Fenn, G. Manville. [George Alfred Henty]

George Alfred Henty: The Story of An Active Life.

London : Blackie and Son Limited, 1907.

First edition of Fenn’s biography of highly popular 19th century novelist George Alfred Henty. Octavo, original cloth decorated in gilt, illustrated with 11 plates including frontispiece portrait of Henty. In near fine condition. Ownership inscription. A sharp example of this rare title.

Kipling, Rudyard

Abaft the Funnel.

New York : B. W. Dodge & Company, 1909.

First edition, first issue of of Kipling’s 1909 short story collection with gold lettering to the spine and front panel. Octavo, original blue cloth with gold titles to the spine and front panel. In fine condition.

Rankin, Ian; Alexander McCall Smith; Irvine Welsh. Introduction by J. K. Rowling

One City.

Edinburgh : Polygon, 2005.

First edition of this collection initiated by four of Edinburgh’s most famous authors to benefit One City Trust, a charity committed to tackling social injustice and inequality in Edinburgh. Octavo, original illustrated wrappers. Boldly signed by Ian Rankin and Irvine Welsh on the half-title page. Introduction by J. K. Rowling. Foreword by Rt Hon. LesleyContinue reading "One City."

Kipling, Rudyard

From Sea to Sea and Other Sketches. Letters of Travel.

London : Macmillan and Co., Limited, 1900.

First English edition of this collection of Kipling’s essays about his 1889 travels from India to Burma, China, Japan, and the United States en route to England. Octavo, original red cloth with gilt titles to the spine and gilt elephant emblem to the front panel, top edge gilt. In very good condition with rubbing toContinue reading "From Sea to Sea and Other Sketches. Letters of Travel."

Spark, Muriel

The Fanfarlo and Other Verse.

Aldington : The Hand and Flower Press, 1952.

First edition, first issue of Spark’s first book of verse, preceding her first novel by five years. Octavo, original wrappers. In fine condition.

Kipling, Rudyard

Kipling on the Japanese: An Unpublished Letter Written at the Time of the Russo-Japanese War to William Joshua Harding R. N. 2 September 1903.

Cambridge, Massachusetts : Houghton Library, 1943.

First edition in book form of this previously unpublished letter, written by Kipling to William Joshua Harding seeking an army commission for his son, John. Octavo, original wrappers as issued. One of only seventy-five numbered copies, this is number 32. In fine condition. Rare.

Kipling, Rudyard

The Fringes of the Fleet.

London : Macmillan and Co., Limited, 1915.

First edition of this collection of nautical essays and poems. 12mo, original illustrated wrappers. In near fine condition. A very sharp example.

Kipling, Rudyard

Letters to the Family (Notes on a trip to Canada).

Toronto : The Macmillan Company of Canada, Limited, 1908.

First edition in book form of this collection of Kipling’s letters which first appeared in Newspapers during the spring of 1908 after a trip to Canada undertaken in the autumn of 1907. 12 mo, original wrappers. In very good condition. Rare.

[Armstrong, Neil]

Neil Armstrong Class of 1947 Signed Yearbook.

Wapakoneta, Ohio : Blume High School Class of 1947, 1947.

Rare Blume High School Class of 1947 yearbook, signed by Neil Armstrong as a graduating senior. Quarto, original leatherette. Signed by Neil Armstrong beneath his senior portrait on page 12 of the yearbook. Armstrong is also featured in a number of additional photographs throughout the book: on page 44 as a Band Officer, page 52Continue reading "Neil Armstrong Class of 1947 Signed Yearbook."

Barton, Clara

The Story of My Childhood.

New York : The Baker & Taylor Co., 1907.

First edition of the founder of the American Red Cross, American Civil War nurse Clara Barton’s childhood memoirs. 12mo, original publisher’s full red sheep with gilt titles to the spine and front panel, frontispiece portrait of Barton. Presentation copy, inscribed by Barton on the half-title page, “To Lena Hubbell Chamberlin [sic], in the truth thatContinue reading "The Story of My Childhood."

Burger, Warren E

Warren E. Burger Signed Supreme Court Ruling Document.

Washington, D.C. June 11, 1986.

Rare typescript Supreme Court ruling document signed by the 15th Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, Warren E. Burger. Two pages, typescript, signed by Burger on the first page. Decided on July 11, 1986, the document offers Burger’s opinion in the Richard Thornburgh, et al., Appellants v. American College of Obstetricians and GynecologistsContinue reading "Warren E. Burger Signed Supreme Court Ruling Document."

Cholmondeley, Mary

Red Pottage.

New York and London : Harper & Brothers Publishers, 1899.

First edition of this classic novel. Octavo, original cloth. In near fine condition. Scarce in this condition.

Wells, H.G

The Works of H.G. Wells Including [The Time Machine, The Island of Doctor Moreau, The Invisible Man, The War of the Worlds, Etc].

London : T. Fisher Unwin, 1924-27.

One of 20 sets for presentation from an overall edition of 620, this is letter e and Wells has written (Little e), signed by H.G. Wells in volume one, and additionally inscribed by Wells in volume one to his lover Elizabeth von Arnim, “To Little e H.G.” With her bookplate to all but two volumes.Continue reading "The Works of H.G. Wells Including [The Time Machine, The Island of Doctor Moreau, The Invisible Man, The War of the Worlds, Etc]."

Illuminated Astrological Sign Symbol Painting Collection.

.

Rare collection of illuminated paintings depicting the twelve signs of the Zodiac. Quarto, bound in full calf with gilt tooling to the spine, elaborate gilt ruling to the front and rear panels with fleuron cornerpieces surrounding a gilt-bordered morocco onlay displaying a coat of arms, patterned endpapers, twelve vellum leaves. The illuminated paintings include: theContinue reading "Illuminated Astrological Sign Symbol Painting Collection."

Kuhn, Thomas S

The Copernican Revolution. Planetary Astronomy in the Development of Western Thought.

Cambridge, MA : Harvard University Press, 1957.

First edition of Kuhn’s classic treatise. Octavo, original cloth. Near fine in the rare original dust jacket, which is in very good condition. Foreword by James Bryant Conant.

Vidal, Gore

Kalki.

New York : Random House, 1978.

First edition of this work by the award-winning author. Octavo, original half cloth. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the title page, “Gore Vidal For Kit, all love.” The recipient, Katherine “Kit” Vidal was Eugene Vidal’s second wife; he married her in 1939 when she was a 20 year old model with the Powers Agency,Continue reading "Kalki."

Watson, James D

Girls, Genes, and Gamow.

New York : Alfred A. Knopf, 2002.

First edition of the “essential coda to The Double Helix” (The Boston Globe). Octavo, original half cloth. Signed by James Watson on the title page. Fine in a fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Gabriele Wilson.

Lardner Jr., Ring

The Ecstasy of Owen Muir.

Berlin : Seven Seas Publishers, 1966.

Paperback edition of Ring Lardner Jr.’s witty Candide-like satire. Octavo, original illustrated wrappers. The recipient, Vera Caspary was a novelist, most well known for Laura, which was scripted by Lardner for the film, which starred Gene Tierney and Dana Andrews. In good condition.

Kipling, Rudyard

Kim.

New York : Doubleday, Page & Company, 1901.

First edition with the chapter-heading rhymes for only chapters VII and VIII as called of what many consider Kipling’s masterpiece. Octavo, original cloth, embossed black and gilt to the front panel, gilt titles to the spine, illustrated. In near fine condition with light rubbing to the extremities. An exceptional example.

Machiavel, Nicholas. [Niccolo Machiavelli]

The Florentine History in VIII. Books. Now Exactly Translated from the Italian.

London : Printed for Charles Harper and John Amery, 1674.

Rare first edition of this translation of Machiavelli’s Florentine history. Octavo, bound in full contemporary calf with morocco spine label lettered in gilt, triple gilt ruling, fleuron cornerpieces and elaborate blind stamping to the front and rear panel, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles, engraved frontispiece portrait of Machiavelli, rebacked. Ownership inscription. In near fine condition.Continue reading "The Florentine History in VIII. Books. Now Exactly Translated from the Italian."

Durrell, Lawrence

Tunc.

London : Faber and Faber, 1968.

First edition of this novel by the author of The Alexandria Quartet. Octavo, original cloth. Fine in a near fine dust jacket.

Wilhelm, Peter

The Nobel Prize.

Stockholm : Teknowledge, 1983.

First edition of Wilhelm’s work on the history of the Nobel Prize. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated. In near fine condition.

Milne, A. A.; Ernest Shepard

A. A. Milne and Ernest Shepard Signed Winnie-the-Pooh Print Collection.

1928.

Rare collection of six Winnie-The-Pooh prints specially bound with an autograph note signed by both A. A. Milne and Ernest Shepard. Quarto, bound in hand-made paper wrappers, the collection includes six mounted Winnie-the-Pooh illustrations extracted from issues of Home Chat magazine which were produced by Shepard exclusively for Home Chat in 1928 and never appearedContinue reading "A. A. Milne and Ernest Shepard Signed Winnie-the-Pooh Print Collection."

Tolkien, J.R.R

J.R.R. Tolkien Autograph Letter Signed and Annotated Old English Literature Questionnaire.

1920.

Rare autograph letter signed by the author of The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, J.R.R. Tolkien regarding a list of 50 questions he has composed examining Old English Literature. The one-page autograph letter signed by Tolkien reads in full, “1 Alfred Street St. Giles Oxford Mar: 17th 1920. Dear Miss Duncan, I enclose a ‘mixed bag’Continue reading "J.R.R. Tolkien Autograph Letter Signed and Annotated Old English Literature Questionnaire."