Search Results: American Imprints from Charles Agvent

Burlington, NJ: Isaac Collins, 1776. First Edition. Hardcover. Light to moderate foxing, typical for American paper of this period. Near Fine in an attractive binding. Folio (8-3/4" x 13-1/8") bound by Brentano's in twentieth century 3/4 polished calf leather with a gilt-decorated and lettered spine, top edge gilt, marbled endpapers; viii, 493, [1], 6, 4, 4, 3, [1], 15, [1] pages (appears to lack a 6-page appendix). Covers the period from 1702 to 14 January 1776 with an appendix, three alphabetical tables, and an index. With numerous acts described including those on regulating slaves, taverns, fire arms, the militia, gambling and horse races, as well as acts dividing and forming counties. A wonderful compendium of colonial laws right up to the colonies' declaration of independence from England. Early calligraphic owner name of Joseph Stokes on the front endpaper and the bottom of the last page of the preface.

Newbury-port and Boston: John Mvcall for William Green, 1782. Fifth Edition. Hardcover. Endpapers lacking, generally grubby with some staining throughout, 3 leaves with tears at the outer margin resulting in the loss of just a few letters; binding intact. Good and an uncommon early American imprint. Small quarto (5" x 7-3/4") in contemporary sheep with a gilt-lettered morocco spine label; 352, [14], [2 - ads] pages. First published in 1762, and in America in 1775, Burgh's work helped shape the theories of speech delivery for over a century. Containing a 62-page essay on the art of speaking with the remainder of the book consisting of lessons and an index

Wilmington, DE: Peter Brynberg, 1797. New Edition. Hardcover. Paper darkened. One page torn with no loss; rear blank and endpaper partially present. Very Good. Duodecimo (4" x 6-3/4") bound with the half-title page in original sheep leather with a gilt-lettered red morocco label; 226 [6] pages. Evans 32249. Hervey, a popular and bombastic Divine, had an influence on William Blake who painted "Epitome of James Hervey's Meditations among the Tombs." Two of the works in this collection--MEDITATIONS AMONGST THE TOMBS and THERON AND ASPASIO--decisively influenced the imagery in Blake's well-known poem "The Tyger."

Philadelphia: W[illiam] Bradford , [1758]. First Edition. Hardcover. Title page with a few repaired tears hinged with following Preface page; two adjoining leaves (pages 441-444) of text lacking and supplied with facsimiles. Contents Very Good, binding about Fine. Folio (7-1/4" x 11-1/2") bound in contemporary calf leather with a decorative blindstamped border, recently rebacked with a new gilt-lettered and decorated spine, preserving original paste-downs and free endpapers; (4), 763 pages. Title within rule border, decorative woodcut head- and tail-pieces. An important compilation of the fundamental New Jersey charters and session laws of the proprietary period (1664 to 1702), up to Lord Cornbury's commission and instructions as Royal Governor, when New Jersey became a crown colony under Queen Anne. Publication was ordered by the New Jersey Assembly in 1752, but two years were required to collect the documents to be included, while the typesetting and printing took Bradford an additional three. By… Read More

New York: Childs and Swaine, 1794. First Edition. Hardcover. Occasional minor stain or foxing, but quite clean in a Very Good contemporary binding, a little rubbed on the spine with a very short split at the top joint, covers tight. Overall a Near Fine survival. Contemporary sheep; 53, [4], 66-183, [1] pages [as issued]. BAL 5048; Church Catalog 1262: "In this pastoral poem is introduced a vivid description of the burning of Fairfield by the British, in 1779"; Evans 26925. The poem is dedicated to Vice-President John Adams.

Boston: Draper & Folsom, 1782. First American Edition. Hardcover. Early ink name scratched out at top of title page; one leaf with short tear with no loss; lacks front endpaper, otherwise complete with the Advertisement leaf and blank at the end; occasional pencil notes, early ink stamp of John Clark on recto of rear endpaper, text evenly browned. Binding rubbed with slight loss of leather and mild wear at the spine tips. Very Good. Small quarto (5" x 8") in contemporary sheep; v, [2], vii-viii, 6-296 [i.e. 6-298], [2] pages. First published posthumously in Edinburgh in 1774, this first publication in America is very scarce. Here Edwards attempts to establish a theology in the form of history to show how events were adapted to promote the work of redemption. The DICTIONARY OF AMERICAN BIOGRAPHY describes Edwards as "the first great philosophic intelligence in American history."

Philadelphia: Thomas Dobson, 1792. First Edition. Hardcover. Mild foxing to the title page. Handful of pages with margins trimmed closely but with no loss. Near Fine. Recent full calf leather; [6], v, 130 [1] pages. Austin 1247; Evans 24534; Heirs of Hippocrates 761. An important first book by a noted antiquarian, geologist, and physician in early nineteenth century America who, among other accomplishments, led the fight for systematic instruction of pharmacists. Mease would continue to write on rabies throughout his life, being particularly active in exposing quack cures of the dreaded disease. Errata leaf present with one manuscript correction. Possibly lacking the half title page though none of the copies we are aware of have one. The last copy to appear at auction was in 1988.

New York: Lewis Nichols, 1834. First Edition. Softcover. Small stain on title, last few pages foxed, spine frayed. Very Good. Plain blue wraps (3-1/4" x 5-1/4"); 68 [1] pages. With errata slip. Apparently the other parts were never published. The author attempts to simplify the science of numbers to enable one to make computations more quickly and easily .A scarce little book. We could find no other copies for sale and no auction records. OCLC records only the copy at Harvard.

Philadelphia: W. Spotswood, R. Campbell, and B. Johnson, 1792. First American Edition. Hardcover. Front free endpaper lacking; early owner name to top of title and the first page of text; light to moderate foxing; one gathering bound upside down; about five leaves trimmed closely, occasionally affecting a word or letter. Binding quite nice with partial splits on both covers which are holding firm. Very Good and quite scarce, especially in this complete, unmutilated condition. Duodecimo (4-1/8" x 6-3/4") bound in contemporary calf leather with gilt rules on the spine and a gilt-lettered red morocco spine label; xiii, xii-xvi, 557, [1-advertisement for Spotswood's books] pages, as issued. Originally issued in London in 1788, this is ONE OF THE EARLIEST COOKBOOKS PRINTED IN AMERICA. The chapters include material on wine and wine making, cordials, brewing, "proper rules to be observed in marketing," "rules for trussing," sauces, baking, broiling, and everything else. Briggs's prefatory remarks are dated… Read More

Worcester, MA: Isaiah Thomas, 1794. First Isaiah Thomas Edition. Hardcover. Occasional foxing or staining, but generally clean in a Fine, handsome binding. Octavo (5" x 8-1/8") bound in recent full calf leather with gilt decoration to the boards and spine, raised bands, marbled endpapers; 302 pages. Complete with the original endpapers. First published in Edinburgh in 1784 and in America in Philadelphia in 1790, the Isaiah Thomas edition is fairly scarce. Austin 862; Evans 27084; Heirs of Hippocrates 652: "Hamilton was the first to distinguish and describe uterine and vaginal discharge and he promoted the concept of the perineum as supporting the pelvic structure.... The American edition of his later publication, TREATISE ON THE MANAGEMENT OF FEMALE COMPLAINTS (1793), is the first American publication devoted to the subject of gynecology."

Alexandria [VA]: J. & J. D. Westcott for J. V. Thomas, 1801. First American Edition. Hardcover. An early owner, Joseph H. Wingate, has written his name twice in each volume, dated 1809. There is also a faint, early ink stamp for J. W. Sewall on the front endpaper of each volume. Closed tear to first volume title page with no loss; text fairly clean. The boards of the second volume are split and holding by the cords. Overall Very Good. First published in England in 1799, this First American Edition is much scarcer. Two duodecimo volumes in 4s (3-3/4" x 5-7/8") bound in contemporary calf leather with gilt rules on the spines and burgundy morocco spine labels; [4], vi, 286; [2], 269, [1] pages with the error in paging in the first volume, page 47 misnumbered 57. Shaw & Shoemaker 577. This early Gothic novel takes place during the Protestant Reformation and tells the tale of a penurious noble who finds the philosopher's stone and an elixir of immortality. It was a source for a somewhat better known… Read More

Kennebunk, ME: Stephen Sewall, 1804. Hardcover. Both covers neatly detached but text block is tight; some loss and cracking of spine leather. Good. Duodecimo (4-1/8" x 7") in sheep leather; vi, 162 pages. This edition without the Blake illustrations. An early Kennebunk imprint. Not in Sabin. Ownership name of "Ann McMaster/her Book/New York" on the front blank and with an inscription to her on the title page from her friend, Miss Hay.