Kipling R. Otkuda u kita takaiia glotka [How the Whale got his Throat] by Rudyard Kipling - 1926

London: Constable & Co. Ltd 1913. Large 4to.Limited Edition. 290 pp. Top edge gilt, others uncut. Limited to 100 copies, of which this is number 12. Signed by W. Heath Robinson. Recently handsomely rebound in a richly gilt-illustrated red morocco at the Chelsea Bindery, with ornamental gilt stamping on front, raised gilt bands on spine, gilt line along edges and dentelling on the endpapers. Wonderful illustrations: 94 in black and white, and 16 in full colour. Gorgeous. . Near Fine. Full Morocco. Limited Edition. 1913.

Two Orthodox theological works, bound together: ТОЛКОВАНИЕ БЛАЖЕНСТВ (Explanations of the Gospel Beautitudes) Короткий выбор песен, оставшихся в памяти (Short selection of songs that remained in memory)In Russian recension of Church Slavonic language.
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St. Petersburg, Alexander Nevsky Lavra, ca. 1722.
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Based on historical records and details and information that can be found in this book, we can conclude, although not with absolute certainty, that this book contains the work that was commissioned, edited and reviewed by Peter the Great himself in Saint Alexander Nevsky Lavra [monastery] in St. Petersburg as an explanatory part of the Gospel Beautitudes. There is some indication that the work might have been written by Archbishop Theophan Prokopovich. However, there is no direct indication that the work was printed separately from the Beautitudes, and the addition of 24 leaves of Short selection of songs, suggest that this book was… Read More

Bologna: Bartolomeo Borghi, 1747. First edition. Good. Octavo (19cm); viii, 314 pages (misnumbered in last gathering--a point of the first printing), and XVI full page engraved plates, along with several woodcut tables in text. In 18th-century two-tone woodblock decorated paper over boards. Paper label on spine worn and illegible. Spine darkened and faded. Endleaves renewed. Some spots and stains throughout. References: Honeyman 47 ("Contains arithmetical puzzles, tricks with cards and dice, problems relating to the theory of numbers, sleight of hand, etc." ); Riccardi I, 15 ("oltre i giuochi numerici contiene ancora dilettevoli giuochi di prestigio"); Caillet 1, #146 ("Ouvrage sur les nombres et sur les secrets et recettes, enrichi des figures gravées hors texte.") First edition of the first book on prestidigitation printed in Italy. The text is a handbook of dice and card games, mathematical riddles, sleight-of-hand, and magic, illustrated by 16 engraved plates and several tables. Among… Read More

(7) leaves letterpress text, 1 leaf half-title (première section) 111 numbered leaves (recte 109) ; plates numbered 10 through 111 are printed on recto only, with plate numbers 40, 63 and 92 omitted according to a printed note at the end of the index, but including an extra plate 35bis) ; 1 leaf half-title (cinquième section annexe), (8) leaves numbered I-XVII (omitting numbers XV/XVI) with text and illustrations on both sides. The plates with numerous printed black and white labels, mounted chromolithographed labels and colourful chromolithographed labels on white glazed paper. Publisher's red cloth, gilt title to spine and front cover. Oblong folio (456 x 320 mm). Extremeties worn, front cover spotted. A fine example showing the wealth of French industrial and agricultural products displayed in black and white facsimiles and color mounted product labels and renderings of trademarks of producers and manufacturers. The most important part is the third section of this catalog showing agricultural… Read More

(4), 108, (8) pages with woodcut heraldic vignette on title and woodcut head- and tail-piece; 8 pages.Cont. calf on five raised bands, red gilt morocco label to second compartment, all others richly gilt. Sprinkled edges. 4to (255 x 188 mm). Extremeties rubbed. I. Barbier, II, 30. First edition, published a year after the promulgation, of the royal edict of August 1686. This edict, despite its title, applies to the entire kingdom. "Within a very difficult context as far as the book trade in the provinces was concerned - since the latter was being stifled by the stringent economic policies of Jean-Baptiste Colbert, the famous Superintendent of Finances under Louis XIV, which also extended to control of the press and were biased in favour of the major Parisian publishers whose privileges kept on being renewed - the regulations of 1686, structured into sixty-nine articles under various headings, were the last major set of book trade regulations to be promulgated in France in the seventeenth century.… Read More

[Paris]: 1925. folio. 40 x 30 cm. pp. 4. 60 pochoirs of women’s dresses and coats. original wrs. (worn)

NY: Blue Ribbon Books, 1933. First edition. Fine. Hardcover/Near fine. Glazed pictorial boards printed in color. Pictorial endpapers in color. Four fabulous and detailed double-page pop-up scenes, plus full and partial page black & white illustrations throughout. The boards are ever so lightly soiled else this is a fine copy with fine pop-ups. The scarce dustwrapper is present; it lightly browned with age else near fine. A nice copy of an early Disney work.

NY: Harper & Brothers, 1955. SIGNED first edition. Hard cover in original cloth and dust jacket. Published NY: Harper & Brothers, 1955, first printing. [Hanrahan A18]. 12mo., 5 3/8" x 6 3/4", unpaginated 24pp., color illustrations by Maurice Sendak. Sendak's first all-color illustrated book. Black cloth and pictorial paper covered boards, floral design decorative endpapers in color. Inscribed by Sendak to 5 year-old Sing-Si Schwartz on half-title. (Sing-Si later became a fine-arts photographer, and presumably photographed the laid in Sendak illustrations) : "Jul 70' , For Sing-Si, hello: Maurice Sendak" Laid in is a 1955 publication notice of the book in "The Villager", Greenwich Village, NY, Dec 15, 1955 featuring a photo of Sendak holding a dog. Three 4" x 6" duotone prints of Sendak's illustrations for the book laid in. Book is fine with no wear, dust jacket very good, $2 price on flap, mild age toning, darkening fade along the spine with… Read More

Near Fine HC in Good+ slipcase. Signed binding (Tchekeroul). Text in French/Francaise. Swirl pattern oil marbled paper over boards half bound with black morocco leather; gilt stamped titles on spine; gilt top edge; two parts bound in retain original covers and spines. Bright, clean, square covers and spine; slight, thin scrapes on spine; very slight rubbing wear on rear cover paper, otherwise Fine covers and spine; tightly bound; small 'Tchekeroul' gilt stamped on tail edge of front pastedown; small black leather label on front free end paper is gilt stamped with star of David above tower over gilt banner with 'Turris Davidica' in relief; ink gift inscription on fly leaf dated 1953 in Brussels; original card covers are clean and complete with some age darkening; interior is light and clean; leaves remain supple. Slipcase is matching marbled paper over boards with matching morocco leather at spine end caps.12mo, 413 total pp (208, 205); illustrated

LONDON: WARNE, 1902. 1st Edition 5th Printing. Hardcover. Fine. AUTHOR. The First 2 years of the LONDON Publication of "The TALE of PETER RABBIT" have reference books about the various Printings/evolution of changes. I'm fascinated by it myself. Now, excluding the impossible First Private Printings in Late 1901 & Early 1902 from the realm of possibility for we mere mortals, the First few Original Warne Trade Printings are one of my joys to study - and even more to Find! Most collector's know that the First few Warne Printings (late 1902 - mid 1903) were done with patterned leaf end papers and had 97 pages with all illustrations in Color (Private Printings were B&W). The distinction between the printings was the Board Color. The last of these 4 printings changed "wept" to "shed". NOTE: NONE of These Printings had a COPYRIGHT DATE (on the rear of the Title Page)! Now, here is where it gets interesting!! All References deal with the Change in Format in Late 1903 from 97 pages… Read More