21. Le Brocquy, Louis / Montague, John / [Dupin, Jacques] / [Samuel Beckett].

Small Archive of personal correspondence between irish-american writer John Montague and irish artist Louis Le Brocquy plus many related items. The correspondence also includes John Montague touching on Samuel Beckett. The core of the collection includes 1. Extremely insightful and important, very personal manuscript-letter from John Montague to Louis Le Brocquy – Inside an envelope addressed by John Montague to Louis Le Brocquy at his french residence ‘Domaine des Combes’ with Louis Le Brocquy’s answer carefully tucked into the same envelope, treasured by John Montague. The densely filled, very personal 4-page-manuscript letter from John Montague, is dated Christmas 1981, written after “a sabbatical [..] on a long tour which led me as far as Los Angeles” and is a strong reflection of John Montague’s personal struggles, thoughts and influences as a writer; he talks about his ten years of teaching in the US “after O’Riada’s death led to a vacuum” and “enduring the semi-bourgeois limbo of Cork”. Montague speaks about the time “after the harness came off” and he “felt quite strange, and after thirty years my stammer returned in painful, nearly uncontrollable force”. Montague even touches on his fears about his health and continues “I clocked into a clinic for a rest cure….so far liver excellent, so it is not Sean or Brendan all over again (in any case, loving the stuff, as you do, I can’t overdrink; the tastebuds are against it)”. Montague dives into comparisons with Samuel Beckett: “″Did you realize that Sam Beckett was under analysis at the Tavistock Clinic for two years ? – The early Beckett is a smart alec; the break comes when he has to survive in post-war France and accept “his own darkness”. Montague also touches on his struggle with his mother “Isn’t it terrible that we spend up to nearly middle-[a]ge coping with the traumas of youth, with no way round it ? – I have cleared/cleaned/buried & forgiven my mother in my next book “The Dead Kingdom”….” – The letter continues to talk about books, “the Landslide Manuscript”, poetry and his work etc. etc. He mentions a Dupin “play” which “will travel in my Paris luggage”. Montague also touches on the subject of the Irish Troubles and writes “I have always, by the way, believed that 1916 may have been a mistake as Yeats said: “For England may keep faith – For all is said and done” / Montague speaks about “My own area of Tyrone is blessedly free from all but minor incidents” – Amazing document of confidence and trust between two irish landmark personalities. 2. Louis Le Brocquy’s answer to John Montague is dated “New Year’s Day 1981”[which should have been 1982]: A. Very personal manuscript Letter – a direct answer to Montague’s letter from “Christmas 1981” (1 sheet with both pages filled in ink and signed “Louis”) in which Le Brocquy reflects on the tense political situation with Northern Ireland and the overall worldwide tension of a looming war / Le Brocquy writes that he did have a “wild hope that when Charlie took office…that he and Thatcher might between them opted a ‘Rhodesian’ solution in the North” / Le Brocquy also writes about the eagerly awaited publication of “Selected Poems” of John Montague and he also asks John if “you thought of collecting Esteban’s and Dupin’s poems in French with your translations ?” – Le Brocquy offers to help with illustrations etc. – Both letters together in an envelope which suggests that John Montague received his letter to Louis le Brocquy back from the Le Brocquy-estate after Le Brocquy’s death. / Also included: B. A manuscript postcard with Le Brocquy’s “Girl in White” as a postcard-reproduction in which Le Brocquy suggests a project with John Montague and sends greetings to Montague’s wife Evelyn and the kids (in envelope from Carros,France) / C. In his function as chairman of Amnesty International, Le Brocquy sends a callout by Amnesty International to John Montague and kindly asks him to support the cause. He sends the callout to John by adding a few manuscript, personal lines of affection (in envelope from Carros,France).

France / Ireland, Carros / Cork, 1980-1981. A4. 4 pages on two sheets (main Montague-letter), 2 pages on 1 sheet (Le Brocquy – answer), 1 postcard, 1 manuscript-letter from Jacques Dupin to John Montague (25.10.1978) about a translation of “L’Éboulement” (Dupin also speaks about Louis le Brocquy in the letter), several pages of letters (mostly typed and signed) from other figures in irish and international literature and art. Original Envelopes. Very good condition with only minor signs of external wear. Besides some ephemeral materials from personalities in Literature and Art, addressed to John Montague, the small collection includes several vintage photographs of John Montague, taken during his acceptance of a honorary Doctorate of Literature at UCC, Cork, as well as a Legislative Resolution by the State of New York (Senator Daly), recognizing and thanking the distinguished author and poet John Montague with this decree on May 26, 1987. Among the lesser interesting materials is a pamphlet titled “Ireland’s Literary Renaissance – 20th century Portraits” in which portraits by Louis Le Brocquy of John Montague and Thomas Kinsella are included. The pamphlet is accompanied by a letter from James White to John Montague in which he explains this being a publication that was released for an exhibition in Chicago and he apologises for the entries being “necessarily short but hopefully reasonably correct”. Provenance: From the private collection of John Montague’s papers in his recently sold West Cork Home.

22. Le Brocquy, Louis.

Personal copies of an early set of 18 photographs [contacts] of works by Louis le Brocquy, mostly titled and annotated / explained by Louis le Brocquy himself verso. Some of the photographs refer to very early works of le Brocquy. Some have no entries by le Brocquy verso, some have quite extensive information like “Sold to:…..” / Also included is an original, very early exhibition catalogue (Louis le Brocquy’s personal copy of the catalogue) for an exhibition in Mayfair/″Gimpel Fils” – November 1959. The catalogue has several annotations and underlinings in le Brocquy’s hand and included are most of the original photographs of works le Brocquy selected for the printing of the catalogue.

Loandon / Mayfair, Gimpel Fils, 1959. Octavo. 12 pages plus four photographs directly related to the exhibition catalogue / 18 photographs of earlier works. Original Softcover. Very good condition with only minor signs of external wear. A stunning, really original set of interesting ephemera from the artist’s personal collection, given to his friend John Montague. Provenance: From the private collection of John Montague’s papers in his recently sold West Cork Home.

23. [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 !

24. 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.

25. [Vanity Fair] Bowles, Thomas Gibson / [Fantastic collection of political caricature portraits of 19th century American Politicans / British Politicians]

Vanity Fair: A Weekly Show of Political, Social & Literary Wares – Complete Annual for the year 1872 with 51 full-page portraits of victorian statesmen of england as well as the united states of america (Hamilton Fish, Ulysses S. Grant, Horace Greeley etc.), politicians, writers, artists, “men of the day” and men of influence, portrayed in chromolithography / chromolithographs in colour (January 6, 1872 – June 29, 1872 & July 6, 1872 – December 28, 1872 ).

London, Vanity Fair, 1872. Folio. 208, 208 pages. Complete set. Interleaved with 51 chromolithographic portraits. Beautifully restored, original Hardcover (half-leather with orginal spine (gilt letttering and ornament). With new, linen-covered boards, using the original pastedowns and endpapers. A stunning Volume in excellent condition. All illustrations in wonderful colour.

26. Arcades Project of Walter Benjamin – Guilleminot, Bœspflug et Cie. / [Paris during the World Exhibition in the Year 1900]

Collection of thirtyfour (34) original photographic glass-slides, allowing us to imagine the surroundings of Walter Benjamin’s “Arcades Project” and the Genesis of his Idea of “Paris as the Capital of the 19th Century”. While the Glass-Slides are NOT from Benjamin’s library or from one of his friends collections, they are contemporary artefacts which allow us to Timetravel into the Paris of Benjamin’s “Arcades” and illustrate Benjamin’s creation of the six sections of his “Arcades Project”: “Fourier, or the Arcades” ; “Daguerre, or the Panoramas”; “Grandville, or the World Exhibitions” ; “Louis-Philippe, or the Interior”; “Baudelaire, or the Streets of Paris”; “Hausmann, or the Barricades”. The slides were produced by Parisien Radio-Brom manufacturer of photographic plates and papers, “Guilleminot, Bœspflug et Cie”. The fantastic slides all produced around the time of the 1900 Paris Exposition (World’s Fair), known in french as “Exposition Universelle” in Paris. Included are photographic plates of the “Theatre Sarah-Bernhardt” at the “Place du Chatelet”, “Le Louvre”, “Paris – Buttes-Chaumont – Le Lac & Le Belvedere”, “Avenue de L’Opera”, “Place de Victoires”, “Gare St.Lazare – Rue de Rome”, L’Institut pris du pont des Arts”, “Gare Montsouris”, “Monument de Pasteur – Avenue de Breteuil”, “La Seine et L’Hotel de Ville”, “Pont au Change”, “Les Tuileries – avec “Charmeur d’Oiseaux”, “Le Conseil d’Etat”, “Avenue des Champs Elysees”, “Palais de Justice, Boulevard du Palais”, “Pont ALexandre III”, “Square d’Anvers”, “Grand Palais”, “Fontaine de Carpeaux”, “Jardin des Plantes” “Galerie de la Plaeontologie”, “Place du Carrousel – Arc de Triomphe”, “De Notre Dame sur l’Hotel Dieu – Tour St.Jacques – Sacre Coeur”, etc. Also included are some private images of family, picnic in the forests etc.

Paris, Exposition Universelle of 1900 / Guilleminot, Bœspflug et Cie., [c.1900]. 10.7 cm x 4.4 cm. 34 slides in three boxes (one of the boxes labelled: “Diapositifs de Verascope Richard”. Original Hardcover Boxes with glass-slides. Excellent condition with some minor signs of wear only.

27. [Luckombe, Philip / Smith, Charles].

Luxury Reprint of “The Compleat Irish Traveller” [With high quality Reproductions of the 31 original Plates of detailed Maps of County Cork in the 18th century, County Kerry in the 18th century and Waterford in the 18th century, as well as some of the earliest engravings of Irish Towns here for the first time reproduced as beautiful Artworks for framing and housed in a special, handmade Folder. The publication was just recently enlarged with a detailed, Topographical Index (July 2023)]. Complete Title: “The Compleat Irish Traveller, containing A general Description of the most Noted Cities, Towns, Seats, Buildings, Loughs &c. in the Kingdom of Ireland, Interspersed with Observations on the Manners, Customs, Antiquities, Curiosities and Natural History of that Country. With Elegant Copper Plates”. [With 31 original Plates after Charles Smith, including Frontispiece, this Reprint / Facsimile is the result of 10 years of research and purchase of three (3) original versions of the First Edition from the year 1788. The first Editions known to Inanna Rare Books all had different quantities of Plates and Maps included. This Reprint by Inanna Rare Books has been produced from an extremely clean version of the original and shows the most complete set of illustrations and XL-Size Maps and Artworks we could find in any of the original editions. The publication shows not only Maps of County Cork, County Kerry and County Waterford but also Views of Irish Cities and Towns in these Counties of the Province of Munster and besides the wonderful Historical Plan of Cork City this set also includes the very rare Plan of the “Grand Canal from Dublin to the River Shannon” (see detailed list of all the illustrations present at the end of this description)].

Luxury Limited-Edition-Reprint of the First Edition by Luckombe in 1788. Two Volumes plus extra Folder with 31 Plates reprinted as Artworks for framing. Skibbereen (County Cork), Inanna Rare Books Publishing, 1788. Octavo (13.5 cm x 21 cm). Pagination: Volume I: Frontispiece, engraved Titlepage, XXX, 189 pages plus recently published Index (July, 2023) / Volume II: Engraved Titlepage, 263 pages plus recently published Index (July, 2023). Plus large, bespoke made Folder with thirtyone (31) Reproductions of the Maps, Plans and Illustrations which usually were folded inside this publication and now for the first time have been liberated from the book and were published as the beautiful works of art they are. Textvolume: Volume I and II of the text bound in one beautiful half-leather-volume with gilt lettering on spine, bound in the style of the 18th century / Illustrations-Folder with 31 reprinted illustrations of Towns and Maps of Ireland but mainly of Munster, bound in bespoke made half-cloth with paper-covered boards and pasted Reprint of the original titlepage. Excellent, new condition. One of only 300 printed. [Inanna Rare Books – Reprint & Facsimile – Series].

28. Porter Jr., LCDR William Hamilton / [Howard Chandler Christy].

Archive of Naval Captain, Lieutenant commander [LCDR] William Hamilton Porter Jr.‘s Love Letters to his wife Amy Manning Porter and letters to his mother Barbara Hamilton Porter, from his service during and after graduating from United States Naval Academy Annapolis MD, 1914. The Collection includes not only the Yearbook of the Brigade of Midshipmen, called “Lucky Bag”, signed with nearly all Graduates and with numerous amazing photographic illustrations of sports like American Football, Lacrosse, early photographs of Basketball and Baseball – Teams, images of visits to Ireland etc., but the collection includes nearly 50 manuscript letters by LCDR Porter from the USS Alden, USS Columbia, writing back home to his wife Amy between 1916 and 1920, reflecting his first tour of duty and sending letters from Constantinople, Smyrna, Venice, Dalmatia, Split, Naples, Samsoun, etc. The collection is full of reports of life on ship and upcoming tours to Naples, Genoa and Villefranche, relationship to the captain, Porter’s view on politics etc. Telegram about “USS Alden and two Destroyers of the 26th Division to be designated by USADRA proceed to Manila”. / Fantastic archive of an Annapolis Graduate with amazing artwork by Howard Chandler Christy in the “Lucky Bag” and a collection of letters in all its complete scarcity of completeness. The collection also includes the original letter of “Washington Granite Monumental” to Porter’s wife upon Porter’s burial at Arlington National Cemetery (he died in 1937).

Baltimore (Maryland) / Annapolis / USS Alden etc., 1916-1920. Octavo. Lucky Bag [Vol. XXI [Volume 21] of the Annual of the Brigade of Midshipmen at Annapolis / Two Ringfolders with original letters, telegrams and some photographs. Excellent condition with some minor signs of wear only. Check out a large collection of high quality photographs on our website, depicting Baseball, Crew Rwoing, Handball, Basketball and Baseball at the Academy in Annapolis. Rare collection with the wonderful original signatures of nearly all Graduates who served with LCDR Porter.

29. Heininger, C.P. (Publisher).

Historical Souvenir of San Francisco, California – with Views of Prominent Buildings, the Bay Islands, Stock Exchange etc. [Two Binding – Variations of the Fantastic original Tourist – Panorama of San Francisco / 12 years before the earthquake destroyed most of the buildings displayed in this Leporello / The Souvenir shows also a remarkable Birds Eye View of San Francisco ].

2 volumes ( 2 different editions of the same publications.) San Francisco, C.P. Heininger, 1889 / (ca.1898). 14.5 cm x 19 cm. 44 pages with illustrations (including bird’s eye view of San Francisco), 60-page-booklet with descriptions tipped into rear of the Leporello (the booklet cleanly detached but complete). Original, beautifully illustrated Hardcover Leporello / Accordion / Concertina – tourist publication with blindstamped emblemata “Eureka” to the rear board. Excellent condition with only minor signs of external wear for the later edition. The Leporellos both in unusually, excellent condition. No fraying to the folds of the Leporellos. Binding of the 1889 edition is poorer, The Leporello and the booklet of this version are completely detached. A few tears and damages between the folds. Both interior of booklets are very clean. Overall very good condition and all illustrations are superfresh! Extremely scarce.

30. Sutherland, Thomas (1785 – 1858) – [after John Gendall (1790-1865)].

Edinburgh, From the Castle. [Magnificent view, showing the artist looking east from the castle with military presentations in the front, Royal Mile, Grassmarket, Princess Street, Road up the Mound and Waverley Bridge, etc. and Nor Loch and Arthur’s creek in the back].

Hand-coloured aquatint. London, Published by R. Ackermann’s Repository of Arts, 1824. Beautifully Framed. Size of frame with aquatint: 55 cm x 73 cm. Size of actual aquatint: c. 37 cm x 54 cm. Fine crease to lower right corner of the image, otherwise in unusually excellent condition with strong and fresh coloring ! A very scarce and beautiful view of Edinburgh.