Search Results: Authors starting with H from Sky Duthie Rare Books

[Original manuscript]., [c.1825-1830].. 23.5 x 19.5cm. Handsomely bound in contemporary half dark green morocco over green cloth boards, the spine with four raised bands, richly decorated in gilt and with titles in gilt. The book composed of varying plain and coloured pages (including yellow, pink, green, blue, and purple), 52 of which contain various black and white engravings (19 pages, one page embellished with classical cameos), botanical watercolours (2), manuscript verse (30, including "Byron's latest verses, 1824"), and a rather splendid coloured engraving of a cat (the remainder blank, c.240pp.). A little sparse but nevertheless most attractive. Contemporary ink inscription to the front endpaper; "Marie Antonie Harknell / to Mary Ann Turner". Additional pencil inscription to the front free endpaper: "Wilson Harknell / 1831". Condition is very good, the binding square and firm with a little wear to the spine ends, board edges and corners and some marking to the boards. The spine remains… Read More

Preston: John Harkness., [c.1841].. Broadside ballad on thin paper with wood-engraved headpiece depicting the pirate's bride. 95 x 255mm. There is a small chip to the blank bottom-left corner, a minor hole to the blank upper margin, a faint spot of toning to the left-hand side at the centre, and a little light creasing to the top-left corner, otherwise condition is very good. A nice example of a scarce, delicate, ephemeral production. A ballad forming the parting song of a pirate as he leaves his bride for the "Isle Hydra". As the text indicates, the pirate is a "corsair" en route to the Greek island of Hydra, implying that he is perhaps a Barbary pirate. These "Barbary corsairs", many of whom were Muslim, operated from the North African coast, predominantly seeking to capture slaves (of many ethnicities and religions) for the Barbary slave trade. The ballad also mentions the corsair's "blood red flag", a nautical sign used by pirates to indicate that "no quarter would be given" to their target if… Read More

Sorrento, Victoria: Arden Press., 1994. First edition. Octvao. Turquoise cloth with titles in gilt to the spine. Illustrated throughout in black and white and with several colour plates. Colour illustration cut from the original card wrappers loosely laid in. A near fine copy, the binding square and tight. The contents remain clean and crisp throughout.

London: Dean & Son., [1893].. First edition. Octavo. Publisher's original paper-covered boards with illustration of a bicycle and titles in red and black to the upper board, titles in black to the spine, and advertisement in black to the lower board. 103pp. + 39pp. of cycling records and illustrated advertisements at the front and rear. A very good copy, the binding square and firm with some wear to the paper covering the spine, as well as to the spine ends, corners and extremities. The contents with the publication date added in ink to the foot of the title page are otherwise in very good order throughout. An uncommon late nineteenth-century guide to cycling by the racing cyclist and pioneer of British cycling George Lacy Hillier (1856-1941) and champion tricyclist W. G. H. Bramson. Chapters include: the birth of the cycle; how to ride a cycle; dress; the racing path; touring; hints on training; cycling for ladies; juvenile cycling; and tyres, along with some wonderfully illustrated contemporary… Read More

London: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1896.. First edition. Large octavo. Handsomely bound by Mudie in contemporary brown morocco with elaborate gilt decoration to the boards incorporating dark-red morocco onlays and titles in gilt to the upper board; the spine with five raised bands, compartments richly decorated in gilt, incorporating the same morocco onlays, and titles in gilt. Gilt dentelles. All edges gilt. Marbled endpapers. Illustrated with 46 sepia and black and white plates (the plates which reproduce paintings with captioned tissue-guards) and 7 in-text illustrations. xx + 459pp. A very good copy, the binding square and firm with a touch of cracking to the front hinge, rubbing to the joints and spine ends, a few minor scuffs to the boards and a little wear to the corners. The contents with some light scattered foxing, a clipped corner to one tissue-guard, and another tissue-guard standing slightly proud of the textblock, are otherwise in very good order - the plates remaining clean and sharp.… Read More