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 1992-2016 of 4655
New York : Random House, 1947.
First edition with the 250/250 price on the front flap as well as the $2.50 price added to the rear flap (state ‘c’) of the first Dr. Seuss title to feature full-color art on every other page. Quarto, original cloth, pictorial endpapers, illustrated throughout. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author, “For Mrs. Haye with veryContinue reading "McElligot’s Pool."
Read more
London : Chapman and Hall and Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott & Co., 1873-1876.
Finely bound set of the works of Charles Dickens, uniformly bound with John Forster’s definitive biography of Dickens. Octavo, 30 volumes bound in full crushed levant morocco with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised bands, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt, illustrated with numerous etchedContinue reading "The Works of Charles Dickens and The Life of Charles Dickens."
Read more
Weimar and New York : The Northern Press, Printed for Subscribers only, n.d.
The Weimar edition of the collected works of Friedrich Schiller. Octavo, 10 volumes bound in full morocco with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in five compartments within raised bands, elaborate gilt tooling to the front and rear panels, gilt inner dentelles, watered silk endleaves and doublures with central gilt mongrams “EHR”, top edgeContinue reading "The Works of Friedrich Schiller."
Read more
New York : Charles Scribner's Sons, 1906-1932.
Uniformly bound set of the complete works of John Galsworthy. Various sizes (quarto, octavo, 12mo), 36 volumes uniformly bound in full calf by Sangorski & Sutcliffe with elaborate gilt tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, morocco spine labels lettered in gilt, double gilt ruling, cornerpieces, and blind-stamped basketweave pattern toContinue reading "The Complete Works of John Galsworthy."
Read more
Jonathan Cape Ltd : London, 1925.
First edition of this classic novel set in the aftermath of the Irish Civil War, which was adapted numerous times, most famously by John Ford for RKO Pictures in 1935. Octavo, original cloth. Near fine in a very good dust jacket. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box. An exceptional example.
Read more
London : Secker & Warburg, 1949.
First edition of Orwell’s classic dystopian novel. Octavo, original cloth. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket with a few small chips and closed tears. Jacket design by Michael Kennard. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box made by the Harcourt Bindery. A very nice example.
Read more
New York : Random House, 1957.
First edition, first printing of the second novel in Faulkner’s celebrated Snopes trilogy with line 8 on page 327 repeated as line 10. Octavo, original publisher’s cloth. From the library of Cormac McCarthy with his ownership signature to the front free endpaper. McCarthy has been widely praised as not only a disciple of Faulkner, butContinue reading "The Town: A Novel of the Snopes Family."
Read more
New York : G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1946.
First edition of this classic novel. Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author with a loose translation, “For my good friend Dr. Tunik with [illegible] and good wishes Sh. Asch Oct. 1946.” Near fine in a very good dust jacket. Jacket design by Haberstock. Translated by A.H. Gross.
Read more
London : Bradbury and Evans, 1850.
First edition of “the most perfect of all the Dickens novels” (Virginia Woolf). Octavo, original cloth, illustrated with 38 etchings by Hablot Knight Browne. In very good condition, bookplate. Uncommon in the original cloth.
Read more
New York : Dodd, Mead & Company, 1942.
First American edition of Christie’s classic murder mystery, which preceded the first English edition by 11 months. Octavo, original publisher’s cloth. Very good in a good dust jacket with professional restoration.
Read more
New York : G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1989.
First edition, advance reading copy of Tan’s masterpiece. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the title page, “For Larry McMurtry with thanks for the pleasure of your company and your good book. Amy 5 Apr ’90.” The recipient, Larry McMurtry remains best known for his 1985 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Lonesome Dove which was adaptedContinue reading "The Joy Luck Club."
Read more
London : Geoffrey Bles: The Centenary Press, 1945.
Early printing of Lewis‘ classic novel of spiritual conflict, one of his most celebrated works; signed by him with his poem The Salamader in the year it was published in The Spectator. Octavo, original publisher’s cloth. Signed by the author on the front free endpaper, “C. S. Lewis” and inscribed by him on the finalContinue reading "The Screwtape Letters."
Read more
New York : Covici Friede Publishers, 1937.
First edition of Steinbeck’s dramatization of his poignant novel. Octavo, original cloth. Near fine in a very good first issue dust jacket with the publisher’s price of $2.00. Housed in a custom half morocco and chemise clamshell box. A very sharp example.
Read more
New York : Prof. D.R. McClennahan, 2006.
Original theatrical poster from Vanessa Redgrave’s performance of Didion’s 2005 best-selling memoir at the Booth Theatre on Broadway. Signed by Joan Didion and Vanessa Redgrave on the lower portion of the poster. In near fine condition.
Read more
London : Jonathan Cape, 1966.
First edition of the author’s most well-known work. Octavo, bound in full morocco by the Harcourt bindery, gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, gilt ruling to the front and rear panels, gilt inner dentelles stamp-signed by the Harcourt Bindery, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt. Signed by JohnContinue reading "The Magus."
Read more
London : The Centenary Pres, 1941.
Early printing of Lewis’s classic discussion of the nature of good and evil; inscribed by him with a quotation from Coventry Patmore’s poem The Angel in the House which had a profound influence on the development of Lewis’s Christian beliefs. Octavo, original publisher’s cloth. Signed by C.S. Lewis with a quotation from Coventry Patmore’s poemContinue reading "The Problem of Pain."
Read more
London : Heinemann, 1973.
First edition of this classic work in the author’s Dance to the Music of Time series. Octavo, original cloth. Fine in a fine dust jacket. Jacket design by James Broom-Lynne. Housed in a custom half morocco and chemise box. An exceptional presentation.
Read more
London : The Cresset Press, 1935.
First edition of the novelization of the classic 1936 film H. G. Wells’ Things to Come. Octavo, original publisher’s cloth. Signed by H.G. Wells and actor Derrick de Marnay on front free endpaper. Derrick de Marnay starred as Richard Gordon in the acclaimed 1936 film adaptation, Things to Come, directed by William Cameron Menzies. InContinue reading "Things to Come: A Film Story Based on the Material Contained in His History of the Future “The Shape of Things to Come.”"
Read more
Bangor, Maine : University of Maine/Prism, 1969.
1969 University of Maine Yearbook featuring several photographs of Stephen King as an undergraduate. Quarto, original publisher’s half cloth over illustrated boards, illustrated with black and white photographs including a large photograph of King protesting the Vietnam War on page 70. In very good condition.
Read more
New York : Charles Scribner's Sons, 1948.
First edition of this humorous novel set in Florida, a place Hurston knew well, having been born in Eatonville, an entirely black Florida town. Octavo, original cloth. Near fine in a very good dust jacket with a chip to the spine.
Read more
New York : Charles Scribner's Sons, 1908.
First American edition of Grahame’s beloved children’s novel which preceded the English edition by only four days, with Scribner’s seal on the copyright page. Octavo, original publisher’s cloth, tissue-guarded frontispiece by W. Grahame Robertson. In good condition.
Read more
New York : Alfred A. Knopf, 1992.
First edition of this contemporary literary classic and “an accomplished psychological thriller…absolutely chilling” (Village Voice). Octavo, original illustrated boards. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the half-title page, “To Diana- warm regards- Donna Tartt.” Additionally signed four times by jacket designer Chip Kidd; on the front panel book, on the front panel of theContinue reading "The Secret History."
Read more
New York : The Viking Press, 1958.
First edition of this classic of American West literature. Octavo, bound in full morocco by the Harcourt bindery, gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, gilt ruling to the front and rear panels, gilt inner dentelles stamp-signed by the Harcourt Bindery, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt. Signed byContinue reading "Warlock."
Read more
New York : Harper & Row, Publishers, 1964.
First edition of the author’s classic work. Octavo, original half cloth. Fine in a near fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Anita Scott.
Read more
Biography and Autobiography
Biography and Autobiography
First Edition
