Literature

Orwell, George

Animal Farm.

New York : Harcourt, Brace and Company, 1946.

Early printing of Orwell’s timeless allegorical novel—a scathing satire on a downtrodden society’s blind march towards totalitarianism. Octavo, original black cloth. Near fine in a very good dust jacket with rubbing and wear to the extremities, name to the front free endpaper. Jacket art by Art Brenner.

Stowe, Harriet Beecher

Men of Our Times or Leading Patriots of the Day. Being Narratives of the Lives and Deeds of Statesmen, Generals, and Orators. Including Biographical Sketches and Anecdotes of Lincoln, Grant, Garrison, Sumner, Chase, Wilson, Greeley, Farragut, Andrew, Colfax, Stanoton, Douglass, Buckingham, Sherman, Sheridan, Howard, Phillips and Beecher.

Hartford, Conn. : Hartford Publishing Co, 1868.

First edition of this work by the author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Octavo, original publisher’s cloth with gilt titles to the spine, gilt facsimile signature of Harriet Beecher Stowe to the front panel, illustrated with 18 tissue-guarded steel portraits including frontispiece portrait of Harriet Beecher Stowe. Second state with the title page corrected to “Douglass.” InContinue reading "Men of Our Times or Leading Patriots of the Day. Being Narratives of the Lives and Deeds of Statesmen, Generals, and Orators. Including Biographical Sketches and Anecdotes of Lincoln, Grant, Garrison, Sumner, Chase, Wilson, Greeley, Farragut, Andrew, Colfax, Stanoton, Douglass, Buckingham, Sherman, Sheridan, Howard, Phillips and Beecher."

Kepnes, Caroline

You: A Novel.

New York : Atria/Emily Bestseller Books, 2014.

First edition of the first book in the best-selling ‘You’ series, which spawned the popular Netflix show by the same name starring Penn Badgley as Joe Goldberg. Octavo, original half cloth. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Natalie C. Sousa. Author photograph by Katheen Szmit.

Dahl, Roald

Dirty Beasts.

London : Jonathan Cape, 1983.

First edition of this book collection of poems about mischievous and mysterious animals. Quarto, original boards, illustrations by Rosemary Fawcett. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “To Lucy Love Roald Dahl.” In fine condition. First editions are rare and desirable signed.

Creasey, John [John Ball]

John Creasey Autograph Letter Signed.

Bodenham August 9, 1967.

Autograph letter signed by English author John Creasey to American novelist John Ball with a review of the film based on Ball’s first ‘Virgil Tibbs’ novel. One page on Cunard Line R. M. S. Queen Mary letterhead, duodecimo, the autograph letter reads, “Dear John, Last night in New York, I saw ‘In the Heat ofContinue reading "John Creasey Autograph Letter Signed."

Baldwin, James

The Fire Next Time.

New York : The Dial Press, 1963.

First edition of one of the most influential works on race relations published in the twentieth century. Octavo, original cloth. Boldly signed by James Baldwin on the dedication page. Fine in a near fine dust jacket with a touch of shelfwear. Jacket design by Paul Bacon. Jacket photograph by Mottke Weissman. Rare and desirable, especiallyContinue reading "The Fire Next Time."

Saint-Exupery, Antoine de

The Little Prince Original Antoine de Saint-Exupery Watercolor Drawing.

[New York] [1942].

Rare original watercolor study of the beloved protagonist of Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s The Little Prince, a timeless masterpiece that has transcended generations and remains the most widely read work of fiction in history, having sold over 150 million copies over the course of the past 80 years. One page, pencil and watercolor on American ‘FidelityContinue reading "The Little Prince Original Antoine de Saint-Exupery Watercolor Drawing."

Stanton, Stephen Berrien [William Tecumseh Sherman]

The Essential Life.

New York : Charles Scribner's Sons, 1908.

First edition of this poetical guide to a fulfilling life; from the library of Philemon Tecumseh Sherman. Duodecimo, original navy blue cloth. P.T. Sherman’s bookplate to the front free endpaper. In very good condition with some rubbing to the spine, front and rear panels.

Stanton, Stephen B. [William T. Sherman]

The Fourth in the Furnace.

New York : Minton, Balch & Company, 1927.

First edition of this poetical book of philosophy; gifted by the author to Philemon Tecumseh Sherman. Duodecimo, original black cloth. P. T. Sherman’s bookplate to the front pastedown. Ownership inscription to the front free endpaper, “P. T. Sherman from Stephen Stanton Uncle Cump’s first partner.” Friends and family of General William Tecumseh Sherman often referredContinue reading "The Fourth in the Furnace."

Wilbur, Richard

Ceremony And Other Poems.

New York : Harcourt, Brace and Company, 1950.

First edition of this collection of poems by the Pulitzer Prize-winning poet. Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, warmly inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “For Jane and motherhood Aff’y inscribed Dick Wilbur Cambridge May 51.” Also laid in is a sonnet broadside from Charlee and Richard Wilbur. Near fine in a nearContinue reading "Ceremony And Other Poems."

Greene, Graham

The Lost Childhood and Other Essays.

London : Eyre and Spottiswoode, 1951.

First edition of this collection of essays by Graham Greene, two of its four parts, Personal Prologue and Personal Postscript, comprise seven invaluable pieces of autobiography. Octavo, original cloth. Very good in a very good dust jacket.

le Carre, John

Le Carre Omnibus: Call For the Dead and A Murder of Quality.

London : Victor Gollancz, 1964.

First edition of this collection of le Carre’s first two novels. Octavo, original cloth. Very good in a very good dust jacket with some chips and wear.

200 Utaibon Noh Chantbooks.

Kyoto : Tsunenosuke Hinoki, 1943-1944.

A theatrical collection of exactly 200 Utaibon Noh chantbooks. Original wrappers with stitched binding, average of approximately 20 pp. each, title labels on rice paper, patterned paper covers, calligraphic text in red and black. All in very good to fine condition. Housed in a dedicated wooden case, which is in good condition with partitioning toContinue reading "200 Utaibon Noh Chantbooks."

Carre, John le

Our Kind of Traitor and An Address Given at the Oxford Literary Festival March 2010.

London : Viking and London Review Bookshop, 2010.

Signed limited first edition of this thrilling novel which was the inspiration for the 2016 film by the same name starring Ewan McGregor, Naomie Harris, Stellan Skarsgård, Damian Lewis and Alicia von Rittberg, together with the bound text of the author’s address at the Oxford Literary Festival on 24th March 2010. Octavo, original publisher’s morocco-backed half cloth with gilt titlesContinue reading "Our Kind of Traitor and An Address Given at the Oxford Literary Festival March 2010."

le Carre, John

Single & Single.

London : Hodder & Stoughton, 1999.

First edition of this “exciting spy story” (New York Times Book Review). Octavo, original boards. Signed by John le Carre on the title page. Fine in a fine dust jacket.

Fleming, Ian [Cubby Broccoli]

Complete Set of 14 First Edition James Bond Novels: Casino Royale, Live and Let Die, Moonraker, Diamonds are Forever, From Russia with Love, Dr. No, Goldfinger, For Your Eyes Only (short stories including A View to a Kill and Quantum of Solace), Thunderball, The Spy Who loved Me, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, You Only Live Twice, The Man with the Golden Gun, Octopussy and The Living Daylights.

London : Jonathan Cape, 1953-66.

First editions of each volume in Ian Fleming’s James Bond series. Octavo, 14 volumes, original publisher’s cloth-covered boards. Each volume in a first-issue dust jacket. Casino Royale is near fine in a very good price-clipped dust jacket with chipping to the extremities including the crown of the spine and upper right corner of the frontContinue reading "Complete Set of 14 First Edition James Bond Novels: Casino Royale, Live and Let Die, Moonraker, Diamonds are Forever, From Russia with Love, Dr. No, Goldfinger, For Your Eyes Only (short stories including A View to a Kill and Quantum of Solace), Thunderball, The Spy Who loved Me, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, You Only Live Twice, The Man with the Golden Gun, Octopussy and The Living Daylights."

le Carre, John

The Looking-Glass War.

London : Heinemann, 1965.

First edition of the author’s fourth novel. Octavo, original cloth. Fine in a very good dust jacket with some toning to the spine.

Waugh, Evelyn

The Sword of Honour Trilogy: Men At Arms; Officers and Gentlemen; Unconditional Surrender.

London : Chapman and Hall, 1951-1961..

First editions of each volume in the author’s acclaimed Sword of Honour Trilogy. Octavo, 3 volumes, original cloth. Men At Arms is an association copy, lengthily inscribed by the author to Patrick Balfour on the front free endpaper, “For Patrick with love from Evelyn Sept 6th 1952 I say why not read the copy youContinue reading "The Sword of Honour Trilogy: Men At Arms; Officers and Gentlemen; Unconditional Surrender."

Salter, James

A Sport And A Pastime.

Garden City, NY : Paris Review Editions/ Doubleday, 1967.

First edition of this modern classic, hailed as a masterpiece. Octavo, original half cloth. Signed by James Salter on the title page. With a publisher’s compliments of the author laid in, fine in a good dust jacket with a few chips. Jacket collage by Alex Gotfryd. First editions are exceptionally rare and desirable signed.

Naipaul, V.S

A House For Mr. Biswas.

London : Andre Deutsch, 1961.

First edition of the author’s masterpiece. Octavo, original cloth. Near fine in a good dust jacket with chips and wear. Jacket design by Stephen Russ.

Atwood, Margaret

Surfacing.

Toronto : McClelland and Stewart Limited, 1972.

First edition of the author’s classic second novel. Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the title page, “For Rachel- Margaret Atwood June 4 1982.” Fine in a fine dust jacket. Jacket design by David Shaw. Author photograph by Amleto Lorenzini. Housed in a custom half morocco and chemise clamshell box.

Orwell, George

Nineteen Eighty-Four.

London : Secker & Warburg, 1949.

First edition of Orwell’s classic dystopian novel. Octavo, original cloth. Near fine in a very good dust jacket with a few small chips and closed tears. Jacket design by Michael Kennard. Housed in a custom half morocco and chemise clamshell box. A nice example.

Lowell, Thomas. [W.E.B. Dubois; David Lloyd George]

Rolling Stone: The Life and Adventures of Arthur Radclyffe Dugmore.

Garden City, New York : Doubleday, Doran & Company, Inc., 1933.

Early printing of the definitive biography of Arthur Radclyffe Dugmore. Octavo, original cloth, illustrations from photographs and paintings by Arthur Radclyffe Dugmore. Association copy, inscribed on the front free endpaper by W.E.B. Dubois to British Prime Minister David Lloyd George, “Many Happy Returns to ‘Lloyd George’ Nov. 5th 1933 from W.E.B.” W.E.B. Dubois wrote thatContinue reading "Rolling Stone: The Life and Adventures of Arthur Radclyffe Dugmore."

Greene, Graham

The Quiet American.

London : William Heinemann Ltd, 1955.

First edition of Greene’s classic novel of exploration of love, innocence, and morality in Vietnam. Octavo, original blue cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the title page, “For Joseph from Graham Greene.” Near fine in a near fine dust jacket with light wear. Housed in a custom clamshell box.