Read about books we’ve recently found or sold …
A set with a royal provenance
This small set of books has an especially interesting provenance, as it was given in 1882 to Victoria, Princess Royal by a British aristocrat that was close to the royal family. Victoria was an avid gardener, which may have been the motivation for the subject matter.
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The Works of William Shakspeare
The spelling of Shakespeare’s name was never consistent until well into the 20th century. As with this volume of his works, published in 1854, the spelling could be Shakspeare – or even Shakespear, Shakspere or Shake-speare. His own signature also varied (Wikipedia shows several different variations) and sometimes the hand-written signature did not even match the printed version.
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Peking
Author Juliet Bredon penned a landmark guidebook to China’s capital in 1922, at a time when such information was scarce. She aimed to let the reader know “the true atmosphere of the city, so powerful and yet so illusive, to be absorbed into mind and spirit.” Mission accomplished in this hard-to-find collector’s volume.
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India
Pierre Loti was possibly the most prolific writer of exotic tales of his time. Famous for both his far-flung adventures and his masterful prose, Loti nevertheless spent his career as a French naval officer traveling the world. A volume of his work from circa 1910 in this condition is a prize to own.
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Foucault’s Pendulum
In a virtuoso performance, Umberto Eco weaves memory and mystery into an ingenious falsehood that evolves into something of greater weight and higher consequence. It’s held between covers decorated in 24K gilt and meant to show off on a bookshelf. Yours, perhaps?
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