Tartt, Donna

The Goldfinch.

New York : Little, Brown and Company, 2013.

First edition of the bestselling author’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. Octavo, original publisher’s cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the title page, “especially for John – on Halloween – Donna Tartt.” Fine in a fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Keith Hayes. Jacket painting: The Goldfinch (1654) by Carel Fabritius. Author photograph by BeowulfContinue reading "The Goldfinch."

Dumas, Alexandre

The Borgias.

London : Arthur L. Humphreys, 1911.

Finely bound edition of Dumas’ classic work. Octavo, bound in full red morocco gilt by Bumpus, gilt titles and tooling to the spine, raised bands, gilt tooling to the front and rear panels, all edges gilt, inner dentelles. In near fine condition.

Woolf, Virginia

The Years.

London : Hogarth Press, 1937.

First edition of the most successful of Woolf’s later novels, often viewed as her masterpiece. 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. InContinue reading "The Years."

Yalom, Irvin D

When Nietzsche Wept: A Novel of Obsession.

New York : Basic Books, 1992.

First edition of this classic work. Octavo, original half cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the title page, “For Linda with best wishes Irvin D. Yalom.” Near fine in a fine dust jacket. Jacket design and illustration by Honi Werner.

Adams, Douglas

The Hitch Hiker’s Guide To the Galaxy. [Hitchhiker’s]

London : PAN, 1979.

First British edition of this modern classic, preceding the hardcover edition. Octavo, original wrappers. Boldly signed by Douglas Adams in a contemporary hand on the front pastedown. In fine condition. Housed in a custom clamshell box. A very sharp example, rare and desirable signed; this is the first example we have seen.

Gluck, Louise

The House on Marshland.

New York : The Ecco Press, 1975.

First edition of the Nobel Prize-winning author’s second book. Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the half-title page, “For Larry Louise Gluck.” Near fine in a near fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Loretta Li.

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

London : Printed for L. B. Seeley and Son, 1825.

Finely bound poetry collection decorated with a concealed fore-edge painting. 18mo, bound in full morocco with gilt titles and tooling to the spine, double gilt ruling to the front and rear panels, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles, all edges gilt, decorated with a concealed fore-edge painting. In very good condition.

Lefevre, Edwin

Simonetta.

New York : George H. Doran Company, 1919.

First edition of this work by the author of Reminisces of a Stock Operator. Octavo, original cloth. Near fine in the rare original dust jacket with chipping to the spine. We have never seen another example in the dust jacket.

Burns, Robert

The Complete Works of Robert Burns.

London : Blackie, 1888.

The works of Robert Burns, finely bound. Octavo, 5 volumes, bound in full morocco, gilt titles and elaborate tooling to the spine, front and rear panels, inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt, illustrated throughout. Edited by Charles Annandale. In near condition. An exceptional set.

Dickens, Charles

The Christmas Books: A Christmas Carol; The Chimes; The Cricket on the Hearth; The Battle of Life; The Haunted Man and The Ghost’s Bargain.

London : Chapman and Hall/Bradbury & Evans, 1843-48.

Complete set of Charles Dickens’ Christmas Books. Octavo, 5 volumes, original red cloth with gilt titles and tooling to the spine and front panels, all edges gilt. A Christmas Carol, in Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas is a fourteenth edition illustrated 4 hand-colored plates and wood-engraved illustrations after John Leech, advertisement leaf atContinue reading "The Christmas Books: A Christmas Carol; The Chimes; The Cricket on the Hearth; The Battle of Life; The Haunted Man and The Ghost’s Bargain."

Achebe, Chinua

Things Fall Apart.

New York : Astor-Honor/ An Obolensky Book, 1959.

First edition of this “true classic of world literature . . . A masterpiece that has inspired generations of writers in Nigeria, across Africa, and around the world” (Barack Obama). Octavo, original boards. Boldly signed by Chinua Achebe on the title page. Review copy, with the slip laid in, fine in a near fine dustContinue reading "Things Fall Apart."

Fleming, Ian

The Diamond Smugglers.

London : Jonathan Cape, 1957.

First edition of the thrilling true story behind one of the greatest spy operations in history. Octavo, bound in three quarters morocco, gilt titles to the spine, raised bands, illustrated. In fine condition. Introduction by John Blaze.

Huxley, Aldous

The Art of Seeing.

New York : Harper & Brothers, 1942.

First edition, early printing of this classic work which details Huxley’s experience with and views on the controversial Bates method, which according to him improved his eyesight. Octavo, original half cloth. Boldly signed by Aldous Huxley on the front free endpaper. Fine in a near fine dust jacket.

Falconer, Ian

Olivia.

New York : Atheneum Books, 2000.

First edition, early printing of the author’s first book. Quarto, original illustrated boards, illustrated throughout. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the title page, ” To Helen, a book lover! From Ian Falconer.” Fine in a fine dust jacket, bookplate to the front free endpaper.

Cohen, Leonard

The Favourite Game.

London : Secker & Warburg, 1963.

First printing of this edition of the author’s classic work. Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the title page, “To John Abbott all the best Leonard Cohen London 1988.” Near fine in an near fine price-clipped dust jacket. Jacket design by Barry Hall.

Swinburne, Algernon Charles

Auguste Vacquerie.

Paris : Librarie Nouvelle, 1875.

First separate edition of this rare Swinburne title. Octavo, original wrappers. Wise 87. In very good condition. Housed in a custom half morocco and folding chemise slipcase.

Malamud, Bernard

The Fixer.

New York : Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1966.

First edition, early printing of the author’s fourth novel, which went on to win the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize. Octavo, original cloth. Boldly signed by Bernard Malamud on the half-title page. Fine in a near fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Janet Halverson.

Pashayan Khan, Garabed

Occupational Medicine in Schools for Pupils and Teachers.

Alexandria, Egypt : Published by the author, 1906.

Rare work on occupational medicine self-published by Armenian physician and scholar Garabed Pashayan Khan. Octavo, original half cloth over paper-covered boards, tissue-guarded frontispiece portrait of the author, illustrated, text in Armenian. This rare self-published text is primarily concerned with the health and wellbeing of students and teachers in academic buildings, addressing hygiene, posture, study habits,Continue reading "Occupational Medicine in Schools for Pupils and Teachers."

Saramago, Jose

Baltasar and Blimunda.

London : Jonathan Cape, 1987.

First British edition of Saramago’s first book to be translated into English. Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the half-title page, “To Doris Jose Saramago 29.10.2008.” Fine in a fine dust jacket. Jacket illustration by Rosemary Woods. Translated from the Portuguese by Giovanni Pontiero.

Walton, Izaak. Illustrated by Arthur Rackham

The Compleat Angler or The Contemplative Man’s Recreation Being a Discourse of Rivers, Fishponds, Fish and Fishing no unworthy the Perusal of most Anglers.

London : George C. Harrap & Co Ltd, 1931.

Deluxe signed limited edition of Arthur Rackham’s wonderfully illustrated rendition of The Compleat Angler. Quarto, original publisher’s full vellum decorated in gilt, pictorial endpapers, illustrated by Arthur Rackham with 12 full-page color plates and 25 in-text line cuts. One of seven hundred and seventy-five numbered copies signed by Arthur Rackham, this is number 143. InContinue reading "The Compleat Angler or The Contemplative Man’s Recreation Being a Discourse of Rivers, Fishponds, Fish and Fishing no unworthy the Perusal of most Anglers."

Saramago, Jose

The Year of the Death of Ricardo Reis.

Orlando : Harcourt Brace and Company, 1991.

First American edition of the Nobel-Prize winning author’s second book to be translated into English. Octavo, original half cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the title page, “For Nadir Jose Saramago 10.28.2008.” Fine in a fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Vaughn Andrews. Translated from the Portuguese by Giovanni Pontiero.

Disney, Walt; Ward Greene [Bill Justice]

Lady and the Tramp: The Story of Two Dogs.

New York : Simon and Schuster, 1953.

First edition of Lady and the Tramp, boldly signed by Walt Disney, Bill Justice and four of Disney’s nine old men: Frank Thomas, Ollie Johnston, Eric Larson, and Woolie Reitherman. Octavo, original cloth, with charming illustrations by Joe G. Rinaldi. Signed by Walt Disney on the title page in crayon and on the front free endpaperContinue reading "Lady and the Tramp: The Story of Two Dogs."

Fitzgerald, F. Scott

The Great Gatsby Manuscript Facsimile.

Washington, D.C : Microcard Editions Books, 1973.

The facsimile manuscript edition of Fitzgerald’s masterpiece. Quarto, original cloth, illustrated. Near fine in a near fine slipcase. Edited and with an introduction by Matthew Bruccoli.

Saramago, Jose

Stone Raft.

New York : Harcourt, 1995.

First edition of the Nobel Prize-winning author’s third book to be translated into English. Octavo, original half cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the half-title page, “To Harold Jose Saramago 29.10.2008.” Fine in a fine dust jacket. Jacket illustration by Paola Piglia. Jacket design by Steven Cooley. Translated from the Portuguese by GiovanniContinue reading "Stone Raft."