Browse rare first edition classics in American, English, world literature, poetry, and plays. View our entire collection of rare literature below, search our inventory with advanced search, or use our sorting tools to find exactly what you’re looking for. Please call with any questions you may have on a specific item or order online today.
Showing items 2904-2928 of 4852
London : Thomas Nelson and Sons, n.d. [c. 1913].
First edition of Bentley’s groundbreaking detective novel, “one of the three best detective stories ever written” (Agatha Christie). Octavo, original publisher’s cloth with gilt titles to the spine, pictorial endpapers, frontispiece in color. In very good condition. Small bookplate and ownership inscription. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box.
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New York : The Ecco Press, 1990.
First edition of the Nobel Prize-winning author’s collection of poetry, prompted by the death of her father. Octavo, original half cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author opposite the half-title page, “For ____ ____ with best wishes Louise Gluck.” Fine in a fine dust jacket. Jacket illustration by Michaela Sullivan. Jacket illustration by Christa Näher.
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New York : Newmarket Press, 2010.
First edition. Quarto, original boards, illustrated. Boldly signed by Oliver Stone and photographer Barry Wetcher on the front panel of the dust jacket. Fine in a near fine dust jacket.
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London : Macmillan and Co, 1891.
First edition of Rudyard Kipling’s father, John Lockwood Kipling’s, best-known work. Octavo, original illustrated cloth with gilt titles and tooling to the spine and front panel, illustrated. In very good condition. Rare.
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2013.
Rare original large format acrylic painting signed by Vietnam War Veteran and Golden Globe Award-winning screenwriter Ron Kovic. On thick Aquarell watercolor paper, the painting is signed three times by the artist on the verso, “Ron Kovic Oct 2013”, “‘The Joy of Color’ by Ron Kovic” and with a signed self-caricature. American anti-war activist, writer,Continue reading "“The Joy of Color!” Ron Kovic Original Painting."
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Boston : Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2009.
First edition of Roth’s 30th book, concerning “an aging stage actor whose empty life is altered by a ‘counterplot of unusual erotic desire’.” Octavo, original boards. Boldly signed by Philip Roth on the title page and signed by legendary artist Milton Glaser on the rear jacket flap. Fine in a fine dust jacket. Jacket designContinue reading "The Humbling."
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New York : Hyperion, 1998.
First edition of Oprah Winfrey’s emotional account of playing the part of Sethe, the former slave who must come to terms with a haunting past in Jonathan Demme’s film adaptation of Toni Morrison’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. Quarto, original illustrated boards, photographic endpapers, illustrated with photographs by Ken Regan. Presentation copy, inscribed on the second freeContinue reading "Journey to Beloved."
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New York : Harper & Row, Publishers, 1976.
First edition of Silverstein’s classic work, published by Ursula Nordstrom. Octavo, original illustrated cloth, illustrated. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the pastedown and front free endpaper “For Frank – Thank you for making the road less rocky – And thank you for believing in this book ~ Love Shel.” Silverstein has added aContinue reading "The Missing Piece."
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Athena : Thiphros, 1955.
First edition in Greek, preceding the English translation of this historical novel, basis for the 1988 Academy Award nominated film. Octavo, original wrappers. Lengthily signed by the translator Peter Bien on the half-title page with the famous quote from the novel, “If I were fire, I would burn; if I were a woodcutter, I wouldContinue reading "The Last Temptation of Christ [First Edition in Greek]."
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London : Printed for the Author and Published by T. Egerton, 1813.
Second edition of the first novel published during Austen’s lifetime. Small octavo, three volumes bound in full crushed morocco by Riviere & Son, gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, triple gilt ruling to the front and rear panels, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, all edgesContinue reading "Sense and Sensibility: A Novel."
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London : Macmillan and Co., 1886.
First edition in book form of one of James’s “three formidable novels” published in the 1880s along with The Bostonians and The Tragic Muse. Octavo, three volumes, original publisher’s cloth with gilt titles to the spine, half-titles, 2 pages of advertisements at rear of vols. II and III. From the library of Barton Currie withContinue reading "The Princess Casamassima: A Novel."
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London : William Heinemann, 1909.
First edition, one of 1000 copies printed of James’ classic book of travel writing, wonderfully illustrated by Joseph Pennell. Quarto, original cloth decorated in gilt, top edge gilt. Illustrated by Joseph Pennell with 32 tissue-guarded color plates. Association copy, inscribed by Henry James on the front free endpaper in the year of publication, “To EdmundContinue reading "Italian Hours."
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New York : The Vanguard Press, 1938.
First edition, early printing of Seuss’s unique book of prose. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the pastedown, “For Maurice with many thanks for the Future! Dr. Seuss.” The recipient, Maurice Sendak, is best known for his immensely popular illustrated children’s book, Where the Wild Things Are, which was awarded the Caldecott Medal inContinue reading "The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins."
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London & New York : Frederick Warne & Co, 1911.
First edition of this charming paint-by-line children’s book featuring Potter’s most beloved animal characters. Quarto, original pictorial cloth, pictorial endpapers, illustrated with 12 color plates, each with facing outlined illustration intended for coloring-in, two of which have been hand-painted. Presentation copy, lengthily inscribed by the author on the second free endpaper in the year ofContinue reading "Peter Rabbit’s Painting Book."
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New York : Harper & Brothers, 1955.
First edition, first issue of the first book in Crockett Johnson’s charming Harold series, first issue with “30-60” and “No. 5671A” to the front flap of the dust jacket. 12 mo, original cloth, illustrated. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper to fellow children’s book author and illustrator Maurice Sendak, “ToContinue reading "Harold and the Purple Crayon."
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London : Frederick Warne and Co, 1905.
The earliest known first edition, presentation copy of Potter’s popular children’s story. Octavo, original boards with embossed titles and pictorial cover label, pictorial endpapers, illustrated with 26 color plates by the author. Presentation copy, warmly inscribed by the author on the front pictorial endpaper in the year of publication, “For Theresa Thorp with love fromContinue reading "The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle."
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Tacoma : The Non-Profit Press, 1976.
First edition of this collection of three Hornblower stories never before published in book form. Octavo, original boards, cartographic endpapers. One of 25 numbered copies signed by Alexander Kent of an edition of 350 numbered copies. Additionally one of 15 copies with one of the co-sponsors’ gilt names to the front panel. Fine in aContinue reading "Hornblower One More Time."
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London : Arthur Barker Limited, 1968.
First edition in English of the basis for the 1971 American adventure film starring Omar Sharif and directed by John Frankenheimer. Octavo, original cloth. Very good in a very good dust jacket. Jacket design by Graham Percy. Translated by Patrick O’Brian
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New York : Harper & Row, Publishers, 1968.
First edition of the author’s masterpiece. Octavo, original green cloth. Boldly signed by Mario Vargas Llosa on the half-title page. Very good in a very good dust jacket with light shelfwear. Jacket design by Guy Fleming. Translated by Gregory Rabassa.
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London : John Murray, 1850.
Finely bound edition of the complete poetical works of Lord Byron. Octavo, bound in full crushed red morocco with gilt titles and tooling to the spine, quadruple gilt ruling and fleuron cornerpieces to the front and rear panels, gilt turn-in and inner dentelles, patterned endpapers, illustrated, frontispiece portrait of Byron. Decorated with a fore-edge paintingContinue reading "The Poetical Works of Lord Byron. [Fore-edge Painting]."
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New York : Arcade Publishing, 1996.
First edition of this collection of short stories. Octavo, original half cloth. Signed by John Irving on the title page. Fine in a near fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Jeffrey Fisher. Author photographs by Mary Ellen Mark and Isolde Ohlbaum.
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New York : Doubleday, Page, 1901.
First edition of Booker T. Washington’s landmark biography with an autograph letter signed by him on his Tuskegee Institute letterhead. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated, tissue-guarded frontispiece portrait of the author. Accompanied by an autograph letter signed by Washington on his The Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute letterhead which reads, “Oct. 19, 190 Mr. George A.Continue reading "Up From Slavery. An Autobiography."
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London : Printed for A. Strahan, and T. Cadell Jun. and W. Davies, 1796.
First edition of Gibbon’s memoirs, letters, and additional works, posthumously collected and published by his closest friend, John Baker Holroyd, 1st Earl of Sheffield. Quarto, bound in three quarters morocco over marbled boards, morocco spine labels lettered in gilt, elaborate gilt tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, engraved frontispiece portraitContinue reading "Miscellaneous Works of Edward Gibbon, Esquire. With Memoirs of His Life and Writings, Composed by Himself: Illustrated from His Letters, with Occasional Notes and Narrative by John Lord Sheffield."
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New York : Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1962.
First edition of Frost’s final book of poetry. Octavo, original cloth. Boldly signed by Robert Frost on the front free endpaper. Fine in a near fine dust jacket. Jacket photograph by David H. Rhinelander.
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First Edition
![The Last Temptation of Christ [First Edition in Greek].](https://raptis.bvbeta.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/RRB-138555.jpg)
![The Poetical Works of Lord Byron. [Fore-edge Painting].](https://raptis.bvbeta.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/RRB-135627.jpg)
