First issue of the fifty large hors-texte lithographs drawn from life by Henry John Terry (cf. Vicaire, VII, 1164).
Publisher’s binding in full red cloth, smooth spine decorated with blind-ruled compartments and fillets, light rubbing to the head- and tailcaps, gilt-lettered title on the front board, yellow endpapers, trace of a removed bookplate on one pastedown, one lower corner softened, slight discoloration to the lower left corner of the rear board, occasional marginal foxing, a small loss to the foot of page 119, and minor wormholes at the foot of the last three leaves, not affecting the text.
The fifty striking black lithographs depict the most picturesque views of Haute-Savoie.
Henry John Terry, originally from England, studied in Geneva under Alexandre Calame, the foremost Swiss landscape painter of the nineteenth century, and later settled in the country.
A well-preserved copy in the publisher’s original cloth.
First edition, complete in 23 instalments, of the second series of this magic periodical (cf. Fechner, p. 503).
Text in two columns; each instalment, richly illustrated, comprises between 12 and 16 pages (20 for the final one).
Contemporary half-sheep bindings: the first volume in brown, the second in tan, the spines with four raised bands tooled with gilt ornaments, moiré-patterned paper sides, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, sprinkled edges; one original wrapper preserved. Bindings from the period, though mismatched in tone between the two volumes.
Complete collection of the second series of this Swiss periodical, whose first publication appeared in 1941–42 as the “journal officiel du Cercle magique suisse”. A third and final series was issued from 1949 to 1963, though only 11 numbers were published.
The Geneva-born Charles-Émile Sauty, known as “Rex” (1900–1967), was a journalist and poet with a keen interest in cinema and magic, and a friend of Marcel Vassal and Ruegg. In 1928 he founded the Académie de magie.
Rare first edition (cf. Martin & Walter 25 395).
Contemporary half-sheepskin bindings, the spines smooth and gilt-ruled in double fillets, boards covered in rose-papered pasteboard, red sheepskin lettering-pieces and green volume labels, yellow edges; corners rubbed, bindings of the period.
Some rubbing and faint staining to the spines and boards with small losses to the rose paper, a tiny hole at the head of the spine of the first volume, scattered foxing and a few marks to the edges, not affecting the text.
Bound at the end of volume II is another work by the same author: "Appel au tribunal de l'opinion publique. Du rapport de M. Chabroud, et du décret rendu par l'Assemblée nationale le 2 octobre 1790. Examen du mémoire du Duc d'Orléans, et du plaidoyer du comte de Mirabeau, et nouveaux éclaircissemens sur les crimes du 5 et du 6 octobre 1789", printed in Geneva, s.n., 1790 (title, ij pp., pp. 3–352). First edition as well, and uncommon, of this refutation of the tendentious report delivered by Chabroud, president of the Constituent Assembly, concerning the riots of 5 and 6 August 1789.
New edition, one of 50 copies on deluxe paper (no. 29/500) and issued with a named dedication, ours specially printed for Baron Emmanuel-Alban Guillaume-Rey (1837–1916), orientalist and archaeologist specializing in medieval Syria.
Full rigid vellum binding, smooth spine decorated with gilt fillets and floral tools, brick-brown morocco title label, gilt place and date at foot, gilt cornerpieces on the covers, original wrappers preserved, contemporary binding.
A poetic account of the exploits of Peter I of Lusignan, King of Cyprus (1328–1369), written shortly after his death at the request of Charles V, and centered on the so-called “Alexandrian Crusade,” the ill-fated expedition launched in 1365 at the call of Pope Urban V, which led to the capture of the Egyptian port on 10 October 1365.
A handsome copy attractively bound in a style reminiscent of medieval bindings.
First edition, illustrated with two plates, one of which in colour, comprising thirteen figures (cf. Quérard IV, 49).
Half green shagreen binding, spine with four raised bands decorated with gilt tools, light rubbing to the spine, marbled paper boards, marbled endpapers, mid-19th-century binding.
Occasional foxing, three small holes to the lower right corner of the title page, manuscript ex-libris: Antoine Delarue – June 1810.
“One of the most remarkable works on natural history of this century. The author devotes an entire chapter to the history of the females; he describes their loves, the way in which new colonies are established and old ones preserved. Passing from the relations between the workers and the winged individuals to those between the workers themselves, he follows them in their migrations, their travels, their particular conduct; he observes the battles fought between ants of different species, etc.”
First bilingual edition with texts in Spanish and French, one of the numbered copies.
Publisher’s full beige cloth bindings, smooth spines, complete with their illustrated dust jackets and slipcase.
A richly illustrated work featuring numerous black and colour reproductions of Vieira da Silva’s artworks.
Texts by Jean-François Jaeger, Guy Weelen, Jean-Luc Daval, Diane Daval Béran, Virginie Duval...
A fine copy, complete with the chronological list of works reproduced in colour, inserted as a loose leaf.
First edition, one of 120 copies printed on pure laid paper.
Pleasant copy with wide margins throughout.
Rare and genuine posthumous first edition of the first six books of the Confessions, the remaining volumes not appearing until 1789. Several other editions were issued shortly thereafter, but the evidence provided by the commentary published in the June 1782 issue of the Journal Helvétique clearly establishes that this separately printed edition, known as the "large type" issue, is indeed the very first (F. Michaux, "L'Édition originale de la première partie des 'Confessions' de J.-J. Rousseau" in Revue d'Histoire littéraire de la France, 35th Year, No. 2 (1928), pp. 250-253).
Contemporary half calf bindings, flat spines tooled with gilt fillets and decorated with beige morocco title and volume labels, marbled paper boards, all edges blue.
A handsome copy of this seminal text of the autobiographical genre, preserved in a contemporary binding.
New edition, after the first published in 1583. 4 title pages, the main one in red and black with a Renaissance portico (the second identical but not in red and black), the others within foliate borders. Titles of the 3 title pages present in volume II: Codicis Iustiniani D.N. Sacratissimi principis pp. Aug. repetitae praelectionis Libri XII. Authenticae sev novellae constitutiones D.N. Justiniani sacratis. Feudorum consuetiudines partim ex editione vulgata, partim ex cuiaciana vulgatae apposita.
Printed in two columns with commentary distributed around. One notes with curiosity that the title refers to 4 parts, and that all copies held in libraries contain only these 4 parts, yet a table present above the privilege mentions: Volume V, which gathers notes on Cicero and other fragments.
Full marbled brown sheep bindings, contemporary or slightly later. Spines with raised bands decorated. Title and volume labels in tan morocco. Upper joint of volume I split at foot, lower joint narrowly cracked. Rubbing. Main title page creased with folds. Paper more or less browned. Restoration to outer margin of a preliminary leaf in volume I and in volume II. Pale dampstain at top of pages up to around column 330 of volume I.
First edition of one of the final treatises by the eminent Sardinian jurist Domenico Alberto Azuni (1749–1827), one of the foremost maritime law experts of his time and a judge at the Commercial and Maritime Court of Nice (cf. Mc Culloch 126, Quérard I 144, not in Polak).
Contemporary full tree calf binding, smooth spine gilt with decorative rolls and typographic tools, gilt head- and tailbands, gilt tooling at the caps, gilt-tooled border on the covers framed with a dentelle fillet, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, gilt fillets on board edges, yellow edges.
Minor defects to foot of upper cover, some soiling to the endpapers, otherwise a clean and appealing copy internally.
In the final years of his life, Domenico Alberto Azuni addressed the question of piracy at a time when Barbary corsairs still roamed the Mediterranean.
In this work, he advocates for a legal framework to regulate privateering, in order to secure free navigation for neutral ships during wartime and avoid hindering commercial activity.
First edition of the French translation of this account of the Lutheran mission’s activities on the eastern coast of India, originally published under various titles.
Contemporary full marbled light brown calf, spine with five raised bands richly gilt with garland rolls and double decorative panels, light brown calf title label, headcap shaved, gilt fillets along the edges, corners restored, red edges, period binding.
Since 1620, the Danish East India Company had held several trading posts and possessions along the Indian coastline, the principal settlement being Tranquebar. Transferred to the Danish Crown in 1779, these outposts became Danish colonies. However, frequently attacked by the British during the Napoleonic Wars, they declined until 1845, when Denmark sold them to Britain. In reality, Niekamp merely abridged the four substantial volumes of the Acts of the Danish Mission, published in Halle starting in 1718, and followed by numerous continuations. King Frederick IV of Denmark had authorized these missions in the Malabar region, sending evangelical envoys to rival the long-established Nestorian churches and the Catholic missions.
Copy belonging to a physician named Faivre, with a contemporary handwritten ex-libris on the front endpapers, followed by a manuscript note on the work, in which he expresses sharp criticism of Christian clergy of all denominations in an unmistakably Enlightenment tone ("Il faut convenir que l'intolérance et le manque de charité sont les vices dominans de presque tous les ministres des différentes religions, mais les catholiques romains les poussent au plus haut degré que les autres ...").
Pleasant internal condition.
First edition of the French translation by Victor Largeau, presented in 1844 to the Geneva archaeologist Gustave-Philippe Revilliod (1817–1890) by Moors with whom he had become close.
Contemporary binding in brown half sheep with corners, spine with five raised bands and no lettering, marbled paper sides, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, soiled original wrappers preserved, modern binding.
Some occasional foxing.
An explorer—he attempted twice to cross the Sahara, the first time in this same year, 1875—Victor Largeau (1842–1897) later became a colonial administrator. He was the father of General Victor-Emmanuel Largeau (1867–1916), one of the founders of Chad.
First edition, one of 65 numbered copies on Madagascar paper, this copy being one of 20 hors commerce reserved for the Henri Lefebvre bookshop, a deluxe issue.
A fine copy.
Inscribed and signed by Jean de La Varende to Monsieur Gorrée: "... ce livre où revivent plusieurs jeunesses éteintes..."
Rare first edition, illustrated with a large folding plate containing a hand-coloured map.
Cf. Ferguson I, 814 ("Section 12 deals with Australia and New Zealand"). Not recorded by Sabin and by most other bibliographers.
Bradel case binding in paper-covered boards, beige wrappers, smooth spine with some rubbing, blind title to the spine, original plain wrappers preserved; modern binding.
Small marginal losses to the corners of the first few leaves, not affecting the text.
The plate outside the text offers a world map in which the Protestant areas are shown in pink, together with a detailed list of the various missionary societies by region or city.
Numerous regions are covered: West Africa (especially Sierra Leone), Southern and Eastern Africa (with references to Madagascar and Mauritius), the Black Sea (Constantinople, Odessa and the Edinburgh Society for the Jews), Tibet, China, India, Ceylon; a whole chapter is devoted to Australasia (New Holland (Australia) and New Zealand), and another to Polynesia, with "les 4 grandes îles de George [Otahiti (Tahiti), Eiméo, Tetaroa, et Tapuamanu]; les 5 grandes îles de la Société [Huaheine, Raiatea, Teha, Borabora, et Marua] ; les 11 grandes îles Sandwich, dont la principale est Owhihée", British and Dutch Guiana, the West Indies (Tobago, Grenada, Saint Vincent, Barbados, Dominica, Antigua, Saint-Barthélemy, Haiti, Jamaica, the Bahamas, Bermuda), the tribes of North America, Greenland, Siberia, etc.
The names of the missionaries in the field are given, together with fascinating details on local conditions around 1820.
The author of this work may be the Swiss pastor and theologian François Samuel Robert Louis Gaussen (1790–1863), born in Geneva to a family originally from Languedoc.
Manuscript ex-libris "Dr Karl J. Lüthi, Bern" on a pastedown.
Scarce sammelband comprising six treatises on dental surgery, some of which are present here in the first edition.
Half blue sheep, the smooth spine decorated with gilt romantic ornaments, marbled paper boards lightly darkened and faded at the margins, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, marbled edges.
A faint dampstain to the lower margin of the initial leaves of the first work, a few occasional light spots.
Bound together are:
Rare first edition.
Contemporary full tree calf bindings. Smooth spines decorated with two gilt tools and two grotesque panels. Red morocco title labels. Black wax volume labels, heavily rubbed and faded. Head- and tailcaps and the upper and lower joints and corners very discreetly restored. A scratch on one board. A handsome, clean copy.
First French edition, illustrated with 3 folding plates containing numerous figures.
Contemporary marbled blonde calf binding. Spine with raised bands, decorated. Red morocco title label. Two small restorations to upper cover. Handsome copy.
Fundamental work on the theory of generation. The conclusions reached by Spallanzani precede those of Pasteur by nearly a century. He notably refutes the theory of spontaneous generation; it is while working on the refutation of this famous concept that Spallanzani discovers the role of spermatozoa and ovaries in mammals, through his observations on external reproduction in frogs; he will moreover be the first to perform artificial insemination in a female dog. The author also demonstrates regeneration in lizards. Senebier translated most of Spallanzani's works into French; he was also a scientist.
