Vereinigte Pinsel-Fabriken 1922 Catalogue D. by [Catalogue] - 1922

Paris: Javal and Bordeaux, 1930. Limited Edition. JOUVE, Paul. Illustrated by one of the leading painters in France, this superb work brings Kipling's classic Jungle Book story into the realm of fine 20th century French publishing. Limited edition of 125 copies, bound in snakeskin-style folding case, protected by matching slipcase (some wear), 340 mm x 265 mm, 130 unbound pages as issued, 21 plates, printed on imperial Japan paper, an excellent copy.

Lyon: Giraud et Rivoire, 1930. First Edition. Striking Bayard menswear catalogue from the fashionable French ski slopes of Grenoble. You might recognize the iconic image of the mysterious man in the trench coat and Fedora who appears on the cover of this catalog; a plethora of unauthorized vintage posters reproduce him. Often uncredited or listed ‘anonymous', the original artwork was actually designed by the successful and talented French fashion illustrator, Marcel Hemjic. So now we know. Quarto, bound in eye-catchingly stylish, illustrated wrappers, 10 pages, 10 full-page colour illustrations (masterfully printed in duotone), in near fine condition.

London: W. & R. Chambers, 1912. First Edition. N. Parker. First edition of this justly famous children's book with anthropomorphised kangaroo characters - 'perhaps the best known story entirely devoted to the kangaroo' (Robert Holden 'The Mint Exhibition' 1985). Twelve stories of kangaroos told in verse with many small drawings in sepia and twelve beautifully printed, full-page, partially-coloured plates. Quarto, full colour pictorial boards, edge rubbing, corner wear, chipping of paper at spine ends and along spine edges, two pages with minor nicks at page edge, clean and bright, a very good copy indeed overall.

London: Paul Jerrard, 1852. First Edition. Mid-nineteenth century opulence: two elaborate Victorian plate books with plates of fruit and flowers complimenting verse, fully printed in gilt. Two folios in original cloth with large colour card onlay on front board and gilt floral motif on rear, 24 full-page chromolithographic plates each facing a matching gilt printed poem; cloth mildly browned in book 1, binding rubbed and mild preliminary foxing in book 2, a very good set with beautiful clean plates.

Paris: Meynial, 1925. First Edition. George Barbier. A complete and excellent set of the five annual issues illustrated with a total of sixty beautiful pochoir plates, complete with decorated pochoir title pages. 'Falbalas and Franfreluches' (Frippery and Finery: Fashion Diaries) represents a literary and artistic collaboration of unusual elegance and sophistication. French illustrator, George Barbier (1882 - 1932) spared no effort in the making of this beautiful collection, using the finest pigments and up to thirty stencils per print to create images of the highest quality reflecting fashionable themes of the day. The plates portray romance amidst exotic lands and ages past, including a native American idyll on the Missouri, a languid mistress cocooned in a hammock in the tropical Antilles, high baroque debauchery, and, of course, a myriad of lovers depicted in Paris at the height of the chic 1920s. Each annual includes twelve pages of fine writing by Barbier's contemporaries in the Parisian scene… Read More

London: Cassell & Company, 1935. First Edition. First edition of Lawrence Durrell's first novel. Highly autobiographical in character, an apprentice effort, Durrell's novel sank largely without trace. And as with so many unsold titles, the majority of copies were destroyed during the Blitz. Blue boards with the barest hint of rubbing to edges; no dustjacket, spine incorrectly lettered Pied Pipers of Lovers, bookseller's price on front free endpaper, slight spotting to fore and top-edges, otherwise a clean, solid, well-preserved copy of Lawrence's exceedingly scarce first novel.

London: W. & R. Chambers, 1912. First Edition. N. Parker. First edition of this justly famous children's book with anthropomorphised kangaroo characters - 'perhaps the best known story entirely devoted to the kangaroo' (Robert Holden 'The Mint Exhibition' 1985). Twelve stories of kangaroos told in verse with many small drawings in sepia and twelve beautifully printed, full-page, partially-coloured plates. Quarto, full colour pictorial boards, edge rubbing, corner wear, chipping of paper at spine ends and along spine edges, two pages with minor nicks at page edge, clean and bright, a very good copy indeed overall.

Paris: Fabrique Générale d'Articles de Voyages, 1840. First Edition. Alexis Godillot (1816-1893) was a contemporary of Louis Vuitton (1821-1892) and first achieved renown in Paris for his beautiful hand-made luggage. With a workshop situated just a few blocks away from Vuitton's, this catalogue comes from this very early period of Godillot's life before he had revolutionised footwear by differentiating the moulding of the left shoe from the right and become the famous shoemaker who would go on to equip over one hundred thousand French soldiers for The Crimean War. 'Godillot' remains a slang French term for 'boot' to this day. The album features superb hand-coloured lithographs with an original sketch showcasing nearly one hundred accessories including bags, picnic baskets, apparel, wonderful old trunks, tents, and hammocks- true 'objets nomades' - many of which are in surprisingly bold and modern designs. A beautiful, rare, and precious catalogue of the articles a traveller might require for… Read More

Japan: Yokohama Seishi Bunsha, 1895. First Edition. Rare English-language guide to Japanese domestic wares, with 76 fully-illustrated items. Its publication came at a time when Japan was experiencing a dramatic shift from the conservative, isolationist policies of the sh gun-dominated Edo period to the rapid and widespread drive to modernise and engage with the rest of the world that characterizes the Meiji Restoration. This booklet focuses on a traditional domestic interior and features a beautiful double-page plate showing the layout and arrangement of a Japanese period home, showing respective zones for food preparation, cooking and the entertainment of guests. Items specifically illustrated and described include lacquer wares, a charcoal-burning stove, lanterns, wooden buckets and items used in the tea ceremony. A beautiful copy of a scarce work published for the English market. Bibliography: Not in Cordier or Nipponalia.; Rogala Jozef 'A Collector's Guide to Books on Japan in English', 783.… Read More

Windsor Locks, CT: C.H. Dexter and Sons, n.d.. Trade catalogue: from the paper mill of C.H. Dexter & Sons, established in the early years of the 19th century, with examples of nineteen colour paper samples, beautifully illustrated in the style of art nouveau. Stationery fetish aside, this is an important document in the development of printing history, with historical and cultural significance. Quarto, bound in pictorial wrappers, sewn, original ties intact. rubbed on rear panel and nicked at edges, a very good copy, internally clean and unmarked.