Phillip J. Pirages Fine Books and Medieval Manuscripts was established in 1978 on a ping pong table in a basement in Kalamazoo, Michigan. From the beginning, its founder was willing to sell a range of material (both because this approach made the work more educational than otherwise and because it gave him a good excuse for not being an expert in any particular specialty). Over the years, the business has gravitated toward historical artifacts that are physically attractive in some way-illuminated material, fine bindings, books printed on vellum, fore-edge paintings, beautiful typography and paper, impressive illustration. But the company nevertheless sells a wide range of things, from (scruffy) ninth century leaves to biblical material from all periods to Wing and STC imprints to modern privately printed books. While we are forgiving about condition when something is of considerable rarity, we always try to obtain the most attractive copies possible of whatever works we offer for sale. For the past 22 years, we have been fortunate to represent one of the country's most important collectors. This collaboration means that, apart from our own inventory, we have a continuing interest in building his collection of visually arresting books (items of unusual size, with beautiful bindings, and/or containing striking illustrations) and of other material that is extraordinarily odd or interesting, especially if (but not exclusively) relating to the history of medicine.
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THE WORKS
by (BINDINGS - SETS). SPENSER, EDMUND
London : Bell and Daldy , 1862 (click for more details)AN ESSAY UPON GARDENING
by (GREENHOUSES). STEELE, RICHARD
York : Printed for the Author by G. Peacock , 1793 (click for more details)THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER . . . TOGETHER WITH THE PSALTER OR PSALMS OF DAVID
by (FORE-EDGE PAINTING)
Oxford : The Clarendon Press , 1783, 1784 (click for more details)TEXT FROM PSALMS 21-22
by A VELLUM MANUSCRIPT LEAF FROM A PSALTER IN LATIN, RECOVERED FROM A BINDING
Germany ca. 1200 (click for more details)THE BATTLE OF LAKE ERIE. A COLLECTION OF DOCUMENTS, CHIEFLY BY COMMODORE PERRY: INCLUDING THE COURT-MARTIAL OF COMMANDER BARCLAY & THE COURT OF ENQUIRY ON CAPTAIN ELLIOTT
by (ROWFANT CLUB). (AMERICAN NAVAL HISTORY). PERRY, OLIVER HAZARD
Cleveland : The Rowfant Club , October, 1918 (click for more details)Recent Catalogs
Catalogue 81: Early Books and Manuscripts
Early Books and Manuscripts
Catalogue 80: Women Binders
Catalogue 80 featuring work by women binders from the Arts & Crafts movement of the late 19th century to the present.