/Collection
  • Iron tsuba of slightly elongated round form decorated with design of melon flowers, vines, and leaves in brass flat inlay (hira-zōgan) on both sides. Slightly raised rim (mimi) carved in a way to simulate ring-shaped covering (fukurin). Kozuka hitsu-ana and kogai hitsu-ana both plugged with soft metal (tim or lead). Copper sekigane. Heianjō or Kaga School. Muromachi or Momoyama period, 16th century. Iron, hira-zōgan brass inlay. Round (maru gata) form, diameter 79 mm. Size: 80.3 x 78.4 mm; thickness at seppa-dai: 3.4 mm; at the middle: 3.8 mm; before the rim: 2.4 mm, rim: 2.8 mm. Note on design: though this design resembles family crests with oak and mulberry leaves, I believe it's  a melon flower [see Jeanne Allen. Designer's guide to Samurai Patterns. Chronicle Books, San Francisco, 1990, page 114, №130 "Melon Flowers":

    Jeanne Allen. Designer's guide to Samurai Patterns. Chronicle Books, San Francisco, 1990. Page 114, №130.

    Note about the distribution of thickness (niku-oki): "this tsuba has toroid features, niku raises from the rim towards the centre but thins once more out when approaching the seppa-dai" [M. Sesko, "Handbook...", p. 48].
  • Ōnin shinchū ten-zōgan tsuba. Iron tsuba of round form decorated with full moon and bamboo shoot (takenoko) motif executed in openwork (sukashi) and inlaid with four concentric rows of brass dots (ten-zōgan). The innermost row of dots as well as the sukashi openings outlined with the inlaid linear brass wire. Late Muromachi period, 16th century. Diameter: 82.0 mm; Thickness: 2.8 mm Cited from Merrily Baird. Symbols of Japan. Thematic motifs in art and design. Rizzoli international publications, Inc., 2001, p. 72: "In Japanese art, the appearance of bamboo shoots is often without symbolic meaning. In other cases, however, the shoots are emblematic of Moso (Chinese: Meng Tsung/Meng Zong), a paragon of filial piety who dug through snow to find shoots for his mother. ... especially in miniature art forms, let bamboo shoots alone speak for the full story." The full story is this (See THE TWENTY-FOUR PARAGONS OF FILIAL PIETY [ERSHISI XIAO]):
    Tears That Brought Bamboo-shoots From the Frozen Earth: Meng Zong Meng Zong lived during the Three Kingdoms Period of China's past. His father died when he was young, and he and his mother struggled to survive. One winter his mother was stricken with a serious illness, and craved some bamboo-shoot broth as medicine. But in the depths of winter, with snow and ice blanketing the ground, where was anyone to find fresh bamboo shoots, shoots that emerge only in the warm months? Nonetheless, Meng Zong, to avoid disappointing his mother, bravely fetched his shovel and went out into the white landscape in search of bamboo shoots. In the thicket he found only frosted leaves and green stalks coated with snowflakes and ice. Look as he might, there were simply no fresh shoots growing in the winter. The thought of his poor mother lying sick on her bed, waiting for bamboo-broth medicine, made his heartache. Uncontrollably, tears began to fall in rivers to the ground beneath the tall, emerald canes. Even now, as his tears flowed down, he kept a light of faith in his heart. If he was truly sincere in his search, perhaps.... Just then Meng Zong nearly tripped and fell over a sharply protruding lump of earth. He quickly knelt down and knocked aside the dirt with his trembling fingers. How uncanny! Underneath his frozen hands he discovered a bed of fresh, tender bamboo shoots! Overjoyed, he gathered up a coatful and carried them back home. The broth that he quickly set stewing in the pot soon cured his mother's illness. The neighbors, hearing the story, exclaimed that it was the strength of his sincere, unselfish, filial resolve that inspired heaven and earth to respond, and to bring up, out of season, the fresh shoots that cured his mother's disease. Before Meng Zong's prayers generated this miracle, it was normally considered impossible for bamboo shoots to grow in the winter. After the nmiracle took place, however, people were able to gather and to eat bamboo shoots all year round. The winter variety that existed hereafter became known as "winter shoots." The villagers were deeply influenced by Meng Zong's courage and devotion. They renamed the spot where the event took place, "Meng Zong's Bamboo Grove". We can now enjoy bamboo sprouts during the winter as well, and as we do so, it is fitting to recollect Meng Zong's outstanding example of filial respect, and reflect on our conduct as sons and daughter of our parents. A verse in his honor says, His teardrops transformed winter at the roots; Up from the ice crept tender bamboo shoots. Instantly, the winter-sprouts matured; Heaven's will: a happy, peaceful world.
     
  • Round iron plate of grey colour decorated in low relief (sukidashi-bori) on the face with sea waves (both layered waves, seigaiha, and rough waves, araumi), sago palm (cycas revoluta, sotetsu), presumably orchid leaves (ran) - five of them - hanging from the above, and  reeds (ashi), and on the back with waves (seigaiha only), rocks, chrysanthemums (kiku), clove (chori), reed, and presumably orchid leaves - three of them - hanging from the above. The kozuka-hitsu-ana was probably cut later. The plate is lacking the raised rim, typical for the kamakura-bori school. Muromachi period Dimensions: Height: 76.8 mm, width: 76.1 mm, Thickness at seppa-dai: 3.3 mm, at rim 2.0 mm. Height of nakago-ana: 29 mm. Weight: 82.4 g. NBTHK certificate № 402152: Hozon - "Worthy of preservation". A similar (most probably the same) tsuba is illustrated and described at Butterfield & Butterfield. IMPORTANT JAPANESE SWORDS, SWORD FITTINGS AND ARMOR. Auction Monday, November 19th, 1979. Sale # 3063 under lot № 66. It describes the piece as following: “Kamakura bori work of the Muromachi period. Round thin plate with some small iron bones in the edge. Carved with design of plants (sego palm) rocks, and waves on the face. The back has half of two chrysanthemums, waves, clove, and sego palm leaves. The kozuka-hitsu has been added and later enlarged. A good typical example without the rim most have. Diameter: 7.7 cm., thickness 2.5 mm. Estimated price $100-200":

    Butterfield & Butterfield, 1979. Sale # 3063, lot № 66.

  • Circa 3300-2000 BC Dimensions: 184 x 165mm. Weight: 708grams
  • Iron tsuba of round form with dam-shaped rim (dote-mimi) pierced with hitsu-ana and two udenuki-ana (probably cut later on) decorated in flat inlay (hira-zōgan) with vines and symbols of thunder or lightning (possibly - family crest, mon). Hitsu-ana and nakago-ana with copper sekigane.

    Ōnin or Heianjō school, or, possibly Kaga or Umetada school. Momoyama period or earlier (Muromachi), 16th century. Unsigned.

    Size:  64.5 x 63.8 x 2.2 (center), 4.2 (rim) mm.

    Provenance: Lundgren Collection: [Japanese sword-fittings and metalwork in the Lundgren Collection. Published by Otsuka Kogeisha Co., Ltd., Tokyo 1992], №31; The Lundgren Collection of Japanese Swords, Sword Fittings and A Group of Miochin School Metalwork. Christie's Auction: Tuesday, 18 November 1997, London. Sales "GOTO-5881". Christie's, 1997, №2. Lundgren's description at Christie's: Heianjo tsuba. Unsigned. The circular plate decorated in brass hirazogan with flowers, plants and symbols of thunder, dote mimi and udenuki ana, late Muromachi period (16th century). Tokyo 1992 description: Sword guard with design of flowering plants and frets in inlay. Unsigned. Heianjo inlay school. 6.35 x 6.3 cm, thickness of rim 0.40 cm. Iron. Flat brass inlay. Muromachi-Momoyama Period, 16th century. Provenance: The Second John Harding. A somewhat look-a-like pieces can be found in various catalogues. The one in Naunton Collection, №172, is signed: Umetada of Yamashiro: "Iron, small, almost circular, with raised oval rim, inlaid all over with leaves and scrolls in brass hirazōgan."

  • Iron tsuba of round form decorated with design of moon, stars, cloud, snowflake, gorintō, and Genji-mon in negative openwork (in-sukashi). Raised tubular rim (dote-mimi). Deep black patina, traces of lacquer. Naka-daka type of plate (thicker in center, getting thiner towards the rim). Visible gap between the rim and the plate. Dimensions: Height: 91.7 mm; Width: 90.8 mm; Thickness at seppa-dai: 2.5 mm, plate before rim: 2.2 mm, of the rim: 5.6 mm. At least Mid Muromachi period, 15th century, but possibly earlier. In 'Silver Book', commenting tsuba №34 Sasano writes: "The technique used to create the rim is the same used for the peak (koshimaki) of helmets (kabuto) during the Kamakura and Nanbokucho periods." On the other hand, the abundance of sukashi elements points towards later times, perhaps late Muromachi or even Momoyama period. "Gorintō is a grave stone composed of five pieces, piled on one the other, representing, from the bottom upward, earth, water, fire, wind, and heaven, respectively" [Nihon Tō Kōza, Volume VI, Part 1.  AFU, 1993, p. 6. / LIB-1554]. A romantic description of the piece may look like this: The air is scented (incense symbol); it's a graveyard, marked by gorintō; a winter (snowflake) evening or night (moon, stars); mist is rising from a ravine towards moon. I did not manage to find a katchūshi piece of this design, only a few Kamakura-bori tsuba:

    100 selected tsuba from European collections. Catalogue by Robert Haynes and Robert Burawoy, 1984, page 16, №5.

    Japanese Sword Fittings. Collection of G.H. Naunton, Esq., by Henri L. Joly, - 1912; №9.

    While the upper tsuba is dated end of Muromachi, the lower is attributed to the 17th century - Momoyama or early Edo period, though the author put this attribution under question. Deciphering of the strangely shaped opening to the left of nakago-ana is sometimes "a conventional scroll", and sometimes - a fern or bracken. I think mine is a cloud or mist, but I don't have any material evidence proving this understanding and came to conclusion by context only. It may easily be a dinosaurs playing ball. The fact that this thing always accompanies the Genji-mon, or incense symbol, it may be a scent itself.
  • Iron tsuba of round form decorated with eight roundels – circular emblems of flowers and/or family crests (mon) made of cast brass, pierced and chiselled in kebori, and with flat brass inlay (hira-zōgan) of vines or leaves all over the plate. Both hitsu-ana trimmed with brass. Nakago-ana of trapezoidal form. A distinctive character of this tsuba is a mon at 6 hours depicting tomoe (comma). Yoshirō school (Kaga-Yoshirō). Attributed to Koike Yoshirō Naomasa himself. Unsigned. The Momoyama or early Edo period, end of the 16th to the first half of the 17th century (1574-1650). Size: Diameter 82.0 mm, thickness 3.8 mm at seppa-dai, 3.4 mm at rim.
  • A portrait of Marcello Malpighi from his book Opera posthuma: figuris aeneis illustrata, quibus praefixa est ejusdem vita a seipso scripta, Londini:Churchill, 1697. Inscription: Marcellus Malpighius | Medicus Bononiensis mortuus 29 Novemb. Anno Dom. 1694. Anno aetatis 67. I. Kip. sculp.

    Marcello Malpighi (10 March 1628 – 29 November 1694) was an Italian biologist and physician, who is referred to as the "Father of microscopical anatomy, histology, physiology and embryology" [Wikipedia].

    From European Journal of Anatomy 22(5):433-439 · September 2018, an article by Sanjib Ghosh and Ashutosh Kumar 'Marcello Malpighi (1628-1694): Pioneer of microscopic anatomy and exponent of the scientific revolution of the 17th Century': Italian anatomist and an eminent scientist who significantly contributed to the advancement of the anatomical sciences in the 17th century. Malpighi was one of the first to use the compound microscope (an instrument designed by Galileo in 1609) and made the most important discovery of his life in 1661 when he identified capillaries as connecting vessels between small arteries and veins in the lungs. Malpighi thus provided the missing link in William Harvey's theory of blood circulation. He made significant contributions in the field of embryology based on his observations on chick embryo, and his efforts provided deep insights into the development of the heart and the nervous system. His communications based on microscopic studies scripted valuable details on the structural organization of organs like the liver, kidney and spleen. He identified the hepatic lobule as the fundamental unit of the liver and noted that bile was being secreted by these lobules and not from the gall bladder (the popular belief then). In the kidney, he discovered the glomerulus (Malpighian Corpuscle) and was the first to observe the convoluted tubules in the renal cortex. He was the first to describe the presence of lymphatic bodies (Malpighi's Corpuscle) in the spleen. Although he was exceedingly successful in his scientific activities, his life was fraught with unfortunate events and savage criticism from detractors arising out of professional jealousy and personal feuds. Nevertheless, his exploits were instrumental in understanding the human microscopic anatomy (histology) and his accomplishments have etched his name in the pages of medical science forever.

    The portrait was engraved by Johannes "Jan" Kip (1652/53, Amsterdam – 1722, Westminster) - a Dutch draftsman, engraver and print dealer.

  • [Michael Hoyer]. Vita B. Ioannis Chisii a Maciaretto, ord. ermit. s. p. Augustini. — Antverpiæ, Apud Henricum Aertssens, Anno MDCXLI [1641]. Pagination: [2] *3+recto unpag. *4+recto unpag., [10], 5-135 [3]. Illustrations: Frontispiece missing, 4 copperplate engravings (pp. 22, 64, 90, and 120) by Pieter de Jode the Younger (1606–1674, Flemish printmaker, draughtsman, painter and art dealer) after Erasmus Quellinus the Younger (1607–1678, Flemish painter, engraver, draughtsman and tapestry designer). Size: Pott 8vo (15.5 x 10 cm), vellum binding. Expanded title: Vita Beati Ioannis Chisii, a Maciaretto, Ordinis Eremitarum Sancti Patris Augustini. [Translation: Life of Blessed Giovanni Chigi from Maciaretto, Order of Hermits of St. Augustine]. Blessed Giovanni Chigi (1300 - 1363) [1] was a lay brother of the Order of Hermits of St. Augustine. The Chigi family is a Roman princely family of Sienese extraction descended from the counts of Ardenghesca. The earliest authentic mention of them is in the 13th century, with one Alemanno, counsellor of the Republic of Siena. The Wikipedia article does not mention Giovanni Chigi, however, it states that one of the Chigi, Cardinal Fabio Chigi, was elected pope as Alexander VII at the Conclave of 1655. The book was published in 1641 with a dedication to the said Cardinal Fabio Chigi before he was elected pope. The town, Maciaretto, where Giovanni Chigi was from, is unclear because there is no such place in modern Italy, and there are two places called Macereto: (1) Macereto Alta/Basso in Perugia province and (2) Macereto in the municipality of Visso, in the province of Macerata, region Marche. I assume that our Giovanni Chigi was from the one that is closer to Siena, i.e. Macereto in Perugia province. Regarding the author. There is no author's name in the book. However, in various sources, the book is mentioned as written by Michel Hoyer, who was born in Hesdin, Flanders in 1593 and died in 1650. He pursued an ecclesiastical career and professed rhetoric at the College of Saint Pierre in Lille. He later joined the Order of Saint Augustine, in the convent of Ypres, and settled in various schools in the Netherlands. His reputation attracted many students, among them Albert Rubens (1614–1657), the eldest son of Peter Paul Rubens and Isabella Brant. Michel Hoyer wrote several books, the most known is Flammulae amoris, S.P. Augustini versibus et iconibus exornatae: Surprisingly, there is only limited information about Michel Hoyer in Spanish Wikipedia; other language versions of his biography do not exist. Another author mentioned in the book is some anonymous Augustinian from Cologne. Regarding the illustrations. In our copy, the frontispiece is missing. It was probably ripped off by some unscrupulous seller of antique prints. The image on the missing frontispiece is this: The names of the artists engraved in the bottom of the stone: E. Quellinus, delin. to the left and P. de Jode, fecit. to the right. We can infer that the other illustrations in that book are produced by the same duo. The image represents three cherubs: one with Athena's serpent in his left hand and a cardinal's hat in his right hand; another in Athen's helmet on his head and her owl beside his feet, with the staff of Mercurius (serpent-twined staff adorned with a winged hat) in his left hand, and the House of Chigi - Della Rovere coat of arms in his right hand; the third cherub depicted with the Hercules attributes - lion pelt and a  club. Regarding the publisher. Henricum Aertssens or Hendrik Aertssen, 1586-1658. Besides the other books, he published PIA DESIDERIA by Herman Hugo in 1636 [1621 french edition by Jean Cnobbartin in Antwerp in his collection LIB-1657.2018]. According to Nina Lamal [2], nothing is known about career of this publisher, besides what's said in Adresboek van zeventiende-eeuwse drukkers, uitgevers en boekverkopers in Vlaanderen / Directory of seventeenth-century Printers, Publishers and Booksellers in Flanders / Vlieger-De Wilde, Koen De (editor). The list of his publications can be seen here. Other artists who turned to the figure of Blessed Giovanni Chigi were Abraham van Diepenbeeck (painter) and Conrad Lauwers (engraver). The print is in Rijksmuseum, in Amsterdam. Here we see a more complex composition but with a clear reference to the work of Quellinus and de Jode: The cherub in Athena's helmet takes away the old coat of arms of the Chigi, and the other cherub points out to the new one, with papal symbols of St. Peter's keys, another cherub carries the papal tiara. Rijksmuseum dates the image as 1642 - 1685; most probably it is ca. 1655, when Fabio Chigi became Pope Alexander VII, and propaganda was focused on promoting his outstanding ancestor Giovanni, who died 300 years before. Giovanni Chigi is depicted here resurrected, accompanied by the archangel, and receiving the blessing from Jesus on the cross. 1 - Michael J. Walsh. A New Dictionary of Saints: East and West, p. 308. 2 - Nina Lamal. Publishing military books in the Low Countries and in Italy in the early seventeenth century in 'Specialist Markets in the Early Modern Book World', ed. Richard Kirwan, Sophia Mullins, Leiden: Koninklijke Brill, 2015, pp. 232-233.
     
  • Vol. 1 title: OVID'S | METAMORPHOSES | IN LATIN AND ENGLISH, | TRANSLATED BY | THE MOST EMINENT HANDS. | With HISTORICAL EXPLICATIONS | Of the FABLES, | WRITTEN IN FRENCH BY | The ABBOT BANIER, | MEMBER OF THE ACADEMY OF INSCRIPTIONS | AND BELLES LETTRES. | TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH. | Adorned with Sculptures, by B. Picart, and other able Masters. | VOLUME THE FIRST. | [Device] | AMSTERDAM, | Printed for the WETSTEINS and SMITH. | MD CC XXII || — Pagination: [26 – Half-title, frontis., t.p., dedic., The Bookseller's Preface To This Edition, Mr. Banier's Preface To The French Translation, Contents], [1] 2-247 – Text of books 1-7, with illus., [1 blank]. Vol. 2 half-title: OVID'S | METAMORPHOSES | IN LATIN AND ENGLISH | TWO VOLUMES || — Pagination: [2 – half-title / blank], 249-524 – Text of books 8-15, with illus., incl. 3 leaves of pl., [4 – Index]. Three leaves between pages 264 and 271 are included in the pagination as pp. [265-70] but do not carry page-numbers or letterpress text. They each carry two prints on their rectos and are blank on the verso. Vol. II without the engraved title page. The names of the translators are given in the list of Contents as Dryden, Addison, Eusden, Arthur Mainwaring, Croxall, Tate, Stonestreet, Vernon, Gay, Pope, Stephen Harvey, Congreve, Ozel, Temple Stanyan, , Catcot, Rowe, Samuel Garth, Welsted. The frontispiece is signed as made by B. Picart. The six plates on pages [265, 267, 269] are all signed as painted by C. Le Brun and engraved by Iakob Folkema. Of the 124 illustrations, most are unsigned by a draughtsman, but some are signed as designed by G. Maas, one as designed by Jul. Romain, two as designed by G. Maas and drawn by J. de Wit, one as drawn by 'HA', one as painted by C. le Brun, one as made by B. Picart, one as designed by P. Testa and drawn by B. Picart, one as designed by S. Le Clerc, one as designed by B. Picart. Many are signed by their engravers - Philip à Gunst (one as directed by B. Picart and engraved by Phil. à Gunst), J. Vandelaar (or I. Wandelaar), Martin Bouche, Jan Schenck, 'MB', Petr. Paul. Bouche, Iakob Folkema, W. Jongman, Fred. Bouttats. The title-page vignette of Volume I is signed as drawn by B. v. Overbeke and engraved by F. Mulder. Many tailpieces are signed 'VLS'. The book is dedicated by the publishers, R. and J. Wetstein and W. Smith, to the Countess of Pembroke. [Description is cited from the Royal Academy of Arts] Physical description: Two large 4to volumes, first title page printed in red and black, added engraved title in the first volume; half-title in the second volume; illustrated throughout with copperplate engravings in text; text printed in parallel columns in Latin and English; three leaves extraneous to collation each with two engravings in the second volume; bookplate pasted to the front endpaper in each volume: Ex Libris Theodore C. Tebbetts (Theodore Charles Tebbetts, American, 1871 – 1920) designed after Francis Carruthers Gould (British, 1844 – 1925); pages 517-520 of the second volume torn with loss of bottom blank corners and a word or two; original full leather, spines tooled elaborately in gilt; some boards detached, endcaps and corners rather worn, contents bright and fresh. Size: Large 4to; 47.5 x 31 cm.
  • Title: AN | ESSAY | CONCERNING | HUMANE UNDERSTANDING, |—| In Four BOOKS. |—| Written by JOHN LOCKE, Gent. |—| The Third EDITION. |—| Quam bellum est velle confiteri potius nescire quod nes- | cias, quam ista effutientem nauseare, atque ipsum sibi | displicere! Cic. De Natur. Deor. l. I. |—| LONDON: | Printed for Awnsham and John Churchil, at the Black | Swan in Pater-Noster-Row, and Samuel Manship, at the | Ship in Cornhill, near the Royal Exchange, 1695. Collation: [π2]-b6, a-c4, B-Z4 Aa-Zz4 Aaa-Fff4 Ggg-Iii2 Pagination: [40] 1-407 [13]. Catalogue raisoné: The works of John Locke; a comprehensive bibliography from the seventeenth century to the present. Compiled by John C. Attig. Series: Bibliographies and Indexes in Philosophy, Number 1. Greenwood Press, Westport, CT & London, England, 1985. p. 42, №230 provides for pagination [40] 407, [13]p. Page by page reprint of 1694 edition. Regarding the epigraph on t.p.: The correct citation from CICERODe Natura Deorum: "Quam bellum erat, Vellei, confiteri potius nescire, quod nescires, quam ista effutientem nauseare atque ipsum sibi displicere." [How delightful it would be, Velleius, if when you did not know a thing you would admit your ignorance, instead of uttering this drivel, which must make even your own gorge rise with disgust!] This life-time edition was presented as a gift to Dr Elisha Atkins (1949 – 2019), professor at Yale University School of Medicine, on July 1st, 1967, by his students, namely Carolyn Wells [Bush] (1923 – 2013), John Mooney (now a psychiatrist in Boston), and Charles Dinarello. Size: 32 x 23 cm Binding: Fill modern morocco, panelled and ruled gilt, raised bands, gilt in compartments, red label with gilt lettering; in a slipcase.
  • Title: THE | GRAND CONSPIRACY | OF THE | Members again∫t the Minde, | OF | Jewes again∫t their King. | As it hath beene delivered in the | foure following Sermons, | BY | John Allington, [A ∫eque∫tered Divine.] | — | {ornament} | — | LONDON, | Printed by J.G. for R. Royston, | at the Angel in Ivie-lane, 1654.|| Contents: Grand conspiracy of Jewes against their King. A sermon preached in August 1647; Grand conspiracy of Jewes against their King. A sermon preached in January 1649; Grand conspiracy of Jewes against their King. A demonstration of the highest insolencies proceed from men of the lowest and most base extractions Pagination: [2] – t.p. / blank; 1-214. Collation: 12mo; A-I12. Binding: Hardcover; 15 x 9.5 cm, later blind-stamped morocco, raised bands, gilt lettering in compartments. Inscription: Ink by hand by John Bartham, January 30, 1665, to t.p. verso; Pencil by hand to front pastedown: Wing A 1209A.
  • Title: NOUVELLE | LISTE | DES JOLIES FEMMES | DE PARIS ; | LEURS NOMS ET LEUR DEMEURE. | PRIX TROIS FRANCS. | Se trouve A Paris , au Palais des plaisirs. | — | An 1808. || Pagination : [1-6] 7-70 [2 blank] Collation : 9vo, [A]9 B-D9. Binding: Original blue wrappers, 15 x 9 cm. Ref: OCLC finds only one copy, at the British Library. The BnF has a work of the same title, with the same pagination, dated 1803. The stated publisher seems to be fictitious. Quaritch description: 12mo, pp. 70; a little dusty, a few spots and marks; a very good uncut copy in original blue/grey wrappers; somewhat worn and stained. Very rare guide to Parisian prostitutes providing an extraordinary snapshot of the state of prostitution in the city during the First French Empire. The anonymous compiler begins with a brief history of prostitution in the capital, and its regulation, under Charlemagne and Louis VIII, describes a brothel established by Joanna I of Naples at Avignon and discusses Pierre-Jean Grosley’s estimate of the number of prostitutes in London. He then provides his liste, divided into categories including ‘houses of the first order’, ‘bawdy houses’, ‘actresses’, ‘washerwomen’, and ‘procuresses’, giving the name of each prostitute, an indication of their age, and their physical attributes, character, and particular talents. Rosanne, for example, chez Madame l’Évêque at the Palais du Tribunat, offers ‘unspeakably voluptuous pleasures to the nether regions’; Honorine prefers women; Scholastique likes wine with her lovemaking; Nanette has a penchant for soldiers; Genevieve favours the priapic; Dorsay enjoys S&M, and Madame Laperriere promises rejuvenation to the elderly. One Ducroisy is poetically described as possessing ‘a tuft as black as a crow above two alabaster columns’, while Félicité has skin ‘soft and white, sprinkled with golden freckles, like gold in Maraschino liqueur’. The author hopes that his listed will bring business to the ladies and pleasure to their clients, beseeching both to look after their health so that his guide might ‘serve Love, not Asclepius’.
  • Title page: MAURICE JOLY | LES | AFFAMÉS | ÉTUDES | DE MŒURS CONTEMPORAINES |{publisher’s device «ED»}| PARIS | E. DENTU, LIBRAIRE-ÉDITEUR | PALAIS-ROYAL, 15-17-19, GALERIE D’ORLÉANS | 1876 | Tous droits réservés.|| Pagination: short ffl, [2] h.t. / colophon [2] t.p. /  blank] [i] ii-xvi, 1-340. Collation: 12mo ; π10 1-1812 198. Binding: 19 x 12 cm; softcover; original wrappers with lettering to front and spine in black and red in a frame, untrimmed lateral edge.
  • Title: THOMAS FROGNALL DIBDIN | 1776-1847 | A Bibliography | By John Windle and Karma Pippin | Oak Knoll Press | New Castle Delaware | 1999 || Pagination: [2 blanks] [i, ii] – standing silhouette / frontis. with buste portrait 1821 (misspelled "Didbin"), [iii, iv] – t.p. / colophon, [v, vi] – dedication / blank, [vii, viii] – contents / blank, [ix, x] – illustr. / portrait 1816, [xi] xii-xxiii [xxiv] [1] 2-284 [2]. Binding: 23.5 x 16 cm, hardcover, publisher’s blue cloth gilt-stamped with a standing silhouette of T. F. Dibdin to cover, gilt lettering to spine.  
  • Front wrapper: Quatrième mille | Paris Documentaire | NOUVELLE ÉDITION | TROTTOIRS | ET | LUPANARS | PAR | Ch. VIRMAITRE | A. CHARLES | LIBRAIRE | 8, Rue Monsieur-le-Prince, 8 | PARIS || Title page: Ch. VIRMAITRE | PARIS DOCUMENTAIRE | (Mœurs) | TROTTOIRS | ET | LUPANARS | {fleuron} | A. CHARLES | LIBRAIRE | 8, Rue Monsieur-le-Prince, 8 | PARIS | 1897 || Collation: 18mo; Front pictorial wrapper, 2 ffls, π4, 118, 318, 518, 718, 918, 1118, 1318, 1514, back pictorial wrapper (portrait) Pagination: [1-7] 8-282 [6]. Binding: Publisher’s pictorial wrappers, lettering to spine. Charles Virmaître (French, 1835 – 1903).
  • Front wrapper and t.p.: THE | INTERNATIONAL | JEW | The Truth About | "The Protocols of Zion" | By ERIC D. BUTLER | ∞ | Hitler’s Views on “The Protocols”: | “I SAW AT ONCE WE MUST COPY IT.” | “The question of the Jews and their influence on the world, past and present, cuts to the root of all things and should be discussed by every honest thinker” | — Dr. Oscar Levy, Famous Jewish Writer. | Price — 2/6 || (T.p.: same with the full stop (.) after 2/6. Stamp to t.p.: Women’s Voice | 537 SO. DEARBORN ST. | ROOM 800 | CHICAGO 5. ILL. || [2] 3-167 [168]. Binding: Lettered publisher’s wrappers, 18 x 12 cm. Butler, Eric Dudley (Australian, 1916 – 2006) Osborne, Robert Martin (British-Australian, 1862 – 1931) — Australian printer and publisher. Levy, Oscar (German-Jewish, 1867 – 1946) Hitler, Adolf (German, 1889 – 1945)
  • Title: ПРОДОЛЖАТЕЛЬ ФЕОФАНА | ЖИЗНЕОПИСАНИЯ | ВИЗАНТИЙСКИХ ЦАРЕЙ | Издание второе, исправленное и дополненное | Санкт-Петербург | АЛЕТЕЙЯ | 2009 || Pagination: [108] 9-398 [2]. Binding: 21.5 x 15 cm; hardcover, crimson buckram, gilt lettering in the border, gilt serial device on black, pictorial endpapers. Print run: 1,000 copies. ISBN: 978-5-91419-146-4. Theophanes Continuatus [Продолжатель Феофана; συνεχισταί Θεοφάνους] (Byzantine, 9th century). Любарский, Яков Николаевич (Russian, 1929 – 2003).