Kazantzakis, Nikos

Zorba The Greek.

New York : Simon & Schuster, 1953.

First edition of Kazantzakis’ masterpiece, basis for the beloved Academy award-winning film. 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 edgesContinue reading "Zorba The Greek."

Cervantes Saavedra, Miguel de

El Ingenioso hidalgo Don Quixote de la Mancha. Segunda Parte del Ingenioso Cavallero Don Quixote de la Mancha.

Madrid : Por Juan de La Cuesta, vendese en casa de Francisco de Robles, librero del Rey, 1608-1615.

Exceedingly rare and spectacular 17th century editions of both volumes of Cervantes’ prized work, the remarkable Beilby Thompson-Maggs-Ortiz Linares copy with a shared provenance spanning over 320 years, this is among the oldest known sets of both parts paired and uniformly bound in the 18th century, comprising one of the most desirable pairings of theContinue reading "El Ingenioso hidalgo Don Quixote de la Mancha. Segunda Parte del Ingenioso Cavallero Don Quixote de la Mancha."

[Watson, Elkanah] [George Washington]

Tour in Holland in MDCCLXXXIV. By an American.

Printed at Worcester, Massachusetts : Isaiah Thomas, 1790.

First edition, presentation copy of a scarce volume from George Washington’s library at Mount Vernon. Octavo, bound in full contemporary sheep with pine gilt in six compartments within raised bands, burgundy morocco spine label lettered in gilt, type-ornament title-page vignette, head and tailpieces. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author to George Washington on the frontContinue reading "Tour in Holland in MDCCLXXXIV. By an American."

Williams, Tennessee

Cat On A Hot Tin Roof.

New York : New Directions, 1955.

First edition, first issue of one of Williams’s best-known works and his personal favorite. 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,Continue reading "Cat On A Hot Tin Roof."

Dickens, Charles; John Forster

The Works of Charles Dickens and The Life of Charles Dickens.

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."

Schiller, Friedrich

The Works of Friedrich Schiller.

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."

Galsworthy, John

The Complete Works of John Galsworthy.

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."

Dickens, Charles

The Personal History of David Copperfield.

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.

Herzl, Theodor

Philosophische Erzählungen. [Philosophical Narratives].

Berlin : Verlag con Gebruder Paetel, 1900.

First edition of this collection of seventeen narratives written by Herzl during his years as a correspondent for the Viennese Neue Freie Presse. Octavo, bound in three quarters calf over embossed boards with gilt titles and tooling to the spine, patterned endpapers, all edges red. In very good condition. First editions are rare.

Steinbeck, John

Of Mice and Men: A Play in Three Acts.

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.

Fowles, John

The Magus.

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."

Powell, Anthony

Temporary Kings.

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.

Hall, Oakley

Warlock.

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."

Webster, Noah

An American Dictionary of the English Language.

New York : Published by S. Converse. Printed by Hezekiah Howe - New Haven, 1828.

First edition of pioneering lexicographer Noah Webster’s monumental American Dictionary, arguably the most popular American book ever published and one of only 2500 copies printed. Thick quarto, bound in three quarter polished calf over marbled boards with morocco spine labels lettered in gilt, engraved portrait of Webster after Samuel F.B. Morse, unpaginated text in tripleContinue reading "An American Dictionary of the English Language."

Joyce, James

A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man.

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.

Milne, A. A. Decorations by Ernest Shepard

Now We Are Six.

London : Methuen & Co. Ltd, 1927.

First edition of the third book in Milne’s beloved Pooh series. Octavo, original publisher’s cloth with gilt decorations to the spine and front panel, pictorial endpapers, top edge gilt, illustrated with decorations by Ernest Shepard. Very good in a very good dust jacket. Gift inscription to the front free endpaper.

Franklin, Benjamin

Experiments and Observations on Electricity, Made at Philadelphia in America, by Benjamin Franklin, L.L.D. and F.R.S. To which are added, Letters and Papers on Philosophical Subjects. The Whole corrected, methodized, improved, and now first collected into one Volume, and Illustrated with Copper Plates.

London : Printed for David Henry; and sold by Francis Newbery, at the Corner of St. Paul's Church-Yard, 1769.

First complete edition of “the most important scientific book of eighteenth-century America” (PMM), inscribed by Benjamin Franklin to prominent Pennsylvania Quaker and merchant Thomas Livezey, Jr. Quarto, bound in full contemporary calf with elaborate gilt tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, morocco spine label lettered in gilt, gilt turn-ins. IllustratedContinue reading "Experiments and Observations on Electricity, Made at Philadelphia in America, by Benjamin Franklin, L.L.D. and F.R.S. To which are added, Letters and Papers on Philosophical Subjects. The Whole corrected, methodized, improved, and now first collected into one Volume, and Illustrated with Copper Plates."

Vanderbilt, William K

Across The Atlantic With Ara, Summer of 1924.

New York : Brentano's, Publishers, 1925.

First edition of Vanderbilt’s account of his 1924 three-month summer cruise aboard the diesel yacht Ara. Octavo, original publisher’s cloth, illustrated with plates and maps. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper in the year of publication, “To C. M. … from W. K. Vanderbilt June 26th 1925.” In very goodContinue reading "Across The Atlantic With Ara, Summer of 1924."

Steinbeck, John

The Grapes of Wrath.

London : William Heinemann, 1939.

First English edition of the author’s classic work. Octavo, original cloth. Very good in a very good price-clipped dust jacket. Housed in a custom half morocco chemise and clamshell box.

Motley, John Lothrop

The Selected Works of John Lothrop Motley: The Rise of the Dutch Republic; Life and Death of John Barneveld; The United Netherlands.

London : John Murray, 1903-1904.

Finely bound set of the selected works of John Lothrop Motley. Octavo, 9 volumes bound in three quarters morocco with gilt titles and ruling to the spine in six compartments within raised bands, top edge gilt, tissue-guarded frontispece to each volume. In near fine condition.

Prévost, Antoine François. [The Abbe Prévost D'Exiles]

The Story of Manon Lescaut and the Chevalier Des Grieux.

New York : The Heritage Press, 1935.

First edition thus of Helen Wadell’s translation of the seventh and final volume of Mémoires et aventures d’un homme de qualité which was adapted into the famous opera in four acts composed by Giacomo Puccini. Quarto, bound in half morocco by the Harcourt Bindery with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartmentsContinue reading "The Story of Manon Lescaut and the Chevalier Des Grieux."

James, Henry

Roderick Hudson.

New York : James R. Osgood and Company, 1876.

First edition of one of James’ earliest novels. Octavo, original cloth. In near fine condition. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell and chemise box. An exceptional presentation.

Homer

Homeri Opera. [The Iliad and Odyssey of Homer].

Glasgow : Robert & Andrew Foulis, 1756-1758.

First edition of the Foulis Homer; the typographic masterpiece of the Foulis Press, and one of the finest editions of Homer. Folio, 4 volumes bound in full tree calf, rebacked with gilt titles and Greek key ruling to the spine, morocco spine labels lettered in gilt, Greek key ruling to the front and rear panels,Continue reading "Homeri Opera. [The Iliad and Odyssey of Homer]."

Bronte, Charlotte; Emily Bronte; Anne Bronte

The Life and Works of Charlotte Bronte and Her Sisters.

London : John Murray, 1920-1926.

The Haworth edition of the works of the sisters Bronte. Octavo, 7 volumes bound in full crushed levant scarlet morocco by Riviere & Son, gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, triple gilt ruling to the front and rear panels, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles stamp-signed by RiviereContinue reading "The Life and Works of Charlotte Bronte and Her Sisters."

Dunning, John

Two O’Clock, Eastern Wartime.

New York : Scribner, 2001.

The Binder’s Copy of the author’s manuscript signed limited edition of John Dunning’s classic work, with two pages of the original typed manuscript tipped in and inscribed by the author, “Original working draft ms. page for Two O’Clock, Eastern Wartime John Dunning.” Octavo, bound in three quarter morocco over marbled boards by the Harcourt Bindery,Continue reading "Two O’Clock, Eastern Wartime."

Muir, John

The Writings of John Muir: The Manuscript Edition. [Including: My First Summer in the Sierra, Travels in Alaska, The Mountains of California, The Story of My Youth and Childhood, Our National Parks, The Cruise of the Corwin, Steep Trails, Life and Letters, Etc.]

Boston and New York : Houghton Mifflin Company, 1916-24.

The Manuscript Edition of The Writings of John Muir, one of 750 numbered sets produced with an original autograph manuscript page bound into the first volume. Octavo, 10 volumes in the publisher’s deluxe three quarter crushed levant morocco over cloth boards with gilt titles and tulip stamping to the spine in five compartments within raisedContinue reading "The Writings of John Muir: The Manuscript Edition. [Including: My First Summer in the Sierra, Travels in Alaska, The Mountains of California, The Story of My Youth and Childhood, Our National Parks, The Cruise of the Corwin, Steep Trails, Life and Letters, Etc.]"

Stevens, Wallace

The Auroras of Autumn.

New York : Alfred A. Knopf, 1950.

First edition of this classic National Book Award winning collection. Octavo, original cloth. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell and chemise box. An exceptional presentation, rare in this condition.

Maupassant, Guy De

Bel-Ami.

New York : The Heritage Press, 1968.

First edition of the Heritage Press edition of this classic work. Quarto, bound in three quarters morocco over marbled boards, gilt titles and tooling to the spine, raised bands. illustrations by Bernard Lamotte. Introduction by Alec Waugh. In fine condition.

Bellow, Saul

Seize The Day.

New York : The Viking Press, 1956.

First edition of the Nobel Prize-winning author’s fourth book. 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. In fineContinue reading "Seize The Day."

Darwin, Charles

The Descent of Man.

London : John Murray, 1871.

First edition, first issue of both volumes (with “transmitted” the first word on p. 297 in the first volume; in the second, the printer’s note on the verso of the half-title, errata on title verso, and the postscript leaf after p. viii. Both volumes have the January ads). Octavo, two volumes, original green cloth withContinue reading "The Descent of Man."

Ford, Ford Madox

Some Do Not, No More Parades, A Man Could Stand Up and Last Post.

New York 1924-1928.

First editions of each novel in the author’s classic modernist series Parade’s End. Octavo, four volumes. Each volume is in very good to near fine condition, with A Man Could Stand Up in the original dust jacket. Each volume is housed in a custom half morocco chemise and clamshell box. An exceptional presentation of thisContinue reading "Some Do Not, No More Parades, A Man Could Stand Up and Last Post."

Wells, H.G

The Food of the Gods and How it Came to Earth.

London : Macmillan and Co, 1904.

First edition of Wells’ satiric utopian novel. Octavo, original blind-stamped green cloth, gilt titles to the spine and front panel. In near fine condition. Housed in a custom half morocco and chemise clamshell box.

Powell, Anthony

Hearing Secret Harmonies.

London : Heinemann, 1975.

First edition of this classic work in the author’s Dance to the Music of Time series. Octavo, original cloth. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket. Jacket design by James Broom-Lynne. Housed in a custom half morocco and chemise box. An exceptional presentation.

Lewis, C.S

The Chronicles of Narnia Set: The Lion, the Witch and The Wardrobe, Prince Caspian, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, The Silver Chair, The Horse and His Boy, The Magician’s Nephew, The Last Battle.

London : Geoffrey Bles, 1950-1956.

First editions of each book in the author’s classic Chronicles of Narnia series, which has sold over 100 million copies in 47 languages. Octavo, 7 volumes, illustrated by Pauline Baynes, bound in full morocco by the Harcourt Bindery, gilt titles to the spine, raised bands, gilt ruled to the front and rear panels, gilt signatureContinue reading "The Chronicles of Narnia Set: The Lion, the Witch and The Wardrobe, Prince Caspian, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, The Silver Chair, The Horse and His Boy, The Magician’s Nephew, The Last Battle."

Biblia, Das ist: Die ganze Heilige Schrift Des Alten und Neuen Testaments. Bie Foide von Herrnn Doctor Martin Luther. [18th Century German Martin Luther Bible].

Nuremberg : Endter, 1788.

Eighteenth century printing of the Martin Luther Bible; the first Bible in the German language originally translated by Martin Luther in 1534, considered the foundation of the modern German language. Folio, bound in full pig elaborately stamped in blind with brass cornerpieces, illustrated with numerous engravings in-text, including many 1/3 page and a number ofContinue reading "Biblia, Das ist: Die ganze Heilige Schrift Des Alten und Neuen Testaments. Bie Foide von Herrnn Doctor Martin Luther. [18th Century German Martin Luther Bible]."

Lewis, C.S

The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.

London : Geoffrey Bles, 1950.

First edition of the first work in Lewis’ acclaimed Narnia series. 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, gilt signature to the front panel, inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt. In fine condition. Illustrated byContinue reading "The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe."

Wilder, Thornton

The Bridge of San Luis Rey.

New York : Albert & Charles Boni, 1927.

First edition of the author’s masterpiece and winner of the Pulitzer Prize. 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 presentation.

Stowe, Harriet Beecher

The Writings of Harriet Beecher Stowe.

Cambridge : The Riverside Press, 1896.

The Large Paper Author’s Autograph edition of the writings of Harriet Beecher Stowe. Octavo, 16 volumes bound in three quarter crushed levant pigskin with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, marbled endpapers, top edge gilt. Signed by Harriet Beecher Stowe on the limitation page ‘Specially For ThisContinue reading "The Writings of Harriet Beecher Stowe."

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.

King, Jr., Martin Luther

Stride Toward Freedom: The Montgomery Story.

New York : Harper & Brothers, Publishers, 1958.

First edition, early printing of Dr. Martin Luther King’s first book. Octavo, bound in full morocco by the Harcourt Bindery with 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 edgesContinue reading "Stride Toward Freedom: The Montgomery Story."

Baum, L. Frank

The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus.

Indianapolis : The Bowen-Merrill Company, 1902.

First edition of this Christmas classic with the first state headings “Book First, Book Second and Book Third.” Octavo, bound in full morocco by the Harcourt Bindery wit  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 byContinue reading "The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus."

Twain, Mark [Samuel L. Clemens]

Life On The Mississippi.

Boston : James R. Osgood and Company, 1883.

First American edition, first state of this provocative portrait of the great Mississippi River with tailpiece of Twain in flames on p. 441 and “The St. Louis Hotel” caption on p. 443. Octavo, original publisher’s deluxe full sheep with morocco spine labels lettered in gilt, marbled endpapers, all edges marbled, illustrated. In very good condition,Continue reading "Life On The Mississippi."

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."

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."

Solzhenitsyn, Alexander. [Solzhentizyn]

One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich.

London : Victor Gollancz, 1963.

First British edition of the Nobel Prize-winner’s first published work. Octavo, bound in full morocco, gilt titles to the spine, titles to the front panel, all edges gilt. Housed in a custom clamshell box. Translated by Ralph Parker. An exceptional presentation.

Updike, John. Illustrated by Barbara Fox [Erica Jong]

Marry Me: A Romance.

Franklin Center, Pennsylvania : The Franklin Library, 1976.

First edition of “the gentlest book Updike has written” (Kirkus Reviews), privately printed exclusively for Members of the First Edition Society. Octavo, original publisher’s full leather elaborately stamped in gilt, moire silk endpapers, all edges gilt, silk ribbon bound in. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the limitation page, “For Erica + Ken warmContinue reading "Marry Me: A Romance."

Fowles, John

The Magus.

Boston : Houghton Mifflin Company, 1965.

First American edition, preceding the British edition by one year of the author’s most well-known work. Octavo, original half cloth. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket, bookplate of famed collector Rolland Comstock. Jacket painting by Tom Adams. Housed in a custom half morocco case.