Rare books from Aardvark Rare Books

London: Imprinted by Iohn Daie (John Day) for Nicolas Englande, MDLX, The 26 Daie of September, 1560. Second state in English. Leather-bound. Very Good. Folio. (9 5/8" x 6 3/4"). Rebound at some point in sympathetic calf, with earlier spine affixed. This spine, which has five raised bands, has what appear to be a repeating pattern of strawberries (?) blindstamped into each compartment except that of the title, which itself is blindstamped into its compartment. Scuffing to boards, evidence of reconstituted corners, rubbing and wear to entire length of spine, but. but book is very tightly bound. with blue Ex Libris bookplate affixed to front pastedown which reads "Anderson" and "Stand Sure", below a shield with two wolves and two black stars surrounding a black cross, ribboned border, and a tree at the top. Marbled endpapers. Woodcut arms of Francis, Earl of Bedford on title, Che Sara Sara* motto below. Stain to part of title page, perhaps to obscure manuscript words Printed in Black Letter with… Read More

Edinburgh, Scotland: T. Lumisden and J. Robertson, and sold at their Printing-house in the Fish-market, 1743. First British (Second Overall). Leather-bound. Very Good. Octavo. Contemporary speckled calf. (6 5/8" x 4 1/4"). Author's name hand printed to front board. Spine repaired and reinforced Rubbing and wear to extremities. Internally clean. iv + 221pp. Name of "Rev. Thomas Smith" in pencil to front free endpaper. iv,124,129-221,[1]. Mis-paginated qwith pp. 129 following pp. 124. Text continuous, despite this error in pagination. OCLC/WorldCat locates just one copy of this 1743 first British edition, in any library worldwide, although ESTC says different. Edwards wrote this when serving as the Pastor of the Church of Christ, at Northampton. Clean, tight copy of a scarce title by one of the most well-known (if not THE archetypal) old, New England exhorter/preacher.

London, England: Printed for Thomas Parkhurst and Thomas Cockerill at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside near Mercers Chappel, and at the Three Legs in the Poultrey, 1680. First Edition. Binding Fair; Text Very Good. Leatherbound. Quarto, 29 cm.x 18 cm. Full contemporary speckled calf, double ruled in blind, with a decorative pattern stamped adjacentfront and rear joints. Scuffing to front and rear boards, and some cracking to joints. Contrasting red spine labels for title; date stamped in gilt (below). Five raised bands (six compartments) Some sections of these different pamphlets show mild age-tanning, but in the main, pages are very bright. One page shows both a cut and a tear, resulting in the loss of two or three words of the Errate to the Second Pamphlet (P. 51) Nice Large print. Wide margins. Titus Oates (1649 -1705), also called Titus the Liar, was an English perjurer who fabricated the "Popish Plot", a supposed Catholic conspiracy to kill King Charles I. This resulted in a mass… Read More

Ireland: Dun Emer Press and Cuala Press, Various. Mixed. Very Good Plus. Jack Yeats, and others. Huge Collection of Dun Emer / Cuala Press printed in black and red. Photo-engraved title page emblems by Edmund Dulac, A.E., T. Sturge Moore, Elizabeth Yeats, Elinaor Monsell, Robert Gregory, et al. Most bound in the characteristic Cuala Press linen-backed boards with paper spine labels, blue-gray endpapers, several collected in linen-covered slipcases. Most printed by Elizabeth Corbet Yeats on paper made in Ireland at Cuala Press. Some pages unopened. Largely First Editions. It would take a lifetime to collect the individual volumes of this series of limited editions from Dun Emer / Cuala Press which, considered from both the literary and the book arts perspectives, constitutes one of the most important private presses of the 20th century—if not of the fine press movement as a whole. At the confluence of the Irish Literary Revival and the Arts & Crafts Movement, the early 20th century witnessed… Read More

London, England: Macmillan and Co. Limited, 1949. Limited, Numbered, Signed Edition (9/375). Hardcover. Near Fine in mylar, and housed in a slipcase.. Quartos. (10 3/16" x 6 1/4"). Two-volume set in beveled green cloth with bright gilt monogram device to front boards. . This edition limited to 375 copies, of which 350 were for sale. No. 9 of 375, signed by the author on the limitation page, published after his death. Printed on specially made Glastonbury Ivory Toned Antique Laid Paper, manufactured by Messrs. John Dickinson and Co. Ltd. The type selected is Fournier. The work was published on November 25, 1949. A tissue-guarded frontispiece of Volume I is a reproduction of a drawing by John S. Sargent of a young Yeats, and in Volume II, the frontis is from a painting of an older Yeats, by Augustus John.Very faint rubbing to lower corners, and a tiny bump to the outer edge of Volume II. Housed in a beige, cloth-covered and suede-lined slipcase, with some brown staining to one side. Prospectus laid… Read More

San Francisco, CA: The History Company, 1886. Leather-bound. Near Fine. Thirty-nine matching volumes. Octavo, 9.3 in. x 6 in. ORIGINAL leather bindings with gilt title on two black panels to spine. Marbled edges. Hands down, this is the loveliest set we've come across in nearly thirty years. A few recent nips and tucks in the capable hands of our book restoration guru and this full set looks the masterpiece it is. (See pictures.) Note: We will not compromise on superb and well-protected shipping. "Colossal cooperative undertaking; nothing approaching it has ever been attempted in this country..." (Howes B 91). Volumes 1 - 5: Native Races Volumes 6 - 8: History of Central America Volumes 9 - 14: History of Mexico Volumes 15 - 16: History of the North Mexican States and Texas Volume 17: History of Arizona and New Mexico Volumes 18 - 24: History of California Volume 25: History of Nevada, Colorado, and Wyoming Volume 26: History of Utah Volumes 27 - 28: History of the Northwest Coast Volumes 29 - 30:… Read More

Basel: Basileae Apud Io. Hervagium, Mense Martio, 1532. First Edition. Leather-bound (Vellum). Good Plus. Folio.IN LATIN. No Map. Vellum.Text 30.5 x 20 cm. Manuscript title to spine. Vellum stained (as per usual) and apart from a very small tear near top of spine, is in lovely and solid condition. Lacks the (rarely seen) woodcut map of the world ("Typus Cosmographicus Universalis"), and lacks Jehan Petit's printer's device to title page, but this device (bust on a pedestal) is present on verso of last leaf. Very light toning throughout, and darkening and tidelines to first 170 or so pages, but restricted to very wide margins (not text). Additional tidelines at bottom to final 30 pages, and again, with no effect upon the clarity of the text. Pages are supple with a nice, easy-to-read typeface. Simon Grynaeus wrote the preface ("Declaratio") but John Huttich alone compiled this massive and invaluable historical work. (Later editions dropped this preface because it contained text critical of The… Read More

Boston: Edes & Gill, in Queen-Street; and T. & J. Fleet at the Heart and Crown, in Cornhill, 1770. Pamphlet. Good. Scarce, pre-American Revolutionary pamphlet- and, by just a few days, Pre-Boston Massacre, this publication, at its face, was merely a useful almanac, but in actuality, an organ characterized by seething sentiment and fervent rage and calls for solidarity against the indignities of a large British occupying troops, which not only were forced by the Quartering Act of 1765 to house the occupying soldiers in public houses but which forced the colonials to assume the cost of this. This one lacking the famous (but often missing) frontis etching attributed to Paul Revere. Only seven actual copies located in libraries worldwide. 12mo. Original self-wrappers. 29 leaves (of 30). Unrestored and unsophisticated. Printed ("upon paper manufactured in this country") and sold by Edes & Gill, in Queen-Street; and T. & J. Fleet at the Heart and Crown, in Cornhill, 1770. Ragged edges, creasing, some… Read More

London: Printed by A. Islip, and W. Stansby, 1653. Leather-bound. Very Good. Sammelbande. THREE books in a single binding. Quarto. Contemporary calf. Contrasting gilt-on-red spine label. Five raised bands. Recent touch-up by conservator. Hinges discreetly and archivally repaired. Bottom margin of fore-edge gnawed (see photo) by a 17th century rodent or Restoration period lady's lapdog, who for future readers' sake, much preferred the taste of blank margin to that of text-laden paper. Publisher's printed side notes throughout. The Three Books each have separate title pages and individual paginations. Some page numbers misprinted or out of order, but textcontiguous. ESTC (R200950) GODWYN (GODWIN): Red leather title (History of England). Title within ornamental border; head pieces; initials 7 p.l., 342 (i.e. 344) p. illus. (ports.) (10 3/4 in. x 7 1/4 in.). Annales of England. Containing the reignes of Henry the Eighth. Edward the Sixt. Queene Mary., Written in Latin by the Right Honorable and Right… Read More

London, England: Sold by J. Richardson, Cornhill; J. Debrett, Piccadillly; T. Murray, Fleet-Street; And other Booksellers in Town and Country, 1793. First Edition. Leather-bound. Very Good. 8vo. Red straight grain morocco boards (text block 8 in. x 5 in.) single ruled in red gilt, and gilt lettering to spine, along all board-edges (though some faded), and gilt turn-ins. General shelfwear, several minor blemishes to the goatskin-covered boards -- a few instances of shallow dimpling, and one narrow, 1.5 inch peeled and darkened but light scrape to front board. Corners lightly bumped. All edges gilt. xii, No date to titlepage of this one and only printing of this classic and very significant work. xii, [13]-86, 16, 16 pp. (8vo) 20.5x12.5 cm (8x5"), gilt-ruled red straight-grain morocco, spine ruled and lettered in gilt, all edges gilt, marbled endpapers on "printer's waste" sheets, gilt-ruled turn-ins. First Edition. A scarce and important work in the library of wine, which noted wine purveyor and… Read More

Washington DC: Department of the Interior / United States Geological Survey (Printed by Julius Bien), 1882. Hardcover. Good. Folio. 20 1/4 in x 17 3/4 in. Dark brown cloth-covered boards with recent rebacking -- red-gilt-lettering to front board with crossed geologist's hammers design and ruled in gilt, Black morocco spine, lettered in gilt. Shelfwear and rubbing to extremes, with professional reconstitution to worn corners. Library bookplate of Brooklyn Public Library, with 140-year-old accession, class and book numbers. Some paper repair to preliminary page. Title page lithographed by Julius Bien & Co., New York. With 15 double-page color tinted lithographed views of the Grand Canyon, including one after Thomas Moran, and 9 after William H. Holmes. 11 double-page color lithographed maps, and 2 uncolored maps. NOTE: The accompanying Atlas is a former-library copy. Most pages/images have a 2 1/4 inch x 3/4 inch perforating stamp of the Brooklyn Public Library near the outer edge. Chipping to some… Read More

Belfast: Marcus Ward & Co, Limited (Royal Ulster Works), 1896. Large Paper Edition, Signed, Limited 1 of 25 copies only. Hardcover. Very Good Minus in Good Only Dustjacket, in recent slipcase, marbled boards, edge-lined in linen. John and J.W. Carey. Large Quarto, 11 1/2 in.. X 9 1/8 in. De Luxe Large Paper Edition limited to 150 copies signed by R.M. Young, this copy one of 25 copies further enhanced by having plates hand-coloured by J.W. Carey. Beveled boards. xii. 287, [1 (printer's slug], [3 (subscribers)], [1 (illustration], [12 )advts.)] pp. on hand-made Dutch (Van Gelder) paper, folding double-page map, 1 colored printed plate with gilt and silver highlights 8 additional plates (in this rare issue, exquisitely hand-coloured by John and J.W. Carey, and Photo-engraved by Joseph Lewis. Plates printed on Japanese vellum. This special De luxe Edition features a large, double-page copper engraving of 'A Celebrated Itinerant Hardware Merchant of the North of Ireland', and a chromo-lithograph of an… Read More

Washington DC: Government Printing Office, 1905. First Edition. Hardcover. Very Good Minus. Small Quarto (9 1/2 in. x 6 1/2 in.). Red, pebbled cloth-covered boards with gilt design and gilt lettering bordered by double gilt rule, repeated on rear board. Top edge gilt. Rubbing to extremities, particularly at top and bottom of spine and corners, which are nudged. Contains the text of Theodore Roosevelt's message, transmitted to the 59th Congress at its commencement, on Dec. 5th, 1905, after his election to a second term. The congressional session lasted from Dec. 4, 1905 - Mar. 3, 1907. Association copy inscribed by President Roosevelt to journalist, reformer and political organizer Ralph M. (Montgomery) Easley, dated December 18, 1905, and signed. ("To Ralph M. Easley with the regards of Theodore Roosevelt, Dec. 18, 1905"). Easley's bookplate to front pastedown endpaper. Easley (1856 -1939) was the Director of the American political reform group, the National Civic Federation which Easley… Read More

New York: J.H. Colton, 1852. Second Issue. Hardcover, in half-leather slipcase. Very Good Plus and Map Very Good in Near Fine Slipcase. 16mo. dark cloth, stamped in blind, with gilt title to front board. (83, [1] pp. plus 18pp. publisher's advertisements at rear. Pages 77-78 bound in reverse, as has been observed in other copies). The gilt title, stamped to front board ("Horn's Overland Guide to California") shows some fading in the letter "N" (HORN'S) and the "A" in California. Gilt title to front board is straight (not slanted). A tideline from an long-ago spill extends along the bottom edge of the text block, often arching upward, throughout the entire book, gradually decreasing in size and intensity. Some spotting to otherwise fairly bright pages, but none to obscure. Stitching tight. Book itself on front pastedown, bears the well-known and oft-used 19th-century ditty, written in pencil by previous owner, transcribed here as best as this cataloguer's knowledge of Klingon-like script can make… Read More

Washington DC: Author's Galley Proof, 1971. # 3. Bound Loose-Leaf. Very Good. NOTE: This is a bound galley of the Novel THE EXORCIST, a horror story about demonic possession, based upon a real life incident in the very area where the author was a seminary student. This item is NOT a movie script. It is a proof copy of the novel. The movie came out two years later, in 1973. Black, pasteboard report folder, bound with two long screw-down rivets. 11 7/8 in. x 8 5/8 in.x 2 1/4 in. 474 pp. The title (THE EXORCIST) Silver printing on the front panel. 474 photocopied/offset pages. This is copy number # 3 of William Peter Blatty's then-unpublished novel, copies of which were sent to prospective publishers. This early galley copy belonged to the late Beverly Gray and was obtained from her children. Mrs. Gray worked as a typist for the author, probably in Encino, California. (See text of inscription below) This moment of deep gratitude captured by this lovely and intimate inscription, occurred more than a… Read More