Poetry

Eliot, T.S

Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats.

New York : Harcourt, Brace and Company, 1939.

First American edition of Eliot’s beloved collection of whimsical feline poems which served as the basis for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s 1981 megamusical phenomenon Cats. Octavo, original cloth. Very good in a good price-clipped dust jacket. Jacket illustration by T.S. Eliot.

Dickinson, Emily. Edited by T.W. Higginson and Mabel Loomis Todd

Poems by Emily Dickinson: Second Series.

Boston : Roberts Brothers, 1891.

First edition of Emily Dickinson’s second book of poetry. BAL 4656. Octavo, original publisher’s gray and green cloth decoratively stamped in gilt, all edges gilt, facsimile manuscript leaves at front, tissue guarded title page. In very good condition. A nice example.

Gray, Thomas

The Poetical Works of Thomas Gray. [Fore-edge Painting].

London : Bell and Daldy, 1857.

Finely bound collection of the collected poetical works of Thomas Gray decorated with a concealed fore-edge painting of Eton College. Octavo, bound in full straight grain morocco with gilt titles to the spine, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt, decorated with a concealed fore-edge painting of Eton College. In very good condition. Armorial bookplate.

White, Henry Kirke

Remains of Henry Kirke White, with a Memoir of the Author. [Fore-edge Painting].

Glasgow : Printed for Richard Griffin & Co, 1844.

Finely bound collection of the letters and poems of Henry Kirke White. 12mo, finely bound in full morocco elaborately decorated in gilt, marbled endpapers, tissue-guarded frontispiece portrait of White, all edges gilt, decorated with a concealed fore-edge painting. In very good condition. Ownership inscription. A unique example.

Plath, Sylvia

The Colossus and Other Poems.

London : Heinemann, 1960.

First edition of the first complete volume of poetry to be published by Plath and the only volume published in her lifetime. Octavo, original cloth. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket. Housed in a custom half morocco slipcase. An exceptional example.

Bryant, William Cullen

William Cullen Bryant Autograph “The Voice of Autumn” Poem Signed.

November 21, 1853 .

Rare autograph poem in the hand of William Cullen Bryant sent by him to magazine publisher George R. Graham for inclusion in his literary periodical Graham’s Magazine with the accompanying transmittal letter from Bryant to Graham. Quarto, two pages. Addressed to George R. Graham, the letter reads in part, “New York Monday Nov. 21, 1853Continue reading "William Cullen Bryant Autograph “The Voice of Autumn” Poem Signed."

Shakespeare, William

The Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare. With A Glossary.

Chiswick : Printed by C. Whittingham, 1825.

Finely bound example of the collected dramatic works of William Shakespeare. 12mo, bound in full pebbled dark green morocco with gilt titles and elaborate gilt tooling to the spine, gilt tooling to the front and rear panels withing triple gilt ruling to the spine and front panels, gilt turn-ins and wide gilt inner dentelles, allContinue reading "The Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare. With A Glossary."

Heaney, Seamus

Beowulf: A New Verse Translation.

London : Faber and Faber, 1999.

First edition of this work by the Nobel Prize-winning author. Octavo, original boards. Boldly signed by Seamus Heaney on the title page. Fine in a near fine dust jacket. Jacket painting by Barrie Cooke. Author photograph by Caroline Forbes. A very sharp example.

Byron, George Gordon Noel. [Lord Byron]

Don Juan.

London : Thomas Davison [i.e., John Murray], 1819-1821 (Cantos I-V, Volumes I-II)/John Hunt, 1823-24 (Cantos VI-XVI, Volumes III-VI).

Scarce complete first edition set of Byron’s great work which was widely criticized as immoral upon publication and is now considered one of the greatest poems of the Romantics; from the library of American writer Erica Jong. Volume one was produced in quarto format and the subsequent 5 volumes in octavo (Davison abandoned the quartoContinue reading "Don Juan."

Heaney, Seamus

Beowulf: A New Verse Translation.

London : Faber and Faber, 1999.

First edition of this work by the Nobel Prize-winning author. 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, inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt. In fine condition. An exceptional example.

Shelley, Percy Bysshe

The Works of Percy Bysshe Shelley.

London : Edward Moxon, 1854.

Finely bound example of the works of Percy Bysshe Shelley. Royal octavo, bound in three quarters vellum over marbled boards, elaborate gilt tooling to the spine, morocco spine labels lettered in gilt, all edges gilt, marbled endpapers, illustrated, tissue-guarded frontispiece. In near fine condition. Armorial bookplate.

Kipling, Rudyard

Collected Verse of Rudyard Kipling.

New York : Doubleday, Page & Co, 1910.

Signed limited edition of the collected verse of Rudyard Kipling, beautifully illustrated by W. Heath Robinson. Quarto, bound in three quarters crushed levant morocco over marbled boards, gilt titles and tooling to the spine, top edge gilt with others untrimmed, illustrated by W. Heath Robinson with nine mounted color plates. One of one hundred andContinue reading "Collected Verse of Rudyard Kipling."

Swinburne, Algernon Charles

The Poems and Tragedies of Algernon Charles Swinburne.

London : Chatto & Windus, 1904-1906.

The Large-Paper edition of the poems and tragedies of Algernon Charles Swinburne. Octavo, 11 volumes, bound in three quarter crushed levant morocco, gilt titles and ruling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, marbled endpapers, top edge gilt with others untrimmed, ribbons bound in. One of 110 numbered sets, this is numberContinue reading "The Poems and Tragedies of Algernon Charles Swinburne."

Select Poetry. Chiefly on Subjects Connected with Religion. [Fore-Edge Painting].

London : Printed for L. B. Seeley and Son, 1825.

Finely bound poetry collection decorated with a concealed fore-edge painting. 18mo, bound in full morocco with gilt titles and tooling to the spine, double gilt ruling to the front and rear panels, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles, all edges gilt, decorated with a concealed fore-edge painting. In very good condition.

Burns, Robert

The Complete Works of Robert Burns.

London : Blackie, 1888.

The works of Robert Burns, finely bound. Octavo, 5 volumes, bound in full morocco, gilt titles and elaborate tooling to the spine, front and rear panels, inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt, illustrated throughout. Edited by Charles Annandale. In near condition. An exceptional set.

Yeats, W.B

The Variorum Edition of the Poems of W.B. Yeats.

New York : The Macmillan Company, 1957.

Signed limited edition, one of 825 numbered copies signed by W.B. Yeats, this is number 231 of this classic collection of poetry by the Nobel Prize-winning author. Octavo, original half cloth, original slipcase. Edited by Peter Allt and Russell Alspach. Additionally inscribed by the editor on the front free endpaper, “To Bob Steele high regardsContinue reading "The Variorum Edition of the Poems of W.B. Yeats."

Willmott, Robert Aris [Editor]

The Poets of the Nineteenth Century. [Fore-Edge Painting].

London : Frederick Warne and Co, 1869.

Finely bound example of Willmott’s compilation of the great nineteenth century poets. Octavo, bound in full pebbled morocco with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, central gilt emblem and fleuron cornerpieces within triple gilt ruling to the front and rear panels, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles, marbledContinue reading "The Poets of the Nineteenth Century. [Fore-Edge Painting]."

Goldsmith, Oliver

The Poetical Works of Oliver Goldsmith, M.B. and Professor of Ancient History in the Royal Academy of the Arts. [Fore-edge Painting].

London : Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, 1846.

Finely bound example of Goldsmith’s complete poetical works, decorated with a fore-edge painting of a golfing scene. Octavo, bound in full pebbled morocco with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, gilt scrolling and fleuron cornerpeices to the front and rear panels, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles, illustratedContinue reading "The Poetical Works of Oliver Goldsmith, M.B. and Professor of Ancient History in the Royal Academy of the Arts. [Fore-edge Painting]."

Wilde, Oscar

Ave Imperatrix! A Dirge of Empire by Oscar Wilde.

Washington : Snohomish, 1902.

First edition of Wilde’s classic Hellenic poem. Octavo, original boards, illustrated with engravings and hand painted initials embellished in gilt, frontispiece by John Dennis Clancy. In very good condition.

Thomas, Dylan

The Map of Love: Verse and Prose.

London : J. M. Dent and Sons Ltd, 1939.

First edition, first issue of Thomas’s third book with “Dent” blind-stamped on spine. Octavo, original purple cloth with gilt titles to the spine and front panel, with the frontispiece portrait of Thomas after the painting by Augustus John. Presenation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “Leo & John… From Dylan Thomas OxfordContinue reading "The Map of Love: Verse and Prose."