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First Edition of Von Neumann and Morgenstern's Classic Work Theory of Games and Economic Behavior; Signed by John von Neumann
VON NEUMANN, John and Oskar Morgenstern.
Theory of Games and Economic Behavior.
Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1944.
First edition of von Neumann and Morgenstern's landmark work. Octavo, original cloth. Boldly signed by John von Neumann on the title page. Near fine in a very good dust jacket. With the original “Corrigenda” slip laid in. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box made by the Harcourt Bindery. Books signed by von Neumann are exceptionally rare.
Price: $125,000.00 Item Number: 137277
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"To J. Edgar Hoover- a public servant of the highest courage- with the admiration of the author": First Edition of John F. Kennedy's Profiles In Courage; Inscribed by Him to J. Edgar Hoover
KENNEDY, John F.
Profiles In Courage.
New York: Harper & Brothers, Publishers, 1956.
First edition of Kennedy's Pulitzer Prize-winning work. Octavo, original half cloth, with eight pages of black-and-white photogravures. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, "To J. Edgar Hoover- a public servant of the highest courage- with the admiration of the author- John Kennedy." The recipient, J. Edgar Hoover served as the first Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the United States for nearly 48 years, being first appointed director of the Bureau of Investigation – the FBI's predecessor – in 1924 and was instrumental in founding the FBI in 1935, where he remained director…
Price: $125,000.00 Item Number: 134320
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"The longest letter signed and entirely in the hand of John Adams obtainable": Exceptionally rare 16-page autograph letter signed by Founding Father John Adams defending the ultimate necessity of American sovereignty
ADAMS, John.
John Adams Autograph Letter Signed.
1809.
Exceptionally rare 16-page autograph letter signed by and entirely in the hand of Founding Father John Adams defending the ultimate necessity of American sovereignty and its precedence over international alliances. Sixteen pages, entirely in the hand of John Adams and written on both the recto and verso of each page, the letter is dated January 9, 1809 and addressed to Speaker of the House of Representatives, Joseph Bradley Varnum. Although France and America shared a strong alliance which proved crucial to winning the Revolutionary War, at the onset of the French Revolution in 1789, Washington's fear that American involvement would…
Price: $125,000.00 Item Number: 121560
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"Undoubtedly the most influential of all English language versions of the Bible": Rare 1613 folio edition of the GREAT KING JAMES "SHE" BIBLE; extra-illustrated and decorated with a large fore-edge painting
[BIBLE],.
[The King James “She” Bible]. The Holy Bible: Conteyning the Old Testament, and the New: Newly translated out of the Originall Tongues: and with the former Translations diligently compared and reuised by his Maiesties speciall Comandement. Appointed to be Read in Churches.
London: Robert Barker, Printer to the Kings Most Excellent Majestie, 1613.
Rare 1613 folio edition of the great King James "She" Bible", "the true 1613 folio edition of King James' Bible; easily distinguishable from the other large folio editions by its smaller type... The preliminary leaves are set up as in the other large folio editions, but the text is printed in smaller type with 72 instead of 59 lines to the full column" (Herbert; Darlow & Moule). From the library of famed collector Alfred Sutro and decorated with a large fore-edge painting by John T. Beer. Folio, bound in full 19th century paneled calf rebacked with older spine labels preserved, gilt tiles and ruling to the spine in seven compartments within…
Price: $125,000.00 Item Number: 145500
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Exceptionally Rare 200-page autograph manuscript entirely in the hand of Israeli military commander Moshe Dayan documenting his years as a journalist in Vietnam
DAYAN, Moshe.
Moshe Dayan ‘Vietnam Diary’ Original Autograph Manuscript.
1966.
Rare autograph manuscript consisting of roughly 200 pages entirely in the hand of Israeli military commander Moshe Dayan, published one year later as part of Dayan's "Yoman Vietnam" or "Vietnam Diary." Folio, approximately 200 pages handwritten by Dayan on a variety of paper mounts with numerous edits, margin notes, and cross-outs which suggest an intensely involved and meticulous writing process, an original map showing military movements on page 220, and a drawing or other schematic on page 367. With English language terms throughout which provide especially revealing snapshots of what Dayan was observing during his Vietnam War experience including: "Lt.…
Price: $125,000.00 Item Number: 134059
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From the library of Charles Darwin: First edition of Herbert Spencer's The Study of Sociology; with a presentation inscription from Spencer to Darwin
SPENCER, Herbert.
The Study of Sociology.
London: Henry S. King & Co, 1873.
First edition, association copy of famed English philosopher Herbert Spencer's classic work on the evolution of society; presented and inscribed by him to Charles Darwin. Octavo, original publisher's cloth with gilt titles to the spine, dark green endpapers. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the title page, "Charles Darwin with the Author's kind regards." English philosopher, biologist, sociologist, and anthropologist Herbert Spencer invented the expression "survival of the fittest" which he coined in his Principles of Biology (1864) after reading Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species (1859). A description of the mechanism of natural selection, in Principles of…
Price: $110,000.00 Item Number: 141586
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A LANDMARK IN THE HISTORY OF PRINTING, AND ONE OF THE GREATEST ILLUSTRATED BOOKS EVER PUBLISHED: FIRST EDITION OF THE MONUMENTAL NUREMBERG CHRONICLE; Published in 1493 and containing over 1800 splendid woodcuts illustrating the history of the world from the Creation of man to the invention of the printing press
SCHEDEL, Hartmann.
Liber Chronicarum [Nuremberg Chronicles].
Nuremberg: Anton Koberger, 1493.
First edition of the most fully realized illustrated book of the fifteenth century and one of the most impressive volumes ever published. Imperial folio, bound in three quarter calf with five raised bands to the spine, morocco title labels lettered in gilt to the spine and front panel, copiously illustrated with 1,809 splendid woodcuts by Wohlgemuth and Pleydenwurff (the teachers of Durer), some full page, others double-page, illustrating Schedel's year-by-year account of notable events in world history from the Creation to the year of publication, including the creation of Adam and Eve, birth of Jesus Christ, invention of printing at Mainz,…
Price: $92,000.00 Item Number: 143505
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Scarce 1792 printing of An Act to extend the Time limited for settling the Accounts of the United States with the Individual States; signed by Thomas Jefferson
[JEFFERSON, Thomas].
Second Congress of the United States: At the First Session, begun and held at the City of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, on Monday the twenty-fourth of October one thousand seven hundred and ninety-one. An Act to extend the Time limited for settling the Accounts of the United States with the Individual States.
Philadelphia: Childs & Swaine, 1792.
Scarce printing of an early United States law providing for the funding of the national debt, signed by Thomas Jefferson as Secretary of State. Folio, one page. The document, which also carries the printed signatures of President George Washington, Vice President John Adams, and House Speaker Jonathan Trumbull, was approved January 23, 1792. Individual acts and bills of the first Congresses were routinely printed for public consumption. A provision was made, however, to print a few copies of each act for dissemination to the states, and to have each copy signed by Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson. One of the…
Price: $82,000.00 Item Number: 125388
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Exceptionally rare autograph album containing the autographs of 24 American Presidents in addition to numerous autographs of Cabinet Members, vice presidents and several rare carte-de-visites
WASHINGTON, George; John Adams; Thomas Jefferson; James Madison; Andrew Jackson; Martin Van Buren; William Henry Harrison; James Tyler; James H. Polk; James Buchanan; Zachary Taylor; Millard Fillmore; James Buchanan; Franklin Pierce; Abraham Lincoln; William Seward; Andrew Johnson; Ulysses S. Grant; James Garfield; Chester A. Arthur; Grover Cleveland; Benjamin Harrison; Grover Cleveland; William McKinley; Alexander Hamilton.
Autograph Album of the Presidents and Cabinet Officials of the United States of America.
Rare late 19th century folio album containing an extensive collection of Presidential autographs, letters, carte-de-visites, and portraits in addition to those of each Cabinet. Folio, bound in three quarter morocco with five raised bands and gilt titles to the spine. The album contains: a clipped signature of President George Washington with a four-page letter of provenance dated July 13 1948, several portraits of him including two rare carte-de-visites as well as a carte-de-visite of Martha Washington; and autograph letter signed by John Adams as President to Benjamin Lincoln, Quincy, July 23, 1799; a clipped document signed by Thomas Jefferson as…
Price: $82,000.00 Item Number: 129509
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“DEMOCRACY IS ESSENTIALLY A MEANS, A UTILITARIAN DEVICE FOR SAFEGUARDING INTERNAL PEACE AND INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM”: Rare First Edition of THE ROAD TO SERFDOM; INSCRIBED BY F.A. HAYEK
HAYEK, Friedrich August von [F.A.].
The Road to Serfdom.
Chicago: University of Chicago, 1944.
First edition of one of the most influential and popular expositions of classical liberalism. Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, "To Mr. Allan T. Preyer at the Luncheon of the 'Ad ' Club New York April 11, 1945 with cordial regards of F. A. Hayek." Near fine in a near fine price-clipped dust jacket. Foreword by John Chamberlain. First editions are rare, presentation copies exceptionally so.
Price: $82,000.00 Item Number: 130745
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"The Greatest Work In The History of Science": Rare First Edition in English of Newton’s Principia
NEWTON, Isaac.
The Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy. Translated into English by Andrew Motte. To which are added, the Laws of the Moon’s Motion, according to Gravity.
London: Benjamin Motte, 1729.
First edition in English of Isaac Newton’s magnum opus Principia which Einstein called, "perhaps the greatest intellectual stride that it has ever been granted to any man to make." Octavo, two volumes, bound in full contemporary calf, gilt titles to the spine, engraved frontispiece after and by A. Motte in the first volume, section-title to Machin's Laws of Motion, 47 folding engraved plates, 2 folding letterpress tables, 3 engraved headpieces by Motte, numerous woodcut head and tailpieces, historiated and ornamental woodcut initials. Translated by Andrew Motte. In very good condition. An exceptional example of this cornerstone of scientific thought, most…
Price: $82,000.00 Item Number: 140042
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Elaborately bound collection of Presidential autographs; containing the autograph of each of the first 34 Presidents of the United States from George Washington to Dwight D. Eisenhower
WASHINGTON, George; John Adams; Thomas Jefferson; James Madison; James Monroe; John Quincy Adams; Andrew Jackson; Martin Van Buren; William Henry Harrison; John Tyler; James Polk; Zachary Taylor; Millard Fillmore; Franklin Pierce; James Buchanan; Abraham Lincoln; Andrew Johnson; Ulysses S. Grant; Rutherford B. Hayes; James Garfield; Chester A. Arthur; Grover Cleveland; William McKinley; Theodore Roosevelt; William H. Taft; Woodrow Wilson; Warren G. Harding; Calvin Coolidge; Herbert Hoover; Franklin D. Roosevelt; Harry Truman; Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Autographs of the Presidents of the United States of America.
1783-1956.
Elaborately bound collection of Presidential autographs, containing the autograph of each of the first 34 Presidents of the United States from George Washington to Dwight D. Eisenhower. Quarto, bound in full red morocco by Riviere & Son with gilt titles and ruling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, gilt presidential seal to the front panel with white and blue morocco onlays, gilt arms and motto of George Washington to the rear panel with white and blue morocco onlays and his gilt signature in facsimile, centerpieces within quintuple gilt ruling with star emblems at each corner, blue…
Price: $80,000.00 Item Number: 125384
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RARE PORTRAIT OF THE FATHER OF SOVIET RUSSIA: VLADIMIR LENIN; SIGNED BY HIM
LENIN. [ULYANOV, Vladimir Ilyich].
Vladimir Lenin Signed Portrait.
1922.
Rare printed portrait signed by the father of Soviet Russia, Vladimir Lenin. One page, printed with a horizontal crease, inscribed by Lenin in the lower portion of the portrait, "VI Ulyanov (Lenin) 28.IV.1922." In very good condition. Matted and framed. The entire piece measures 17 inches by 31.75 inches.
Price: $75,000.00 Item Number: 132168
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First Editions Of Karl Popper’s The Open Society; Both Volumes Signed By the author; And In The Rare Original Dust Jackets
POPPER, Karl R.
The Open Society And Its Enemies.
London: George Routledge & Sons, 1945.
First editions of Popper's magnum opus. Each volume is signed by Karl Popper on the front free endpaper. In near fine condition with original dust jackets in near fine condition. Octavo, 2 volumes, original black cloth. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box. Signed first editions of The Open Society and Its Enemies are exceptionally rare. One of the most important books of the twentieth century.
Price: $75,000.00 Item Number: 130962
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“We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union... do ordain and establish this CONSTITUTION for the United States of America": Rare first edition of Vol. VII of the Journal of Congress; containing the first official Congressional Journal publication of the proposed Constitution of the United States
Journal of the United States In Congress Assembled: Containing the Proceedings From the Sixth Day of November, 1786, to the Fifth Day of November, 1787. Volume XII.
New York: Published by Order of Congress, 1787.
Rare first edition of Vol. VII of the Journal of Congress; containing the first official Congressional Journal publication of the proposed Constitution of the United States. Octavo, original boards. Contains the first Congressional Journal publications of the proposed United States Constitution (pp. 149-166) and the Northwest Ordinance (pp. 85-93). In very good condition. Small loss to the title page affecting the “L” in “Journal”. A rare and important piece of American history.
Price: $75,000.00 Item Number: 129855
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Three exceptionally rare Abraham Lincoln Pieces; An autograph Pardon of December 8, 1863 Signed by him; pristine original carte-de-visite; and exceedingly rare contemporary printing of the Proclamation of Amnesty
LINCOLN, Abraham.
Abraham Lincoln Amnesty Proclamation and Signed Pardon of December 8, 1863.
Washington, D.C.: War Department, Adjutant General's Office, 1864-1869.
Rare autograph Oath of December 8 endorsement signed and entirely in the hand of the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln with an exceedingly rare contemporary printing of Lincoln's Amnesty Proclamation which includes the wording of the oath itself and a rare carte-de-visite of Lincoln [Providence, RI: Salisbury, Bro. & Co., n.d.]. One page, the endorsement is signed and inscribed by Lincoln, “Let these men take the oath of Dec. 8, 1863 & be discharged – A. Lincoln Dec. 30, 1863.” One page, disbound, the contemporary printing of the Amnesty Proclamation consists of 6 pages printed by order…
Price: $75,000.00 Item Number: 132045
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"One of the best-written and convincing pieces in the Anti-Federalist canon": Rare First Edition of Observations Leading to a Fair Examination of the System of Government from the Federal Farmer to the Republican
[LEE, Richard Henry].
Observations Leading to a Fair Examination of the System of Government, Proposed by the Late Convention; and to Several Essential and Necessary Alterations in it. In a Number of Letters from the Federal Farmer to the Republican.
New York: 1787.
Rare first edition of the definitive and most important work in the Anti-Federalist canon; the antithesis of the The Federalist Papers. Octavo, bound in half calf over boards with six raised bands, edges speckled red. In very good condition. An exceptional example.
Price: $72,000.00 Item Number: 106800
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RARE AND UNRECORDED LAND INDENTURE SIGNED TWICE BY SIR ISAAC NEWTON
NEWTON, Isaac.
Isaac Newton Manuscript Land Indenture Signed.
November 11, 1719.
Rare and unrecorded 18th century legal document signed twice at the conclusion by Sir Isaac Newton as a witness to a land indenture. Manuscript document signed twice on the verso "Isaac Newton", one vellum membrane, dated 11 November 1719, signed by Thomas Sturgess and with his seal, witnessed twice on the dorse (the sealing of the document and the payment of the PS270 witnessed separately) by Newton and also by Richard Cox and James Weston, and also signed again by Sturgess. The document records an indenture by which Thomas Sturgess of the parish of St Martin's in the Fields sells…
Price: $65,000.00 Item Number: 146958
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"let those who are really inclinable to buy, come forward, like men that are in earnest, and say what they will give": Rare Autograph Letter Signed by George Washington as the First President of the United States of America
WASHINGTON, George.
George Washington Autograph Letter Signed.
January 24, 1790.
Rare autograph letter signed by George Washington as the first President of the United States. Quarto, one page, the letter reads in full, "New York Jany 24th 1790 Sir Capt. Burnett delivered me your letter of the 18th and is so obliging as to take charge of this answer - It is my sincere opinion that the land mentioned in it is worth what I asked for it--to wit four dollars per acre and once would have sold for it; but if, in the present scarcity of cash it rather fetch that sum, let those who are really inclinable to…
Price: $65,000.00 Item Number: 141583
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First edition of Richard Owen Cambridge's An Account of the War in India, Between the English and French; from the private library of Benjamin Franklin
CAMBRIDGE, Richard Owen [Benjamin Franklin].
An Account of the War in India, Between the English and French, on the Coast of Coromandel, From the Year 1760. Together with A Relation of the late Remarkable Events on the Malabar Coast, and the Expeditions to Golconda and Surat; with the Operations of the Fleet. Illustrated with Maps, Plans &c. The Whole Compiled from Original Papers.
London: Printed for T. Jefferys, 1761.
Benjamin Franklin's first edition copy of Cambridge's account of the progression of the Seven Years' War in India, from Franklin's private library. Quarto, bound in full contemporary calf, marbled endpapers, illustrated with 12 engraved maps and plans and 6 plates, mostly folding. From the private library of Benjamin Franklin. Franklin's contributions to science and politics were immense and his passion for making books more available to a broader audience prompted him to establish North America's first subscription library. In 1731, Franklin convinced the members of his Junto (a mutual improvement club he founded) to pool their money to purchase books…
Price: $65,000.00 Item Number: 137375
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Rare collection of the works of Thomas Paine; finely bound with a rare early printing of John Quincy Adams' response to Paine's Rights of Man
PAINE, Thomas.
Common Sense: Addressed to the Inhabitants of America, Plain Truth, Rights of Man Parts I & II, and An Answer to Pain’s Rights of Man.
J. Almon, J.S. Jordan, and J. Stockdale: London, 1776-1793.
Finely bound collection of the works of Thomas Paine, including the rare first British editions of Common Sense and Plain Truth (London: J. Almon, 1776), second editions of Rights of Man Parts I & II (London: J.S. Jordan, 1791-1792), complete with half-titles present, and a rare early printing of John Quincy Adams' response to Paine's Rights of Man (London: J. Stockdale, 1793), attributed to his father John Adams and written when John Quincy Adams was 26 years old. Octavo, bound in three quarters morocco over marbled boards with gilt titles and tooling to the spine, red morocco spine label, all…
Price: $60,000.00 Item Number: 96237
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FIRST EDITION OF RICARDO’S FUNDAMENTAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE SCIENCE OF ECONOMICS: ON THE PRINCIPLES OF POLITICAL ECONOMY AND TAXATION
RICARDO, David.
On The Principles of Political Economy and Taxation.
London: John Murray, 1817.
First edition of David Ricardo’s most important work, a cornerstone of economic theory— one of only 750 copies printed. Octavo, bound in contemporary half calf. Calf lightly rubbed, a near fine example. Rare in contemporary calf. Bookplate of John Hales Calcraft, member of Parliament in the late 18th century.
Price: $60,000.00 Item Number: 4046
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“Nothing is so indecent that it cannot be said to another person if the proper words are used to convey it": Rare First Edition in English of Boccaccio's Decameron
BOCCACCIO, Giovanni.
The Decameron.
London: Isaac Jaggard, 1620.
First edition in English of Boccaccio's masterpiece, published by Jaggard published three years prior to his printing of the Shakespeare First Folio. Boccaccio's masterpiece. Folio, 2 volumes, bound in full morocco by Riviere, gilt titles and tooling to the spine, all edges gilt, errata leaf at end of volume one, B1 is a cancellans, woodcut titles each with 6 vignettes, 98 woodcut vignettes in text chiefly repeating the title vignettes, woodcut initials, head- and tail-pieces. In near fine condition. First editions are rare.
Price: $60,000.00 Item Number: 128726
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"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit": One of Only 50 sets of The Works of Aristotle; Signed by Translator Thomas Taylor in volumes 1 and 4.
ARISTOTLE; TRANSLATED BY THOMAS TAYLOR,.
The Works of Aristotle.
London: Robert Wilks, 1806-12.
Exceptionally rare complete set of the first edition in English of the works of Aristotle, limited to only 50 sets, signed by the translator Thomas Taylor in volumes one and four. Quarto, 11 volumes, bound in full contemporary calf, gilt titles and tooling to the spine, morocco spine labels, ribbon book marks bound in, marbled endpapers, all edges marbled. The set composes of the following: Volume 1: The Organon, 1807, signed at the end by the translator Thomas Taylor, and with A Brief Notice of Mr. Thomas Taylor, the Celebrated Platonist, with a Complete List of his Published Works, by…
Price: $55,000.00 Item Number: 138648