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"One Of The Most Important Books Of The Twentieth Century": First American Edition Of Karl Popper’s The Open Society; Signed By Him
POPPER, KARL R.
The Open Society And Its Enemies.
Princeton: Princeton University Press 1950.
First American edition of Popper’s magnum opus. Octavo, original black cloth. Boldly signed by Karl Popper on the front free endpaper. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket. First editions are rare and desirable signed.
Price: $28,000.00 Item Number: 137328
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First Edition of Karl Popper's The Logic of Scientific Discovery; Signed by Him
POPPER, KARL R.
The Logic of Scientific Discovery.
London: Hutchinson 1959.
First edition of “one of the most important documents of the twentieth century” (Peter Medawar, New Scientist). Octavo, original cloth. Boldly signed by Karl Popper on the title page. Fine in a near fine dust jacket. Rare and desirable signed.
Price: $12,500.00 Item Number: 132736
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FIRST EDITION and the first advance copy OF KARL POPPER'S THE LOGIC OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY; inscribed by him in a letter to close friend and colleague Lionel Robbins
POPPER, KARL R. [LIONEL ROBBINS].
The Logic of Scientific Discovery.
London: Hutchinson 1959.
First edition and the first advance copy of “one of the most important documents of the twentieth century” with the original transmittal letter inscribed by Karl Popper to economist Lionel Robbins (Peter Medawar, New Scientist). Octavo, original cloth. Association copy, accompanied by the original transmittal letter on Popper’s London School of Economics and Political Science letterhead which reads in full, “December 10th, 1958 Dear Robbins, I am sending you the first advance copy of the Logic of Scientific Discovery. I was just about to inscribe this copy “To Lionel Robbins, in sincere gratitude for his unflagging interest which has meant more to me than I can say” when it occurred to me that I may have used these words in a dedication to you before. They are so natural to me, and express so precisely what I feel, that it is not at all impossible that I have used them, or something very similar, before. For this reason, I did not dare to use them; but if I have not used them before, I should be grateful if you would permit me to inscribed them into this book at some other time. Yours ever, K. R. Popper. P.S. The publishers want me to mention that publication date is January 12th.” The recipient, British economist Lionel Charles Robbins, was a prominent member of the economics department at the London School of Economics. He and Popper were colleagues for over twenty years and formed a strong inter-departmental alliance, fortified by their mutual friendship with Friedrich von Hayek. In a letter to Hayek on 20th October 1964, Popper wrote, “I should also mention that, through your closeness to Lionel Robbins, I got to know him; and he is now my stand-by in the School, outside my department. He has been very good to me, and has helped me immensely, in many difficult situations at the school” (Shearmur & Turner, 249f). They also had significant intellectual intersections, with Robbins playing a role in the development of two of Popper’s most important works, The Open Society and The Poverty of Historicism. Popper once referred to Robbins was “the uncrowned king of the LSE” (Dahrendorf, 422) and also once stated: “I loved and admired him, most of all for his moral and personal qualities – and as a teacher” (Howson, 7). Near fine in a very good dust jacket. The letter is in fine condition. An exceptional association copy, connecting two stalwarts of the London School of Economics.
Price: $4,800.00 Item Number: 131549
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First Editions Of Karl Popper’s The Open Society; Both Volumes Signed By the author; And In The Rare Original Dust Jackets
POPPER, KARL R.
The Open Society And Its Enemies.
London: George Routledge & Sons 1945.
First editions of Popper’s magnum opus. Each volume is signed by Karl Popper on the front free endpaper. In near fine condition with original dust jackets in near fine condition. Octavo, 2 volumes, original black cloth. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box. Signed first editions of The Open Society and Its Enemies are exceptionally rare. One of the most important books of the twentieth century.
Price: $75,000.00 Item Number: 130962
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"To Dr Karl Popper a fellow struggler for freedom": Rare First English Edition of The Road To Serfdom; Inscribed by F.A. Hayek to Karl Popper
HAYEK, FRIEDRICH AUGUST VON [F.A.] [KARL POPPER].
The Road To Serfdom.
London: Routledge & Sons 1944.
First edition of one of the most influential and popular expositions of classical liberalism ever published. Octavo, original black cloth. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “To Dr Karl Popper a fellow struggler for freedom with friendly greetings from F.H. Hayek.” Also included is a letter signed by Karl Popper to his assistant Melitta Mew, presenting her with this book as a birthday gift (“…It is the copy he sent me to New Zealand on publication of the book, with a beautiful dedication. And thank you for everything you are doing for my work (and me)… Karl”), on his stationery of 136 Welcomes Road, Kenley, Surrey, and dated 23 January 1994. While this book was very special to Popper, he had been diagnosed with cancer and passed away from complications in September. Ms. Mew helped to put together Popper’s lectures and essays in a book, which was published in 1996: “In search of a better world : lectures and essays from thirty years.” Easily the best association copy in existence, as the lives of both of these great economists, Fredrich von Hayek (1899-1992) and Karl Popper (1902-1994) greatly impacted the other and their lives were intertwined. They both experienced the destruction of their Bourgeois Viennese families’ savings by hyperinflation due to the fragility of the liberal society. While both men studied at the University of Vienna, they first met in London in 1935. Hayek was at that time employed at the London School of Economics and Popper was in the city on a visiting lectureship. While Popper accepted a position in New Zealand, where he was to remain until after World War II, he would also later assume a chair at the LSE, due to Hayek’s influence there. Near fine in a good dust jacket. The British edition (which this example is) was published in March of 1944, preceding its American counterpart, which was published later that same year in September. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box.
Price: $400,000.00 Item Number: 123960
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"Probably the only book published this year which will outlive the century": First Edition of The Poverty of Historicism; Inscribed by Karl Popper to Fellow Economist Lionel Robbins who played an important role in the work's development
POPPER, KARL R.
The Poverty of Historicism.
London: Routledge & Kegan Paul 1957.
First edition of this undisputed classic in the philosophy of social science. Octavo, original cloth. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper in the year of publication, “To Lionel Robbins from K.R.P. October 31st, 1957.” The recipient, British economist Lionel Charles Robbins, was a prominent member of the economics department at the London School of Economics. He and Popper were colleagues for over twenty years and formed a strong inter-departmental alliance, fortified by their mutual friendship with Friedrich von Hayek. They also had significant intellectual intersections, with Robbins playing a role in the development of two of Popper’s most important works, The Open Society and, the present volume: The Poverty of Historicism. In spring 1936, Popper received an invitation from Hayek to the LSE to deliver a paper at the seminar he ran jointly with Lionel Robbins. The subject of the paper was to be so-called historical ‘laws’ and the methodology of the social sciences, what would become The Poverty of Historicism. The seminar “was usually attended by some thirty or forty members of staff and postgraduate students as well as by visiting European and Americans. It is not clear how many showed up for the unknown Viennese philosopher. In addition to Hayek and Robbins, present were also economists G. L. S. Shackle and Abba Lerner, Ernst Gombrich, and possibly Karl Mannheim, a reader in sociology at the LSE” (Hacohen, 316). It would make its first appearance in print in 1944-1945, published across three issues of Economica, the in-house economics journal of the LSE. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket with light toning and a few small chips. An important association.
Price: $9,800.00 Item Number: 104071
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First edition of The Self and its Brain: An Argument for Interactionism; inscribed by Karl Popper to Lionel Charles Robbins
POPPER, KARL AND JOHN C. ECCLES.
The Self and its Brain: An Argument for Interactionism.
Berlin, New York, London: Springer-Verlag 1977.
First edition of Popper and Eccles’ groundbreaking work. Octavo, original cloth. Association copy, warmly inscribed by Karl Popper in the year of publication on the front free endpaper, “To Lionel, with love from Karl 3rd November 1977.” The recipient, British economist Lionel Charles Robbins, was a prominent member of the economics department at the London School of Economics. He and Popper were colleagues for over twenty years and formed a strong inter-departmental alliance, fortified by their mutual friendship with Friedrich von Hayek. In a letter to Hayek on 20th October 1964, Popper wrote, “I should also mention that, through your closeness to Lionel Robbins, I got to know him; and he is now my stand-by in the School, outside my department. He has been very good to me, and has helped me immensely, in many difficult situations at the school” (Shearmur & Turner, 249f). They also had significant intellectual intersections, with Robbins playing a role in the development of two of Popper’s most important works, The Open Society and The Poverty of Historicism. Popper once referred to Robbins was “the uncrowned king of the LSE” (Dahrendorf, 422) and also once stated: “I loved and admired him, most of all for his moral and personal qualities – and as a teacher” (Howson, 7). Fine in a fine dust jacket. An exceptional association copy, connecting two stalwarts of the London School of Economics.
Price: $2,800.00 Item Number: 101425
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Karl Popper's Conjectures and refutations; Inscribed by Him to Lionel Robbins
POPPER, KARL.
Conjectures and Refutations: The Growth of Scientific Knowledge.
London: Routledge and Kegan Paul 1965.
Second edition of this major work by Popper. Octavo, original cloth. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “To Lionel, the most generously appreciative of readers from Karl June 1965.” The recipient Lionel Robbins was a prominent member of the economics department at the London School of Economics and a close friend and colleague of Popper. The pair were colleagues for over twenty years, with Popper first taking up a Readership at the LSE in 1945 before being appointed Professor of Logic and Scientific Method in 1949. Their relationship was principally professional, forming a strong inter-departmental alliance, fortified by their mutual friendship with Friedrich von Hayek. In a letter to Hayek on 20th October 1964, Popper wrote: “… I should also mention that, through your closeness to Lionel Robbins, I got to know him; and he is now my stand-by in the School, outside my department. He has been very good to me, and has helped me immensely, in many difficult situations at the school” (Shearmur & Turner, pp. 249). They also had significant intellectual intersections, with Robbins playing a role in the development of two of Popper’s most important works, The Open Society and The Poverty of Historicism. For Popper, Robbins was “the uncrowned king of the LSE” (quoted in Dahrendorf, p. 422): “I loved and admired him, most of all for his moral and personal qualities – and as a teacher” (Howson, 7). Near fine in a near fine dust jacket. An exceptional association.
Price: $3,500.00 Item Number: 100965
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First Edition of Karl Popper's Conjectures and refutations; Inscribed by Him to Rudolf Serkin
POPPER, KARL R.
Conjectures and Refutations: The Growth of Scientific Knowledge.
New York: Basic Books 1962.
First edition of this major work by Popper. Octavo, original cloth. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “To Rudi greatest of pianists and for me the only one with love from Karl March 28th, 1963.” The recipient, Rudolf Serkin, is widely regarded as one of the greatest Beethoven interpreters of the 20th century and was a lifelong friend of Popper’s. Popper and Serkin met in Salzkammergut, Austria in 1919 and their friendship lasted until Serkin’s death in 1991. In 1934, Serkin asked his mother-in-law, Frieda Busch, to bring Popper’s Logik der Forschung (The Logic of Scientific Discovery as it first appeared in German) to the attention of Albert Einstein as the young author did not have an academic position and needed assistance in gaining attention in the scientific community. Einstein responded warmly upon receipt of the book and endorsed the philosophy on all of its essential points. His endorsement created a stir in Vienna and beyond and the book soon received praise from other giants in the field including Rudolf Carnap, Oskar Morgenstern, and Freidrich Hayek. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box. An exceptional association.
Price: $9,200.00 Item Number: 77942
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"Probably the only book published this year which will outlive the century": First Edition of The Poverty of Historicism; Inscribed by Karl Popper to Economist Jacob Viner
POPPER, KARL R.
The Poverty of Historicism.
Boston: Beacon Press 1957.
First edition of one of the most important books on the social sciences since the Second World War. Octavo, original cloth. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “To Jacob Viner from K.R.P.” The recipient, Jacob Viner was a Canadian economist and is considered to be one of the “inspiring” mentors of the early Chicago School of Economics in the 1930s and was one of the leading figures of the Chicago faculty. A bright near fine example in an excellent dust jacket with light shelf wear. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box.
Price: $8,200.00 Item Number: 3441