Literature

Maugham, W. Somerset

On A Chinese Screen.

London : William Heinemann, 1922.

First edition of this classic travel book by the author of The Razor’s Edge. Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “To Edward Wassermann these notes made in boats, on the road, and in strange towns W. Somerset Maugham.” In very good condition. Rare and desirable signed and inscribed. 

The Problem of Arnold Bennett.

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First edition of this work, inscribed to H.G. Wells. Octavo, original cloth. Association copy, inscribed by the author to H. G. Wells by the author on the front endpaper in the year of publication, “H. G. Wells, gratefully from the author, Geoffrey West. November 1932.” West was also the author of  H. G. Wells: AContinue reading "The Problem of Arnold Bennett."

Laxness, Halldor

The Bread of Life.

Reykjavik : Vaka-Helgafell, 1987.

First edition of this work by the Nobel Prize-winning author. Quarto, original cloth, illustrated. Presentation copy, inscribed by the illustrator to actress Julie Andrews on the front free endpaper, “August 1988 To Julie Andrews with thanks and appreciations Snorri Sveinn Fridriksson.” Additionally signed by Halldor Laxness on the half-title page. Illustrated by Snorri Sveinn Fridriksson.”Continue reading "The Bread of Life."

Kipling, Rudyard

Debits and Credits.

Garden City : Doubleday, Page & Company, 1926.

First American edition of one of the Nobel Prize-winning author’s finest collections. Octavo, original green cloth with gilt titles to the spine and front panel, black stamped ship vignette to the front panel. Fine in the rare original dust jacket which is in very good condition.

Brown, Dee Alexander. [Harper Lee]

The Bold Cavaliers: Morgan’s 2nd Kentucky Cavalry Raiders.

Philadelphia and New York : J. B. Lippincott Company, 1959.

First edition of the author’s Civil War classic. Octavo, original half cloth, cartographic endpapers. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author of To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee on the front free endpaper to close University of Alabama college friend, Charles Weldon Carruth, “To Charles with love, Nelle.” In the fall term of 1945, Lee andContinue reading "The Bold Cavaliers: Morgan’s 2nd Kentucky Cavalry Raiders."

Grau, Shirley An

The Keepers of the House.

New York : Alfred A. Knopf, 1964.

First edition of the author’s Pulitzer Prize-winning work. Octavo, original cloth. Signed by Shirley Ann Grau on the half-title page. Fine in a near fine dust jacket. Jacket design by George Salter.

Lee, Harper

To Kill a Mockingbird. Original Harper Lee Drawing, Painting and Letter Collection.

Philadelphia & New York : J.B. Lippincott Company, 1960.

First edition of perhaps the most important American novel of the 20th century, inscribed by Harper Lee to a close college friend and with a scarce archive of drawings and letters exchanged between the two. Octavo, original green cloth backed brown boards, titles to spine in gilt. Association copy, inscribed by Harper Lee to closeContinue reading "To Kill a Mockingbird. Original Harper Lee Drawing, Painting and Letter Collection."

Kipilng, Rudyard

Toomai of the Elephants.

London : Macmillan and Co., Limited, 1937.

First separate edition Kipling’s story of Toomai, a young elephant-handler, the basis for the 1937 film “Elephant Boy” starring Sabu Dastagir, India’s first child actor. Octavo, original boards, illustrated with photographs from the film by Mrs. F. H. Flaherty. Very good in the original dust jacket which is in good condition.

Hammerstein, Oscar

Carmen Jones.

New York : Alfred A. Knopf, 1945.

First edition of this classic play. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “To Wolfe, with gratitude for all he did to successfully re-launch this very old debutante. Sincerely, Oscar.” The recipient, Wolfe Kaufman was the director of publicity for the run of Carmen Jones from December 2,Continue reading "Carmen Jones."

Antique Valentine Collection Album.

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Folio scrapbook containing a collection of Valentines printed in the early 1900s. Quarto, original boards with gilt central floral motif. From the collection of Marilyn Cox. In very good condition.

Kipling, Rudyard

“Teem”- A Treasure-Hunter.

New York : Doubleday, Doran & Company, 1938.

First edition of Kipling’s beloved dog story. Octavo, original cloth. Frontispiece illustration by Marguerite Kirmse. Near fine in the scarce original dust jacket.

Kipling, Rudyard

Debits and Credits.

Toronto : S. B. Gundy, 1926.

First Canadian edition of one of the Nobel Prize-winning author’s most sorrowful collections. Octavo, original cloth with gilt titles to the spine and front panel, black stamped ship vignette to the front panel. In very good condition.

Theatro.

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First Greek edition of this work by Kazantzakis. Octavo, original wrappers. In good condition. Scarce, especially in the original wrappers.

Copland, Aaron

Our New Music: Leading Composers in Europe and America.

New York : Whittlesey House, 1941.

Early printing of the composer’s classic work. Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “To Mrs. Harold Moran Aaron Copland April 1944.” Near fine in a very good dust jacket.

Kipling, Rudyard

Actions and Reactions.

London : Macmillan and Co., Limited, 1909.

Macmillan’s Colonial Library edition of Kipling’s Actions and Reactions, intended for circulation only in India and The British Colonies. Octavo, original wrappers. In very good condition.

Kipling, Rudyard

The Brushwood Boy.

London : Macmillan and Co., Limited, 1907.

First separate edition of this Kipling children’s classic. Octavo, original blue cloth with gilt titles and vignette to the front panel, illustrated by F. H. Townsend, tissue-guarded frontispiece. In near fine condition.

Faulkner, William

Soldiers’ Pay.

New York : Boni & Liveright, 1926.

First edition of Faulkner’s first book. Octavo, original cloth. In near fine condition with a touch of shelfwear. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell chemise and box.

M'Naughton, Peter [Ossian]

The Poems of Ossian: Literally Translated from the Gaelic in the Original Measure of Verse.

Edinburgh and London : William Blackwood and Sons, 1887.

First edition of Peter M’Naughton’s translation of the poems of Ossian. Small octavo, original cloth with gilt titles to the spine. In very good condition. Uncommon.

Garcia Marquez, Gabriel

Love in the Time of Cholera.

New York : Alfred A. Knopf, 1988.

First American edition of the author’s work, which ranks as one of the great novels of the last half of the twentieth century. Octavo, original half cloth. Boldly signed by Gabriel Garcia Marquez on the dedication page. Fine in a fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Carol Devine Carson and Chip Kidd. Additionally signed byContinue reading "Love in the Time of Cholera."

le Carre, John

The Spy Who Came In From The Cold.

London : Victor Gollancz, 1963.

First edition of the le Carre’s classic work, which went on to reinvigorate the spy genre. Octavo, original cloth. Signed by the author on the title page in a contemporary hand, “David Cornwell aka John le Carre.” Near fine in a near fine dust jacket. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box. An exceptionalContinue reading "The Spy Who Came In From The Cold."

Looking Back: An Autobiographical Excursion.

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Signed limited edition of this work by the author of South Wind. Octavo, 2 volumes, original cloth, this is number 213 of an edition limited to 535 sets, 500 of which were for sale, signed by Norman Douglas. In near fine condition.

Kipling, Rudyard

The Works of Rudyard Kipling: The Deluxe Signed Edition. [Including Plain Tales from the Hills; The Phantom Rickshaw; The Light That Failed; Gunga Din; The Jungle Book; The Second Jungle Book; Captains Courageous; Kim; Just So Stories.]

Garden City, NY : Doubleday & Company, Inc, 1914-26.

Signed limited edition of Rudyard Kipling’s collected works. Octavo, 27 volumes. Bound in full morocco, gilt titles to the spine, gilt tooling and ruling to the spine, front and rear panels, raised bands, inner dentelles, top edge gilt, marbled endpapers. One of 1,050 sets with volume 1 signed by Rudyard Kipling. In fine condition. AnContinue reading "The Works of Rudyard Kipling: The Deluxe Signed Edition. [Including Plain Tales from the Hills; The Phantom Rickshaw; The Light That Failed; Gunga Din; The Jungle Book; The Second Jungle Book; Captains Courageous; Kim; Just So Stories.]"

O'Hara, Frank

Meditations In An Emergency.

New York : Grove Press, 1957.

Number 25 of the rare first edition O’Hara’s classic work of poetry, published in an edition of 75 hardbound copies. Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “For Mike- Happy Birthday and I hope the Houses and Odes go on and on into 1262- Frank.” Near fine inContinue reading "Meditations In An Emergency."

Bourget, Paul

Le Disciple.

Paris : Collection Française, 1925.

Limited Collection Française edition of Bourget’s most notable work. Octavo, bound in three quarters calf over marbled boards with gilt tooling to the spine in three compartments within raised gilt bands, black morocco spine labels lettered in gilt, gilt topstain, marbled endpapers, illustrated with colored engravings. One of 1021 numbered copies, this is number 233.Continue reading "Le Disciple."