Third edition of Locke's classic Two Treatises of Government—"credited with great influence on American constitutionalism"—a handsome copy in contemporary paneled calf boards. $14,500. | More...
Phaedon; Or, The Death of Socrates
Moses Mendelssohn
First edition in English, preceded by the 1767 first German edition, of Mendelssohn's "classic of rational psychology" on the immortality of the human soul, a defining work by the preeminent philosopher "who launched the Jewish thinking of the modern age," his tribute to Socrates modeled on Plato's dialogue the Phaedo, an especially rare uncut copy in original boards. $11,000. | More...
The Principles of Critical Philosophy
Immanuel Kant
First edition in English (published the year after the first German edition) of this introduction to the philosophy of Immanuel Kant by one of his most fervent disciples, Jakob Sigismund Beck. A fine copy, uncut in contemporary boards. $5800. | More...
The Science and Being of Art and Living
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
First American edition of the book that introduced millions to Transcendental Meditation, which became a highlight of 1960s counterculture and a practice adopted by celebrities including Mia Farrow and The Beatles. $1500. | More...
The Theory of Moral Sentiments
Adam Smith
Major third edition of Smith's first book, containing the first publication in book form of Smith's Considerations Concerning the First Formation of Languages, increasingly seen as "reflecting core ideas about communication that are integral to the full system of Smith's thought," along with the second edition's revisions at the core of "his central concepts of sympathy and the impartial spectator" (Tribe, 14). "One of the truly outstanding books in the intellectual history of the world" (Amartya Sen). $7800. | More...
The History of Philosophy
Thomas Stanley
Second edition—first one volume folio edition—of this important 17th-century work on philosophy, with engraved frontispiece portrait of the author. An impressive folio edition. $3500. | More...
Rights of Man, Parts I & II
Thomas Paine
Extremely rare 1791-1792 editions of Paine’s revolutionary classic, containing the scarce second edition of Rights of Man (Part I), issued within days of the first edition, together in one volume with the rarely found first edition, first issue of Part the Second. Paine's Rights of Man, one of his most important, influential, and best-selling works, is "the clearest of all expositions on the basic principles of democracy" (PMM), and remains "one of the most ardent and clear defenses of human rights, liberty, and equality in any language" (Fruchtman). Paine hoped the work "would do for England what his Common Sense had done for America" (Gimbel), but it resulted in the prosecution of Paine, his publishers and booksellers, and forced Paine to flee to France. $25,000. | More...
Life and Correspondence
David Hume
First edition of the biography and letters of 18th-century Scottish philosopher David Hume, with engraved frontispiece portraits and three facsimile letters (two folding), in contemporary three-quarter calf. $1200. | More...
Emilius
J.J. Rousseau
First edition in English, published only one year after the first edition, of one of Rousseau's greatest works, with four (of six) engraved plates by Eisen, this copy extra-illustrated with 43 fine engraved plates by Ponce, Lorieux, Longueil, Marcret, Leclerc, Deveria and others—for a total of 47 engraved plates—in lovely full morocco-gilt by renowned French bookbinder Thierry sc. de Petit-Simier. $8000. | More...
