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One Arm and Other Stories (A Collection of Eleven Short Stories) – Tennessee Williams – First of Type New Directions – 1959

A first trade edition published by special publisher New Directions of New York in 1959.

Octavo, 211 pages comprising eleven short stories. Dust jacket by the super designer Alvin Lustig although not one he had put a lot of thought into!. One page had thinned through to a hole … looks like a printing flaw. Otherwise a very good copy of a scarce work.

By this time Williams was already a successful dramatist but his short stories had only ever been published in a limited private form.

The stories are – One Arm; The Malediction; The Poet; Chronicle of a Demise; Desire and the Black Masseur; Portrait of a Girl in Glass; The Important Thing; The Angel in the Alcove; The Field of Blue Children; The Night of the Iguana and The Yellow Bird. As you can see some of these short stories are inspiration for his later plays, some are about characters in them and some are completely independent works.

A broad short read introduction to Tennessee Williams. .

$40.00

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Antique Medical Instruments – Wilbur

Published by Schiffer, i.e. the pen people, of Atglen, USA. The 2008 edition with updates by the distinguished Keith Wilbur MD who can trace back his descendants to Rhode Island 1636.

We mention the “pen people” as the book is rather whimsically produced in an unusual cursive font with matching line drawing of instruments.

Quarto, softcover 149 pages. Seems to be a bit under-rated for a book we really rate not just for the beginner but the serious collector too. We also like that it has a very good section on the development of the microscope often omitted from this subject matter. A semi-useful price guide at least provides perspective … 18th Century medical instruments can hardly come cheap. A list of medical museums in the USA good prove a valuable starting point for a holiday focussed on such matters. Plan your next trip.

Wilbur’s Medical Instruments a great place to start … and more

$50.00

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From Fetish to God in Ancient Egypt – Wallis Budge – First Edition 1934

First edition published by Oxford University Press in 1934. Large octavo, 545 pages with 240 illustrations. Decorated cloth covered boards and with most of the rare dust jacket, with repaired separation to rear corner and large chip to base of spine. The book rarely appears with its jacket. A very good copy. A substantial book.

A history of the progress of Egyptian religious beliefs and related mythology during ancient times.

Chapter subjects include … The Religions of Ancient Egypt; Predynastic Cults – Animism – Fetishism – Gods and Goddesses of Fetish Origin etc ; Magic the Foundation of Egyptian Religions; Magical Rituals and Spells; The Magician – His Powers and Works; The Family of Gebb and Nut; Hathor and the Hathor-Goddesses; Gods – Stellar, Borrowed and Foreign; Osiris the Rival of Ra; The Judgement of the Dead; Life Beyond the Grave etc etc

Wallis Budge (1857-1934) one of a group of top Egyptologists to be associated with the British Museum. Born into poor circumstances he made London and the British Museum as a young man. He was so well liked and he was sponsored through Cambridge by Gladstone and Smith (of W.H. Smith fame). He studied the work of Layard, knew Alfred Sayce well (see out original letter by Sayce), learned from Assyriologist George Smith (Voyager hero). It was not long until he was in charge of building the collection which he did in a grand scale. His most distinguished acquisition maybe the Papyrus of Ani “Book of the Dead”. He wrote many books on his subject. This his final and enduring work.

Budge – a lifetime devoted to Egyptology.

$160.00

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Honours Conferred by Charles II (A Catalogue of Nobility) – First Edition 1662

Printed by Robert Pawley at the Sign of the Bible in Chancery-Lane near the Temple 1662.

Full and proper title … Catalogue of Nobility – The Names and Titles of all such Dukes, Earls, Viscounts and Barons, Knights of the Garter, Knights of the Bath, and Knights Baronets, made by His Majesty K. Charles II. With the times of their Creations. Also, The Names of His Majesties Privy Council, the Bishops and Piers of the Realm as they are placed in this present Parliament. With the addition of above 40 new Honours.

Small octavo, 68 pages after title and one-page Publishers Catalogue … which include the then useful “A Collection of What is Treason by the Laws of England”.

Rebound at some date in full vellum with gilt titles to front in decorative gilt broader, nice gilt devices and lines to spine, silk ribbon added. A very nice presentation.

After the restoration of the Monarchy in 1660, King Charles II quickly enhanced the “system” of privilege … the old names were there … Percy of Northumberland but many new ones were added … with all that in place his back was covered? And more time could be afforded to his greatest joy … to party.

Period record of the Honours of Charles II – 1662

$260.00

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Early 19th Century Pope Joan Card Game Staking Board

A striking example of a Pope Joan Staking Board, likely Georgian.

A red lacquered board probably made in China for the English market. The circular pot to hold counters is surrounded by eight divisions. The borders embellished to describe each of the compartments … the Nine of Diamonds (Which represents “Pope Joan”; The Ace, King, Queen and Jack of Diamonds, and the words Matrimony, Intrigue and Game with floral devices in gilt in-between. Still has the top to the pot (often missing) with more card decorations. Does not have a wooden pedestal foot which would have screwed on below. 24cm in diameter. Likely made from Birch or some other decorative light wood. A really super example.

An 18th Century round game of cards for three to eight players derived French games and related to but less elaborate than Newmarket. It did not appear in Hoyle until 1814 but had been mentioned in early dictionaries. Pope Joan refers to the suspicion that Pope John VIII was actually a woman.

Two Hundred Year Old Staking Board for Pope Joan – a lovely decorative piece

$290.00

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Unusual Engraving of “Birds from the Levant” – Thomas Shaw -1738

Engraved in copper by Thomas Shaw (1694-1751) and published as part of “Travels or Observations relating to Several Parts of Barbary and the Levant”.

Printed and published at “The Theatre’ Oxford.

Presented matted, ready to frame, 40cm by 30cm. Engraving in excellent condition.

The birds are the Hou-baara, Rhaad, Boo-ank and the Kittanria. We understand one of them is the Arabian Bustard and another a Willow Ptarmigan but we prefer there native names.

Fine bird engraving 280 years old.

$120.00

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All products

One Arm and Other Stories (A Collection of Eleven Short Stories) – Tennessee Williams – First of Type New Directions – 1959

Antique Medical Instruments – Wilbur

From Fetish to God in Ancient Egypt – Wallis Budge – First Edition 1934

Honours Conferred by Charles II (A Catalogue of Nobility) – First Edition 1662

Early 19th Century Pope Joan Card Game Staking Board

Unusual Engraving of “Birds from the Levant” – Thomas Shaw -1738

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