Search Results: Titles starting with D from David Brass Rare Books, Inc.

London: Published by R. Ackermann, Repository of Arts, 1817. Thomas Rowlandson's "Dance of Life"[ROWLANDSON, Thomas, illustrator]. [COMBE, William]. The Dance of Life, A Poem, by the Author of "Doctor Syntax;" Illustrated with Coloured Engravings, by Thomas Rowlandson. London: Published by R. Ackermann, Repository of Arts, 1817. First edition. Octavo (8/15/16 x 5 1/2 inches; 227 x 141 mm.). [6], 299, [1, blank]; [2], ii, ii, 285, [1, blank], [1, "Advertisement"], [1, blank] pp. Twenty-six hand-colored aquatint plates (including the frontispiece and engraved title). Plates and text watermarked 1817.Bound ca. 1890 by Estes & Lauriat, Boston. (stamp-signed on the verso of the front free endpaper) in three quarter dark green morocco over marbled boards ruled in blind. Spine with five raised bands, decoratively tooled and lettered in gilt in compartments, marbled endpapers. Grolier, Rowlandson, 38. Abbey, Life, 264. Tooley 411.

London: Richard Bentley, 1864. The moral of this story shows, Though knaves on women oft impose,That men are sometimes quite as green, But hold their tongues themselves to screen" (Hans Christian Andersen)[ANDERSEN, Hans Christian]. BUSHBY, Mrs. Anne, editor and translator. The Danes Sketched by Themselves. A Series of Popular Stories by the Best Danish Authors. Translated by Mrs. Bushby. In Three Volumes. London: Richard Bentley, 1864.First English edition of this collection of Danish tales and verse, selected and translated by Mrs. Bushby. Three octavo volumes (7 7/8 x 4 15/16 inches; 200 x 125 mm.). [2, publisher's advertisements], [6], 312; [4], 303, [1, blank]; [4], 303, [1, blank] pp.Original terra cotta pebble-grain cloth with covers decoratively stamped in blind and spines ruled, decoratively stamped, and lettered in gilt. Original cream-colored endpapers. Some very faint marks on the front covers, where there must once have been library labels, the absolute minimum of rubbing to corners,… Read more

Paris: F.-L. Schmied, 1924. Considered to be Schmied's First Important BookThe Copy of Publisher, Bookbinder and Bookseller René KiefferSCHMIED, Francois-Louis, illustrator. VIGNY, Alfred de. Daphné. Paris: Chez F.-L. Schmied, Peintre-Graveur-Imprimeur, 1924.Limited to 140 numbered copies (this being no. 41) signed by F.L. Schmied.Large quarto (12 1/8 x 9 7/8 inches; 310 x 251 mm.).[iv, blank], [180], 1, imprint], [7, blank] pp. Forty-nine colored woodblocks, five of which are full-page, twenty-five headbands and end caps and nineteen large ornamented letters, all of which are partly embellished with silver. The title-page and frontispiece have light offsetting and there is some light offsetting from the illustrations onto the text, far less than is usually seen. A near fine and fresh example.Publishers pictorial gray wrappers printed in silver, maroon, red light gray and blue. Publisher's mottled red chemise (with tile in silver on spine) and matching slipcase. Chemise joints neatly repaired… Read more

London: Published by R. Alistair McAlpine, 1974. The Greatest Literary Hoax of the Twentieth Century"MALLEY, Ern. NOLAN, Sidney, artist. The Darkening Ecliptic. Poems by Ern Malley. Paintings by Sidney Nolan, Preface by Robert Melville. Introduction by Elwyn Lynn. [London]: Published by R. Alistair McAlpine, 1974. First edition. Limited to 1,000 copies.Folio (12 1/4 x 9 1/2 inches; 311 x 241 mm.). 56 pp. Seventeen full-page Caran D'ache illustrations and numerous color drawings within the text.Publisher's tan boards front cover lettered and with a deign in black, spine lettered in black, color pictorial paste-downs. A fine copy in the original color printed dust-jacket."Ern Malley was an Australian poet who died at the age of twenty-five in 1943. In fact he did not exist, his life and poetry was a hoax. But his poems still remain, haunting the imagination, like a fake holy ghost." (dust jacket front flap).Ernest Lalor "Ern" Malley was a fictitious poet and the central figure in Australia's most… Read more

Essingen & Munich: F.F. Schreiber, 1911. A Fantastic Movable Pop-Up Panorama Dolls house by Lothar MeggendorferMEGGENDORFER, Lothar. Das Puppenhaus [The Dolls House]. Eine Festgabe für brave Mädchen [A Celebration for good Girls]. No. 109. Essingen & Munich: F.F. Schreiber, no date, circa 1911. Oblong quarto (8 1/2 x 10 1/4 inches; 215 x 260 mm.). Five fine full-color lithographed pop-up scenes. A few inconsequential creases and a few small expert repairs, otherwise near fine.Publisher's glazed color pictorial boards with original red cloth hinges. a wonderful example of this very rare toy.This pop-up panorama opens to form five scenes some of which need opening or unfolding by the child. There are two outside and three detailed interior rooms of a doll's house. As unfolded to its full length of four feet, people, furniture, and even fixtures pop-out and each of the scenes is rich in detail. There is even a piano with a bust of Beethoven on the top. See Haining (pp. 122-128) who reproduces… Read more

London: Hurst and Blackett, 1863. Gothically Romantic NovelIn the Original ClothNot in Sadleir or WolffMACDONALD, George. David Elginbrod. In Three Volumes. London: Hurst and Blackett, 1863.First edition of the author's first published novel. Three octavo volumes (7 3/4 x 4 7/8 inches; 199 x 125 mm.). viii, 325, [1]; vi, 335, [1]; vi, 398.Original brick red pebble-grain cloth with covers ruled in blind and spines ruled in gilt and blind and lettered in gilt. A few leaves in gathering N in Volume I poorly opened at top and a few leaves in gathering H in Volume III poorly opened at edge (none affecting any text). The front cover of Volume I shows evidence of a lending library label having once been affixed, and the front and rear pastedowns of Volume III show signs of there once having been a brown paper protective cover. Otherwise, this is as near fine a set as one could ever wish for, with the hinges sound and the gilt lettering on the unfaded spines fresh and bright."[Macdonald] and his family… Read more

London: George Routledge and Sons, 1881. One of the Books That Relieved John Ruskin's DepressionRare in Dust JacketGREENAWAY, Kate. FOSTER, Myles B. A Day in a Child's Life. Music by Myles B. Foster. Engraved and Printed by Edmund Evans. London: [n.d., 1881]. First edition. Quarto (9 9/16 x 8 1/4 in; 243 x 208 mm). 29, [1, printer's slug] pp. Color-printed wood-engraved text illustrations, most accompanied with musical notations. Publisher's light green glazed pictorial boards, beveled edges with green cloth backstrip, light green coated endpapers, all edges stained green. In the publisher's printed dust jacket with some acid-free tape strengthening on the verso and a small (1 1/4 inch) piece chipped away from top of spine and one small chip (5/8 x 1/2 inch) on front panel not affecting text or image. Housed in a black cloth clamshell case, spine lettered in gilt. Housed in a dark blue cloth clamshell case, spine lettered in gilt. A very good copy.Thomson variant 31a with border of six narrow brown… Read more

London: George Routledge and Sons, 1881. One of the Books That Relieved John Ruskin's DepressionRare in Dust Jacket[GREENAWAY, Kate]. FOSTER, Myles B. A Day in a Child's Life. Music by Myles B. Foster. Engraved and Printed by Edmund Evans. London: [n.d., 1881]. First edition. Quarto (9 11/16 x 8 1/4 in; 246 x 209 mm). Color-printed wood-engraved text illustrations, most accompanied with musical notations. Publisher's gray glazed pictorial boards, beveled edges with green cloth backstrip, light green coated endpapers, all edges stained blue. Minimal soiling and rubbing to board edges and corners only, small split to front inner hinge,otherwise an exceptionally clean and near fine copy. In the publisher's printed dust jacket with most of spine missing and small piece missing from front panel not affecting text or image.Thomson variant 31d with trellis-like border and garland of roses surrounding two seated girls."...By Christmas, Ruskin had recovered and was ready to advise her. Although he was still… Read more

London: Hutchinson, 1971. Inscribed First Edition of Frederick Forsyth's 'The Day of the Jackal' Bound by Sangorski & Sutclifffe In a Unique Pictorial BindingFORSYTH, Frederick. [SANGORSKI & SUTCLIFFE, binders]. The Day of the Jackal. London: Hutchinson, 1971.First edition. Presentation copy inscribed by John Forsyth on the verso of the half-title "To/Sir Dudley/with warmest regards/Freddie Forsyth/15.11.71."Octavo (8 3/8 x 5 3/16 inches; 213 x 132 mm.). [vi], 358 pp.Pictorially bound by Sangorski & Sutcliffe ca. 1980 in full red, blue, black and white oasis morocco, front cover with black morocco onlays and silver rule depicting a marksman and crosshairs, smooth spine lettered in silver, all edges silver, red, blue and white head- and tail bands, patterned red and black end-papers, original dust-jacket preserved at end. Housed in the original full black morocco slipcase.Although the binding is unsigned it was specially commissioned by a collector who always used S & S.As a young journalist… Read more

London: Published for the Proprietor, by Rowney & Forster, 1824. The Misadventures of a Regency Free-LoaderTold in Six Beautifully Hand-Colored Aquatint Plates[EGERTON, Michael]. [A Day's Journal of a Sponge. By Peter Pasquin. London: Published for the Proprietor, by Rowney & Forster, 1824]. First edition. Oblong folio (10 3/8 x 14 inches; 264 x 351 mm.). Six bright and beautifully hand-colored aquatint plates with interleaves. The plates are unsigned, with imprint: London, Published by W. Egerton, 1824. Bound without the lithographed title. Watermark: J Whatman Turkey Mill 1826.Bound by Rivière and Son in later red half crushed morocco over red cloth boards. Raised bands. Gilt-lettered compartments. Expertly rebacked with the original spine laid down. An excellent copy.A work of profound rarity with or without the title; OCLC notes only four copies in institutional holdings. Abbey's copy, as this one, also lacked the titlepage.These satiric plates with their lengthy droll and witty captions… Read more

London: Published for the Proprietor, by Rowney & Forster, 1824. The Profoundly Rare Misadventures of a Free-LoaderTold in Six Beautifully Hand-Colored Aquatint Plates[EGERTON, Michael]. A Day's Journal of a Sponge. By Peter Pasquin. London: Published for the Proprietor, by Rowney and Forster, 51, Rathbone Place. 1824.First edition. Oblong folio (10 1/2 x 14 1/2 inches; 267 x 369 mm.). Printed title-page and six bright and beautifully hand-colored aquatint plates. The plates are unsigned, with imprint: London, Published by W. Egerton, 1824, and do not possess watermarks, as noted by Abbey. Of extraordinary significance and scarcity is the presence of the title page, lacking in the copy Abbey examined, and, as a result, Abbey notes the title simply as Sponge. The title page is missing from the precious few that we have had the opportunity to examine over the last forty years. Houfe notes this volume but under the title Sponge as well.Original printed drab wrappers. Three inch split to spine foot.… Read more

London: Raphael Tuck & Sons, Ltd, 1912. An Eye-Popping Cat Pop-Up BookWAIN, Louis. Days in Catland with Louis Wain. Father Tuck's Panorama No. 8595. London: Raphael Tuck & Sons, Ltd, n.d. [ca.1912]. First edition. Oblong quarto (10 5/8 x 11 15/16 inches; 271 x 304 mm.). Four full-color lithographed panels forming a panorama with fourteen color lithographed slot-in figures (depicting twenty-seven cats).Front panel with full-color lithographed image of "Five cats in a Theater Box". Hinges and pouch-flap (to store the fourteen figures on lower panel expertly strengthened. Minimal rubbing to extremities. The four panels form a panorama, each panel depicts the interior of a different room in the cats' house with humanized cats and furniture. The panels have fourteen numbered slots into which the reader inserts the corresponding figure(s) to complete the scene. There are fourteen wonderful color cat cut-outs (actually twenty-seven cats) by Louis Wain showing this family of cats at "At Bath-time and… Read more

Paris: Apud Jacob Bessin, 1614. Scarce Life of St. Augustine[AUGUSTINE of HIPPO, Saint]. ANGELIS, Ludovico de. De Vita, et Laudibus S.P.N. AVR. Augustini. Hipponensis Episcopi, et ecclesia Doctoris eximij. Libri Six. Recogniti secunda editione, & in compendium, à suo auctore R.P.F. Ludovico de Angelis, Portuensi, Lusitano, Ordinis Eremit. alumno & chronista generali, Doctori Theologo, & publico, in Collegio S. Aug. Olisipponensi, S. Pagina quondam interprete. Paris: Apud Jacob Bessin, 1614. Second edition, originally published in 1612. Octavo (6 5/8 x 4 3/16 in; 167 x 106 mm). (16), 192 pp. Head- tailpieces, initials.Contemporary limp vellum. Manuscript title to spine. Worming to upper corner of first few leaves, not affecting text, otherwise an excellent copy in its original seventeenth century vellum binding..Scarce; OCLC notes only two copies in libraries worldwide, and no copies at all of the first edition of 1612. No copies of either edition have come to auction within the last thirty-six… Read more

London: Ellis & White, 1875. But, knowing now that they would have her speak,She threw her wet hair backward from her brow,Her hand close to her mouth touching her cheek... (William Morris)The Defence of Guenevere in A Superb 1920s Inlaid Binding by Henry T. WoodWOOD, Henry T, binder. MORRIS, William. The Defence of Guenevere, and Other Poems. (Reprinted without alteration from the edition of 1858.) London: Ellis & White, 1875. Octavo (8 5/8 x 5 3/8 inches; 219 x 137 mm.). viii, 248 pp. Bound ca. 1920 by Wood of London (stamp-signed in gilt on front turn-in). Full brown crushed levant morocco, front cover decoratively bordered in gilt surrounding a wide inlaid frame of tan morocco elaborately inlaid with red, blue and green flowers and decorated in gilt and blind. Rear cover with similar black and gilt border. Spine with five raised bands, decoratively tooled and inlaid in the same style as the front cover. Lettered in gilt in compartments, gilt ruled board-edges, wide turn-ins with similar inlaid… Read more

Adelaide, South Australia: Printed for The Limited Editions Club, 1971. Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge: it is those who know little, not those who know much, who so positively assert that this or that problem will never be solved by science." DARWIN, Charles. The Descent of Man and Selection in Relation to Sex. With a Preface by Ashley Montagu and Drawings by Fritz Kredel. Adelaide, South Australia: Printed for The Limited Editions Club, 1971.Limited to 1,500 copies signed by Fritz Kredel, this being no. 1201.Large quarto (10 11/16 x 7 7/8 inches; 272 x 201 mm.). 384 pp. Illustrated throughout with numerous black and white drawings, some of which are full-page. Publisher's quarter green Oasis morocco over natural 'wood veneer' paper boards, spine decoratively stamped and lettered in gilt. Minimal fading to spine, still a near fine copy in the publisher's matching slip-case.Charles Robert Darwin, (1809-1882) was an English naturalist and geologist, best known for his… Read more

Roma: Vitale Mascardi, 1661. First Edition of One of the Rarest of Athanasius Kircher's Books"Post-Vesuvius Crosses"KIRCHER, Athanasius. Diatribe de prodigiosi Crucibus: quae tam supra vestes hominum, quam res alias, non pridem post vltimum incendium Vesuuij Montis Neapoli Comparuerunt. Roma: Vitale Mascardi, 1661. First edition. Small octavo (6 1/2 x 4 1/16 inches; 164 x 103 mm). [viii], 103, [1, blank] pp., one fold-out plate. Roman and italic type. Woodcut initials, head- tailpieces. Nineteenth century full vellum, spine lettered in manuscript. Slight burn mark affecting 1/4 x 1/2 inch of top blank margin of last three leaves of text and rear endleaves (not affecting any text). Later endpapers with original marbled endpapers bound in. An excellent copy of a very rare book. Housed in a fleece-lined half black morocco clamshell case."During 1661 a further work was published by Kircher which brought a refreshingly rational approach to a problem worrying the people of Naples. Mysterious crosses had… Read more

New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1975. The Ultimate Secret has been stolen. The trouble is, it's so secret that no knows what it is. Obviously it has to be retrieved, and Dick Deadeye is just the man to do it."SEARLE, Ronald. Dick Deadeye based on the drawings of Ronald Searle and the operas of Gilbert & Sullivan. New York: Harcourt Brace Jonanovich, [1975]. First American Edition. Oblong quarto (9 x 10 1/4 inches; 230 x 260 mm.). 74 pp. Profusely illustrated in color throughout.Publisher's red paper cloth over boards, spine lettered in gilt. Original color pictorial (price-clipped) dust jacket. A near fine copy.Dick Deadeye, or Duty Done is a 1975 British animated film musical, based on the comic operas of Gilbert and Sullivan. The comically convoluted plot is a pastiche of many of the operas in the Gilbert and Sullivan canon, particularly Trial by Jury, The Sorcerer, H.M.S. Pinafore, The Pirates of Penzance, Patience, Iolanthe and The Mikado, in which the principal character, Able Seaman Dick… Read more

Paris: chez Jules Didot [and] Baudouin Frères, 1823. Tom, Jerry, and Bob Logic en FrançaisTwenty-Four Hand-Colored Aquatint Engravings[CRUIKSHANK, George and Robert, illustrators]. EGAN, Pierce. Diorama Anglais, ou Promenades Pittoresques a Londres, Renfermant les Notes les plus Exactes sur les Caracteres, les Moeurs et usages de la Nation Anglaise, Prises dans les Differentes Classes de la Societe. Par M. S..... Ouvrage orné de vingt-quatre Planches Gravées et Enluminées, et de Plumieurs Sujets Caracteristiques. Paris: chez Jules Didot [and] Baudouin Frères, 1823. First edition in French of Egan's Life in London. Octavo (8 1/2 x 5 9/16 inches; 217 x 141 mm). [4], 235, [1, blank] pp. Twenty-four hand-colored aquatint engravings, with tissue guards, after George and Robert Cruikshank, unsigned, but similar to those used in the English version of Egan's classic, which contained thirty-six plates. Contemporary quarter red roan over red diaper pattern paper boards. Smooth spine with… Read more

[Hampstead, London]: , 1890. Dirty Jim"A Fine Original Pen, Ink and Watercolor for Little AnnGREENAWAY, Kate, artist. "Dirty Jim". Original pen, ink and watercolor drawing for "Little Ann". Signed with initials at lower left. No date, no place [Hampstead, London, 1883]. Landscape (10 x 8 3/8 inches; 254 x 213 mm.). Image size: 4 3/8 x 3 1/2 inches; 111 x 89 mm. This fine watercolor appears on page 24 of Little Anne. London, 1883."There was one little Jim,'Tis reported of him,And must be to his lasting disgrace,That he never was seenWith hands at all clean,Nor yet ever clean was his face.His friends were much hurtTo see so much dirt,And often they made him quite clean;But all was in vain,He got dirty again, And not at all fit to be seen.It gave him no painTo hear them complain,Nor his own dirty clothes to survey:His indolent mindNo pleasure could findIn tidy and wholesome array.The idle and bad,Like this little lad,May love dirty ways, to be sure:But good boys are seenTo be decent and clean,Although… Read more

Berne: Printed for the members of The Limited Editions Club, 1966. It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters" "We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak" (Epictetus)EPICTETUS. The Discourses of Epictetus [and The Manual, or Enchiridion] Translated by P.E. Matheson. Illustrated by Hans Erni. Berne: Printed for the members of The Limited Editions Club, 1966.Limited to 1,500 copies signed by Hans Erni, this being no. 1397.Folio (11 3/8 x 7 7/8 inches; 288 x 199 mm.). 344 pp. Frontispiece and five double-page color plates by Hans Erni.Publisher's full black buckram, front cover pictorially stamped in gilt, spine decoratively stamped in blind, green leather label lettered in gilt, yellow end-papers, all edges stained yellow. A fine copy housed in the publisher's yellow cardboard slip-case with green label lettered in gilt on spine.Epictetus (ca. AD 55-135) was a Greek speaking Stoic philosopher. He was born a slave at Hierapolis, Phrygia… Read more