{"title":"17th-18th Century","description":"\u003cp\u003eEarly printed works from the 17th and 18th centuries – authentic survivals of the hand-press era.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"1789-french-royal-almanac","title":"1789 French Royal Almanac – La Marchande d’Étoffes de Soie – Red Moroccan Leather with Gilt Royal Arms of Louis XVI – Pre-French Revolut","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAn exquisite \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFrench Royal Almanac\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e for the year 1789 — published in the final year of the Ancien Régime before the storm of the French Revolution. This pocket-sized volume is bound in a red moroccan leather, richly gilt-tooled with scrolling floral motifs and the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ecrowned arms of France\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e: three fleurs-de-lis beneath the royal crown, the emblem of the Bourbon monarch \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKing Louis XVI\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWith lovely silk moiré and floral marbled endpapers\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, the almanac presents a complete 1789 calendar noting saints’ feast days and lunar phases, followed by illustrated chansons including \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLa Marchande d’Étoffes de Soie ou La Double Intrigue\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. The engravings depict 18th-century scenes — from elegant shop interiors to fashionable Parisian interactions — reflecting the cultural refinement of Louis XVI’s court.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eInterspersed are poetic and satirical verses, seasonal observations, and literary amusements that offer a glimpse into the entertainment and social commentary of the time.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA handwritten inscription dated 1789 records the gift of this volume, preserving a personal connection to its original owner — most likely a member of the nobility, court official, or wealthy bourgeois closely tied to the royal sphere. Such almanacs were practical tools for marking time, yet also served as tokens of prestige, often carried discreetly in a lady’s reticule or a gentleman’s coat pocket.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBinding tight; interior clean and crisp. Gilt edges. Multiple finely detailed copperplate engravings of 18th century life..\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHistorical Context:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Final year before the French Revolution; emblematic of Louis XVI’s reign and court culture.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eProvenance:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Handwritten inscription dated 1789, indicative of gift-giving tradition at court.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCondition:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Very Good +\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSize: 2 1\/4” x 3 3\/4”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAn elegant survival from the twilight of Bourbon France — rich in artistry, royal symbolism, and historical resonance.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA Collector’s Note:\u003cbr\u003eFrench almanacs of this period were both functional and decorative, often gifted among aristocracy and affluent families. This example, with its poetic content and artful engravings, stands out as a fine relic of royal France—published just months before the storming of the Bastille.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Honey Bee Mill","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51070105583915,"sku":null,"price":745.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0015\/7086\/5251\/files\/4C7EFA37-1F11-4283-991B-D869A501C956.jpg?v=1754943172"},{"product_id":"pantheon-of-gods","title":"1741 The Pantheon — Fabulous Histories of the Heathen Gods and Most Illustrious Heroes | Rare","description":"\u003cp\u003eA handsome and scarce\/highly collectible 1741 edition of The Pantheon; Representing the Fabulous Histories of the Heathen Gods and Most Illustrious Heroes, by Andrew Tooke. This is the Fifteenth Edition, printed in London by D. Midwinter and others, and issued in a beautiful contemporary full leather binding with gilt-dotted tooling, decorative raised bands, diamond pink ornaments, and a striking pink morocco spine label.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Pantheon became one of the most widely used English works on classical mythology, drawing upon Greek and Roman sources to present the genealogies, attributes, and narratives of the ancient gods and heroes. This edition is illustrated throughout with 28 engraved plates, depicting mythological figures and scenes that bring the classical world vividly to life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe work reflects the Enlightenment fascination with antiquity and classical learning, and its illustrations broaden its appeal beyond literary scholarship to collectors of mythology, classical art, and early book illustration. Along with the full-page copperplate engravings are numerous decorative woodcut headpieces and initials throughout. The engravings depict the Olympian gods, heroes, infernal deities, and mythological scenes with remarkable clarity and drama, making this an especially appealing copy for collectors of classical literature, mythology, and early illustrated books.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWorks of this type—mid-eighteenth-century, fully illustrated, and complete—are increasingly scarce on the retail market, particularly in sound, presentable condition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBinding is solid and attractive with expected age-related wear. Hinges tight\/sound. Internally, pages show light toning and occasional spotting consistent with age; text and illustrations are crisp and legible throughout. 360pp.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVery Rare Book\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCondition: Very good for age. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSize: 4 1\/2” x 7”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Honey Bee Mill","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51713800438059,"sku":null,"price":1100.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0015\/7086\/5251\/files\/06D4A86D-0F1F-4E98-86AB-DA37281780C4.jpg?v=1769394765"},{"product_id":"dialogues-upon-the-usefulness-of-ancient","title":"1726 Joseph Addison — Dialogues Upon the Usefulness of Ancient Medals | Illustrated | Rare","description":"\u003cp\u003eA scarce and handsome 1726 London volume from the works of Joseph Addison printed for Jacob Tonson, presenting his celebrated Dialogues upon the Usefulness of Ancient Medals, along with related essays and verses.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTonson was a leading publisher of the period and a central figure in the literary circle that included Addison, Steele, Dryden and Pope.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis third volume is complete in itself and contains Addison’s extended discussion of ancient medals, together with the accompanying engraved plates and related essays.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis volume is notable for its original full leather binding, featuring stamped borders and a gilt-lettered maroon spine label. The book is illustrated throughout with 30 full page coin-style engravings, offering visual insight into Roman medals and classical imagery referenced in Addison’s text. Original full leather binding with light rubbing\/surface wear consistent with early 18th-century leather. Pages show light toning and occasional spotting, commensurate with age. Binding remains sound and text is complete. 328pp.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAddison’s dialogues explore the importance of ancient medals as historical and literary sources, particularly in relation to Latin and Greek poets, blending scholarship, classical learning, and elegant prose. The work stands as both a defense of early numismatics and a reflection of the Enlightenment’s fascination with antiquity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA particularly appealing example for collectors of early 18th-century literature, classical studies, and illustrated books, this volume retains a strong presence on the shelf while offering rich content within.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCondition: Very good for age.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSize: 4” x 6.5”\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA rare and engaging survival from the early 1700s, offering both intellectual and visual appeal for the discerning collector.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Honey Bee Mill","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51713813250347,"sku":null,"price":1250.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0015\/7086\/5251\/files\/9058F7E3-05B5-4BD7-BFCE-DE230BFCA7FD.jpg?v=1769395439"},{"product_id":"1766-treatise-on-arithmetic","title":"1766 Treatise on Arithmetic by William Cockin - First Edition - Original Leather","description":"\u003cp\u003ePublished in 1766, this is the first edition of A Treatise on Arithmetic by William Cockin an 18th-century mathematical work intended for practical instruction in trade, finance, and commerce.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBound in its original full leather with a maroon spine label with gilt rules\/lettering, presents as a \u003cbr\u003ewell-preserved example of a Georgian instructional text. The work is complete in two parts and contains numerous mathematical tables, worked equations, and practical problems throughout, including sections on barter, exchange, insurance, fractions, and decimals—subjects essential to merchants and accountants of the period.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA notable feature is the large folding engraved plate at the rear, illustrating geometric and mathematical figures. The fold-out is present and intact, a key point of completeness often lacking in surviving copies. Two period manuscript annotations appear in the margins adding to the book’s historical character.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOriginal leather binding intact. Binding tight. Contents complete in two parts, including the folding engraved plate. Pages show age-appropriate toning and some light scattered foxing at prelims. No loose or detached pages. 344pp. + foxing plate.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis title reflects Cockin’s long career as a writing-master and accountant, including his appointment at Lancaster Grammar School and later at John Blanchard’s Nottingham Academy, and stands as a fine example of 18th-century British mathematical pedagogy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVery Rare\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCondition: Very Good + \/ Remarkable condition\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSize: 5 1\/4” x 8 1\/2”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA scarce work for collectors of early mathematics scientific instruction, or Georgian-era educational books.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Honey Bee Mill","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51721715024171,"sku":null,"price":375.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0015\/7086\/5251\/files\/FBDC2A0F-AC9E-4085-843B-9136B425E540.jpg?v=1768494411"},{"product_id":"xxxxx-2","title":"1765 La Véritable Croyance de l’Église Catholique — French Catholic Theology | Paris, Jean-Baptiste Coignard","description":"\u003cp\u003eA beautifully preserved 18th-century French theological work examining the doctrines of the Catholic Church in direct response to Protestant critiques. La Véritable Croyance de l’Église Catholique, et les Preuves de Tous les Points de sa Doctrine presents a systematic defense of Catholic belief, grounded firmly in Scripture and ecclesiastical authority.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePrinted in Paris in 1765 by Jean-Baptiste Coignard, Imprimeur du Roi, this volume reflects the intellectual and religious climate of pre-Revolutionary France. The text is organized with detailed tables of contents and doctrinal arguments addressing the sacraments, the Mass, apostolic succession, papal primacy, and disputed theological interpretations—making it both a historical and scholarly artifact.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBound in full contemporary leather, the spine is richly gilt with floral compartments. The laid paper shows speckled edges. Binding sound\/tight. Pages clean. 388pp.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCondition: Very Good\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSize: 4” x 6 1\/2”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA handsome and compact example of 18th-century French religious printing, well suited to collectors of theology, French history, or early printed books.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Honey Bee Mill","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52223915688235,"sku":null,"price":325.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0015\/7086\/5251\/files\/D067E37E-8F2D-43A6-92C4-6C6A1649A307.jpg?v=1770686981"},{"product_id":"mythology-boolk","title":"Letters Concerning Mythology (1748),London | 18th Century Enlightenment Study of Homer, Plato \u0026 Ancient Religion","description":"\u003cp\u003eA compelling mid-18th century exploration of classical mythology and ancient religion.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLetters Concerning Mythology.\u003cbr\u003eLondon: Printed in the Year M.DCC.XLVIII (1748).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis substantial Enlightenment-era work examines the origins, evolution, and philosophical interpretations of ancient mythological systems, drawing from Homer, Plato, Pythagoras, Egyptian and Chaldean traditions, and early theological sources.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStructured in a series of letters, the author engages with Homeric theology, Theogonies of Hesiod, Egyptian cosmology, Zoroastrian traditions, Star-worship and ancient rites, and the philosophical interpretation of myth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBound in full calf with a later reback featuring a red spine label and gilt rules. The boards retain their period patina with very light wear. Binding sound. Interior clean. Mild age toning. \u003cbr\u003eIllustrated with frontispiece engraved plates, interior engraving and a cosmological diagram. 411pp + index\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA handsome and scholarly 1748 London printing — ideal for collectors of classical antiquity, Enlightenment philosophy, and early mythological studies.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCondition: Very Good\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eScarce\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSize: 5” x 8”\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA handsome and scholarly 1748 London printing — ideal for collectors of classical antiquity, Enlightenment philosophy, and early mythological studies.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Honey Bee Mill","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52250952991019,"sku":null,"price":575.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0015\/7086\/5251\/files\/B9A8493E-CD89-41FF-9550-659539A41DE9.jpg?v=1771856141"},{"product_id":"the-beauty-of-holiness-in-the-common-prayer-book","title":"1744 Thomas Bisse –The Beauty of Holiness in the Common Prayer | Full Leather Binding | Rolls Chapel Sermons | London | Rare","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA finely presented 18th-century theological work, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Beauty of Holiness in the Common-Prayer\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, authored by Thomas Bisse and printed in London in 1744. This edition brings together four sermons originally preached at Rolls Chapel in 1716, offering a thoughtful and structured exploration of Anglican liturgy and devotional practice.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBisse, a Church of England divine educated at Oxford, was appointed preacher at Rolls Chapel and later served as Chancellor of Hereford. His writings emphasize the dignity, structure, and spiritual depth of the Book of Common Prayer, advocating for reverence in worship and the beauty inherent in liturgical form.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis copy has been rebound in full dark leather, with the spine featuring raised bands and gilt titling. The interior remains well-preserved, with crisp typography, decorative woodcut headpieces, and strong visual appeal throughout. A highly displayable and readable example of early 18th-century Anglican thought.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRare Book\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA strong collector’s piece in an elegant later binding.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCondition:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Rebound in full leather; binding near fine. Interior very good with light age toning and scattered foxing. One page with a tear (as shown) not affecting type.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSize:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e 5 1\/8” x 8”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA refined and accessible 18th-century London imprint, offering both historical substance and visual appeal.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Honey Bee Mill","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53295483617579,"sku":null,"price":225.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0015\/7086\/5251\/files\/IMG_0973.jpg?v=1776646742"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0015\/7086\/5251\/collections\/HBM_Collection_17th_18th_Century_11JAN26.jpg?v=1768180752","url":"https:\/\/honeybeemill.com\/collections\/17th-18th-century\/season-of-nature.oembed","provider":"Honey Bee Mill","version":"1.0","type":"link"}