Literature

Pullman, Philip. Illustrated by Peter Bailey

I Was A Rat! …or The Scarlet Slippers.

London : Doubleday, 1999.

First edition of Pullman’s classic adventure story. Octavo, original illustrated boards, illustrated by Peter Bailey. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the title page, “For Eileen – greetings! Philip Pullman.” In fine condition.

O'Hara, John

Appointment in Samarra.

New York : Harcourt, Brace and Company, 1934.

First edition of the author’s first book. Octavo, original cloth. Fine with a contemporary bookplate to the inner gutter, in the first issue dust jacket. Housed in a custom clamshell box. A very nice example.

New Brunswick Readers: The Second Reader.

Toronto : W. J. Gage & Company, 1900.

First edition of The Second Reader in the New Brunswick Readers series, prescribed by the Board of Education for use in the Schools of New Brunswick. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated. Very good in a very good dust jacket from Hall’s Book Store in St. John, New Brunswick. Ownership inscription to the front free endpaper.

Simon, Andre L

Star Chamber Revels (Or, The Fountayne of Justice). A Satyre Acted on Friday the eleventh day of June, in the yeare 1602 by the then Lords of the Queen Elizabeth’s most honourable Council.

Peekskill : Printed by Crosby Gaige, 1937.

First edition of Andre L. Simon’s retelling of a day in the life of the Lords of the Star Chamber. Octavo, original boards, engraved headpiece and tailpiece. Signed by the author at the conclusion of his introduction. Very good in the rare original glassine.

Bernstein, Aline

Masterpieces of Women’s Costume of the 18th and 19th Centuries.

New York : Crown Publishers, Inc, 1959.

First edition of Aline Bernstein’s great work on the history of costume design, published posthumously. Quarto, original cloth, illustrated with 32 color plates and 51 correlated line drawings. In fine condition. From the library of actress Vivien Leigh.

Darwin, Bernard

Dickens.

London : Duckworth, 1933.

First edition of Bernard Darwin’s concise biography of literary master Charles Dickens. Small octavo, original cloth. Very good in the rare original dust jacket which is in very good condition. Name to the front free endpaper.

Stone, Irving [Kirk Douglas]

Lust For Life.

New York : Longmans, Green and Company, 1934.

First edition of this classic, bestselling biographical novel of Vincent Van Gogh. Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “To Rachel Ann Starr With my best wishes Irving Stone.” Additionally signed by actor Kirk Douglas, who starred as Van Gogh in the 1956 film. Bookplate of the recipient,Continue reading "Lust For Life."

Danielson, Richard E

Martha Doyle and Other Sporting Memories.

New York : The Derrydale Press, 1938.

First edition of Danielson’s collection of sporting memories. Quarto, original cloth, illustrated by Edwin Megargee. One of 1250 numbered copies, this is number 775. In near fine condition.

Cather, Willa

Death Comes for the Archbishop; Alexander’s Bridge; Shadows on the Rock.

Boston and New York : Houghton Mifflin Company; Alfred A. Knopf, 1922-1931.

Finely bound collection of three of the author’s best-known works, including her first novel: Death Comes for the Archbishop. Octavos, three volumes bound in three quarters morocco over marbled boards, gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, marbled endpapers. Armorial bookplate to the pastedown of two volumes. InContinue reading "Death Comes for the Archbishop; Alexander’s Bridge; Shadows on the Rock."

Moore, George

Memoirs Of My Dead Life.

London : William Heinemann, 1906.

First edition of the first great modern Irish novelist’s memoirs. Octavo, original cloth with gilt titles to the spine. In near fine condition. Housed in a custom half morocco and chemise slipcase.

Heller, Joseph

Catch-22.

New York : Simon & Schuster, 1961.

First edition of Heller’s classic first book. Octavo, original blue cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “To Albert Raman, Best wishes to you. Joseph Heller 3/20/80 New York.” The recipient was a lawyer and well-known book collector. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket with light rubbing. JacketContinue reading "Catch-22."

Dickens, Charles

The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club.

London : Curtis Guild, 1882.

First Curtis Guild extra-illustrated edition of one of Dickens’ greatest works. Octavo, two volumes, bound in full morocco by F.P. Hathaway with gilt titles and elaborate gilt tooling to spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, elaborate gilt ruling to the front and rear panels, inner dentelles, silk endpapers. With 53 illustrations by SeymourContinue reading "The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club."

Langner, Lawrence [John Steinbeck]

The Importance of Wearing Clothes.

New York : Hastings House Publishers, 1959.

First edition of this entertaining history of clothing and its impact on the human condition. Octavo, original half cloth, illustrated. The dedication copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “To John Steinbeck-whose interest in the book when half written encouraged me to complete it. And to Elaine Steinbeck with love to youContinue reading "The Importance of Wearing Clothes."

Joyce, James

A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man.

London : The Egoist Ltd, 1916.

First English edition, second printing of Joyce’s classic stream-of-consciousness work, his first novel. Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “To Beatrice Randegger. James Joyce. 25 Novembre 1919. Trieste.” The recipient was a private student’s of Joyce in Italy. In excellent condition with light rubbing and wear. Housed inContinue reading "A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man."

Beckett, Samuel

En Attendant Godot. Pièce en Deux Actes.

Paris : Les Éditions de Minuit, 1952.

First edition, one of 2500 copies printed of the author’s masterpiece. Octavo, original wrappers printed in blue and black. In excellent condition with light rubbing to the extremities.

Capote, Truman

One Christmas.

New York : Ladies' Home Journal, 1982.

First separate edition of this work by Capote, an offprint put out by the Ladies’ Home Journal in advance of the story’s appearance in the December 1982 issue. Octavo, original wrappers as issued. Signed by Truman Capote on the front panel. In fine condition.

Dylan, Bob

The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan.

1963.

The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, released on May 27, 1963 by Columbia Records, boldly signed by Dylan. Whereas his self-titled debut album Bob Dylan had contained only two original songs, Freewheelin‘ represented the beginning of Dylan’s writing contemporary words to traditional melodies. Eleven of the thirteen songsContinue reading "The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan."

Howe, Julia Ward

Passion-Flowers.

Boston : Ticknor, Reed, and Fields, 1854.

First edition of Julia Ward Howe’s first book. Octavo, original cloth with gilt titles to the spine, publisher’s advertisements at rear dated 1853. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper prior to publication, “Lizzie Agassiz from her Julia Howe Dec. 22nd 1853.” The recipient, Elizabeth Cabot Agassiz was an American author,Continue reading "Passion-Flowers."

Hemingway, Ernest

Death in the Afternoon.

Charles Scribner's Sons : New York, 1932.

Early printing of Hemingway’s work on bullfighting. Octavo, bound in full morocco by Zaehnsdorf for Asprey, gilt titles to the spine, raised bands, gilt ruled to the spine, front and rear panels, inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt, frontispiece by Juan Gris, illustrated. In fine condition.

James, Henry

The Ivory Tower.

New York : Charles Scribner's Sons, 1917.

First British edition of James’ unfinished novel, published posthumously in 1917. Octavo, original cloth, gilt titles to the spine. In near fine condition.