If you are looking for rare or first edition biography or autobiography books look no further than Raptis Rare Books. Browse through our entire collection of rare biographies and autobiographies below, view details about individual books and contact us to ask a question or find out more information.
Showing items 48-72 of 1128
Annapolis, Maryland : Bluejacket Books, 1995.
First Bluejacket Books edition of this revealing autobiography of Captain Walter M. Schirra, Jr. Octavo, original pictorial wrappers, illustrated with black and white photographs. Boldly signed by Wally Schirra on the half-title page. In near fine condition. Cover design by Pamela Lewis Schnitter.
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Cambridge : Printed at the University Press, 1921.
First edition of this in memoriam of John Bascombe Lock from the Caian magazine of Cambridge. Octavo, original wrappers, frontispiece of John Bascombe Lock. Presentation copy, inscribed by H.A. Roberts to John Neville Keynes on the front panel, “Dr. J.N. Keynes with the author’s compliments.” The recipient, John Neville Keynes (1852–1949), was an English economistContinue reading "In Memoriam: John Bascombe Lock."
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London : Hodder and Stoughton LTD, 1943.
Finely bound edition of this reflective autobiography of John Buchan. Octavo, bound in three quarters morocco over marbled boards with gilt titles to the spine in six compartments within raised bands, top edge gilt, marbled endpapers, frontispiece, illustrated. In near fine condition.
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New York : Random House, 1986.
First edition of this detailed legal narrative of the highly publicized trial and appeal of Claus von Bülow, basis for the 1990 film directed by Barbet Schroeder, starring Jeremy Irons, Glenn Close and Ron Silver. Octavo, original publisher’s half-cloth, illustrated with black and white photographs. Boldly signed by Alan Dershowitz on the front free endpaper. Fine in aContinue reading "Reversal of Fortune: Inside the von Bülow Case."
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London : MacGibbon & Kee, 1960.
First English edition of Nobel laureate Wiesel’s masterpiece, which precedes the first American edition. Octavo, original cloth. Signed by Elie Wiesel on the front free endpaper. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket with light shelfwear. Jacket design by Cowan. Foreword by Francois Mauriac. Translated from the French by Stella Rodway. Housed in aContinue reading "Night."
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New York : Bantam Books, 1988.
First edition of Yeager’s second autobiography. Octavo, original publisher’s half cloth, illustrated with black and white photographs. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper “To Ed Hershler Good Hunting Chuck Yeager and additionally signed by legendary pilot Bud Anderson. The recipient Ed Hershler was Governor of Wyoming. Near fine in aContinue reading "Press On! Further Adventures in the Good Life."
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London : Harper Sport, 2007.
First edition, early printing of the F1 champion and legendary driver’s autobiography. Octavo, original boards, illustrated endpapers, illustrated. Boldly signed by Lewis Hamilton on the half-title page. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
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London : Hamish Hamilton, 1963.
First edition in English of Enzo Ferrari’s autobiography. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated. Boldly signed by Stirling Moss and Lewis Hamilton on the front free endpaper. These signatures were both obtained in person. Foreword by Stirling Moss. Edited by Richard Hough. Translated by Ivan Scott. Near fine in a very good dust jacket. Rare and desirableContinue reading "The Enzo Ferrari Memoirs."
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Washington, D.C : Smithsonian Books, 2022.
First edition of the extraordinary autobiography of astronaut Fred Haise, one of only 24 men to fly to the moon. Octavo, original half cloth. Signed by the author on the front free endpaper on a Apollo XIII bookplate, “Fred Haise Apollo 13 LMP.” Fine in a fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Gary Tooth. ForewordContinue reading "Never Panic Early: An Apollo 13 Astronaut’s Journey."
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Modena : Privately Printed, 1979.
Rare original wax paper diagrams documenting the design evolution of the Ferrari Turbo 208 engine. Folded diagram sheet of the engine signed by Enzo Ferrari in purple ink from around 1979-80. Seven sheets, printed on wax paper. In very good condition. Accompanied by the original envelope. The pieces measure 19.5 inches by 13.75 inches, withContinue reading "Original Drawings of The Ferrari Turbo 208 Signed by Enzo Ferrari."
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Delray Beach, Florida : Levenger Press, 2003.
Levenger limited edition of this definitive, comprehensive catalogue of over 500 oil paintings created by Winston Churchill. Quarto, bound in full dark blue leather with gilt titles to the spine and front panel, frontispiece of Churchill painting, profusely illustrated with Churchill’s oil paintings. One of 1,500 numbered copies, this is number 1,141. In fine condition.Continue reading "Sir Winston Churchill’s Life Through His Paintings."
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New York : Harry N. Abrams, Inc/Whitney Museum of American Art, 1977.
First edition of this comprehensive, insightful, and visually rich monograph on the influential American artist by famous author and art enthusiast Michael Crichton. Quarto, original pictorial wrappers, profusely illustrated throughout. Signed and dated by Jasper Johns on the front free endpaper, “Jasper Johns 19 Oct. ’78.” In fine condition. A Jasper Johns pamphlet dated 20Continue reading "Jasper Johns."
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New York : Simon & Schuster, 2005.
First edition of the authorized biography of the first man to touch the moon, basis for the 2018 starring Ryan Gosling as Armstrong. Octavo, original boards, illustrated. Presentation copy, inscribed by the auuthor on the title page, “For Michael, All best wishes! James R. Hansen” and additionally signed by actor Ryan Gosling on the titleContinue reading "First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong."
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London : Peter Davies, 1935.
First edition of this collection of historical essays and biographical sketches highlighting influential figures and pivotal events. Octavo, bound in three-quarters morocco with gilt titles to the spine in six compartments within stamped in blind bands, top edge gilt. In very good condition.
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London : John Murray, 1909.
First editions of Young’s authoritative history of the Medici, extra-illustrated with 91 plates, 20 in color. Octavo, four volumes bound in full contemporary crushed levant morocco with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, quadruple gilt ruling and fleuron cornerpieces to the front and rear panels, gilt turn-insContinue reading "The Medici."
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Hartford, Conn : American Publishing Company, 1880.
First edition of Twain’s classic fictionalized account of his walking tour of central and southern Europe, inscribed by him to his secretary. Octavo, original publisher’s pictorial gilt-stamped brown cloth, with 328 illustrations by Walter Francis Brown, True Williams, W.W. Denslow, and with four ‘pictures made by the author of this book, without outside help’, engravedContinue reading "A Tramp Abroad."
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New York : Charles L. Webster & Company, 1891.
First edition of this memoir by one of the most well-regarded generals, “oft-consulted and much-quoted reminiscences… Sherman wrote as he fought; dynamically and bluntly” (Nevins II, 89). Octavo, two volumes, original publisher’s green cloth, tissue-guarded frontispiece portrait of William T. Sherman, illustrated with folding maps in each volume. The publishing firm Charles L. Webster &Continue reading "Memoirs of General William T. Sherman."
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New York : Charles L. Webster & Company, 1887.
First edition of the Civil War memoir of Lincoln’s controversial commander of the Army of the Potomac. Octavo, original publisher’s green cloth decorated in gilt, patterned endpapers, steel-engraved frontispiece portrait, nine illustrations, three full-page maps, and one two-page facsimile letter. The publishing firm Charles L. Webster & Co. was founded in 1884 by Mark Twain,Continue reading "McClellan’s Own Story. The War for the Union."
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New York : Charles L. Webster & Company, 1887.
First edition of Elizabeth Custer’s famous defense of Custer. Octavo, original publisher’s decorated green cloth, patterned endpapers, engraved tissue-guarded frontispiece portrait and 28 illustrations, including 22 full-page and two maps. The publishing firm Charles L. Webster & Co. was founded in 1884 by Mark Twain, together with his business partner (and niece’s husband) Charles Webster,Continue reading "Tenting on the Plains or General Custer in Kansas and Texas."
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Modena : Privately Printed, 1974.
Early printing of this classic work on Ferrari. Quarto, original cloth, illustrated throughout. Presentation copy, inscribed and dated by Enzo Ferrari on the dedication page. In near fine condition. Rare and desirable signed.
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London : Jonathan Cape, 1935.
First trade edition of the author’s classic work. Quarto, original cloth, illustrated with photogravures and folding maps. Very good in a very good price-clipped dust jacket with sunning to the spine, a few chips and short closed tears to the dust jacket with neat tissue repair to verso.
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Minton, Balch & Company : New York, 1927.
First trade edition of what many consider the greatest golf book of the twentieth century. Octavo, original half cloth, illustrated. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the verso of the frontispiece, “For John with warm regards Bob Jones.” Foreword by Grantland Rice. Near fine in a very good dust jacket. An exceptional example, rareContinue reading "Down the Fairway: The Golf Life and Play of Robert T. Jones, Jr."
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New York : Ronald Feldman Fine Arts, Inc, 1985.
First edition of this definitive catalogue of Warhol’s prints, spanning his entire career. Quarto, original cloth, with over 390 illustrations of Warhol’s prints, including 344 in color. Boldly signed twice by Andy Warhol on both the front panel of the dust jacket and front free endpaper. Edited by Frayda Feldman and Jorg Schellmann. Essays byContinue reading "Andy Warhol Prints."
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New York : The Viking Press, 1938.
First edition of the author’s Pulitzer Prize-winning work. Octavo, original cloth. Boldly signed by Carl Van Doren on the front free endpaper. Near fine in a very good dust jacket. An exceptional example.
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Biography and Autobiography
Biography and Autobiography
Biography and Autobiography
