunk at least once in his life.’ [Buehler, Viniana]
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Price HK$ 5,000
1863 - John Van Vorst, London - First Edition
First edition of this wonderful little work by George Edwin Roberts (1831-65) on ‘Bacchanology’ (his term), penned the same year as the first work on Cocktails was published in America by the great Professor Jerry Thomas, possibly in response to that growing threat to the English way of life.In the original gilt illustrated boards, with hand coloured wood engraved title page, and wood engraved vignette of drinking skull to last page.
‘a tantalising collection of drinking lore and legend with several dozen recipes for cups and other tasty (or not so tasty) beverages as they were served in the mid-nineteenth century’ [Kalevala, Classic Cocktail Guides]
‘This history of cups and other vessels, the kinds of drinks they contained, and the various customs associated with drinking them, begins with Noah and continues through the Greeks and Romans and on to the middle ages and ‘modern times’. Personalities mentioned in the course of this very interesting commentary include Sir Kenelm Digby (1603-65). It ends with recipes for various “cups” prepared with a variety of ingredients, including honey mixed with herbs and spices (metheglin), ale and apples, punches with oranges, lemons, rum, brandy and green tea, and so on.
One particularly appetising drink, the “Wassail Bowl” (for Christmas Eve) contains beer, sugar, nutmeg, ginger, sherry, and slices of toasted bread floating on top. A typical wine drink is the “Claret Cup” which adds to a bottle of Bordeaux two glasses of sherry, one of Maraschino and some sugar. After icing, add a bottle of soda-water and two sprigs of borage. Since we know that these and similar concoctions are still happily consumed by beautiful people everywhere, we must conclude that they taste much better than they sound and no doubt their after-effects have been artfully neutralised by the judicious use of herbs and spices, from centuries of experience. An enjoyable book for anyone who has ever been happily punch-drunk at least once in his life.’ [Buehler, Viniana]

Price HK$ 5,000
The Stones of Venice - The Foundations, The Sea-Stories; The Fall. With Illustrations drawn by the Author -
John Ruskin
1873-1874 - Smith, London - Signed Limited Edition
Illustrated with 53 mixed technique plates (including lithograph, mezzotint, aquatint and engraved, some tinted or hand-coloured), together with wood engraved illustrations and diagrams throughout the text.
‘Among the many strange things that have befallen Venice, she had the good fortune to become the object of passion to a man of splendid genius’ - Henry James on John Ruskin.
The book aroused considerable interest in Victorian Britain and beyond. The chapter "The Nature of Gothic" (from volume 2) was admired by William Morris, who published it separately in an edition which is in itself an example of Gothic revival. It inspired Marcel Proust; the narrator of the Recherche visits Venice with his mother in a state of enthusiasm for Ruskin
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Price HK$ 30,000
1873-1874 - Smith, London - Signed Limited Edition
Illustrated with 53 mixed technique plates (including lithograph, mezzotint, aquatint and engraved, some tinted or hand-coloured), together with wood engraved illustrations and diagrams throughout the text.‘Among the many strange things that have befallen Venice, she had the good fortune to become the object of passion to a man of splendid genius’ - Henry James on John Ruskin.
The book aroused considerable interest in Victorian Britain and beyond. The chapter "The Nature of Gothic" (from volume 2) was admired by William Morris, who published it separately in an edition which is in itself an example of Gothic revival. It inspired Marcel Proust; the narrator of the Recherche visits Venice with his mother in a state of enthusiasm for Ruskin

Price HK$ 30,000
A Practical Treatise on Brewing, Distilling, and Rectification -
Robert Shannon
1805 - Robert Scholey, London - First and Only Edition
Rare first edition of this comprehensive and landmark work on wines, spirits, and beers, that ‘may be considered the first modern book in English treating the subject’ of distillation’ [Buxton & Hughes] and the second book in English to discuss ‘modern wines’. [Gabler]
A finely bound large thick quarto volume of over 900 pages split into four parts: Book I: Brewing for Malt Liquors (beer); Book II: Brewing for Distilling (spirits e.g. Gin, whisky, rum, brandy); Book III: Made Wines, Vinegar, Cider, and Perry; Appendix: Wines, Brandies, and Vinegars (mostly descriptions of foreign wines from Spain, France, Greece, Germany, Hungary, Portugal, and South Africa).
Illustrated with eight engraved plates and six tables.
According to Buxton and Hughes, ‘Shannon is credited with taking a recognisably systematic approach to the subject aiming, as he says to ‘shew the distiller how he may proceed on rational principles’. ’Curiously for such a comprehensive work there appears to only ever have been one edition’.
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Price HK$ 45,000
1805 - Robert Scholey, London - First and Only Edition
Rare first edition of this comprehensive and landmark work on wines, spirits, and beers, that ‘may be considered the first modern book in English treating the subject’ of distillation’ [Buxton & Hughes] and the second book in English to discuss ‘modern wines’. [Gabler]A finely bound large thick quarto volume of over 900 pages split into four parts: Book I: Brewing for Malt Liquors (beer); Book II: Brewing for Distilling (spirits e.g. Gin, whisky, rum, brandy); Book III: Made Wines, Vinegar, Cider, and Perry; Appendix: Wines, Brandies, and Vinegars (mostly descriptions of foreign wines from Spain, France, Greece, Germany, Hungary, Portugal, and South Africa).
Illustrated with eight engraved plates and six tables.
According to Buxton and Hughes, ‘Shannon is credited with taking a recognisably systematic approach to the subject aiming, as he says to ‘shew the distiller how he may proceed on rational principles’. ’Curiously for such a comprehensive work there appears to only ever have been one edition’.

Price HK$ 45,000
A Treatise on Cyder-Making -
Hugh Stafford, Anonymous
1753 - Printed for E. Cave, London - First Edition
Legendary and rare first edition of this anonymous work, all of which is generally but erroneously attributed to Hugh Stafford who contributed the sixteen page ‘Dissertation on Cyder and Cyder-Fruit’ at the beginning.
Covering the entire process from identifying and growing the best cider apples, collection, pressing, fermentation, racking, preserving and remedial action for a variety of issues ‘which are incident to Cyder’. With fold-out engraving of cider press (opp. p.32), in-text wood-cut diagrams to pages 43 and 68 (‘One side of the framed Press...’.) and wood-cut decorations to pages v, 47, and 61.
‘As Cyder therefore is generally allowed to be an wholesome drink, and as it is the natural product of our own country, he will surely be thought to contribute something towards the good of the public, who gives infallible directions for making it universally agreeable by varrying it so as to suit every palate, and by improving the flavour and the quality, both of the rough and the smooth, divesting it of its tendency to produce cholics, and giving it the sparkle of Champaign, without an eager and windy fermentation, and rendering it more spirituous than a small wine tho' less inflaming’. [Preface]
An influential work, Benjamin Franklin, who was partial to a drop himself, ordered three copies to be reprinted as pamphlets and distributed amongst the New England farmers after failing with their vineyards. It was plagiarised into various publications including encyclopaedias, cookbooks and later reference works related to cider.
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Price HK$ 42,000
1753 - Printed for E. Cave, London - First Edition
Legendary and rare first edition of this anonymous work, all of which is generally but erroneously attributed to Hugh Stafford who contributed the sixteen page ‘Dissertation on Cyder and Cyder-Fruit’ at the beginning.Covering the entire process from identifying and growing the best cider apples, collection, pressing, fermentation, racking, preserving and remedial action for a variety of issues ‘which are incident to Cyder’. With fold-out engraving of cider press (opp. p.32), in-text wood-cut diagrams to pages 43 and 68 (‘One side of the framed Press...’.) and wood-cut decorations to pages v, 47, and 61.
‘As Cyder therefore is generally allowed to be an wholesome drink, and as it is the natural product of our own country, he will surely be thought to contribute something towards the good of the public, who gives infallible directions for making it universally agreeable by varrying it so as to suit every palate, and by improving the flavour and the quality, both of the rough and the smooth, divesting it of its tendency to produce cholics, and giving it the sparkle of Champaign, without an eager and windy fermentation, and rendering it more spirituous than a small wine tho' less inflaming’. [Preface]
An influential work, Benjamin Franklin, who was partial to a drop himself, ordered three copies to be reprinted as pamphlets and distributed amongst the New England farmers after failing with their vineyards. It was plagiarised into various publications including encyclopaedias, cookbooks and later reference works related to cider.

Price HK$ 42,000
Scar-Strangled Banger -
Ralph Steadman
1988 - Salem House Publishers, Massachusetts - First American Edition
Scar Strangled Banger is one of two large books (the other one being America) giving Steadman's view of America in retrospect-sharply satirizing all aspects of 1970’s and 1980’s life in American society, peppered with his sharp, powerful and incredible full-page and double-spread, colour and black & white drawings.
‘In Scar-Strangled Banger, Ralph Steadman turns his satirical attentions to America, the Land of the Free, where even God can be acquired with a credit card. In this land of seemingly limitless opportunities, of All-Nite Liquor stores, aerobic work-outs, silicone lifts and Saturday Night Specials, a country where lettuce is served with everything, he finds that the quality of life is dependent mainly on personal wealth and air conditioning.
This extraordinary collection of paintings and drawings, in colour and black and white, gleefully satirizes all aspects of life in modern America. Whether it be people, places or politics, nothing is safe from Ralph Steadman’s razor sharp pen and even sharper wit. Nixon is “a satirists dream”, Texas is where “ the oil wells are so deep they have lease land rights from the Australian government before they drill” and political conventions are “campaigns in the ass”. His portraits of the Nixon years, Vietnam and Watergate, the Reagan years, Pearlygate and the 1988 Presidential Election are powerful, disturbing and above all savagely funny. It will leave you asking has anything really changed.’
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Price HK$ 1,000
1988 - Salem House Publishers, Massachusetts - First American Edition
Scar Strangled Banger is one of two large books (the other one being America) giving Steadman's view of America in retrospect-sharply satirizing all aspects of 1970’s and 1980’s life in American society, peppered with his sharp, powerful and incredible full-page and double-spread, colour and black & white drawings.‘In Scar-Strangled Banger, Ralph Steadman turns his satirical attentions to America, the Land of the Free, where even God can be acquired with a credit card. In this land of seemingly limitless opportunities, of All-Nite Liquor stores, aerobic work-outs, silicone lifts and Saturday Night Specials, a country where lettuce is served with everything, he finds that the quality of life is dependent mainly on personal wealth and air conditioning.
This extraordinary collection of paintings and drawings, in colour and black and white, gleefully satirizes all aspects of life in modern America. Whether it be people, places or politics, nothing is safe from Ralph Steadman’s razor sharp pen and even sharper wit. Nixon is “a satirists dream”, Texas is where “ the oil wells are so deep they have lease land rights from the Australian government before they drill” and political conventions are “campaigns in the ass”. His portraits of the Nixon years, Vietnam and Watergate, the Reagan years, Pearlygate and the 1988 Presidential Election are powerful, disturbing and above all savagely funny. It will leave you asking has anything really changed.’

Price HK$ 1,000
The Honours of the Table -
John Trusler, John Bewick (illustrator)
1791 - for the author, London - Second Edition
Of all the graceful accomplishments, and of every branch of polite education, it has long been admitted, that a gentleman and a lady never shew themselves to more advantage, than in acquitting themselves well in the honours of their table; that is to say, in serving their guests and treating their friends agreeable to their rank and situation in life.
A scarce copy of this wonderful little work, first published in 1788, in the original marbled paper boards and illustrated with twenty-seven woodcuts by John Bewick, including wood-engraved Trusler coat-of-arms. Bound with the complete 12 page ‘List of Books by the Rev. Dr, Trusler, At the Literary-Press, No. 62, Wardour Street, Soho. 1792’’.
Reverend Trusler was a prolific author whose eclectic output included everything from tips on gardening to commentaries on Hogarth engravings.
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Price HK$ 10,000
1791 - for the author, London - Second Edition
Of all the graceful accomplishments, and of every branch of polite education, it has long been admitted, that a gentleman and a lady never shew themselves to more advantage, than in acquitting themselves well in the honours of their table; that is to say, in serving their guests and treating their friends agreeable to their rank and situation in life.A scarce copy of this wonderful little work, first published in 1788, in the original marbled paper boards and illustrated with twenty-seven woodcuts by John Bewick, including wood-engraved Trusler coat-of-arms. Bound with the complete 12 page ‘List of Books by the Rev. Dr, Trusler, At the Literary-Press, No. 62, Wardour Street, Soho. 1792’’.
Reverend Trusler was a prolific author whose eclectic output included everything from tips on gardening to commentaries on Hogarth engravings.

Price HK$ 10,000