Irish Melodies
Thomas Moore. London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, 1846.

Additional title and decorative borders throughout by Daniel Maclise. Apart from letterpress title, preface leaf, and end matter, entirely engraved throughout. 4to, original bevelled cream boards printed in green and gold with shamrock border enclosing center roundel showing woman playing harp (front cover) and publisher’s monogram (rear cover),

First Maclise edition, in the original boards, “one of the finest covers of the early Victorian period, probably designed by Owen Jones”—McLean (1983), page 30. Ray, The Illustrator and the Book in England 29 (“a landmark … in the history of style”).

Le Clavecin Bien Tempéré Ou Preludes Et Fugues Dans Tous Les Tons Et Demitons
(The Well-Tempered Clavier)
Johann Sebastian Bach. Vienna: Hoffmeister & Comp (And Leipzig: Bureau De Musique), [1801]

…I […Ii] Parthie, (The “48”, Books 1 & 2); Bwv 846-893), 2 volumes, 87 & 97 pages, oblong 4to, engraved throughout, plate numbers 53 and 91, contemporary green half calf, green-gilt titles to covers and spine, early ownership inscription (“Bischoff”), some foxing, [Hoboken 96 & 99; RISM B 501]

B-A Note:
Per Northern Arizona University:

The Well-Tempered Clavier, by J. S. Bach, is one of the world’s great intellectual treasures. Each of its two volumes contains a prelude and fugue in every major and minor key of the chromatic scale. Book I, which was completed in 1722, was the first cycle of compositions in this conception. Book I begins with a prelude in C Major, followed by a fugue in the same key. These are followed by a prelude and fugue in C minor, C#/Db major/minor, D major/minor, etc. Each pair moves up the chromatic scale until every key has been represented. In Book II, which was completed in 1744, Bach effects another complete transversal of the chromatic cycle. One of Bach’s primary purposes in composing these cycles was to demonstrate the feasibility of the “well tempered” tuning system that would allow for composition in every key.

NAU has a very cool interactive player, where you can hear each piece, see a visual representation of the composition, and read informative text about it. Uses Shockwave. May take a few minutes to install but worth it.

XENOPHON
Xenofontos Apanta Ta Euriskomena [Greek]. Xenophontis Omnia, Quae Extant. [Edited By Francesco Da Asola]. Venice: Aldus And Andrea Torresani, April 1525

Folio (306 x 202mm.), Greek text, woodcut Aldine device on title page and final verso, lightly annotated in an early hand, seventeenth-century sprinkled calf, spine gilt in compartments, slight spotting and browning, lower cover slightly scuffed, corners scuffed, spine restored at head and foot

Minstrel Songs Old and New

Condition/Details: Bound in original pictorial paper wrappers, this antique volume is a scarce collection of “world-wide, famous minstrel and plantation songs, including the most popular of the celebrated Foster melodies, arranged with Piano-Forte accompaniment.” This work includes songs still known today, such as “Buffalo Gals,” “Camptown Races,” and “Oh, Susannah.” The volume shows advanced external age/wear, with age-toning and moisture indications to the delicate wrappers and pages, as well as chipping and tearing along the edges. The book measures approximately 10” x 12 1/2” and contains 215 pages.

Comic Book Tattoo
Editor: Rantz A. Hoseley. BauWauHaus Productions, 2008: Limited Edition.

Condition/Details: Bound in black cloth with bright gilt embossing, colorful pictorial design on the front cover, and gilt-embossed slipcase, this volume is a very scarce, limited edition, signed by musician Tori Amos. The work is illustrated with comic illustrations depicting the lyrics and music of Tori Amos. The volume shows very well, with only light shelf wear, with bright, clean pages. The book measures approximately 12” x 12” and is unpaginated.

Julius Cæsar: An Opera
G. Frederick Handel. Cluers, 1724.

First edition, engraved title, privilege, index, disbound lacking covers, first and last page slightly dusty, 8vo. *** The first of Handel’s operas to be published by John Cluer, the finely illustrated title was only used for the first edition.