Book Trade History

Beautifully printed bifolium on thick wove paper. Dimensions of leaf roughly thirteen inches by ten; dimensions of illustration roughly nine and a half inches by eight. Tissue guard. Recto of first leaf and verso of second blank. Letterpress on verso of first leaf reads 'Fernand De Nobele, libraire pres St-Germain-des-Pres, vous adresse ses meilleurs voeux pour l'annee 1969. | [L'abbaye en 1368]'. Illustration signed at foot 'Josephine Beaudouin', with the limitation '190/200'. For De Nobele - President of ILAB between 1965 and 1967 - see Anthony Rota's 'Books in the Blood' (2002).

Pamphlet, 8pp., 12mo, blank wraps except inside back wrap ("Reprinted from The Nation / 50 Copies"), minor damage at one staple, mainly good. Enclosed: printed anonymous poem entitled "It Takes a Book", one page (verso blank), 12mo, the theme of which is that you can trust a friend to return anything except a book. Not in Beverly Chew. Essays and verses about books. New York: D. B. Updike, 1926)

Dimensions of paper roughly twelve inches by ten; dimensions of print roughly nine and a half inches by seven and a half. A good clear impression, on aged, creased paper, of a striking illustration showing a portly and sleek Asperne, beautifully turned out in Freemason's robes and paraphernalia, holding a leather-bound book, and seated in an ornately carved wooden chair with the Freemasons' eye in a triangle at its head. Captioned 'Mr James Asperne | BOOKSELLER, CORNHILL, | Past Master of the FOUNDATION LODGE NO. 96 And St. Peter's No.. 249 | P.S.D. of the LODGE of Antiquity No.

Four vols, simply bound in variant colours, good condition. Ex lib (Public Library) but latterly from the Reference Library of Peter Eaton (Booksellers) Ltd, library stamp, and number on spine. The periodiocal which best informed booksellers and collecvors from its institution.

One page, on rough-edged grey wove paper, roughly nine inches by six wide. An attractive production of twenty-two lines, with ornamental rules top and bottom, headed 'This Day is Published, | IN TWO VOLUMES OCTAVO, | PRICE ONE GUINEA IN BOARDS, | Monographia Apum Angliae; | [...] | By WILLIAM KIRBY, B.A. F.L.S. | RECTOR of Barham in Suffolk. | [...]'. According to BBTI John White traded between 1785 and 1816 and Stephen Couchman between 1774 and 1825.

Dimensions roughly nine inches by three and a half wide. Creased and somewhat aged, with traces of previous blue paper mount on reverse. The cartoon, which occupies just under the top half, shows three hillbillies watching a fourth chalk crosses onto a farmyard wall, with the caption 'Somebody told him 'bout a old age pension . . . he's practicin' to sign up fer it.' Beneath this 'ATTENTION! | C. A. STONEHILL, Inc. | Rare Books and Manuscripts | IS NOW LOCATED AT | 198 1/2 YORK ST. | SECOND FLOOR | NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT | Come In and Browse'.

Paper dimensions roughly ten and a half inches by eleven and a half; print dimensions eight and a half inches by ten and a half. Aged and with three inch strip, roughly half an inch wide, torn away from surface of print in top left-hand corner. Depicts a crowded and rather grand hall, containing a long horseshoe-shaped table around which are crowded connoisseurs of both sexes contemplating engravings and illustrated books or engaged in discussion. Arti et Amicitiae is an Amsterdam society of artists and art lovers, founded in 1839.

One page, 4to, good condition. Books include English grammars in French, Pope's Works, Guarini's "Pastor Fido". Broiefly docketed presumably by Glenbervie.

One page, 8vo, good. He sends newspapers post free "to all parts of the Kingdom." He charges mainly for items of stationery but also an almanack.

[24]pp., 12mo, unbound (formerly bound into a book?), crude repair to spine, partly detached leaves, foxing, text clear and complete. Subjects; Voyages, Travels, Geography, and Topography; Miscellaneous; Divinity; Medicine, Surgery and Chemistry; Novels, Romances, etc.; Education (most substantial section); Books to be published. Note: I have yet to trace another copy but the major American libraries have microform copies, as does CUL, the only holding library listed on COPAC.

Dimensions roughly eight inches by five and a half. Very good on aged paper. All but top edge rough. One page, blank reverse.

One page, 4to, good condition. He gives belated thanks for writing to them "and sending us your contribution for our catalogue." They delayed so that thanks would accompany a copy of the catalogue. They have sent the catalogue under separate cover and "hope you will find it enertaining. Too, we hope that you will find our comments on your work not unworthy of your talents." See Donald C. Dickinson, "Dictionary, for discussion of the "rambunctious" bookseller, including his interaction with major literary figures.

Dimensions of paper roughly eight and a half inches by six and a half wide. Illustration roughly five and a half inches by five wide. Good on slightly aged and creased paper. A grey-haired Gregory, fashionably dressed in striped waistcoat and cravat, and wearing a white apron, stares at the viewer while holding a book in his left hand and writing its details in a ledger with a quill in his right hand. BBTI gives Robert Loder's trading dates as 1822-39, and Gregory's as 1793-1851.

One page, on paper roughly seven inches by eight wide. Good, on lightly creased paper. Stamped with date. He thanks his correspondent for 'the typed list'. Headed 'Memorandum from | GEORGE GREGORY, Book Merchant, Library Buyer and Exporter, | The Imperial Book Store, | 5 and 5a ARGYLE STREET, BATH. | Out-of-Print and Rare, or Out-of-the-Way Books sought for and reported promptly, with option of purchase. Send me your List of Wants. | Licensed Valuer. Stock well classified in Thirty Rooms. Libraries Purchased. | Bankers: UNION OF LONDON & SMITHS BANK, LTD., BATH.

Sixteen invoices, all 8vo, good condition. They bought account books and stationery relevant to their function. The overseers, for example, bought a "Poor Rates Book", had "Rate Receipt books" and "Poor Rate Notices" printed by Gotelee. The surveyors' invoices listed "Printing 200 Highway Rate Receipts". The churchwardens had a "Book of Common Prayer" bound.

Pp. 16' 16; 32-56; 57-80, one coloured frontispiece.Some wear and tear, marking and sunning, fair condition, complete. Articles and advertising aimed at the book-collector (for example "A Prince of Collectors" (Jean Grolier)).

Piece of paper, bifoliate, c.5 x 4", good condition. "Gent. / These books belong to you - I will call & explain tomorrow / A. Leighton". Archibald Leighton II helped invent and develop 'book cloth binding' between 1820 and 1832. (BBTI).

Card, c.4 x 3", soiled, remnants of album page on verso (four corners). Within the Royal Arms of the Duke of Clarence is printed "William Curtis / Bookseller / To H.R.H. the Duke of Clarence / Plymouth". At the botton "Harps, Pianofortes &c. on Sale or Hire."

Two pages, 8vo, fold marks but good condition. He apologises for not returning a book he had borrowed from the Baron ("L'almanack Medical"). He had taken it to the country "pour en lire quelques passages a mon frere" and forgot to bring it back. He plans the eventual return. "L'etat de la sante de mon frere ne s'ameliore que peu et bien lentement - Il reviendra de la campagne probrablement avec moi mardi prochaine." Heconcludes with politenesses at length.

On piece of paper roughly three and a half inches by three wide. Good, lightly aged with a little creasing to one corner. Pleasant armorial design within floral arrangement. Motto 'VIGILANS' on scroll above 'Sir Richard Burton' in copperplate at foot. Indentation of plate around edge.

Arranging the three in what appears to be chronological order, the first (good, roughly four inches by two and three-quarters wide) has 'Josiah C. Wedgwood' in copperplate beneath a straightforward Victorian armorial design, with shield, coronet and motto 'OBSTANTIA DISCINDO'. The second (three and a half inches by three wide) dates from after Wedgwood's election as a Member of Parliament in 1906, having 'EX-LIBRIS JOSIAH C. WEDGWOOD, M.P.' on a scroll beneath a more modern armorial design, with helmet and leaves. It has slight damage to the bottom right-hand corner.

Quarto, twelve pages. Unbound. In original grey printed wraps, with facsimile portrait of Caxton laid down on front cover as part of design. Stitched. Lightly aged and worn, and a little loose. A handsome production, with five full-page facsimiles of pages from the book, and three other illustrations (including duplicate of that on front wrap). Large plate of charcoal drawing, captioned 'A view of the facade of 16 & 17 Pall Mall as seen from the Athenaeum', laid down inside back wrap.

Chairman of Unwin Brothers (born 1870). One page, quarto. Good, but discoloured and lightly creased, and with staple stain at head. Docketed and bearing the Society's stamp. He is sorry not to have answered sooner, but 'some very important business has engaged my attention during the last few days with the result that I put your letter into my private drawer without acknowledging it.

Director of the Imprimerie Royale, Paris, and later met his end on an "echafaud revolutionnaire" (1794). One page, 8vo, good condiiton "M. Anisson Duperon, Directeur de l'Imprimerie Royale, a l'honneur de presenter son respect a Monsieur le President de l'Assemblee Nationale"; il a celui de les prevenir qu'en vertu du Decret de l'Assemblee il a fait remettre au M. Baudouin son [to the Assemblee] Imprimeur Douze cents Soixante Exemplaires de cinq nouvelles Lois, dont il [joint..?] Deux Exempls de chacune pour la disposition particulaiere de Monsieur le President."

One page, 4to, chipped with small loss of text, paper fragile. Text as follows: Monsieur Anselin, Paris, Je vous prie de m'expedier aussitot [underlined] par l'entremise de Mr Ren[loss of text] les livres suivants, je vous recommande surtout les petits brochures vieux dont je suis tres presse." There follows a list of 22 titles, all military (e.g "Dictionnaire d'artillerie", "Manoeuvres de chevres & de forces 1821", etc.). Usually one copy required, but he requires 3 of one book (the Dictionnaire) and 2 of its supplement.

Printing family (famille des imprimeirs) and eminent collector. One page, 4to, chipped with small loss of text., torn along a fold mark, fragile. The printed form is headed as above with further details of the Society ("Maison de Retraite et de Sante en faveur des Artistes, des Hommes de Lettres et de Science") Firmin Didot has signed a declaration ("Adhesion aux Statuts") that he will adhere to the "Statuts de la dite Societe . . .

Printer and antiquary (1779-1863), editor and owner of Notes and Queries, also published ‘Anecdotes of William Hogarth,’ 1833, with forty-eight plates, a compilation from his father's ‘Biographical Anecdotes of Mr. Hogarth’ (see Notes and Queries, 4th ser. i. 97). Autograph note signed, 2pp., 8vo, trimmed without loss of text, to T.C. Croker, folklorist and antiquary, at the Admiralty, 15 April (no year). He has received "the Vols of Hogarth" safely, and asks to borrow "the Volume of W.

Proof with manuscript changes in pencil and printed additions pasted onto p.viii. 14 pages, folio. Five plates and five illustrations in text. In original green printed wraps. In good condition: paper discoloured and with some creasing at head; wraps grubby, creased and worn, with small closed tear along top end of spine. An attractive production, 'reprinted from J. & J. Leighton's illustrated catalogue of early-printed books, manuscripts, &c. part xiv.' Describes the edition of the Golden Legend published by Caxton in 1483, and a block-book published in Germany around 1470.

Printer, editor, classicist, and publisher. Three pages, 8vo, minor damage but text clear and complete. "The Virgil [pubd. 1819 re.BLC] was I assure you sent thro Baldwins at the time it was published but the first 10 Nos are not mine & therefore I have no choice in giving away a copy - I forward you a copy of early Poems [?Sanderson, "Poems chiefly sacred original and translated"] - they are mine, & not my Fathers. I know nothing of the prose trans[latio]n of Faust.

Two pages, 12mo. Good, on aged and creased paper. Engraving of ancient medallion as letterhead. He takes 'the opportunity of a friend going over' to send Smith 'a parcel which I have just received from Monsr De la Plane, Secretary of the Society of Antiquaries of the <?> & the Bulletin of the Society, for the Royal [sic] Society of Antiquaries, the British Archaeological Association [founded 1843], the Numismatic Society, and Smith himself. He is also sending a letter for J[ohn]. Y[onge]. Ackerman (1806-73).