Édimbourg (Ecosse ; Royaume-Uni)

Second impression of the first edition.
Publisher's binding in full almond green cloth, smooth spine, gilt publisher's marks and publication details at foot of spine, spine and front cover decorated with black interlacing designs.
One hinge split, foxing, Bavarian bookseller's label pasted at foot of front pastedown.

Suggestive autograph postcard signed by Lawrence Durrell addressed to Jani Brun, written in violet felt-tip pen, on the verso of a reproduction of a sculpture representing a satyr, envelope attached.
"Buttons dear. J'arrive mardi pour deux nuits à Paris - au Royale. Si tu es libre de me joindre... faites moi signed. Suis fatigué après Athens, Londres, Edinburgh! Love. Larry Durrell." ["Buttons dear. I arrive Tuesday for two nights in Paris - at the Royale. If you are free to join me... let me know. Am tired after Athens, London, Edinburgh! Love. Larry Durrell."]
After many years spent in Greece, Egypt and Rhodes, the traveling writer Lawrence Durrell was forced to flee Cyprus following popular uprisings that led the island to its independence from the British crown. Rich only with a shirt and a typewriter but crowned with the success of his novel Bitter Lemons of Cyprus (Les citrons acides), he arrived in France in 1956 and settled in the Languedoc village of Sommières. In the "Tartès house," his large dwelling surrounded by trees, he wrote the second part of his work, his monumental Avignon Quintet, devoted himself to painting and received his illustrious friends, including the couple Henry Miller and Anaïs Nin, violinist Yehudi Menuhin, London publisher Alan G. Thomas, and his two daughters Penelope and Sappho.
Among the olive trees and under the Mediterranean sun, he met in the mid-1960s the young and vivacious "Jany" (Janine Brun), a thirty-something woman from Montpellier of devastating beauty, who worked at the Antiquities department of the Sorbonne in Paris. She was nicknamed "Buttons" in memory of their first meeting, where the young woman wore a dress covered with buttons. Henry Miller also fell under the charm of "Buttons," praising her beauty and eternal youth in exceptional unpublished letters. The three companions spent memorable Parisian evenings of which we keep precious autograph traces through their epistolary exchanges. Recommended by Durrell, she made numerous trips notably to England from where she received extensive correspondence from the writer as well as original works of art signed with his artist pseudonym, Oscar Epfs.

Signed autograph letter by the British sculptor sir Francis Leggatt Chantrey, to the Saint-Paul Cathedral's committee, about his four monuments to military heroes from the Napoleonic wars commissioned by the government.
Sir Chantrey, leading portrait sculptor in Regency era Britain, carved the portraits of Major-General Daniel Hoghton, Major-General Bowes, and Colonel Henry Cadogan, and (in a single monument) Major-Generals Gore and Skerrett.
He gives in this letter an estimate for five marble statues of generals from the British army, four of which have ultimately not been selected by the committee and replaced by other names.
"Edinburgh, June 2nd 1812,
Enclosed are the estimates for executing and erecting monuments in the Cathedral Church of Saint Paul [...] the honour to submit to the inspection of the Committee.
I am Sir
Your most obedient and humble servant
F.L. Chantrey
(verso)
Estimates for executing monuments in the best statuary marble from the designs.
For General Cranford & Mc Kinnon 2000 guineas
For Mackenzie & Langworth 2000 guineas
For General Hoghton 1500 guineas
[...]"

Bell's Edition. The Poets of Great Britain Complete from Chaucer to Churchill,

At the Apollo Press, by the Martins, Edinburgh 1779 - 1804, In-18 (8.5 x 13.5 cm), 99 parts in 34 bound volumes

Very rare collation of volumes from the famous Bell edition of British poets in uniform binding, which adds up to 101 volumes here and whose printing was widely spread over time, the volumes being sold by author. Volume 8, which brought together parts 5 and 6 of Edmund Spencer's poetic works is unfortunately missing. Some volumes appear for the first time, others are second editions. This particularly important edition for British poetry brings together 39 poets from Chaucer to Charles Churchill and 99 figures (portraits and frontispieces). It is precious because many poets saw their first complete edition this way, notably John Donne.

English binding in contemporary blond sheepskin. Spine decorated with various finishing tools, including a kneeling King, with multiple filets Title piece in green morocco. Overall, clean paper, but some browned leaves with foxing, notably some engravings.

New edition, illustrated with a frontispiece, an engraved title and 18 plates, all on steel, and very numerous wood engravings (headpieces, tailpieces, vignettes) after Turner, Birket Foster & John Gilbert. Several facsimiles. Edition with notes, additions and remarks by J. G. Lockhart. Fine careful printing in 2 columns. Each work contains a half-title, an appendix. Clear and well-structured edition, perfectly illustrated with Scottish landscapes and historical scenes.
Publisher's binding in full beveled ultramarine gilt cloth. Smooth spine decorated with a large ornamental composition evoking medieval illuminated books. Large decorative blue and gold plate, very rich, with central cartouche, the whole evoking medieval illuminations. All edges gilt. Spine slightly faded. Headcaps rubbed with micro cuts. Corners rubbed and bumped. Internal hinge of lower board with tears, but the volume remains well bound and cohesive, without play. Copy on fine tinted vellum paper, completely free of foxing, perfectly fresh. Tissue guards still present. A protective covering has been added to protect the binding, we have left it in place.

Statement of eighth edition, the first edition having appeared on the same date. Several printings had to be made due to the success of this title, as 25,000 copies were sold in 8 months and no fewer than 12 editions were made that year. A second title page dated 1812: The works of Walter Scott, volume the seven, containing The lady of the lake. Edinburgh. 1812. (The first 16 pages of Canto I were bound by error before the title page).
Contemporary half blonde calf binding. Smooth spine ornamented with long tools. Gilt title. Paper pasted at bottom of board, covering the leather. 2 corners slightly bumped. Fresh throughout. Light rubbing but handsome copy.
The Lady of the Lake represents the peak of Scott's fame as a poet. It is an epic and romantic, historical poem set in the Highlands of Scotland. Each canto is accompanied by notes.

NB: This work is available at the bookshop on request within 48 hours.

Fourth edition after the first edition published in 1791.
Contemporary full sheep binding. Smooth spine richly decorated, a repeated tool in 4 compartments featuring arms, a shield and a helmet. Double fillet border on the boards. One black and one red title label.
This is the last historical work by the celebrated Scottish historian William Robertson, pastor of the Presbyterian church and dean of Edinburgh University. The author examines closely Indian civilization and its current functioning as well as its entry into the colonial empire. There is an interesting chapter on silk production and trade.
2 corners slightly bumped.

Lays of the Scottish cavaliers and other poems
With illustrations by Joseph Noel and Waller H. Paton.
Superb contemporary long-grained red morocco by Ramage, spine in six compartments with undulating gilt fillets, tridents and gilt friezes, gilt roulettes to head- and tail-pieces, blue morocco listel frame to covers with floral friezes and gilt decorative motifs, gilt tridents to corners as well as gilt dots, the gilt arms of Scotland crowned to centre of upper cover, undulating gilt fillets to edges of covers, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, gilt dentelle frame to pastedowns, all edges gilt, two corners lightly bumped.
A fine copy in a perfectly suited English full morocco binding with mosaic inlays.

First edition.
Brochure illustrated with 4 figures in the text and 7 plates at the end.
Two lacks at head and foot of spine, handsome interior condition.
Rare.

New edition enriched with an original introduction by John Orr.
Publisher's boards, retaining the dust jacket.
Autograph inscription from J. Orr to Jules Supervielle.