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Tender is the Night – F Scott Fitzgerald – First UK Revised Edition – Grey Walls Press 1953

There are two versions of “Tender”. Scott Fitzgerald was unhappy with the result of his first writing published in 1934. And it was not very successful at the time selling only 12,000 copies.

Before his death he revised the text and left numerous notes and mark-up’s as well as a complete re-ordering of the work. His friend and literary critic Malcolm Cowley took the notes and helped re-publish the work consistent with Fitzgerald’s wishes.

Published by Grey Walls Press, London 1953. Octavo, 418 pages. Contents include an xi-page introduction by Cowley which explains the context and corrections. Pages 1 through 392 represent the novel and at the rear through to page 418 we have notes on the manuscripts … genuinely interesting and informative.

The book is in fine with a complete fine unclipped dust jacket. We have followed this scarce book for years and never come across a better copy.

In 1932 Fitzgerald’s wife Zelda was hospitalised with metal health issues. Fitzgerald lived near by and started a novel about Dick Diver a promising young psychiatrist and his wife Nicole who also was one of his patients. The story line mirroring his and Zelda’s own lives. The original issue of Tender used flashbacks making the narrative awkward to follow. This revised edition based on Fitzgerald’s notes and mark-up is re-set in chronological order. Fitzgerald regarded “Tender” as his best work.

First UK Revised Edition by the special Grey Walls Press, London. With the unique dust jacket by Edward Pagram. A real treasure.

$340.00

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Insectivorous Plants – Charles Darwin – First Edition 1875

Published by John Murray, London, 1875 a First Edition (second thousand). Octavo. 462 pages, half-title, title, publisher’s advertisement to verso of title page. 30 in-text illustrations. Original publisher’s green cloth covered binding, gilt-lettered spine. Minimal rubbing otherwise an excellent copy.

Alfred O Walker’s copy with his bookplate on the front paste down. Alfred O Walker FLS (1832-1925) was a British Industrialist and Naturalist who specialised in Marine Biology. He made a significant and noted contribution to the Crustacea collection at the Natural History Museum, South Kensington, London.

Darwin began this work with insectivorous plants in the 1860s, though his findings would not be published until 1875. Darwin reflected on the delay that allowed him to refine his work: ‘The delay in this case, as with all my other books, has been a great advantage to me; for a man after a long interval can criticise his own work, almost as well as if it were that of another person.’

Darwin’s observations that this group of plants secreted a fluid closely analogous to the digestive fluid of an animal, was a remarkable discovery. In “Insectivorous Plant”, Darwin explores the reaches of natural selection. Analysing the features of insectivorous plants that allow them to survive in difficult environments. Darwin devised experiments to stimulate the plants’ trap mechanisms, including feeding them meat, blowing on them, and stimulating them with hair. Through his work he concluded that the plants would only react to the movements of ‘prey’; Darwin believed that this was a wonderful adaptation for the plants as it enabled them to ignore unhelpful stimuli.

In this work Darwin collaborated with other naturalists and experts, including Professor Frankland of the Royal College of Chemistry in designing and executing some of the experiments. Darwin’s sons George and Francis assisted with the illustrations of the key species: Drosera, Dionaea, Aldrovanda, and Utricularia. Darwin also corresponded with the New Jersey naturalist, Mary Treat. Darwin and Treat exchanged fifteen letters from 1871-1876 about the behaviour and mechanisms of insectivorous plants.

SO SORRY SOLD

$1,190.00

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Panarithmologia: or The Trader’s Sure Guide Containing Exact and Useful Tables, Ready Cast Up, Adapted to the use of Merchants, Mercers, Bankers, Drapers, Goldsmiths, Grocers, Brewers, Weavers and Haberdashers, and those that deal by Wholesale, or Retail and All other Mechanicks etc – William Leybourn – corrected and enlarged. 1772

Published Rivington, Hawes et al, London 1772.

Small octavo, unpaginated, re-backed in leather over early worn cloth covered boards, raised bands, title and date in gilt.

Pages showing age and use as usual and, with the ever present annotations and mathematical doodles that are a characteristic of this book. Very popular in business during the 18th Century having been first published late the previous. Then, constantly updated with final editions in the 1820’s.

Joseph Deakins made it pretty clear this was “His Book” in 1776, 1777 etc and he also may have had a thing for Sarah Bloxham who unfortunately for Joseph married William Hall around that time.

The author William Leybourn was an accomplished mathematician and surveyor .. we have had his excellent surveying books before but it was this little delight that made him rich.

An early and most useful guide for business … and a super title.

$90.00

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Charles Darwin – The Formation of Vegetable Mould through the Action of Earthworms – Published John Murray 1892

Published London 1892 by John Murray. Original deep green cloth covered boards, with single line blind impressed border, title gilt in gilt decoration on spine. Original end papers dark brown gloss. 328 pages Illustrated with tables and black and white drawings.

Darwin’s last published work. This volume looks at the life and activity of the earthworm, and the share they have taken in the formation of the layer of vegetable mould which covers the whole surface in every moderately humid country. It is a summary of the part which worms have played in the history of the world. Their aid in the disintegration of rocks, the denudation of the land, the preservation of ancient remains, and the preparation of the soil for the growth of plants. A fascinating look at one of the lowliest but highly organised creatures of the world by the legendary Victorian Naturalist.

Carries the bookplate of William Walter Richmond Powell with the charming Latin motto Anima in Amicus Una “One Mind Among Friends”. Also a manuscript letter from Robert Powell returning the book .. clearly a scientist of sorts, he references various experiments by Darwin which feature in the book and has some alternative viewpoints … Powell was at one time Sheriff of Canterbury in England a rather distinguished office.

Darwin his final thoughts down in the soil getting his hands dirty.

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$290.00

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The Stars My Blanket [An 8,000 mile journey to find Aboriginal Cave Paintings] – Beryl Miles.

Beryl Miles led a rather dull life in Worthing, England until she gave up what she had to seek adventure in Australia. Once there she met Gordon Donkin and joined his 8,000 miles expedition to find yet unphotographed aboriginal cave paintings in the Northern Territory .. a mission accomplished with lots more along the way. Good sympathetic aboriginal content.

Published by John Murray, London in 1954. Octavo, 235 pages, illustrated with a good map and numerous photographs from the expedition. A pretty good copy, nice and clean, ownership signature on end paper, near complete dust jacket

Interesting post war travels to aboriginal cave paintings.

$35.00

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Victorian Microscope Slide – Horse Ant … Whole Insect Specimen – Mounted and dated 1880.

Nice condition, quality mount of a whole insect specimen of the Horse Ant, also known as the Red Wood and Southern Wood Ant. Classified by Linnaeus in 1761. Earlier, in 1648 the English Chemist John Ray distilled thousands of these ants to discover formic acid.

Mounted in gum arabic, with minimal oxidation a super example dated 1880.

Horse Ant in all its glory over 140 years old.

$40.00

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Tender is the Night – F Scott Fitzgerald – First UK Revised Edition – Grey Walls Press 1953

Insectivorous Plants – Charles Darwin – First Edition 1875

Charles Darwin – The Formation of Vegetable Mould through the Action of Earthworms – Published John Murray 1892

The Stars My Blanket [An 8,000 mile journey to find Aboriginal Cave Paintings] – Beryl Miles.

Victorian Microscope Slide – Horse Ant … Whole Insect Specimen – Mounted and dated 1880.

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