19th Century and Prior Classics

La Princesse de Cleves – Madame de la Fayette – With Aquarelle by Edith Follet – 1920′s

The original novel was published anonymously in 1678. This is the stunning 1920’s production by Nilsson, Paris and contains ten striking tipped in aquarelles (watercolours) as well as the beautiful front cover by Edith Follet.

In the French language, quarto soft covers, 186 pages in very good condition. All the aquarelle bright and clean.

La Princesse de Cleves is regarded by many as the first psychological novel and is now a classic. The story takes place between 1558 and 1559 at the Royal Court of Henry II of France. The novel reflects that era with precision. The characters mainly (apart from the heroine) represent real individual and the events that unfold are faithful to the historical record.

Striking beautiful illustrations by Follet – would make a beautiful gift ….

$120.00

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Candide: or, the Optimist – Voltaire – With Six Striking Full Page Watercolours [Aquarelles]

Voltaire [nom de plume for Francois-Marie Arouet the great 18thC French philosopher and satirist] wrote Candide in three days in the year 1759. It is hilarious and has inspired many comedic scribes.

Martin Seymour-Smith [poet and literary critic] regarded Candide as one of “The 100 Most influential Books Ever Written”. He was right.

This beautiful edition from the 1920’s published in Paris on the Champs-Elysees. It contains six unusual and striking aquarelles (watercolours) by Robert Polack.

Candide Beautifully Illustrated- French

$140.00

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The True-born English-man: A Satyr – Daniel Defoe – This Copy Published in 1716

A rare item by Daniel Defoe. The scarce “enlarged” edition printed and sold by James Roberts, London in 1716.

Pocket sized 12 mo, 12, 26 pages, bound in contemporary calf backed boards, some age and wear but solid and rare in this original state.

First edition thus. After the accession of Hanover Defoe added a new passage of 49 lines satirising the English temper. It was hastily published and contains a number of hasty error which ironically confirm its pedigree

A True-born English-man, satirical poem of length about xenophobia … a few could learn from it today. Dutch born William of Orange has become King of England, and there was much tittle tattle about his lack of English-ness. Defoe, forever a wit, wrote this is support of old William of Orange, ridiculing the notion of English racial purity. Well the evidence is there.

Defoe … much quoted from his opening rant

“that het’rogeneous thing, an Englishman:
In eager rapes, and furious lust begot
Betwixt a painted Britain and a Scot
Whose gend’ring off-spring quickly learn’d to bow,
And yoke their heifers to the Roman plough:
From whence a mongrel half-bred race there came,
With neither name, nor nation, speech nor fame.
In whose hot veins new mixtures quickly ran,
Infused betwixt a Saxon and a Dane
While their rank daughters, to their parents just,
Receiv’d all nations with promiscuous lust.
This nauseous brood directly did contain
The well-extracted blood of Englishmen.”

Daniel Defoe and his True-born a delicious antiquarian rarity … over three hundred year old!

$280.00

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

Published by Macmillan. London, the collected edition, in 1884. Octavo, 326 pages. 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 end papers and edges etc – really nice.

Starts with the drama “The Saints Tragedy” based on the life of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary … who struggled with the dilemma of coming from and living a life of nobility whilst wishing to live a life of service to those that struggle … and also, the deeply emotional, Andromeda, chained to the rocks until rescued by Perseus.

Charles Kingsley was 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

$60.00

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The Hunchback of Notre Dame [Complete and Unabridged] – Victor Hugo

One of the more sought after editions of this classic published by the Modern Library in the 1952. A very good dust jacket with striking ghoulish imagery.

Octavo, 416 pages until it all “crumbles to dust”, plus publishers catalogue. A book of ten books all at a fast pace.

Written by Victor Hugo at the age of twenty nine, and stands with Les Miserables as one of his most memorable works.

Stirs the heart kindles the imagination …

The Bells … oh the bells

$40.00

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The White Stone – The Story of a Boy From the Bush – Herbert MacIlwaine – Illustrated by Rowlandson – First Edition c1900

A very good copy of a scarce and impressive book but much published MacIlwaine. Published by Wells Gardner etc, London c1900. Large octavo, pictorial cloth cover, images to spine and rear. Top edge gilt. 408 pages, illustrated throughout by Gardner who was much known for his paintings of horse.

White Stone is a symbol for optimism and that underlined the contents, albeit given the period narrative there are a few tears, and hugs, along the way.

Australian Bush Stories from 1900 in a super presentation

$90.00

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La Princesse de Cleves – Madame de la Fayette – With Aquarelle by Edith Follet – 1920′s

Candide: or, the Optimist – Voltaire – With Six Striking Full Page Watercolours [Aquarelles]

The True-born English-man: A Satyr – Daniel Defoe – This Copy Published in 1716

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

The Hunchback of Notre Dame [Complete and Unabridged] – Victor Hugo

The White Stone – The Story of a Boy From the Bush – Herbert MacIlwaine – Illustrated by Rowlandson – First Edition c1900

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