Dark Parks Books & Collectibles

Prideaux, Mathias.  John Prideaux.

An Easy and Compendious Introduction For Reading all sorts of Histories... The Third Edition, in which is added a Synopsis of Councels. Oxford: Leonard Lichfield, 1655. 4 books in 1. [4}, A-3B4, 3C2, H4. Later calf boards, light chipping to outer edges, rebacked in modern calf with silver gilt title to spine. Some minor foxing, few minor ink stains, short corner tear to A2, no affect. Few leaves with top margins trimmed close. Minor pencil notes throughout. Overall, a nice copy in a sympathetic binding. Third edition. First edition with Synopsis of Councels. Mathias Prideaux (1622-1646), second son of John Prideaux (1578-1650). Mathias, student of Exeter 1640-1645, before receiving his M.A. became a captain in the king’s service. Mathias died of smallpox in London about 1646, this book his only, edited and published after his death by his father. “Political History in Generall” and “History of Successions” have separate titles dated 1653, pagination are continous. “A Synopsis of Councels” is dated 1654, pagination is separate and may also have been issued separately (Wing P3436A), it is a translation of “Consiliorym Synopsis” (Wing P3421).   Wing P3442. Madan III:2261 and 2280. ESTC: R31925.          

History. Politics. World history. Ancient history. England. Saxons. Egypt. Greeks. Romans. Monarchy. Occult. Pagans.          DP20207   $275.00

Richardson, Albert D.

The Secret Service: The Filed The Dungeon & The Escape. Hartford: American Publishing, 1865. First edition. 512p. Original embossed cloth faded with spine ends chipped away. Front hinge starting. Illustrated with numerous full-page plates and sheets of music at end. A very good working copy of a well known book. Priced to go. Richardson was a staff journalist for the New York Daily Tribune whom was a secret correspondent in the Civil War. He was captured in 1863 and spent a year and a half in Confederate prisons. in 1864 he escaped from the Salisbury NC prison. While in prison his wife and infant daughter died.     Civil War. American history. Americana. Journalism. Prisoner. Spies.      DP20538   $50.00

Ramsbotham, Francis H.

The Principles And Practice Of Obstetric Medicine And Surgery In Reference To The Process Of Parturition. Philadelphia: Lea & Blachard, 1843. 2nd American edition. Hardcover. 458p. Original calf binding boards worn but strong and fully intact. Scattered foxing throughout but most all plates are clean. Fully illustrated with 52 full-page plates. Some pencil notes. Overall a good working copy priced to go. Francis Henry Ramsbotham (1801-1868) physician and writer. Obsteric physician and lecturer on obstetric and forensci medicine at the London Hospital and physician to the Royal Maternity Charity. Ramsbothams reputation rests on his ‘Principles and Practice of Obstetric Medicine and Surgery’ this was one of the first medical books brought out with expensive illustrations and was very successful. [see DNB].         Childbirth. Obstetrics. Partirion. Maternal. Science. Biology. Labor and delivery. Medicine. Surgery. Anatomy. Female body. Babies. Children. Deformities.  DP29684   $50.00


Peck, Francis.

Desiderata Curiosa: Or A Collection Of Divers Scarce And Curious Pieces Relating Chiefly To Matters Of English History; Consisting Of Choice Tracts Memoirs Letters Wills Epitaphs &c... [2 vols]. London: Thomas Evans, 1779. 4to. 2 vols. xvii, [7], 292, [10] &  vi, [10], 293-581, [9]p. Two volumes. Contemporary Etruscan calf bindings some corner edge wear with rebacked spines. Marbled endpapers with brown binding tape at inner margin. Pencil note to first endpaper binding by ‘Edward Halifax’. Plates with some light ghosting to opposite leaves. Foxing spots mostly to outer margins. Volume two with heavier foxing first several leaves at start and center of few pages later. Large margins. Overall a very good copy. With frontispiece and 9 full-page engraved plates. Francis Peck (1692-1743) priest of the Church of England and antiquary best known for his Desiderata Curiosa. The work deals with the history of England and the reign of Queen Elizabeth I during the 17th century.     English history. England. Antiquities. Letters. Essays. Illustrated. Queen Elizabeth I. Biography. Sir William Cecil. Lord Burghley. Monuments. Architecture.     DP20577   $400.00

Roger-Miles, L.

Architecture Decoration Ameublement Pendant Le Dix-Huitieme Siecle Regence - Louis XV. Paris: Edouard Rouveyre, [ND circa 1900]. First edition.

58p. followed by200 tissue guarded plates. Publishers decorative gilt design on dark green cloth blocked in black green and copper. Edges with light wear and rubbing few minor light scratches to covers and spine, little affect. Fully illustrated with 200 full page architecture plates. Text in French.     DP28692   $65.00       

Architecture. French. Illustrated. Decoration. Design. Louis XV.

Renouard, Antoine Augustine.

Annales De L’Imprimerie Des Alde, ou Histoire des trois Manuce et de leurs Editions. Two Volumes. Paris: Renouard, 1803. First edition. 8vo. 3 vols in 2. xxviii, 446p., (table), 250p., (editions), ix, 149p, (editions). Two volumes. Contemporary quarter calf over marbled boards, edges rubbed, some minor wear, spine with gilt borders and titles.  First volume lacks frontis portrait, second volume with frontis. Few pages with minor foxing. First half title with three tiny holes, no affect to text. Bookplate in both volumes, inside paste-down “Renate Schuster”. Considered the standard Aldine reference for book collectors, sellers, and the like.    

Bibliography. Aldine. Aldus. Books on books.        DP20197   $350.00

Richaudeau, [Pierre-Francois].

Nouveau Traite Des Saints Mysteres Conforme Aux Regles De La Liturgie Romaine. Paris: Jacques Lecoffre, 1853. First Edition. Very rare. 8vo. x, [1], 480p. Contemporary calf, rebacked, rubbed, hinges started but strong, gilt title and floral decoration. Title page with library notes, stamps of Biblioteca Bianchi Roma, few leaves with minor foxing, else a fine copy of a very rare book. First and only edition of this uncommon treatise on the Holy Mysteries related to the Liturgy of the Catholic Mass. We are unable to locate any sales or auction records of this extremely rare title. In fact, the last record of sale for this author was in 1959. Richaudeau, Pierre Francois (b.1806), author of several religious texts including Vie de la reverende mere Marie de l’Incarnation, ursuline Marie Guyard (1873) and La Prophetie de Blois (1870).  Catholic Church. Liturgy. Mass. Lord’s Supper. Religion. Bible. DP20158   $350.00

Peucer, Caspar.

Commentarius De Praecipius Generibus Divibationum.... Wittenberg: Johannes Kraft, 1560. Second edition. Rare. A-2Z8, a-l8. 456, [1]p. Modern antique full calf with decorative blind fleuol design to cover and spine. Folding "Tabula Indicis"  at end torn, lacking bottom half, minor loss. Text complete. Contemporary owner signature to inside front board and tp at bottom, “Frederichi Zormy?”, notes to inside of back board also. Some underlining, few leaves with light outer margin damp stains, few leaves with minor corner wear, no affect. Peucer (1525-1602) was a doctor and professor of medicine at Wittenberg. He married a daughter of Melancthon and edited his works. "...being for ten years in close imprisonment, on account of his opinions, he wrote his thoughts on the margins of old books which they gave him for amusement, making his ink of burnt crusts of bread infused in wine." [- Chalmers vxxiv, 426-7]. "The work of Caspar Peucer on various kinds of divination was first printed in Wittenberg in 1553....it seems to have been the most influential of his numerous writings which were concerned with the varied fields of medicine, astronomy, mathematics, natural history, and psychology... After discussing divination in general, he turns to oracles and theomancy, then to magic -- which he correctly implies is a variety of divination, whereas the opposite is true -- then to divination from entrails, to augury and aruspicina, to lot-casting under which he puts geomancy and divining from names and numbers, and to dreams and their interpretation. Next he considers medical prognostications, meteorology and weather prediction, physiognomy and chiromancy, astrology, and last prodigies and portents." [-Thorndike].       VD16 P:1973. Adams P930. Houzeau-Lancaster 4860. Wellcome I:4968. Coumont P33.2. Cornell BF1410.P51-1560. Esoterica 381. Gardner 122.     Occult. Witchcraft. Divination. Medicine. Science. Magic. Astrology. Religion. Demonology.      DP20138   $1500.00

Reade, Charles.

White Lies. [From the London Journal]. London: The London Journal, 1857. Nos. 646-666, Vol.XXVI. First Edition. 4to. Dyed red calf over boards, wear to edges and spine. Leaves from 21 editions of the London Journal. 21 engravings by W. Corwin illustrating the story.  With two incidental engravings, one of St. James Music Hall, and one of General Cavaignac. Reade, Charles (1814-1884), novelist and playwright. This is the rare first edition, serialized in the London Journal before the 3 volume novel was published.     Fiction. Literature. Novel.         DP20063   $250.00

Polli, Giovanni.

Saggio Di Fisiognomia E Patagnomonia Ossia.  Dei mezzi di conoscere le interne facolta [?] e la malattie de gli uomini dalle loro esterne apparenze. Milano: Paolo Andrea Molina, 1837. First Edition. 8vo. 380p. Modern two-tone cloth.  Presentation from the author on front flyleaf.  Minor foxing, else fine. Four large  folding plates of figures at end (bound in reverse order). 4 folding plates with numerous heads. Polli (1812-1880) Milanese physician who earned his laureate in medicine in 1837 and taught medicine and chemistry in various schools in Milan.     

Gerlach, Polli 1837. Magli 53:3.       Occult. Physiognomy. Science.          DP20048   $250.00