Fine Bindings

The Strand Magazine – with an Arthur Conan Doyle First Publication – 1898

A complete volume of the Strand Magazine being January to June 1898 in very good condition in the original green leather binding with elaborate gilt design and titling to spine.

As would be expected many interesting period articles, stories and the likes .. one on Lewis Carroll (Charles Lutwidge Dodgson) by Beatrice Hatch is rather special.

The “piece that cannot be resisted” is a first publication of the short story by Arthur Conan Doyle … “The Story of the Beetle-Hunter” which was later published in a collection of short stories “Round the Fire” in 1908. The story, which runs to ten pages, contains eight illustrations by Archibald S Hattrick (1864-1950).

Conan Doyle First and More in Very Good Condition.

$140.00

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Sartor Resartus – Thomas Carlyle – Bickers & Sons of Leicester Full Leather Binding

Thomas Carlyle’s first and possibly most important novel originally published in 1836 previously serialised in Fraser’s Magazine.

This edition by Chaman and Hall 1901 and in a full red polished calf binding by the famous bookbinders Bickers & Sons of Leicester. Carries the shield of posh girl’s school “Sandecotes” embossed in gilt to the front cover, a note of prize gift. The marbled end-papers are to die for, rolled gilt to board edges etc bar a foxing mark here and there a very nice copy.

Sartor Resartus means “the tailor re-tailored”. The novel purports to be on the thoughts and early life of a German philosopher Diognes Teufelsdrockh (God-born devil-dung). The structure of the book is very unusual, influences are thought to be Swift “a Tale of a Tub” and Sterne “Tristram Shandy”. For the time, it was a new kind of book being both factual and fictional, serious and satirical, speculative and historical. An unnamed Editor is struck with admiration but also confounded by Teufelsdrockh’s outlandish philosophy. A most enigmatic book which influenced many writers to come including Joyce on whose “Finnegan’s Wake” is surely modelled.

Controversial testing Sartor Resartus dressed by Bickers & Sons in red calf.

$80.00

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Memoirs of a Coxcomb – John Cleland – Numbered Limited Hand-Made Paper – 1926

A fine edition by Fortune Press, London 1926. Original quarter mottled calf over marbled papers, gilt titles. Number 389 of a limited 575 copies printed on Verge Montgolfier hand-made paper by Maurice Darantier. Very light rubbing a very good if not fine copy.

John Cleland the author of Fanny Hill, which he wrote in debtors prison. Memoirs of a Coxcomb was first published in 1751 and contains a parody of Mary Wortley Montagu who is famous for her Turkish letters (her description of nudes inspired Ingres in his famous painting of same), spurning Alexander Pope and other “love affairs”.

A witty and complex portrait of aristocratic life in the 18th century through the memoirs of our vain dandy our coxcomb, Sir William Delamore. A sophisticated examination of masculine identity in direct contrast to Fanny Hill.

Coxcomb Memoirs Proudly Presented – beautifully written.

$90.00

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Victorian Fine Binding – Galatea: A Pastoral Romance – Miguel de Cervantes.

A literal translation from the Spanish (the first) by Gordon Willoughby James Gyll. Published by Bell and Dalby, London in 1867.

Originally published in 1588 before the much celebrated Don Quixote. Under the guise of pastoral characters, the book represents and examination of love. This edition 349 pages after preliminaries finely bound in full orange morocco, inner gilt dentelle with marbled endpapers by respected London Bookbinder of the period – Jeremiah Larkins. A very fine copy. A lovely gift.

About the bookbinder

Jeremiah Larkins (1833-1907) was of Irish descent. He became a bookbinder at the age of seventeen and soon had his own business first as a partnership and then under his own name. He married Ann who was described as a book-folder so they must have met through the business. He became highly respected for the quality of his work amongst the London book elite of the Victorian era.

$160.00

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Poems by Charles Kingsley – 1884 – Superb Fine Binding Deep Blue Leather

Published by Macmillan. London in 1884 and bound in deep blue polished calf with five raised bands to spine separate red leather title label and elaborate gilt work to each compartment, gilt outline to boards, marbled endpapers and edges etc – really nice.

Charles Kingsley was a priest in the Church of England. A friend of Darwin and early supporter of the theory of evolution (Darwin mentions his view in later editions). Author of the Water Babies and Westward Ho and a collection of beautiful poems, songs and ballads beautifully presented here.

Victorian Poetry bound in blue

$90.00

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The Strand Magazine – with an Arthur Conan Doyle First Publication – 1898

Sartor Resartus – Thomas Carlyle – Bickers & Sons of Leicester Full Leather Binding

Memoirs of a Coxcomb – John Cleland – Numbered Limited Hand-Made Paper – 1926

Victorian Fine Binding – Galatea: A Pastoral Romance – Miguel de Cervantes.

Poems by Charles Kingsley – 1884 – Superb Fine Binding Deep Blue Leather

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