Trifecta in Beverly Hills
- by Bruce E. McKinney
Alice In Wonderland
37031 [Evangelical Lutheran Ministerium of Pennsylvania and the Adjacent States]. Erbauliche Lieder-Sammlung zum Gottesdienstlichen Gebrauch in den Vereinigten Evangelisch Lutherischen Gemeinen in Nord-America.... Erste Auflage. Germantaun [Pennsylvania]: Gedruckt bey Leibert und Billmeyer, 1786. First edition.
http://historical.ha.com/c/item.zx?saleNo=6058&lotNo=37031
37034 Joseph Smith, Junior. The Book of Mormon: An Account Written by the Hand of Mormon, Upon Plates Taken From the Plates of Nephi. By Joseph Smith, Junior, Author and Proprietor. Palmyra, [New York]: Printed by E. B. Grandin, for the Author, 1830. First edition. John Wesley Brackenbury's copy, with his name on front pastedown: "J. W. Brackenbury / His Book / White Cloud / Kansas" written in pencil by the owner, John Wesley Brackenbury. "John W. Brackenbury / Independence / Mo." in pencil on rear pastedown. Brackenbury's seal reading "John W. Brackenbury / Notary Public / Jackson Co., MO" on Testimony leaf at rear.
http://historical.ha.com/c/item.zx?saleNo=6058&lotNo=37034
37038 Charles Darwin. The Different Forms of Flowers on Plants of the Same Species. London: John Murray, 1877. First edition, first issue. Inscribed by Darwin on the title page: "From the Author with kind regards." Also with three autograph letters signed by Darwin tipped in. Edouard Heckel's copy with his ink notes on blank preliminary page, and with his monogrammed anchor stamp on title page.
http://historical.ha.com/c/item.zx?saleNo=6058&lotNo=37038
37052 René Descartes. Discours de la Méthode pour bien conduire sa raison, & chercher la vérité dans les sciences. Plus la Dioptrique. Les Météores. Et la Géométrie. Leyde [Leiden]: Jan Maire, 1637. First edition of Descartes' first published work. Quarto. 78, [2, section title], 413, [1, advertisement], [33, Table], [1, blank] pages. 3K4, the Dutch privilege leaf, in facsimile on old paper. Woodcut device on title page. Woodcut diagrams and initials. Late-nineteenth-century full black morocco by Georges Huser with gilt spine titles inside five raised bands. Red morocco pastedowns ruled in gilt. All edges gilt. Original vellum covers bound in (one partially detached). Housed in a decorative paper and leather slipcase. Text carefully washed, with only very minor occasional foxing. Minor paper flaw to D3. An excellent copy of the foundational work of modern science and philosophy.
This work contains the first appearance of one of the most famous and important phrases in the history of science and philosophy. "Cogito ergo sum" appeared for the first time in the present work in French, as "Je pense donc je suis" that translates into the English proposition "I think, therefore I am". Descartes was writing in French in order to reach a larger audience. The phrase first appeared in the better known Latin form "Cogito ergo sum" in the later published Principles of Philosophy (1644).
http://historical.ha.com/c/item.zx?saleNo=6058&lotNo=37052
37070 H. A. Rey. Curious George. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1941. First edition. Quarto. Unpaginated. Illustrations by the author. Publisher's brick red cloth with Curious George vignette in black on front board and lettering in black on spine. Illustrated endpapers. Original dust jacket with $1.75 price.