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First Edition of George Orwell's Burmese Days; Inscribed by the author
ORWELL, George.
Burmese Days.
New York: Harper & Brothers, 1934.
First American edition, preceding the British edition by one year of Orwell's first novel. Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author with his given name on the verso of the front free endpaper, "With very best wishes from Eric Blair." As explained in the accompanying typed letter signed by Adrian Fierz, this copy was presented by the author to Mabel Fierz. It was Mabel Fierz who introduced Orwell to Leonard Moore (who would later become his literary agent) after salvaging the manuscript for Down and Out from the writer's discarded papers. After first meeting Orwell in Southwold, Suffolk, Mabel…
Price: $55,000.00 Item Number: 67096
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Exceptional first Edition, association copy of Cormac McCarthy's Masterpiece Blood Meridian; inscribed by McCarthy to his second wife Anne DeLisle
MCCARTHY, Cormac.
Blood Meridian or The Evening Redness in the West.
New York: Random House, 1985.
First edition of Cormac McCarthy's fifth novel, widely considered his masterpiece and among the greatest novels of the 20th century. Octavo, original half cloth. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, "For Anne With Love Cormac." The recipient, Anne DeLisle was McCarthy's second wife. McCarthy published his debut novel, The Orchard Keeper, in 1965, earning the William Faulkner Award for Best First Novel and a Rockefeller Grant. With his grant money, he traveled aboard the Sylvania, where he met singer and dancer Annie DeLisle of The Healy Sisters duo. The two fell in love and married…
Price: $55,000.00 Item Number: 149734
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First Edition of Alcoholics Anonymous; In the Rare Original Dust Jacket
WILSON, William [Bill W.].
Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How Many Thousands of Men and Women Have Recovered from Alcoholism.
New York: Alcoholics Anonymous, 1939.
First edition of Bill Wilson’s classic work, one of the best-selling books of all time, having sold 30 million copies. Octavo, original cloth. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket with the spine lightly toned, contemporary name to the front free endpaper. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box made by the Harcourt Bindery. An exceptional example.
Price: $55,000.00 Item Number: 143075
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Rare First Edition, First Issue of Ludwig van Beethoven's Ninth Symphony; From the Library of bassoonist and musicologist William Waterhouse
BEETHOVEN, Ludwig van.
Sinfonie mit Schluss-Chor uber Schillers Ode: “An die Freude” fur grosses Orchester, 4 Solo- und 4 Chor-Stimmen componirt und Seiner Majestaet dem Konig von Preussen Friedrich Wilhelm III in tiefster Ehrfurcht kugeeignet von Ludwig van Beethoven. [The Ninth Symphony].
Mainz and Paris: B. Schotts Sohnen, 1826.
Exceptionally rare first edition, first issue of one of the most frequently performed symphonies in the world, containing the subscribers' list, but not the composer's notorious metronome markings which were added in later issues. Quarto, bound in nineteenth-century marbled boards with a blank label to the front panel, all edges yellow, printed with plate number 2322, subscribers' list present, illustrated with a lithographic title page and engraved with music throughout. Inscribed by William Waterhouse on the front free endpaper, "from Robert Hermann London..." William Waterhouse was an English bassoonist and musicologist who played with notable orchestras in the twentieth century…
Price: $55,000.00 Item Number: 146837
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First Edition of Nathanael West's Miss Lonelyhearts; In the exceptionally rare Dust Jacket
WEST, Nathanael .
Miss Lonelyhearts.
New York: Liveright, 1933.
First edition, first issue of this humorous tale of alienation and advice in Depression era New York which was well-received, but the publisher went bankrupt almost immediately and bookshops were unable to source copies. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket with light rubbing and wear. Easily one of the nicest examples extant, with most examples in the original dust jacket well worn. The publisher, Liveright went bankrupt as the novel was being published, however, and the printer refused to release most of the copies. Despite favorable reviews, copies were unavailable to bookshops. In early June, Harcourt Brace took…
Price: $55,000.00 Item Number: 140436
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"Great men are not born great, they grow great": FIRST EDITION OF THE GODFATHER; SIGNED BY MARIO PUZO AND MARLON BRANDO
PUZO, Mario [Marlon Brando].
The Godfather.
New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1969.
First edition of Puzo's definitive novel of the Mafia underworld, signed by him and legendary Academy Award-winning actor Marlon Brando. Octavo, original half black cloth. Boldly signed by both Mario Puzo and Marlon Brando on the front free endpaper. Fine in a near fine dust jacket. Jacket art by S. Neil Fujita. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box made by the Harcourt Bindery. We have never seen another first edition signed by Brando and Puzo.
Price: $50,000.00 Item Number: 136975
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"to George You're Great And Always will be!": Bob Dylan's Lyrics; Inscribed by Him to George Harrison
DYLAN, Bob.
Bob Dylan Lyrics 1962-1985.
New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1985.
First printing of the second edition of this compilation of Dylan's lyrics. Quarto, original glossy illustrated boards. Association copy, inscribed by Dylan to close friend and fellow legendary musician, George Harrison on the front free endpaper: "To George [surrounded by a sun] You're Great And Always will be! Best wishes Bob Dylan/3/'86." George Harrison wrote the lyrics to the Beatles hit, "Here Comes the Sun" and Dylan was a major catalyst for Harrison as a musician. They met in person for the first time in August of 1964 at the Delmonico Hotel in New York City, where Dylan, after misinterpreting…
Price: $50,000.00 Item Number: 80146
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"The first American bestseller": Exceedingly Rare first edition of Susanna Haswell Rowson's Charlotte: A Tale of Truth
ROWSON, Susanna Haswell.
Charlotte. A Tale of Truth.
Philadelphia: Printed by D. Humphreys for M. Carey, 1794.
Exceedingly rare first American edition (and the earliest obtainable example) of the first American bestseller. Octavo, two volumes bound into one in three quarter calf over marbled boards, morocco spine label lettered in gilt, marbled endpapers. Although the first American edition was preceded by the first English edition published in 1791, no examples of the first English edition have been traced at auction. In very good condition. Bookplate of D. Appleton to the pastedown, bibliographic description tipped in. Housed in a custom cloth chemise and half morocco clamshell slipcase. Exceedingly rare with only one other example of the first American…
Price: $50,000.00 Item Number: 125183
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First editions of each volume in C.S. Lewis' acclaimed space trilogy; including the dedicatee's copy of Out of the silent planet; inscribed by C.S. Lewis' brother Warren Hamilton Lewis
LEWIS, C.S.
The Space Trilogy: Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra and That Hideous Strength.
London: John Lane The Bodley Head, 1938-1945.
First editions of each volume in C.S. Lewis' important space trilogy including the dedicatee's (Lewis' brother's) copy of Out of the Silent Planet, the rarest book in the series. Octavo, three volumes, original cloth. Inscribed by C.S. Lewis' brother Warren Hamilton Lewis on the front free endpaper to whom the book is dedicated, "This book. Well, speaking as dedicatee I felt that it was up to me to buy it. What's more, I also think that you, as being friendly to us two, should try it. But if you should dislike the tale, Don't say so and thus spoil its…
Price: $50,000.00 Item Number: 132054
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“When you get an idea into your head you find it in everything": Rare First Edition of Victor Hugo's Notre-Dame de Paris; One of only 1100 examples
HUGO, Victor.
Notre-Dame de Paris.
Paris: Charles Gosselin, 1831.
First edition, first printing of Hugo's masterpiece, one of only 1,100 examples. Octavo, 2 volumes, bound in half calf. The publisher Charles Gosselin published the novel on 16 March 1831 in an edition of 1,100 copies as was his usual practice. It was such a sensation that an additional three printings had to be published the same year. The first impression of 1100 copies was separated into four groups, each bearing a fictitious edition statement on the title-page, a scheme designed to make the public believe that the novel was selling rapidly. "This first edition is the rarest of all…
Price: $48,000.00 Item Number: 139559
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"I am enormously pressed for time this vacation, and I am ever afraid no such thing will have been done by me in time to be of use to you": Rare autograph letter signed by J.R.R. Tolkien with his list of Old English Literature Questions with annotations and corrections in his hand
TOLKIEN, J.R.R.
J.R.R. Tolkien Autograph Letter Signed and Annotated Old English Literature Questionnaire.
1920.
Rare autograph letter signed by the author of The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, J.R.R. Tolkien regarding a list of 50 questions he has composed examining Old English Literature. The one-page autograph letter signed by Tolkien reads in full, "1 Alfred Street St. Giles Oxford Mar: 17th 1920. Dear Miss Duncan, I enclose a 'mixed bag' of 50 questions on the OE period - some of them on 'Beowulf' (exclusive of special points of commentary), some more general. A few may be of use to you (many are culled from past papers etc.: those of last year are marked). They are…
Price: $48,000.00 Item Number: 121974
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"Whatever In Creation Exists Without My Knowledge Exists Without My Consent": First Edition Of Cormac McCarthy's Masterpiece Blood Meridian; Inscribed by the author to Close Friend John Sheddan in the Year of Publication
MCCARTHY, Cormac.
Blood Meridian, or The Evening Redness in the West.
New York: Random House, 1985.
First edition of the author's classic fifth novel. Octavo, original half cloth. Association copy, inscribed by the author in the month of publication on the front free endpaper, "For John Sheddan At Saxon Oaks Manor In April of 1985 All the best, old friend Cormac." The recipient, John Sheddan was a close friend of McCarthy’s. “Some of McCarthy’s friends claim that the character Gene Harrogate (a character in McCarthy’s novel, Suttree), or at least his watermelon venture, was based in some way on John Sheddan, “scholar, schemer, hustler, melon paramour” (Gibson 23)….However in a letter of response to Gibson’s article,…
Price: $48,000.00 Item Number: 93522
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“Danger, like a third man, was standing in the room": First edition of From Russia, With Love; inscribed by Ian Fleming
FLEMING, Ian.
From Russia, With Love.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1957.
First edition, first state of the fifth James Bond novel and what Fleming considered one of his best books and listed in Life magazine as one of US President John F. Kennedy's top ten favorite books. Octavo, original cloth with gilt titles to the spine, gilt rose and gun emblem to the front panel. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, "To Dan from Ian Fleming." Near fine in a near fine price-clipped first issue dust jacket. Jacket design by Richard Chopping. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box. Uncommon signed.
Price: $48,000.00 Item Number: 131400
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Leo Tolstoy's Childhood, Boyhood, Youth; Inscribed by Him to His Doctor
TOLSTOY, Leo.
Sochinenia Grafa L.N. Tolstogo [Childhood, Boyhood, Youth].
Moscow: Typ. I.N. Kushnerev i Ko, 1893.
Early Russian printing of Tolstoy’s trilogy Childhood, Boyhood, Youth. Quarto, original half leather. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the title page to his doctor, “To Dmitry Vasil’evich Nikitin. Leo Tolstoy. 28 March 1903.” With an original photograph of Tolstoy with Dmitry Nikitin opposite the title page. The recipient, Dmitry Nikitin was Tolstoy’s family doctor who described him as ‘‘a very attentive person [who] knows everything that medicine knows now.” The son of a priest from a small village, served as Tolstoy’s first family and later treated M. Gorky. Beginning in the 1850s, Tolstoy had to turn to doctors…
Price: $45,000.00 Item Number: 133583
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Rare first edition, first impression of Charles Dickens' Great Expectations; bound in full royal blue crushed levant morocco by Bayntun Bindery
DICKENS, Charles.
Great Expectations.
London: Chapman and Hall, 1861.
First edition, first impression of Dickens' rarest novel. Octavo, three volumes bound in full royal blue crushed levant morocco by Bayntun Bindery with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, gilt ruling to the front and rear panels, gilt turn-ins and wide gilt inner dentelles stamp-signed by Bayntun, all edges gilt. The earliest impression of Dicken's rarest novel. This copy agrees in all points with Margaret Caldwell's extensive analysis of the differing impressions in the Clarendon edition of Great Expectations. As in the Lawrence Drizen copy sold in 2019 at Sotheby’s and in…
Price: $45,000.00 Item Number: 142357
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"In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer": First American Edition of Albert Camus’ Classic Novel The Stranger; Inscribed by Him to fellow novelist Vincent Sheean
CAMUS, Albert.
The Stranger.
New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1946.
First American edition of Camus' first novel and masterpiece. Octavo, original beige cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the half-title page, "A Vincent Sheean pour le remercier de savoir si bien parler de Stendhal Sympathiquement Albert Camus." The recipient, Vincent Sheean was an American journalist and novelist. Sheean's most famous work was Personal History, which won one of the inaugural National Book Awards: the Most Distinguished Biography of 1935. Film producer Walter Wanger acquired the political memoir and made it the basis for his 1940 film production Foreign Correspondent, directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Sheean wrote the narration for…
Price: $45,000.00 Item Number: 97850
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First Edition of All Quiet On The Western Front; Inscribed by Erich Maria Remarque; In the Rare Original Tissue Wrapper
REMARQUE, Erich Maria.
All Quiet On The Western Front.
London: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1929.
First edition in English of this landmark novel of the 20th century. Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, "Mr. E.O. Bird, With the Author's compliments and thanks Erich Maria Remarque 1.4.29." Fine in a fine dust jacket with the original publishers tissue wrap laid over the dust jacket, light toning to the endpapers. With the original publisher's list and catalogues card laid in. Translated by A.W. Wheen. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box made by the Harcourt Bindery. Easily the nicest example extant.
Price: $45,000.00 Item Number: 146802
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"FAST BY THE ORACLE OF GOD, I THENCE INVOKE THY AID TO MY ADVENTUROUS SONG": FIRST EDITION OF JOHN MILTON'S MASTERPIECE PARADISE LOST
MILTON, John.
Paradise Lost: A Poem in Ten Books.
London: Printed by S. Simmons, and are to be sold by T. Helder, at the Angel in Little Brittain, 1669.
First edition of Milton's masterpiece, "one of the greatest works of the human imagination" (DNB). Small octavo, bound in full contemporary sprinkled calf, smooth spine gilt, red morocco lettering-piece gilt. Title-page and text within ruled border; woodcut headpieces and initials opening each book. (Without blank A1 after cancel title, F3 with paper flaw affecting rule border and shoulder notes, tiny mostly marginal wormhole to a few leaves.) Provenance: Elizabeth Gordon (signature on title verso dated 1686); Robert Chilton Pearson (bookplate); Patrick & Julie Pearson (bookplate). With the cancel title-page corresponding to Amory’s fourth issue, title page with "Angel" in the…
Price: $45,000.00 Item Number: 119536
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Large Signed Portrait Photograph Signed by Charles Dickens
DICKENS, Charles.
Charles Dickens Signed Portrait Photograph.
1868.
Signed "Charles Dickens (with a large flourish) Washington, D.C. Seventh February 1868." Large oval portrait photograph measures 13 inches by 13 inches. Matted in a walnut frame which measures 24 inches by 27 inches. On his Washington tour Dickens met President Andrew Johnson and signed this photograph on the date of that meeting, February 7, which also happened to be Dickens' birthday. He discussed in a letter to his friend and agent John Foster regarding that day, "This scrambling scribblement is resumed this morning, because I have just seen the President: who had sent to me very courteously asking me to make…
Price: $42,000.00 Item Number: 5825
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“If they can get you asking the wrong questions, they don’t have to worry about answers”: First Edition of Thomas Pynchon's Gravity's Rainbow; Inscribed by Him
PYNCHON, Thomas.
Gravity’s Rainbow.
New York : The Viking Press, 1973.
First edition of Pynchon's National Book Award-winning novel. Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, "To Herb Yellin- Regards, Thomas Pynchon." The recipient Herb Yellin, was the publisher and founder of Lord John Press, considered by many to be one of the most important small presses of the 20th century. He formed a friendship with the author, Thomas Pynchon. Fine in a near fine dust jacket with some light wear to the extremities and a closed tear to the rear panel. Jacket design by Marc Getter. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box.…
Price: $42,000.00 Item Number: 7202