Featured Titles for Sale:

[EDWARDS OF HALIFAX].The Book of Common Prayer, Together with the Psalter, or Psalms of David. Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1783.

Duodecimo. 282 ff. Bound by Edwards of Halifax in full vellum with a gilt pentaglyph and metope roll border on a blue wash background. Both covers with gilt wavy broken line and sprig roll border on a blue wash background enclosing a gilt roll of leaf spray initials "MLC" at center. Spine with gilt titling against blue wash background, compartments separated by the gilt pentaglyph and metope roll border, and each compartment containing an tooled urn device.

With a contemporary fore-edge painting of Fountains Abbey in Yorkshire. Once one of the richest religious houses, thanks to its system of lay brothers within its severe Cistercian order, it was dismantled under Henry VIIIs dissolution of monastaries. It is the largest abbey ruin in England. A contemporary ownership inscription (M.L. Carey? or Casey?) at the top margin of the title page matches the initials on the front cover. It is likely, therefore, that the painting and the binding were commissioned by the original owner, a conjecture that is reinforced by the fine condition of this example. Apart from a little light foxing to title page and a few early leaves, the text is fresh and clean, the vellum is likewise clean, with just a touch of finger soiling, and it retains its original slipcase of gilt-tooled, straight grained green morocco. (22609) $7,500.

HALSEY, R.T. HAINES. Pictures of Early New York on Dark Blue Staffordshire Pottery. Together with Pictures of Boston and New England, Philadelphia, the South and West. NY, Dodd, Mead, 1899.

Three quarto volumes. xxvi, 330pp. Out of an edition of 268, this is one of 30 copies on Imperial Japon. In addition, this is a unique copy with an extra set of the 126 color photogravure plates printed on white satin and backed in celadon silk. The colors of the blue and white pottery, as well as some sepia and multi-colored ware, seem to glow and take on a three-dimensional quality. Bound in a full blue morocco "Adams Mosaique" binding, with an oak-leaf and acorn pattern, within a rococo oval frame, inlaid in cream and teal morocco. The oak garland motif is repeated in gilt in the six spine compartments. Gilt turn-ins, with satin doublures illustrated with blue and white Harvard dishes, and moir, silk endleaves, complete the binding. A fore-edge painting represents a blue and white Staffordshire pitcher. The extra suite on satin is laid-into two blue morocco drop back boxes bound with spines to match the book, with oak garlands on front and back, and with doublures and linings of cream silk damask. Some small rubbed spots to spines, and tears to damask linings, otherwise fine. The three blue morocco volumes are housed in green morocco pull-off boxes with an art deco design in gilt. Outer boxes show a few small rubbed spots. A rich, unique, and beautifully presented set. (12912) $5,000.

JOHNSON, SAMUEL. The Lives of the English Poets. London, J.F. Dove, 1826.

Two 12mo volumes. 412; 424 pp. Engraved frontispiece and title page in both volumes. Each volume features a fore-edge painting: on the edge of volume one is depicted an English fox-hunting scene, and volume two bears a steeplechase scene.

A sweet little set, bound in contemporary crimson morocco with gilt scrollwork on both panels surrounding a central lyre. Gilt-tooled edges and turn-ins. A.e.g. Some rubbing to hinges and edges, small closed tear to spine of volume I, else about fine, with well-preserved fore-edge paintings. (18116) $1,250.

SPECIMENS OF THE EARLY ENGLISH POETS. London, Printed for Edwards, Pall-Mall, 1790.

Small octavo. 323 pp. With a wonderful fore-edge painting most likely from the Edwards of Halifax workshop depicting an English hunting scene.

Featuring works by Henry VIII, Shakespeare, Marlow, and others, the volume is bound in contemporary brown calf with a gilt border to front and rear covers, gilt dentelles and spine lettering, and marbled endpapers. Imperceptibly rebacked, and showing a tiny chip to the leather on the fore-edge of the top board as well as three small scratches to the spine and minor foxing to the interior. The coloring to the fore-edge painting retaining its vibrancy. A.e.g. Bookplate. (20803) $3,500.