Rare Poetry Books & First-Edition Poetry Books for Sale Online
If you’re looking for a particular rare or first-edition poetry book, you’re on the right page. Raptis Rare Books is a trusted antiquarian book dealer and as such we maintain an extensive collection of antique books and antique children’s books specifically. Browse through our entire collection below, use the search or filters to find exactly what you’re looking for than call or email with any questions or order online!
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"We sit drinking tea beneath the lilacs on a summer afternoon": First signed limited edition of William Faulkner's A Green Bough
Faulkner, William.
A Green Bough.
New York: Harrison Smith and Robert Haas, 1933.
First signed limited edition of Faulkner’s second and final book of poetry. Octavo, original cloth, with two mounted cover illustrations and mounted frontispiece by Lynd Ward, vignette to the colophon. One of only 360 numbered copies signed by the author, this is number 189. In near fine condition. Housed in a custom clamshell box. An exceptional example.
Price: $1,500.00
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First Edition of W.S. Merwin's Rare First book A Mask For Janus; Signed by Him; From the Library of Mary Oliver
Merwin, W.S.; Forword by W.H. Auden (Mary Oliver).
A Mask For Janus.
New Haven: Yale University Press, 1952.
First edition of the Merwin’s first book. Octavo, original cloth. From the library of Mary Oliver, with her ownership signature to the front free endpaper. Signed by W.S. Merwin on the title page. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket. An exceptional association, linking these two Pulitzer Prize-winning writers and giants of twentieth century poetry.
Price: $4,800.00
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First Edition of A Masque of Reason; Inscribed by Robert Frost
Frost, Robert.
A Masque of Reason.
New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1945.
First edition of this work by Frost. Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “Robert Frost to Samuel Plotkin.” Near fine in a near fine dust jacket.
Price: $600.00
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First edition of A New Directions Reader; Inscribed by James Laughlin
Edited by Hayden Carruth & James Laughlin.
A New Directions Reader.
1964: New Directions, Norfolk, Connecticut.
First edition of this collection of stories, poems, and excerpts published in celebration of the publishing firms 25th Anniversary. Octavo, a paperback original. Presentation copy. Inscribed by James Laughlin, founder of New Directions Publishing, on the half-title page in the year of publication, “For Herb, from J. Christmas 1964.” In near fine condition. Cover design by Alvin Lustig. A nice example.
Price: $30.00
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A Poetry Handbook; Signed by Pulitzer Prize-Winning Poet Mary Oliver
Oliver, Mary.
A Poetry Handbook: A Prose Guide to Understanding and Writing Poetry.
Boston: Mariner Books/ Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1994.
Early printing of the Pulitzer Prize-winning poet’s handbook on poetry. Octavo, original wrappers. Signed by Mary Oliver on the title page. In fine condition.
Price: $300.00
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First Edition of Rudyard Kipling's A Song of The English; With 30 Mounted Color Plates by W. Heath Robinson
Kipling, Rudyard.
A Song of The English.
London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1909.
First edition of this wonderfully illustrated work by Robinson. Quarto, original blue cloth, gilt pictorial to the front panel, gilt titles and tooling to the spine. Illustrated by W. Heath Robinson with 30 mounted color plates, lettered tissue guards. In near fine condition with light rubbing.
Price: $750.00
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Robert Frost's A Witness Tree; Signed by him
Frost, Robert.
A Witness Tree.
New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1942.
First edition, second printing of Frost’s Pulitzer Prize-winning collection of poetry. Octavo, original cloth, engraved frontispiece portrait of Frost. Signed by Robert Frost on the front free endpaper. Near fine in a very good dust jacket with some chips to the crown of the spine and rear panel. Jacket design by Alan Haemer.
Price: $375.00
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Signed Limited Edition of Pablo Neruda's Alturas de Macchu Picchu
Neruda, Pablo and Martin Chambi.
Alturas de Macchu Picchu.
Chile: Nascimento, 1954.
Signed limited edition of Neruda’s masterpiece. Quarto, original illustrated wrappers as issued, photographs by Martin Chambi. Signed by Pablo Neruda at the colophon as issued. In near fine condition. Laid in is the scarce insert on green paper that was issued with all copies, which is a bibliographic note on the genesis and publication history of the poem by Jorge Sanhueza. This is the first definitive edition of the poems, including the Chambi photographs referenced in “The Latin American Photobook. A superior example, rare in this condition.
Price: $3,800.00
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“Tell me, what is it your plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”: First Edition of American Primitive; Signed by Mary Oliver
Oliver, Mary.
American Primitive.
Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1983.
First paperback edition, issued simultaneously with the hardcover edition of the poet’s Pulitzer Prize-winning collection. Octavo, original green cloth. Signed by Mary Oliver on the title page. In fine condition. Jacket photograph by Lisa Paquette. Author photograph by Molly Malone Cook.
Price: $2,500.00
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First Edition of Adam Zagajewski's Another Beauty; Signed by Him
Zagajewski, Adam.
Another Beauty.
New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1998.
First edition of the author’s memoirs. Octavo, original half cloth. Signed by the author on the title page with the following line from this work, which reads, “We find comfort only in another beauty, in others music Adam Zagajewski.” Fine in a fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Marc J. Cohen. Translated by Clare Cavanagh.
Price: $250.00
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First Edition of Adam Zagajewski's Another Beauty; Signed by Him
Zagajewski, Adam.
Another Beauty.
New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1998.
First edition of the author’s memoirs. Octavo, original half cloth. Signed and dated by the author on the title page, “Adam Zagajewski Boston, October 2004.” Fine in a fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Marc J. Cohen. Translated by Clare Cavanagh.
Price: $200.00
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Finely bound example of Pierre Louÿs' illustrated Les Chansons de Bilitis
Louÿs, Pierre.
Aphrodite, Les Chansons de Bilitis, Psyche, Le Femme et Le Pantin, Les Aventures Du Roi Pausole, Poèmes Libris.
Paris: Les Editions De L'Ibis, 1925.
Limited edition of Louÿs’ pseudo-translated erotic poetry collection. Quartos, 6 volumes bound in full morocco with gilt titles to the spine, gilt ruled compartments, raised bands, gilt decorations within gilt frames to the front panel of each volume, silk endleaves, top edge gilt, each volume illustrated with colored engravings by Gau Sala, Hilaire, Brenot, Letellier, Doré, and Joffrin. Limited edition, one of 4800 sets. Each volume in near fine condition and housed in a custom cardboard silk-covered slipcase. Rare and desirable.
Price: $500.00
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First Edition of Yeats' Collected Autobiographies
Yeats, William Butler (W.B.).
Autobiographies: Reveries Over Childhood and Youth and The Trembling of the Veil.
London: Macmillan.
First edition of this collection of Yeats’ autobiographies. Octavo, original blind-stamped cloth with gilt titles to the spine, engraved frontispiece portrait of Yeats with tissue guard, illustrated. In very good condition. Bookplates.
Price: $125.00
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"Behaviour that's admired is the path to power among people everywhere": First Edition of Beowulf; Signed by Seamus Heaney
Heaney, Seamus.
Beowulf: A New Verse Translation.
New York: Farrar, Straus Giroux, 1999.
First edition. Octavo, original half cloth. Fine in a fine dust jacket. Signed by the Seamus Heaney on the title page.
Price: $375.00
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"You go your way I'll go your way too": Book of Longing; Inscribed by Leonard Cohen to fellow novelist Robert Stone and his Wife
Cohen, Leonard (Robert Stone).
Book of Longing.
New York: HarperCollins, 2006.
Early printing of Cohen’s provocative book of poetry. Octavo, original half cloth, illustrated. Association copy, inscribed by Leonard Cohen on the title page, “For Janice and Bob, suffering together, Leonard Washington 2006.” The recipient, American novelist Robert Stone’s first two novels, A Hall of Mirrors(1967) and Dog Soldiers(1974) were published in the same era as Cohen’s only published novels The Favorite Game (1963) and Beautiful Losers (1966). Both author’s works have come to be seen as great reflections of the zeitgeist, and darker side, of the 1960s. Cohen inscribed the present volume to Stone at BookExpo America 2006, held in Washington D.C. Fine in a fine dust jacket. From the library of Robert Stone. A exceptional association, connecting two iconic novelists of the 1960s.
Price: $1,750.00
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"You go your way I'll go your way too": Book of Longing; Signed by Leonard Cohen and Philip Glass
Cohen, Leonard.
Book of Longing.
New York: HarperCollins, 2006.
Early printing of Cohen’s provocative book of poetry. Octavo, original boards. Signed by Leonard Cohen and Philip Glass on the title page. American composer Philip Glass is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the late 20th century. Glass collaborated with Cohen on the musical performance adaptation of Book of Longing which premiered in June 2007 in Toronto. Glass composed the piece for seven instruments and a vocal quartet, is additionally contained recorded spoken word performances by Cohen and imagery from his collection. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
Price: $1,200.00
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"You go your way I'll go your way too": FIrst Edition of Book of Longing; Signed by Leonard Cohen and Philip Glass
Cohen, Leonard.
Book of Longing.
Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 2006.
First Canadian edition, preceding the American first of Cohen’s provocative book of poetry. Octavo, original black boards, illustrated. Signed by Leonard Cohen and Philip Glass on the title page. American composer Philip Glass is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the late 20th century. Glass collaborated with Cohen on the musical performance adaptation of Book of Longing which premiered in June 2007 in Toronto. Glass composed the piece for seven instruments and a vocal quartet, is additionally contained recorded spoken word performances by Cohen and imagery from his collection. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
Price: $1,400.00
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First Edition of Gao Xingjian's Buying a Fishing Rod For My Grandfather; Signed by Him
Xingjian, Gao.
Buying a Fishing Rod For My Grandfather.
New York: Harper Collins, 2004.
First American edition of the author’s first collection of short stories published in English. Octavo, original boards. Signed and dated in the year of publication by Gao Xingjian on the title page. Fine in a fine dust jacket. Translated from the Chinese by Mabel Lee.
Price: $250.00
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Clandestine first Chilean edition of Pablo Neruda's Canto General; Inscribed by him to close friend and publisher Americo Zorilla
Neruda, Pablo.
Canto General.
Santiago: Imprenta Juárez, 1950.
Clandestine first Chilean edition of Neruda’s stunning epic poem, published underground by the Communist party in Chile under a false imprint one month after the true first edition, published in Mexico from a different manuscript. Quarto, bound into contemporary red linen boards with parts of original printed wrappers serving as titles to the front panel and spine. Copyright leaf mounted to front pastedown bearing the false imprint “Imprenta Juárez, Reforma 75, Ciudad de México D.F.”, half tone portraits of Neruda tipped in at front and back. Inscribed by Neruda on the title page, “Al camarada Americo, Pablo Neruda.” The recipient Americo Zorilla was a close friend of Neruda’s and editor of the Chilean Communist daily newspaper, El Siglo. Zorilla facilitated the clandestine publication of five thousand copies of Neruda’s Canto General in Chile, published under a false imprint and based on a manuscript Neruda had left behind before he went into hiding with the banning of the Communist Party under the Ley de Defensa Permanente de la Democracia in 1948. Neruda had officially joined the Communist Party of Chile in 1945 and served as campaign manager for the radical party’s presidential candidate Gabriel Gonzalez Videal in 1946. Once in office, Gonzalez Videla turned against the Communist Party and Neruda was forced into hiding and later exile in Buenos Aires to avoid arrest. An exceptional association.
Price: $8,800.00
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"You belong to me Chattanooga": First edition of Ishmaels Reed's book of poems: Chattanooga
Reed, Ishmael.
Chattanooga: Poems by Ishmael Reed.
New Yorkl: Random House, 1973.
First edition of Ishmael Reed’s book of poems. Octavo, original illustrated wrappers. Original errata slip laid in. Inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “Best Wishes, Ishmael Reed April 25, 1974.” In near fine condition.
Price: $50.00
