Prestige Items

The Arabian Droll Tales – Translated by Carlo De Fornaro – Limited Numbered Edition 1929

Published by the Lotus Society, New York 1929. Number 461 of a limited edition of 550. A Zaidenberg illustrator.

Octavo, 200 pages, original half green cloth and exotic paper covered boards with original stylish paper label to spine. The beautiful paper has some rubbing as usual. Otherwise a very good clean example. Still uncut to a large degree.

The translator, Carlo De Fornaro (1871-1943), was quiet a character. He later described himself as artist, writer and revolutionary (he got well wrapped up in the politics of Mexico).

The Droll Tales consist of 13 classic semi-erotic tales from the east including; The Runaway Lover of Thaquif; The Perverse Dervish; The Blemished Virgin; The Dimpled Beauty and The Donkey Driver’s Mistress.

For those that are nervous … the tales are interesting, fun and rather mild really!

Lusty tales from Arabia – Presented Nicely

$80.00

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The Songs of Sappho – Miller and Robinson – Fine Production 1925

A beautiful edition published by Frank-Maurice, New York in 1925.

Longer Title … “the Songs of Sappho – Including the Recent Egyptian Discoveries – The Poems of Erinna – Greek Poems about Sappho – Ovid’s Epistle of Sappho to Phaon”. Translated by Marion Mills Miller (Editor of “The Classics – Greek and Latin”) with Greek texts prepared and annotated and literally translated in prose by David Moore Robinson, Professor in Classics, John Hopkins University.

Large octavo, 435 pages, rough cut page edges as issued. Very good near fine copy, original green boards with quarter vellum to spine with gilt titles. Top edge richly gilt. A limited edition of 750 copies. Ten full page plates.

Sappho (630BC – 570BC) was an archaic Greek poet from the island of Lesbos. Sappho is best known for her poems about love and women. Most of the poetry is now lost and surviving items are mainly in fragments, except for one complete poem “Ode to Aphrodite”. Little is known of Sappho’s life, although likely from a wealthy family. Sappho was exiled to Sicily around 600BC … legend surrounds her love for the ferryman Phaon.

Sappho’s work has continued to influence writers. Beyond her poetry she is known as a symbol of love and desire between women.

From “Old Love is Best”’ …
“Whose soft footfall sets my heart a-bounding
Wilder than when the clarions are sounding;
Whose bright face hath power more to charm me
Than Lydia’s army!”

Finely bound beautiful Sappho – 1925

$120.00

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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 (protected0, 186 pages in very good condition. All the aquarelle bright and clean.

La Princesse de Cleves is regraded by many as the first psychological novel and is regarded as 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

$140.00

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The Northern Hero – being a faithful Narrative of the Life, Adventures, and deceptions, of James George Semple, Commonly called Major Semple. Scarce Ferguson 18 – Published 1786.

Extremely scarce, despite being introduced as a “New Edition” with the circumstances of Each Fraud, and the Names of the Parties injured.

The lengthy title continues major Semple .. alias Major Harrold, Major Maxwell, Major Grant, Major Cunningham, Major Winter etc. With and account of his Devices at lord Salisbury’s, Sir Thomas Dundass’s, and Mr Pitt’s. Also the various Inventions by which he obtained Goods of Tradesmen. The Whole supported by indisputable Authority, with the Names of the Persons who were the Objects of his Depredations. Likewise … and Account of his Trial Before Mt Justice Gould and the Recorder at the Old Bailey on Saturday September 2 for defrauding Mr John Lycett, Coach-maker, in Whitechapel, of a Post-chaise, value fifty Guineas, of which he was Convicted.

Published by G. Kearsley, Fleet Street and sold by Bookseller, 1786. Octavo 90 pages after half title, frontispiece with engraving by Barlow of Semple in the dock, full title, book advertisements 2 pages, dedication from Compiler 1 page, blank 1 page, list of content 5 pages and Errata 1 page.

Bound in later quarter mottled polished leather with lavish marbled paper covered boards. Carries previous distinguished ownership bookplates of Nanyce Kent Perry and before that Dr George Mackaness. This being Ferguson No 18 and a manuscript note on the front pastedown “Ferguson Bibliography cites only the copy in Ferguson Collections.

Some evidence of professional repair to the margin on the frontispiece and some aging occasionally in the text but really a very good copy of a desirable early Ferguson book that cannot be found elsewhere.

Least to say the Major Semple was a bit of a rogue and a classy one at that. His final comeuppance rested on the fact the it was found that he intended to steal the coach … his defence was that it was a debt that he couldn’t pay … he lost and was sentenced to be taken to Botany Bay. He slipped ship at Rio!

Priceless Semple … off to Botany Bay in 1786 … or maybe not!

$390.00

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La Derniere Rose – Gazette du Bon Ton Pochoir – J Gose – 1913

A beautiful “Pochoir” by J Gose for the Paris Gazette du Bon Ton published in October 1913. Very good condition. Signed in the plate J. Gose near the bottom left just above the skirting board!

La Derniere Rose (the Last Rose) and she is so svelte in her striking afternoon dress designed by Redfern. Very art deco for seven years before that period arrived. The ultimate in fashion print from a perfect era.

Price $90.00 unframed

Classy Early Bon Ton by Gose

$90.00

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Hermannsburg – West MacDonnell Ranges – Richard Forrester

By acclaimed artist Richard Forrester of the Aranda painted in 2007.

Rich vibrant Hermannsburg watercolour following the style of the great Albert Namatjira. Strong lines and imparting the deep colours of the early morning and late evening light among the West MacDonnell ranges, near Alice Springs in the Northern Territory.

Price $290.00

Quality vibrant Hermannsburg by Forrester

$240.00

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The Arabian Droll Tales – Translated by Carlo De Fornaro – Limited Numbered Edition 1929

The Songs of Sappho – Miller and Robinson – Fine Production 1925

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

The Northern Hero – being a faithful Narrative of the Life, Adventures, and deceptions, of James George Semple, Commonly called Major Semple. Scarce Ferguson 18 – Published 1786.

La Derniere Rose – Gazette du Bon Ton Pochoir – J Gose – 1913

Hermannsburg – West MacDonnell Ranges – Richard Forrester

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