Authors starting with B from David Brass Rare Books, Inc.

1803. A Fine Set of Bacon’s WorksBACON, Francis. The Works of Francis Bacon, Baron of Verulam, Viscount St. Alban, and Lord High Chancellor of England. In Ten Volumes. London: Printed for J. Johnson…by H. Bryer, 1803.Ten octavo volumes (9 1/8 x 5 3/8 inches; 231 x 136 mm.). Engraved frontispiece portrait by James Fittler in Volume I.Bound (by Bickers?) for Blackwell (stamp-signed on the verso of the front free endpaper) in early twentieth-century maroon scored calf. Covers ruled in gilt, smo... more information

1832. first edition. First Edition of All Three Volumes of Balzac's Rabelaisian “Droll Stories,” “The Lustiest, Most Uproarious Tales Ever Told…An Orgy in the Writer's Playroom”BALZAC, Honoré de. Les Cent contes drolatiques, colligez ès abbaïes de Touraine, et mis en lumière par le sieur de Balzac pour l'esbattement des pantagruelistes et non aultres. Premier [Second, and Troisiesme] Dixain. Paris: Charles Gosselin et Ed. Werdet, 1832, 1833, an... more information

1922. first edition. Large Paper EditionBARRIE, J.M. Courage. London: Hodder and Stoughton, (1922).First edition in book form, the large paper edition. Octavo (8 5/8 x 5 6/8 in; 219 x 142 mm.). [viii], [36] pp.Original white faux-vellum lettered in gilt on front cover and spine, with gilt ornament below the title on the front board. Top edge gilt, others uncut. A tight, unread, fine copy.Barrie's Rectorial Address delivered at St. Andrews University May 3d, 1922.Cutler 81. ... more information

1913. A Finely Bound Set of J. M. Barrie - the Creator of Peter PanBARRIE, J.M. The Kirriemuir Edition of the Works of J.M. Barrie. London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1913. Limited to One Thousand Sets, numbered and signed by the publishers. Ten large octavo volumes (9 3/16 x 6 3/8 inches: 234 x 160 mm.). Late twentieth century three-quarter tan morocco over marbled boards ruled in blind. Spines with five raised bands decoratively tooled and lettered in gilt, top edge gilt. A fine set.Kirriemuir in Angus, Scot... more information

1557. first edition. Rare First Edition of Bassantin’s Important Astronomical and Cartographical Workwith Thirty-Five VolvellesThe Destombes CopyBASSANTIN, James. Astronomique discours. Lyons: Par Jan de Tournes, 1557. Rare first edition of this beautifully illustrated astronomical work. Large folio (16 7/8 x 11 11/16 inches; 428 x 297 mm.). 285, [1, privilege], [1, printer’s device], [1, blank] pp. With 175 woodcuts and woodcut diagrams, of which fourteen have a total of thirty-five (of thirty-s... more information

1900. first edition. A Wonderful First Edition of the “Wizard of Oz”BAUM, L. Frank. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. With pictures by W.W. Denslow. Chicago: Geo. M. Hill Co., 1900.First edition, second state of the text and second state of the plates. With the following points: p. [2], the publisher’s advertisement is not enclosed in a box; p. 14, line 1 begins: “low wail of…”; p. 81, the fourth line from bottom has “pieces”; p. [227], line 1 begins: “While The Woodm... more information

1922. first edition. Max Beerbohm’s “Rossetti and His Circle”BEERBOHM, Max. Rossetti and His Circle. London: William Heinemann, [1922].First edition. Small quarto (9 3/4 x 7 1/4 inches; 248 x 185 mm.). ix, [1, blank] pp. Color frontispiece and twenty-two color plates mounted on heavy buff stock, with descriptive tissue guards.Original blue cloth over boards. Front cover lettered in gilt within a blind single-rule border, spine lettered in g... more information

1925. first edition. Max Beerbohm’s “Observations”BEERBOHM, Max. Observations. London: William Heinemann, [1925].First edition. Quarto (11 x 8 1/4 inches; 278 x 210 mm.). viii pp. Color frontispiece and fifty-one monochrome plates, with descriptive tissue guards. Original yellow cloth. Spine lettered in gilt. Back cover stamped in blind with publisher’s windmill device. In the original dust jacket (jacketwith neat split at upper joint and light soiling). A fine copy in very good dust ja... more information

1806. first edition. Vivid Sexual Comedy and Strong Handling of Sexual Exploitation"By One of the Most Popular Female Writers of Her GenerationIssued by the Most Successful Publisher of Novels of His EraBENNETT, MRS. [Anna aka Agnes Maria]. Vicissitudes Abroad; or, The Ghost of my Father. London: Printed at the Minerva Press, for Lane, Newman, and Co., 1806. First (only) edition, complete as issued, of the authoress's last novel. "Her first, anonymous novel, Anna…(1785)…was said to ... more information

1909. One of Twenty-Five Presentation CopiesBIERCE, Ambrose. The Collected Works of Ambrose Bierce. New York & Washington: The Neale Publishing Company, 1909-1912.One of twenty-five Presentation copies out of a total edition of 250 sets, with a preliminary leaf in volumes one, two and four signed by the author. Twelve octavo volumes (8 11/16 x 6 1/16 inches; 221 x 154 mm.). Frontispiece portrait in Volume I.Contemporary Three-quarter brown levant morocco over brown cloth boards ruled in gilt. Spines w... more information

1774. An Eighteenth Century Pre-Cosway Binding Significant, Superb and Unusual Untouched In Its Original State[COSWAY-STYLE BINDING]. Exercice du Chrétien, Contenant Les Prieres du Matin & du Soir, l'Ordinaire de la Messe, les sept Pseaumes de la Pénitence, les Vepres & Hymnes de tous les Dimanches & Fetes de l'Année. Saumur: De l'Imprimerie de Francois-Paschal-Jean-Marie de Gouy, 1774.Sixteenmo (4 13/16 x 2 1/2 inches; 122 x 64 mm.) [8], 260 pp Full contemporar... more information

1869. first edition. First Edition of “Lorna Doone,”with an Autograph Letter Signed by R.D. BlackmoreBLACKMORE, R.D. Lorna Doone: A Romance of Exmoor. In Three Volumes. London: Sampson Low, Son, & Marston, 1869.First edition. Apparently one of only 500 copies printed. Three small octavo volumes (7 1/8 x 4 11/16 inches; 181 x 119 mm.). vi, 332; iv, 340; iv, 342 pp. Bound without the preliminary blank leaf in Volume I and the final blank leaf in Volume III, but with the sixteen-page publisher&... more information

1803. A Fine Early Nineteenth-Century BlackstoneBLACKSTONE, William. Commentaries on the Laws of England, In Four Books. The Fourteenth Edition, with the Last Corrections of the Author; and with Notes and Additions by Edward Christian, Esq.…London: Printed by A. Strahan…for T. Cadell and W. Davies, 1803.Fourteenth edition (first published at Oxford 1765-1769), the sixth edition published after Blackstone’s death, with notes and additions by Chief Justice of the Isle of Ely Edward Christian. ... more information

1790. first edition. Captain Bligh’s Own Account of the Mutiny on the “Bounty”BLIGH, William. A Narrative of the Mutiny, on Board His Majesty’s Ship Bounty; and the Subsequent Voyage of Part of the Crew, in the Ship’s Boat, from Tofoa, One of the Friendly Islands, to Timor, a Dutch Settlement in the East Indies. Illustrated with Charts. London: Printed for George Nicol, 1790.First edition of Captain Bligh’s own account of the mutiny on the Bounty. Large quarto (12 3/8 x 9 13/1... more information

1888. first edition. The “True Tale” of an Australian Bushranger Gang, Led by the Englishman Captain StarlightBOLDREWOOD, Rolf. Robbery Under Arms. A Story of Life and Adventure in the Bush and in the Goldfields of Australia. By Rolf Bolderwood [sic]. Three Volumes. London: Remington and Co Publishers, 1888.First edition. Three octavo volumes (7 3/16 x 4 13/16 inches; 182 x 122 mm.). [4], 300; [4], 300; [4], 291, [1, blank] pp.Original smooth grass-green cloth with front covers decoratively stamp... more information

1768. first edition. Boswell’s "Highly Esteemed" Account of CorsicaBOSWELL, James. An Account of Corsica, the Journal of a Tour to that Island; and Memoirs of Pascal Paoli. Illustrated with a New and Accurate Map of Corsica. Glasgow: Printed by Robert and Andrew Foulis for Edward and Charles Dilly in the Poultry, London, 1768.First edition. Octavo (8 1/16 x 4 7/8 inches; 205 x 125 mm.). xxi, [1, blank], [1, table of contents], [1, blank], 382 pp. Bound without the final blank leaf (Aa8). La... more information

1792. first edition. First Irish Edition of Boswell’s “Life of Johnson”BOSWELL, James. The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D. Comprehending an Account of His Studies and Numerous Works, in Chronological Order; a Series of His Epistolary Correspondence and Conversations with Many Eminent Persons; and Various Original Pieces of His Composition, Never Before Published. The Whole Exhibiting a View of Literature and Literary Men in Great Britain, for Near Half a Century, During Which He Flourished. In... more information

1792. First Irish Edition of Boswell’s “Life of Johnson”BOSWELL, James. The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D. Comprehending an Account of His Studies and Numerous Works, in Chronological Order; a Series of His Epistolary Correspondence and Conversations with Many Eminent Persons; and Various Original Pieces of His Composition, Never Before Published. The Whole Exhibiting a View of Literature and Literary Men in Great Britain, for Near Half a Century, During Which He Flourished. In Three Volumes.... more information

1793. First Octavo EditionWith Material Not Found in the First Quarto EditionBOSWELL, James. The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D. Comprehending an Account of His Studies and Numerous Works, in Chronological Order; a Series of His Epistolary Correspondence and Conversations with Many Eminent Persons; and Various Original Pieces of His Composition, Never Before Published. The Whole Exhibiting a View of Literature and Literary Men in Great Britain, for Near Half a Century, During Which He Flourished. In Three Vo... more information

1848. first edition. No. 1 on Sadleir’s list of “Comparative Scarcities”"A Portrait of Debauchery That Is Remarkable"[BRONTË, Anne]. The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. By Acton Bell. In Three Volumes. London: T.C. Newby, 1848.First edition, first issue, of Anne Brontë’s second novel, with all of the flaws noted by Smith. Three twelvemo volumes (7 3/4 x 4 13/16 inches; 197 x 122 mm.). [4], 358; [2], 366; [2], 342 pp. Complete with the excessively rare half-title in Volume ... more information