Literature

Murphy, Richard

The Last Galway Hooker.

[Dublin] : The Dolmen Press, 1961.

First and signed limited edition of the Irish poet’s classic poem. Octavo, original quarter parchment. One of 200 copies signed by the author. In near fine condition.

Kipling, Rudyard

Two Forewords.

Garden City : Doubleday, Doran & Co., Inc., 1935.

First edition of this collection of two letters written by Kipling to Frank Nelson and Nelson Doubleday. Octavo, original publisher’s half cloth over marbled boards. One of 950 copies. Fine in the original slipcase which is in near fine condition.

Kipling, Rudyard

The Light That Failed.

London : Macmillan and Co, 1891.

First edition of Kipling’s first novel. Octavo, original cloth with gilt titles to the spine, publisher’s gilt emblem to the front panel. In very good condition.

Williamson, Henry

How Dear Is Life.

London : Macdonald & Co., 1954.

First edition of the fourth novel in the author’s semi-autobiographical Chronicle of Ancient Sunlight series. Octavo, original cloth. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Broom Lynne. Bookplate.

Cary, Joyce

A Fearful Joy.

London : Michael Joseph Limited, n.d..

Publisher’s advance proof and retained file copy of the author’s fine historical novel. Octavo, original wrappers. The publisher’s retained file copy with their stamp to the title page, “File Copy Michael Joseph Ltd.” Near fine in a very good dust jacket. Jacket design by Nichols.

Rand, Ayn

The Fountainhead.

Indianapolis : Bobbs-Merrill Company, 1943.

First edition, first issue with first edition stated on the copyright page of the author’s first major novel, as well as her first best-seller. Octavo, original red cloth. Association copy, inscribed by the author in the year of publication on the front free endpaper, “To Gertrude Lynneberg- – with my best wishes for long yearsContinue reading "The Fountainhead."

Wheatley, Dennis

The Rape of Venice.

London : Hutchinson & Co., 1959.

First edition of the sixth book in the best-selling author’s Roger Brook espionage series. Octavo, original cloth, cartographic endpapers. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Sax.

Stoppard, Tom

On the Razzle.

London : Faber and Faber, 1982.

First edition, early printing of this classic play. Octavo, original illustrated wrappers. Boldly signed by Tom Stoppard on the title page. In near fine condition. Cover design by Pentagram.

At Home: Essays 1982-1988.

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First edition of this collection of essays by the award-winning author. Octavo, original cloth. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the title page, “Valerie love Gore.” The recipient Valerie Gore was the author’s sister. Vidal’s father remarried in 1939 and had two children with his second wife; Valerie was born in 1946. The twoContinue reading "At Home: Essays 1982-1988."

Kipling, Rudyard

The Just So Song Book: Being Songs From Rudyard Kipling’s Just So Stories. Set to Music by Edward German.

Macmillan and Co., Limited : London, 1918.

Early printing of Kipling’s Just So Song Book. Quarto, original illustrated boards. In very good condition.

[Kipling, Rudyard]

Horizon: Kipling’s India.

New York : American Heritage Publishing Co. Inc., 1964.

First appearance of Kipling’s India. Quarto, bound in full cloth with gilt titles to the spine and front panel. The Autumn, 1964. Volume VI, Number 4 issue of Horizon. In near fine condition.

Symonds, John Addington

The Escorial. A Prize Poem. Recited in the Theatre, Oxford, June 20, 1860.

Oxford : T. and G. Shrimpton, 1860.

First edition of Symonds’ first book, published when he was 20 years old. Octavo, original wrappers. In very good condition.

Kipling, Rudyard

Soldiers Three.

New York : The Minerva Publishing Company, 1892.

Rare early separate edition of Kipling’s second collection of short stories. Octavo, original wrappers. The Marco-Botsaris Series No. 10. In very good condition.

le Carre, John

The Looking-Glass War.

London : Heinemann, 1965.

First edition of the author’s fourth novel. Octavo, original cloth. Signed by John le Carre on the title page. Fine in the original price-clipped dust jacket with some light fading to the spine.

Remarque, Erich Maria

All Quiet On The Western Front.

Boston : Little, Brown & Company, 1929.

First American edition of this landmark novel of the 20th century. Octavo, original beige cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the half-title page, To Mary Constance Ryder with my best wishes- New York July 1945 Eric Maria Remarque.” Near fine in a very good dust jacket with a few small chips and lightContinue reading "All Quiet On The Western Front."

O. Henry [William Sydney Porter]

The Complete Works of O. Henry: The Manuscript Edition.

Garden City, NY : Doubleday, Page and Company, 1912.

The manuscript edition of the Works of O. Henry, limited to 125 examples. Octavo, 12 volumes, bound in original half vellum. In fine condition. The manuscript is bound into volume one. An exceptional set.

Rey, H.A

Find the Constellations.

Boston : Houghton Mifflin Company, 1956.

First edition, second printing of this classic illustrated work by the author of Curious George. Quarto, original cloth, illustrated throughout. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author opposite the title page, “To Brian happy stargazing! H.A. Rey 4-24-1960.” Rey has added a drawing of a child looking at three stars. Very good in a very goodContinue reading "Find the Constellations."

Beerbohm. Max

Zuleika Dobson or An Oxford Love Story.

London : William Heinemann, 1911.

First edition of Beerbohm’s classic and only novel. Octavo, original cloth. Near fine in the rare original dust jacket, which is in very good condition. According to Mark Samuels Lasner, the Beerbohm scholar and bibliographer, there have only been five copies of this book identified as still possessing their original dust jackets. Two are inContinue reading "Zuleika Dobson or An Oxford Love Story."

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.

Sassoon, Siegfried

The Heart’s Journey.

London : William Heinemann Ltd, 1927.

First edition of Sassoon’s classic poetry collection. Octavo, original cloth. Near fine in the original dust jacket which is in very good condition.

Gray, Alasdair. [Sally Soames]

Something Leather.

London : Jonathan Cape, 1990.

First edition of Alasdair Gray’s sensational novel. Octavo, original cloth decorated in gilt. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “To Sally from Alasdair 27 June 1990 Glasgow.” The recipient, British photojournalist Sally Soames, worked for The Sunday Times from 1968 until 2000 and was highly regarded for her exclusively blackContinue reading "Something Leather."

Updike, John

Rabbit, Run; Rabbit Redux; Rabbit Is Rich; Rabbit At Rest; Licks of Love.

New York : Alfred A. Knopf, 1960-2000.

First editions of each volume in the Rabbit quartet. Octavos, 5 volumes, original half cloth. Each volume signed by John Updike. Each volume is near fine to fine in near fine dust jackets. An exceptional signed set.

Murakami, Haruki

Killing Commendatore.

New York : Alfred A. Knopf, 2018.

First edition of this “expansive and intricate novel” (The New York Times). Octavo, original illustrated boards. Signed three times by dust jacket designer Chip Kidd, once on the front panel, on the title page and on the rear flap. Fine in a fine dust jacket.

Dickens, Charles

The Christmas Books: A Christmas Carol; The Chimes; The Battle of Life; Cricket on the Hearth; The Haunted Man and The Ghost’s Bargain.

London : Chapman and Hall, 1843-60.

Early printings of all five of Charles Dickens’ Christmas Books, finely bound. Octavo, 5 volumes, bound in full calf with elaborate gilt tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, black and green morocco spine labels lettered in gilt, double gilt ruled panels, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles, all edges gilt, marbledContinue reading "The Christmas Books: A Christmas Carol; The Chimes; The Battle of Life; Cricket on the Hearth; The Haunted Man and The Ghost’s Bargain."