The Bookshop

Illuminated manuscript on thick Shirazi paper, 6 books in one volume, in Farsi, 324 leaves (including a front and final free endpaper), 325 by 215 mm.; four columns, 21 lines elegant black nasta'liq with some headings and sections in red, six illuminated polychrome headings opening each of the books, each featuring bold colours and arabesque designs, text blocks ruled in red, turquoise and blue, catch-words throughout, some very light marginal water-staining, a few preliminary leaves skilfully re-margined, a few small repairs elsewhere, spine cracked with a few leaves and gatherings becoming loose, overall very bright and attractive volume; housed in eighteenth-century dark brown morocco over pasteboards, ruled in gilt with cut-out medallions to covers , decorated with gilt filigree detailing against a peach-coloured backdrop, rebacked, edges a little rubbed, preserved in leather-backed box contemporary to binding, lightly rubbed.

Illuminated manuscript on polished paper, in Farsi, 73 leaves (plus a contemporary free endpaper at the end), complete, 182 by 110 mm.; double column, 17 lines elegant and refined black nasta'liq, vibrant and fine illuminated polychrome and gold heading opening the text, twenty-six miniature paintings in the text, depicting important scenes in the romance and painted with vivid colours in the contemporary Qajar style, leaves double ruled in red, blue and gold, tissue-guards loosely inserted throughout; some very faint spotting to final few gatherings, overall very bright and attractive condition; housed in contemporary leather-backed gilt lacquered boards depicting floral sprays ruled and framed within corner-pieces and a gilt border, contemporary paper label to spine inscribed with title of the work in Farsi, spine ends very lightly worn, extremities slightly rubbed, overall bright and attractive binding.

Illuminated manuscript on paper, in Farsi, part four only (of seven), 322 leaves (plus one later endleaf at the rear), 375 by 235 mm; single column, 21 lines black naskh, significant words and sentences in red, illuminated headpiece in polychrome and gold opening the text, leaves ruled in turquoise, red and gold, some of this ruling oxidised causing closed tears (some of these repaired), a few marginal repairs to preliminary and penultimate leaves, some scattered spots, overall presentable example; housed in contemporary brown morocco with stamped central medallions and corner-pieces of gilt leather inlay, rebacked, doublures of brown morocco with central medallions and corner-pieces decorated with gilt filigree and coloured backgrounds, a little worn.

Illuminated manuscript formed of multiple calligraphic panels pasted to thick card, in Arabic and Farsi, total leaf 370 by 245 mm. (recto panel 285 by 195 mm. and verso 250 by 175 mm.); recto formed of a large central panel of fine nasta'liq formed of three couplets, this framed by two panels of large thuluth on either side and a further two panels above and below in an elegant reyhani script (verging on muhaqqaq), the outer corners are further decorated by four diagonally placed cartouches of nasta'liq (in two different hands), the verso is formed of a large central panel of fine nasta'liq formed of two rhyming couplets framed within two corner-pieces illustrated in fine Safavid-style gilt polychrome devices and copied on paper adorned in sections of gold leaf, framed within a multiple ruled border formed of 12 cartouches of nasta'liq (6 of these single lines on cream paper and the other 6 formed of 2 lines on white paper), both sides of album leaf elegantly arranged with gilt borders separating different panels and wider ruled borders of green and aubergine coloured paper, some light surface soiling and small chips to wider margins, overall very attractive condition.

First edition; 2 vols, oblong folio (330 x 260mm, 13 x 10 1/8 in); orchestral score with libretto in Italian and German, vol. I with additional engraved vignette title by Bolt after Kinninger (foxed) of the supper scene between Commendatore and Don Giovanni, printed title with attractive ink presentation to upper corner margin, dated 1877) and 2 following pp. of text, engraved musical score 6-292pp, vol. II with printed title and engraved musical score 294-590pp, with separate printed divisional title 'Anhang von spaeter eingelegten Stuecken', some sporadic light foxing and minor staining, mostly to final leaf of vol. I, some leaves trimmed at upper edge with loss to pagination in vol.2 but in the main clean and bright; modern diced calf, upper covers lettered in gilt, marbled endpapers and edges, most attractive.

4to (285 x 230 mm); engraved vignette title with portrait of John Gay, Table of the Songs, Dramatis Personne 1777, Introduction, the playscript, and music score with libretto, toned, a few random spots or marks, otherwise very good; later full polished calf, scuffed, marked and bumped but very sound.

First U.S. edition; 8vo; inscribed by the playwright on front free endpaper; publisher's taupe cloth, dust-jacket, lightly dust-soiled, chips, creases and short tears to extremities, the latter mostly to spine ends, otherwise internally fine.

First edition; small 4to (205 x 205 mm.); frontispiece and illustrations; publisher's red cloth, dust-jacket, a very good copy.

Caruso seated with right hand holding cigarette and leaning on cane, signed boldly and diagonally upwards, 85 x 140mm (3 1/4 x 5 1/2 ins), mounted, 240 x 1295 mm (9 1/2 x 11 1/2 ins), near-fine.

4to., xxiii (1), 123 pp. the odd, random spot, neat ink presentation to margin of half-title, otherwise fine, publisher's quarter vellum over read cloth gilt, top edge stained red, fore-edge a little spotted but not weeping to leaves, otherwise and very crisp and bright.