History & Culture
A wide selection of rare first editions, signed and inscribed copies, deluxe and collectible editions of books, pamphlets, and ephemera relating to history, archaeology, anthropology, folklore, occult, and religion.
HUME, David. Essays and Treatises on Several Subjects.London : 1777
The definitive edition, incorporating Hume's final corrections - submitted a fortnight before his death - and including the first appearance of the essay, "Of the Origin of Government."
Hume revised the Essays and Treatises for over two decades following its first publication in 1753. A capacious work, it collects Hume's major writings on...Learn More
CHINESE IMPERIAL EXAMINATIONS. Handkerchief used by a candidate to cheat.[China : c.1850]
An artefact of China's gruelling official examination system, in which millions of candidates sat philosophical papers, the very best securing lucrative official positions, fame, and social status. Here, a candidate has transcribed in miniscule characters an essay on the writings of Mencius, ready to smuggle it into his secluded examination...Learn More
MARSTON, William Moulton. The Lie Detector Test.New York : 1938
First edition, presentation copy, inscribed enigmatically on the front free endpaper: "To my good friend and favorite politician (?!?!) with regards William Moulton Marston". The author's research into the link between systolic blood pressure and deception contributed to the invention of the polygraph test. From the Crime Library of Patricia...Learn More
REISS, Rodolphe Archibald. Manuel du Portrait (Méthode Alphonse Bertillon) parlé a l'Usage de la Police,Paris : 1905
First edition, an abridgement of the "Speaking Portrait" anthropometric system, created by a pioneer of forensic science in policing. The manual is designed for easy consultation by police officers and provides instruction in Alfonse Bertillon's method of using physical measurements to record identities. It also gives guidance on taking portraits,...Learn More
QALAJI, Mahmoud. Al-Tharwah al-bitrūliya fī al-khalīj al-'arabī.Beirut : 1964
First edition, inscribed by the author in Arabic to the management of the National Commercial Bank of Saudi Arabia in Beirut, of this well-illustrated work entirely devoted to oil wealth and the oil industry in GCC countries, where oil reserves at the time were "sufficient unto the whole world for 36 years".
An initial historical overview...Learn More
HALL, Manly Palmer. The Lost Keys of Masonry.[Santa Monica] : 1923
First edition, one of 1,000 copies, inscribed by the author on an initial blank, "With the best wishes of Manly P. Hall. Mar 18-23". A celebrated and attractively produced manual, the book explores the symbolic and initiatory dimensions of Freemasonry, interpreting its rites, tools, and degrees as a path of inner transformation and...Learn More
ODIÉ, Jean. La Ligue Arabe.[Rabat : 1950]
Rare pamphlet of this illustrated confidential report produced for officers attending the "Course of Indigenous Affairs" at the Résidénce Générale de France au Maroc. We have traced no institutional copies, though there may be one or two preserved in French state archives.
Colonel Odié (1904-2003) served in the Foreign Legion in...Learn More
PALESTINE. Falastīn. Taqrīr 'an al-hijrah wa-mashārī'a al-iskān wa-l-'eimrān.Jerusalem : 1930
First Arabic edition of Sir John Hope Simpson's ground-breaking report, with only two other copies traced, at the American University of Beirut and the NLI. It was published in the same year as the English edition.
After a successful career as a diplomat and politician, Simpson (1868-1961) was sent to the British Mandate of Palestine...Learn More
MACLISE, Angus. The Subliminal Report.Kathmandu, Nepal : 1975
First edition, limited issue, number 448 of 500 hand-numbered copies.Learn More
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES. al-'Athār fī dawlat al-imārāt al-'arabīa al-mutahida.al-Ain : 1978
First edition, with numerous illustrations, of this study about archaeological excavations in al-Ain, UAE, carried out by a French research expedition in 1976-77.
The fieldwork focused on the area of Jabal Hafeet - a UNESCO world site since 1993, and still a major archaeological site today - where tombs were first discovered in the 1950s....Learn More
BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER. The Book of Common Prayer as Printed at Edinburgh 1637.London : 1844
First Pickering edition, a triumph of Victorian book design; this splendidly bound copy was presented by John Pierpont Morgan to the Church Club of New York.
Pickering, a champion of the highest standards of typography and design, produced a series of six facsimiles of famous Tudor and Stuart prayer books. This is a facsimile of the...Learn More
HAMEL, Florence, as Frank. Human Animals.London : 1915
First edition. An appealing collection exploring beliefs regarding human transformation into animals from "the point of view of folklore and occultism" - tales of "wer-wolves" and "wer-foxes", witches and their familiars, animal dances, human serpents, phantom cats and cocks. The author was herself a suitably studious if somewhat quirky character....Learn More
ESPAGNET, Jean d'. Enchiridion physicae restitutae in quo verus naturae concentus exponitur...Paris : 1623
First edition of this of rare and quietly influential work which contributed significantly to the intellectual transition from renaissance alchemy via early modern chymistry to modern chemistry; studied by both Newton and Boyle. Well represented institutionally, but just two appearances noted at auction, John Evelyn's library sale, 1977, and the...Learn More
GULF WAR. Tadmīr abār al-naft fī al-wathāi'q al-'irāqīah al-'adrār al-bi'īah wa-l-iqtisādīah wa-l-juhūd al-kūwaītīah fī al-muhāfazhah 'ala al-tharūah al-naftīah.Kuwait : 1995
First edition of this well-illustrated study on the environmental impact of the destruction of oil wells in Kuwait, based on government documents issued by the Iraqi government during the Gulf War.
The work presents this damage, substantiated by copious data, as a main goal of the Iraqi war strategy of delayed sabotage. An appendix lists...Learn More
WAUGH, Evelyn - KNOX, Ronald A. A Luncheon for the Right Reverend Monsignor Ronald A. Knox,London : 1955
Menu and guest list for the celebration of Knox's translation of the Vulgate, intended to replace the Douai-Challoner version. A handsome and scarce piece of ephemera; we have been unable to trace another copy. The guest list includes Evelyn Waugh, Kenneth Clark, E. V. Knox, the Duke of Norfolk, Lord Pakenham, James Pope-Hennessy, Christopher...Learn More
KIPPENBERGER, Martin. Sehr Gut / Very Good.[Berlin] : 1979
First edition, sole printing, one of around 1,000 copies only of Kippenberger's provocative artist's book, with contributions from the New York and German avant garde, including Charlie Ahearn, Diego Cortez, John Lurie, Hans-Peter Feldmann, Tabea Blumenschein, and Meuser. It is rare, with only six copies located on WorldCat: four in the USA, and...Learn More
TAVEL, Ronald. "Gorilla Queen", original playbill.[New York City] : 1967
A rare original mimeograph program for the inaugural production of the 1960s sensation Gorilla Queen, an outrageous, ridiculous, shamelessly queer Off-Off-Broadway production which scandalized and titillated the theatrical establishment.
The play ran at Judson Poet's Theatre from 10 March until 1 April 1967. It proved so popular that it was...Learn More
PARKER, Charlie - PARKER, Chan, & Francis Paudras. "to Bird with love."Poitiers : 1981
First and only edition. Visually superb, très émouvant memorial to Parker, reproducing the pictorial and documentary archive about which Chan, his lover, had "cared enough to preserve religiously."Learn More
REMINGTON, Frederic - Peter H. Hassrick & Melissa J. Webster (eds). Frederic Remington. A Catalogue Raisonne of Paintings, Watercolors and Drawings.Cody, Wy : 1996
First edition, first printing, deluxe issue, number 246 of 250 copies signed by both editors on the title page of the first volume. Frederic Sackrider Remington (1861-1909) was an American artist and writer who specialized in depictions of the Old American West.Learn More
IVES, Edward. A Voyage from England to India, in the Year MDCCLIV.London : 1773
First edition of this important narrative, including descriptions of Basra, Baghdad, Mosul, Aleppo, and Cyprus. His account of Kuwait is notable for its attention to overland merchant caravan traffic, often ignored by writers who focused on the country's ports. Ives was also the first Western author to describe Ctesiphon in detail.
In 1753...Learn More
