Hughes, Langston and William Grant Still

Troubled Island. An Opera in Three Acts.

New York : Leeds Music Corporation, 1949.

First edition of the first grand opera composed by an African American to be produced by a major company. Octavo, original wrappers. Boldly signed by Langston Hughes on the title page. In very good condition. Uncommon in this condition.

Darwin, Charles

The Descent of Man.

London : John Murray, 1871.

First edition 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 with gilt titlesContinue reading "The Descent of Man."

Baldwin, James

Giovanni’s Room.

New York : The Dial Press, 1956.

First edition of this landmark novel. Octavo, original half cloth. Boldly signed by James Baldwin on the title page. Fine in a near fine dust jacket with a touch a shelfwear. Jacket design by Seymour Chwast. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box made by the Harcourt Bindery. An exceptional example.

Darwin, Charles; Edited by James D. Watson

Darwin: The Indelible Stamp.

Philadelphia : Running Press, 2005.

First edition of this compilation of Charles Darwin’s most influential works in their entirety contained for the first time in one volume. Thick Octavo, original boards. Presentation copy, warmly inscribed by James Watson to his friends on the half-title page, “For Peter and Dori from Jim.” Fine in a fine dust jacket. Text includes commentaryContinue reading "Darwin: The Indelible Stamp."

Hillary, Edmund

High Adventure.

London : Hodder & Stoughton, 1955.

First British edition of Hillary’s account of his ascent of Everest. Octavo, original blue cloth, with maps by A. Sparks and sketches by George Djurkouic. Boldly signed by the author in a contemporary hand on the front free endpaper, “E.P. Hillary.” Near fine in a very good dust jacket.

Salinger, J.D

The Catcher In The Rye.

Boston : Little Brown and Company, 1951.

Early printing, printed in the year of publication of the author’s classic novel. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author in the year of publication on the front free endpaper, “December 24, 1951 To Elizabeth Fueller- with best wishes J.D. Salinger.” Salinger’s signature is scarce and signed examples of The Catcher in the Rye are rare.Continue reading "The Catcher In The Rye."

Stanley, Henry M

My Kalulu, Prince, King, and Slave: A Story of Central Africa.

London : Sampson, Low, Marston, Low, and Searle, 1873.

First edition of Stanley’s popular classic. Octavo, bound in three quarter morocco over marbled boards with gilt titles to the spine in six compartments within raised bands, top edge gilt, illustrated with 16 engravings.

[Faulkner, William]

Officer of the Ordre National de la Légion d’Honneur Diploma Awarded to William Faulkner.

: Republique Francaise, 1949.

Partially printed diploma awarded to William Faulkner as an Officer of the Légion d’Honneur, conferred on him be the French government five months after he accepted the 1949 Nobel Prize in Literature. One page, partially printed and completed in a calligraphic hand, the diploma is signed by three French officials with an embossed seal. InContinue reading "Officer of the Ordre National de la Légion d’Honneur Diploma Awarded to William Faulkner."

Hayes, Billy with William Hoffer. [Oliver Stone]

Midnight Express.

New York : Thomas Congdon Books/E.P. Dutton & Co., Inc, 1977.

First edition of Hayes’ classic true story of survival and escape. Octavo, original cloth. Boldly signed by Oliver Stone on the title page. Stone adapted the memoir into a screenplay for the 1978 film adaptation for which he won the 1979 Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket.Continue reading "Midnight Express."

Salinger, J.D

Franny and Zooey.

New York : Little, Brown, and Company, 1961.

First edition, second printing of Salinger’s third book. Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by Salinger in his cursive hand on the front free endpaper to a personal friend, “Oke, Stop over sometime, JDS 8/26/61.” While Salinger was known for his reclusive behavior with regard to the spotlight of the international press, he did haveContinue reading "Franny and Zooey."

Ellison, Ralph

Invisible Man.

New York : Random House, 1952.

First edition of the author’s landmark first novel, which went on to win the National Book Award. Octavo, original black and tan cloth. Fine in an near fine price-clipped dust jacket with light rubbing. Jacket design by E. McKnight Kauffer. A nice example.

Hazzard, Shirley

The Transit of Venus.

New York : The Viking Press, 1980.

First edition of “one of the great English-language novels of the twentieth century” (The Paris Review). Octavo, original half cloth. Presentation copy, warmly inscribed by the author in the year of publication, “For Pat and Peter and Beck Hart- with great good wishes- on this last day of winter 1980- from Shirley Hazzard New YorkContinue reading "The Transit of Venus."

Carson, Rachel

Silent Spring.

Boston : Houghton Mifflin Company, 1962.

First edition of Carson’s landmark work. Octavo, bound in half morocco, gilt titles to the spine, raised bands. Drawings by Lois and Louis Darling. In fine condition.

Irving, John

A Son of the Circus.

New York : Random House, 1994.

First edition of “his most entertaining novel since Garp” (The New York Times Book Review). Octavo, original half cloth. Presentation copy, warmly inscribed by the author on the title page, “For Ted & Susie with my affection John Irving.” Fine in a fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Honi Werner.

Adams, John Truslow

The Epic of America.

Boston : Little, Brown and Company, 1947.

Early printing of the work which introduced the term “American dream” into the lexicon and the “single best volume of American history” (Allan Nevins). Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “To Miss Barbara Hegg, with the kind regards of  James Truslow Adams.” In near fine condition. IllustratedContinue reading "The Epic of America."

Niven, Larry

Ringworld.

New York : Ballantine Books, 1970.

Paperback original first edition of this classic work, which went on to win the 1970 Nebula and 1971 Hugo award for best novel. Octavo, original illustrated wrappers by Dean Ellis. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the title page, “To Tim Larry Niven.” In very good condition.

Erasmus, Desiderius. Translated by Sir Thomas Chaloner

In Praise of Folie: Moriae Encomium. A book made in latine by the great clerke Erasmus Roterodame. Enlightened by Sir Thomas Chaloner, knight. [In Praise of Folly].

London : Thomas Berthelet, 1549.

First edition in English of one of the most notable and popular works of the Renaissance which played an important role in the beginnings of the Protestant Reformation and swiftly brought its author international fame. First printing with ‘latine’ and the printer’s initials ‘TB.’ to the title page. Octavo, bound in full crushed levant moroccoContinue reading "In Praise of Folie: Moriae Encomium. A book made in latine by the great clerke Erasmus Roterodame. Enlightened by Sir Thomas Chaloner, knight. [In Praise of Folly]."

Plato; Translated by Floyer Sydenham

Plato’s Dialogues.

London : W. Sandby, 1767-1779.

First edition set contains all eleven parts, although without all the individual dated titles. Part one is signed on the dedication page by the translator Floyer Sydenham as usual, and includes a sheet laid in with manuscript instructions to the binder. Quarto, three volumes, bound in contemporary full calf, armorial bookplate. Dated title pages inContinue reading "Plato’s Dialogues."

Lewis, C.S. Edited by Alastair Fowler

Spenser’s Images of Life.

London : Cambridge University Press, 1967.

First edition of Lewis’ longest piece of literary criticism, posthumously compiled by Alastair Fowler. Octavo, original cloth. Near fine in a near fine price-clipped dust jacket. Jacket design by Will Carter.

Opera Omnia. Ed. Jac. Sirmond (Volumes 1-4), and J. Garnier (Volume 5).

Paris : Sebastian and Gabriel Cramoisy, 1682-84.

A fine set of the works of Theodoretus, Bishop of Cyrus, beautifully painted on each panel. Quarto, five volumes, bound in full 17th-century vellum, both covers on each volume fully painted with a scene from the life of Christ, gilt titles and tooling to the spine, brown and black morocco lettering pieces. The first fourContinue reading "Opera Omnia. Ed. Jac. Sirmond (Volumes 1-4), and J. Garnier (Volume 5)."

West, Nathanael

A Cool Million.

New York : Covici-Friede, 1934.

Rare review copy, of the first edition of the author’s classic third novel. Octavo, original cloth. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket. Jacket design by William Cotton. Rare in this condition.

Stone, Irving [Colin Powell]

The Man.

London : Cassell & Co, 1966.

First British edition, early printing of this novel which deals with America’s first elected black president faces enormous pressures, including impeachment proceedings, soon after he takes his place in the oval office. Octavo, original cloth. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “For General Colin Powell- with respect and admiration- alwaysContinue reading "The Man."

Trollope, Anthony

The Last Chronicle of Barset.

London : Smith, Elder, 1867.

First edition in original 32 weekly parts of the final novel in Trollope’s acclaimed Barsetshire series. Octavo, original color pictorial wrappers. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box. In very good condition. Rare in complete form.

Heywood, Thomas

The Life of Merlin, Sirnamed Ambrosius. His Prophesies, and Predictions Interpreted; and their truth made good by our English Analls. Being a Chronological History of all the Kings, and memorable passages of this Kingdome, from Brute to the Reigne of our Royall Soveraigne King Charles.

London : Printed by J. Okes for Jasper Emery, 1641.

First edition of “one of Heywood’s most interesting pot-boilers” (Pforzheimer). Octavo, bound in three quarter polished calf over marbled boards, morocco spine label lettered in gilt, all edges gilt, wood-engraved frontispiece portrait of Merlin “generally attributed to [Wenzel] Hollar” (Wither to Prior 448), woodcut initials, headpieces and tailpieces. In very good condition, lacking as usualContinue reading "The Life of Merlin, Sirnamed Ambrosius. His Prophesies, and Predictions Interpreted; and their truth made good by our English Analls. Being a Chronological History of all the Kings, and memorable passages of this Kingdome, from Brute to the Reigne of our Royall Soveraigne King Charles."