Literature

Rare & Classic, American or English Literature Books for Sale Online

Browse rare first edition classics in American, English, world literature, poetry, and plays. View our entire collection of rare literature below, search our inventory with advanced search, or use our sorting tools to find exactly what you’re looking for. Please call with any questions you may have on a specific item or order online today.
    Little Caesar.

    Burnett, W.R

    Little Caesar.

    New York: Lincoln MacVeagh/ The Dial Press, 1929.

    First edition of Burnett’s classic novel, which has inspired generations of gangster films. Octavo, original cloth. Inscribed by the author on the title page, “For Mrs. Brown with best wis...
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    $2,500.00 Item Number: RRB-59019
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    Patton: Ordeal and Triumph.

    Farago, Ladislas

    Patton: Ordeal and Triumph.

    New York: Ivan Obolensky, 1963.

    First edition of “the best Patton biography” (Military Bookman), a classic basis for the Academy Award-winning film, starring George C. Scott. Octavo, original cloth. Boldly signed Ladisla...
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    $2,500.00 Item Number: RRB-150611
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    Rosemary’s Baby.

    Levin, Ira

    Rosemary’s Baby.

    New York: Random House, 1967.

    First edition of this influential horror classic, which helped launch the “horror boom.” Octavo, bound in full morocco by the Harcourt Bindery, gilt titles and tooling to the spine in five...
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    $2,450.00 Item Number: RRB-150653
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    Les Americains [The Americans].

    Frank, Robert

    Les Americains [The Americans].

    Paris: Delpire, 1957.

    First edition of the photographer’s masterpiece with 83 black-and-white full-page photogravures. Oblong quarto, original boards illustrated by Saul Steinberg. In near fine condition.
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    $2,400.00 Item Number: RRB-120922
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    The Personal History of David Copperfield.

    Dickens, Charles

    The Personal History of David Copperfield.

    London: Bradbury and Evans, 1850.

    First edition in book form of “the most perfect of all the Dickens novels” (Virginia Woolf). Octavo, bound in three quarters calf over marbled boards with black morocco spine label lettere...
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    $2,250.00 Item Number: RRB-117844
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    The Voyage Out.

    Woolf, Virginia

    The Voyage Out.

    London: Duckworth, 1927.

    Early printing of Woolf’s first novel. Octavo, original cloth. Very good in the rare original dust jacket which has been restored. Uncommon in the original jacket.
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    $2,250.00 Item Number: RRB-129080
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    Sula.

    Morrison, Toni

    Sula.

    New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1973.

    First edition of the Nobel Prize-winning author’s second novel. Octavo, original cloth. Boldly signed by Toni Morrison in a contemporary hand on the front free endpaper. Fine in a near fine dust...
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    $2,250.00 Item Number: RRB-141498
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    Life and Energy.

    Asimov, Isaac

    Life and Energy.

    Garden City, New York: Doubleday & Company, Inc, 1962.

    First edition of Asimov’s work on the chemistry of life processes. Octavo, original half cloth. Signed by Isaac Asimov on the title page. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket. Jacket design by A...
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    $2,250.00 Item Number: RRB-142652
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    The Sweet Flypaper of Life.

    DeCarava, Roy and Langston Hughes

    The Sweet Flypaper of Life.

    New York: Simon & Schuster, 1955.

    First edition of the classic collaboration between Roy DeCarava and Langston Hughes. Small octavo, original half cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by Langston Hughes on the front free endpaper,...
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    $2,250.00 Item Number: RRB-90534
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    On A Chinese Screen.

    Maugham, W. Somerset

    On A Chinese Screen.

    London: William Heinemann, 1922.

    First edition of this classic travel book by the author of The Razor’s Edge. Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “To Edward Wasse...
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    $2,250.00 Item Number: RRB-116152
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    Dirty Beasts.

    Dahl, Roald

    Dirty Beasts.

    London: Jonathan Cape, 1983.

    First edition of this book collection of poems about mischievous and mysterious animals. Quarto, original boards, illustrations by Rosemary Fawcett. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the f...
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    $2,250.00 Item Number: RRB-146248
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    Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.

    Blume, Judy

    Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.

    New York: Bradbury Press, 1970.

    First edition, early printing of this landmark novel in the history of young adult literature. Octavo, original publisher’s boards. Boldly signed by the author on the half-title page, “Lov...
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    $2,250.00 Item Number: RRB-148620
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    The New Left: The Anti-Industrial Revolution.

    Rand, Ayn

    The New Left: The Anti-Industrial Revolution.

    New York: New American Library, 1971.

    First edition, a paperback original of the author’s classic work. Octavo, original wrappers. Boldly signed by Ayn Rand beneath her name. In near fine condition. First editions are rare signed.
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    $2,250.00 Item Number: RRB-151299
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    Moses, Man on the Mountain.

    Hurston, Zora Neale

    Moses, Man on the Mountain.

    New York: J. B. Lippincott Company, 1939.

    First edition of this classic retelling of Moses’ exodus. Octavo, bound in full morocco by the Harcourt Bindery, gilt titles to the spine, gilt ruled to the front and rear panels, raised bands,...
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    $2,250.00 Item Number: RRB-141712
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    The Magus.

    Fowles, John

    The Magus.

    London: Jonathan Cape, 1966.

    First edition of the author’s most well-known work. Octavo, bound in full morocco by the Harcourt bindery, gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, gilt...
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    $2,250.00 Item Number: RRB-143508
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    The Dice Man.

    Rhinehart, Luke [George Cockcroft]

    The Dice Man.

    New York: William Morrow and Company, 1971.

    First edition of this cult classic. Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the title page, “For John- ‘Uptown or downtown? I am…’ Luke Rhinehart...
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    $2,250.00 Item Number: RRB-124924
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    Night of January 16th.

    Rand, Ayn

    Night of January 16th.

    New York and Cleveland: The World Publishing Company, 1968.

    First edition in book form of the successful Broadway play by the author of The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged. Octavo, original half cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author in the year of...
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    $2,250.00 Item Number: RRB-138949
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    The Leavenworth Case: A Lawyer’s Story.

    Green, Anna Katharine

    The Leavenworth Case: A Lawyer’s Story.

    New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1878.

    First edition of the author’s first book, considered one of the best American detective novels. Octavo, original publisher’s cloth with gilt titles to the spine, rebacked. In very good con...
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    $2,250.00 Item Number: RRB-139547
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    Collected Verse of Rudyard Kipling.

    Kipling, Rudyard

    Collected Verse of Rudyard Kipling.

    New York: Doubleday, Page & Co, 1910.

    Signed limited edition of the collected verse of Rudyard Kipling, beautifully illustrated by W. Heath Robinson. Quarto, bound in three quarters crushed levant morocco over marbled boards, gilt titles...
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    $2,250.00 Item Number: RRB-141581
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    The Sword of Shannara.

    Brooks, Terry

    The Sword of Shannara.

    New York: Random House, 1977.

    First edition of this epic fantasy novel. Octavo, original half-cloth, cartographic frontispiece. Illustrated by The Brothers Hildebrandt. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free...
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    $2,250.00 Item Number: RRB-148242
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    The Ingoldsby Legends: Or, Mirth & Marvels by Thomas Ingoldsby, Esquire First Series; Second Series; Third Series.

    Barham, Richard Harris

    The Ingoldsby Legends: Or, Mirth & Marvels by Thomas Ingoldsby, Esquire First Series; Second Series; Third Series.

    London: Richard Bentley, 1840.

    First edition, first issue of this classic work. Octavo, 3 volumes, bound in full morocco by Tout with elaborate tooling in gilt, covers repeat the floral and pointillle tooling at corners, surrounded...
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    $2,250.00 Item Number: RRB-119907
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    Christmas Is Together-Time.

    Schulz, Charles M

    Christmas Is Together-Time.

    San Francisco: Determined Productions, 1964.

    First edition of this early work by the creator of Peanuts. Duodecimo, original pictorial boards, illustrated. Boldly signed by Charles M. Schulz on the front free endpaper. Fine in a near fine dust j...
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    $2,250.00 Item Number: RRB-1500998
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    I Am Legend.

    Matheson, Richard

    I Am Legend.

    New York: Walker and Company, 1954.

    First hardcover edition of Matheson’s “instant classic,” his groundbreaking treatment of “a traditional horror theme in a science-fictional manner” (Horror 100 Best, 162)...
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    $2,250.00 Item Number: RRB-149894
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    Curious George Takes a Job.

    Rey, H.A. and Margaret

    Curious George Takes a Job.

    Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1949.

    Early edition of the second installment in the Curious George series. Quarto, original cloth with titles stamped in black, pictorial endpapers, with illustrations throughout. Presentation copy, inscri...
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    $2,250.00 Item Number: RRB-150378
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