Americana

Philadelphia: H.S. Tanner, 1823. Folio. (24 x 16 3/4 inches). Letterpress half-title, 1p. index and 18pp. text. Engraved title with vignette of the "First Landing of Columbus in the New World", 18 fine hand-coloured engraved maps (16 double-page, 2 folding). Expertly bound to style in half-calf over contemporary marbled paper-covered boards, the flat spine gilt and divided into seven compartments by fillets and roll tools, lettered in the second compartment, the others with repeat decoration in gilt, marbled endpapers A fine copy of the first collected edition of "the most distinguished atlas published in the United States during the engraving period" (Ristow). Tanner's New American Atlas contained the most accomplished series of maps of America that had yet appeared in an atlas. Of the greatest importance were the maps of American states. These maps were drawn up using a careful combination of original surveys and the best existing published sources. The evident high cost of production meant that… Read More

Philadelphia: T.K. & P.G. Collins for D. Rice & A. N. Hart, 1855. 3 volumes, 8vo. (10 1/4 x 6 3/4 inches). 120 hand-colored lithographic plates by J.T. Bowen, most after Charles Bird King. Publisher's brown blind-stamped morocco, spine in six compartments with five raised bands, lettered in gilt in two, the others with repeat decoration in blind. The third octavo edition of McKenney and Hall's classic work, after the first octavo edition of 1848-50, reduced from the folio format produced in 1836-44. The plates for the first four octavo editions were all produced by the same lithographer, J.T. Bowen, and the same high quality of printing and colouring of the plates is found throughout. McKenney and Hall's Indian Tribes of North America has long been renowned for its faithful portraits of Native Americans. The portrait plates are based on paintings by the artist Charles Bird King, who was employed by the War Department to paint the Indian delegates visiting Washington D.C., forming the basis of the… Read More

Frankfurt: Typis Johannis Wecheli, Sumtibus vero Johannis-Theodori de Bry, 1608. Folio. (13 1/4 x 9 inches). Collation: a4, b6, c4, d6, *2, A6, B-C8, D6, E8, F5. Title page to text with two pasted on paper panels bearing the title and publishing details in Latin, all within an engraved surround (as issued), letterpress title to plates, engraved arms on dedication leaf, blank D6. 1 double-page engraved map of Virginia [Burden 76, state 2], 1 engraved plate of Adam and Eve (first state with inscription "Iodocus a Winghe in / / Theodore de Bry fe", 27 engraved plates after John White (including 5 plates of Picts), with blank D6 but without the final blank F6 (as in Church), various small neat expert repairs, three leaves misbound. Expertly bound to style in 18th-century blue/green morocco, covers with gilt roll tool border, the flat spine divided into six compartments with gilt roll tools and fillets, lettered in the second compartment, the others tooled with alternating neo-classical tools,… Read More

London: Printed for H.Bonwicke, T.Goodwin, M.Wotton, B.Tooke, and S.Manship, 1703. First Edition of the English Translation. Lahontan was only sixteen years of age when he first arrived in New France in 1683, as an officer in the colonial regular troops. During the next ten years he saw active service in the sieur de La Barre’s expedition against the Iroquois in 1684, in the Marquis de Denonville’s campaign against the Senecas in 1687, and in numerous skirmishes with the English. In 1693 he was appointed King’s lieutenant in Plaisance (Placentia), Newfoundland. His career, however, came to an abrupt end when he was accused of insubordination by the governor of Newfoundland, Jacques François de Brouillan. Lahontan fled to Portugal and spent the rest of his life in wandering exile, chiefly in Holland and Germany. The daily journals Lahontan faithfully kept during his stay in New France for the basis of this work, which gained such immense popularity that it went through no less… Read More

First edition of Thoreau's first book – 1000 copies published at his own expense of which only 550 were bound - less than 300 were sold or given away by the publisher and Thoreau, and in 1853 the remainder was returned to him whereupon he hauled it up to his attic and sarcastically bemoaned the dismal sales. Top edge uncut. Minor wear to spine ends, minor sporadic foxing, lettering at spine foot rubbed off(a common occurrence with the wispy spine cloth), else a Fine, crisp copy with bright gilt. Scarce in this condition, even 100 years ago when this copy sold at auction.
Ex-Jacob Chester Chamberlain, famed turn of the century collector with three lines of text dropped by the publisher penciled in his hand on page 396, along with his acquisition slip from another noted collector, Beverly Chew of the Grolier Club in New York City. Housed in an amazing contemporary custom pull off case with elaborate tooling, commissioned by Chamberlain, as was his custom for many of his most fantastic books. Sold at… Read More

1777. London, Robert Sayer & Jean Bennett, 1777. [Engraved title: London, Sayer & Bennett, 1775]. Folio. Recently bound in a magnificent pastiche-binding of brown half calf with six raised bands and gilt red leather title-label to elaborately gilt spine. Vellum corners and lovely marbled paper over boards. The binding is made over the original one, preserving the original sewn spine underneath as well as the original end-papers. An excellent, beautiful copy. Very clean and fresh. Only minor, light browning to a few maps, and last map with a bit more staining. One map with a small tear to lower margin, far from effecting engraving. Previously in the possession the Danish medieval estate Ravnholt, since the 18th century owned by the noble family of Sehestedt Juul, with discreet stamps from this ownership to title-page: "Sehestedt Juel" and "Rauenholdts Bibliothek". Title-page (French) + 6 pp. of preface (French) + (2) pp. of index (French) + double-page engraved, illustrated title (English) + 36… Read More

Approximately 3200 booking records (approximately 20 of which have been contemporaneously blotted-out) numbered 37888 to 41109 accompanied by individual 2 x 3 inches photographs and description of the person and their alleged crime. Full brown cloth. Front board separated at hinge (see image). Marbled endpapers. Index of names in alphabetical order. Lacking page 289/290. Heavy shelf wear given the size, weight and regular usage; moisture mark to lower edge. [52], 358 pp. 16.5 x 19.65 in.; 24 pounds (10.8 Kilo)

Boston, MA: Printed and Published by Benjamin Russell, in State-Street, Boston, Wednesday, November 30, 1791, 1791. wrappers. Olowalu Massacre. folio. wrappers. (89), 90-92 pages, 4 pages total. An absolutely fine copy of this incredibly rare issue of an important eye-witness account to the worst massacre in Hawaii's history. The editor prefaces the account as follows: "An account of an event which last year happened at one of the Sandwich Islands, in which the Commander and crew of an American vessel were the actors, it is probable will be variously related; The EDITOR of the CENTINEL having been furnished by a correspondent, with the following particulars, lays them before the publick. - In common with all the friends of humanity, he laments the carnage which the account describes." Forbes, Hawaiian National Bibliography 1780-1900, 215, records two institutional holdings (American Antiquarian Society, and Boston Athenaeum), and in photocopy, only, in Hawaii. (see attached).

First edition. Quarto, full limp cowhide. One of the finest and rarest of Texas imprints, and one that has been referred to as the 'black tulip' of western fine printing. Of legendary rarity and highlighted in Al Lowman's The Printing Arts in Texas, this copy is accompanied by a letter from the author to Dudley Dobie concerning the book's origins and the great expense required to print it. The book and letter were owned by W. Thomas Taylor, author of Texfake, a book which exposed the theft and forgery of early Texas documents in the 1970s; the publisher of Bookways, a quarterly devoted to book arts; and the designer/printer of over fifty books. Printed recto only, the book was written, designed and the type set by Ed W. Bateman, a one time newspaper reporter (hence the title) and a wildcatter of great success and failure. This book was created during one of his periods of great success. The text and illustrations are printed in two colors and the subject matter ranges from a father's implacable… Read More

London: T. Woodward, J. Walthoe, J. Peele, T. Longman, T. Shewell, C. Hitch, A. Miller & J. Rivington, 1748. Fifth edition, corrected. Small octavo. Four volumes. Bound in full contemporary brown calf with a single blind-stamped border on the covers and blind-stamped tooling on board edges; spine with raised bands and a single gilt-lettered label; wood-engraved initials and headpieces. Large armorial bookplates of The Marquess of Sligo at Westport House, else fine.. A remarkably bright and well-preserved collection of the essays by Thomas Gordon (1691-1750) and John Trenchard (1662-1723) that, perhaps more than any other written work, influenced the minds of American colonists in the years leading up to the American Revolution. The 144 essays that are contained in the four volumes were originally published by Gordon and Trenchard in the London Journal between 1720 and 1723 under the pseudonym "Cato," the relentless opponent of Julius Caesar and committed champion of republican principles. This fifth… Read More

American Colonies, 1775. Original engraved boxwood block, 3 x 4 inches, three-quarters-inch deep, together with a uniformly framed modern impression. A few hair-line surface clefts and two larger clefts, one along the flag's edge and the other at flag center. Exceptionally rare and well-preserved Revolutionary War artifact depicting one of the most famous and enduring symbols and mottos of the colonial fight for independence.. Remarkable eighteenth-century engraved woodblock depicting an uncoiled rattlesnake against the thirteen-stripe flag emblazoned with the motto "Don't Tread on Me" set diagonally below. This original woodblock would have been used during the Revolutionary War to reproduce this defiant cartoon in colonial pamphlets, newspapers, and broadsides during the fight for independence. The cartoon's thirteen stripes represented the thirteen colonies, and the threatening serpent posed a striking warning to those who would dare tread upon their freedom. The rattlesnake was a well-known… Read More

Madrid, Nicolas Rodriguez Franco, 1723Folio. Three volumes. Vol I: engraved title page, 1t leaves, folding map, 768 pp., 36 leaves. Vol II: engraved title page, 6 leaves, 623 pp., 28 leaves. Vol III: engraved title page, 5 leaves, 4pp., 634pp, 21 leaves. Contemporary vellum with coat of arms at the front of each volume.First volume contains the history of New Spain, second volume the religious believes and practices of the indians in Mexico and third volume the development of the Catholic church in New Spain.Written by the Franciscan provincial superior of Mexico, this edition was corrected and updated by Barcia Carballido y Zúñiga. The text makes particular use of the unpublished manuscript of Gerónimo Mendieta, who reached Mexico in 1554 and spent his life among the Indians.The second and best edition of this "key work on the early history of Spanish North America"Palau: 335033

Poitiers, Enguibert de Marnef, 1560.
- Histoire et considération de l'origine, loy, et coustumes des Tartares, Persiens, Arabes, Turcs, & tous autres Ismaelites ou Muhamediques, dits par nous Mahometains, ou Sarrazins.
Poitiers, Enguibert de Marnef, 1560.
- La tierce partie des orientales histoires, ou est exposée la condition, Puissance, & revenu de l'Empire Turquesque : avec toutes les provinces & païs generalement depuis 950 ans en çà par tous Ismaelites conquis...
Poitiers, Enguibert de Marnef, 1560.
3 parts in 1 small 4to volume [205 x 146 mm] of: I/ (1) bl.l., (4) ll., 127 pp., (1) bl.p. ; II/ 57 pp., (3) bl. pp ; III/ (4) ll., 90 pp., (1) bl.l., suite of 56 full-page numbered engravings (out of 57) bound together, (1) bl.l. Bound in full contemporary brown granite-like calf, triple gilt fillet on the covers, spine ribbed and finely decorated, red edges. Binding from the 18th century.
Rare first edition of these three books known under the general title of "La République des Turcs",… Read More

2 volumes in one. [xx]+engraved title-page+folding map+355 pages with frontispiece, folding maps and folding plates. [xxvi]+folding map+178 pages with folding plates. Small octavo (7 3/4" x 5") bound in attractive later red morocco with five raised spine bands and gilt lettering to spine, edges in gilt. (Graff 1862; Howes H-416; Lande 423; Pforzheimer 461; Sabin 31371; Streeter J106; Thwaite, 1903 edition, p.xlii; Wing H1450) First English edition.
The "Bon" issue (with the first line of the printers on the title-page ending in "Bon-"). This work includes A Continuation of the New Discovery bound at the end with separate title-page and pagination, but with continuous signatures.
One of the most important 17th-century accounts of the upper Midwest and Great Lakes regions. Louis Hennepin, Rene Robert Cavelier and Sieur de la Salle established Fort Crevecouer in Peoria, Illinois, and explored the upper Mississippi River before being captured by the Sioux. Hennepin reached St. Anthony's Falls (near… Read More

NY : E.J. Hale & Son, 1878 Alexander Means was an inventor, physicist, poet and a past Emory College president at the original campus in Oxford GA. Many say he was the father of modern electricity. His famous light bulb experiment preceded Tesla and Edison by decades. This is a very rare first edition (1878). The book is in sound condition. Blue cloth cover intact as well as binding. Minor cloth fray on spine and damp stain on rear cover. What is most remarkable about this book is that it is inscribed by one of his former slaves after his freedom. The inscription reads " Susie , Accept this cluster of Poems by one of my old masters from your affecionate husband A.F.P Decatur Ga, Apr 1878. A most precious inscription to a valuable 19th C book.. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Good.