DW101-180 Part 1.qxp_Layout 1 27/10/2017 15:31 Page 41
131 Milton (John). The Practical Bee-Keeper; or, Concise and Plain Instructions for the Management of Bees and Hives, 1st edition, 1843, wood-engraved frontispiece, title-vignette and illustrations, 4 pp. publisher’s list at rear, front free endpaper with early ink ownership name to blank verso, partly uncut, original green cloth, 8vo, together with A Short History of Bees. In Two Parts. I. The Natural History of Bees…, II. An Aenigmatical Account of a Neighbouring Nation…, 1st edition, E. Newbery, 1800, engraved frontispiece, a few light spots, recent quarter calf, 12mo, plus Frankly (Mr.). The History of Frugal, the Wild Bee, 1st edition, [1816], hand-coloured frontispiece (with early ink inscription to blank recto), vignette title-page, publiser’s advertisement leaf at rear, first few gatherings spotted, front pastedown with early ink names and armorial stencil, both hinges split, contemporary quarter morocco, some wear, 12mo, plus eight others similar First three items: British Bee Books 248, 162, 178. (11)
134 Rusden (Moses). A Full Discovery of Bees. Treating of the Nature, Government, Generation & Preservation of the Bee. With the Experiments and Improvements, arising from the keeping them in transparent Boxes, instead of Straw-hives. Alson proper Directions (to all such as keep Bees) as well to prevent their robbing in Straw-hives, as their killing in the Colonies, 2nd edition, London: H. Million, 1685, [24],143,[1]pp., three folding engraved plates only of 4 (lacking frontispiece, provided in loosely inserted photocopy), title torn at foot with partial loss of imprint, catchword on I4 torn with slight loss and upper outer blank corner of I5 slightly torn, occasional light dampstaining, dust-soiling and marginal browning, lacking front endpaper and rear endpaper partially torn away, sewing partly broken and few leaves loose, contemporary calf, joints split at head, worn at head & foot of spine, covers loose, 8vo, contained in purpose-made book box
£100-150
132 Murphy (Arthur). The Bees. A Poem. From the Fourteenth Book of Vaniere’s Praedium Rusticum, London: printed for F. and C. Rivington, 1799, xxxiv,70pp., lacking the half-title and final advertisement leaf, faint ink inscription to title, some dust-soiling, later blue wrappers, 8vo British Bee Books 157. The first edition of this translation, dedicated to Susanna Arabella Thrale, one of the daughters of Mrs. Piozzi. Vaniere published a celebrated Latin poem in sisteen books on agriculture and the pleasures of rustic life, of which one book was devoted to the natural history and life of the bee. (1) £80-120
Wing R2312, British Bee Books 55. A reissue, with title page reset, of “A further discover of bees” (Wing R2313). (1) £250-350
133 Purchas (Samuel). A Theatre of Politicall Flying-Insects. Wherein Especially the Nature, the Worth, the Work, the Wonder, and the Manner of Right-ordering of the Bee, is Discovered and Described…, And in a Second Part are annexed Meditations, and Observations Theological and Moral, in Three Centuries upon that Subject, 1st edition, printed by R.I. for Thomas Parkhurst, 1657, lacks title, title to second part within typographic border, 2pp. Elegies and 1p. errata bound at end of part one, some early ink annotations, some spotting and light dampstaining, modern calf gilt, small 4to British Bee Books 35; Wing P4224. The second part was also issued separately as ‘Spiritual honey from natural hives’. (1) £150-200
41