171. Ó Ríordáin, Seán Pádraig.

Eireaball Spideoige.

The very rare first edition of the poets first book ! Baile Átha Cliath, Sáirséa agus Dill [Sáirséal Ó Marcaigh], 1952. Small Octavo. 118, [2] pages – [With a frontispiece portrait]. Original Hardcover with the fragile, original, transparent dustjacket (the lettered flaps have been attached to the pastedowns with two small strips of sellotape). The transparent dustjacket in poor condition but the volume itself in very good condition with only minor signs of external wear. Three very small dogears. Name of preowner on endpaper. The first edition of this publication is one of the rarest publications of irish poetry / literature. Scarce ! From the library of irish Historian Tadhg Ó Murchú, with his name on the endpaper.

172. Goldsmith, Oliver/ [Washington Irving] / [Sara Jeffares (Landscape, 1886)].

A History of The Earth and Animated Nature – With an Introductory View of the Animal Kingdom. Translated from the French of Baron Cuvier and with copious Notes, embracing Accounts of New Discoveries in Natural History. [Includes a Biographical Sketch of Oliver Goldsmith: “A Life of the Author”, by Washington Irving]. (Illustrated Edition with full-page portrait of Goldsmith, 45 (of 46) full-page hand-coloured Plates of Butterflies, Birds, Rhonocerous etc. as well as two hand-coloured, additional Titlepages with animal-scenes [plate XXVI (Crocodile) is missing and plates XXXI and XXXVIII were never inteded to be bound with the work]).

First Edition with the Biography of Goldsmith by Washington Irving. Six Parts in Two Volumes (complete set). London, Edinburgh and Dublin, A. Fullerton and Co., 1846-1848. Large Octavo. Pagination: Frontispiece-Portrait of Oliver Goldsmith by S. Freeman from a painting by Sir Joshua Reynolds, Engraved and hand-coloured Titlepage (with tissue-guard), LIV, Hardcover / Original, decorative half-leather with gilt lettering and ornament on spine. Plate 40 with a minor defect to the outer margins only (no image effected). Bindings in wonderful and firm condition. From the library of one Sara Jeffares (Landscape, 1886), her full name, year and place of lodgings signed by her on the titlepage.

173. [The Rare Volume One] – O’Brien, Fitz-James.

The Diamond Lens [14 pages in: The Atlantic Monthly, Volume I – January, 1858 – No. III] – Here on Offer is a the original bound inaugural Volume I of “The Atlantic Monthly”, signed and inscribed, possibly by a distant family-member of Fitz-James O’Brien: “D.D.O’Brien, Mallow” – “Presented by D.D.O’Brien to L. O’Kelly”. A later, 19th century ownership-signature is: “John L. Williams”. The entire Volume includes the following numbers: Volume I – November 1857 – No.I. / Volume I – December 1857 – No. II. / Volume I – January 1858 – No. III. / Volume I – February 1858 – No. IV. / Volume I – March 1858 – No. V. / Volume I – April 1858 – No. VI //

Boston, The Atlantic Monthly, 1857-1858. Octavo. IV, 768 pages. Hardcover / Original Half-leather with gilt lettering on spine. Binding in poor but still good + condition with some stronger signs of wear, spine starting, mild foxing throughout and some faded damp-staining to the outer paper-margins inside only. Endpaper, Half-title and titlepage slightly detached. This is the very rare inaugural Atlantic Volume with a wonderful irish provenance, possibly even a relation to Fitz-James O’Brien.

174. [Hales, William].

Irish Pursuits of Literature, in A.D. 1798, and 1799, consisting of I. Translations, II. Second Thoughts, III. Rival Translations, IV. The Monstrous Republic [The Monstrous Republic – Or, French Atrocities Pourtrayed [sic] Portrayed], V. Indexes.

Dublin, Printed for J. Milliken and J. Wright [London], 1799. Large Octavo. [2], XXVII, [1], 153, [1], 99, 71 pages. Hardcover / Original publisher’s interim – binding, paper-covered boards with spinelabel. Very good condition ‘Sammelband’ with several works bound in one. Only minor signs of external wear. The interior in excellent, near Fine condition. Extremely scarce compilation. From the library of Richard Meade, Ballymartle (County Cork), with his name in ink on titlepage and loosely inserted his bookplate.

175. [Hansard, Luke].

The Imperial Review ; or London and Dublin Literary Journal [From 1805 on called “The Imperial Review or London, Edinburgh and Dublin Literary Journal”].

First and only Edition. Five Volumes. London, Printed by Luke Hansard, for T.Cadell and W. Davies, in The Strand, also for J.Archer, J. Cooke (Ormond Quay); and M.N.Mahon (Grafton Street, Dublin); A. Edwards (Cork Printer); J. Barry (Limerick) and W. Magee (Belfast), 1804 – 1805. Octavo. Two Annuals (complete for the Year 1804 and 1805) of this Rare Periodical, bound in five Volumes. Year 1804: Volume the First: (January to April, 1804) XII, 654 pages including Index / Volume the Second: (May to August, 1804) VIII, 639 pages including Index / Volume the Third: (September to December, 1804) VIII, 628 pages including Index // Year 1805: Volume the Fourth [Titlepage missing] (January to June, 1805): VII, 733 pages including Index / Volume the Fifth (July to December, 1805): VII, 706 pages including Index. Original Hardcover with new spinelabels. All Volumes in collector’s Mylar. Very good condition with only minor signs of wear. Provenance: From the library of Richard Meade (Ballymartle), with his Exlibris / Bookplate to pastedown. Minor browning only. Titlepage of Volume four missing, otherwise complete and the interior in excellent condition. A very rare find, this is one of the more elusive periodicals of the early 19th century, printed just after the Act of Union in 1800 was established and printed by english printer Luke Hansard for publishers and printers in London, Dublin and Cork.

176. [Rees-Mogg, William / Cholwell House] [Lever, Charles].

Arthur O’Leary – His Wanderings and Ponderings in Many Lands. Edited by his friend, Harry Lorrequer and Illustrated by George Cruikshank. [William Rees-Mogg’s personal copy from his library at Cholwell House and with his armorial Bookplate / Exlibris to pastedown].

New Edition. London, Henry Colburn, 1845. Octavo. Frontispiece-Portrait of Arthur O’Leary, 364 pages with ten illustrations by Cruikshank (including the Frontispiece). Hardcover / Original 19th century half leather with two spine-labels, professionally rebacked and restored by a professional bookbindery. Original pastedowns retained with the original bookbindery-label of C.T.Jefferies & Sons from Bristol. Some of the Cruikshank-plates very good, some with strong foxing (as usual). The text fresh and clean. After the restoration, this Volume is now in excellent condition with some minor signs of wear only.

177. [Curtayne, Alice] / McKevitt, P. / Lucey, C. / Conway, J. Jacobus / Christus Rex Society of Irish Diocesan Priests / Rísteard Ó Cíonga [Richard King as Illustrator] / etc.

Alice Curtayne as Contributor to Irish Periodicals / Journals / Digests. The collection aims for completion and collects not only issues of periodicals with contributions by Alice Curtayne but hopes to complete each set of periodicals to which Alice Curtayne contributed between the years of 1930 and 1980, in order to allow for cross-referencing of contributors, study cooperation between illustrators and Alice Curtayne, her influence and acceptance as early female contributor in a men’s world, possibly even deciphering pseudonyms under which Curtayne might have written or essays she might have contributed to but her name was omitted; in general: circumstances which have not been detected yet. The Collection is documented thoroughly in professional images and descriptions on our website and includes to date: I. Alice Curtayne as Contributor to “The Irish Digest”: 1. “The Irish Digest” from September 1940 – including the article: Alice Curtayne – “Lament of an Author” / II. Alice Curtayne as Contributor to “Christus Rex”: “Christus Rex” – An Irish Quarterly Journal of Sociology. A Collection of 24 issues of the important and underrated publication “Christus Rex” including: 1. Volume XX, No.4 of “Christus Rex”: Alice Curtayne – “The Council and Women” ]. / III. Alice Curtayne as Contributor to “The Furrow”: “The Furrow” – Monthly Journal published by the Leinster Leader, Naas and Edited by Rev. J.G.McGarry. A Collection of 56 issues of the Journal, including two issues with Curtayne – publications: 1. “Saint Patrick in his Confession” – (In: “The Furrow” from March 1951) and 2. “Marillac Manor” (in “The Furrow” from July 1959) and 3. “Ecumenism in Dublin” (In “The Furrow” from February 1966) / IV. Alice Curtayne as Contributor to “The Capuchin Annual”. Including: 1. Alice Curtayne – “For the Septcentenary of St.Anthony of Padua (1231 – 1931)” – [including a portrait photograph of Alice Curtayne] / 2. Alice Curtayne – “Five Irish Saints” (″The Living Patrick” / “Saint Colmcille – Irishman” / “Saint Brendan – The Navigator” / “Saint Ita” / “The Method of Saint Columbus” / (In: Capuchin Annual 1945-1946 – with Illustrations in color by Stained Glass Artist, Rísteard Ó Cíonga [Richard King].

Naas, Christus Rex Publications, 1949 – 1967. Octavo. 81 Issues with different amounts of pages and content. Overall c. 4800 pages. Original Softcover. Excellent condition with some minor signs of wear only. Some of the issues with annotations and some with a former library-stamp. Very rare run of these periodicals which invited contributions from other women writers like Ita Meehan.

178. [John Minihan Collection] – Minihan, John / Heaney, Seamus.

Original photograph of Seamus Heaney at his 70th birthday in his home in Dublin, in the year 2009 / Titled and Signed by John Minihan in 2014 / The vintage photograph is here framed together with the original commemoration Stamp and signed First Day Cover of Anpost [The photograph was used as a Template for the creation of the Anpost Stamp in 2014].

Vintage Photograph on archival paper / Vintage First Day Cover with extra signature by John Minihan. Dublin, 2014. Image of the Photograph: 16 cm x 24 cm / First Day Cover: 18 cm x 12 cm. Overall Framed Size: 79 cm wide x 53,5 cm high. From the personal library of irish photographer John Minihan. Titled and signed by John Minihan. Beautifully framed (see multiple images on our website). Our company knows of an edition of four photographs and signed First Day Covers, which we bought from John Minihan in 2014 and which he signed in 2014. Later, signed First Day Covers are circulating and we have some of those in our archive for sale. But since John Minihan has sold the rights to most of his iconic images to UCC in Cork, none of the photographs are reprinted by the photographer and that makes this combination of the signed Seamus Heaney photograph, combined with the First Day Cover, signed actually on August 28th of 2014, very scarce. We have an edition of 3 (three) left. One is part of the “John Minihan Photography Collection”, which we are selling on our website (see under “Libraries & Collections”) and two are for sale on the free international market. The here offered, beautifully framed version, is one of these two. The price includes free shipping as a framed version within Ireland / The price includes free international shipping per UPS Courier but only unframed (we pay for framing in your home-country) !

179. Curtayne, Alice.

Alice Curtayne and “Studies – An Irish Quarterly Review” – Irish Quarterly Scholarly Journal, historically published since the year 1912 by The Educational Company of Ireland / The Talbot Press / Messenger Publications for the Jesuits of Ireland. A Collection of momentarily 53 issues plus Index (1912-1961) of the Journal, including currently one identified issue with an Alice Curtayne – publication: 1. “Dante” – (In: “Studies” Summer/Autumn – Issue 1965).

Dublin, The Educational Company of Ireland / The Talbot Press, 1912 – 1969. Octavo. 53 Issues plus Index, with different amounts of pages and content. Overall c. 2800 pages. Original Softcover. Very good condition with some issues with some stronger signs of wear but the majority of issues in firm and excellent condition. Some of the issues with annotations and some with a former library-stamp. Very rare run of this periodicals which invited contributions from other women writers like Mary M. Macken, Pamela Reilly, Helen Landreth, Eleanor Knott, Ethna Kavanagh, Lorna Reynolds, etc.

180. [John Montague Collection] – [Montague, John] Dorgan, Theo.

Typescript Draft MS for a book of poetry by Theo Dorgan. With occasional manuscript corrections / suggestions / annotations by Dorgan’s early mentor John Montague, the Typescript MS was held among the private papers of John Montague in his West Cork Home. The typescript includes poems like “Closed Circuit”, “The Promised Garden”. Montague is approving several of the poems by simply applying a tick. John Montague made suggestions in pencil on the structure of “Elegy for a Schoolfriend” and more in depth-suggestions on “Nasty Archer”, “Her Body”,″The Width of a Room Between Us”, “Return”, “Reconciliation”, “Sunday Afternoon”. When asked about helping to date this early draft of his poetry, Theo Dorgan immediately gets back to us and he places it from memory into the early 1980’s. Theo Dorgan was surprised and seemingly chuffed that John Montague held on to this Manuscript and he recalls: “These poems, some in revised versions, make up the backbone of my first published collection, ‘The Ordinary House of Love’.” Dorgan continues: “I’m happy to say that most of them survived Montague’s eagle eye, which was of course a great comfort to me at the time. Still is!” Some of these poems selected had previously been published as broadsheets etc. but the skeleton of the Draft hints already at readying it for publication. Theo Dorgan graciously gives us even more information: “Some of the poems in the eventual book go back to when I was a student, others were definitely written in the second half of the 80s. The bulk of it, however, is in this MS. I base my estimation in part on the fact that what you have is a typescript produced, it appears, on the IBM golfball machine that was the pride and joy of Triskel Arts Centre. That machine was bought in 1980 or 1981, I’m fairly sure of that. I was Literature Officer there, then.” Theo Dorgan was part of John Montague’s circle of mentored poets, even though in an email-exchange with him about this typescript he mentions that “John Montague worked far more with Thomas McCarthy, Maurice Riordan and Gregory O’Donoghue than he did with me, and in many ways Gregory O’Donoghue was at that stage the most accomplished of us all – the only one included in JM’s Faber Book.” What followed then in our conversation with Theo Dorgan is a great example why manuscripts, letters, autographs, typescripts and the connections we often make with documents from the past have such meaning in explaining our emotional ties with people who matter to us on our way of forming personality. They are memories transforming into images, floods of empathy and nostalgia for personal moments lost but treasured because they helped us form our values. Presented with the old typescript, Theo Dorgan’s emotionality is tangible and he confesses more in an internal dialogue with himself and John Montague than with us: “I’m sorry to say that the reason John Montague worked with those others more than he did with me is because, in my shameful, youthful arrogance, I much preferred to trust my own judgement, and also, I suspect, because I was closest to John in temperament and feared coming unduly under his influence. That said, there was no-one whose good opinion of a poem I valued more, and we were close all our lives after. Very likely it was a case of old stag/young stag ! Montague taught us by indirection, he made his extensive library of modern and contemporary poetry available to us without stint, would wait for us to find an affinity (as, e.g. mine with Robert Graves and Galway Kinnell) and would then, in a long, ongoing conversation, help us to understand what it might mean for our own poems that we felt such affinities. A guided companionship in reading and making, if you will.”

Ireland, c.1981-1982. A4. 43 pages typescripts. Paperclipped. Very good condition with only minor signs of external wear. Some fingerstaining and residue of rust from the paperclip. Wonderful and extremely valuable document of not only a collaboration between two of Ireland’s landmark writers but moreover witness to the becoming, the birth of a true poet. Also included (from a different source) is a second printing of the first edition of the subsequent publication “The Ordinary House of Love” – signed by Theo Dorgan. Right at the beginning of the printed version, instead of a dedication to John Montague, Theo Dorgan placed a quote from Montague’s poem “Wine Dark Sea”: ‘For there is no sea / it is all a dream there is no sea / except in the tangle / of our minds; / the wine dark / sea of history on which we all turn / turn and thresh / and disappear.’ (Collected Poems, page 255). Provenance of the annotated typescript: From the private collection of John Montague’s papers in his recently sold West Cork Home.