London: Jonathan Cape, 1966. First edition in dust wrapper. Wrapper is clean, with a touch of nicking and edgewear and with a 1cm closed tear to the head of the spine. Now in protective archival film. Hardback in clean and neat green cloth with just a touch of bumping. Book is in good clean condition throughout. What is interesting about this copy, is that there is a gift inscription to the verso of the half title, stating that the book was taken from the Iranian Embassy shortly after the SAS had ended the embassy siege in 1980. The annotation claims that it was taken from the embassy an hour after the siege, but apart from this seeming unlikely (with security concerns at the time) the date given is actually 3 weeks after the end of the siege. There is no evidence that this is true but a strange thing to make up and we offer it as an interesting oddity! 414 pages. 220 by 150mm (8¾ by 6 inches). Première édition sous couverture anti-poussière. L'emballage est propre, avec une touche d'entaille et d'usure des bords et avec une déchirure fermée de 1 cm à la tête de la colonne vertébrale. Maintenant dans un film d'archives protecteur. Couverture cartonnée en toile verte propre et soignée avec juste une touche de bosse. Le livre est en bon état de propreté partout. Ce qui est intéressant à propos de cet exemplaire, c'est qu'il y a une inscription cadeau au verso du faux titre, indiquant que le livre a été pris à l'ambassade d'Iran peu de temps après que le SAS eut mis fin au siège de l'ambassade en 1980. L'annotation prétend qu'il a été prise de l'ambassade une heure après le siège, mais à part cela qui semble peu probable (avec des problèmes de sécurité à l'époque), la date indiquée est en fait 3 semaines après la fin du siège. Il n'y a aucune preuve que cela soit vrai mais une chose étrange à inventer et nous l'offrons comme une bizarrerie intéressante ! 414 pages. 220 par 150 mm

London: Sampson Low, Marston & Co. Ltd, 1899. New half calf (dark blue) with corresponding buckram cloth. Gilt titles to spine. New end papers. Text and Japanese characters throughout. Ex library, but the rebinding has resulted in very few library marks remaining. A lovely copy of this work. The binding is immaculate (it was finished last week!). Inside, the first 4 leaves have moderate foxing to them. The rest of the book is clean and tidy, with just a little darkening to the edges. Library marks are limited to a stamp to the verso of the title pages, then small discreet stamps to the top of page 1, and the bottom of page 480. Tape residue to the last page (list of author's other works). [vi], 1-480, [vi]. pp.
Chamberlain was one of the foremost Japanologists active in the Nineteenth Century. He wrote some of the earliest translations of haiku into English. During his tenure at the Tokyo Imperial University, he sent many Japanese artifacts to the Pitt Rivers Museum at Oxford.

London: Association for the Propagation of the Faith: 1850. A Periodical Collection of Letters from the Bishops and Missionaries Employed in the Missions of the Old and New. Pale blue paper covers. Uncut pages. The bulk of this issue is dealing with the missions to America and China. It also contains several letters from Pope Pius IX. A quite reasonable copy of this individual issue of the Annals. sound, but somewhat darkened and dusty pale blue paper covers. Internally clean and tidy throughout, although there is a little darkening to the first page. Uncut pages. The Association for the Propagation of the Faith is a Roman Catholic institution which is dedicated to supporting with prayer and funds the Catholic Missionaries who work overseas (I.e. not in the United Kingdom). pp. [vi], 253-306

London: Association for the Propagation of the Faith: 1849. A Periodical Collection of Letters from the Bishops and Missionaries Employed in the Missions of the Old and New. Pale blue paper covers. Uncut pages. This issue is largely dealing with the missions in China. There is also a loose gather with a half title and title page (and small vignette) to volume IX for the binder to use (unused). A very nice copy of this individual issue of the Annals. Clean and tidy pale blue paper covers. Internally clean and tidy throughout. Uncut pages. A tiny amount of foxing to the front cover of the wrapper and first page. The Association for the Propagation of the Faith is a Roman Catholic institution which is dedicated to supporting with prayer and funds the Catholic Missionaries who work overseas (I.e. not in the United Kingdom). [ii], [1]-79pp.

New York: Oxford University Press, 1955. First Edition. Signed dedication from Sell on the half-title page to Bill Fine (former president and general manager of WCVB-TV Channel 5 in the USA): Dear Bill Fine - never underestimate the Cody-Billings bloodlines - Henry Blackman Sell, Cody, Wyoming 1965. Linen boards in yellow illustrated dust jacket; Illustrated throughout. 278 pages. 260 x 200 mm (10¼ x 7¾ inches). The book has some discoloration, and the dust jacket is sun faded, with number of shallow chips to the edges. The contents are in a good clean condition, but the first few pages has evidence of a paperclip having been attached at some point. Sell was an ancestor of "Buffalo Bill", real name William Frederick Cody (1846 – 1917), a frontiersman who has been portrayed in many ways over the years.

Bill Fine (until 2020) worked for WCVB Channel 5, Hearst Television's flagship station, and in 1965 Sell was editor for Hearst's Harper's Bazaar, so they would have been colleagues.

Lyon: Chez Amable Leroy, Libraire, 1783. Last Edition (according to the title page). Full leather binding, with mottled calf. Good clean condition with a little rubbing to the edges of the spine. Binding is probably later. Burgundy and gilt label to spine. It appears that an original label has been affixed to a later binding. A lovely copy of this work, complete with all 17 folding maps (listed to page 364). These include a multi-folding double sphere of the world, and a map of North America showing California as a long peninsula, with Albion above it. It is fascinating in these old atlases to see the political reality of the age. The Low Countries merit two maps, one for the Catholic provinces, and one for the Protestant provinces. Sweden & Norway, and Poland have an importance here that was perhaps lost later to map makers. The contents are in excellent clean condition, with no significant flaws. There are contemporary owner's inscriptions to the end paper, but these add, rather than detract. The show that the book was owned by Marie BOUTILLIER de LA CHÈZE, (1760-1824) and then passed to her daughter, Marie-Hortense (1785-1866). A lovely example. 422 pages. 170 by 100mm (6¾ by 4 inches). Dernière édition (d'après la page de titre). Reliure en plein cuir, avec veau marbré. Bon état de propreté avec un peu de frottement sur les bords du dos. La reliure est probablement postérieure. Étiquette bourguignonne et dorée au dos. Il semble qu'une étiquette originale ait été apposée sur une reliure postérieure. Un bel exemplaire de cet ouvrage, complet des 17 cartes dépliantes (listées jusqu'à la page 364). Celles-ci comprennent une double sphère du monde, pliée en plusieurs exemplaires, et une carte de l'Amérique du Nord montrant la Californie comme une longue péninsule, avec Albion au-dessus d'elle. Il est fascinant de voir dans ces vieux atlas la réalité politique de l'époque. Les Pays-Bas méritent deux cartes, l'une pour les provinces catholiques, l'autre pour les provinces protestantes. La Suède, la Norvège et la Pologne ont ici une importance qui a peut-être été perdue plus tard par les cartographes. Le contenu est en excellent état de propreté, sans défauts significatifs, un bel exemple. 422 pages. 170 x 100 mm

Bathurst, Australia: Sydney, Kerry & Co, C1900, Original Photograph. A lovely photograph of an Aboriginal man named Gingung. Kerry & co / Tyrrell's Sydney: No. 1829 Gingung, a warrior.
Silver gelatin print, with albumen paper process. Signed in the negative. Studio Stamped. Title written in the negative. Stamp (slightly visible, see image) on verso. This is a print by Tyrrell from negatives from Kerry & Co. There is a copy referenced at the Maas Museum of New South Wales.

The photograph is stamped on back 'TYRRELL'S MUSEUM / OF / ANTIQUES BOOKS & CURIOS / 143 CASTLEREAGH STREET / SYDNEY' 1829 and identified by Smalls auctions in Australia as an early reprint from the original 'Kerry' glass negative. The sepia reprints are likely the working stock of the Kerry Studio that Tyrell acquired along with the original glass negatives.
"Produced by the Sydney firm Charles Kerry & Co. and part of the Powerhouse Museum's Tyrrell collection which contains over 2,900 glass plate negatives by Kerry & Co. Although a few appear to be from the 1880s most were produced between 1892 and 1917. Over this period, and well into the early 1900s, prints from these negatives appeared in many Australian publications and albums of views. In 1903 the company began producing postcards from these negatives, further establishing the images as some of the most significant and best known early views of New South Wales.
Some of the more significant themes covered by the collection include; views of New South Wales, Queensland, country towns, Sydney, Indigenous Australians, the South Pacific, rural life, native flora and fauna, and sentimental views. In addition there are a number of significant events from the 1900s covered by the collection including; Embarkation of troops for the Boer War, Hordens fire and the Inauguration of the Commonwealth in 1901, the arrival of the Great White Fleet and the Burns verses Johnson boxing match at Rushcutters Bay in 1908."
Geoff Barker, Curatorial, January, 2009. 205 by 150mm (8 by 6 inches).

Amsterdam: Les Freres Wetstein, 1718. Beautiful engraved double page taken from the First edition (in French) of Le Bruyn's important illustrated account of his voyage to Russia, Persia, India and Java.
The book is arguably the best authority for costumes of the era in the countries visited. This double page shows the costumes typical of 'Homme Persan' and 'Dame Persanne'. In a very good condition for its age. Some very small closed tears to edges. Blank on verso.
Scope of images: 355 x 290 mm (14 x 11½ inches). Actual item: 405 x 325mm (16 x 12¾ inches). Belle double page gravée tirée de la Première édition (en français) de l'important récit illustré de Le Bruyn de son voyage en Russie, Perse, Inde et Java.
Le livre est sans doute la meilleure autorité pour les costumes de l'époque dans les pays visités. Cette double page montre les costumes typiques de « Homme Persan » et « Dame Persanne ». En très bon état pour son âge. Quelques très petites déchirures fermées sur les bords. Blanc au verso.
Portée des images : 355 x 290 mm (14 x 11½ pouces). Article réel : 405 x 325 mm