Gifts

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, bound in full morocco by Bayntun-Riviere, gilt titles and tooling to the spine, raised bands, gilt medallion portrait of Dickens on the front panel, gilt signature on the back panel, inner dentelles, all edges gilt, marbled endpapers. In fine condition. IllustratedContinue reading "The Personal History of David Copperfield."

Carroll, Lewis. [Dodgson, Charles Lutwidge]

Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There.

London : MacMillan and Co, 1872.

First edition of the author’s classic work. Octavo, bound in full morocco by Bayntun with gilt titles and tooling to the spine, gilt vignettes to the front and rear panels, all edges gilt, frontispiece engraving with tissue guard present. With fifty illustrations by John Tenniel. In fine condition. An exceptional presentation.

Grierson, Major-General J.M

Records of the Scottish Volunteer Force 1859-1908.

Edinburgh and London : William Blackwood and Sons, 1909.

First edition of this work documenting the origins, organization, and cultural significance of Scotland’s volunteer battalions. Quarto, original publisher’s green cloth with gilt titles to the spine, ruling stamped in blind to the front and rear panels, top edge gilt, forty seven color plates of uniforms. In near fine condition, signatures to the front freeContinue reading "Records of the Scottish Volunteer Force 1859-1908."

Guth, Dorothy Lobrano [E.B. White]

Letters of E.B. White.

New York : Harper & Row, Publishers, 1976.

First edition of this collection of letters from beloved children’s author E.B. White. Octavo, original publisher’s cloth, illustrated with black and white photographs. Fine in a near fine dust jacket with light bumping. Collected and edited by Dorothy Lobrano Guth. Jacket design by Muriel Nasser.

Dahl, Roald; Illustrated by Quentin Blake

The BFG: Illustrations by Quentin Blake.

London : Jonathan Cape, 1982.

First edition, early printing of this Dahl classic, which has sold over 20 million copies. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated by Quentin Blake. Boldly signed by the author on the half-title page, “with love Roald Dahl April, 1989.” Near fine in a near fine dust jacket, bookplate.

Carroll, Lewis. [Charles Lutwidge Dodgson]

Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There.

London : MacMillan and Co, 1872.

Octavo, two volumes, uniformly bound in full red morocco, all edges gilt, gilt titles and tooling to the spines, gilt ruled to the front and rear panels, raised bands, original cloth bindings tipped in to rear of each volume. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is an early printing. Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found ThereContinue reading "Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There."

Frost, Robert

A Boy’s Will.

New York : Henry Holt and Company, 1934.

Second American edition of Frost’s first published work. Octavo, original beige linen cloth, engraved title page. Signed and dated by the poet on the title page, “Robert Frost February 25 1936.” In very good condition. Small ownership name.

Dumas, Alexandre

The Three Musketeers; or, the Feats and Fortunes of a Gascon Adventurer.

London : Bruce and Wyld, 1846.

First edition in English of Dumas’ masterpiece. Octavo, bound in full contemporary calf, gilt titles to the spine, marbled endpapers. Translated from the French by William Barrow. Barrow’s translation was the first of three English translations published in 1846 and is considered the most faithful to the original text. To conform to nineteenth century English standardsContinue reading "The Three Musketeers; or, the Feats and Fortunes of a Gascon Adventurer."

Boccaccio, Giovanni

The Decameron.

London : Isaac Jaggard, 1620.

First edition in English of Boccaccio’s masterpiece, published by Jaggard published three years prior to his printing of the Shakespeare First Folio. Boccaccio’s masterpiece. Folio, 2 volumes, bound in full morocco by Riviere, gilt titles and tooling to the spine, all edges gilt, errata leaf at end of volume one, B1 is a cancellans, woodcutContinue reading "The Decameron."

Translated by Edward Fitzgerald. Illustrated by Will Pogany

Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam.

London : George G. Harrap & Co. Ltd., n.d..

Elaborately bound example of Pogany’s finely illustrated Rubaiyat. Octavo, bound in full crushed red morocco by Banytun Riviere with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, quadruple gilt ruling, fleuron cornerpieces, and central gilt arabesque to the front and rear panels, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles, marbled endpapers,Continue reading "Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam."

Herriot, James

The Lord God Made Them All.

London : Michael Joseph, 1981.

First edition of this installment in Herriot’s true-life-saga as a veterinarian in the Yorkshire countryside. Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the title page, “To Bill… James Herriot.” Near fine in a fine dust jacket. Jacket photograph by Fay Godwin. Uncommon signed.

Blishen, Edward. Illustrated by Brian Wildsmith

Oxford Book of Poetry for Children.

London : Oxford University Press, 1963.

First edition of Blishen and Wildsmith’s acclaimed illustrated compilation of children’s poetry. Quarto, bound in full crushed red morocco by Sangorski and Sutcliffe with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, double gilt ruling and fleuron cornerpieces to the front and rear panels, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles,Continue reading "Oxford Book of Poetry for Children."

Joyce, James

A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man.

New York : Huebsch, 1916.

First edition of Joyce’s classic stream-of-consciousness work, his first novel, in the exceptionally rare dust jacket. Octavo, original blue cloth with titles to the spine in gilt. Near fine in a very good dust jacket with small chips and wear to the extremities. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box. Rare especially in thisContinue reading "A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man."

Maugham, W. Somerset

The Razor’s Edge Original Dust Jacket Design Signed.

Garden City, NY : Doubleday Doran & Company, 1944.

Rare W. Somerset Maugham’s original ink sketch showing his dust jacket design concept for his greatest novel, The Razor’s Edge, executed on a blank Western Union telegram form, which was followed by the publisher pretty much to the letter. A striking piece of literary history demonstrating that the author’s intentions for the book were honoredContinue reading "The Razor’s Edge Original Dust Jacket Design Signed."

Dumas, Alexandre

The Three Musketeers; or, the Feats and Fortunes of a Gascon Adventurer.

London : Bruce and Wyld, 1846.

First edition in English of Dumas’ masterpiece. Octavo, bound in full contemporary calf, gilt titles to the spine, raised gilt bands, marbled endpapers. Translated from the French by William Barrow. Barrow’s translation was the first of three English translations published in 1846 and is considered the most faithful to the original text. To conform to nineteenthContinue reading "The Three Musketeers; or, the Feats and Fortunes of a Gascon Adventurer."

Bond, Michael; Illustrated by Peggy Fortnum

A Bear Called Paddington.

London : Collins, 1958.

First edition of the first book in the Paddington series. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated by Peggy Fortnum. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the half-title page, “To John with all good wishes Michael Bond. Near fine in a very good price-clipped dust jacket with a chip to the back panel. Housed in a customContinue reading "A Bear Called Paddington."

Twain, Mark

The Innocents Abroad, Or The New Pilgrims’ Progress.

Hartford : American Publishing Company, 1869.

First edition, third state of the author’s second book with “The History of the Bible advertisement on page 654. BAL 3316. Octavo, bound in three quarter morocco with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, top edge gilt, marbled endpapers, with two hundred and thirty-four illustrations. From theContinue reading "The Innocents Abroad, Or The New Pilgrims’ Progress."

Einstein, Albert; Hermann Struck

Albert Einstein Signed Etching.

1923.

Lithograph portrait of “the father of modern physics”, Albert Einstein by well-known artist Hermann Struck. Signed by Einstein, “Albert Einstein 1923” and Struck, “Herman Struck 138/150”. In fine condition. Matted and framed, the entire piece measures 19.75 inches by 15.5 inches. An exceptional piece.

Giuseppe de Rossi

Giuseppe de Rossi’s Globus Coelest. [Seventeenth Century Italian Celestial Globe].

Rome : Giuseppe de Rossi, [1615].

Rare early seventeenth century Italian celestial globe produced by Roman cartographer Giuseppe de Rossi, the founder the most important and active printing press of 17th century Rome, the Rossi firm. Laid horizontally and mounted on a turned mahogany stand, the celestial globe measures 8 inches in diameter and is comprised of 12 hand-colored engraved goresContinue reading "Giuseppe de Rossi’s Globus Coelest. [Seventeenth Century Italian Celestial Globe]."

Poitier, Sidney

This Life.

New York : Alfred A. Knopf, 1980.

First edition of this work by the Academy Award-winning actor. Octavo, original half cloth, illustrated. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “Mr and Mrs Charles Blackwell With Love and affection Sidney Poitier.” The recipient, Charles Blackwell wrote the screenplay for the film A Piece of the Action, starring Poitier andContinue reading "This Life."

[Feynman, Richard P.]

Richard P. Feynman’s National Medal of Science.

Danbury, Connecticut : Medallic Art Co., [1979].

Richard P. Feynman’s National Medal of Science, bestowed upon him by President Jimmy Carter in 1979. Bronze, the medal depicts a man in contemplation writing a formula in the sand on the obverse, and reads on the reverse: “Awarded by the President of the United States of America to Richard Phillips Feynman 1979.” Established inContinue reading "Richard P. Feynman’s National Medal of Science."

Mandela, Nelson

Long Walk To Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela.

South Africa : MacDonald Purnell, 1994.

First South African edition of this classic autobiography, which has went on to sell over six million copies worldwide. Octavo, original black cloth, cartographic endpapers, illustrated with photographs. Boldly signed on the title page by the author, “NMandela 28.2.96.” Fine in a fine dust jacket.

Persian Miniature Painting. [Ancient Game of Polo].

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Rare Persian miniature painting depicting an ancient game of Chovgan, later adopted in the Western World as the game of polo. Affixed to an elaborately decorated paper mount, the painting depicts two opposing teams engaged in a game of Chovgan before a Persian cityscape. The ancient game of Chovgan originated in the middle of theContinue reading "Persian Miniature Painting. [Ancient Game of Polo]."

McCartney, Paul. [The Beatles]

Paul McCartney Signed Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band LP.

Hollywood : Capitol Records, 1967.

Rare Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band LP, boldly signed by Paul McCartney, one of the most-admired and influential lyricists of the twentieth century. Quarto, signed by Paul McCartney on the front panel. Recording produced by George Martin. Cover by M C Productions and The Apple. Staged by Peter Blake and Jann Haworth. Photographed byContinue reading "Paul McCartney Signed Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band LP."