[i], [viii], 192 pp. Copperplate frontispiece.

324 pp.

London: Printed for E. Curll, 1719. Two volumes in one, each with title page and individual pagination. 12mo. (4" x 6"). Later three-quarter calf over marbled boards, raised bands, gilt ornaments and lettering pieces to spine, marbled endpapers. Light rubbing to boards, and extremities, noticeable wear at spine ends, hinges starting. Toning to some leaves, interior otherwise fresh.    $1,500.

* Third edition of a work first published in 1715. Curll was Grub-Street hack who specialized in soft-core pornography covered in thin veneers of law or theology. Assembled from a collection of sources, including an opinion by Abbot, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the first part details the colorful Essex divorce. The trial was brought by Lady Essex, who asked for a divorce because she claimed her husband was impotent. This false claim, which ultimately prevailed in court, turned out to a plot between her and her lover, the Earl of Somerset. Colorful in itself, the trial had additional attractions, such as an explicit discussion of the Earl and Lady’s genitalia and the Earl’s claim that Lady Essex employed witchcraft. A copy of the divorce is included, along with a section taken from Arthur Wilson’s History of King James. Considerably more graphic than the first, volume II involves a debauched nobleman who enjoyed bisexual relations with his servants. Also a voyeur and connoisseur of sexual violence, he would often order servants to rape his wife. In some cases he would assist the assailant by holding her down. This is a highly embellished account. OCLC locates 12 copies of this edition. BMC 1:30.

London: Printed for T. Cadell and W. Davies, 1803. vii, 212, [1] pp. Octavo (5-1/2" x 8"). Recent quarter calf over marbled boards, lettering piece to spine, internally clean. A very nice copy.    $175.

* Third edition of a work first issued in 1796. Anstey (died 1819), English poet and lawyer, second son of poet Christopher Anstey; barrister of Lincoln’s Inn. In his History of English Law (vol. xiii:460-463) Holdsworth relates that the law of procedure and pleading gave rise to a certain amount of humorous and satirical literature. The Pleader’s Guide, the first part of which was originally published in 1796, satirizes with considerable wit both the common lawyers and their procedure as well as the civilians and their procedure. The second part of the book deals more especially with pleading, the conduct of cases in court. Holdsworth thought enough of this work to give over four pages to its discussion and citation. This edition not in Sweet & Maxwell.

Birmingham: The Legal Classics Library, 1984-1990. Three volumes. Calf, raised bands, decorative gilt stamping, all edges gilt, ribbon markers, marbled endpapers. Fine.    $300.

* Volume I edited by Berring; Volumes II and III edited by Berring and Gunderson. Collection of articles reprinted from various American law reviews from 1890 to 1979. Includes bibliographical references. All of the articles have had an impact on the law. Some of these are theoretical, others practical. Volume I contains twenty-two articles including Warren & Brandeis’ “The Right to Privacy,” Leach’s “Perpetuities in a Nutshell” and others by Frankfurter, Holmes, Fuller, Prosser and Llewellyn. Volume II runs the gamut of political viewpoints ranging from Judge Bork’s “Neutral Principles and Some First Amendment Problems,” which is considered to be a litmus test when judging one’s approach to the Constitution, to Professor Kennedy’s “The Structure of Blackstone’s Commentaries,” a basic document of the Critical Legal Studies Movement. Volume III contains such seminal essays as, “Studying the Exclusionary Rule in Search and Seizure” by Dallin H. Oaks and “Strict Tort Liability of Manufacturers” by John W. Wade.

London: Printed by A. Strahan and W. Woodfall, 1783. Four volumes. Copperplate portrait frontispiece of Blackstone (Volume I), “Table of Consanguinity” and fold-out “Table of Descents” (Volume II). Octavo (5" x 8-1/4"). Contemporary speckled calf, gilt fillets and lettering pieces to spines. Light rubbing and some scuffing to boards, corners bumped and lightly worn, chip to head of Volume IV, joints rubbed, some starting, front board of Volume I partially detached but quite secure, vertical crease through center of spine of Volume II, hinges cracked or starting. Early armorial bookplate to each front pastedown. Offsetting to margins of endleaves, minor wear to top edge of fold-out table, interior otherwise fresh. Withal an attractive unsophisticated set.    $2,000.

* Ninth edition, the first edition published after Blackstone’s death, edited by Burn, an attorney and notable legal writer. Richard Burn’s Advertisement in vol. I, dated July 20, 1783, states: “The alterations...since the publication of the last edition, were made by the author himself, as may appear from a corrected copy in his own handwriting...The editor...[has noted] alterations made by subsequent acts of Parliament.” Concerning this edition, W.G. Hammond wrote in 1890, “Most of the current editions are printed from the ninth...published in 1783...edited by Ric. Burn.” OCLC locates 46 copies. Eller 14.

44. Brunnemann, Johannes [1608-1672]. Commentarius in Codicem Justinianeum Quo Singulae Leges & Authenticae, Breviter & Succincta Explicantur, Quaestiones in Academiis & Foro Frequentatae Resolvuntur, Axiomata ab Interpretibus Subinde Proposita Examinantur, & Alia ex Ipsis Textibus Notabilia Eruuntur, Quaeque Alias ad Analysin Pertinent, Per Compendium Quasi Dilucide Traduntur. Inserto Hinc Inde, Quid de Jure Tam Cummuni Novissimo, Quam Saxonico, Nec Non Marchico, Aliisque Provincialibus Juribus, Obsineat. Opus Theoretico-practicum Cui Praeter Indicem Rerum et Verborum Locupletissimum Accessit ex Ejusdem Auctoris Commentario ad Pandectas, Notabilium, Quae Circa Leges Affines Inibi Commentatus Est, Continua Allegatio. Ab Innumeris Mendis Repurgata; Novis ac Necessariis Additionibus, Utet Summariis Denuo Largiter Aucta. Naples: Expensis Antonii Cervonii, 1778-1779. Four volumes. Quarto (7" x 9-1/2"). Contemporary vellum, gilt-stamped and hand-tinted titles to spines, speckled edges. Rubbing with some wear to spine ends and corners, some darkening (staining?) to top edges of front boards of Volumes III and IV, chip to head of Volume IV, boards slightly bowed. Attractive woodcut head-pieces and decorated initials. Minor worming to a few leaves with no loss to text. Light foxing, internally clean. An attractive, scarce set.    $1,500.
* First Neapolitan edition. First published in 1663, this is a comprehensive commentary on the Code. Also a comparative work, Brunnemann also relates parts of the Code to the laws of Brandenburg and Saxony. Like his commentary on the Digest, its value was recognized almost immediately throughout Europe and it went through several editions, the final appearing in Loretto, Italy in 1839-1843. Commissioned by the Emperor Justinian in 530 CE, the body of writings known collectively as the Corpus Juris Civilis preserved and restated all existing Roman law. It is divided into four books, the Institutes, Digest, Code and Novels. The Code contains the laws in force during Justinian’s reign. It is divided into 12 books. Book 1 deals with ecclesiastical law, the sources of law, and the duties of high officials. Books 2-8 deal with private law. Book 9 deals with criminal law. Books 10-12 deal with administrative law. Like the other sections of the Corpus Juris Civilis, its significance to the development of European law is immeasurable. KVK locates 3 copies of this edition, 44 of all editions. This edition not in the BMC ADB 3:445-446.

With a Foreword by Sir David Maxwell Fyfe. London: William Hodge and Company, [1948]. li, 247 pp., [17] leaves of plates, portraits, folded map. Original cloth, minor shelfwear, some fading to spine, small stain to rear board, internally clean.    $125.

* A volume in the War Crimes Trials Series. The officers of U-Boat 852 were tried by a mixed British and Greek war crimes court in Hamburg in 1945 for killing the surviving members of the crew of the Peleus, a Greek merchant ship under charter to the British War Transport Ministry. Heinz Eck, the commanding officer, was sentenced to death. (He was the only U-Boat commander who was convicted as a war criminal.) Hoffmann and Weisspfennig were also sentenced to death; Lenz received life imprisonment; Schwender was given 15 years. A controversial trial in 1945, it is still debated today.

Ingolstadt: Ex Typographeo Ederiano Elisabetham Angermarium Impensis Ioannis Hertzroi, 1615. [xxxii], 672, [64] pp. Octavo (4" x 6"). Contemporary vellum, blind rules and early hand-lettered title to spine, green edges, faint early hand-lettered title to top edge. Negligible edgewear, tiny scrape to spine, boards slightly bowed, vellum just beginning to crack through pastedowns. Attractive woodcut head-pieces, tail-pieces and decorated initials. Small early scratched-out signature to title page. Light foxing to a few leaves, interior otherwise fresh. A well-preserved copy.    $650.

* Third edition. First published in 1594, this important text book on canon law follows the pattern of Justinian’s Institutes. Summa Juris Canonici is Canisius’s principal work. It went through several editions and issues into the eighteenth century. KVK locates 7 copies of this edition. This edition not in the BMC or the Canon Law Collection. ADB 3:749.

New York: Harper & Brothers, 1930. Original three-quarter cloth over paper boards, negligible shelfwear, internally pristine. “Benjamin N. Cardozo” in bold hand to front free endpaper.    $800.

* First edition, with Cardozo’s full signature on preliminary leaf. “This noteworthy address, with its appreciation of the scientific problems involved, its courage and social vision, will go down in history as one of the most valuable contributions in our time to medico-legal jurisprudence.”: Shientag, Moulders of Legal Thought 39 cited in Marke, A Catalogue of the Law Collection at New York University (1953) 717.

Venice: Apud Turrinum, 1645. [xii], 348, [28] pp. Folio (8-1/2" x 12"). Contemporary vellum, raised bands, early hand-lettered title to spine. Minor staining and rubbing to extremities, repairs to corners, boards slightly bowed, minor worming to gutter near head of text block, partial crack between front endleaf and title page. Title page with large device printed in red and black, woodcut head-pieces, tail-pieces and decorated initials. Toning in a few places, rest of interior notably fresh. Early owner signature in fine hand to title page. A nice copy of a scarce title.    $750.

* Later edition. First published in 1609, this treatise on the Roman law on the right to use the property of another (usufruct) went through several editions and issues in Italy, Spain, France and Germany. According to the title page, this Venetian imprint has unique additions. Complete in itself, this became the first part of a two-volume set when an additional volume was published by Turrinum in 1646. Castillo Sotomayor was a distinguished Spanish canonist. KVK locates 1 copy of this edition, 16 of all editions. Not in the BMC.

London: Saunders and Benning, 1837. vi, xxix, [2], 719 pp. Octavo (5" x 8"). Contemporary calf, blind rules to boards, raised bands and lettering piece to spine. Rubbing to extremities and spine, front joint starting, rear joint cracked but secure, hinges starting. Early bookplate to front pastedown. Offsetting to margins of endleaves, internally fresh.    $250.

* Sole edition. This title reflects the changes effected by the Reform Bill of 1832, which expanded male suffrage and introduced voter registration. “The experience of five years [as Revising Barrister] has convinced him that a [detailed book on election laws]...would, from the facility which it affords for immediate reference, and the juxtaposition in which it places all authorities and decisions on questionable points, be of the utmost utility to all who are concerned in elections in the Three Kingdoms, whether Candidates or Members, Counsel, Agents, Returning Officers, or Voters, and whether in the Registration Courts, at the Poll, or before Select Committees.”: Preface iii. OCLC locates 11 copies, 7 in the United States. Sweet & Maxwell 2:59.

London: Printed for, And Are to be Sold By, Randal Taylor, 1685. 38 pp. Quarto (5-1/2" x 7-1/2"). Stab-stitched pamphlet bound into later period-style three-quarter calf over marbled boards, raised bands and gilt titles to spine. Light rubbing with minor wear to extremities. Faint dampstaining to a few leaves. “19” in fine hand to head of title page, early annotations to verso, early check marks to a few passages, interior otherwise clean.    $450.

* Second edition. First printed in 1667, Chamberlayne’s pamphlet proposed seventy-five reforms to the legal system, most notably in property law. Chamberlayne, an English nobleman and diplomat, is best known as the author of The Present State of England (1669). He held an LL.D. from Cambridge and a D.C.L. from Oxford. OCLC locates 19 copies of this edition, 32 of all editions. Goldsmiths’ 2590.

Milan: Dalla Reale Stamperia, 1806. xxiv, 524 pp. 12mo. (4" x 6"). Contemporary tree calf, lettering piece and gilt ornaments to spine, rouged edges. Moderate rubbing to extremities, chipping to foot of spine. Occasional light foxing, faint dampstaining in a few places. Early owner siganture (of Antonio San Pietro) to front pastedown, interior otherwise clean.    $750.

* Italian and French in parallel columns. This is the first official Italian edition of the Code Napoleon. (Pirate editions were published the same year in Florence and Naples.) Renamed the Civil Code after the Bourbon restoration, it is still in force. It also served as the model for the legal codes of more than twenty nations throughout the world, including the Italian Civil Code (1865). There is some variety in the format, size and pagination of the 1806 Milan edition. KVK locates 4 copies with the same collation as our copy. Another was located at the Library of Congress. This edition not in the BMC.

Cologne: Apud Ionnem Gymnicum, Sub Monocerote, 1591. [xcvi], 1231 pp. Folded table lacking. Octavo (4-1/2" x 6-3/4"). Contemporary deerskin, raised bands, clasps lacking. Some rubbing with wear to corners, a few tiny worm holes, front joint starting near head. Attractive woodcut printer device, decorated initials, head-piece and tail-piece. A few splits to text block, minor worming, clean tears to two leaves with no loss to text. Later annotations (one dated 1683) in fine hand to front free endpaper, title page and a text leaf. Occasional light foxing and browning, faint dampstaining to final quarter of text block, interior otherwise fresh.    $1,500.

* Includes topic and title indexes. Cujacius was a professor of law at the universities of Cahors, Bourges, Valencia and Turin. He was the preeminent authority on Roman law in his day and one of its most important scholars. He recovered and published the Codex Theodosianus and the Basilica and published several commentaries and editions. “He is the outstanding representative of humanism in Roman law. The glossators had studied Roman law as it stood at Justinian’s death and the commentators, or Bartolists, had used their comprehensive knowledge of Justinian acquired by the glossators as the basis of a systematic science, but as their was practical they introduced non-Roman elements into the civil law and adapted it to contemporary needs. The school of Cujas viewed the Roman texts as historical documents, interpreting them in the full setting of ancient history and literature. A consummate master of jurisprudence, philology and history, Cujas may claim to be the greatest legal scholar of all time” (Zulueta). The Observatione et Emendationum Libri XXVIII is a great collection of restored Roman legal texts. The first volume appeared in 1556. Cujas published 23 more volumes during his lifetime; the final four were produced posthumously. This volume is an edition of the Liber Singularis Enciridee, a history of legal sources and jurisprudence by Pomponius (Second Century CE). Zuluetta, “Cujas, Jacques” in Seligman and Johnson, Ed., Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences III:617. Adams, C3942.

Boston: Dutton and Wentworth, 1834. xv, 282 pp. Octavo (5-3/4" x 9"). Contemporary sheep, blind frames to boards, lettering piece and blind fillets to spine. Slight bowing to boards, some rubbing with light wear to extremities, a few minor scuffs and stains to boards, chipping to foot of spine, joints starting. Crack between front free endpaper and title page, occasional light foxing. Early owner signature to title page, interior otherwise clean.    $200.

* With a table of cases. “It has not been considered, by the committee, to be their duty...to make any selection of the cases to be published...but merely to direct the manner of their publication. So far as it has been found practicable, therefore, all the cases of that description have been reported, either briefly or in detail, according to their nature and importance. Some of the earlier decisions, though of no value, as precedents, have been shortly stated, for the purpose of showing the mode of proceeding, in use at the time.”: Advertisement [v]. The author of the classic Manual of Parliamentary Procedure, Cushing was the clerk of the Massachusetts House of Representatives. Cohen 14390.75.

Cologne: Apud Ioannem Birckmannum & Theodorum Baumium, An. 1570. [xlvi], 664 pp. Octavo (4" x 6"). Contemporary vellum with lapped edges, early hand-lettered title to spine, ties lacking, text block somewhat loose near foot. Some minor stains and discoloration, “2A22” in faint tiny later hand to head of front board, front free endpaper lacking, title page (with woodcut printer device) partially detached but secure. Partial crack near center of text block, wear and chip to fore-edge of title page with no loss to text. Soiling to title page, light toning to text, negligible foxing to a few leaves. “2A22” in small recent hand to head of title page, interior otherwise clean.    $1,000.

* Later edition. “De Regulis Juris Antiqui,” Book 50, Title 17, is the section of the Digest that discusses significant pre-Justinianic legal maxims. It inspired numerous commentaries. That of Decio, an important and widely traveled Italian jurist, professor of civil and canon law and auditor of the Rota Romana, is one of the most important and popular. This edition contains commentaries by two jurisconsults: Cucalon, a Spaniard, and Saraina, a Veronese. KVK locates 2 copies of this edition, 60 copies of all editions. This edition not in Adams or the BMC.

London: E. and R. Nutt and R. Gosling, 1732. ix, 264, 16 pp. Reprint. Buffalo: W.S. Hein, 1974. Cloth. New.    $48.

* Lance Dickson’s new introduction to this reprint provides a history of the original work, noting that it was written primarily for the married woman, to inform them of their legal rights and privileges. Additional historical references add value to this reprint edition.

Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1961. Illustrated. 72 pp. Cloth. Gift inscription on front free endpaper, else very good, in very good dust jacket.    $35.

Foreword by R.F. Fulton. London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner and Company, 1913. Original cloth, gilt titles to front board and spine. Binding slightly cocked, light rubbing, minor scuff to rear board, spine ends bumped, some wear to corners. Owner signature to front free endpaper, interior otherwise clean.    $85.