Spence, Joseph: Polymetis: or, An Enquiry concerning the Agreement between the Works of the Roman Poets, and the Remains of the Antient Artists. The Second Edition, corrected by the Author. London: Printed for R. and J. Dodsley 1755. Second edition, 'corrected by the author'. Folio, pp. vi, 361, [i] + portrait frontispiece and 41 further plates, of which 6 are folding. Other illustrations in the text. A little offset toning from some of the plates (which appears to be common in copies of this work), very occasional light scatters of foxing, generally bright and clean. Contemporary brown calf, spine gilt, black morocco label, single-line gilt borders, marbled endpapers. Endcaps worn and endbands lost, joints worn with the upper just starting at each end, small and neat repair to surface leather of upper board, ink blot to rear board, edges a bit chipped and corners frayed but a very good, sound copy. To title-page, in pencil, ownership inscription of David Gould, dated December 20th 1940. Large pencil sketch of a man playing a piano, captioned 'Playing one of the plates in this work', on the back of a plate opposite p.257. Spence's (1699-1768) 'long gestated Polymetis was published as a lavishly illustrated folio in February 1747 and earned him at least ?1450 by subscription and sale of copyright. Conceived during Spence's first visit to Italy and with much of its material collected there, Polymetis was intended to show how the works of ancient artists and of Roman poets illustrate and explain one another. It was attacked in Gotthold Ephraim Lessing's Laokoon (1766) and, though new editions appeared in 1755 and 1774, and abridged versions for the use of schools were current until the 1820s, it sank fairly quickly from serious notice. However, it proved an invaluable guide to mythological images for Keats.' (Sambrook, ODNB). Polymetis is, in common with several of Spence's other works, written in dialogue form as he thought the first person singular seemed arrogant. ESTC T130824. Ref: 55072show full image..
Sponsler, Claire: The Queen's Dumbshows: John Lydgate and the Making of Early Theater. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2014. First edition. 8vo., pp. vii, 308. Hardback: dark blue cloth, gilt-lettered to spine. Dust-jacket. Unread, a hint only of shelf-wear: almost as new. Ref: 53622
Statius, Publius Papinius: Sylvarum Libri V; Thebaidos Libri XII; Achilleidos Libri II. [Bound with:] Orthographia et flexus dictrionum Graecarum omnium apud Statius cum accentib. et generib. ex variis utriusque linguae authoribus. Parisiis [Paris]: apud Simonem Colin?um, 1530 8vo., ff. [ii], 263, [i]; [36]. Woodcut printer's device to title-page. Also contains the unpaginated "Orthographia et Flexus Dictionum Graecarum" at rear, with its own title and register. Title-page foxed with small abraded area (not affecting text), some sporadic light foxing but very good. Old semi-limp vellum, very plain, edges slightly overlapped. A couple of small stains, some smudgy marks, very good indeed. To front paste-down, engraved bookplate 'Biblioth?que de Mr Beaupr?, Conseiller ? la Cour de Nancy' of Jean-Nicolas Beaupr? (c.1792-1869), a magistrate and antiquary. To ffep, ownership inscription of Henry M. (Simmons?) in a fairly old hand. Very faintly to title page, ownership inscription with the first name Paulus dated 1649, surname sadly illegible. A reprint of the 1519 Aldine edition, together with the 'Orthographia', an etymological dictionary of the Greek words in Statius. The two were first printed together in 1502 (the first Aldine edition of Statius and the first edition of the 'Orthographia') but are otherwise not found together in any of the early editions. Described by Dibdin as 'an elegant and very accurate edition, worthy of the reputation of Colinseus'. BM STC French (1470-1600), 408; Adams, S1673; Schweiger II, pt.ii, 963; Dibdin II (4th edn.), 226. Ref: 54596
Steinitz, Richard: Gyorgy Ligeti: Music of the Imagination. London: Faber and Faber, 2003. First edition, first impression. 8vo., pp. xvii, 429. Hardback, three newspaper cutting about the book and performances of Gyorgy Ligeti's music loosely inserted. Dust-jacket. Light shelf-wear, very good. Ref: 55263
[Stephen of Byzantium] Stephanus Byzantinus: (Berkelius, Abrahamus, ed.:) (Gronovius, Jacobus, ed.:) Gentilia per epitomen, antehac [Peri Poleon] De Urbibus Inscripta, quae ex MSS. Codicibus Palatinis ab C. Salmasio quondam collatis & MS Vossiano restituit, supplevit, ac Latina versione & integro commentario illustravit Abrahamus Berkelius. Accedunt collectae ab Jacobo Gronovio variae lectiones ex codice MS. Perusi Lugduni Batavorum [Leiden]: Danielem a Gaesbeeck, 1688. Folio, pp.[xiv], 772, [xvi]; [viii], 27, [i]. Title-page in red and black, woodcut initials, finely engraved headpiece and initials to p.1, separate title-page to 'Variae Lectiones [?]' section also in red and black with same publisher and date, printer's device with motto 'Intelligentibus' to both titles. Greek text and Latin translation in parallel columns, with Latin commentary with quotations and examples in Greek at foot of each page. A few gatherings heavily toned and foxed, faint intermittent dampstain to lower margin, occasional marks and scorches, 3Q2 has closed tear to lower margin extending onto text but with no loss. Vellum prize binding, gilt spine with raised bands, gilt frames and borders, centre- and corner-pieces with the arms of Amsterdam to both boards. A few smudgy marks and small stains to vellum, corners lightly bumped, ties lost, very good. Written by the sixth century grammarian Stephen of Byzantium and dedicated to Emperor Justinian, the original form of this geographical dictionary is lost. The text that we have is an epitome, possibly by a scholar called Hermolaus. Sections of the original can also be found in works of Constantine Porphyrogenitos. This edition edited by Abraham van Berkel, and incorporating the work of scholars including Claude Saumaise and Jacobus Gronovius. Hoffman III, 441; Schweiger I, 300; Brunet V, 531; Spoelder 487 (Amst. 6). Ref: 55093show full image..
Stephens, W. B. (ed.): The Victoria History of the County of Warwick. Volume VII: The City of Birmingham. London: Oxford University Press for the Institute of Historical Research, 1965. First edition, second impression. 4to. Fully illustrated. Hardback: red cloth, gilt. Edges uncut. Dust-jacket, price-clipped. Light shelf-wear, a little fraying along jacket edges, but still very good. First published 1964. Ref: 54099
Stevenson, William Henry (ed.): Asser's Life Of King Alfred Together With The Annals Of Saint Neots Erroneously Ascribed To Asser. Edited by William Henry Stevenson with an Introductory article by Dorothy Whitelock. Oxford University Press (Sandpiper reprint). 1998. 8vo. pp.386. Hardback: black cloth, gilt-lettered to spine. Dust-jacket. Unused: as new. OUP edition first published 1959. Ref: 54932
Stone, Lawrence: Uncertain Unions: Marriage in England 1660-1753. Oxford University Press, 1992. First edition. 8vo., pp. xiii, 281 + plates. Hardback: black cloth, gilt-lettered to spine, fine. Dust-jacket, very good. Ref: 53574
Strabo: (Veronese, Guarino; Tifernate, Gregorio, trans.:) [...] De Situ Orbis [?] De Situ Orbis Libri XVII. Editi quidem in eorum gratiam, qui geographi? studiosi sunt [?] Amstelodami [Amsterdam]: Joannem Janssonium Juniorem, 1652. 2 vols., pp.[xii], 809, [i], 41, [I]; 670, [ii], [xxiv] + folding map. Additional engraved title-page to vol.I, title-page with small woodcut to each volume, woodcut initials and headpieces. Vol.II with intermittent light dampstaining. Contemporary vellum, later reddish-orange gilt labels to spines, fore-edges slightly overlapped, edges sprinkled blue. Both spines a bit marked near the head, vellum a little yellowed, vol.I label neatly repaired, very good. Early Latin translations (first printed in 1469) of Guarino, who translated the first ten books, and Trifernas, who translated the remainder, of Strabo, one of the authors least frequently printed in his own Greek during the Renaissance. Dibdin II, 432-3. Adams S 1905. Ref: 54187show full image..
Stratigakos, Despina (ed.): A Cultural History of the Home in the Modern Age. London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2021. First edition. Large 8vo., pp. x, 249. Illustrations. Hardback, laminated decorative boards. Unused, a hint only of shelf-dust: a fine copy. Volume 6 in the series of A Cultural History of the Home. Ref: 55280
