Rare books from Michael Pyron, Bookseller, ABAA

Paris: L. Maison, 1850. Half Leather. Very Good binding. 12mo. [4], 386 pp., frontis, maps, plates. Backed in maroon calf with marbled paper over boards. Spine ends and corners lightly worn; light to moderate foxing to the contents. Large folding map of western United States, "Carte de la Nouvelle Californie Dressee . . . 1850," with "Deuxieme Edition" printed at the top margin. There is some early reinforcement to the verso of some of the folds, map is a bit foxed. In addition to the large folding frontispiece map there are 4 engraved views including San Francisco, Fort Sutter, the redwood forest, and Pyramid Lake; as well as 3 additional full page maps--Monterey Bay, Panama, and Tierra del Fuego. Cowan calls this "the most complete and extensive work descriptive of California published in France at this time" (qtd. in Kurutz). An uncommon history and map of California in the early years of the Gold Rush. Text in French. Howes F-101; Kurutz 236a; Sabin 24198; Wheat, Books 75; Wheat, Maps 155.

Oxford: Printed by Shakespeare Head Press for Basil Blackwell, 1932. Half Leather. Very Good+ binding. Quarto. Vol I: [8], 307 (signature "t" repeats pp. 137-144, as issued), [1 (blank)]; II: [8], 252; III: [8], 221, [3 (blank)]; IV: [8], 241, [7 (blank)]; V: [8], 262, [2 (blank)]; VI: [8], 416; VII: [8], 241, [3 (blank)]; [12], 280 pp., bifolium prospectus with 4 printed pages, one of which is a specimen page with hand-colored headpiece. Limited Edition, number 108 of 375 copies (350 for sale) on Batchelor's Shakespeare Head handmade paper; printed in black 16 pt. Caslon with initials in blue and headlines in blue and red. Backed in Hermitage calf with Cockerell marbled paper over boards and corners tipped in vellum. A beautiful set with only light shelf-rubbing to the covers; calf spines show slight variation as volume I-III are a bit sunned and volume III is a trifle soiled--leather remains supple on all volumes. Contents are very clean but for some foxing to the textblock edges; volumes IV-VIII… Read More

New York: Atlantic Monthly Press, 1983. Soft Cover. Very Good binding. Octavo. viii, 88 pp. Eighth printing, signed by Oliver on the half title. As issued, in printed wrapper, this is a later printing of this Pulitzer Prize winning collection of poems signed by one of the most recognized American poets. Remarkably uncommon thus.

Petersburg, VA: printed for the author, by Dickson & Pescud [and] M. W. Dunnavant, 1816. Full Leather. Good binding. Octavo. Vol. I: ii, iv, 348; II: 335, [1 (blank)], lxii; III: 469; IV: viii, 538, xv, [1 (blank)], [1 (errata)], [1 (blank)] pp. Folding plate. First edition. In contemporary calf. Fairly solid copies with wear to the extremities, particularly the corners and the spine ends; the front boards of Volume II and III have been sensitively secured/reattached; spine label of Volume I is lacking. All volumes show the expected foxing and toning to the contents but are clean. Volumes I and II have the book plate of Virginia and West Virginia politician Charles James Faulkner; evidence of a bookplate removed from Volume III; Volume IV bears the contemporary owner name of John Parham. An important work of Virginia history. In an early catalog, Eberstadt summarizes, "The author dedicates his work to Thomas Jefferson, whose ardent disciple he was, and through whose influence he had access to… Read More

Harper Woods, MI: [Printed by Leonard Bahr at] The Adagio Press, 1969. Hard Cover. Near Fine binding. Folio. 54, [2] pp. Limited edition, number XI of 75 Roman numeral copies, signed by the Leonard Bahr, the printer. As issued, quarter bound in vellum with marbled paper over boards; spine titled in gold; printed in black with running headers in blue and red. The edition includes two leaves from the Doves Press, one quarto leaf from Paradise Lost printed on vellum as well a folio leaf from the book of Esther from the Doves Press Bible printed on paper. A bright, fresh copy, complete with mounted photograph of Emery Walker and T. J. Cobden-Sanderson along with the pamphlet, "A Letter from Stella" (1971), which serves as an epilogue to this present work. Boards are very slightly splayed at the fore-edge, and the front free endpaper has a gentle wrinkle, else Fine. This series is from a larger limitation that included 12 lettered copies with both Doves Press specimen leaves on vellum and approximately… Read More

Richmond: West & Johnston, 1862. Hard Cover. Good binding. Confederate imprint, first edition, thus. 37" x 25". As issued, folded in printed paper over boards case; fore-edge ties are lacking; staining and wear to the case. Paper is toned with some staining; several closed tears at the folds and intersections of folds, one of which is significant spanning nearly 12". This is the second iteration of the Bucholtz-Ludwig map of 1858. Of the origin of this map, William C. Wooldridge writes, "At least four maps of Virginia published between 1858 and ca. 1868 derive in whole or in part from the same lithographic stone--or were copied with such minute care as to make their common parts indistinguishable. The maps have different borders, different sizes, and different publisher's imprints. They look different.... The common denominator of these four maps is the lithographic stone prepared by Charles L. Ludwig in 1858 for Ludwig von Bucholtz's new map of Virginia" (p. 26). Wooldridge goes on, "This new… Read More

New York: Random House, 1951. Hard Cover. Very Good binding/Good dust jacket. Octavo. xiv, 402 pp. First edition, first printing, signed by Williams on the front free endpaper. In publisher's cloth with dust jacket. A fairly bright copy with light wear to the spine ends and corners; front hinge a trifle over-opened behind the flyleaf; light age toning to the margins of the leaves else contents clean. Dust jacket is worn with chipping at the head and tail of the spine; scuffing to front panel; lengthy closed tear along the rear fold; price intact on the front flap. Williams's account of his life, friendships, and accomplishments. This copy signed in an unsteady post-stroke hand by Williams. Important reflections a giant of 20th century poetry, scarce signed.

Philadelphia: Mathew Carey, 1794. Full Leather. Good binding. Octavo. [4], 336 pp., folding table. Second American edition. Bound in contemporary calf with morocco title label on the spine; this copy is lacking the folding map of Virginia as is so often the case. Darkening from desiccation to the base of the spine and onto the rear board; joints are starting to separate, but boards are holding well; covers are splayed; institutional bookplate on the front pastedown otherwise contents are clean and binding sound. "A comprehensive and very valuable description of the natural history, economic resources, and social condition of Virginia, drawn up in the form of answers to queries presented by Barbe de Marbois. . . . The answer to the 18th query contains his famous denunciation of slavery; that to the 17th his defense of liberty of conscience" Larned 1374. An early edition of an important work. Evans 27162; Howes J-78; Sabin 35898.

Paris: Three Mountains Press, 1923. Hard Cover. Good+ binding. Octavo.79, [1] pp. First edition; numbered 275 of 300 copies; signed by Williams on the front free endpaper. Bound as issued in publisher's cloth-backed boards; lacking title label. Binding is bumped at the board edges; spine ends softened with some fraying; boards toned; offsetting to the endpapers; a closed tear to the fore-edge of the front free endpaper has been discreetly mended; an additional short closed tear to the fore-edge margin of a leaf had an early tape repair that was removed and mended more sensitively. All in all, a reasonable copy of an uncommon book. A notable early work from one of the great American writers and issued like so many important literary works of that time from a small but significant American press in Paris. William Bird founded the Three Mountains Press in the 1920's and worked closely with Robert McAlmon's Contact Editions not long after opening. Bird was responsible for publishing and/or printing… Read More

Original Wrappers. Very Good binding. An uncommon collection of promotional material from Tuskegee Institute. Contents include: 1) Tuskegee Institute, 1881-1931 | Souvenir Program, Exercises in Celebration of Founder's Day and the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Establishment of the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute by Booker T. Washington, April 12-14, 1931 (Robert Russa Moton, Principal). Tuskegee Institute Press, 1931. Quarto. [24] pp., illus. In printed, patterned wrappers. Light shelfwear, only. Many full page photographs of the campus. (OCLC 298254312) 2) Zuber, Osburn. [cover title] Negro Scientist Shows 'Way Out' for Southern Farmers: A Story of George Washington Carver of Tuskegee. np/nd. Octavo. 21, [3 (blank)] pp., Pagination includes wrappers. As issued, stapled into printed wrapper. Light wear including a clipped inner bottom corner; previous owner name (Emily Bush) on the top of the front cover; stapled rusted by holding. (OCLC 11745628) 3) Dillard, James Hardy. Booker T.… Read More

Philadelphia: North American Land Company, 1795. Very Good binding. 12.25" x 9.75". Printed broadside form on paper completed in ink and signed by the secretary of the North American Land Company James Marshall (brother of Chief Justice John Marshall) and president of the company, Robert Morris. Scalloped left edge as issued; vertical crease through the center from an early fold; light edgewear, only. A presentable copy. While Morris is most recognized as a financier of the American Revolution as well as a signer of the three founding documents of the United States--Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution of the United States--the North American Land Company was a less than successful endeavor. Late in the 18th century Morris had some early successes with land speculation that drove him. The culmination of that drive, The North American Land Company, was a venture started by Morris and John Nicholson and eventually including John Greenleaf. It was a land… Read More

London: Longmans, Green, and Co, 1898. Hard Cover. Very Good binding. Octavo. xviii, 550, 32 (ads); [8], 641 pp., frontis, port, maps. First edition. In publisher's red cloth; all portraits and maps are present. Some conservation work has been performed, including mending all the inner hinges, discreetly lining the joints and backstrips from behind and mending all the inner hinges so that these volumes are quite strong despite the conservation work being very subtle; spines sunned; light soiling to the covers; contents are intermittently foxed. This copy belonged to Confederate General William H. Payne and has his name in ink on both half-title and his name stamp on both title pages. Additionally, under Payne's inked name on the half titles is a pencil name of Harry F. Payne, surely General Payne's son. This set is from the library maintained by the Hunton family and the pencil underlining, marginal bracketing, and marginalia is believed to be that of Eppa Hunton IV, Payne's grandson. Nevins notes… Read More

[France?], 1800. Hard Cover. Very Good binding. Oblong quarto. 265mm x 210mm. 17 maps, drawn and colored on the recto only; two are folding. Bound in later cloth-backed decorative paper boards. Front board with earlier oval pastedown label with printed border and printers name: "By de Weduwe de Moor en Zoon" ("by the Widow of Moor and Son," a publishing house). All maps are hand-drawn in ink with neat labeling in French in black ink; all hand-colored. Light soiling and some ink remnants to paper label. Sporadic spotting, mostly along margins, generally not impacting maps. The detailed and elegant maps include a map of the world, one of Europe, Asia, Africa, North America as it stood at the turn of the 19th century, South America, a very detailed map of France, the Low Countries, The British Isles, Spain and Portugal, Italy, German speaking Central Europe, Poland in 3 parts as it was after 1795 until 1807 when the Duchy of Warsaw was created, Scandinavia, European Russia, Switzerland and Hungary… Read More

New York: Bruce Rogers & the Press of A. Colish, 1955. Full Leather. Near Fine binding. Folio. 364, [2] pp., illus. Limited edition, one of 300 copies, this one out of series. As issued in full brick-red leather with gilt fleur-de-lis at each corner; top edge gilt. In publisher issued slipcase. A beautiful copy with trivial rubbing in the center of the spine, in very nearly fine condition. Slipcase with some wear to the spine and separation starting at the back joints. It remains solid. This book was initially conceived of in 1902 when Rogers was working on the publication of Norton's translation at the Riverside Press. A page proof was set in Rogers's Montagine type but the with Norton's death the project was shelved. It resurfaced in the early 1930s when Rogers was working on his monumental lectern Bible, but again, Dante would be put aside. More than half a century after its conception, Rogers saw it to completion, the last major work designed by Rogers. An exquisitely designed and executed… Read More

New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1935. Hard Cover. Near Fine binding. Octavo. xviii, [2], 647; xii, [2], 621; xi, [3], 559; viii, [2], 594 pp., frontis, plates, ports, maps, facsims. First edition, first printing, signed and inscribed by Freeman on the front free endpaper of Volume I. Publisher's scarlet cloth with title in gold on the spine and front cover with two scarce publisher's slipcase; all plates are present as called for. Spines have only the hint of sunning. The publisher's slipcases are a bit rubbed with some early discreet and effective repairs to one rear joint of each; generally Good or better; these are uncommon in this condition. "A classic example of the biographical form; exhaustively researched, vividly written, balanced, judicious and definitive in its portrayal of the Confederacy's greatest soldier" CWB II, 57. Harwell calls it a "materpiece of biograpy and of military history" In Tall Cotton 62. A much nicer copy than often seen of the signed, first printing set of… Read More