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Desert Solitaire: A Season in the Wilderness -
Edward Abbey, Peter Parnall (illustrator)
1968 - McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York - First Edition
A bright first edition of Abbey’s powerful work of nature writing and environmental concern, based on the inner and outer observations Abbey made during three summers at Arches National Park, Utah. His first book of non-fiction and most famous and defining work. Only 5000 copies of the first edition were printed, it has since sold more than 2,000,000 copies.
‘Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit, and as vital to our lives as water and good bread. A civilization which destroys what little remains of the wild, the spare, the original, is cutting itself off from its origins and betraying the principle of civilization itself.’
With drawings throughout by Peter Parnell.
‘The desert is... atonal, cruel, clear, neither romantic nor classical, motionless and emotionless at one and the same time... Like death? Perhaps. And perhaps that is why life nowhere appears so brave, so bright, so full of oracle and miracle as in the desert.’
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Price HK$ 7,000
1968 - McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York - First Edition
A bright first edition of Abbey’s powerful work of nature writing and environmental concern, based on the inner and outer observations Abbey made during three summers at Arches National Park, Utah. His first book of non-fiction and most famous and defining work. Only 5000 copies of the first edition were printed, it has since sold more than 2,000,000 copies.‘Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit, and as vital to our lives as water and good bread. A civilization which destroys what little remains of the wild, the spare, the original, is cutting itself off from its origins and betraying the principle of civilization itself.’
With drawings throughout by Peter Parnell.
‘The desert is... atonal, cruel, clear, neither romantic nor classical, motionless and emotionless at one and the same time... Like death? Perhaps. And perhaps that is why life nowhere appears so brave, so bright, so full of oracle and miracle as in the desert.’
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Price HK$ 7,000
The Essays Or Counsels, Civil and Moral -
Sir Francis Bacon
1680 - Printed by M. Clark, London - Enlarged by the Honourable Author himself
'One of the major political figures of his time, Sir Francis Bacon (1561-1626) served in the court of Elizabeth I and ultimately became Lord Chancellor under James I in 1617. A scholar, wit, lawyer and statesman, he wrote widely on politics, philosophy and science - declaring early in his career that 'I have taken all knowledge as my province'.’
An early edition of Bacon’s most famous work, in which he considers a diverse range of subjects, such as death and marriage, ambition and atheism, in prose that is vibrant and rich in Renaissance learning. Bacon believed that rhetoric - the force of eloquence and persuasion - could lead the mind to the pure light of reason, and his own rhetorical genius is nowhere better expressed than in these vivid essays'.
‘Deeper and more discriminating than any earlier, or almost any later, work in the English language’ - Henry Hallam.
Essays and Counsels consists of 58 essays on a diverse range of important topics including: Truth; Death; Love; Parents and Children; Envy; Superstition; Travel; Riches; Friendship; Youth and Age; ; Beauty; Studies; Honor and Reputation; Revenge; Cunning; Fortune; Anger; and Ambition.
Added to the Essays are the Colours of Good and Evil , and Wisdom of the Ancients, in which Bacon unveils the ancient wisdom behind Greek fables, thirty-one of which he retells here, suggesting that they contain hidden teachings on varied issues such as morality, philosophy, religion, civility, politics, science, and art.
With frontispiece portrait of Sir Francis Bacon engraved by F. H. Van Houe.
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Price HK$ 8,000
1680 - Printed by M. Clark, London - Enlarged by the Honourable Author himself
'One of the major political figures of his time, Sir Francis Bacon (1561-1626) served in the court of Elizabeth I and ultimately became Lord Chancellor under James I in 1617. A scholar, wit, lawyer and statesman, he wrote widely on politics, philosophy and science - declaring early in his career that 'I have taken all knowledge as my province'.’An early edition of Bacon’s most famous work, in which he considers a diverse range of subjects, such as death and marriage, ambition and atheism, in prose that is vibrant and rich in Renaissance learning. Bacon believed that rhetoric - the force of eloquence and persuasion - could lead the mind to the pure light of reason, and his own rhetorical genius is nowhere better expressed than in these vivid essays'.
‘Deeper and more discriminating than any earlier, or almost any later, work in the English language’ - Henry Hallam.
Essays and Counsels consists of 58 essays on a diverse range of important topics including: Truth; Death; Love; Parents and Children; Envy; Superstition; Travel; Riches; Friendship; Youth and Age; ; Beauty; Studies; Honor and Reputation; Revenge; Cunning; Fortune; Anger; and Ambition.
Added to the Essays are the Colours of Good and Evil , and Wisdom of the Ancients, in which Bacon unveils the ancient wisdom behind Greek fables, thirty-one of which he retells here, suggesting that they contain hidden teachings on varied issues such as morality, philosophy, religion, civility, politics, science, and art.
With frontispiece portrait of Sir Francis Bacon engraved by F. H. Van Houe.
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Price HK$ 8,000
The Yellow Book -
Aubrey Beardsley
April 1894-April 1897 - Elkin Mathews &, London
A complete, clean and better than normally encountered thirteen volume set of this groundbreaking art nouveau publication, in the publisher’s bright yellow illustrated covers with designs by Aubrey Beardsley. Together with ‘A Selection’ published in 1950 and bound in yellow cloth to match the earlier set. Fourteen volumes in total.
From its initial visually arresting issue, for which Aubrey Beardsley was art editor and for which Max Beerbohm wrote an essay, ‘A Defence of Cosmetics’, ‘The Yellow Book’ attained immediate notoriety.
Published by John Lane and edited by Henry Harland, ‘The Yellow Book’ attracted many outstanding writers and artists of the era, such as Arnold Bennett, Charlotte Mew, Henry James, Edmund Gosse, Richard Le Gallienne, and Walter Sickert.
Although dominated by the illustrations of Aubrey Beardsley, and his decadent fin de siècle aura, many other distinguished artists contributed to the quarterly, notably Frederic Leighton, Will Rothenstein, Walter Sickert and Philip Wilson Steer; contributors to the text included Max Beerbohm, John Buchan, Baron Corvo, Edmund Gosse, Kenneth Grahame, Henry James, E. Nesbit and W. B. Yeats.
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Price HK$ 10,000
April 1894-April 1897 - Elkin Mathews &, London
A complete, clean and better than normally encountered thirteen volume set of this groundbreaking art nouveau publication, in the publisher’s bright yellow illustrated covers with designs by Aubrey Beardsley. Together with ‘A Selection’ published in 1950 and bound in yellow cloth to match the earlier set. Fourteen volumes in total.From its initial visually arresting issue, for which Aubrey Beardsley was art editor and for which Max Beerbohm wrote an essay, ‘A Defence of Cosmetics’, ‘The Yellow Book’ attained immediate notoriety.
Published by John Lane and edited by Henry Harland, ‘The Yellow Book’ attracted many outstanding writers and artists of the era, such as Arnold Bennett, Charlotte Mew, Henry James, Edmund Gosse, Richard Le Gallienne, and Walter Sickert.
Although dominated by the illustrations of Aubrey Beardsley, and his decadent fin de siècle aura, many other distinguished artists contributed to the quarterly, notably Frederic Leighton, Will Rothenstein, Walter Sickert and Philip Wilson Steer; contributors to the text included Max Beerbohm, John Buchan, Baron Corvo, Edmund Gosse, Kenneth Grahame, Henry James, E. Nesbit and W. B. Yeats.
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Price HK$ 10,000
A Portfolio of Drawings Illustrating Salome by Oscar Wilde -
Aubrey Beardsley
1912 - John Lane, London
Aubrey Beardsley was just 21 years old when he produced the drawings for Oscar Wilde's play Salome. They were first published in The Studio magazine in 1893. These illustrations launched Beardsley from obscurity to international fame almost overnight. More importantly, they marked the beginning of a new era in the arts: these are commonly held to be the first works to develop an Art Nouveau style.
This scarce portfolio contains sixteen large black and white plates of the Salome illustrations, together with a separate list of plates, all printed on Japanese vellum, and loose as issued [plates size 34.2 x 26.9 cm]. Without the ‘Design for Title Page’ plate.
Housed in publisher's portfolio of half cream vellum over olive green paper boards, front panel titled in gilt ‘Aubrey Beardsley’s Illustrations to Salome’ and with the Beardsley designed rose-bush motif from the 1894 edition blocked in rose gold.
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Price HK$ 12,000
1912 - John Lane, London
Aubrey Beardsley was just 21 years old when he produced the drawings for Oscar Wilde's play Salome. They were first published in The Studio magazine in 1893. These illustrations launched Beardsley from obscurity to international fame almost overnight. More importantly, they marked the beginning of a new era in the arts: these are commonly held to be the first works to develop an Art Nouveau style.This scarce portfolio contains sixteen large black and white plates of the Salome illustrations, together with a separate list of plates, all printed on Japanese vellum, and loose as issued [plates size 34.2 x 26.9 cm]. Without the ‘Design for Title Page’ plate.
Housed in publisher's portfolio of half cream vellum over olive green paper boards, front panel titled in gilt ‘Aubrey Beardsley’s Illustrations to Salome’ and with the Beardsley designed rose-bush motif from the 1894 edition blocked in rose gold.
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Price HK$ 12,000
Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect -
Robert Burns
1787 - Printed for the Author, Edinburgh - Second (first Edinburgh) edition, first issue
In 1786 at the age of 27, although he had never published anything before, Burns 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.
Encouraged by this success, and by a letter from an Edinburgh minister, Dr. Blacklock, Burns moved to Edinburgh instead of emigrating to Jamaica. He became a celebrity and in 1787 this new edition of 1500 copies, to be sold by subscription, was agreed upon with an additional 17 poems and five new songs.
Elegantly bound with full untrimmed edges, by Henderson & Bisset of Edinburgh. Illustrated with a stipple engraved frontispiece portrait of Burns by I. Beugo after Alexander Nasmyth.
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Price HK$ 30,000
1787 - Printed for the Author, Edinburgh - Second (first Edinburgh) edition, first issue
In 1786 at the age of 27, although he had never published anything before, Burns 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. Encouraged by this success, and by a letter from an Edinburgh minister, Dr. Blacklock, Burns moved to Edinburgh instead of emigrating to Jamaica. He became a celebrity and in 1787 this new edition of 1500 copies, to be sold by subscription, was agreed upon with an additional 17 poems and five new songs.
Elegantly bound with full untrimmed edges, by Henderson & Bisset of Edinburgh. Illustrated with a stipple engraved frontispiece portrait of Burns by I. Beugo after Alexander Nasmyth.
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Price HK$ 30,000
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
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
The Complete Works -
Lewis Carroll, [Charles Lutwidge Dodgson]
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
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
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland... with a Poem by Austin Dobson -
Lewis Carroll, [Charles Lutwidge Dodgson], Austin Dobson, Arthur Rackham (illustrator)
1907 - William Heinemann, London - First Rackham Illustrated Edition
A lovely example of the first edition of Alice to be magically illustrated by Arthur Rackham, with thirteen tipped-on coloured plates as well as black and white drawings throughout.
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Price HK$ 8,000
1907 - William Heinemann, London - First Rackham Illustrated Edition
A lovely example of the first edition of Alice to be magically illustrated by Arthur Rackham, with thirteen tipped-on coloured plates as well as black and white drawings throughout.
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Price HK$ 8,000