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101 NELSON – OMAN, Carola. Nelson. London: Hodder and Stoughton Limited, 1947 in a striking cosway-style binding First edition of Carola Oman’s key work, in a splendid Cosway- style binding incorporating a portrait of Nelson after Lemuel Francis Abbott’s 1797 painting, the original of which hangs in the National Portrait Gallery, London. Cosway-style bindings, named after the famous Regency miniaturist Richard Cosway, were a style initially executed by Riviere & Son for Henry Sotheran booksellers in the early 20th century, with miniatures by Caroline Billin Curry mounted under glass. The exquisite bindings were soon imitated by many leading bookbinders internationally, and have long been sought after by collectors as outstanding examples of the binder’s craft. Oman’s biography of Nelson won the Sunday Times Prize for English Literature , and “still stands as the benchmark against which modern biographies of Nelson may be judged” ( ODNB ). She had access to previously unpublished primary sources, including the collection of Lady Nelson’s papers assembled by Lady Llangattock, founder of the Nelson Museum in Monmouth. “Although Oman was criticized for being insufficiently selective in her choice of material, and for her reluctance to make judgements, she was also widely praised for discarding prevalent myths, and for presenting Nelson in the round, through a stylish, accessible narrative” (ibid.). Octavo (248 × 163 mm). Near-contemporary dark blue crushed morocco by Bayntun, raised bands tooled in gilt on spine, compartments lettered and ruled in gilt with gilt ship devices, covers ruled in gilt with gilt-tooled ship devices, inset hand-painted miniature portrait of Nelson on front cover, turn-ins gilt, blue silk endpapers, gilt edges. Frontispiece and 12 black- and-white plates, 6 maps, and one genealogical folding chart. A fine copy, elaborately bound. ¶ Cowey 187. £2,750 [148366]
102 NICHOLAS I of Russia (owner). O pereformirovanii voysk Otdel’nogo Kavkazskogo korpusa (On the Reorganization of the Troops of the Separate Caucasus Corps). St Petersburg: The Military Press, 1834 from the library of tsar nicholas i First edition, from the library of Tsar Nicholas I, with the gilt- stamped supralibros and pencilled press-marks of his English- style Cottage Palace and home farm estate Aleksandriya. Aleksandriya was named after Nicholas’s wife Alexandra Fedorovna, who found the pomp and protocol of court life oppressive. It became the permanent summer residence for the Tsar’s family. No other copy of the book could be traced. It collects texts offering valuable insight into Russian Imperial military policy during one of the bloodiest periods of the Caucasus War (1817– 1864), including an official order of Tsar Nicholas I, a table of the regiments and line battalions of the Separate Caucasus Corps signed by the Minister of War, Graf Alexander Chernyshyov, and staff reports over the signatures of either Chernyshyov or the adjutant general, Pyotr Kleinmichel. Octavo (198 × 130 mm). Dark green morocco-textured sheep, concentric gilt panels with elaborate cornerpieces to both covers, the front with large Imperial eagle centre tool, the lower with floral tool in blind, edges with zig-zag edge-roll at the corners, floral roll to the turn-ins, gilt edges. Tables to the text. Neatly rebacked with the original spine laid down, lightly rubbed, endpapers browned, some spotting and light staining to the text, indistinct old library stamp to the corner of one leaf, overall very good. £4,000 [135947]
All items are fully described and photographed at peterharrington.co.uk
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