Faulkner, William

Intruder In The Dust.

New York : Random House, 1948.

First edition of this classic Faulkner novel, which explores the lives of a family of characters in the South. Octavo, original cloth. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “For Sally Burns William Faulkner 16 April.” The recipient Sallie Faulkner Burns was William Faulkner‘s first cousin and was a great friend toContinue reading "Intruder In The Dust."

Dumas, Alexandre. [Alexander]

The Works of Alexandre Dumas.

Boston : Estes and Lauriat, 1893-1896.

The Edition De Luxe of the works of Alexandre Dumas, limited to one thousand numbered copies. Octavo, 40 volumes 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, frontispiece with captioned tissue guard to each volume, illustrated with platesContinue reading "The Works of Alexandre Dumas."

McCarthy, Cormac

The Orchard Keeper.

New York : Random House, 1965.

First edition of the author’s rare first book. Octavo, original half cloth. Boldly signed by Cormac McCarthy on the front free endpaper. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket with some light wear to the extremities, closed tear with archival tape repair. Jacket design by Muriel Nasser. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshellContinue reading "The Orchard Keeper."

Doyle, Arthur Conan

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes.

London : George Newnes, Limited, 1892-1894.

First editions of Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic stories starring literature’s most famous detective. Octavo, original pictorial black and gilt-stamped light blue and dark blue cloth, patterned endpapers, all edges gilt. First issues, the first title with the street scene vignette with no text on the street sign and with “Violent” for “Violet” on p 317. InContinue reading "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes."

Frank, Anne

Het Achterhuis: Dagboakbrieven van 12 Jun 1942 – 1 Augustus 1944. Met een woord vooraf door Annie Romein-Verschoor. [The Diary of Anne Frank].

Amsterdam : Contact, 1947.

First edition of the diary of Anne Frank in the original Dutch. Small octavo, original publisher’s white and red paper-covered boards, illustrated with 2 photographic reproductions of the interior of the house, 1 floor plan, and 2 facsimiles from the diary. Introduction by Annie Romein-Verschoor. Very good in the dust jacket which is in very good condition with some professionalContinue reading "Het Achterhuis: Dagboakbrieven van 12 Jun 1942 – 1 Augustus 1944. Met een woord vooraf door Annie Romein-Verschoor. [The Diary of Anne Frank]."

The First Spelling Primer; or an Easy Introduction to the Art of Reading Adorned with Emblematic Pictures.

London-Derry : Published by G. Douglas, 1795.

Second edition of this scarce 18th century spelling primer. 16mo, original limp paper boards, illustrated with twenty-six small text woodcuts illustrating the Prince’s Alphabet, followed by an ABC poem, The Alphabet in Rhime, syllables of two and three letters, easy words, easy reading lessons, the Lord’s Prayer, and a publisher’s advertisement leaf aimed at childrenContinue reading "The First Spelling Primer; or an Easy Introduction to the Art of Reading Adorned with Emblematic Pictures."

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]."

le Carré, John

John le Carré Autograph Letter Signed. [with] Autograph Research Notebook for Absolute Friends.

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Autograph letter signed by British author John le Carré, with his original notebook while researching Absolute Friends. Octavo, two pages, the letter reads in full, “23 Nov ’06 Dear Adrienne, This really is too much! Of course I have copies, but none in the original format, and now you have most generously and sweetly providedContinue reading "John le Carré Autograph Letter Signed. [with] Autograph Research Notebook for Absolute Friends."

Heller, Joseph [Richard Benjamin; Paula Prentiss]

Catch-22.

New York : Simon and Schuster, 1961.

First edition of Heller’s classic first book. Octavo, original blue cloth. Boldly signed by Joseph Heller and the actors of the film Richard Benjamin and Paula Prentiss. The 1970 film adaptation of Catch-22, directed by Mike Nichols from a screenplay by Buck Henry, stands as one of the most ambitiously cast Hollywood productions, assembling anContinue reading "Catch-22."

Baldwin, James

Nobody Knows My Name: More Notes of a Native Son.

New York : The Dial Press, 1961.

First edition of Baldwin’s second major book of essays, featuring his powerful analyses of the politics of race and his controversial three-part essay on Richard Wright. Octavo, original half cloth. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the dedication page, “For Morris Milgram: My ally & friend, with the prayer that we’ll keep on fighting.Continue reading "Nobody Knows My Name: More Notes of a Native Son."

Cervantes Saavedra, Miguel de

The History of the Most Renowned Don Quixote of Mancha: And his Trusty Squire Sancho Pancha, Now Made English according to the Humour of our Modern Language. And Adorned with several Copper Plates.

London : Printed by Tho. Hodgkin, and are to be sold by John Newton, 1687.

First edition of the first illustrated edition in English of Don Quixote. Folio, bound in three quarters calf over marbled boards, gilt titles to the spine, raised bands. With copper-engraved frontispiece and eight copper-engraved plates, each bearing two images. Translated by John Phillips. In very good condition with all plates present, signature trimmed. A veryContinue reading "The History of the Most Renowned Don Quixote of Mancha: And his Trusty Squire Sancho Pancha, Now Made English according to the Humour of our Modern Language. And Adorned with several Copper Plates."

James, Henry

The Princess Casamassima: A Novel.

London : Macmillan and Co., 1886.

First edition in book form of one of James’s “three formidable novels” published in the 1880s along with The Bostonians and The Tragic Muse. Octavo, three volumes, original publisher’s cloth with gilt titles to the spine, half-titles, 2 pages of advertisements at rear of vols. II and III. From the library of Barton Currie withContinue reading "The Princess Casamassima: A Novel."

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."

Baldwin, James

The Fire Next Time.

New York : The Dial Press, 1963.

Early printing of one of the most influential works on race relations published in the twentieth century. Octavo, original cloth. Lengthily signed by the author on the dedication page, “Go the distance – in and out, and up and down. Jimmy Baldwin.” Near fine in a very good dust jacket. Jacket design by Paul Bacon.Continue reading "The Fire Next Time."

Smith, Betty

A Tree Grows In Brooklyn.

New York : Harper & Brothers Publishers, 1943.

First edition of Smith’s classic first novel. Octavo, original green cloth. Signed by the author on the front free endpaper in the year of publication, “Sincerely, Betty Smith Brooklyn, N.Y. September, 1943.” Near fine in a near fine first issue dust jacket with a touch of shelfwear. An exceptional example.

Tagore, Rabindranath. Edited by Ramananda Chatterjee

The Golden Book of Tagore: A Homage to Rabindranath Tagore from India and the World in Celebration of His Seventieth Birthday.

Calcutta : The Golden Book Committee, 1931.

First subscribers’ edition of The Golden Book of Tagore, the elaborate privately produced tribute to the famed poet; signed by Tagore and from the library of Raja Shamraj Rajwant Bahadur. Quarto, original cloth, lettered tissue-guarded engraved frontispiece portrait of Tagore by Martin Vos signed and dated by Tagore beneath his image, “Rabindranath Tagore Dec. 19,Continue reading "The Golden Book of Tagore: A Homage to Rabindranath Tagore from India and the World in Celebration of His Seventieth Birthday."

Pileggi, Nicholas [Robert De Niro and Joseph Pistone, aka Donnie Brascoe]

Wiseguy: Life in the Mafia Family.

New York : Simon and Schuster, 1985.

First edition of the author’s first book, the basis for Martin Scorcese’s masterpiece Goodfellas, widely regarded as one of the greatest films ever made. Octavo, original half cloth. Boldly signed by Nicholas Pileggi and Academy Award-winning actor Robert De Niro and additionally signed by former legendary FBI undercover special agent Joe Pistone opposite the titleContinue reading "Wiseguy: Life in the Mafia Family."

Stevenson, Robert Louis

The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson [Including Treasure Island; Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde; Kidnapped].

Various : Various Publishers, 1878-1926.

An extensive collection of forty-nine works by Robert Louis Stevenson, publishing date 1878-1926 to include the Letters of Robert Louis Stevenson, Sidney Colvin, Methuen 1899 and The Life of Robert Louis Stevenson by Graham Balfour 1901. 2 vols. Stevenson’s Baby Book, John Howell, San Francisco 1922. Cummy’s Diary, A Diary kept by Robert Louis Stevenson’sContinue reading "The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson [Including Treasure Island; Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde; Kidnapped]."

Twain, Mark [Samuel L. Clemens]

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn [Tom Sawyer’s Comrade].

New York : Charles L. Webster and Company, 1885.

First edition, first issue of Twain’s masterpiece, one of approximately 500 copies bound in publisher’s three-quarters morocco binding. Octavo, original three-quarters brown morocco and marbled boards, gilt-decorated spine, marbled endpapers. Lithographic frontispiece and with 174 illustrations by E.W. Kemble, photographic portrait frontispiece of the bust of Mark Twain by Karl Gerhardt. Copies of Huckleberry FinnContinue reading "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn [Tom Sawyer’s Comrade]."

Durrell, Lawrence

Justine, Balthazar, Mountolive, Clea. [The Alexandria Quartet].

London : Faber and Faber, 1960-1961.

First editions of each of the novels comprising the author’s acclaimed Alexandria Quartet, each signed by Lawrence Durrell. Octavo, original cloth, 4 volumes. Justine is a presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the half-title page, “Signed for Christopher hope he finds her good company! Lawrence Durrell 1985.” Balthazar, Mountolive, Clea are each signed onContinue reading "Justine, Balthazar, Mountolive, Clea. [The Alexandria Quartet]."

Lewis, C.S. and E.M.W. Tillyard

The Personal Heresy: A Controversy.

London : Oxford University Press, 1939.

First edition of this collection of arguments on the subjective and objective positions of writings, with C.S. Lewis arguing the latter. Presentation copy, inscribed by C.S. Lewis on the front free endpaper, “R.W. Fletcher from C.S.L. March 20th 1940.” In near fine condition. Exceedingly rare signed and inscribed by Lewis.

Dahl, Roald; Illustrated by Quentin Blake

Matilda.

London : Jonathan Cape, 1988.

First British edition of Dahl’s popular story of a young girl, her genius, and her indifferent parents. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated. Boldly signed by Roald Dahl and illustrator Quentin Blake on the half-title page. Fine in a near fine dust jacket. Illustrated by Quentin Blake. Rare and desirable signed by both Dahl and Blake.

Kuznetsov, Anatoly. Translated by David Floyd

Babi Yar: A Document in the Form of a Novel.

London : Jonathan Cape, 1970.

First English uncensored edition of soviet writer Anatoly Kuznetsov’s most acclaimed work in its complete, unredacted form. Octavo, original cloth, cartographic endpapers. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the half-title page in the year of publication, “To Mr. M.G. Millard – with very best wishes, in appreciation for the invaluable help he has givenContinue reading "Babi Yar: A Document in the Form of a Novel."

Faulkner, William

The Mansion.

New York : Random House, 1959.

First edition of the final novel in the Nobel Prize-winning author’s classic The Snopes Trilogy. Octavo, original cloth. Boldly signed and dated by the author on the title page, “William Faulkner, Oxford Miss 22 Dec 1961.” Fine in a near fine dust jacket. Housed in a custom half morocco and chemise box.