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 1896-1920 of 4655
London` : Michael Joseph, 1976.
First edition of this classic, the sequel to All Creatures Great and Small. Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the title page, “To Bob and Nancy with best wishes and thanks James Herriot.” Fine in a near fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Camera Press.
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London : Geoffrey Bles, 1953.
First edition of this classic work. Octavo, original cloth, cartographic endpapers, illustrated. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket. Illustrated by Pauline Baynes. An exceptional example, as this is the most difficult volume in the series to find in collectible condition.
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London : Methuen & Co, 1960.
First edition of the Nobel Prize-winning author’s classic work. Octavo, original cloth. Near fine in a very good dust jacket.
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New York : Charles Scribners Sons, 1925.
First edition of “one of the greatest of American illustrated books” (Porter, 84), the last and most lavish children’s book illustrated by Maxfield Parrish, with mounted cover design, pictorial endpapers, 14 full-page color plates, and nine in-text color illustrations. Folio, original black cloth, mounted cover illustration, pictorial endpapers. In near fine condition.
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Hartford, Conn. : American Publishing Company, 1880.
First edition of Twain’s classic fictionalized account of his walking tour of central and southern Europe, early issue with the portrait in BAL state B (no priority), frontispiece in the first state (captioned “Moses”), state A of the text block (no priority), and the cover stamping in state A. Octavo. 631, [1, ad] pages. Octavo,Continue reading "A Tramp Abroad."
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New York : Dutton Children's Books, 1990.
First edition of this work in the author’s classic Fudge series. Octavo, original half cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “To Linda Love, Judy Blume Oct. 1993.” Fine in near fine dust jacket. Jacket illustration by Sue Truesdell.
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New York : Charles Scribner's Sons, 1929.
First edition of this early Hemingway classic, which established him among the American masters. Octavo, original black cloth. Fine in a near fine first state dust jacket with the misspelling “Katharine Barclay” in the blurb on the front flap. A very sharp example of this highspot of American literature.
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New York : The Viking Press, 1957.
First edition of Kerouac’s classic novel. Octavo, original black cloth. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket with light rubbing and wear. Jacket design by Bill English. A sharp example.
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New York : Harper & Brothers, 1905.
Uniform edition of the author’s second book, one of the best-selling travel books of all-time. Octavo, original cloth, gilt titles to the spine, engraved frontispiece and photographic portrait with facsimile signature. Signed by the author “Truly yours Mark Twain” to the front pastedown. In very good condition, name to the front free endpaper. Housed inContinue reading "The Innocents Abroad, Or The New Pilgrims’ Progress."
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New York, Evanston, and London : Harper & Row, Publishers, 1970.
First edition, early printing of the author’s best-selling novel, a “sweet, sad, and, in its closing sentences, startlingly sentimental” work (John Barkham). Octavo, original cloth. Boldly signed on the front free endpaper by Erich Segal, Ali MacGraw and Ryan O’Neal who co-starred in the 1970 film adaptation. A tragedy, the 1970 film Love Story wasContinue reading "Love Story."
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London : Jonathan Cape, 1985.
First British edition of Irving’s sixth novel. Octavo, original boards. Presentation copy, lengthily inscribed by the author in the year of publication on the front free endpaper, “Dear Kaylie, Happy Birthday, 1985, to a young writer from a moderately-old one; here is the first and-as of your birthday-only British copy of this book in America!Continue reading "The Cider House Rules."
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New York : Simon & Schuster, 1977.
First edition of Didion’s classic fourth book. Octavo, original half cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the half-title page, “For Kenneth Stein Joan Didion 11 July ’94.” Near fine in a near fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Janet Halverson. An exceptional example, uncommon signed.
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Boston : Little, Brown and Company, 1954.
First edition of the author’s classic first novel. Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author in the year of publication on the front free endpaper, “To Nelia Gardner White -in admiration Bill Shirer 1954.” Near fine in a very good dust jacket. Jacket design by Vivian Berman. Rare and desirable signed and inscribed.
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London : William Heinemann, 1915.
First edition, first printing which includes list of other “Works” by Maugham facing half-title, plus publisher’s ad page for works by other authors on half-title verso, with the misprint on page 257, line 4 (“help”) of Maugham’s masterpiece. Octavo, original cloth. In near fine condition. Housed in a custom clamshell box. An exceptional example.
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New York : Carleton, Publisher, 1862.
First American edition and first edition in English of Victor Hugo’s masterpiece. Octavo, bound in contemporary three quarters calf over marbled boards, gilt titles to the spine, raised bands, five volumes complete in one volume. Translated by Charles E. Wilbour. In near condition, previous owners names. Uncommon in this condition.
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London : The Egoist Ltd, 1917.
First English edition of Joyce’s classic stream-of-consciousness work, his first novel, one of about 1000 copies. Octavo, original cloth. In very good condition. Housed in a custom half morocco and chemise clamshell box.
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New York : Harper & Brothers, Publishers, 1849.
First edition, second printing of this classic work with the extended publisher’s advertisements at end. Octavo, original plum cloth stamped in blind, spine gilt, yellow endpapers. In very good condition, bookplate.
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New York : Wynwood Press, 1988.
First edition of this fictional work by one of the greatest athletes of the twentieth century. Octavo, original half cloth. Signed by both authors on the half-title page, “All the best Pele” and “Herbert Resnicow.” Fine in near fine dust jacket. Jacket cover illustration by Edward C. Carenza. Written with Herbert Resnicow.
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New York : Reynal & Hitchcock, 1934.
First American edition of this children’s classic. Octavo, bound in full morocco by the Harcourt Bindery, gilt titles and ruling to the spine, raised bands, double gilt ruled to the front and rear panels, gilt inner dentelles stamp-signed by the Harcourt Bindery, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt. In fine condition, bookplate. An exceptional example.
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London : Sampson Low, Son, & Marston, 1868.
Presentation copy, later printing of Tennyson’s popular Victorian poem. Octavo, original publisher’s cloth elaborately decorated in gilt, all edges gilt, illustrated. Presentation copy, inscribed on the front free endpaper, “To Fanny Melville from her brother Herman April 1876 New York.” Presentation inscription likely in the hand of Melville’s wife. Herman Melville was born in NewContinue reading "The May Queen."
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New York : HarperCollins, 1995.
First edition, early printing of the 35th Anniversary edition of the author’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. Octavo, original half cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the half-title page, “Best wishes to Gilda Conner -Harper Lee.” Fine in a fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Suzanne Noli.
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Paris : Robert Denoël, 1929.
First edition of the author’s immensely popular novel. Octavo, bound in full crushed levant morocco by Valmard with gilt titles to the spine, marbled endpapers and additional patterned silk endleaves, gilt inner dentelles stamp-signed by Valmard, with two illustrations signed by Dabit mounted to the front and rear pastedown. Presentation copy, inscribed by the authorContinue reading "L’Hotel du Nord."
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Eugene, OR : Pulphouse, 1991.
First separate edition of this Nebula Award-winning novelette. Octavo, original illustrated wrappers. Cover illustration by George Barr.
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New York : Doubleday, 2019.
Signed limited first edition from the Powell’s series. Octavo, original boards. Boldly signed by Colson Whitehead on the title page. Fine in a fine dust jacket. Housed in a custom slipcase with the original booklet laid in. Jacket design by Oliver Munday.
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