Waugh, Evelyn [Daphne Fielding]

The Sword of Honour Trilogy: Men At Arms; Officers and Gentlemen; Unconditional Surrender.

London : Chapman & Hall, 1952-1961.

First editions of each volume in the author’s acclaimed Sword of Honour Trilogy. Octavo, 3 volumes, original cloth. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper of Officers and Gentlemen, “For Darling Daphne, Beloved Bigamist, from Evelyn.” The recipient, Daphne Fielding (1904–1997) was a British socialite and writer whose memoirs and biographicalContinue reading "The Sword of Honour Trilogy: Men At Arms; Officers and Gentlemen; Unconditional Surrender."

Biblia Cum Concordantiis Veteris et Novi Testamenti. [The Bible with Concordances of the Old and New Testaments]. [Jerome’s Latin Vulgate].

[Lugundi] : [Jacobum Mareschal], 1527.

Rare 16th century printed seminary copy of Jerome’s Latin Vulgate. Folio, bound in full elaborately blind-stamped vellum with remains of iron clasps, all edges red, finely printed in gothic letter, title printed in red and black within woodcut borders, numerous woodcuts and woodcut initials, title and a few woodcuts hand-colored. With a Seminary library catalogContinue reading "Biblia Cum Concordantiis Veteris et Novi Testamenti. [The Bible with Concordances of the Old and New Testaments]. [Jerome’s Latin Vulgate]."

Kazantzakis, Nikos

Zorba The Greek.

Athens : Plateia Syntagmatos, 1946.

Rare first Greek edition, preceding all other editions of the author’s classic work, which was the basis for the beloved Oscar-winning film starring Anthony Quinn. Octavo, bound in cloth. Boldly signed by Nikos Kazantzakis on the copyright page. In near fine condition. First editions of Zorba The Greek are of legendary scarcity.

Cohen, Leonard

Let Us Compare Mythologies.

Montreal : McGill Poetry Series by Contact Press, 1956.

First edition of Cohen’s first book, which explores philosophy, sexuality, death, a world of violent contrasts that would define his future literary and musical careers. Octavo, original cloth. With five full-page line illustrations by Freda Guttman. Signed by the author in the month of publication on the front free endpaper, “Leonard Cohen May 1956.” NearContinue reading "Let Us Compare Mythologies."

Konigsburg, E. L

From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.

New York : Atheneum, 1967.

First edition of the author’s Newbery Award-winning novel. Octavo, original cloth. Signed by E.L. Konigsburg on the title page. Fine in a fine dust jacket. An exceptional example, rare in this condition and signed.

Dickens, Charles

A Tale of Two Cities. [with] Charles Dickens Autograph Note.

London : Chapman and Hall, 1859.

First edition, mixed issue of one of Dickens’ most enduring works. Octavo, bound in three quarters modern half calf over marbled boards with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in five compartments within raised gilt bands, all edges marbled, marbled endpapers, illustrated with sixteen plates after H.K. Browne including the frontispiece and title vignette.Continue reading "A Tale of Two Cities. [with] Charles Dickens Autograph Note."

Kerouac, Jack

The Town and the City.

New York : Harcourt, Brace and Company, 1950.

First edition of Kerouac’s first book. Octavo, original red cloth. Signed by Kerouac on the front free endpaper and with the ownership name of his close childhood friend and neighbor in Lowell, Massachusetts, Charles Dudevoir. With a note of provenance signed by Charles Dudevoir’s granddaughter which reads in part, “Phil – my mother lived inContinue reading "The Town and the City."

Muir, John

The Writings of John Muir: The Manuscript Edition. [Including: My First Summer in the Sierra, Travels in Alaska, The Mountains of California, The Story of My Youth and Childhood,Our National Parks, The Cruise of the Corwin, Steep Trails, Life and Letters, Etc.].

Boston : Houghton Mifflin Company, 1916-24.

The Manuscript edition of The Writings of John Muir. Octavo, 10 volumes, bound in original special deluxe three quarters morocco over marbled boards, leather edges ruled in gilt, gilt titles and tooling to the spine, raised bands, matching endpapers, top edges gilt. With volumes 1 through 8 of this set each containing an original gelatinContinue reading "The Writings of John Muir: The Manuscript Edition. [Including: My First Summer in the Sierra, Travels in Alaska, The Mountains of California, The Story of My Youth and Childhood,Our National Parks, The Cruise of the Corwin, Steep Trails, Life and Letters, Etc.]."

McCarthy, Cormac

Cormac McCarthy Signed Photograph.

London : John Adams Creative Photography, c. 1966.

Original gelatin silver print, three-quarter studio portrait of a young McCarthy. Inscribed by Cormac to his wife to the right of the portrait, “To my lovely Annie, Cormac.” Cormac McCarthy married Anne DeLisle in 1966, and their union, which lasted until 1981, coincided with a formative period of his career when he was still largely unknown butContinue reading "Cormac McCarthy Signed Photograph."

Gibson, William

Neuromancer, Count Zero, Mona Lisa Overdrive.

London : Victor Gollancz, 1984-1988.

First British editions and true firsts of each of the novels that comprise Gibson’s The Sprawl Trilogy. Octavo, three volumes. Each signed on the title page by William Gibson. Neuromancer is a review copy, with a slip laid into it. Each are fine in fine dust jackets. Rare and desirable signed and in this condition.

James, P.D

A Mind To Murder.

London : Faber and Faber, 1963.

First edition of the author’s second book. Octavo, original green cloth. Signed by the author on the title page with a transcription from the novel as follows, “The invitation would commit him to nothing more crucial than seeing that she had a pleasant evening and paying the bill. And a man was surely entitled toContinue reading "A Mind To Murder."

Lee, Harper

Go Set A Watchman.

New York : Harper Collins, 2015.

First trade edition of Lee’s second novel. Octavo, original half cloth. Signed by Harper Lee on the half-title page. This copy was a gift from Lee’s attorney Tonja Brooks Carter to a clerk of the court in Monroeville, Alabama. Brooks Carter was responsible for rediscovering the manuscript of this novel and instrumental to its publication.Continue reading "Go Set A Watchman."

McCarthy, Cormac

All the Pretty Horses; The Crossing; Cities of the Plain.

New York : Alfred A. Knopf, 1992-1998.

First editions of each title in the author’s acclaimed Border Trilogy. Octavo, original half cloth, three volumes. Each volume is signed by Cormac McCarthy on the half-title page and each volume is signed three times by jacket designer Chip Kidd. All the Pretty Horses is a presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the half-titleContinue reading "All the Pretty Horses; The Crossing; Cities of the Plain."

Goldman, William

The Princess Bride.

Boston : Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017.

First edition of the deluxe edition of Goldman’s classic novel, basis for the cult classic directed by Rob Reiner, starring Cary Elwes, Robin Wright and Chris Sarandon.  Quarto, original illustrated boards, illustrated throughout. Boldly signed by William Goldman, Rob Reiner, Cary Elwes and Chris Sarandon. In fine condition. Illustrated by Michael Manomivibul. Rare and desirable,Continue reading "The Princess Bride."

Blixen, Karen. [Isak Dinesen]

Out of Africa.

London : Putnam, 1948.

Later printing of the author’s classic memoir, recounting her seventeen years in Kenya. Octavo, original cloth. Signed by the author on the front free endpaper, “Karen Blixen Je Responderai March 1957.” While in Africa, Blixen took as her motto “Je Responderai,” “I will answer,” from the family crest of her lover, Denys Finch-Hatton. She explained:Continue reading "Out of Africa."

Rand, Ayn

Atlas Shrugged.

New York : Random House, 1957.

First edition, first printing of one of the most influential novels of the twentieth century. Large octavo, bound in full morocco by the Harcourt Bindery with gilt titles and ruling to the spine in five compartments within raised gilt bands, gilt ruling to the front and rear panels, gilt inner dentelles stamp-signed by the HarcourtContinue reading "Atlas Shrugged."

Doyle, Arthur Conan

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

London : George Newnes, Limited, 1892-1894.

First editions, first issues of both volumes of Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic short story collections, starring literature’s most famous detective. Royal octavo, two volumes in the publisher’s original pictorial black and gilt-stamped light blue and dark blue cloth, patterned endpapers, all edges gilt, illustrated by Sidney Paget. First issues, Adventures with the street scene vignetteContinue reading "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes."

Fleming, Ian

Moonraker.

London : Jonathan Cape, 1955.

First edition, first issue with “shoo” for “shoot” on page 10 of the third novel in the James Bond series and what many critics to be his finest. Octavo, original black cloth. Near fine in a bright near fine price-clipped dust jacket with light toning and rubbing to the extremities. Jacket design by Kenneth Lewis.Continue reading "Moonraker."

Woolf, Virginia

On Being Ill.

London : Printed and published by Leonard & Virginia Woolf at The Hogarth Press, 1930.

Signed limited edition and first edition in book form of this meditation on the literary possibilities of illness. One of 250 numbered copies signed by Virginia Woolf in her characteristic purple ink on the limitation page, this is number 104. Octavo, original half vellum over green silk boards, marbled endpapers. Fine in the rare original dustContinue reading "On Being Ill."

le Carre, John

The Spy Who Came In From The Cold.

London : Victor Gollancz, 1963.

First edition of le Carre’s classic work, which went on to reinvigorate the spy genre. Octavo, original cloth. Boldly signed by John le Carre on the second free endpaper. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box made by the Harcourt Bindery. An exceptional example.

Warren, Robert Penn

All The King’s Men.

New York : Harcourt, Brace and Company, 1946.

First edition of the author’s Pulitzer Prize-winning work. Octavo, original cloth. Signed by Robert Penn Warren on the front free end paper. Light wear to the extremities, near fine in an excellent first issue dust jacket with light wear to the crown and foot of the spine. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box.

Rowling, J.K

The Tales of Beedle the Bard. Translated from the Original Runes by Hermione Granger. With Commentary by Professor Albus Dumbledore.

London : The Children's High Level Group, 2008.

First edition, limited issue of this wizarding classic. Signed by J.K. Rowling on the half-title page, with the authentication hologram. Octavo, original brown morocco-patterned boards with silver metal cornerpieces and central ornament accented with faux blue gems, silver metal clasp, marbled endpapers, green silk bookmark, illustrated. Housed in the embroidered velvet bag within the publisher’s calfContinue reading "The Tales of Beedle the Bard. Translated from the Original Runes by Hermione Granger. With Commentary by Professor Albus Dumbledore."

Tarkington, Booth

The Magnificent Ambersons.

Garden City, New York : Doubleday, Page & Company, 1918.

First edition of the author’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, basis for the classic Orson Wells film often regarded as among the greatest films of all time. Octavo, original cloth. Near fine in the rare original dust jacket which is the second state variant dust jacket, with light restoration. The first issue dust jacket is virtually unobtainable.Continue reading "The Magnificent Ambersons."

More, Sir Thomas. Translated by Ralph Robinson. Foreword by William Morris. Edited by F.S. Ellis

Utopia.

Hammersmith, in the County of Middlesex : Printed by William Morris at the Kelmscott Press, 1893.

The Kelmscott Press limited edition of  Sir Thomas More’s “quintessential humanist dialogue” (ODNB), first published in Louvain in 1516. Quarto, original publisher’s limp vellum with gilt titles to the spine, original silk ties, text printed in red and black in Chaucer and Troy types, 2 full-page woodcut borders and initials designed by William Morris. OneContinue reading "Utopia."