Estimate: | £500 - £800 |
Hammer price: | £900 |
NEAL, William Keith (1906-90) & David H. L. BACK (dates unknown). Great British Gunmakers 1540-1740. [Norwich:] "Historical Firearms" [publishers], 1984. 4to (286 x 210mm). Half title, coloured and half tone illustrations. FINELY BOUND in full red half morocco gilt, the spine gilt in compartments with armorial motifs, marbled endpapers, top edges gilt, slipcase. FIRST EDITION. NUMBER 74 OF 750 COPIES. With 6 other books by the same authors, namely The Mantons: Gunmakers (London, 1967, 4to, illustrations, PRESENTATION COPY, inscribed on the front free endpaper, "For Wilfred [sic] Ward - with all good wishes from Keith. W. Keith Neal, 15th January 1967"), Forsyth & Co.: Patent Gunmakers (London, 1969, 4to, illustrations, PRESENTATION COPY, inscribed on the half title, "To Wilfred [sic] Ward with all good wishes from Keith. W. Keith Neal, 1969"), The History of John Twigg and the Packington Guns (London, Sotheby's, 1974, 4to, illustrations), A Supplement to The Mantons: Gunmakers (Tisbury, 1978, 4to, illustrations, SIGNED by David Back on the title page), British Gunmakers. Their Trade Cards, Cases & Equipment 1760-1860 ([Warminster], The Compton Press, 1980, 4to, illustrations) and Messrs. Griffin & Tow and W. Bailes ([Norwich], Historical Firearms, 1989, 4to, illustrations), all FIRST EDITIONS, FINELY BOUND in near-uniform red morocco gilt. Provenance: From the Collection of Wilfrid Ward (armorial bookplates). (7)