This week, we've been fortunate to encounter some exciting first edition works by George R. R. Martin, including a collection of first editions in Dutch, as well as a first edition of Twain's world-famous tale, 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn'. However, we've also come across some more unusual treasures...without further ado...

Atlantis, the Antediluvian World

Written by Ignatius Donnelly, an American Congressman and writer, this work is an important pseudo-archaeological exploration of the lost city of Atlantis, taking Plato's account of the city as being fact. Within the work, Donnelly expresses his belief that when the city was sunk, a few of its inhabitants managed to escape, carrying with them the legend. It also proposes that all ancient civilisations stemmed from emigrants of Atlantis and that their gods were in reality the rulers of Atlantis. This was an extremely important work, first appearing in 1882, and the concepts within have become less unlikely in modern society, with many nowadays believing the Atlanteans to have been ahead of their time in technology, language and culture. 

Paprioke Divadleko

This is an exceptionally scarce Czechoslovakian paper theatre, colourfully illustrated by Helena Rokytova. It includes a folding stage, three sets and twelve character and costume sheets, as well as one playbook by Jitka Bodlakova, titled 'Pet Her pro Papirove Divadelki'. With its bright and bold colours appealing to a young audience, this is a remarkable piece of Czech art and theatre, one that we would hope to be enjoyed by its next owner.

For our other plays, see here.

No Cross, No Crown

William Penn's treatise of Christianity, which was written during his imprisonment in the Tower of London, was first published in 1669, with our edition being the second of 1682. Another vanishingly scarce work, within this treatise, Penn asks his readers to adhere to Primitive Christianity. He was a Quaker, imprisoned in the infamous Tower of London multiple times for his religion; interestingly, he also went on to plan the U.S. City of Philadelphia, with the Province of Pennsylvania named after him. This work has since become a Christian classic. Ours is a scarce seventeenth century copy of this important work.

A Thousand Miles up the Nile

This work is also a second edition, this time of a fascinating travelogue set in Egypt by an excellent English traveller and Egyptologist Amelia B. Edwards, known for co-founding the Egypt Exploration Fund. This work, illustrated by the authoress herself, was extremely popular, and its success allowed the author, nicknamed 'The Godmother of Egyptology', to begin promotion of protecting monuments from tourist and development threats. 'A Thousand Miles up the Nile' describes her voyage of 1873-74, and this is a truly beautiful example of the work by this feminist and LGBTQ icon.


Finally, our header this week is taken from 'Armee du Rhin Campagnes d'Allemagne sous le General Moreau', the fascinating facsimile diary of a French soldier known for fighting under General Moreau, which is inscribed by the author's grandson.