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    Iron tsuba with the Sennins motif. Edo period, ca. 1700.

    Iron tsuba of oval form with the design of two immortals (Gama Sennin with the toad upon his head and Tekkai Sennin with his iron crutch) beside a waterfall carved in low relief with a high relief effect (takabori) and with details inlaid in gold. A waterfall carved on the reverse. Nakago-ana is plugged with copper sekigane. Unsigned. Allegedly, Mito School.

    Edo period, ca. 1700.

    Size: Height: 87.0 mm; Width: 82.8 mm; Thickness: 4.4 mm; Weight: 179 g.

    No longer available.
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  • Thomas Astle. The Origin and Progress of Writing. – T. Payne and Son, et al., London, 1784.

    Full Title: THE | ORIGIN AND PROGRESS | OF | WRITING, | AS WELL HIEROGLYPHIC AS ELEMENTARY, | ILLUSTRATED BY ENGRAVINGS TAKEN FROM | MARBLES, MANUSCRIPTS AND CHARTERS, | ANCIENT AND MODERN. | ALSO, | SOME ACCOUNT OF THE ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF PRINTING. | – | By THOMAS ASTLE, Esq. F.R.S. F.S.A. and | Keeper of the RECORDS in the Tower of LONDON. | – | LONDON: | Printed for the AUTHOR; | Sold by T. PAYNE and SON, B. White, P. Elmsly, G. Nicol, | and LEIGH and SOTHEBY. | M DCC LXXXIV. Pagination: ffl [i, ii] - t.p., blank, [iii, iv] - dedication, blank, [v] vi, vii - contents, [viii] - blank; [i] -xxv - introduction, [xxvi] blank; 1 - of the origin and progress... - 235 [236] blank (229-235 additions and corrections); on p. 235 imprint: FROM THE PRESS OF J. NICHOLS, MDCCLXXXIV; bfl; 31 plates: op. p. 64 (folding), 66, 70, 72 (2), 76, 80 (2, on recto and verso), 82 (2, on recto and verso), 84, 92, 94, 96 (folding), 98 (folding), 100, 102, 104 (folding), 106 (folding), 108 (folding), 112 (folding), 128 (folding), 140 (2, on recto and verso), 142, 146, 150 (folding), 158, 160, 176, 178, folding platessigned "B. T. Pouncy". Collation: [A4] a–c4 π1 B-Z4 Aa-Ff4 Gg2 Hh4. Size: 4to, 29.1 x 24.3 cm. Binding: contemporary full polished brown calf professionally re-backed, single-fillet gilt border to covers, raised bands, black title label with gilt lettering and gilt fillets, gilt year lettering to bottom. Printed on laid paper, margins marbled. Bookplates: "Alex-r Carlile" to front pastedown, "Nicholas Wall. Sometime his book" to back pastedown. To front pastedown: pencil inscriptions and pasted clipping about the book.
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  • Le decameron de Jean Boccace / 5 volumes, illustrated. — London [i.e., Paris, Prault]: 1757-61.

    Five volumes, uniformly bound in marbled three-colour stained polished calf, spine with raised bands, gilt in compartments, crimson label with gilt lettering “CONTES DE BOCCACE”, cream label with volume number, marbled endpapers and all edges; bookplate pasted to first blank flyleaf “BIBLIOTHÈQUE DE LAJUDIE” depicting a coat of arms over an anchor, anchors and tulips scattered in the upper section, globe in the lower section, in a frame. Size: 21 x 14 cm. Translated by Antoine Le Maçon (French, 1500? – 1559). Vol. 1: [4] two blank leaves, portrait by Louis Lempereur after Hubert Gravelot, engraved t.p.: LE | DECAMERON | DE JEAN | BOCCACE. | TOME I. | Londres | 1757. | H. Gravelot Inv. […] T.P. N 21 […] J. Aliamet Sculp. ||, engraved frontispiece to Vie de Jean Bocace by Lempereur after Gravelot; Pagination: [i] ii-viii (Vie de Jean Bocace with head- and tail-pieces); [1] 2-320 [2] one blank leaf. Collation: 8vo; a4 A-V8, 164 leaves + 6 blanks + 24 plates (incl. portrait, frontis., and t.p.) extraneous to collation, 1 headpiece and 18 tailpieces. Vol. 2: [4] two blank leaves, engraved t.p.: LE | DECAMERON | DE JEAN | BOCCACE. | TOME II. | Londres 1757 | H. Gravelot inv. […] T.II. N.1. […] N. LeMire Sculp .||; Pagination: [1] 2-292 [2] one blank leaf. Collation: 8vo; A-S8 T2, 146 leaves + 3 blanks + 23 plates (incl. t.p.) extraneous to collation, and 18 tailpieces. Vol. 3: [4] two blank leaves, engraved t.p.: LE | DECAMERON | DE JEAN | BOCCACE. | TOME III. | Londres 1757 | Gravelot inv. […] T.III. N.1. […] Aillamet Sc. ||; Pagination: [1] 2-203 [204] [2] one blank leaf. Collation: 8vo; A-M8 N6, 102 leaves + 3 blanks + 23 plates (incl. t.p.) extraneous to collation, and 18 tailpieces. Vol. 4: [4] two blank leaves, engraved t.p.: LE | DECAMERON | DE JEAN | BOCCACE. | TOME IV. | Lond 1761 | Gravelot invenit […] T.IV. №.I. […] Alliamet Sculpsit. ||; Pagination: [1] 2-280 [2] one blank leaf. Collation: 8vo; A-R8 S4, 140 leaves + 3 blanks + 23 plates (incl. t.p.) extraneous to collation, and 20 tailpieces. Vol. 5: [4] two blank leaves, engraved t.p.: LE | DECAMERON | DE JEAN | BOCCACE. | TOME V. | Londres 1761 | Gravelot, inv. […] T.V. N.1. […] Aillamet Sc. ||; Pagination: [1] 2 [3] 4-269 [270] [2] one blank leaf. Collation: 8vo; A-Q8 R7, 135 leaves + 3 blanks + 23 plates (incl. t.p.) extraneous to collation, and 22 tailpieces. Total plates: 24+23+23+23+23=112; total vignettes: 19+ 18 + 18 +20 + 22 = 94; total etchings and engravings: 213. Ref: MFA ACCESSION NUMBER 37.1371a-e; Cohen-de Ricci 160; Ray, French Illustrated Book, 15 / p. 39-41; Metropolitan Museum, NY (Accession Number: 17.3.2641). Contributors: Authors: Giovanni Boccaccio (Italian, 1313–1375);  Filippo Villani [Philippe-Matthieu Villani] (Italian, 1325 – 1407)Illustrated by: Hubert François Gravelot (French, 1699–1773). Artists: Charles Eisen (French, 1720–1778); François Boucher (French, 1703–1770); Charles-Nicolas Cochin le fils (French, 1715–1790), Jacques Aliamet (French, 1726–1788) Engravers: Jean Charles Baquoy (French, 1721–1777); Jean Jacques Flipart (French, 1719–1782); Louis Legrand (French, 1723–1807); Noël Le Mire (French, 1724–1801); Louis Simon Lempereur (French, 1725–1796); Catherine Elisabeth (Cousinet) Lempereur (French, born in 1726); Jean-Jacques André Le Veau (French, 1729–1786); Pierre Etienne Moitte (French, 1722–1780); Jean Ouvrier (French, 1725–1784); Jean Jacques Pasquier (French, died in 1785); Pierre (Pitre) Martenasie (Flemish, worked in France, died in 1770?); Augustin de Saint-Aubin (French, 1736–1807); Dominique Sornique (French, 1708 – 1756); Jacques Nicolas Tardieu (French, 1716–1791). Publisher: Prault (French, 18th century) Note: MFA copy has a slightly different collation: [v. 1] 152 leaves, plus plates; [v. 2] 136 ll., plus pls.; [v. 3] 98 ll., plus pls.; [v. 4] 131 ll., plus pls.; [v. 5] 124 ll., plus pls. This is their description: "First edition with these illustrations; a French translation (Cohen-de Ricci 160) appeared slightly later. Gravelot designed 89 of the 111 plates, and all 97 of the tailpieces, his largest single commission. Some 115 of his preliminary sketches by this series are in the Rosenwald Collection, Library of Congress; 131 of the final engraver's models are in the Widener Collection at the National Gallery of Art; and two other finished drawings are in the Ray Collection, Pierpont Morgan Library. Ten plates were designed by Eisen, and Cochin and Boucher had six each. As some plates in the later volumes are dated as late as 1761, the actual issuing of the volumes apparently extended to that date."
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  • Charles-Pierre Colardeau. Le temple de Gnide, mis en vers. — Paris : Le Jay, [1773?].

    Hardcover volume, 8vo, 21.5 x 14.5 cm, bound by Riviere & Son (stamped on fep verso bottom) in full brown calf, boards with triple gilt fillet border and gilt dentelle inside, spine with raised bands, gilt in compartments, black label with gilt lettering, all margins gilt, blue endpapers, bookplate of Arthur Rau pasted to front pastedown (text: Les hommes sont méchants mais leurs livres sont bons / Arthur Rau; signed: E. H. New – A.D. 1922), traces of removed owner’s label to fep recto; printed on laid paper. Title-page (engraved, in floral frame): LE TEMPLE | DE GNIDE. | Mis en Vers | Par M. Colardeau | {vignette with portrait of Pierre Corneille} | A PARIS | Chez le Jay, Libraire, Rue St. Jacques au dessus de | celle des Mathurins au Grand Corneille || Collation: 2 blanks, h.t., engraved t.p. with a portrait of Pierre Corneille, a8, A-E8 F4 (52 leaves), 2 blanks, plus 7 plates by various engravers after Charles Monnet. Pagination: [i] ii-xvi, [1] 2-88 (104 pp). Ref: MFA (Boston): accession number 37.1747 Catalogue raisonné: Lewine 114, Cohen-DeRicci 245-6. Contributors: Charles Monnet (French, 1732 – after 1808) – artist. Engravers:  Jean Charles Baquoy (French, 1721 – 1777) Nicolas Delaunay (French, 1739 – 1792) Isidore Stanislas Helman (French, 1743 – 1806) Louis Joseph Masquelier (French, 1741 – 1811) François Denis Née (French, 1735 – 1818) Nicholas Ponce (French, 1746 – 1831) Portrait(s) designed by: Guillaume Voiriot (French, 1713 – 1799) Author: Charles-Pierre Colardeau (French, 1732 – 1776) Publisher: Edmé-Jean Le Jay (French, 1734 – 1795) Bookplate artist: Edmund Hort New (British, 1871 – 1931) Provenance: Arthur Rau (British, 1898 – 1972); his obituary can be found in The Book Collector 1973, vol. 22, n°1, p. 86-89. According to the genealogy service Geni, Arthur Aron Rau was born to Jacob Aryeh Rau and Katharina (Kaethe) Rau, and has a sister Cecilia (Tsipporah) Rosenfelder and a brother Frederick Solomon Rau. He went to Oxford and then joined Maggs Brothers in their Paris establishment. "After some years there, he set up on his own, returning to England at the outbreak of the Second World War to be a schoolmaster for ten years". In 1949 he returned to Paris and retired in 1963, "and his last years he happily spent in Wensleydale...". All he published during his lifetime were two catalogues, Livres Rares Et Anciens. Manuscrits et Autographes. — Paris: Arthur Rau, 1932-3 and Cinquante Tres Beaux Livres Avec Un Appendice. — Paris: Arthur Rau, 1933. He also contributed to The Book Collector.
    Seller’s description: In-8° : [2]-t. gr.-xvi-88 pp. ; 7 h.-t. (qqs rouss.). - Poème d'après le roman de Montesquieu ill. de 7 eaux-fortes par Bacquoy, Delaunay, Née, etc., d'après Charles Monnet. Titre gr. orné d'un portr. de Corneille. Cohen, qui cite un ex. millésimé 1773, signale des ex. avec la date de 1772 ou sans date. - Réf. Cohen 245-246. - Conlon 72:675 (éd. à l'adresse d'Amsterdam et Paris, 1772). - Pas dans Reynaud. - Prov. Arthur Rau (1898-1972), gérant de la librairie Maggs à Paris avant d'ouvrir sa propre librairie en 1932 (ex-libris gr. par E.H. New, 1922 ; réf. BnF). - Traces d'ex-libris décollé à la garde sup.
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  • Shimizu Jingo Tsuba. Dragon and Vajra. Edo period

    Shimizu-Jingo tsuba with a dragon and vajra (on reverse) motif. Unsigned. Possibly, 3rd or 4th master of Shimizu-Jingo family in Higo province. Iron. Low relief carving. Edo period, 1700's. Height: 75.4 mm, Width: 72.2 mm, Thickness at seppa-dai: 4.0 mm
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  • Katsukawa Shunshō. Parody of the letter-reading scene in Act VII of Chûshingura.

    Katsukawa Shunshō ( 勝川 春章; 1726 – 19 January 1793).

    Signed: Shunchô ga (春潮画); Censor's seal: kiwame (改印：極)

    Publisher:  Iwatoya Kisaburō (Eirindō); c. 1760s – 1832. Marks #173/p.169.

    Reference: MFA ACCESSION NUMBER 11.21263. Not in Pins.

    Act VII, Gion Ichiriki no ba ("The Ichiriki Teahouse at Gion") This act gives a taste of the bustling atmosphere of the Gion pleasure quarter in Kyoto. Yuranosuke is feigning a life of debauchery at the same teahouse to which Okaru has been indentured. Kudayū, the father of Sadakurō, arrives. He is now working for Moronō and his purpose is to discover whether Yuranosuke still plans revenge or not. He tests Yuranosuke's resolve by offering him food on the anniversary of their lord's death when he should be fasting. Yuranosuke is forced to accept. Yuranosuke's sword – the revered symbol of a samurai – is also found to be covered in rust. It would appear that Yuranosuke has no thoughts of revenge. But still unsure, Kudayū hides under the veranda. Now believing himself alone, Yuranosuke begins to read a secret letter scroll about preparations for the vendetta. On a higher balcony Okaru comes out to cool herself in the evening breeze and, noticing Yuranosuke close by, she also reads the letter reflected in her mirror. As Yuranosuke unrolls the scroll, Kudayū, too, examines the end which trails below the veranda. Suddenly, one of Okaru's hairpins drops to the floor and a shocked Yuranosuke quickly rolls up the scroll. Finding the end of the letter torn off, he realises that yet another person knows his secret and he must silence them both. Feigning merriment, he calls Okaru to come down and offers to buy out her contract. He goes off supposedly to fix the deal. Then Okaru's brother Heiemon enters and, hearing what has just happened, realises that Yuranosuke actually intends to keep her quiet by killing her. He persuades Okaru to let him kill her instead so as to save their honour and she agrees. Overhearing everything, Yuranosuke is now convinced of the pair's loyalty and stops them. He gives Okaru a sword and, guiding her hand, thrusts it through the floorboards to kill Kudayū. The main actor has to convey a wide variety of emotions between a fallen, drunkard rōnin and someone who in reality is quite different since he is only faking his weakness. This is called hara-gei or "belly acting", which means he has to perform from within to change characters. It is technically difficult to perform and takes a long time to learn, but once mastered the audience takes up on the actor's emotion. Emotions are also expressed through the colours of the costumes, a key element in kabuki. Gaudy and strong colours can convey foolish or joyful emotions, whereas severe or muted colours convey seriousness and focus.
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  • Thomas F. Dibdin. Bibliomania or book madness: a bibliographical romance. – London, 1811.

    Thomas F. Dibdin. Bibliomania or book madness: a bibliographical romance. – London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, 1811.

    Title: BIBLIOMANIA; | OR | Book Madness: | A BIBLIOGRAPHICAL ROMANCE, | IN SIX PARTS. | Illustrated with Cuts. | BY THE REV. | THOMAS FROGNALL DIBDIN. | {vignette} | INTERIOR OF THE BODLEIAN LIBRARY | I pity all our great ones and rich men that know not this happiness. HEINSIUS. | LONDON: PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR, | By J. McCreery, Blackhorse-court, Fleet-street; | AND SOLD BY MESSRS. LONGMAN, HURST, REES, ORME, | AND BROWN, PATERNOSTER-ROW. | 1811.|| Pagination: ffl, [i, ii] - ht, frontis., [iii, iv] - t.p., blank, [v]vi-ix - to the reader, [x] - blank, [2] - contents, [1, 2] - part 1 fl. t.p., blank, [3] - woodcut frame and capital I, 4-782 (imprint to p. 782) [2] - errata, blank, bfl; 1 plate op. p. 158. Collation: [A]6 B-Z8 2A-2Z8, 3A-3B8, 3C-3F4. Binding: 8vo, 23 x 14 cm, modern full dark brown calf by Period Binders (Bath, England), gilt fillet border to boards, raised bands with gilt ornaments and lettering to spine, pp. 685-688 an open tear in upper 1/8 of lateral margin, all margins marbled. Substantially revised 1st edition ("so much altered and enlarged, as to assume the character of a new work"). Author: Thomas Frognall Dibdin (British, 1776 – 1847).
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  • The self tormenter. Anonymous drawing, late 18th century.

    Ink drawing on watermarked paper by an anonymous artist, British or American. Original pen and ink with manuscript text. About 7 x 10-1/2 inches, Vander Ley type watermark (Churchill 321), mounted to old laid paper; several corners chipped, some creasing, soiling, etc. Np, Late 18th-century.
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  • Isoda Koryūsai. Evening Snow on Mount Hira, from the series Eight Views of Ômi in Modern Guise. Circa 1774.

    Evening Snow on Mount Hira (Hira no bosetsu), from the series Eight Views of Ōmi in Modern Guise (Ryaku Ōmi hakkei, (略近江八景). About 1773–75 (An'ei 2–4). Artist: Isoda Koryūsai (Japanese, 1735–1790) CATALOGUE RAISONNÉ: Hockley 2003, p. 202, #F-21-1 DIMENSIONS: Vertical chûban; 26 x 19.3 cm (10 1/4 x 7 5/8 in.)
    Signed: Koryû ga [湖竜画]
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  • Иртыш, превращающийся в Ипокрену. Тобольск, 1791.

    Конволют из 3-х номеров журнала "Иртыш, превращающийся в Ипокрену". Ежемесячное сочинение издаваемое от Тобольского Главного Народного Училища. — В типографии у В. Корнильева. — Тобольск: Тобольское главное народное училище, 1791 г. — 60, 62, 54 с. (Дореформ. орф.). July (Июль) 1791. — pp.: Missing title, table of content unpag., verso blank, [1] 2-60. June (Июнь) 1791. — pp.: Title with censor stat. on verso, table of content unpag., verso blank, [1] 2-62. August (Август) 1791. — pp.: Title, table of content unpag., verso blank, [1] 2-54. Bound in this order. "The Irtysh river turning into Hippocrene" was the first monthly magazine in Russian Siberia published in 1789 — 1791 in Tobolsk. It was featuring journalism, commentary, poetry, the fiction of provincial and metropolitan authors, as well as translations of various articles from foreign journals. It was published by Department of Tobolsk Public Education and printed in the establishment of Kornil'ev (Корнильев), a local merchant.  The idea of publication belonged to Pankraty Sumarokov (1765 — 1814), a grandnephew of Alexander Sumarokov, distinguished Russian humanist and homme de lettres of Catherine the Great epoch. Pankraty was also the chief editor of the publication. Initially, the print run was 300 copies; reduced in 1791 to 106 copies only.  
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  • James Parsons. Human Physiognomy Explain’d: In The Crounian Lectures On Muscular Motion. — London: C. Davis, 1747.

    HUMAN PHYSIOGNOMY | EXPLAIN'D: | IN THE | Crounian LECTURES | ON MUSCULAR MOTION. | For the Year MDCCXLVI. | Read before the | ROYAL SOCIETY: | By James Parsons, M.D. and F.R.S. | Being a SUPPLEMENT to the Philosophical | Transactions for that Year. | {Citation in the Greek from Aristotle, 6 lines} | LONDON: | Printed for C. Davis, over against Gray's Inn Gate | in Holbourn; Printer to the Royal Society. | M. DCC. XLVII. || Pagination: [4] i-viii [8] 1-82 [4]; collation: 4to; [a]4 b4 c2 <inset> B-L4 M3, wanting 1 leaf with An Index For the Lectures of the Years 1744, and 1745; Inset: 5 folding plates engraved by J. Mynde after J. Parsons ('I. Ps. MD del.'). Page 22.5 x 16.5 cm; plates 22.5 x 34 cm. Printed on laid paper, with tall "s". Binding: 23 x 17 cm, modern hardcover in marbled paper, modern endpapers, white paper label with black lettering to spine. Crounian Lectures (i.e. Croonian Lectures), named after William Croone (British, 1633 – 1684). Contributors: James Parsons (British, 1705 – 1770). James Mynde (British, 1702 – 1771). Davis, Printer to the Royal Society of London (British, 1665 – 1775). Ref.: Royal Academy, The Royal Society, Wellcome Collection.
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  • François-Étienne Gouge de Cessières. L’art d’aimer, nouveau poëme en six chants / Édition fidèle & complète, enrichie de figures. — Londres [Amsterdam]: Aux dépens de la Compagnie, 1750.

    Description: 19th-century binding, 8vo,18.9 x 11.7 cm, in patterned quarter green shagreen over marbled boards, gilt elements and lettering to spine (reliure romantique), printed on laid paper, with tall "s", margins sprinkled blue. Title-page (red and black): L'ART | D'AIMER, | NOUVEAU POËME | EN SIX CHANTS, | Par Monsieur ***** Gouge de Cessières. | Edition fidéle & complette, enrichie de | Figures. | {vignette} | A LONDRES. | Aux dépens de la Compagnie. | = | M. DCC. L. || Includes: La Mort de Zulnï (pp.  175-190 ), Idée de l'Art d'aimer d'Ovide (pp. 191-244), and Lettre écrite à Monsieur *** de ******de l'Académie... (pp. 245-261). Collation: 8vo; a-b8, A-Q8 R3, lacking K2 (pp. 147/8); total 146 leaves (of 147) plus 8 engraved plates, unsigned, incl. frontispiece. Pagination: [i, ii] iii-xxxii, [1, 2] 3-261 [262 blank], lacking pp. 147/8 (K2), possibly containing Argument du chant VI; total 292 pages (of 294), ils. Catalogue raisonné: Cohen-DeRicci (under Ovid) 775, Lewine (under Ovid) 398. The artist and engravers of this edition are unknown. "Another edition, Londres (Paris), 1760, with frontispiece after Eisen by Martinet, and 6 plates after Martinet". Contributors: François-Étienne Gouge de Cessières (French, 1724 – 1782) – author. Ovid [Publius Ovidius Naso] (Roman, 43 B.C. – A.D. 17) – author. Aux dépens de la Compagnie (1685 – 1780) (Amsterdam) – publisher.
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  • Thomas Birch. The Heads of Illustrious Persons in Great Britain. London, 1747.

    Thomas Birch. The Heads of Illustrious Persons in Great Britain. London, 1747.

    The Heads of Illustrious Persons of Great Britain Engraven By Mr. Houbraken And Mr. Vertue. With Their Lives And Characters by Thomas Birch, A.M.F.R.S. Two Volumes in One. Published for John and Paul Knapton, London, 1747. 108 engraved portraits.

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  • Thomas Bewick. A general history of quadrupeds / 1st edition. — Newcastle upon Tyne: S. Hodgson, R. Beilby, & T. Bewick, 1790.

    Title: A GENERAL | HISTORY | OF | QUADRUPEDS. | – | THE FIGURES ENGRAVED ON WOOD BY THOMAS BEWICK. | {vignette} | — | NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE : | PRINTED BY AND FOR S. HODGSON, R. BEILBY, & T. BEWICK, | NEWCASTLE: SOLD BY THEM, BY G. G. J. & | J. ROBINSON, AND C. DILLY, LONDON. | 1790. Pagination: [4 blanks], [i, ii] – t.p. / blank, [iii, iv] – advertisement / index, v-viii – index, [1] 2-456 [4 blanks]. Collation: demi 8vo; a⁴ A-Ee⁸ Ff⁴. A3 unsigned, catchword at p.375 THE instead of WE. Variant A (with a fly facing upward). Size: 21.8 x 14 cm; page 21.2 x 13 cm. Woodcuts: 260 descriptions of quadrupeds; 200 figures of quadrupeds, 104 vignettes, tailpieces, etc. Binding: Full marbled calf, gilt double border, black label with gilt lettering to flat spine. There were 1,500 copies Demy copies printed. Catalogue raisonné: S. Roscoe (1953): pp. 5-11; Hugo (1866): pp. 22-23.
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  • Miguel Cervantes de Saavedra. The life and exploits of the ingenious gentleman Don Quixote de la Mancha / 2 vol. — London: J. and R. Tonson, R. Dodsley, 1742.

    Two volumes uniformly bound by Riviere & Son in full red marbled calf, triple fillet border stamped in gilt, elaborate gilt ornament and brown morocco labels with gilt lettering to spine, all edge gilt, gilt dentelles. Vol. 1: Title page: THE | LIFE AND EXPLOITS | Of the ingenious gentleman | DON QUIXOTE | DE LA MANCHA. | Translated from the Original Spanish of | Miguel Cervantes de Saavedra. | By CHARLES JARVIS, Esq; | IN TWO VOLUMES. | {single rule} | VOLUME the FIRST. | {double rule} | LONDON: | Printed for J. and R. Tonson in the Strand, and | R. Dodsley in Pall-Mall. | {single rule} | M DCC XLII || Pagination: [i-iii] iv-xxxii, [i-iii] iv-vi, [2], [1] 2-90, [14], [1] 2-355 [356]; 500 pages total + ils. Collation: 4to; 250 leaves; A4 a-b4 c-d2, A4, a-l4 m2 n4 o2, B-Z4, Aa-Yy4 Z2, ils. Illustrations: 27 full-page copperplate engravings, incl. frontispiece (skillfully repaired), portrait of Cervantes by George Vertue After G. Kent and a fictional portrait of Don Quixote by George Vertue after John Vanderbank. Vol. 2: Title page: THE | LIFE AND EXPLOITS | Of the ingenious gentleman | DON QUIXOTE | DE LA MANCHA. | Translated from the Original Spanish of | Miguel Cervantes de Saavedra. | By CHARLES JARVIS, Esq; | {single rule} | VOLUME the SECOND. | {double rule} | LONDON: | Printed for J. and R. Tonson in the Strand, and | R. Dodsley in Pall-Mall. | {single rule} | M DCC XLII || Pagination: [i-iii] iv-xii, [1] 2-388; 400 pages total + ils. Collation: 4to; 200 leaves; A4 a2 B-Z4 Aa-Zz4 Aaa-Ccc4 Ddd2, ils. Illustrations:41 full-page copperplate engravings, pl. 29 (as frontispieces) precedes pl. 28. Contributors: Author: Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (Spanish, 1547 – 1616) Translator: Charles Jervas (British, 1675 – 1739) Author: Cervantes biography by Gregorio Mayans y Siscar (Spanish, 1699 – 1781) Translator: Cervantes biography by John Ozell (British, d. 1743) Illustrator: John Vanderbank, the younger (British, 1694 – 1739) Artist: (Cervantes portrait): G. Kent (British, fl. 1738 – 1742) Engravers: Gerard Vandergucht (British, 1696 – 1776); George Vertue (British, 1684 – 1756); Bernard Baron (French, 1696 – 1762); Claude Du Bosc (French, 1682 – 1746 or later) Publishers: J. and R. Tonson (London); Robert Dodsley (British, 1703 – 1764) Catalogue raisonné: Lewine p. 102 Reference: Metropolitan Museum (New York)
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  • [Nicholas Chorier]. L’Académie des dames / 2 vol. — Venice [i.e. Amsterdam]: Chez Pierre Arretin [s.n., c. 1775].

    A set of two volumes, one with the text (1) and another with the plates (2), cased in a red ‘romantic’ fitting box of red morocco, lavishly tooled in gilt, c. 1840, more recently adapted to house two books of different size. Vol.1: Hardcover volume, 22.4 x 14 cm, 8vo, bound in half black polished calf (late 19th century) over marbled boards, spine and corners gilt-tooled, raised bands, gilt lozenges in compartments, gilt-lettered red morocco label; marbled endpapers; Francis M. G. Mauleverer armorial bookplate (motto “Deus Providebit”) to front pastedown. Printed on laid paper, Collation: 1 blank, engraved frontis., engraved t.p., A-Cc8 Dd2, 1 blank; pagination:[1] 2-420. Vol. 2: Hardcover volume, 21 x 14 cm, bound in green straight-grain morocco (early 19th century), boards with a roll-tooled palmette border, spine decorated in gilt, blue moiré endpapers, yellow feps, additional blank leaves: 2 in the front and 4 in the back, unpaginated; engraved frontis. and t.p. as in vol. 2, plus 35 plates now attributed to Delcroche printed on India paper, pasted on thicker leaves and bound in numerical order, but pl. 34 after pl. 35; As per Christie’s “The prints, sometimes attributed to de Hooghe, are actually by Delcroche, who illustrated a number of classics in the 1770s and 1780s, including Fanny Hill. AE and ABPC record only three copies of this edition at auction, including the Nordmann and Hayoit copies. Apollinaire Enfer, 277; Dutel A-15; Eros invaincu 16; Foxon Libertine Literature, NY: 1965, p.38; Gay-Lemonnyer I, 10; Pia Enfer, 346.” Contributors: Delcroche (Dutch, 17th century), “artiste hollandaise”, nothing else is known. Dutel and Nordmann attribute the plates to Romeyn de Hooghe (Dutch, 1645 – 1708). Nicolas Chorier (French, 1612 –  1692) – author. Francis M. G. Mauleverer (British, 1918 – 1962) – provenance. Seller’s description: 2 vols in 8vo (215x125 and 204x117 mm), a complete but composite set, the text volume in late 19th c. half black morocco, with corners, gilt spine tooled in gold, the plate volume in a nice early 19th-century green morocco binding, the spine gilt-tooled in compartments, the sides with a roll-tooled palmette border, pale blue moiré style endpapers (hinges repaired). Text vol.: engraved frontispiece, engr. title, pp. 420. Plates vol. comprising: the engraved title, frontispiece, and 35 engraved plates, probably by Delcroche. Both volumes cased in a ‘romantic’ fitting box binding, c. 1840, more recently adapted.
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  • Iron tsuba with a cormorant fisherman motif. Edo period.

    Mokkō form iron tsuba carved in relief and inlaid with soft metals (copper, gold, silver) with the design of a cormorant fisherman on the face and a boat on the reverse. Unsigned. Dimensions: 77 mm x 69 mm x 3.0 mm (at seppa-dai) Edo period: 18th or 19th century. "Since Nara period, Japanese fishermen in small boats have used cormorants (u) to catch river fish at night, binding the necks of the birds so that the fish are not swallowed. [...] The bird and the work it performs are symbols of selfless devotion to one's master and keen eyesight." - from Merrily Baird. Symbols of Japan. Thematic motifs in art and design. Rizzoli international publications, Inc., 2001; p. 104. See also in this collection TSU-0212 and TSU-0241.  
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  • Suzuki Harunobu. The Ide Jewel River, a Famous Place in Yamashiro Province. Ca. 1769–70.

    Suzuki Harunobu (鈴木 春信; c. 1725 – 15 July 1770).

    The Ide Jewel River, a Famous Place in Yamashiro Province (Ide no Tamagawa, Yamashiro no meisho), from the series The Six Jewel Rivers in Popular Customs (Fûzoku Mu Tamagawa).

    Signed: Harunobu ga

    Inscription - Poem: Koma tomete/ nao mizu kawan/ yamabuki no/ hana no tsuyu sou/ Ide no Tamagawa

    References:

    MFA # 21.4540.

    Waterhouse cat. #562; Pins, The Japanese Pillar Print (1982), #139; Ukiyo-e shûka 4 (1979), list #795.4, and supp. 2 (1982), pl. 565; Gentles, AIC cat. II (1965), p. 125, #201.

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