A Quaint Treatise on "Flees, and the Art a Artyfichall Flee Making," -
W. H. Aldam, James Poole (artist)
1876 - John B. Day, London - First Edition, Second Issue
One of the greatest works on fly tying, described by Hills in his bibliography as ‘the best of all, for beauty and interest... The flies in it are tied with an excellence that I have never seen beaten; and, as well as complete flies, all the materials of which they are made, silk, wool and feathers, are there displayed.’
Complete, containing 98 actual flies and materials mounted in 22 sunken mounts on thick card, together with two colour chromolithograph plates from water colours by James Poole. A superior example with very little of the foxing to which this work is prone, and bright gilt covers. Housed in a later marbled paper board slipcase.
A remarkable production, with approximately only 200 copies of both issues sold over a number of years, identical to the first issue except for the date on the title page, both issues where released at the same time in the spring of 1876.
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Price HK$ 25,000
1876 - John B. Day, London - First Edition, Second Issue
One of the greatest works on fly tying, described by Hills in his bibliography as ‘the best of all, for beauty and interest... The flies in it are tied with an excellence that I have never seen beaten; and, as well as complete flies, all the materials of which they are made, silk, wool and feathers, are there displayed.’Complete, containing 98 actual flies and materials mounted in 22 sunken mounts on thick card, together with two colour chromolithograph plates from water colours by James Poole. A superior example with very little of the foxing to which this work is prone, and bright gilt covers. Housed in a later marbled paper board slipcase.
A remarkable production, with approximately only 200 copies of both issues sold over a number of years, identical to the first issue except for the date on the title page, both issues where released at the same time in the spring of 1876.
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Price HK$ 25,000
The Noted Breweries of Great Britain and Ireland in Three Vols. -
Alfred Barnard
1889 - Sir Joseph Causton & Sons, London - First Editions
The first three volumes of this landmark work on British and Irish brewers, over 1,500 pages illustrated throughout, covering the history and production of all 68 major ‘noted’ brewing establishments together with the great maltings of Meakin Bros. in Burton-on-Trent and H. Baird in Glasgow.
With numerous illustrated beer and whisky related advertisements to the rear of each volume.
‘In 1889 Alfred Barnard published the first volume of a remarkable work, The Noted Breweries of Great Britain and Ireland. It took the form of a series of reports on visits to breweries. Barnard's primary focus was on the brewery as a production unit rather than as the vertically integrated retailers into which brewing companies were slowly evolve... he gives detailed accounts of the premises, plant and product range of a wide range of breweries close to the height of the late Victorian brewery boom. Noted Breweries is unique as a historical source for these aspects of the brewing industry.’
‘Overall he provides a unique insight into a wide cross section of the plant and the personalities behind one of the major industries of the Victorian world.’ - Paul Bayley, Brewery History Society.
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Price HK$ 15,000
1889 - Sir Joseph Causton & Sons, London - First Editions
The first three volumes of this landmark work on British and Irish brewers, over 1,500 pages illustrated throughout, covering the history and production of all 68 major ‘noted’ brewing establishments together with the great maltings of Meakin Bros. in Burton-on-Trent and H. Baird in Glasgow.With numerous illustrated beer and whisky related advertisements to the rear of each volume.
‘In 1889 Alfred Barnard published the first volume of a remarkable work, The Noted Breweries of Great Britain and Ireland. It took the form of a series of reports on visits to breweries. Barnard's primary focus was on the brewery as a production unit rather than as the vertically integrated retailers into which brewing companies were slowly evolve... he gives detailed accounts of the premises, plant and product range of a wide range of breweries close to the height of the late Victorian brewery boom. Noted Breweries is unique as a historical source for these aspects of the brewing industry.’
‘Overall he provides a unique insight into a wide cross section of the plant and the personalities behind one of the major industries of the Victorian world.’ - Paul Bayley, Brewery History Society.
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Price HK$ 15,000
Observations Historical, Critical, and Medical, on the Wines of the Ancients. And the Analogy between them and Modern Wines. With General Observations on the Principles and Qualities of Water, and in particular those of Bath. -
Sir Edward Barry
1775 - T. Cadell, London - First Edition
‘The earliest work of any importance written in English about wines.’ - Andre Simon.
A fine and finely bound first edition of this classic text on the history of wine-making from the ancient times to the late 18th century. The appendix provides a survey of the principal wine-making regions of Europe. This is also the first book in English to discuss ‘modern wines’ [Gabler]. Illustrated with the wonderful engraved frontispiece and two engraved vignettes on title-page.
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Price HK$ 40,000
1775 - T. Cadell, London - First Edition
‘The earliest work of any importance written in English about wines.’ - Andre Simon.A fine and finely bound first edition of this classic text on the history of wine-making from the ancient times to the late 18th century. The appendix provides a survey of the principal wine-making regions of Europe. This is also the first book in English to discuss ‘modern wines’ [Gabler]. Illustrated with the wonderful engraved frontispiece and two engraved vignettes on title-page.
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Price HK$ 40,000
Aquatic Notes -
John Fitzherbert Bateman, Robert Coombes
1852 - J. Deighton, Cambridge - First and Sole Edition
A fine and thus extremely scarce first edition of this work, written by J. F. Bateman, founder and first president of the Lady Margaret Boat Club (L.M.B.C.) and inscribed by Batemen to Edward Woodley Bowling of the L.M.B.C. and author of many a Cambridge rowing poem including ‘The Lady Margaret 5th Boat’ and ‘The Great Boat Race’.
Chapter headings include Foundation of the Principal Clubs, A Day at Henley, and Hints on Rowing and Training by Robert Coombes, who was a notably distinguished Thames waterman, oarsman and sculler.
Coombes’s first public race took place in 1838. He pioneered the successful use of skill, technique and training, thereby beating men of superior size and strength, and was Champion of the Thames from 1846-1852. His knowledge was exploited successively by the Oxford (1840) and Cambridge (1846, 1849 both races) Boat Race crews. Cambridge asked him to coach again in 1852, but a dispute broke out about the use of professional trainers, with the result that for many years both sides avoided professionals and men of working class origins. Sadly, Coombes descended into poverty in later life, and died in the Kent Asylum in 1860. A fine monument to him was raised at Brompton Cemetery by public subscription in 1866.
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Price HK$ 7,000
1852 - J. Deighton, Cambridge - First and Sole Edition
A fine and thus extremely scarce first edition of this work, written by J. F. Bateman, founder and first president of the Lady Margaret Boat Club (L.M.B.C.) and inscribed by Batemen to Edward Woodley Bowling of the L.M.B.C. and author of many a Cambridge rowing poem including ‘The Lady Margaret 5th Boat’ and ‘The Great Boat Race’. Chapter headings include Foundation of the Principal Clubs, A Day at Henley, and Hints on Rowing and Training by Robert Coombes, who was a notably distinguished Thames waterman, oarsman and sculler.
Coombes’s first public race took place in 1838. He pioneered the successful use of skill, technique and training, thereby beating men of superior size and strength, and was Champion of the Thames from 1846-1852. His knowledge was exploited successively by the Oxford (1840) and Cambridge (1846, 1849 both races) Boat Race crews. Cambridge asked him to coach again in 1852, but a dispute broke out about the use of professional trainers, with the result that for many years both sides avoided professionals and men of working class origins. Sadly, Coombes descended into poverty in later life, and died in the Kent Asylum in 1860. A fine monument to him was raised at Brompton Cemetery by public subscription in 1866.
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Price HK$ 7,000
Plan des Vignobles produisant Les Grands Vins de Bourgogne -
Lucien Bonnamas
After 1870 - A. Batault, Beaune - Second printing of the ‘de choix’ issue
A magnificent, large, rare and fine lithographed map of the vineyards producing the great Burgundy wines as classified in 1861 for each commune of the Arrondissement of Beaune according to the merit of the products under the guidance of the Comité d'Agriculture de l'Arrondissement de Beaune, and for the Arrondissement of Dijon by a Society of Winegrowers. Drawn by M. L. Bonnamas.
Over 3 metres (10 feet) in length. Currently folded into a bespoke French binding, but can be simply removed from the modern archival tissue attachments for mounting as three sheets or one continuous map.
This is the second printing of the 1861 deluxe ‘de choix’ issue which was produced in small numbers (scale 1/20,0000, three sheets (125.5x53cm; 125.5x53cm; 65x5cm / plates 112x36cm; 112x36cn; 50cmx36cm with Larrey extending approx. 4cm outside of the standard border)).
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Price HK$ 40,000
After 1870 - A. Batault, Beaune - Second printing of the ‘de choix’ issue
A magnificent, large, rare and fine lithographed map of the vineyards producing the great Burgundy wines as classified in 1861 for each commune of the Arrondissement of Beaune according to the merit of the products under the guidance of the Comité d'Agriculture de l'Arrondissement de Beaune, and for the Arrondissement of Dijon by a Society of Winegrowers. Drawn by M. L. Bonnamas.Over 3 metres (10 feet) in length. Currently folded into a bespoke French binding, but can be simply removed from the modern archival tissue attachments for mounting as three sheets or one continuous map.
This is the second printing of the 1861 deluxe ‘de choix’ issue which was produced in small numbers (scale 1/20,0000, three sheets (125.5x53cm; 125.5x53cm; 65x5cm / plates 112x36cm; 112x36cn; 50cmx36cm with Larrey extending approx. 4cm outside of the standard border)).
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Price HK$ 40,000
Farewell to Cricket - Signed -
Don Bradman
1950 - Hodder & Stoughton, London - First Edition
First edition of Sir Donald ‘The Don’ Bradman’s autobiography, Signed. Illustrated with twenty-seven photographs ‘specially selected by Sir Donald himself’.
– Here is Sir Don’s own book – genuine; unassuming; and yet carrying in every line, the authority of the greatest cricketer the world has ever seen.
– Here is the whole personal story from his childhood in Australia to his last triumphant season in England.
– Here, too, is the most interesting book reference in existence, on the past, present and future of the game.
– It is full of characters every player and lover of cricket wants to meet – on and off the field.
– There is a chapter on captaincy that many will find the finest in the entire book.
– There are twenty-seven photographs and every one has been specially selected by Sir Donald himself.
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Price HK$ 8,000
1950 - Hodder & Stoughton, London - First Edition
First edition of Sir Donald ‘The Don’ Bradman’s autobiography, Signed. Illustrated with twenty-seven photographs ‘specially selected by Sir Donald himself’.– Here is Sir Don’s own book – genuine; unassuming; and yet carrying in every line, the authority of the greatest cricketer the world has ever seen.
– Here is the whole personal story from his childhood in Australia to his last triumphant season in England.
– Here, too, is the most interesting book reference in existence, on the past, present and future of the game.
– It is full of characters every player and lover of cricket wants to meet – on and off the field.
– There is a chapter on captaincy that many will find the finest in the entire book.
– There are twenty-seven photographs and every one has been specially selected by Sir Donald himself.
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Price HK$ 8,000
Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect - Facsimile (From Photogravure Blocks) of the Kilmarnock edition 1786 -
Robert Burns
1909 - D Brown & Co. [Printer], Kilmarnock - Facsimile of the 1786 edition
An exquisite and fine presentation of Burns’ ‘Poems’, bound in light brown crushed morocco with brown and tan morocco onlays depicting a harvest mouse in a wheat field (the ‘tim'rous beastie' of ‘To a Mouse’) and ensconced in matching light tan morocco clamshell case, lined in tartan. Bound by Falkirk Fraser Wilson while working for Tom Valentine (a noted Falkirk binder).
The binding houses the 1909 facsimile of the rare and celebrated "Kilmarnock Burns" of 1786, which was printed from photogravure blocks under the supervision of D. McNaught, Esq. J.P., editor of The Burns Chronicle, the proofs being revised from an uncut copy in his possession.
In 1786 at the age of 27, although he had never published anything before, Burns (1759-96) decided to publish a volume of his poems. 612 copies were printed for him by John Wilson of Kilmarnock. They sold out within a month. There are estimated to be less than 70 complete ‘Kilmarnock’ copies in existence today. For this reason D. McNaught used his own uncut copy to produce this facsimile in 1909.
Burns, encouraged by this success, and by a letter from an Edinburgh minister, Dr. Blacklock, moved to Edinburgh instead of emigrating to Jamaica. He became a celebrity and in 1787 a new edition of 1500 copies, to be sold by subscription, was agreed upon with an additional 17 poems and five new songs. There was far greater demand than estimated, so the book was reset, and approximately 3,250 copies printed.
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Price HK$ 30,000
1909 - D Brown & Co. [Printer], Kilmarnock - Facsimile of the 1786 edition
An exquisite and fine presentation of Burns’ ‘Poems’, bound in light brown crushed morocco with brown and tan morocco onlays depicting a harvest mouse in a wheat field (the ‘tim'rous beastie' of ‘To a Mouse’) and ensconced in matching light tan morocco clamshell case, lined in tartan. Bound by Falkirk Fraser Wilson while working for Tom Valentine (a noted Falkirk binder).The binding houses the 1909 facsimile of the rare and celebrated "Kilmarnock Burns" of 1786, which was printed from photogravure blocks under the supervision of D. McNaught, Esq. J.P., editor of The Burns Chronicle, the proofs being revised from an uncut copy in his possession.
In 1786 at the age of 27, although he had never published anything before, Burns (1759-96) decided to publish a volume of his poems. 612 copies were printed for him by John Wilson of Kilmarnock. They sold out within a month. There are estimated to be less than 70 complete ‘Kilmarnock’ copies in existence today. For this reason D. McNaught used his own uncut copy to produce this facsimile in 1909.
Burns, encouraged by this success, and by a letter from an Edinburgh minister, Dr. Blacklock, moved to Edinburgh instead of emigrating to Jamaica. He became a celebrity and in 1787 a new edition of 1500 copies, to be sold by subscription, was agreed upon with an additional 17 poems and five new songs. There was far greater demand than estimated, so the book was reset, and approximately 3,250 copies printed.
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Price HK$ 30,000
The First Saint Omnibus. An Anthology of Saintly Adventures -
Leslie Charteris
1939 - Hodder & Stoughton Limited, London - First Edition of this Collection
A finely bound selection of thirteen short stories featuring 'The Robin Hood of Modern Crime'.
Simon Templar, ‘The Saint’, ‘is a rambunctious adventurer who believes in old-fashioned romantic ideals, alter-ego perhaps of his Singaporean born creator Leslie Charles Bowyer Yin Charteris. Templar is prepared to lay down his life for these ideals, using considerable wit and intelligence, the Saint has a preference for avenging innocent victims.
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Price HK$ 4,000
1939 - Hodder & Stoughton Limited, London - First Edition of this Collection
A finely bound selection of thirteen short stories featuring 'The Robin Hood of Modern Crime'.Simon Templar, ‘The Saint’, ‘is a rambunctious adventurer who believes in old-fashioned romantic ideals, alter-ego perhaps of his Singaporean born creator Leslie Charles Bowyer Yin Charteris. Templar is prepared to lay down his life for these ideals, using considerable wit and intelligence, the Saint has a preference for avenging innocent victims.
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Price HK$ 4,000