Decorative Bindings (all items)
First editions and rare books in fine bindings and decorative bindings and manuscripts, including first editions bound by the Chelsea Bindery, and multi-volume library sets.
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HARDY, Thomas.
The Trumpet-Major. A Tale. 1887
£3,750
New and cheaper edition. Signed by author on the title page "yours faithfully Thomas Hardy."
Octavo. Finely bound by The Chelsea Bindery in crimson morocco, titles and decoration to spine gilt with onlaid black morocco flowers in compartments, single rule to... Read more
WILLIAMS, Margery.
The Velveteen Rabbit Or How Toys Become Real. [1922]
£3,750
First US edition with the first issue sheets from the English edition.
Quarto. Finely bound by The Chelsea Bindery in pale tan morocco, titles and decoration to spine in black, pictorial onlay of the Velveteen Rabbit to front board,... Read more
CATHER, Willa Sibert.
The Works. 1937–41
£3,750
The Autograph Edition. Accompanying this set is the original prospectus and a rep's dummy (or "blad") of the first volume, in the same binding, with the first gathering only and...
14 volumes, octavo, with prospectus and dummy (see below). Original cream linen-backed blue cloth, monogram to boards gilt, black morocco title label to spines gilt,... Read more
WEBSTER, Daniel.
The Writings and Speeches ... 1903
£3,750
National Edition, limited to 1050 copies only, of which this is no. 987. A lavish edition preserving the legacy of Daniel Webster (1782–1852), U.S. Senator and Secretary of...
18 volumes, large octavo (240 × 157 mm). Bound in recent blue morocco, spines lettered gilt in two compartments, others with gilt motifs between gilt bands,... Read more
ELIOT, George.
The Writings. 1908
£3,750
Large paper edition.
25 volumes, octavo. Contemporary burgundy half levant morocco, titles and elaborate decoration to spines gilt, raised bands, burgundy cloth boards, marbled endpapers,... Read more
JOYCE, James.
Ulysses. 1936
£3,750
First UK Edition. The entire edition was limited to 1000 copies only, of which this is one of 900 numbered copies. This was the first issue to be entirely produced in Britain, with...
Thick royal octavo. Finely bound by The Chelsea Bindery in dark blue morocco, titles and decoration to spine gilt, raised bands, twin rule to boards gilt, greek keys... Read more
JONSON, Ben.
Works. 1925–52
£3,750
First printings, special issues on handmade paper. Volumes I and II are limited to just 56 copies; the remainder have no formal statement of limitation but are in the same format and...
11 volumes (including the supplement), large octavo (223 × 143 mm). Finely bound in recent full brown morocco, tan and green morocco labels, raised bands, centre... Read more
![[The Works.]](/content/store/products/3186/2/4560.jpg)
GOETHE, Johann Wolfgang von, & Friedrich von Schiller.
[The Works.] 1902
£3,750
Edition des Amateurs limited to 100 copies of which this is number 13.
24 volumes, octavo. Contemporary full green morocco, titles and decoration to spines gilt, single rules to boards gilt, four raised bands, inner dentelles gilt,... Read more
FORTESCUE, The Hon. J. W.
A History of the British Army. 1911-35
£3,500
Publication began in 1899 and the final volume was first published in 1930. This set is, as usual, of mixed editions, the last 6 volumes being firsts. So truly a lifetime's work, and...
13 volumes in 20, 14 text volumes and 6 maps volumes, original red cloth, titles gilt to spines. In the dust jackets. Numerous folding coloured maps. Light browning,... Read more
[ROBINSON, W. Heath] SHAKESPEARE, William.
A Midsummer-Night's Dream 1914
£3,500
Signed Limited Edition of 250 copies, of which this is number 203.
Quarto. Finely bound by The Chelsea Bindery in full dark blue morocco, titles and decoration to spine gilt, raised bands, single rule to boards gilt, pictorial block... Read more
CHURCHILL, Winston S.
His Complete Speeches 1897–1963. 1974
£3,500
First and only editions. "This remarkable set of volumes is an extraordinarily thorough and dependable resource" (Cohen).
8 volumes. Octavo. Recent burgundy morocco, titles and decoration to spines gilt, rule to boards gilt, marbled endpapers, gilt edges. Frontispiece portrait or other... Read more
ORME, Edward.
Historic Military and Naval Anecdotes, 1819, but c.1825
£3,500
Early state, the plates watermarked 1825, text variously 1811, 1812, 1817. The plates have issue dates between 1815 and 1818, and were first assembled in book form in 1819. Abbey and...
Folio (334 × 270 mm). Twentieth-century royal blue crushed morocco by Birdsall, title gilt to spine, raised bands, double gilt ruled panels to the compartments,... Read more
(WASHINGTON, George) IRVING, Washington.
Life of George Washington. 1857–9
£3,500
First illustrated edition, "issued in [68] semi-monthly paper-covered parts." (BAL) Dates on the typographical and engraved half-titles vary from the listing provided by Blanck; "The...
5 volumes, large octavo (265 × 176 mm) Finely bound c.1900 in crimson crushed morocco by Affolter, titles gilt to spines, raised bands, spines gilt in... Read more
ADAMS, John Quincy.
Memoirs. 1874-1877
£3,500
First editions, first printings. Adams was the son of the second President of the United States of America. He, himself served as Secretary of State before becoming the sixth...
12 volumes, octavo. Recent brown morocco, twin morocco labels burgundy and dark green, decoration to spines, single roll to boards, marbled endpapers, top edges gilt,... Read more
CATLIN, George.
North American Indians. 1876
£3,500
First edition to be printed in colour of Catlin's classic work. George Catlin (1796-1872), spent many years among the Indians in North and South America. He lived with them, acquired...
2 volumes, octavo. Finely bound by The Chelsea Bindery in full crimson morocco, titles and decoration to spine gilt, raised bands, single rule to boards gilt, twin... Read more
VOLTAIRE.
Oeuvres. 1792
£3,500
Nouvelle Edition.
55 volumes, octavo. Contemporary mottled full tan calf, titles and elaborate decoration to spines gilt, twin morocco title labels black, roll to boards gilt, marbled... Read more
TROLLOPE, Anthony.
The Barsetshire Novels. 1929
£3,500
The Manuscript Edition, including a piece of manuscript in the author's hand tipped-in on the front blank of volume I. A very attractively bound set.
14 volumes, octavo. Bound in recent full brown morocco,one red and one green label, titles and decoration to spines gilt, raised bands, decorative border to boards... Read more
(BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER)
The Book of Common Prayer, And Administration of the Sacraments, 1754
£3,500
A finely tooled and attractive example of mid-eighteenth century binding with the royal arms of the English king George II (1683–1760).
Large folio (412 × 254 mm). Contemporary green goatskin, spine divided in seven compartments by raised bands, compartments gilt with the arms of George II... Read more
HUBBARD, Elbert.
The Complete Writings. Author's Edition. [1914]
£3,500
The Author's Edition, one of a limited edition of 1000 sets, signed "Elbert Hubbard" on the limitation leaf (though these signatures were apparently done by Hubbard's assistants)....
20 volumes, quarto. Original brown half morocco, titles and wreath design to spines gilt, geometrical decoration to spine and corners in dark brown, tan sides and... Read more
JENKINS, James.
The Martial Achievements of Great Britain and Her Allies; from 1799 to 1815. c.1822
£3,500
First published 1814-5, the text in this copy watermarked preponderantly in 1812, the plates 1819-22, the interleaves 1820. As Abbey explains "copies have been seen with paper marked...
Folio (33 9 × 276 mm) Twentieth-century royal blue crushed morocco by Birdsall, title gilt to spine, raised bands, double gilt ruled panels to the compartments,... Read more
SAND, George.
The Novels. 1902
£3,500
20 volumes, octavo. Finely bound in full burgundy morocco, one blue and one black label, gilt titles and decoration to spine, raised bands, gilt decorative border to boards, marbled...
20 volumes, octavo. Finely bound in full burgundy morocco, one blue and one black label, gilt titles and decoration to spine, raised bands, gilt decorative border to... Read more
AUSTEN, Jane.
The Novels. 1911-12
£3,500
The Winchester edition; considered the most attractive of the unillustrated editions of Jane Austen's works produced around this time. In this enlarged issue, the set has two...
12 volumes, octavo. Recent tan morocco, double morocco labels burgundy and green, decoration to spines, roll to boards, marbled endpapers, top edges gilt, others... Read more
SHAKESPEARE, William.
The Plays and Poems. 1832-4
£3,500
A lovely illustrated set of Shakespeare's works and a great example of The Riviere Bindery.
15 volumes, small octavo (169 × 105 mm). Finely bound by Riviere in red crushed half morocco, titles and elaborate decoration to spines, raised bands, matching... Read more
(RACKHAM, Arthur) POLLARD, Alfred W.
The Romance of King Arthur and His Knights of The Round Table. 1917
£3,500
Signed Limited Edition of 500 copies, of which this is number 386.
Large octavo. Finely bound by The Chelsea Bindery in full dark blue morocco, titles and decoration to spine gilt, single rule to boards gilt, pictorial block to front... Read more
COLLODI, Carlo.
The Story of a Puppet or the Adventures of Pinocchio... 1892
£3,500
First English Edition.
Small octavo. Finely bound by The Chelsea Bindery in royal blue morocco, titles and centre tool to spine, raised bands, single rule to boards, twin rule to turn-ins,... Read more
