Natural History Books - Buckland - Reliquae Diluvianae

(Anonymous), The Caves of the Earth, Religious Tract Society, nd (circa 1850s); original cloth; 192 pp.; with detailed collector record card. 138 grams, 14.5 x 9.5 cm

Near fine condition.

Acquired Beazle's Books, Bristol, July 2008. The property of Mr and Mrs PR of East Sussex. Thence by descent to family members. Accompanied by a hand-written record card from Mr and Mrs PR.

This lot is from the collection assembled by a man who pursued a lifelong interest in speleology - the study of natural cave systems and he sought out important books on the subject ranging from 18th century classic works to rare pamphlets and offprints. The first book apparently acquired, by way of a gift from a family friend in 1955, when he was living as a young man in Australia and exploring the famed Jenolan Caves in New South Wales. For over fifty years, as he moved around the world, his interest expanded into USA cave systems and those in the United Kingdom and Europe. Many of the books have a pedigree of previous ownership and almost all are accompanied by meticulous index cards that record not only the full bibliographic information for each book but also when, where and from whom it was acquired, together with the price paid; the cards are often punctuated with pithy personal comments that show clearly the depth of interest in the subject. The collection represents an unrivalled opportunity today for collectors and others to acquire rare and important works.

Shaw, T. R., Cave Illustrations before 1900 A Catalogue of Non-Photographic Illustrations of Caves, BSA Monograph, Settle, nd (but believed 1967); pictorial wrappers with cloth spine; 184 pp.; with detailed collector record card and Keighley Public Library bookplate to front inside cover and ink library stamps to fep and reverse of title with associated small label and ink stamp to front cover. 495 grams, 26 x 20.8 cm

Fine condition. A rare and useful reference.

Ex libris Keighley Public Library (1968). Acquired Bishopstone Books, September 2007. The property of Mr and Mrs PR of East Sussex. Thence by descent to family members. Accompanied by a hand-written record card from Mr and Mrs PR.

This lot is from the collection assembled by a man who pursued a lifelong interest in speleology - the study of natural cave systems and he sought out important books on the subject ranging from 18th century classic works to rare pamphlets and offprints. The first book apparently acquired, by way of a gift from a family friend in 1955, when he was living as a young man in Australia and exploring the famed Jenolan Caves in New South Wales. For over fifty years, as he moved around the world, his interest expanded into USA cave systems and those in the United Kingdom and Europe. Many of the books have a pedigree of previous ownership and almost all are accompanied by meticulous index cards that record not only the full bibliographic information for each book but also when, where and from whom it was acquired, together with the price paid; the cards are often punctuated with pithy personal comments that show clearly the depth of interest in the subject. The collection represents an unrivalled opportunity today for collectors and others to acquire rare and important works.

Farey, John snr., General View of the Agriculture and Minerals of Derbyshire, London, 1815-1817, 3 volumes; original publisher's boards with papered spines and printed labels (spine absent to vol.I), pages untrimmed with volume 3 mostly uncut at top edge (priced at 1 guinea, 15 shillings and 18 shillings respectively 'in boards'); vol.I (1815): xlvii pp. + 532 pp. + 4 pp. [advertisements], coloured folding map at pp.96-97; volume II (1815): xx pp. + 28 pp. [place names & contents] + 522 pp. + 22 pp. [advertisements], folding plate at pp.10-11; volume III (1817): xxvii pp. + 725 pp. + 2 pp [advertisements + 2 plates], folding map frontis; with three detailed collector record cards and small ink 'E SIMPSON' stamp to titles. 2.6 kg total, 23.2 x 14.5 cm each

Overall good condition; several boards detached and text blocks to volumes I and II broken and fragile at spines; needs rebinding. Rare set.

Ex libris Dr Eli Simpson. Acquired Miss C M Rawdin, 1983. The property of Mr and Mrs PR of East Sussex. Thence by descent to family members. Accompanied by three hand-written record cards from Mr and Mrs PR.

This lot is from the collection assembled by a man who pursued a lifelong interest in speleology - the study of natural cave systems and he sought out important books on the subject ranging from 18th century classic works to rare pamphlets and offprints. The first book apparently acquired, by way of a gift from a family friend in 1955, when he was living as a young man in Australia and exploring the famed Jenolan Caves in New South Wales. For over fifty years, as he moved around the world, his interest expanded into USA cave systems and those in the United Kingdom and Europe. Many of the books have a pedigree of previous ownership and almost all are accompanied by meticulous index cards that record not only the full bibliographic information for each book but also when, where and from whom it was acquired, together with the price paid; the cards are often punctuated with pithy personal comments that show clearly the depth of interest in the subject. The collection represents an unrivalled opportunity today for collectors and others to acquire rare and important works.