1. [Clerke, Agnes Mary].

Collection of eight publications by and about Agnes Mary Clerke plus one autographed / signed manuscript-letter by Agnes Clerke [The letter answers the request of a fellow german Astronomer who complimented her on her History of Astronomy and asked for her permission to translate her latest work). The recipient is possibly german astronomer R.Engelmann who wrote about Nebula. The letter dates from 1891 and is written in perfect german (Agnes Clerke was known to have written reviews and letters in French, German, Greek and Italian). This rare collection includes the following books: 1. A.M.Clerke – Geschichte der Astronomie während des neunzehnten Jahrhunderts. Gemeinfasslich dargestellt. (Autorisierte deutsche Ausgabe von H.Maser) – First german edition of “A popular History of Astronomy during the 19th century” from 1889 – with a signed, contemporary manuscript letter by Agnes Clerke in german (!) regarding this publication / 2. Agnes Clerke – Familiar Studies in Homer (London, 1892) / 3. Agnes Clerke – “The Herschels and Modern Astronomy” (with a loosely inserted portrait of Sir William Herschel) (London, 1895) / 4. Agnes Clerke – “A popular History of Astronomy during the 19th century” (The important Fourth Edition, revised and corrected by the author) (London, Adam and Charles Black, 1902) – Famously: With the vintage photographs pasted to frontispiece and titlepage / 5. Agnes Clerke – “The System of the Stars” – Second Edition (London, 1905) / 6. Agnes Clerke – Modern Cosmogonies (London, 1905) / 7. Agnes Clerke – “A popular History of Astronomy during the 19th century” 1908-Reprint of the important Fourth Edition, revised and corrected by the author) (London, Adam and Charles Black, 1908) / 8. Mary Brueck / Mary Brück – Agnes Mary Clerke & The Rise of Astrophysics (Cambridge University Press, 2002).

A mixture of first and later editions. Berlin / London, Springer / Cassell / Longmans & Green and others, 1889 – 1908. Octavo. More than 2500 pages with many illustrations and diagrams etc. / The vintage letter has two pages filled and signed by Clerke in ink / The only modern publication within the collection is a very important monograph on Clerke by scientist Mary Brueck / Mary Brück, published by Cambridge University Press (275 pages). Original Hardcovers in bespoke protective collector’s Mylar. Very good condition with only minor signs of external wear. A stunning collection of all the major publications by this important woman astronomer. Agnes Clerke paved the way for women in science and must be seen as the pioneer female astronomer. The price includes worldwide free shipping of the collection per UPS Express Courier.

2. [Crawford, Mabel] Anonymous.

Through Algeria.

London, Richard Bentley, 1863. 12 cm x 19 cm. Frontispiece, XVI, 362 pages. The frontispiece is a colour-lithograph of El Kantara. Attractive hardcover [publisher’s original purple cloth] with gilt lettering and ornamental design on spine. Gilt lettering and richly decorative tooling on front board. Blind tooling on back board also. Pebbled boards. All edges gilt. Very good condition with only minor signs of external wear. Cloth frayed at spine head and tail. Slight cracking to gutter between front pastedown and endpaper. Binding still very good and firm. Some foxing to endpapers. Interior very clean and bright. Some untrimmed pages. Handwritten message on front endpaper reads “A Prize gained by Louisea Mells for Progress in her French studies, Xmas. 1869. Magdalen House.” An extremely rare, rather scarce, early publication by an Irish Woman Traveller in Africa who also lived and helped through the Irish Famine and was not only an early Feminist but also one of the first members of the Suffragette Movement.

3. [Cork – West Cork / County Kerry History Pre-Famine] Nicholson, Asenath.

Ireland’s Welcome To The Stranger or An Excursion through Ireland in 1844 & 1845, for the Purpose of Personally Investigating the Condition of the Poor.

First Edition. New York, Baker and Scribner, 1847. Small Octavo. XV, 456 pages plus 22 pages of a catalogue for the publisher Baker and Scribner in the rear. Hardcover / Original publisher’s cloth with gilt lettering on spine and ornament to covers. Recently, professionally restored. Very good condition with the usual signs of some browning and foxing to this publication. From the library of Lathrop Josiah Tracy, Honesdale, Pennsylvania (1825-1897). With his name to the halftitle. A very rare and important book !

4. Roche, Regina Maria [Author of “The Children of the Abbey”].

Clermont – A Tale.

Second Edition. Two Volumes (complete set). Dublin, Printed by William Porter, 1799. Small-Octavo (11,5 cm x 17,5 cm). Volume I: 269 pages / Volume II: 326 (of 329) pages [3 pages missing at the end]. Hardcover / Modern, very decorative half-leather bindings with replicated spinelabels in the style of the 18th century. Both Volumes in protective Mylar and now housed in a bespoke Solander Box. Name of Richard Meade of Ballymartle on titlepage of both Volumes. Minor lesion and tear to titlepage of Volume II. Overall very good ! Extremely scarce publication in first or second edition !

5. Curtayne, Alice.

Alice Curtayne and “The Capuchin Annual”. A collection of essays, contributed by Alice Curtayne to one of Ireland’s most important Periodicals of the 20th century. The collection includes the early 1931 issue with the beautiful portrait of youthful Alice Curtayne. While the collection is still growing, unknown essays and contributions of her are surfacing [Please offer interesting material, letters, signed books etc.]. The Capuchin Annual – Collection of Alice Curtayne Material includes at the moment: 1. Alice Curtayne – “For the Septcentenary of St.Anthony of Padua (1231 – 1931) – A Study of St.Anthony the Preacher” [in: “The Capuchin Annual for the year 1931” / Including the early Curtayne-Portrait and three text-illustrations] / 2. Alice Curtayne – “Five Irish Saints”: “The Living Patrick” / “Saint Colmcille – Irishman” / “Saint Brendan – The Navigator” / “Saint Ita” / “The Method of Saint Columbus” – (In: Capuchin Annual 1945-1946 – with Illustrations in color by Stained Glass Artist, Rísteard Ó Cíonga [Richard King]).

Dublin, The Father Mathew Record Office, 1930 / 1945. Octavo (18 cm x 25 cm). Pagination for the Curtayne – contribution in Capuchin Annual 1931 [Second Year of Publication of the Annual]: 8 pages (pages 18 – 25) / Pagination for the Curtayne – contribution in Capuchin Annual 1945-1946 [Sixteenth Year of Publication of the Annual]: 9 pages (pages 269 – 277) plus Frontispiece and 4 further full-page-illustrations of Saints in color by the Risteárd Ó Cionga [Richard King]. Original illustrated Softcover. Good condition with some signs of wear (fraying to cover).

6. Yeats, William Butler / [George [Georgie] Yeats / Mrs. Eva Hempel / Eduard Hempel].

Pages from a Diary Written in Nineteen Hundred and Thirty. [Signed / Inscribed by George Yeats to Mrs. [Eva] Hempel, wife of german ambassador to Ireland during World War II].

No.8 / 200 copies, of the original limited edition. Dublin, The Cuala Press, 1944 [September 1944]. Octavo. 58 pages. Original Hardcover. Inscribed by George Yeats on the front free endpaper: “Mrs. Hempel from George Yeats, April 1944”. This has to be of course “April 1945”. The impossibility of signing/inscribing a book in April 1944 if it was only published in September 1944 is easily explained with the classic everyday-mistake of still writing the previous year in the first few months of the following year. A stunning association. The signature and inscription is a solid match to George Yeats’ autographs in her later hand and William Butler Yeats and George Yeats were frequent visitors to the Hempel’s in Dublin. In addition, the low number of the edition (8/200) suggests this being one of the reference copies given to George Yeats, who contributed heavily to the volume and even added an explanatory note (in print) verso the titlepage. This copy is near fine, bound in the publisher’s quarter buckram over yellow, paper-covered boards. The books pages remained unopened. Eva Hempel’s husband Eduard Hempel is one of the most controversial figures in modern Irish history, excoriated by some as ‘Hitler’s man’, defended by others such as the country’s first President, Eamon De Valera. Certainly, Hempel presented William Butler Yeats in 1938 with a copy of ‘Germany Speaks’ whose inscription described an ‘unforgettable afternoon’ spent together by Yeats and Hempel. Eduard Hempel and his wife were accepted socialites in the Dublin world of World War II, famously receiving a condolence call by de Valera upon the death of Hitler. Eduard Hempel and his wife Eva were granted asylum in Ireland after world war II and stayed way beyond the end of World War II.

7. Henley, Pauline.

Spenser in Ireland. [Presentation copy]

First Edition. Cork, Cork University Press / Educational Co. of Ireland, 1928. Octavo. Frontispiece-Fold-Out-Map of Ireland, 231 pages. Original Hardcover. Some minor signs of foxing only. Otherwise in excellent condition with only minor signs of external wear. Signed and inscribed by Pauline Henley on the endpaper: “With every good wish to a devoted lover of Ireland, Mlle. Etiennette Beuque. Pauline Henley – July 21st, 1928”. In his book: A ‘Manly Study’?: Irish Women Historians 1868-1949, N. Smith writes that Pauline Henley had previously corresponded with Etienne Beuque in the same year when Mlle. Beuque, a french writer on contemporary irish history, had asked her about Terence MacSwiney. This book must have travelled with her response to France. Excellent association copy !

8. Beatty, Bertha (nee Creagh).

Kerry Memories. [together with a MLS manuscript letter signed by Maude Isabel Buxton, about the author Bertha Beatty – Letter on stationery of Tockenham Manor].

First Edition. Dawlish (Devon), The Channing Press, 1939. Small Octavo. 59 pages. Hardcover / Private green cloth. Very good condition with only minor signs of external wear. Rare !

9. Smithson, Annie M.P.

Her Irish Heritage [″With the Printed Dedication: Dedicated to the Men who died Easter 1916”].

First Edition of her first book. Dublin, The Talbot Press, [no year (1917)]. Octavo. 270 pages. Hardcover / original publisher’s cloth-binding with decroative Celtic-Knot-Design. Very good condition with only minor signs of wear. This is the best preserved version of this work we have ever seen. With a gift-inscription from the year 1934 (not from Smithson).

10. Gregory, Lady.

A Book of Saints and Wonders put down here by Lady Gregory according to the Old Writings and the Memory of the People of Ireland.

Identical Reprint of the Original Dun Emer Press Edition from 1906. Shannon, Irish University Press, 1971. 16cm x 24cm 34 pages. Original Hardcover. Excellent condition with only very minor signs of external wear. Tiny inkstride on the front free endpaper. Name of preowner in ink on halftitle.