Rare books from Roger Middleton

London, printed by Adam Islip, at the charges of Thomas Wight, 1598.. In this Impression you shall find these Additions: 1, His Portraiture and Progenie shewed. 2, His Life collected. 3, Arguments to every Booke gathered. 4, Old and obscure Words explaned. 5, Authors by him cited, declared. 6, Difficulties opened. 7, Two Bookes of his never before printed. SIXTH EDITION, THE FIRST EDITION OF CHAUCER to be edited by Thomas Speght 1598. Folio bound in sixes, approximately 305 x 200mm, 12 x 8 inches, engraved portrait frontispiece of Chaucer surrounded by a genealogical chart of his "Progenie" title page within architectural border, 3 highly decorated divisional title pages, full page arms on verso of A6, woodcut illustration of the Knight at the head of the Knight's Tale, decorative initials, small coat of arms on the second leaf of the Life of Chaucer, text in double columns and black letter. Pages: [54], 1-394, [1], [26]. A Catalogue of Translations by John Lidgate, of The Old and… Read More

London, printed by Jo. Streater, and sold by Humphrey Moseley, John Sweeting, John Clark, and George Sawbridge, 1658.. and many other Rarities not treated of by any Author Extant... Whereunto is added one Book containing Philosophical and Prudential Rules how Man shall become Excellent in all conditions, whether high or low, and lead his Life with Health of Body and Mind. Fit for the use of those that practise Physick, and all Others that desire to search into the hidden secrets of Nature, for increase of Knowledge. FIRST ENGLISH EDITION 1658. Small folio in fours, approximately 280 x 185 mm, 11 x 7¼ inches, title page printed red and black, pages: [16], 1-398, lacking final blank endpaper, bound in full contemporary speckled calf, blind rules to covers and spine, gilt lettered morocco label, endpapers replaced at some time. Binding slightly rubbed, scuffed and slightly stained, tiny chip to leather at top of upper hinge, old ink inscription at foot of original front endpaper, as in other copies… Read More

London, printed for E. and C. Dilly, in the Poultry, 1769.. Title continued: Adapted to the New Stile. AN ENTIRE NEW WORK. Containing The latest and most approved METHODS. OF CULTIVATING and IMPROVING the Kitchen, Flower, Fruit, and Physic Garden; And for Managing THE VINEYARD and PINE-APPLE. The Nursery, Shrubbery, Greenhouse, and Hothouse. With proper Directions for Raising Mushrooms. To which is prefixed, AN ESSAY upon Vegetation, Soil, Manure, and the Nature and Form of Stoves, Hot-beds. WITH A Copper-plate, exhibiting at One View the several Aspects for Planting a Fruit-Garden. FIRST EDITION 1769. 8vo, approximately 170 x 100 mm, 6¾ x 4 inches, one folding plate, pages: [10],1-285, [9], bound in old original sheep covers with new modern calf spine, two maroon gilt lettered labels to spine with gilt decoration and date, old endpapers. Light wear and staining to covers and corners, slight browning to edges of folding plate and one small brown stain, one fold neatly strengthened on blank side,… Read More

Dublin, printed by J. Exshaw, 1767.. Title continued: With a LIST of SEEDS, ROOTS, directing the MANNER and SEASON of Sowing them. To which is added AN APPENDIX CONTAINING The Manner of keeping BEES in HIVES, as well as in BOXES, with PLATES shewing the section of the BEE-HOUSE and BOXES, laid down on proper PRINCIPLES for constructing them, and communicated from actual PRACTICE. By a LOVER of IMPROVEMENT. ALSO A COLLECTION of LETTERS on AGRICULTURE, Laid before the SOCIETY for the Encouragement of ARTS in LONDON; AND Communicated by them to the DUBLIN SOCIETY. Now first Published by their ORDER. 3 works have separate title pages: Practical Observations on the Culture of Lucerne etc., communicated by Letters to Dr. Templeman; An Account of the Culture of Carrots, And their great use in Feeding and Fattening Cattle, by Robert Billing; Appendix Containing the Advantages of the Drilling and Horse-hoeing Tillage above the Broad-cast tillage. FIRST EDITION 1767. Small 8vo, approximately 175 x 100 mm, 7… Read More

London, Richard Tottell, 1576.. 2 parts in one volume, 1576, with separate architecturally decorated title pages and separate pagination, ornamental initials to the first page of each part, text in Law French. Thick 8vo, approximately 210 x 145 mm, 8¼ x 5¾ inches, pages: title page, 4 pages of tables, 1-351, title page to part two, 2-327, title page counted as A1, numbered on rectos only, total pages: 1356, LACKS LAST PAGE OF PART II (FINAL PAGE OF TEXT AND COLOPHON i.e. page 328, ending on ssvii). Occasional mispagination in Part II but all catchwords correct, bound to style in full modern 2 tone calf (see image), blind panelled on covers, raised bands to spine, gilt lettered red morocco label, new endpapers. Pages cut down at sometime with loss to bottom of title pages, slightly affecting image, and slight loss top edge of title pages, pale brown staining affecting most of text to some degree, text all legible, 2 blank pages which separate the two parts are heavily stained, a few small ink… Read More

London, John Murray, 1824.. SECOND EDITION 1824. 4to, approximately 265 x 210 mm, 10½ x 8 inches, 1 folding table, 27 engraved plates and maps at rear, 3 in colour, 1 folding, 2 small text illustrations, pages: vii, (Errata on verso of page vii), 1-303 including index, bound in full modern crimson morocco, gilt lettering to spine, new cream endpapers. Slight scuffing to spine, leaving a dark patch (see attached image), small neat repair to lower outer corner of title page, slight browning to edges of title page, text clean apart from page 258 and the following pages which suffer from pale brown offsetting to pages of text from illustrations, slight browning to the top edges of plates, ink name to top of title page, otherwise a good tight copy. William Buckland is remembered as the first man to identify and name a dinosaur (although the name dinosaur had not yet been coined by Richard Owen). This was the megalosaur. Partly in response to the controversial works of Cuvier, Buckland wrote Reliquiae… Read More

London, T. & W. Boone, 1839.. SECOND EDITION 1839, 2 volumes, complete set "carefully revised". 8vo, approximately 220 x 135 mm, 8½ x 5½ inches, complete with 51 lithographed plates and a large folding map, VOLUME I: pages: [2], xxi, [3], 1-355, rebound without the 8 pages of Opinions of the Press which preceded the frontispiece, hand coloured frontispiece, title page with large vignette, and 20 plates including 1 map, plus large folding map hand coloured in outline in pocket at rear, the map is revised and has differences in the annotations on the map. VOLUME II: pages: [2], ix, [3], 1-415, frontispiece, title page with large vignette, and 29 plates, 3 folding, 4 hand coloured including a cockatoo, 1 map with hand coloured outlines, 2 folding hand coloured plates, 1 a geological sketch, the other showing a section of 2 caverns, illustrations in the text, bound in 19th century half dark green calf over marbled sides, raised bands with gilt decoration, gilt lettered maroon morocco labels, edges… Read More

London, Archibald Constable and Company, 1901.. FIRST ABRIDGED EDITION 1901, abridged from 162,000 to 137,000 words (15%) by Stoker upon Constable's request for a cheaper, more easily readable text, issued 4 years after the first edition of 1897. 8vo, approximately 210 x 140 mm, 8¼ x 5¾ inches, printed in double column, pages: [11], 12-138, includes half-title, LACKS ADVERTS AT REAR which are numbered 139-144, LACKS ORIGINAL WRAPPERS, A GOOD FACSIMILE OF ORIGINAL UPPER WRAPPER TIPPED IN ON FIRST FREE ENDPAPER, bound in full damask effect cloth of the time, gilt title to spine, pale brown endpapers. Covers slightly rubbed and with a few small marks, 3 pages have tiny nick to margins, nowhere near text, pale age-browning throughout and occasional pale stain, otherwise a very good copy, especially as it was issued on fragile poor quailty paper. MORE IMAGES ATTACHED TO THIS LISTING, ALL ZOOMABLE, FURTHER IMAGES ON REQUEST. POSTAGE AT COST.

Bristol, printed for the editor by Philip Rose, 1829.. To which is prefixed, various readings, and a preliminary dissertation, proving the authenticity of the work. Translated into English from the Hebrew, by Flaccus Albinus Alcuinus, of Britain, abbot of Canterbury, who went on a pilgrimage into the Holy Land, and Persia, where he discovered this volume, in the city of Gazna. "Is this not written in the Book Of Jasher?" Joshua x. 13. " Behold, it is written in the Book of Jasher." 2 Samuel i,18. 1829. 4to, approximately 295 x 230 mm, 11½ x 9 inches, pages: xi, [3], 1-63 plus 9 pages of Testimonies and Notes, printed in double column, original publishers grey boards with new cloth spine, original endpapers. Head and tail of spine worn, upper board soiled at outer edge, shelf wear to edges, endpapers foxed, occasional fox spot to text and pale age-browning, otherwise a good copy. Originally printed in 1751, purporting to be a translation by Alcuin of the lost Book of Jasher and including an… Read More

[London], Printed for Nathaniel Brook at the Angel in Cornhill, 1655.. Title continued: By the most experienced persons of our times, many whereof they were honoured with her own practice, when she pleased to descend to these more private recreations. Never before published. Transcribed from the true copies of her Majesties own receipt books, by W.M. one of her late servants. FIRST EDITION IN 3 PARTS, ALL 3 TITLE PAGES DATED 1655: THE QUEENS CABINET OPENED, THE PEARL of PRACTISE, A QUEENS DELIGHT and THE COMPLEAT COOK. Small book, 12mo, approximately 145 x 80 mm, 5¾ x 3 inches, engraved frontispiece portrait of Henrietta Maria signed W Faithorne, probably? from a later edition and laid down on paper, pages: The Queens Cabinet Opened and Queens Delight, [12] including frontispiece, 1-192, [2] title page to Queens Delight, 195-296 followed by [4] - blank pages, [22] - index followed by advert leaf; misnumbering to a few pages of Queens delight affecting first number of 8 pages, nothing missing;… Read More

London, imprinted R. Jugge, Printer to the Queenes Majestie, cum privilegio Regiae Maiestatis,1577.. Bishops' version, 1577, LACKS FIRST TITLE PAGE, according to Darlow and Moule no copy containing the general title can now be traced. Small 4to, bound in eights (sometimes erroneously described as an octavo, it is really a small quarto, see Darlow & Moule), approximately 205 x 155 mm, 8 x 6 inches, 60 lines, title page to New Testament and divisional titles to the second and third parts of the Old Testament, and to the Apocryphus, all have a patterned border with a small royal coat of arms at the top and a pelican feeding its young at the bottom, publisher's device on colophon with pelican and 2 allegorical figures, 1 half page woodcut of the Garden of Eden, 1 full page of the 12 tribes and the Tabernacle, 3 maps in the text and 2 full page maps, historiated initials, pages ruled in red, leaves: [36 of 40], 1-103, [1 - blank]; title page to 2nd part, 106-252; title page to 3rd part, 254-500,… Read More

NEW-YORK, published by E. Duyckinck, 102 Pearl-Street. Nicholas Van Riper, Print. 1814.. Title continued: By which the meanest may perform the whole without the help of a Teacher. Together with the use of all the instruments belonging thereto. TO WHICH IS NOW ADDED Abundance of New and Rare Inventions. Seventeenth Edition, 1814. LACKING FRONTISPIECE, facsimile pasted to inside front cover, 12mo, approximately 130 x 80 mm, 5¼ x 3¼ inches, facsimile frontispiece, woodcuts in the text, [1], 5-107 pages, full old calf. Binding worn and creased, leather soft and flexible, spine has stitching down the spine (see attached image), closed tear to first page of text repaired with small pieces of document repair tape, tip of lower corner repaired, 1 margin has small repair, tip of 1 corner missing, not affecting text, corners crease due turn down, a few chips to margins, pale browning and staining throughout, no loose pages, fair condition, well used copy of a scarce New York printing. MORE IMAGES ATTACHED… Read More

(Florence, Bartolommeo de Libri), circa 1495.. INCUNABULA, circa 1495, ITALIAN TEXT, bound in eights, approximately 200 x 135 mm, 7¾ x 5¼ inches, 24 leaves without pagination, as issued (48 pages), a1-c8, 34 lines, the last 2 words are "senza spirito", then "Finis", capital spaces. Fo.a1: WOODCUT of Christ praying on the Mount of Olives with title above, bound in early 19th century limp vellum, bookplate of Holland House on pastedown. Vellum dusty and crinkled, lower inner margins slightly wormed throughout to varying degrees, not affecting text, some pale browning and pale soiling to margins, occasional brown spot, pale ink numbers to top corners, otherwise a very good copy. See: Italian library ICCU, record number 2; BLC page 720, col.832; Max Sanders, Le Livre A Figures Italien 1476-1530, No. 6780: Brunet, Manuel Du Libraire, Volume 5, column 160; Henry Huth, Catalogue of the Famous Library, Seventh Portion, page 1844, No VIII; Paul Kristeller, Early Florentine Woodcuts, With an Annotated List… Read More

Liverpool, Orson Pratt, 15, Wilton Street.1849.. SECOND EUROPEAN EDITION 1849. 12mo in sixes, approximately 160 x 100 mm, 6¼ x 4 inches, half-title, title page, erratum followed by indexes, page numbering, xxiii, [i], [1]-336, still in the original publisher's brown patterned cloth, title in gilt to spine. Binding slightly worn, rubbed with light staining, spine grinkled, small brown spot varying in size affecting outer margins of pages 299-319, not affecting text, see attached image, inner paper hinges cracked, tiny repair to top edge of lower cover, neat old ink contemporary signature on first pastedown, a few other pale stains and small fox spots but mostly a good clean copy no loose pages. MORE IMAGES ATTACHED TO THIS LISTING, ALL ZOOMABLE, FURTHER IMAGES ON REQUEST. POSTAGE AT COST.

Impressum Rome per Eucharium Silber: alias Franck. Anno domini Mcccclxxxvii (1487). Septimo Idus Iunii.. INCUNABLE 1487. First collected edition issued by Silber, divided into 4 parts: De re militari; Aelianus Tacticus: De instruendis aciebus [translated by Theodorus Gaza]; Frontinus: Strategematicon; Pseudo-Modestus: De vocabulis rei militaris [edited by Joannes Sulpicius Verulanus]. Modestus being the fourth part, the date occurs at the end of each part. Small 4to, approximately 200 x 135 mm, 7¾ x 5¼ inches, first leaf blank to recto and prefatory epistle of the editor on verso, no title page as issued, no signatures, catch words or numbering, text in Latin, initial spaces with printed guides, [a-f8 g10; h-i8 k4 l8; m-r8; s6], 33 lines to a full page, 140 leaves (280 page) including 1 blank, 24 pages with text illustrations depicting tactical formations, bound in full crushed morocco by Hardy-Menil, his name in minute gilt letters in the dentelles at the foot of the first pastedown, gilt… Read More