Washington IRVING

First French edition of the 50 colour plates by Arthur Rackham, tipped in with captioned tissue guards, a black vignette on the title page, and a further black vignette hors texte by Arthur Rackham, one of 200 copies on Whatman paper.
Publisher’s full vellum, smooth spine gilt-lettered, upper cover gilt-stamped with the title and a gilt illustration of Rip Van Winkle, illustrated endpapers, top edge gilt, uncut, original silk ties preserved. Occasional light foxing.

 

A splendid copy, remarkably fresh, of Washington Irving’s fantastical tale profusely illustrated by Arthur Rackham.

 

First edition, rare.
Contemporary full wine-colored sheep binding. Smooth spine decorated with richly ornamented compartments. Covers blind-stamped with a large floral plate. Spine sunned. Headcaps rubbed. 3 corners bumped. Fresh work overall despite some light browning.
Journey in 1832 to what would become in 1836 the 25th state of the United States, Arkansas, which lies west of Tennessee, in the great prairies. Encampments, explorations, hunts, Indians. Important testimony from the beginning of Far West exploration, when most regions of the United States were still unknown territories, with Texas still belonging to Mexico.

NB: This work is available at the bookstore upon request within 48 hours.

Rare Parisian edition. A specific title page for the Tales of a traveller. The first edition of Bracebridge hall appeared in 1822 in N.Y.
Contemporary Romantic binding in full glazed red calf. Smooth spine richly decorated with foliage and other ornamental tools. Boards stamped in blind with a large central roundel, gilt ruled border. All edges gilt. Light rubbing, notably to lower board and corners... Small stains.
A handsome and rare copy in a rich Romantic binding.

Voyages et aventures du capitaine Bonneville. A l'ouest des Etats-Unis d'Amérique, au-delà des montagnes Rocheuses

The rare first edition.
Contemporary marbled brown paper boards. Blue morocco decorated title- and volume-labels. A little rubbing to head-pieces, joints and corners. Faint scattered spotting, mostly to margins. A very good copy.
In 1835, Washington Irving met a soldier of French origin who had come back after a three-year expedition to the West, beyond the Rocky Mountains. With the help of their conversations and his manuscript of numerous notes, the author wrote this account of the voyage. The first chapters present the state of the American trading companies and their relations with the West. The rest is made up of the account of Captain Bonneville’s expedition with his 110 men. This includes numerous accounts of bison hunting, Native American tribes (Black Ravens, White Bears) and most notably of The Deerslayer, the famous hero of Fenimore Cooper’s trilogy and his most famous novel, The Last of the Mohicans.
NB : This work can be viewed at the bookshop with 48 hours’ advance notice.