Literature

Faulkner, William

Pylon.

Oxford, Mississippi : N/P, c. 1934.

Rare original carbon typescript of the novel Pylon, with title in ink in the author’s hand on the first page, a few leaves repaginated in the author’s hand, 344 pages, each of the six chapters held together with a paper clip, [Oxford, Mississippi, ca. December 1934]. Newly discovered by the family and one of only twoContinue reading "Pylon."

Henty, George Alfred

A Woman of the Commune: A Tale of Two Sieges of Paris.

London : F. V. White & Co, 1895.

First edition of Henty’s classic adventure tale. Octavo, original publisher’s decorated cloth with gilt titles to the spine and front panel. In near fine condition. Uncommon in this condition.

Niven, Larry

Ringworld.

London : Victor Gollancz Ltd, 1972.

First British and first hardcover edition of this classic work, which went on to win the 1970 Nebula and 1971 Hugo award for best novel. Octavo, original cloth. Lengthily signed by the author on the title page, “Not until we can deliver our secret to our respective worlds and acquire an intact ship. Larry Niven.”Continue reading "Ringworld."

Churchill, Sarah [Winston S. Churchill]

A Thread in the Tapestry.

London : Andre Deutsch, 1967.

First edition, early printing of the author’s deeply moving eulogy of her father, Sir Winston Churchill. Octavo, bound in three quarters morocco by Sangorski and Sutcliffe, gilt titles and ruling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, top edge gilt, marbled endpapers. In fine condition.

Hemingway, Ernest

A Farewell To Arms.

New York : Charles Scribner's Sons, 1929.

First edition of this Hemingway classic, which established him among the American masters. Octavo, original black cloth. Near fine in a near fine first state dust jacket with the misspelling “Katharine Barclay” in the blurb on the front flap. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box. A very sharp example.

Mitchell, Margaret

Gone With the Wind.

New York : The Macmillan Company, 1936.

First edition of Margaret Mitchell’s masterpiece which remains one of the fastest selling novels in the history of American publishing, with 50,000 copies sold in a single day. Octavo, original cloth. First printing, with “Published May 1936” on the copyright page and no mention of other printings. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on theContinue reading "Gone With the Wind."

Kipling, Rudyard

The Jungle Book and The Second Jungle Book. [Fore-edge Painting].

London : Macmillan, 1978.

Finely bound edition of both volumes of The Jungle Book, with an exceptional fore-edge painting. Octavo, bound in full morocco by Bayntun Bindery, gilt titles to the spine, raised bands, all edges gilt, engraved frontispiece with tissue guard present. Illustrated by J. L. Kipling, W.H. Drake and P. Frenzeny. In near fine condition. Rare andContinue reading "The Jungle Book and The Second Jungle Book. [Fore-edge Painting]."

Meredith, George

The Works of George Meredith.

Westminster : Archibald Constable & Co, 1897.

Finely bound set of the works of George Meredith. Octavo, 18 volumes bound by Maclehose in three quarters crushed morocco over marbled boards, gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised bands, marbled endpapers, gilt topstain, engraved frontispiece to each volume. In very good condition.

Bulfinch, Thomas

The Age of Fable; Or, Stories of Gods and Heroes.

Boston : Sanborn, Carter, and Bazin, 1855.

First edition, first state of the first installment in Bulfinch’s famed Mythology; with the names of both the printer and the stereotyper on copyright page. Octavo, original publisher’s cloth elaborately stamped in gilt, gilt titles and tooling to the spine, tissue-guarded frontispiece by Smith Pierson, in-text illustrations. In very good condition with loss to the crown of the spine. ContemporaryContinue reading "The Age of Fable; Or, Stories of Gods and Heroes."

Whittier, John Greenleaf

Snow-Bound. A Winter Idyl.

Boston : Ticknor and Fields, 1866.

First edition, first issue of this poetic description of the pleasant isolation of “the inmates of the family at the Whittier homestead” with the final page properly numbered 52. Octavo, original cloth with gilt titles and tooling to the spine, pale yellow endpapers, tissue-guarded frontispiece portrait and title page vignette, headpiece and initial letter byContinue reading "Snow-Bound. A Winter Idyl."

[Grant, Ulysses S.]

Hymns of the Ages: Second Series. Being Selections From Wither, Crashaw, Southwell, Harington, and Other Sources.

Boston : Ticknor and Fields, 1865.

First edition of the second series of Hymns of the Ages, from the library of Ulysses S. Grant. Octavo, bound in full pebbled morocco with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised bands, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles, all edges gilt, marbled endpapers, tissue-guarded frontispiece. From the library of UlyssesContinue reading "Hymns of the Ages: Second Series. Being Selections From Wither, Crashaw, Southwell, Harington, and Other Sources."

Poe, Edgar Allan

The Raven and Other Poems. [Bound With] Tales.

New York : Wiley and Putnam, 1845.

Rare first editions of Poe’s two great collections of stories and poems, bound together in the original publisher’s cloth. Octavo, original publisher’s dark green cloth elaborately stamped in blind with gilt titles to the spine, publisher’s advertisements at rear of each volume which are most often lacking with both volumes bound together. Wiley and PutnamContinue reading "The Raven and Other Poems. [Bound With] Tales."

Joyce, James

Ulysses.

Paris : Shakespeare and Company, 1924.

Fourth printing of Joyce’s masterpiece, signed by him. Quarto, original wrappers. Signed by the author in the month of publication on the front free endpaper, “James Joyce Paris 7 January 1924.” In very good condition, the joints lightly repaired. Housed in a custom clamshell box. Uncommon signed.

Hugo, Victor

Notre-Dame de Paris.

Paris : Charles Gosselin, 1831.

First edition, first printing of Hugo’s masterpiece, one of only 1,100 examples. Octavo, 2 volumes, bound in half calf. The publisher Charles Gosselin published the novel on 16 March 1831 in an edition of 1,100 copies as was his usual practice. It was such a sensation that an additional three printings had to be publishedContinue reading "Notre-Dame de Paris."

Joyce, James

Finnegans Wake.

New York : The Viking Press, 1939.

First American edition of Joyce’s masterpiece. Octavo, bound in full morocco by the Harcourt Bindery, gilt titles and ruling to the spine, raised bands, gilt ruled to the front and rear panels, gilt signature to the front panel, inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt. In fine condition. An exceptional presentation.

Welcome to Christmas.

1875.

Rare 19th century album on Christmas. Octavo, bound in full black morocco, elaborate ruling in blind and in gilt, silk moire endpapers, eight cardstock leaves, six in cream and two in grey, all hand lettered and or painted in traditional Victorian Christmas imagery. The title leaf with quill and pen, surmounted with elaborate titling inContinue reading "Welcome to Christmas."

[Fleming, Ian]

Complete James Bond Clamshell Box Collection.

.

Fine collection of custom half morocco clamshell boxes hand made by The Harcourt Bindery to house each of the 14 first editions in Ian Fleming’s James Bond series. Octavo, 14 volumes. In fine condition. An exceptional presentation.

Huxley, Aldous

The Art of Seeing.

New York : Harper & Brothers, 1942.

First edition of this classic work which details Huxley’s experience with and views on the controversial Bates method, which according to him improved his eyesight. Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author in the year of publication on the front free endpaper, “For Gordon Ross, Sincerely, Aldous Huxley 1942.” Near fine in aContinue reading "The Art of Seeing."

Rowling, J.K.; Illustrated by Mary Grandpre

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.

New York : Scholastic Press, 1998.

First American edition, first printing of the first book in the Harry Potter series. Octavo, original half cloth, illustrated by Mary Grandpre. Boldly signed by J.K. Rowling on the second title page. Additionally signed twice by illustrator Mary Grandpre, on the title page and on the rear dust jacket flap. Fine in a fine dustContinue reading "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone."

Morris, William. Introduction by Joseph Jacobs

Old French Romances Done into English.

New York : Charles Scribners' Sons, 1896.

First American edition of Morris’s fine translation of the great French Romances. Octavo, original cloth. In very good condition.