Title within architectural woodcut border incorporating the date “1534.” Largely printed in black letter. 67 leaves, [8] pp. Small 8vo, antique calf by Sangorski & Sutcliffe, spine gilt, red leather lettering pieces on spine. [London: Printed by H. Wykes?], 1567.

An early edition of the first text on surveying printed in English. The first edition was printed by Richard Pynson in 1523; all early editions are rare, as copies were used to death. Our copy is most unusual as it is fine and large with a number of lower edges uncut.

Fitzherbert’s book is concerned primarily with giving instruction to land stewards and overseers of the... More about Surveyinge. Anno Domini, 1567

[Japan: mid-Edo].

This handsome scroll depicts in great detail two Japanese hand looms used to create complex patterns of silk brocade and birodo (velvet). The greatly enlarged illustrations are inspired by images in the first volume of Akisato’s Miyako meisho zue (1786), a famous guide to Kyoto. Nishijin, a district of Kyoto, was famous for its traditional textile production, employing highly specialized weaving techniques to obtain spectacular designs and effects.

As we unroll the scroll, the first loom we encounter is the sorahikibata, an overhead draw loom, which was used to produced high-quality silks with complicated designs. This loom, invented... More about An uncommonly large and fine scroll (1760 x 475 mm.), depicting two Japanese hand looms, with...

Seven unnumbered leaves. Small folio (295 x 195 mm.), attractive antique marbled boards. “Madrid: 24 October 1748.”

A curious manuscript on solutions to combat growing difficulties in harvesting and processing silk in Valencia. In 56 ordenanzas, Jiménez de Quesada lists the ways in which the Torcidos factory plans on reforming its production methods. He cites several experts on silk, such as “Dr. Juan Bautista Ayolde,” and laws that impact the manufacture of the raw materials. Techniques from other regions are also mentioned.

In fine condition. Tightly trimmed, just touching text in a few instances. More about Manuscript on paper entitled: “Addición a el manifiesto…sobre la decadencia que padece la...

28 pp. Small 8vo, self-bound. Luzern: J. M. Anich, 1828.

First edition of this rare speech by Pfyffer (1794-1875), Swiss jurist and politician, who served as president of the Swiss National Council and mayor of Lucerne. He was a prominent figure within the Lucerne Liberals, which transformed Swiss politics in the early 19th century. The present speech discusses the role of the press and free speech in Switzerland and was given in advance of negotiations within Switzerland’s Federal Diet.

Fine copy of a work for which WorldCat locates no copy in North America. More about Ueber Pressfreyheit und Publizität. Eine Rede in Beziehung auf die bevorstehenden Berhandlungen...

16 pp. Small 8vo, self-bound. Altdorf: F.X. Z’graggen, 1831.

A very rare pamphlet on political freedom by Geiger (1755-1843), a Catholic priest and professor of theology in Lucerne. In 1788, he conspired with the Marquis de Vérac to restore Louis XVI to the throne. After being released from his professorship, Geiger became a journalist and wrote numerous polemical pieces on church history, Catholicism, and contemporary political issues including free speech. He founded the Schweizerische Kirchenzeitung, a Catholic theological periodical, which began publication in 1832 and is still issued.

In the present work, he offers a concise history of liberty from the time of the ancient Greeks to its contemporary manifestations in France and Germany. More about Ueber die Freiheit…

18 leaves (including one blank); 22 leaves (including two blanks). Two vols. Small (233 x 177 mm.), orig. gold silk brocade binding, Tetsuyoso-style, over stiff wrappers, title labels on upper covers (labels also heightened in gold), with orig. stitching. [Japan: early Edo].

The creation of this splendid manuscript has been attributed to the wealthy, literate merchant Ryuho Hinaya (or Nonoguchi) (1595-1669), the talented painter and calligrapher who deeply influenced Hanbei Yoshida, Moronobu, and other illustrators of the 17th century. Our manuscript has all the qualities of the very finest Nara-ehon.

Hinaya studied painting with the famous artist Tan’yu Kano and poetry with Mitsuhiro Karasumaru and Teitoku Matsunaga. Hinaya founded his own school, which specialized in the elliptical haibun style of prose. The author of the poems is Katsutoshi (or Choshoshi) Kinoshita (1569-1649), related by marriage to Hideyoshi Toyotomi, the great warrior who unified Japan. Kinoshita converted to Christianity in 1588 and took the first name Pierre. More about Illustrated manuscript on superior torinokogami or hishi paper, entitled in manuscript on labels...

Numerous woodcut illus. in the text. Largely printed in black letter. 7 p.l. (first leaf blank except for signature mark), 63, [1] pp. Small 4to, early 20th cent. polished mottled calf by Riviere, triple gilt fillet round sides, spine richly gilt, red morocco lettering pieces on spine, dentelles gilt, a.e.g. London: H. Denham, 1576.

Second edition, “nowe newly corrected and augmented,” of the first English book on hops. The first edition appeared two years earlier; both editions are very rare. This is “an eminently practical treatise, illustrating the various methods of setting the roots, making the hills and ramming the poles... More about A Perfite platforme of a Hoppe Garden, and necessarie Instructions for the making and...

Fine woodcut vignette on title (see below). [32] pp. Small 4to, early 20th-cent. calf, double gilt fillet round sides, a.e.g. London: P. Short, 1600.

First edition and of the greatest rarity, this is the first of three issues as described by ESTC (which locates only two copies of all the issues in North America). “Sir Hugh Platt (1552-1608), held by Richard Weston to be ‘the most ingenious husbandman of the age he lived in’…was admitted at Lincoln’s Inn. Much of his life was devoted to literary work and to the study of husbandry and gardening. He was also interested in... More about The new and admirable Arte of setting of Corne: with all the necessaries Tooles and other...

Woodcut vignette on title, one full-page woodcut plate, & several smaller woodcuts in the text. Black letter. 11 p.l., 90, [10] pp. Small 4to, early 20th-cent. brown crushed morocco by Riviere & Son, sides panelled in gilt & blind with gilt fleurons in each corner, spine gilt, a.e.g. London: H. Beynneman for J. Wight, [1569].

First edition of the first English gardening manual; this is a very rare book: ESTC locates no copy. WorldCat locates copies only at BL (lacking the first four leaves and final two leaves), Wisconsin, and BSB. Henrey also locates our copy and another at the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge.

Mascall took most of his text from David Brossard’s Art et Manière de Semer et Faire Pépinières de Sauvageaux (Paris: 1552), and added certain Dutch practices. “Brossard, a Benedictine monk at the abbey of Saint-Vincent near Le Mans, who lived during the second half of the sixteenth century, was a skilful horticulturist…The English translation proved extremely popular and it appeared in many editions. Comparatively little is known of the translator, Leonard Mascall (d. 1589), who was the owner of a mansion called Plumpton Place, a few miles northwest of Lewes, in Sussex. He became clerk of the kitchen in the household of Matthew Park, Archbishop of Canterbury. It is said that in 1525 Mascall introduced pippin apples into England and established an orchard at his home in Sussex.”–Henrey, I, pp. 63-64 & no. 15 in the bibliography. More about A Booke of the Arte and maner, howe to plante and graffe all sorts of trees, how to set stones,...

4 p.l., 24 pp. Small 4to, early 20th-cent. green half-calf & marbled boards by Sizer, spine lettered in gilt. London: Printed for R. Wodenothe, [1652 or 53?]

First edition of this notable book on fruit culture, part of the growing movement during the Commonwealth towards the improvement of orchards. “The preface is by Samuel Hartlib who here states that the writer of the work was not known to him and that moreover he was unable to discover his name. However, it was said that he was ‘an aged minister of the Gospel’ of Loving-land near Yarmouth, who spent his leisure over a period of... More about A Designe for Plentie, by an Universall Planting of Fruit-Trees: Tendred by some Wel-wishers to...

[Japan: late 18th cent. – early 19th cent.].

A fine, brightly colored, and complete set of scrolls concerning the famous gold and silver mines on Sado Island, illustrating all the steps from mining to refining to minting.

Gold, silver, and copper mining on Sado Island, just off the coast of Niigata Prefecture, had its beginnings in ancient times. With the discovery in 1601 of the rich Aikawa gold and silver mine, Sado experienced an economic boom. The Edo shogunate assembled miners and slave laborers (mostly the homeless) from throughout Japan and sent them to Sado to exploit the Aikawa and three... More about Two finely illustrated manuscript scrolls, scroll I: 270 x 12,440 mm. & scroll II: 270 x...

11 leaves (lacking the final blank but with the first leaf, blank but for woodcut royal arms on verso). Small 4to, early 19th-cent. half-calf & drab boards (upper joint a little cracked), spine lettered in gilt. London: A. Mathewes, 1634.

First edition of an extremely rare anonymous work on improved fertilizers. “The book deals mainly with steeping seed in mixtures of rape-seed oil and other things and with burnt lime. These mixtures are to be formed in different proportions, and there are alternative constituents. The results promised are, not to overstate it, very advantageous.”–Fussell, I, p. 32.

Nice copy. Stamp of the Lawes Agricultural Trust on front paste-down. More about in a New, Cheape, and Easie way of Fertiling, and Inriching Areable Grounds, by a mixture of...