Gifts - For Her

Strachey, Lytton

Eminent Victorians: Cardinal Manning, Florence Nightingale, Dr. Arnold, General Gordon.

London : Chatto and Windus, 1960.

Finely bound example of the work that placed Strachey firmly in the top rank of biographers. Octavo, bound in full crushed red morocco by Sangorski and Sutcliffe with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, double gilt ruling and fleuron cornerpieces to the front and rear panels, giltContinue reading "Eminent Victorians: Cardinal Manning, Florence Nightingale, Dr. Arnold, General Gordon."

James, Henry

The Portrait of a Lady.

London : Macmillan and Co, 1881.

First edition, first issue, one of only 750 copies of the last and most accomplished work of fiction during James’ apprentice years. Octavo, three volumes, original cloth. In near fine condition with volume one rebacked with original spine laid down. Housed in a custom half clamshell and chemises box. Rare and desirable, especially in thisContinue reading "The Portrait of a Lady."

Roubayyat de Hafiz et d’Omar Khayyam. [The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám].

Paris : Francis LeBegue, [1921].

Finely bound example of the Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám. Octavo, bound in full levant morocco with gilt titles to the spine, gilt Art Deco style decorations to the front and rear panel, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, top edge gilt, decorated borders and initials. One of 300 copies. Text in French. Translated byContinue reading "Roubayyat de Hafiz et d’Omar Khayyam. [The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám]."

Du Maurier, Daphne

My Cousin Rachel.

London : Victor Gollancz Ltd, 1951.

First edition of Daphne du Maurier’s classic mystery-romance. Octavo, bound in full morocco to mimic a lady’s riding jacket with three jeweled buttons. In fine condition. An exceptional presentation.

Mead, Margaret

Coming of Age In Samoa: A Psychological Study of Primitive Youth for Western Civilisation.

New York : William Morrow & Company, 1928.

First edition of Mead’s pioneering work which, upon publication, established her as the most famous anthropologist in the world. Octavo, bound in full leather, gilt titles to the spine, raised bands, gilt ruled to the front and rear panels, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt, illustrated. In fine condition.

Allende, Isabel. [Annie Dillard]

The House of the Spirits: A Novel.

New York : Alfred A. Knopf, 1985.

First edition of the author’s first book. Octavo, original cloth. Translated from the Spanish by Magda Bogin. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the title page, “For Annie, ‘Barrabas came to us by sea, the child Clara Wrote in her delicate calligraphy’ Isabel Allende.” Allende has also drawn a flower on the title page.Continue reading "The House of the Spirits: A Novel."

Carson, Rachel L

Under the Sea-Wind.

London : Staples Press Limited, 1952.

First British edition of Carson’s first book and her personal favorite. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated. Very good in a very good dust jacket. Illustrated by C.F. Tunnicliffe. Rare.

Sears Roebuck and Co. “Economy Group” Standard Quality Wallpaper Catalog.

: Sears, Roebuck and Co., 1940.

Rare 1940 Sears Roebuck and Co. wallpaper sample catalog; the “Economy Group”, featuring standard quality papers printed with fadeproof colors in a variety of patterns. Octavo, includes 14 wallpaper samples. In near fine condition.

Rowson, Susanna Haswell

Charlotte. A Tale of Truth.

Philadelphia : Printed by D. Humphreys for M. Carey, 1794.

Exceedingly rare first American edition (and the earliest obtainable example) of the first American bestseller. Octavo, two volumes bound into one in three quarter calf over marbled boards, morocco spine label lettered in gilt, marbled endpapers. Although the first American edition was preceded by the first English edition published in 1791, no examples of theContinue reading "Charlotte. A Tale of Truth."

Yezierska, Anzia

Bread Givers: A Novel.

Doubleday, Page & Company : Garden City, NY, 1925.

Signed limited first edition of the author’s classic work. Octavo, original cloth, pictorial endpapers. One of 500 examples signed by Anzia Yezierska. In very good condition.

Milne, A.A.; Illustrated by Ernest Shepard

The Four Pooh Books: When We Were Very Young; Winnie-The-Pooh; Now We Are Six; The House At Pooh Corner.

London : Methuen & Co., Ltd, 1924-1928.

First editions of each work in Milne’s wonderful Pooh quartet. Octavo, original cloth decorated in gilt, pictorial endpapers, top edge gilt. Illustrated by Ernest Shepard. Each book is fine in a very good dust jacket with some loss and wear to the crown and foot of the spine, as is typically seen. Housed in aContinue reading "The Four Pooh Books: When We Were Very Young; Winnie-The-Pooh; Now We Are Six; The House At Pooh Corner."

Wharton, Edith & Ogden Codman Jr

The Decoration of Houses.

New York : Charles Scribner's Sons, 1897.

First edition of Edith Wharton’s first published book. Quarto, original marbled paper boards. Illustrated with 56 plates. In very good condition. First editions are uncommon.

Fisher, M.F.K

Here Let Us Feast: A Book of Banquets.

New York : The Viking Press, 1946.

First edition of Fisher’s classic fifth book. Octavo, original cloth. Signed by M.F.K. Fisher on the front free endpaper. Near fine in a very good dust jacket. Jacket design by Robert Hallock. A very sharp example.

Cholmondeley, Mary

Red Pottage.

New York and London : Harper & Brothers Publishers, 1899.

First edition of this classic novel. Octavo, original cloth. In near fine condition. Scarce in this condition.

Pritchett, V.S

Blind Love and Other Stories.

London : Chatto & Windus, 1969.

First edition of Pritchett’s collection of humorous short stories. Octavo, original light blue cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the title page, “For Rolland L. Comstock V.S. Pritchett.” Near fine in a near fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Ionicus.

Eliot, T.S

The Cocktail Party.

London : Faber & Faber, 1950.

First edition of Eliot’s most popular play published in his lifetime. Octavo, bound in full morocco by Asprey, gilt titles to the spine, raised bands, inner dentelles. In fine condition.

Hardy, Thomas

Selected Poems of Thomas Hardy.

London : Macmillan and Co., Limited, 1924.

Finley bound early printing of the Golden Treasury Series Selected Poems of Thomas Hardy. Small octavo, bound in full crushed crimson levant morocco by Bayntun with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, elaborate gilt ruling and cornerpieces to the front and real panels, gilt turn-ins and innerContinue reading "Selected Poems of Thomas Hardy."

Roosevelt, Eleanor

Eleanor Roosevelt White House Signed Engraving.

.

Rare signed White House engraving, boldly signed by First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. In near fine condition.

Schreiner, Olive [as Ralph Iron]

The Story of an African Farm: A Novel.

London : Chapman and Hall, 1883.

First edition of this highspot of African literature. Octavo, 2 volumes bound in three quarters contemporary morocco over marbled boards with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, top edge gilt, marbled endpapers. Published under the pseudonym ‘Ralph Iron’, the entire printing of this first edition has been estimated toContinue reading "The Story of an African Farm: A Novel."

Cleary, Beverly

Muggie Maggie.

New York : Morrow Junior Books, 1990.

First edition of the story of Maggie Schultz, an eight-year-old girl who refuses to learn cursive. Octavo, original boards. Illustrated by Kay Life. Signed by the author on the front free endpaper in the year of publication, “Enjoy! Beverly Cleary 1990.” Fine in a fine dust jacket.

Mead, Margaret. Foreword by Franz Boas

Coming of Age in Samoa: A Psychological Study of Primitive Youth in Western Civilisation.

New York : The New American Library of World Literature, Inc, 1949.

First paperback edition, first printing of Mead’s pioneering work which, upon publication, established her as the most famous anthropologist in the world. Small octavo, original illustrated wrappers. Signed and dated by the author on the front free endpaper in the year of publication, “Margaret Meade November 1949.” In near fine condition. Jacket design by RobertContinue reading "Coming of Age in Samoa: A Psychological Study of Primitive Youth in Western Civilisation."

Mead, Margaret. Foreword by Franz Boas

Coming of Age in Samoa: A Psychological Study of Primitive Youth in Western Civilisation.

New York : Blue Ribbon Books, 1932.

Early printing of Mead’s pioneering work which, upon publication, established her as the most famous anthropologist in the world. Octavo, original cloth, frontispiece, illustrated. Near fine in the rare original dust jacket, which is in good condition. Foreword by Franz Boas.

Spark, Muriel

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.

London : Macmillan, 1961.

First edition of Muriel Sparks’ eighth and best-loved novel. Octavo, original cloth. Fine in a fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Victor Reinganum. An exceptional example.

Spark, Muriel

The Mandelbaum Gate.

New York : Alfred A. Knopf, 1965.

First edition of Spark’s complex, suspenseful novel. Octavo, original cloth. Association copy, warmly inscribed by the author in the year of publication to her American agent, Dorothy Golding, “Dorothy – happy remembrances & love – Mariel 4 October 1965.” Fine in a near fine dust jacket. Typography, binding and jacket design by George Salter.