Gifts - For Her

Johnson, Osa

I Married Adventure: The Life and Adventures of Martin and Osa Johnson.

Philadelphia : J.B. Lippincott Company, 1940.

First edition of Johnson’s classic work. Octavo, original striped cloth, photographic endpapers illustrated with 83 aquatone illustrations. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the half-title page, “To Esther Bates With my very best African wishes. Affectionately Osa Johnson.” Near fine in a good dust jacket with chips and wear.

Oz, Amos

A Tale of Love and Darkness.

New York : Harcourt, Inc, 2004.

First American edition of “one of the most enchanting and deeply satisfying books”(The New Republic). Octavo, original boards. Boldly signed by Amos Oz on a University of the Negev bookplate with a portrait of David Ben-Gurion. Fine in a fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Claudine G. Mansour. Translated from the Hebrew by Nicholas DeContinue reading "A Tale of Love and Darkness."

Elizabeth [Tonna], Charlotte

The Works of Charlotte Elizabeth. With an Introduction by H. B. Stowe.

New York : Published by M. W. Dodd, 1849.

Seventh edition of the complete works of English Victorian writer and suffragette Charlotte Elizabeth Tonna. Royal octavo, two volumes, original publisher’s full deluxe morocco with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in five compartments within raised gilt bands, elaborate gilt decorations to the front and rear panels, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles, all edgesContinue reading "The Works of Charlotte Elizabeth. With an Introduction by H. B. Stowe."

Buck, Pearl S

The Good Earth.

New York : The John Day Company, 1931.

First edition of the author’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel and masterpiece. First issue with “flees” for “fleas” on page 100, line 17. 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 dentellesContinue reading "The Good Earth."

Buck, Pearl S

The Good Earth.

New York : The John Day Company, 1931.

First edition of the author’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel and masterpiece. First issue with “flees” for “fleas” on page 100, line 17. 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 dentellesContinue reading "The Good Earth."

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

London : R. B. Seeley, 1830.

Finely bound poetry collection decorated with a concealed fore-edge painting. 18mo, bound in full morocco with gilt titles and tooling to the spine, gilt fleuron cornerpieces to the front and rear panels, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles, all edges gilt, decorated with a concealed fore-edge painting of St. Saviour’s church in London. In very goodContinue reading "Select Poetry: Chiefly on Subjects Connected with Religion. [Fore-Edge Painting]."

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."

Tan, Amy [Larry McMurtry]

The Joy Luck Club.

New York : G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1989.

First edition, advance reading copy of Tan’s masterpiece. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the title page, “For Larry McMurtry with thanks for the pleasure of your company and your good book. Amy 5 Apr ’90.” The recipient, Larry McMurtry remains best known for his 1985 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Lonesome Dove which was adaptedContinue reading "The Joy Luck Club."

Didion, Joan. [Vanessa Redgrave]

The Year of Magical Thinking: A Play by Joan Didion Signed Theatrical Poster.

New York : Prof. D.R. McClennahan, 2006.

Original theatrical poster from Vanessa Redgrave’s performance of Didion’s 2005 best-selling memoir at the Booth Theatre on Broadway. Signed by Joan Didion and Vanessa Redgrave on the lower portion of the poster. In near fine condition.

Hurston, Zora Neale

Seraph on the Suwanee: A Novel.

New York : Charles Scribner's Sons , 1948.

First edition of this humorous novel set in Florida, a place Hurston knew well, having been born in Eatonville, an entirely black Florida town. Octavo, original cloth. Near fine in a very good dust jacket with a chip to the spine.

Grahame, Kenneth

The Wind in the Willows.

New York : Charles Scribner's Sons, 1908.

First American edition of Grahame’s beloved children’s novel which preceded the English edition by only four days, with Scribner’s seal on the copyright page. Octavo, original publisher’s cloth, tissue-guarded frontispiece by W. Grahame Robertson. In good condition.

Hazan, Marcella

Marcella Cucina.

New York : Harper Collins Publishers, 1997.

First edition of this collection of recipes by Hazan. Quarto, original glossy boards, pictorial endpapers, illustrated with photographs by Alison Harris. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the half-title page, “To Doris best wishes! Marcella Hazan.” Fine in a near fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Joel Avirom.

James, Henry

The Princess Casamassima: A Novel.

New York : Macmillan and Co, 1886.

First American edition of one of James’s “three formidable novels” published in the 1880s along with The Bostonians and The Tragic Muse. Octavo, original publisher’s cloth. In near fine condition, name opposite the half-title page. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell case.

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.

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."

Rowson [Susanna Haswell]

Charlotte Temple: A Tale of Truth.

Hartford : Published by Silas Andrus, 1827.

Early American printing of the first American bestseller, first published in 1794. 16mo, half calf over wooden boards, gilt-lettered spine, woodcut frontispiece. In good condition, assuming boards were once paper-covered, the paper has since entirely perished; shallow loss along top edge of both covers, lacking rear endpaper, 20th century rubberstamp to front pastedown. Rare.

Smith, Julia Evelina [Translator]

The Holy Bible: Containing The Old and New Testaments; Translated Literally From The Original Tongues.

Hartford, Conn. : American Publishing Company, 1876.

First edition of the first complete translation of the Bible into English done by a woman, Julia E. Smith (1792-1886), of Glastonbury Connecticut. One of 1,000 copies printed. Quarto, bound in full modern calf with morocco spine labels lettered in gilt, marbled endpapers. In near fine condition. An invaluable Bible for its period which remainsContinue reading "The Holy Bible: Containing The Old and New Testaments; Translated Literally From The Original Tongues."

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.

[Earhart, Amelia]

Amelia Earhart Signed Oldsmobile Girls Club Christmas Party Program.

[Lansing, Michigan] [1928].

Rare original program from the holiday luncheon held for female employees of Olds Motor Works held on December 19th 1928, signed by legendary aviator Amelia Earhart. Octavo, bound in handmade tissue paper with a red ribbon, illustrated with a tipped in portrait of Amelia Earhart. Signed by Earhart in pencil beneath her portrait. In veryContinue reading "Amelia Earhart Signed Oldsmobile Girls Club Christmas Party Program."

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."

Wharton, Edith

Ethan Frome.

New York : Charles Scribner's Sons, 1911.

First edition, first issue with “wearily” in perfect type on penultimate line of page 135 and with four pages of publisher’s advertisements at rear, of Wharton’s greatest tragic story, a “grim tale of a bud of romance ice-bound and turned into a frozen horror in the frigid setting of a New England winter landscape” (The NewContinue reading "Ethan Frome."

Rackham, Arthur

The Land of Enchantment.

London : Cassell and Company, Limited, 1905.

First edition of Rackham’s beautifully illustrated work. Quarto, original publisher’s cloth decorated in gilt, rebacked, illustrated with 36 full-page and vignette line drawings by Arthur Rackham. Neat ownership name. In very good condition.