Decorative Bindings, Private Presses, and Other Fine Books from Phillip J. Pirages
- by Michael Stillman
Miss Currie's fore-edge painting.
Here is an item with more of an American connection: Complete Works, by Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln wasn't really an author, though editors John Nicolay and John Hay managed to fill 12 volumes with material written by or about Lincoln. Nicolay and Hay met during Lincoln's presidential campaign in 1860, and both joined his staff. Each was an ardent admirer of Lincoln, and they would cooperate to write a biography of the martyred President as well. Lincoln's son Robert gave Nicolay and Hay access to the President's papers, enabling them to compile this work. It was published in 1894, and this was evidently a deluxe edition. Item 257. $3,250.
Item 204 is an example of one of the more unusual, generally anonymous art forms - fore-edge painting. While such artists today generally take credit for their work, a century and more ago they were almost always anonymous. This one is an exception. Miss C.B. Currie signed her works, 131 of which she is known to have drawn. She was also known for helping produce the "Cosway bindings." The book is The Exiles of Italy, published in 1857, the writer being either Charles Gillingham or his wife. While Miss Currie's drawings are generally not related to the subject of the books, this one is, depicting Roman scenes. $5,500.
Phillip J. Pirages Fine Books and Manuscripts may be reached at 503-472-0476 or pirages@onlinemac.com. Their website is www.pirages.com.
Forum Auctions Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper 28th May 2026
Forum, May 28: Book of Hours.- Heures de nostre dame a l'usaige de Romme, Paris, Antoine Chappiel pour Germain Hardouin, [1504]. £6,000-8,000
Forum, May 28: Colonna (Francesco). La Hypnerotomachia di Poliphilo, second edition, Venice, Sons of Aldus Manutius, 1545. £15,000-20,000
Forum, May 28:The Christ Child holding a crystal orb and surrounded by banderoles with devotional exhortations, on a leaf most probably from a Book of Hours, [Southern Netherlands, last decades of the fifteenth century]. £2,000-3,000
Forum Auctions Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper 28th May 2026
Forum, May 28: Jackson (Shirley). The Haunting of Hill House, first English edition, signed presentation inscription from the author to Claude Fredericks, 1960. £2,000-3,000
Forum, May 28: Lennon (John). In His Own Write, first edition, first impression, signed by the author, 1964. £3,000-4,000
Forum, May 28: Doves Press.- Keats (John). [Poems], one of 200 copies on paper, Doves Press, 1914. £5,000-7,000
Forum Auctions Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper 28th May 2026
Forum, May 28: Rodrigues (João Barbosa). Sertum Palmarum Brasiliensium, 2 vol., first and only edition, Brussels, 1903. £8,000-12,000
Forum, May 28: Newton (Sir Isaac). Philosophiae naturalis principia mathematica…editio ultima, auctior et emendatior, Amsterdam, Sumptibus Societatis, 1714. £8,000-12,000
Forum, May 28: Kepler (Johannes). Ad Vitellionem paralipomena, wuibus astronomiae pars optica traditur, first edition, Frankfurt am Main, 1604. £5,000-7,000
Forum Auctions Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper 28th May 2026
Forum, May 28: Tagliacozzi (Gaspare). De Curtorum Chirurgia per insitionem, libri duo, first edition, Venice, Gasparo Bindoni, 1597. £7,000-10,000
Forum, May 28: Lootsman (Jacobsz). The Lightning Colomne, or Sea-Mirrour, containing the Sea-Coasts of the Northern, Eastern and Western Navigation..., 1670. £8,000-12,000
Forum, May 28: Ribelles y Helip (José), Attributed to. An album comprising 33 finely executed watercolours of Spanish costume, bull-fighting scenes, and other genre subjects, [circa 1830]. £10,000-15,000
