1. 18th century Illustrated Edition of Paradise Lost – Milton, John.

Paradise Lost – A Poem in Twelve Books. A New Edition, with Notes of various Authors, by Thomas Newton [Complete with two Portraits and 12 plates].

Two Volumes (complete set). London, Printed for J. and R. Tonson and S.Draper, 1749. Large Quarto (23 cm x 27.5 cm). Pagination of Volume One: Frontispiece-Portrait of a young John Milton, [18 unnumbered pages of Dedication and Preface], LXI pages of “The Life of Milton”, [5 unnumbered pages of Homage in Verses by Samuel Barrow [Physician to Charles II. and admirer of Milton] and also the important poem on Milton’s Paradise Lost by Andrew Marvell [English Metaphysical Poet and Milton’s ‘Latin Secretary’], 16 pages of “A Critique upon the Paradise Lost – By Mr.Addison” [Joseph Addison], 459 pages with six (6) full-page engravings / Pagination of Volume Two: Frontispiece-Portrait of an elder John Milton (dated 1670), 444 pages including six (6) full-page engravings plus 132 unnumbered pages of Index. Hardcover / Modern, stunning half-leather bound to 18th-century style with gilt lettering and ornament on spine. Both Volumes now in protective Mylar. Excellent condition with only a few signs of foxing. The paper in fantastic condition, illustrations and portraits impressive; wide margins make this a great collectable. A rare opportunity to acquire this important publication in a firm and beautiful binding. The exceptional restoration was done by an english master-bindery.

2. Addison, Joseph / Steele, Richard ] [Pope, Alexander etc.].

The Spectator. [Authors of this 1798-edition in Eight Volumes include Joseph Addison, Sir Richard Steele, Eustace Budgell, Thomas Tickell, John Hughes, Dr.Thomas Parnell, Alexander Pope, Laurence Eusden, Richard Ince, Henry Martin, John Byrom, Gilbert Budgell, Rev. Richard Parker, Henry Grove, Henley and others / Of the remaining contributors to this work, we may remark that their papers are either so few or so littlea ccount can be given of them with certainty, that we shall rest satisfied with annexing their names to the pieces that are respectively ascribed to them. The most noted, however, of these are, Dr.Zachary Pearce, Bishop of Rochester, who furnished Nos. 572 and 623; and the Lord Chancellor Hardwicke, who wrote the Letter on Travelling, No.264].

Eight Volumes (complete set). London, Printed for C.Bathurst, C.Nourse, T.Carnan, F.Newbery, W.Johnstone, P.Valliant, T.Davies, and R.Tonson, 1798. Small Octavo (11 cm wide x 17.8 cm high). Volume I: XVI, [2], 327 pages / Volume II: 338 pages / Volume III: 311 pages / Volume IV: 292 pages / Volume V: 294 pages / Volume VI: 307 pages / Volume VII: 328 pages / Volume VIII: 286 pages. Hardcover / Original, full 18th century leather with gilt lettering and ornament to spine. Endpaper of Volume I missing. The bindings a little rubbed and bumped to upper spine. Rare in this original binding. Very good and especially firm condition of all Volumes.

3. [Arabian Nights] Forster, Edward / [Provenance: Daniel Callaghan of Lotabeg].

The Arabian Nights, in Five Volumes. [Including “The History of Aladdin, or the Wonderful Lamp” / The History of Ali Baba and of the Forty Robbers, killed by one Slave” / etc.] Translated by The Reverend Edward Forster [based on the French version of Antoine Galland]. With [24] Engravings, from Pictures by Robert Smirke.

First Edition [Large Paper Quarto Edition]. Five Volumes (complete set with all engravings). London, Printed for William Miller, 1802. Quarto (21.5 cm x 27.5 cm). Volume I: LXI, (7), 385 pages with 5 copper-engravings including Errata-Leaf and “Directions for placing the Plates” for all four volumes / Volume: 432 pages with 5 copper-engravings / 405 pages with 5 copper-engravings / 461 pages with 5 copper-engravings / 474 pages with 5 copper-engravings. Hardcover / Original, early 19th century full leather with gilt lettering and date on lower spine [″London, 1802”]. Beautiful, richly ornamented master-bindings. All Volumes in strong, protective collector’s Mylar, which invites the reader/collector to use the work without fear of handling. Armorial Bookplates / ExLibris of Daniel Callaghan, Esquire of Lotabeg (MP for Cork City 1830-1849) to all five pastedowns (Motto: “Fidus et Audax”). Marbled endpapers a little dusty but beautiful. Volume 1, 2 and 5 with some weakening to the spine (slightly cracked), but holding and still firm overall. All plates present. As known and always found with this scarce edition, the original, titled tissue-guards all in place, have created stronger signs of foxing to the plates but in sharp contrast the text in all the five Volumes in bright and clean condition with only occasional faint staining. Endpapers with some minor browning. Very good+ condition overall with some rubbing and minor bumping to the Volumes but really only minor signs of external wear. Extremely sought after publication, not to be confused with the later, much more common Octavo Editions !

4. Bain, F.W.

The Descent of the Sun – A Cycle of Birth.

London, James Parker and Co., 1903. 23.2cm x 17.7cm. XIV, 108 pages. Original Hardcover. Very good condition with minor signs of external wear and some foxing. Tear to endpaper. Rare ! Early illustration of the moon.

5. Blair, Hugh.

Lectures on Rhetoric and Belles Letters.

First Dublin Edition. In Three Volumes (complete set). Dublin, Printed for Messrs. Whitestone, Colles, Burnet, Moncrieffe etc., 1783. Large Octavo (13,5 cm x 21 cm). Pagination: Volume I: 429 pages / Volume II: 444 pages / Volume III: 389 pages plus 34 unnumbered pages of an Index. Hardcover / Original full leather. Original Trinity College Dublin price-binding with supralibros on all boards (some in gilt) and three beautiful price-bookplates from Trinity College, awarded to Ricardo Meade, on the pastedowns. Some old wormhole-damage. Still overall very good condition with only minor signs of wear. From the library of Richard Meade (Ballymartle), with his Exlibris / Bookplate to pastedown.

6. Boyd, William.

An Ice-Cream War.

London, Hamish Hamilton Ltd., 1982. 14 cm x 22 cm. 370 pages. One black and white map. Original Hardcover with illustrated, unclipped dustjacket in protective collector’s Mylar. Very good+ condition with only minor signs of external wear. Signed by author William Boyd on the titlepage.

7. [Byron Circle] Haygarth, William.

Greece, A Poem, In Three Parts; With Notes, Classical Illustrations, And Sketches Of The Scenery.

First Edition. London, Printed by W,Bulmer and Co., 1814. Quarto (24 cm wide x 30 cm high). 304 pages with all 9 original sepia-aquatint-plates by Charles Turner after Haygarth. Disbound due to broken binding. Halftitle and bookblock available with all 9 plates included. Needs rebinding. Bookblock firm, halftitle detached. All nine plates with faded dampstain but still in beautiful and strong impression. The wide-margined Text in excellent, clean condition besides the faded dampstain. Last page of the Volume with some browning. Very minor wormhole-damage to the last 14 pages. One illustration cleanly detached. Extremely Rare Book !

8. [Byron, Lord George Gordon] Marchand, Leslie A.

Byron’s Letters and Journals 1798-1824. Volume I – In My Hot Youth 1798-1810; Volume II – Famous in My Time 1810-1812; Volume III – Alas! The Love of Women 1813-1814; Volume IV – Wedlock’s the Devil 1814-1815; Volume V – So Late into the Night 1816-1817; Volume VI – The Flesh is Frail; Volume VII – Between Two Worlds 1820; Volume VIII – Born for Opposition 1821; Volume IX – In the Wind’s Eye 1821-1822; Volume X – A Heart for Every Fate 1822-1823; Volume XI – For Freedom’s Battle 1823-1824; Volume XII – The Trouble of an Index.

Cambridge, The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1973-1982. 8°. c. 3000 pages. Original Hardcover with original dustjackets in protective collector’s mylar. 12 volumes (complete). The dustjackets slightly worn but unclipped. Pages 148 – 156 of volume 1 with very few small stains. Else near Fine or better condition.

9. Calabrella, Catherine [Ball] Baroness de.

Evenings at Haddon Hall, a series of Romantic Tales of the Olden Time. With illustrations by George Cattermole.

London, Henry G. Bohn, 1853. 8°. VIII, 432 pages with 24 steel-engravings by George Cattermole. Original full calf. Spine faded and lettering slightly damaged. Very firm binding. Internally the text bright and very clean. The plates with some foxing. Private inscription from 1856 on the endpaper. Overall in very good condition. Rare.

10. [Cardinal Manning / Dr. Arnold / General Gordon / Florence Nightingale] Strachey, Lytton.

Eminent Victorians.

London, The Folio Society, 1967. 15 cm x 22.5 cm. 286 pages. With 7 illustrations. Original hardcover with original slipcase. Excellent condition with only very minor signs of external wear.