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41 DE MORGAN, Sophia Elizabeth, as C.D. From Matter to Spirit. London: Longman, Green, Longman, Roberts, Green, 1863 First edition of this uncommon work, one of the foundational texts of the British spiritualist movement. Sophia de Morgan (1809–1892) was a social activist and spiritualist. A close friend of the Byron family, she was an early tutor of Ada Lovelace, and later introduced Lovelace to the mathematician Augustus de Morgan, her husband, for further mathematical tutelage. Alongside her anti-slavery and suffrage campaigns Sophia de Morgan was known as one of the pre- eminent figures in contemporary spiritualism, incorporating séances into her day-to-day life. From Matter to Spirit served both as a chronicle of her own experiences with the supernatural and as a practical presentation of the spiritual philosophy of the theologian Emanuel Swedenborg. Octavo. Original green cloth by Westleys of London (their binder’s ticket to rear pastedown), spine lettered in gilt, decorative frame in blind to covers, brown coated endpapers. Contemporary pencilled ownership inscription of J. W. Sharpe of Woodroffe, Bournemouth on the front free endpaper verso. Sharpe was a member of the Mind Association, and wrote several works on the possibilities of psychophysical powers. His inscription has been struck through by one Rev. E. W. Thomas of Bromley, Kent, with his ink inscription on the half-title, and his occasional pencil marks to the margins and relevant notes to the rear
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focused on black-letter and early printing, large paper and vellum copies. Dibdin’s classic remains eminently readable and is held in high regard by modern collectors, even those collecting in areas alien to Dibdin. 3 volumes, royal octavo (238 × 151 mm). Contemporary green straight-grain morocco, spines gilt in compartments, wide gilt border to covers, broad gilt turn-ins, pink endpapers, gilt edges. With 37 plates, as called for; an additional plate, “Presentation in the Temple” was not ready at time of publication and is, as usual, not present here. Scattered minor rubbing skilfully retouched, contents clean save for occasional light foxing, bound without terminal imprint leaf in vol. I. An excellent copy. ¶ Lowndes, p. 640; Windle and Pippin A28. £5,000 [153987]
free endpaper recto. Spine lightly browned and cocked, wear to spine ends, rear joint, and corners, cloth remaining bright, top edge dust toned, inner hinge fragile, book block slightly shaken, remaining firm, one gathering a little proud; overall a very good copy. ¶ Judy Oberhausen, “Sisters in Spirit: Alice Kipling Fleming, Evelyn Pickering de Morgan, and 19th-century Spiritualism”, The British Art Journal , 2009. £475 [153883] The Bibliographical Decameron. London: Printed for the author by W. Bulmer and Co., 1817 A SPLENDID COPY 42 DIBDIN, Thomas Frognall. First edition, a splendid copy of the book which defined a golden age of book collecting, epitomising an era of aristocratic collectors and great libraries,
All items are fully described and photographed at peterharrington.co.uk
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