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“A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but an idea lives on": First Edition of John F. Kennedy's Why England Slept
KENNEDY, JOHN F.
Why England Slept.
New York: Wilfred Funk, Inc 1940.
First edition of John F. Kennedy’s first book. Octavo, original red cloth. Introduction by Henry R. Luce. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket. Laid in is a copy of Kennedy’s Inaugural Address.
Price: $2,000.00 Item Number: 145871
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"Peggy Sweetheart, Cartes and Sudie want to go for a ride on this carriage but I think we'd better wait for Peggy and Mama. Here is a kiss X. Here is a crab kiss ↃC xxx Love, Daddy": First edition The Catcher in the Rye; with an autograph postcard signed by J.D. Salinger to his daughter Peggy
SALINGER, J.D.
The Catcher in the Rye.
Boston: Little, Brown and Company 1951.
First edition of Salinger’s debut novel, a cherished portrait of adolescence and one of the most widely banned books ever published. Octavo, original black cloth with gilt-lettered spine. Near fine in a very good first issue dust jacket with the rear panel photograph of Salinger. Jacket design by Michael Mitchell. Author photograph by Lotte Jacob. With an autograph postcard signed by J.D. Salinger to his daughter Peggy laid in. The postcard bears a plastichrome image of horsedrawn carriages on 59th Street in New York City, inscribed by J.D. Salinger on the verso, “Peggy Sweetheart, Cartes and Sudie want to go for a ride on this carriage but I think we’d better wait for Peggy and Mama. Here is a kiss X. Here is a crab kiss ↃC xxx Love, Daddy.” Postmarked New York, New York May 4 11:30 AM 1959. In February 1955, at age 36, Salinger married Claire Douglas, a Radcliffe student who was art critic Robert Langton Douglas’s daughter. They had two children, Margaret Salinger (also known as Peggy – born December 10, 1955) and Matthew “Matt” Salinger (born February 13, 1960). Peggy Salinger wrote in her memoir, Dream Catcher, that she believes her parents would not have married, nor would she have been born, had her father not read the teachings of Lahiri Mahasaya, a guru of Paramahansa Yogananda, which brought the possibility of enlightenment to those following the path of the “householder” (a married person with children). After their marriage, Salinger and Claire were initiated into the path of Kriya yoga, the first of several of Salinger’s ever-changing spiritual belief systems which also included Dianetics. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box by the Harcourt Bindery. Rare and desirable with such a touching postcard from Salinger to his only daughter.
Price: $25,000.00 Item Number: 145286
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The Aldine Edition of Geoffrey Chaucer's Poetical Works
CHAUCER, GEOFFREY.
The Poetical Works of Geoffrey Chaucer.
London: George Bell and Sons 1886.
Finely bound Aldine edition of this collection of brilliant poetical works. Octavo, six volumes, bound in three quarter brown calf over marbled boards with morocco spine labels lettered in gilt and elaborate gilt tooling to the spine in six compartments within five raised gilt bands, top edges gilt, marbled endpapers, decorated with botanical headpieces, tailpieces, and initials throughout. In very good condition with some light rubbing to the extremities, light toning to the text blocks, and a bookplate to the front pastedown of Vol. VI. Edited by Richard Morris LLD with Memoir by Sir Harris Nicolas.
Price: $850.00 Item Number: 145246
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"one of the most significant works of religious English literature": Rare and unique sammelband collection of early printings of John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress
BUNYAN, JOHN.
The Pilgrim’s Progress From This World To That Which is to Come: Deliver’d under the Similitude of a Dream: Wherein is Discover’d The Manner of his Setting out, His Dangerous Journey, and Safe Arrival at the Desired Country.
London: Printed for A.W. for W. Johnston, at the Golden-Ball, in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1752-1755.
Rare twenty-eighth edition of one of the most significant works of religious English literature, bound with a twentieth edition of its second part, a sixteenth edition of its third part, and The Life and Death of Mr. John Bunyan. 12mo, bound in full calf with gilt ruling to the spine in six compartments within raised bands, crimson morocco spine label lettered in gilt, engraved frontispiece, illustrated with woodcuts. Bound with a twentieth edition of The Pilgrim’s Progress From This World to That which is to Come: The Second Part. Delivered under the Similitude of a Dream: Wherein is set forth the Manner of the Setting out of Christian’s Wife and Children; their Dangerous Journey, and Safe Arrival at the Desired Country [Printed by A.W. for W. Johnston, at the Golden-Ball in St. Paul’s Church-Yard, 1754] and a sixteenth edition of The Pilgrim’s Progress From This World To That Which is to Come: The Third Part, Delivered under the Similitude of a Dream; Shewing the several Difficulties and Dangers he met with, and the many Victories he obtained over the World, the Flesh, and the Devil… [London: Printed for C. Hitch, and L. Hawes, at the Red-Line, in Pater-noster Row, 1755] and The Life and Death of Mr. John Bunyan, Late Preacher to the Gospel in Bedford with Memento-mori woodcut and title and an Elegy comprising 32 pages with 4 pages of publishers adverts at end for books printed by G. Hitch formerly printed by Nathaniel Crouch. Title page to Part I and seven pages of Apology before title page, 205 pages and an advert leaf on verso of final page, Part II contains 179 pages and advert leaf and final blank. Part 3 contains 119 pages. In very good condition. Period ownership inscription to the original front endpaper, “John Whitley His Book, 1780…” A very rare and unique collection of early printings of this significant work.
Price: $850.00 Item Number: 145684
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"LOVE MEANS NEVER HAVING TO SAY YOU’RE SORRY": LOVE STORY; SIGNED BY ERICH SEGAL, ALI MACGRAW AND RYAN O'NEAL
SEGAL, ERICH.
Love Story.
New York, Evanston, and London: Harper & Row, Publishers 1970.
First edition, early printing of the author’s best-selling novel, a “sweet, sad, and, in its closing sentences, startlingly sentimental” work (John Barkham). Octavo, original cloth. Boldly signed on the front free endpaper by Erich Segal, Ali MacGraw and Ryan O’Neal who co-starred in the 1970 film adaptation. A tragedy, the 1970 film Love Story was produced by Howard G. Minsky and directed by Arthur Hiller and starred Ali MacGraw and Ryan O’Neal, alongside John Marley, Ray Milland, and Tommy Lee Jones in his film debut in a minor role. The film is considered one of the most romantic by the American Film Institute (No. 9 on the list) and is one of the highest-grossing films of all time. Near fine in a near fine original acetate, inscription to the front pastedown. Rare and desirable.
Price: $1,850.00 Item Number: 145831
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"Everybody is going to be what they are, and whatever they are": First Edition of The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test; Signed by Tom Wolfe
WOLFE, TOM .
The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test.
New York: Farrar, Strauss and Giroux 1968.
First edition of the classic account of Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters during their bus trip across America in the late 1960’s. Octavo, original cloth. Boldly signed by Tom Wolfe on the title page. Jacket design by Milton Glaser. An exceptional example.
Price: $2,250.00 Item Number: 138136
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First Edition of A Century of Arts and Letters; Signed by All Eleven Contributors
AUCHINCLOSS, LOUIS; BEESON JACK; CALISHER HORTENSE; HUXTABLE ADA LOUISE; KAHN WOLF; LEWIS R.W.B.; LIPPOLD RICHARD; MAILER NORMAN; OZICK CYNTHIA; SCHLENSINGER ARTHUR JR.; EDITED BY JOHN UPDIKE.
A Century of Arts and Letters.
New York: Columbia University Press 1997.
First edition of this work celebrating the history of the American Academy of Arts & Letters on its centenary. Octavo, original cloth, pictorial endpapers. Boldly signed on the the title page by all eleven contributors. Preface and edited by John Updike. In near fine condition. Rare and desirable signed.
Price: $975.00 Item Number: 145842
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“Each moment is the fruit of forty thousand years": First Edition of Look Homeward, Angel; Inscribed by Thomas Wolfe in the year of publication
WOLFE, THOMAS.
Look Homeward, Angel.
New York: Charles Scribner's Sons 1929.
First edition of the author’s classic work. Octavo, original dark blue cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author in the year of publication on the title page, “To Jo Dauber with thanks for dragging me in. Thomas Wolfe, Nov. 27, 1929.” Near fine in a very good first-issue dust jacket with the photograph of Wolfe by Doris Ulmann. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box made by the Harcourt Bindery. A nice example, uncommon in this condition and signed.
Price: $16,000.00 Item Number: 125635
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"Who shared in a lot of these changing fortunes and some of his own! Where have you been? I think they still need us!": First Edition of Changing Fortunes; Lengthily Inscribed by Paul A. Volcker
VOLCKER, PAUL A. AND TOYOO GYOHTEN.
Changing Fortunes: The World’s Money and the Threat to American Leadership.
New York: Times Books 1992.
First edition of this work by the former Federal Reserve chairman. Octavo, original half cloth, illustrated. Presentation copy, lengthily and warmly inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “6/18/92 To John Petty, Who shared in a lot of these changing fortunes and some of his own! Where have you been? I think they still need us! With great respect and friendship Paul.” Fine in a fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Marjorie Anderson. Jacket illustration by Lawrence Ratzkin.
Price: $600.00 Item Number: 144897