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Welcome to Classic Books and Ephemera under the proprietorship of Dr. Craig W. Horle and Laurie M. Wolfe.  We have been in the bookselling trade for more than a decade, and together have over a half-century experience in working with books and manuscripts.  We have a large and expanding stock, focusing primarily, but by no means exclusively, on 16th- to mid-19th-century books in English, French, and German in the fields of history, travel, and the arts, and children's books; late 19th- and early 20th-century military prints and postcards; and manuscripts, deeds, maps, and printed ephemera of all periods and disciplines.

We are always looking to purchase books and manuscripts and welcome all inquiries.  We are members of the Independent Online Booksellers Association.

Featured Items

2 vol. in 1 ([12], 249, [17] p.; [20], 180 [sic 360] p.); 34 cm. (13.5 inches). Folio. Signatures: [cross]6 A-X6 X6 XX4 a-z6 A-G6. Full 20th-cent. polished calf with six spine compartments between raised bands. Gilt-tooled leather labels in the second and fourth compartments. All page edges red. Vol. 2 has special title page: Ruffini Aquileiensis Presbyteri, in LXXV. Davidis Psalmos, Commentarius. Vol. 2 has page numbers only on rectos (numbered as leaves, rather than pages). Includes index. Wood-engraved headpieces and initials. Both title pages have Sonnius' elaborate printer’s device with the motto: "Quis contra nos si Deus pro Nobis" ("Who can be against us if God is for Us"). Adams R-880. In Near Fine Condition: leather is lightly rubbed; scattered light foxing. A clean and solid copy of this scarce collection of work by the early Christian monk known as Rufinus of Aquileia or Tyrannius Rufinus. Ruffini Aquileiensis Presbyteri Opera Quae Extant, Partim Antehac Nunquam in Lucem Edita, Partim Nuper ope Doctissimorum Virorum Emendata & Castigata, & in duos Tomos Diuisa
Rufinus, of Aquileia
Paris: Michael Sonnius, 1580. 2 vol. in 1 ([12], 249, [17] p.; [20], 180 [sic 360] p.); 34 cm. (13.5 inches). Folio. Signatures: [cross]6.. more
Price: $1,200.00
Edited by Robert Keuchenius; printed by Pauli van den Houte in Harderwijk (Netherlands). [30], 416, [16] p.; 19 cm. (7.5 inches). Signatures: *-**8 A-DD8. 8vo. Contemporary full vellum with six gilt-ruled spine compartments. Gilt-tooled morocco spine label reading "Julius Frontinus" in the second compartment; "Amst. 1661" in ink in fifth compartment. Added engraved title page. Woodcut title vignette, decorated initials, and head and tail pieces. Armorial bookplate on front fixed endpaper of Gaddesden Library, Gaddesden Place in Hertfordshire, Eng., of the Halsey family. Sextus Julius Frontinus was the Roman military governor in Britain and in 95 AD was appointed superintendent of the aqueducts (curator aquarum) at Rome. Contents: Strategemata; Aquæductibus Urbis Romæ; De Re Agraria; Aggeni Urbici Commentarius; De Limitibus, a Petro Scriverio; De Coloniis Italiæ; Opera & Fragmenta Frontiniana. In Near Fine Condition: spine label rubbed and upper right-corner lacking; light wear, otherwise clean and bright. Sexti Julii Frontini, Viri Consularis, Quae Exstant
Frontinus, Sextus Julius
Amsterdam: Joannis á Waesberge, 1661. Edited by Robert Keuchenius; printed by Pauli van den Houte in Harderwijk (Netherlands). [30], 416, [16] p.; 19 cm. (7.5.. more
Price: $950.00
[36], 443, [1] p.: 57 leaves of paleographic engravings; 36 cm. (14 inches). Half calf with marbled paper over boards (possibly a 20th-century binding). Spine divided into 6 compartments by raised bands; red morocco labels in the second and fifth compartments with gilt-tooled title "Letras Cursivas Antiguas y Modernas" and date "Año 1780." Gilt-tooled ornamentation in the other four compartments. Endpapers printed in a red floral pattern. Added engraved title page: Escuela de Leer Letras Cursivas Antiguas y Modernas . . . Gravadas las Letras por Don Francisco Assensio y Mejorada. The leaves of engraved paleographic examples are included in the pagination. Initial 36 unpaginated pages include 11 pages containing the names of subscribers and one page of errata. The versos of the title page and added engraved title page contain a handwritten list of contents in ink, with some bleed through onto the title pages. Designed as a guide to the reading of ancient Latin and Spanish manuscripts, this volume is beautifully illustrated with engraved plates showing the development of Latin and Spanish script from that used during the Roman empire up to the 18th century. The sample texts presented on the plates are transcribed in the accompanying pages. In Very Good+ Condition: lacking leaves 57 and 58; edges of covers are rubbed, with slight loss of paper; upper corners bumped; added engraved title page is soiled; old repair between second leaf (title page) and third leaf; front hinge separating; worming throughout, largely confined to top margin, affecting ruled borders and text on a few plates. An attractive copy of this scarce and important work of paleography. Escuela Paleographica, ó de Leer Letras Antiguas, desde la Entrada de los Godos en Espanña, Hasta Nuestros Tiempos
Merino de Jesu-Christo, Andres
Madrid: Juan Antonio Lazano, 1780. [36], 443, [1] p.: 57 leaves of paleographic engravings; 36 cm. (14 inches). Half calf with marbled paper over boards.. more
Price: $1,550.00
xiv, [2], 609, [1] p.: frontispiece, added engraved title page, and 50 leaves of plates; 22 cm. (8.5 inches). First edition, bound from the original monthly parts published from April 1836 to November 1837, without wrappers or advertisements. An attractive Riviere & Son binding of full polished calf with six spine compartments between raised bands. Leather label in the second compartment reading: Pickwick Papers. Leather label in the third compartment reading: Dickens. Gilt-tooled at tail of spine: 1837. Gilt-tooled ornamentation in the other four compartments. Gilt-ruled borders and corner ornamentation on both boards. Gilt-rolled ornamentation on edges of both boards, with gilt-tooled ornamentation continuing on the turn-ins. Top page edges gilt. Marbled endpapers, with small binder's stamp on verso of front free endpaper reading: Bound by Riviere & Son. The 50 leaves of plates, excluding the frontispiece and added engraved title page, consist of 38 plates issued by Chapman and Hall with the text (the plates by Robert Seymour and Hablot Knight Browne) and 12 additional plates published by Edward Grattan during the initial serial publication of this volume, most of them by Thomas Onwhyn and signed "Sam Weller." With the Phiz replacement plates facing pp. 73 and 76 for the R.W. Buss plates meant to face pp. 69 and 74. The 3 original plates that are not present here are the 3 Phiz plates meant to face pp. 326, 343, and 391. Smith I:19. In Very Good+ condition: extremities are lightly rubbed; otherwise a beautiful copy. The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club
Dickens, Charles
London, Eng.: Chapman and Hall, 1837. xiv, [2], 609, [1] p.: frontispiece, added engraved title page, and 50 leaves of plates; 22 cm. (8.5 inches). First.. more
Price: $1,550.00
[2], 75, [1] p.; 20 cm. (8 inches). Signatures: [pi], A-K4, L2. 4to. Disbound. Wing, P3249. In Good Condition: disbound, but text block is solid; dampstaining and soiling, most significantly on the first 5 leaves; complete and intact. A very scarce copy of this English tract highly critical of the growing power of France under Louis XIV, the Sun King. The Present Policies of France and the Maxims of Lewis XIV Plainly Laid Open; Detecting the Management of His Intrigues Against the Princes and States of Europe
Anon.
London, Eng.: 1689. [2], 75, [1] p.; 20 cm. (8 inches). Signatures: [pi], A-K4, L2. 4to. Disbound. Wing, P3249. In Good Condition: disbound,.. more
Price: $275.00
34 p.; 16 cm. (6.5 inches). Signatures: A-B8 C2(-C2). 8vo. Wing B3963A. Modern brown cloth with gilt-stamped spine reading: Robt. Boyle. Notes of Mechanical Origine 1675. Front free endpaper inscribed: Miles Warner, October 1943. In Near Fine Condition. An attractive copy. Robert Boyle was one of the most important 17th-century English scientists, playing a pivotal role in the development of the modern experimental method. The publication offered here was the seventh of eleven works published in 1675 about his experiments in studying various physical properties. (These eleven works, although published with individual title pages and pagination, are also found bound together under the title: Experiments, Notes, &c, about the Mechanical Origin or Production of Divers Particular Qualities.) The individual works are very scarce. Experimental Notes of the Mechanical Origine or Production of Fixtness
Boyle, Robert
London, Eng.: Printed by E. Flesher, for R. Davis Bookseller in Oxford, 1675. 34 p.; 16 cm. (6.5 inches). Signatures: A-B8 C2(-C2). 8vo. Wing B3963A. Modern brown cloth with gilt-stamped spine reading: Robt... more
Price: $935.00
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