Catalogue Twenty One - Absolute Graphics

Alastor Rare Books
26. Etrennes De Minerve, Aux Artistes Encyclopedie Economique Ou
Alexis Moderne.
Paris: Desnos, 1772.
12mo, 12cm, 4 parts in one, separate divisional title pages, some printers pagination errors, engraved title device, head & tail
pieces, contemporary calf, banded spine (tail endcap chipped, lower joint starting), double gilt ruled compartments with floral
central figure, dots and foliage, boards alike with triple gilt rule outer border, edges stained red. A curious little instructional
manual or “BOOK OF SECRETS” designed for practicing artists giving direction in a vast number of processes from softening
metal, taxidermy, cleaning coins, manufacture of ink of various colours, ETCHING & ENGRAVING, writing in different coloured
ink on the same paper, artists colours & oil paints, coloured wood stains, colours for porcelain together with directions for
rodent & insect control. A good copy (two leaves lacking outer marginal lower corner, stain to a couple of leaves). It appears
to have been of interest to benjamin Franklin, forming n. 1014 of his published library. Wolf & Hayes (2006).
£280.00
27. [Follini, Bartolommeo].
Guida Della Citta di Firenze Ornata di Pianta e Vedute.
Firenze i.e. Florence: [s.n.], 1822.
8vo, [vi], 260 p., engraved title page, engraved frontispiece & eleven plates, folding city plan, green silk marker, original tree
calf (corners worn through), rebacked, marbled edges, marbled end leaves (hinges strengthened). This beautifully illustrated
and comprehensive guide to history and sights of Florence appears to have been originally produced in a French edition under
a Magheri imprint in 1819 and then revised and expanded by Follini for the italian edition as offered here. In fine internal
condition. Lichtenthal. Manuale bibliografico del viaggiatore in Italia p.149
£250.00
28. Fossati, A Melchiade.
Il Sepolcro Di Priamo Liberto Presso La Via Via Labicana Nel Fondo Oggi Delgrande Da
Alcuni Creduto Un Un Tratto Di Catacombe.
[Rome?]: F.D.Buttaoni & A. Piatti., [1840?].
8vo, 25cm, 8 p., caption title, page numbers within typographic brackets, contemporary yellow wrappers. Only edition of this
description of archeological discovery of funereal catacombes in the city of Rome and discussion of their original origin. This
debate was an important part of early research into Roman Cemetrics of Aproniano Bignamini (2004) p.250; Raoul-Rochette
Le Catacombe di Roma (1841) p.143; COPAC BL only; ICCU (Bib Casanatense & Napoli)
£140.00
29. Grynaeus, Johann Jacob.
Definitio Sanguinis Aeterni Testamenti: a
Iohanne Iacobo Grynaeo, e Scripturis Canonicis
desumta, brevique exaplosei explanata, ut de
ea, si Deus permiserit, disputatio instituatur 8
Iulii, respondente Henrico Horstio Hamonensii,
Westphalo.
Basilae [Basel]: Typis Opor, 1591.
4to, 21.5cm, [8] p, title within border of repeated printers ornament,
historiated initial letter with Moses receiving the commandments
from the Lord, decorative capital, printed in italica & roman types,
un sewn as issued. This singular dissertation by Johann Grynaeus
concerning the redemptive powers of the Blood of Christ, There is
implicit criticism of humanism in the preface, possibly connected to
his Nephew, Simon Grynaeus. OCLC (2 copies only Basel & Munich);
Not in COPAC.
£280.00
30. [Guiton, Marc].
Lettres A Un Protestant Francois Touchant La Declaration Du Roi...
A Londres [i.e. The Hague]: Chez Thomas L’Etonne, 1725.
12mo, [2], 3-451, [1], [2 blank] p., engraved title device of diapered wicker basket with flowers, fruit and
foliage, table headpiece of repeated typographic ornament, contemporary calf (upper cover corners
worn, small chip to lower edge), banded spine (tail end cap worn), gilt spine decorations with central
fleuron with radiating stars and border of repeated dots, boards alike with a single blind-stamped
outer border rule, gilt gauffred edges, text edges sprinkled red. This rare edition of letters concerning
appropriate conduct in the face of Royal persecution is FROM THE LIBRARY OF CITOYEN COTTIER with
his ownership signature to title and blank margin of p.81 and bookplate. The imprint is false and place
taken from De Merville. The work also contains a contemporary bookmark made from a fragment
of French playing card (70x25mm). Cottier was a noted criminal law Judge under the Napoleonic
revolutionary administration. A very good copy (small paper flaws to blank margins four leaves). Not in
OCLC, COPAC (Sole copy Oxford). Catalogue des livres imprimez de la Bibliothèque du Roy 1648; Barbier
9424 (2 vol edn); De Merville. Histoire littéraire de l’Europe II. p.176.
£400.00
31. Handel, George Fideric.
Messiah; An Oratorio.
As it is Performed at the Theatre-Royal in Covent-Garden. London: Printed for the Administrator
of J.Watts., 1766.
4to, 16 p., large decorative headpiece with three cornucopiae, flowers and foliage, divisional lines
of repeated typographic flowers, endpiece of twin vases overflowing with flowers, further smaller
headpieces with two cornucopiae, flowers & foliage. Contemporary wrappers (spine worn), side
stitched as issued, upper cover ms ink title. A very scarce edition of this libretto for Handel’s Messiah.
First performed in Dublin in 1742, the work was enduringly popular and the libretto ran to many
editions. A good copy (first signature page corners dog-eared & first two leaves fore edge dusty). Not
in ESTC. Ownership signature of Rowland Hart.
£200.00
32. [Hereford Cathedral School] Dom.
Epis. Herefordiensis, Custos .
[Hereford]: [s.n], 1824.
Catalogue Twenty One
Single sheet in scroll format, 14 x 93cm, printed on recto only, wove paper with watermark “Whatman Paper Turkey Mill Kent
1824.”Roman, gothic & italic typefaces. Text within single-rule border, with various single and double divisional rules. Large
[Bishop’s?] coat of arms at top with the frequently-used motto “Honi Soit Qui Mal Y Pense” (evil be to him who evil thinks)
and the Winchester College motto “Manners Makyth Man.” In [original? contemporary?] wooden tube covered with pebbled
black paper. Clean copy with several creases and small tears to edges, one repaired with cellophane tape to verso. The tube has
manuscript “Templeton Nov’r 1822” in ink on inner wooden core. This scroll lists the teachers and pupils, both choristers and
others, by year “secunda” through “sexta”--but no “tertia” class--as of October 22, 1824 for the Hereford Cathedral School.
Also named are preceptors, organist, others associated with the school, and students who went on to Oxford or Winchester.
The sixth class includes a “Templeton sen.” and the fifth class a “Templeton jun.,” suggesting possible ownership of an earlier
version of this roster by one of those scholars. British Library holds a similar item dated 1818, but this 1824 version appears to
be otherwise unknown. Hereford Cathedral School is one of the oldest schools in England, first documented in 1324.
£280.00
33. Hirst, Alfred.
Types For The Blind. A Letter Addressed to the “Leeds Mercury” By Alfred Hirst of
Harrowgate.
London.: Elliott and Sons, 1894.
8vo, 12 p., title with rule border with engraved floral ornaments at head & tail, engraved text illustration, recent card covers
with paper title label to upper cover. Only edition of this monograph on the condition of printing for the blind at the end
of the nineteenth century. A short history of the printing for the blind is given together with a synopsis of the the printing
activities of organizations for the blind at the time. A text illustration of the Braille system is given on page five. A very good
copy (light spotting to last two leaves). Anagnostopoulos (1916) p.33. Unknown to the online union catalogues.
Special reference library of books relating to the blind By Michael Anagnostopoulos 1916 p.33 £250.00
14 15