The Holy Bible. Ornamented with Engravings by James Fittler from Celebrated Pictures by Old Masters, the Letter Press by Thomas Bensley -

1795 - R. Bowyer &, London - First Illustrated by Fittler
A lovely two volume bible in contemporary 18th century binding.

Containing the Old Testament and New Testament, profusely illustrated with 63 engraved plates and three engraved titles by James Fittler (1758-1835) after Old Master paintings by Dürer, Rembrandt, Van Dyck, Rubens, etc. With text is in two columns, volume I contains Genesis to Psalms, volume II - Proverbs to Revelation

Sometimes referred to as the
Killer Bible for its typographical error in Mark 7, verse 27: ‘Let the children be killed’ rather than ‘filled’.

Provenance: With detailed 19th-century genealogical entries relating to the Gouthwaite family (Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Liverpool), and the armourial bookplate of S. Hemingway to upper pastedowns.
 
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Price HK$ 11,000



Advice from a Lady of Quality to her Children - Louis-Antoine Caraccioli, Samuel Glasse (translator)

1778 - Printed by R. Raikes and Sold by J. F. and C. Rivington, Glocester - First Edition in English
An extremely rare first edition of this 18th century ‘Tuesdays With Morrie’, first published in 1769 as ’Les adieux de la Maréchale de *** à ses enfants’. Two pretty little volumes In 18th century full calf bindings.

A popular courtesy book written in a series of twenty one ‘conferences’ held between mother, her daughter and sons. Topics covered during these conferences include Virtue, Pride, Generosity, Female Conduct, Friendship, Love of Truth, Brotherly Love, Study, Pleasure, Ambition, Vanity, Relative Duty, Patriotism, Social Duties.

Unlike most courtesy books, Caraccioli's has the semblance of a plot and reads somewhat like a novel, which ends with the death of the main character.
Advice from a Lady went through numerous later editions in England and America.

The Translator, Samuel Glasse, dedicates this work to Queen Charlotte (1744-1818), consort of King George III of Great Britain.
 
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Price HK$ 11,000



1939 - The Nonesuch Press, London - First Nonesuch Edition
A finely bound volume of Lewis Carroll’s works.

Includes: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland; Through the Looking Glass; Sylvie and Bruno; Sylvie and Bruno Concluded; The Hunting of The Snark; Puzzles From Wonderland; Phantasmagoria; Acrostics, Verse, Stories and A Miscellany.

The two Alice titles are illustrated with John Tenniel’s original drawings, and the book begins with an introduction by Alexander Woollcott.
 
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Price HK$ 6,000



Cinderella - together with - The Sleeping Beauty - C. S. Evans, Arthur Rackham (illustrator)

1919 - William Heinemann, London - First Rackham Illustrated Editions
Once upon a time...

A uniform large pair of Arthur Rackham’s only magical silhouette illustrated titles. In superior condition, with the original decorated paper boards and dust jackets.

The decorations and silhouette illustrations are in both black and white and in colour, adding a simple yet mystical air to these two classical fairy tales.
 
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Price HK$ 12,000



The Story of Ferdinand - Munro Leaf, Robert Lawson (illustrator)

1936 - The Viking Press, New York - First Edition
A superior first edition of this high point in 20th century children's literature, in a better than usually encountered first issue dust jacket.

Ferdinand, the Bull who preferred to smell the flowers, quickly became popular, striking a chord of anti-fight in a world infected by war. Banned by Franco and burned in Nazi Germany. Translated into over 60 languages and made into an Oscar winning animated film by Disney in 1938.

Once upon a time in Spain there was a little bull and his name was Ferdinand. 
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Price HK$ 55,000



The Pooh Books - When We Were Very Young; Winnie the Pooh; Now We Are Six; and The House at Pooh Corner - A. A. Milne, Ernest H. Shepard (illustrator)

1924 to 1928 - Methuen &, London - First Editions
'Pooh looked at his two paws. He knew that one of them was the right, and he knew that when you had decided which one of them was the right, then the other one was the left, but he never could remember how to begin.'

A lovely set of the Pooh books, finely bound in full morocco leather to match their respective original published colours, and housed in custom made felt-lined slipcase.

I often wish I were a King, And then I could do anything.
If only I were King of Spain, I’d take my hat off in the rain.
If I were King of Norroway, I’d ask an elephant to stay.
If I were King of Timbuctoo, I’d think of lovely things to do.
 
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Price HK$ 50,000



Five Children And It - E. Nesbit

1902 - T. Fisher Unwin, London - First Edition
A fine first edition of this brilliant story exquisitely bound by Bayntun-Riviere of Bath, wonderfully enhanced with forty-six black and white illustrations by H. R. Millar.

Cyril, Athena, Robert, Jane, and baby brother, Lamb, are exploring the land around the house their parents have rented for the summer when they find the sandpit. They decide to dig a hole straight through to Australia. Their plan is interrupted when Athena discovers a magical creature hiding in the sand. It is a Psammead, and it can grant wishes.

The children stood around the hole looking at the creature they had found. It was worth looking at. Its eyes were on long horns like a snail's eyes, and it could move them in and out like telescopes; it had ears like a bat's ears, and its tubby body was shaped like a spider's and covered with thick soft fur; its legs and arms were furry too, and it had hands and feet like a monkey's.’

Psammead:
I am a Sand Fairy!
Jane: A Sand Fairy? I thought fairies had little ballet dresses and wings and wands.
Psammead: What on earth have you been reading?
Jane: I'll call you Sandy.
Psammead: Why?
Jane: Because we found you in the sand.
Psammead: You're so funny. Have your parents tried boiling you? 
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Price HK$ 12,500