1. Foster, Vere [Henry Louis / Lewis] / [Georgiana Duchess of Devonshire / Elizabeth, Duchess of Devonshire].

The Two Duchesses – Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire / Elizabeth, Duchess of Devonshire – Family Correspondence of and Relating to Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire / Elizabeth, Duchess of Devonshire, Earl of Bristol (Bishop of Derby), The Countess of Bristol, Lord and Lady Byron, The Earl of Aberdeen, Sir Augustus Foster Bart, and Others, 1777-1859. First Edition. With 17 illustrations.

London / Glasgow and Dublin, Blackie & Son Limited, 1898. Octavo (16 cm x 22,5 cm). XII, 497 pages with 16 full-page-illustrations and one small vignette, showing the Two Duchesses in cordial embrace. Hardcover / Original, green publisher’s cloth with gilt lettering and ornament to spine and armorial supralibro to cover with the Motto of the “British chivalric Order of the Garter”: “Honi soit qui mal y pense” [″shame on anyone who thinks evil of it”]. Very good condition with some minor signs of wear only. “Presentation Copy of “The Two Duchesses” with Autograph / Manuscript – Letter by Vere Foster to his niece, Emily Albinia “Alba” Foster. With a stunning, unpublished, two-page manuscript letter, revealing several important details about the immediately favorable reviews and reception of the book “Two Duchesses” [″in the Daily Telegraph”] and Vere Foster’s disdain about some criticism from one J.Donohue [which led to an alteration in the second edition of the book]. Vere Foster is also expecting a review to appear in the “Athenaeum” but reports: “the Athenaeum has nothing yet”. Vere Foster apologizes to his niece for the delay in sending the book and explains that he had left 12 “parcels” with Blackie’s agent and gave instructions to send them, but a few days later found they had been “untouched”. One of the most important finds of Vere Foster – Material in recent years with no sign of similar material on offer in the past years on the international market.

2. Foster, Vere [Henry Louis / Lewis] / [Georgiana Duchess of Devonshire / Elizabeth, Duchess of Devonshire] / [Publisher Blackie & Son – Publishing House in Glasgow].

Publisher’s original “Private Library” – Correction-Copy of “The Two Duchesses”, for the “Second Edition”, with necessary alterations and wishes for changes marked by the corrector / publisher in pencil. Comparisons between pages allow to see the changes in effect if one compares the first and second edition. [A sensational find] / Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire / Elizabeth, Duchess of Devonshire – Family Correspondence of and Relating to Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire / Elizabeth, Duchess of Devonshire, Earl of Bristol (Bishop of Derby), The Countess of Bristol, Lord and Lady Byron, The Earl of Aberdeen, Sir Augustus Foster Bart, and Others, 1777-1859. First Edition. With 17 illustrations.

London / Glasgow and Dublin, Blackie & Son Limited, 1898. Octavo (16 cm x 22,5 cm). XII, 497 pages with 16 full-page-illustrations and one small vignette, showing the Two Duchesses in cordial embrace. Hardcover / Original, green publisher’s cloth with gilt lettering and ornament to spine and armorial supralibro to cover with the Motto of the “British chivalric Order of the Garter”: “Honi soit qui mal y pense” [″shame on anyone who thinks evil of it”]. Excellent, very clean binding. Very good condition with some minor signs of wear only. “Publisher’s Copy” with the publisher’s library sticker and bookplate to pastedown: “Blackie & Son Limited – Private Library – Case Kd – Shelf 5” – Exlibris of Blackie & Son below the library-sticker.

3. [Webb, William Livingston / United Irishmen] [Muralt, Béat Louis de (1665-1749)].

Lettres sur les Anglois et les François et sur les Voiages [Voyages].

Three Volumes bound in Two (complete set). [Paris], 1726. Small-Octavo (10 cm x 16 cm). 200, 200, 224 pages. Hardcover / Original 18th century leather with gilt lettering on spine. New Spine-Label applied to Volume I. Both Volumes housed in a bespoke built Solander Box. Some minor rubbing. Provenance: From the library of a member of the 1798 Rebellion under Wolfe Tone, William Livingston Webb, with Webb’s name in ink to the titlepage of Volume I and his name also to the first page of Volume II. Webb notes in Volume two that he purchased the books in Lille. While other Protestant Leaders of the Rebellion were hanged, William Livingston Webb was exiled. With a manuscript-poem in english and remarks in french, citing “Voltaire” to rear endpaper of Volume II: “Les Tome auteur n’art de l’esprit qui autart qu’il enfant, ny le recherchant jamais pensent avec priment avec clarte” (?) – Voltaire (?).

4. Wright, Thomas.

Louthiana – Or, An Introduction To The Antiquities of Ireland – In Upwards of Ninety Views and Plans : Representing, with proper explanations, the principal Ruins, Curiosities and Antient [sic] Dwellings in the County of Louth. Taken upon the Spot by Thomas Wright, Author of the Physical and Mathematical Elements of Astronomy, &c. Engraved by Paul Fourdrinier.

The second Edition revised and corrected, with some few Additions by the Author. Three Volumes in One. London, Printed for Thomas Payne, next the Mews-Gate, in Castle-Street, DSt.Martins; and sold by Mess.Ewing, Dublin, 1758. Quarto (24 cm wide x 30 cm high). Pagination: Volume I: Frontispiece showing “The Monument of the Battle of the Boyne”, two-coloured titlepage (lettering in black and red), Preface with printed Dedication (2 pages) to James, Earl of Clanbrassele, with two smaller Text-Illustrations showing Views of Dundalk and a Map of Dundalk Bay (4 pages), Book I: 16 pages of Text plus 20 full-page Plates (complete) / Volume II: 8 pages Text, Two smaller Text-Illustrations of the Mouth of the Boyn [sic] and of St.Laurence’s Gate of Doroghedah [sic]), 24 Full-page Plates (complete) / Volume III: 20 pages text, with one smaller Text-Illustration of the Bay of Carlingford, plus 22 full-page Plates. Collation complete ! Hardcover / Original full calf of the 18th century with orignal spine-label and gilt ornament on spine. Binding still holding but both boards nearly detached (in need of repair). Interior in very good condition with all of the fascinating plates present. Some minor creasing to some plates and only very slight foxing to very few plates. A Rare original version of this sought after Book !!

5. Goldsmith, Oliver/ [Washington Irving] / [Sara Jeffares (Landscape, 1886)].

A History of The Earth and Animated Nature – With an Introductory View of the Animal Kingdom. Translated from the French of Baron Cuvier and with copious Notes, embracing Accounts of New Discoveries in Natural History. [Includes a Biographical Sketch of Oliver Goldsmith: “A Life of the Author”, by Washington Irving]. (Illustrated Edition with full-page portrait of Goldsmith, 45 (of 46) full-page hand-coloured Plates of Butterflies, Birds, Rhonocerous etc. as well as two hand-coloured, additional Titlepages with animal-scenes [plate XXVI (Crocodile) is missing and plates XXXI and XXXVIII were never inteded to be bound with the work]).

First Edition with the Biography of Goldsmith by Washington Irving. Six Parts in Two Volumes (complete set). London, Edinburgh and Dublin, A. Fullerton and Co., 1846-1848. Large Octavo. Pagination: Frontispiece-Portrait of Oliver Goldsmith by S. Freeman from a painting by Sir Joshua Reynolds, Engraved and hand-coloured Titlepage (with tissue-guard), LIV, Hardcover / Original, decorative half-leather with gilt lettering and ornament on spine. Plate 40 with a minor defect to the outer margins only (no image effected). Bindings in wonderful and firm condition. From the library of one Sara Jeffares (Landscape, 1886), her full name, year and place of lodgings signed by her on the titlepage.

6. [Hansard, Luke].

The Imperial Review ; or London and Dublin Literary Journal [From 1805 on called “The Imperial Review or London, Edinburgh and Dublin Literary Journal”].

First and only Edition. Five Volumes. London, Printed by Luke Hansard, for T.Cadell and W. Davies, in The Strand, also for J.Archer, J. Cooke (Ormond Quay); and M.N.Mahon (Grafton Street, Dublin); A. Edwards (Cork Printer); J. Barry (Limerick) and W. Magee (Belfast), 1804 – 1805. Octavo. Two Annuals (complete for the Year 1804 and 1805) of this Rare Periodical, bound in five Volumes. Year 1804: Volume the First: (January to April, 1804) XII, 654 pages including Index / Volume the Second: (May to August, 1804) VIII, 639 pages including Index / Volume the Third: (September to December, 1804) VIII, 628 pages including Index // Year 1805: Volume the Fourth [Titlepage missing] (January to June, 1805): VII, 733 pages including Index / Volume the Fifth (July to December, 1805): VII, 706 pages including Index. Original Hardcover with new spinelabels. All Volumes in collector’s Mylar. Very good condition with only minor signs of wear. Provenance: From the library of Richard Meade (Ballymartle), with his Exlibris / Bookplate to pastedown. Minor browning only. Titlepage of Volume four missing, otherwise complete and the interior in excellent condition. A very rare find, this is one of the more elusive periodicals of the early 19th century, printed just after the Act of Union in 1800 was established and printed by english printer Luke Hansard for publishers and printers in London, Dublin and Cork.

7. Willoughby, Bob.

Jazz in LA. With texts by Herb Geller / Bob Willoughby / Mike Zwerin. Edited and compiled by Ingo Wulff.

[No.158 of only 200 Signed copies of the rare, Limited Edition]. Kiel, Nieswand Verlag, 1990. Large Folio (48 cm x 34.5 cm). 17 full-page-photographs on heavy archival paper. With a hidden chapter in the rear: “Bob Willoughby’s favourite Tunes”. Original Hardcover (spine comprises of a brass tube). Excellent condition with minor signs of exceptional condition. The publication was very successful and experienced a second, revised edition which was not signed. This first, limited edition, signed by the groundbreaking jazz-photographer Bob Willoughby, is exceedingly scarce and should not be mistaken for the “normal” edition, which looks the same but is not signed and limited.

8. [Knox, William] / [McNally, Leonard / United Irishmen] / [Warner William Westenra, 2nd Baron Rossmore].

Extra Official State Papers. Addressed to The Right Hon. Lord Rawdon and the Other Members of the Two House of Parliament, Associated for the Preservation of the Constitution and Promoting the Prosperity of the British Empire. By a Late Under Secretary of State [William Knox].

London, J.Debrett, 1789. 8°. 49, [1], 14, [2], 174 [2] pages plus Errata-leaf. Original Hardcover. Contemporary Irish calf with gilt lettering and ornament on spine / edges in light green. Neatly rebacked. Gilt ornaments on spine with beautiful original spinelabel. In overall excellent condition. This thoughtful work on Irish politics and history was written by an Irish-born government official, and subsequently owned by two significant figures in Irish history, both of whom have left their mark on it. The first was the spy and co-founder of the United Irishmen, Leonard Macnally who has signed and annotated the text, followed by Warner William Westenra second Baron Rossmore who has left his notes and jottings on the Act of Union.

9. Kenmare, Valentine Edward Charles Browne / The Irish Manuscripts Commission.

The Kenmare Manuscripts. Edited by Edward MacLysaght.

Dublin, Stationery Office, 1942. Slim Quarto (17 cm x 25 cm). XIV pages, 1 leaf, 517 pages, 1 leaf. Original Hardcover. Excellent condition with some minor signs of wear only. An extremely scarce publication.

10. Mac-Goeghegan [sic], [Abbé Mac-Geoghegan]/ James MacGeoghegan / Mitchel, John.

The History of Ireland, Ancient and Modern, Taken from the Most Authentic Records, and Dedicated to the Irish Brigade. With a Continuation from the Treaty of Limerick to the Present Time by John Mitchel.

First Edition of the John Mitchel-Edition. New York, D. & J. Sadlier & Co., 1869. Quarto (23.5 cm x 28 cm). Lithographic Frontispiece, Titlepage with wood-cut-border, XVI pages with Dedication, Biographical Sketch of the author James MacGeoghegan, and 4 pages of detailed Contents plus main text of 640 pages including a thorough Index. Original, very decorative Hardcover with family – crest of Patrick Flannigan on front board. Bespoke binding. Binding a little shaky with the spine loosening but still firm and holding. Endpapers as well as first and last pages a little dusty and with peripheral fraying. Interior clean besides some foxing. Includes a number of stunning portraits and romantic illustrations of Ireland. One illustration (St.Patrick) slightly torn. Name of two pre-owners on titlepage. Important History with decorative borders to each page. Extremely Rare !