Amsterdam: Lugduni Batauorum ex officina Elzeviriana: 1635. First edition. Edited by Joannes de Laet. A lovely contemporary dark red Morocco binding. Fine roll of gilt flowers to each board. Gilt decoration and titles to the spine. Blue marbled endpapers. First volume with fine engraved title depicting all the elements found in Pliny, Elzevir's small woodcut device on other titles. small woodcut portrait of the author within roundel on *8 verso, woodcut headpieces and initials. The first volume has the armorial bookplate of George Villiers to the inside front board. The second volume is signed H. Montagu Villiers 1830. {1} pp (xxiv) 654 (xviii). {2} pp. 631 (xvii).

A beautiful example of this binding. The spines are a touch darkened, but the binding is in excellent condition. Internally clean and tidy throughout, with very slight darkening only.
George Villiers (1759–1827) The youngest son of the diplomat Lord Hyde (later Earl of Clarendon), he was an intimate of Princess Amelia and personal supporter of her father, George III. His bookkeeping as Paymaster of the Marines caused a scandal and left him owing the Crown £250,000. He was forced to surrender all his property and throw himself to the King's mercy. His son Henry Montagu Villiers (1813–1861) was a Church of England. becoming Bishop of Carlisle (1856) and Durham (1860).
The "Elsevier Books" are books published in the late XVI – the early XVIII centuries by the celebrated Dutch publishing house belonging to the Elsevier family. The Elsevier dynasty of printers existed more than 130 years and came to the forefront of European book-printing in the XVII century. Its founder was Lodewijk Elsevier (1546–1617) from Leuven who had studied printing art at famous Christophe Plantin in Antwerp. After Lodewijk Elsevier's death, the family business was continued by his descendants from whom the most celebrated are: Bonaventura Elsevier (1583–1652), Isaac Elsevier (1596–1651) and Lodewijk Elsevier Jr. (1604–1670). The last of the Elseviers died in 1712 whereupon their firm ceased to exist.

Bruxelles: Les éditions Musée du Livre, 1934. Signed limited edition - copy #112/175. Half red leather with gilt titles to spine, and marbled boards. New end papers. Half title has a handwritten and signed dedication by the author. Slight rubbing to the spine, but in very good state. Internally in excellent condition, decorated with colored initials by Hubert Dupond. A dissertation on the technical evolution of printing. 54 pages. 300 x 220 mm (11¾ x 8¾ inches). Edition limitée signée - exemplaire #112/175. Demi cuir rouge avec titres dorés au dos, et plats marbrés. Nouveaux papiers de fin. Le faux-titre a une dédicace manuscrite et signée par l'auteur. Légers frottements au dos, mais en très bon état. Intérieur en excellent état, décoré d'initiales colorées par Hubert Dupond. Mémoire sur l'évolution technique de l'imprimerie. 54 pages. 300 x 220 mm

Paris: Jean-Jacques Pauvert, 1963. Early reprint of the classic French erotic novel. With a frontis illustration by Leonor Fini. Numbered edition. One on 3500 examples. Clean chocolate brown cloth with gilt design. A little faded to the front board and the head of the spine. In original clear plastic sleeve, with chipping and tearing to the top edge. 216 pages. Text in French. 200 x 140 mm (7¾ x 5½ inches). Première réimpression du roman érotique français classique. Avec une illustration frontis de Leonor Fini. Édition numérotée. Un sur 3500 exemples. Tissu propre brun chocolat avec motif doré. Un peu défraîchi sur le plat avant et la tête du dos. Dans une pochette en plastique transparent d'origine, avec des éclats et des déchirures sur le bord supérieur. 216 pages. Texte en français. 200 x 140 mm

Paris: Chez Fabre, 1790. First edition. Two volumes. Full period calf. Gilt titles to labels to spine. Engraved frontispiece, 41 engraved plates, 5 folding plates and 15 woodcut illustrations. Subjects covered range from the initial purchase and setting up of a country estate, to advice on all aspects of country living: the keeping of chickens, geese, ducks, swans and pelicans, pheasants, peacocks; horses; beef and dairy cows, sheep and goats, pigs, beekeeping. The second part is devoted to advice on arable farming, what to grow and how; the management of forest and marshland; notes on the use of ornamental trees and finishes with hints on trading in the produce of the estate. The second volume is presented in two main parts: the first deals with all aspects of the garden (ornamental, kitchen, herb and fruit), the grape vine and other fruits used to produce drinks. The final part covers hunting and other country pursuits.
The binding is clean and presentable, if a little rubbed. The front hinges to both volumes are weak, with cracking to the hinges, but still holding on. Internally, both books are clean and tidy throughout. A lovely pair of volumes. The plates are in very nice condition. Louis Liger was the author of a number of works on domestic economy and agriculture. xvi, 848., viii, 836. xxx, [ii] pp. 270 x 210 mm (10¾ x 8¼ inches). Première édition. Deux tomes. Veau pleine période. Titres dorés aux étiquettes au dos. Frontispice gravé, 41 planches gravées, 5 planches dépliantes et 15 illustrations gravées sur bois. Les sujets abordés vont de l'achat initial et l'aménagement d'un domaine à des conseils sur tous les aspects de la vie à la campagne : l'élevage de poules, d'oies, de canards, de cygnes et de pélicans, de faisans, de paons ; les chevaux; bovins et vaches laitières, ovins et caprins, porcs, apiculture. La deuxième partie est consacrée à des conseils sur les grandes cultures, quoi cultiver et comment ; la gestion des forêts et des marais ; notes sur l'utilisation des arbres d'ornement et se termine par des conseils sur le commerce des produits du domaine. Le deuxième volume est présenté en deux parties principales : la première traite de tous les aspects du jardin (ornement, cuisine, herbes et fruits), de la vigne et des autres fruits utilisés pour produire des boissons. La dernière partie couvre la chasse et d'autres activités de campagne.
La reliure est propre et présentable, même si un peu frottée. Les charnières avant des deux volumes sont faibles, avec des fissures aux charnières, mais tiennent toujours. À l'intérieur, les deux livres sont propres et bien rangés. Une jolie paire de volumes. Les assiettes sont en très bon état. Louis Liger est l'auteur de nombreux ouvrages sur l'économie domestique et l'agriculture. xvi, 848., viii, 836. xxx, [ii]. pp 270 x 210 mm.

New York: Frederick A. Praeger, 1963. First edition. In original dust jacket. Fascinating, both historically and in the present climate. In James' own words "a provocative analysis of the history of relations between Mexico and the United States on all levels - diplomatic, military, economic, and social - considered in terms of Mexico's developing nationalism and America's attitudes to it". 472 pp. 220 x 150 mm (8¾ x 6 inches). Dust jacket has some light bumping and a very small nick to the top edge on the front. Inside the book is in a very good / fine condition. Freelance American journalist, Daniel James (b. 1914), covered Latin America during the Cold War years. His writings reflect two themes: 1) that the region had become a primary target for Soviet aggression against interests of the United States; and 2) that American policies had failed to reflect the importance of the region to the United States. The author of hundreds of columns, articles and at least four books on these topics, including: "Red design for the Americas: Guatemala prelude" (1954), James first went to Latin America in 1953. He described Communist activity in Guatemala and in British Guiana in articles published in that year. James continued to publish articles reflecting his favorite themes in "Harper's," "The Saturday Evening Post," and the "London Observer." Later, he prepared a study of U.S. business activities in Mexico for the United States Embassy and the American Chamber of Commerce in Mexico (1956). From 1955 through 1967 Daniel James was a syndicated columnist for the Hearst Newspapers and SPADEA, publishing his views under the title: "Dateline Latin America." During the 1960s he published: "Cuba: the first Soviet satellite in the Americas" (1961); "Mexico and the Americas" (1963); and, "Che Guevara; A biography" (1969), the last written with the aid of diaries found when their Guevara was killed while trying to start a Communist revolution in Bolivia (1967). Subsequently, James was for four years a tourism director in Mexico City (1974-1978). After 1987 he operated the Mexico-United States Institute in Washington, D.C.

Lipsiae [Leipzig]: Caspari Fritsch, 1735. First Edition Thus. With folding engraved frontispiece by Bernard Picart and title-vignette and 4 folding plates. Two volumes in one binding, each with its own title page. Contemporary vellum over boards. Title in ink to spine. The binding is sound, but a little dirty and darkened. A touch of bumping only. Slight cracking to the top edge of the spine. Internally clean and tidy, with a little darkening / foxing to the pages. Overall a very nice copy. A collection of classical works on agriculture and natural history thought to have been assembled in the Middle Ages, and certainly printed at least 5 times before 1501. LVI, 858pp; [viii], pp859-1316, 159pp Avec frontispice gravé dépliant par Bernard Picart et vignette-titre et 4 planches dépliantes, i.a. sur la viticulture. Deux volumes dans une reliure, chacun avec sa propre page de titre. Vélin sur planches de l'époque. Titre à l'encre au dos. La reliure est saine, mais un peu sale et noircie. Une touche de cognement seulement. Légères craquelures sur le bord supérieur du dos. Intérieur propre et bien rangé, avec un peu de noircissement / rousseur sur les pages. Dans l'ensemble un très bel exemplaire. Une collection d'ouvrages classiques sur l'agriculture et l'histoire naturelle qui auraient été rassemblés au Moyen Âge, et certainement imprimés au moins 5 fois avant 1501. LVI, 858pp ; [viii], pp859-1316, 159pp

Barcelona: Luis de Caralt, 1970. Author's own copy! First Spanish language version. Signed by the author to the dedication page. In publisher's red cloth with dust jacket as issued. Book is a little dusty, and the dust jacket a little rubbed, but this was Leslie Thomas's own book and was signed in front of us before we purchased it. 254 pages. 200 x 140 mm (7¾ x 5½ inches). ¡Copia del autor! Primera versión en idioma español. Firmado por el autor en la página de dedicatoria. En tela roja del editor con sobrecubierta tal como se emitió. El libro está un poco polvoriento y la sobrecubierta un poco rozada, pero este era el libro de Leslie Thomas y estaba firmado frente a nosotros antes de que lo compráramos. 254 paginas.