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Rare & Classic, American or English Literature Books for Sale Online
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First edition of Crockett Johnson's Harold and the Purple Crayon; inscribed by Johnson to close friend and fellow Children's Book author and illustrator Maurice Sendak
JOHNSON, Crockett. [Maurice Sendak].
Harold and the Purple Crayon.
New York: Harper & Brothers, 1955.
First edition, first issue of the first book in Crockett Johnson’s charming Harold series, first issue with "30-60" and "No. 5671A" to the front flap of the dust jacket. 12 mo, original cloth, illustrated. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper to fellow children's book author and illustrator Maurice Sendak, "To Maury, with fond regards, Crockett Johnson." The recipient, Maurice Sendak, is best known for his immensely popular illustrated children's book, Where the Wild Things Are, which was awarded the Caldecott Medal in 1964 and gained him international fame. Sendak, Johnson, and Johnson's wife Ruth Krauss…
Price: $40,000.00 Item Number: 135433
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"If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn't. And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn't be. And what it wouldn't be, it would. You see?": Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures In Wonderland; inscribed by him
CARROLL, Lewis. [Charles Lutwidge Dodgson].
Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland.
London: MacMillan and Co, 1879.
Early edition with sixty-second thousand stated on the title page of this classic work, boldly inscribed by the author on the half-title page, "Edith Mary Alice Berkeley from the Author, May 15/80." Octavo, original cloth, gilt titles to the spine, all edges gilt, publisher's cloth s, all edges gilt, housed in a modern scarlet morocco slipcase and chemise. 7 1/8 x 4 1/2 inches (18 x 12 cm); 192 pp., [2] pp. ads, half-title; electrotyped frontispiece, and 42 illustrations from the woodcuts by Dalziel after John Tenniel. In near fine condition. From the library of actor William E. Self, with his book…
Price: $25,000.00 Item Number: 142979
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"Matilda said, "Never do anything by halves if you want to get away with it. Be outrageous. Go the whole hog. Make sure everything you do is so completely crazy it's unbelievable...": First Edition Of Roald Dahls Beloved Book Matilda; Signed by Him and Legendary Artist Quentin Blake
DAHL, Roald; Illustrated by Quentin Blake.
Matilda.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1988.
First British edition of Dahl’s popular story of a young girl, her genius, and her indifferent parents. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated. Boldly signed by Roald Dahl and illustrator Quentin Blake on the half-title page. Fine in a near fine dust jacket. Illustrated by Quentin Blake. Rare and desirable signed by both Dahl and Blake.
Price: $12,500.00 Item Number: 138289
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“Those who don't believe in magic will never find it": First Edition of BFG; Signed by Roald Dahl and Illustrator Quentin Blake
DAHL, Roald; Illustrated by Quentin Blake.
The BFG: Illustrations by Quentin Blake.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1982.
First edition of this Dahl classic, which has sold over 20 million copies. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated by Quentin Blake. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front pastedown, "Nicola Love Roald Dahl." Additionally inscribed by the illustrator Quentin Blake opposite Dahl's inscription. Fine in a near fine dust jacket. Uncommon signed by both Dahl and Blake.
Price: $9,800.00 Item Number: 109358
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First Edition of Watership Down; Inscribed by Richard Adams
ADAMS, Richard.
Watership Down.
London: Rex Collings, 1972.
First edition of the author's first and most beloved work. Octavo, original brown cloth, folding map. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author withing two months of the publication date on the front free endpaper, "To Jessie and Derek Hinrich with best wishes from Richard Adams January 1973." Fine in a fine dust jacket. The nicest example we have ever seen.
Price: $8,800.00 Item Number: 143483
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First edition of C.S. Lewis' Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia; with an autograph note signed by him to his PhD Student at Cambridge, Anthony Spearing
LEWIS, C.S.
Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia.
London: Geoffrey Bles, 1951.
First edition of the second book in Lewis' beloved Narnia series. Octavo, original cloth, cartographic endpapers, illustrated by Pauline Baynes. With an autograph note signed by C.S. Lewis to his PhD student at Cambridge, Anthony Spearing. On Lewis' Magdalene College, Cambridge letterhead, the note reads in full, "5th Nov. 57 Dear Mr. Spearing, I gather I have been inflicted as you as a "superior" so I suppose we out to meet. Wd. next Friday at 12 suit you? Don't bother replying if it would. Yours sincerely C. S. Lewis." The recipient of the letter, Anthony Spearing was assigned to report…
Price: $8,200.00 Item Number: 135229
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"Animals don't behave like men,' he said. 'If they have to fight, they fight; and if they have to kill they kill. But they don't sit down and set their wits to work to devise ways of spoiling other creatures' lives and hurting them. They have dignity and animality": First Edition of Watership Down; Signed by Richard Adams
ADAMS, Richard.
Watership Down.
London: Rex Collings, 1972.
First edition of the author's first and most beloved work. Octavo, original brown cloth, folding map. Boldly signed the author on the title page, "Yours sincerely Richard Adams." Near fine in a near fine dust jacket. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box by Asprey. An exceptional example, uncommon signed.
Price: $6,000.00 Item Number: 136602
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“Those who don't believe in magic will never find it": Roald Dahl's BFG; Warmly Inscribed by Him
DAHL, Roald; Illustrated by Quentin Blake.
The BFG: Illustrations by Quentin Blake.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1982.
First edition, early printing of this Dahl classic, which has sold over 20 million copies. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated by Quentin Blake. Boldly signed by the author on the half-title page, "with love Roald Dahl April, 1989." Near fine in a near fine dust jacket, bookplate.
Price: $5,500.00 Item Number: 130928
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"Matilda said, "Never do anything by halves if you want to get away with it. Be outrageous. Go the whole hog. Make sure everything you do is so completely crazy it's unbelievable...": First Edition Of Roald Dahls Beloved Book Matilda; Warmly Inscribed by Him
DAHL, Roald; Illustrated by Quentin Blake.
Matilda.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1988.
First British edition of Dahl’s popular story of a young girl, her genius, and her indifferent parents. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated. Presentation copy, boldly inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, "Andrew Love Roald Dahl." Near fine in a near fine dust jacket. Illustrated by Quentin Blake.
Price: $4,800.00 Item Number: 143009
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"If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn't. And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn't be. And what it wouldn't be, it would. You see?": Finely bound Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures In Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass
CARROLL, Lewis. [Charles Lutwidge Dodgson].
Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There.
London: MacMillan and Co, 1872.
Octavo, two volumes, uniformly bound in full red morocco, all edges gilt, gilt titles and tooling to the spines, gilt ruled to the front and rear panels, raised bands, original cloth bindings tipped in to rear of each volume. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is an early printing. Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There is an early printing. Illustrated by John Tenniel, text illustrated. A very nice set.
Price: $4,500.00 Item Number: 130848
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“HERE IS EDWARD BEAR, COMING DOWNSTAIRS NOW, BUMP, BUMP, BUMP…”: Signed Limited EDITION OF A.A. MILNE'S BELOVED WINNIE-THE-POOH
MILNE, A.A.; Illustrated by Ernest H. Shephard.
Winnie-the-Pooh. With Colour Illustrations by Ernest H. Shepard.
London: Methuen Children's Books, 1973.
Signed limited edition of this children's classic, one of only 300 signed numbered copies signed by illustrator Ernest H. Shepard, this is number 61. Octavo, original publisher's full morocco with gilt titles to the spine in six compartments within raised bands, gilt vignette of Christopher Robin and Winne the Pooh to the front panel, all edges gilt, cartographic endpapers and color illustrations by Ernest H. Shepard. Signed by Ernest H. Shepard. Fine in a near fine slipcase.
Price: $4,500.00 Item Number: 142804
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"You'll never catch fish in McElligot's Pool!": First Edition, First Issue of McElligot's Pool; Inscribed by Dr. Seuss
SEUSS, Dr. [Theodor Geisel].
McElligot’s Pool.
New York: Random House, 1947.
First edition with the 250/250 price on the front flap as well as the $2.50 price added to the rear flap (state 'c') of the first Dr. Seuss title to feature full-color art on every other page. Quarto, original cloth, pictorial endpapers, illustrated throughout. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author, "For Mrs. Haye with very kindest regards- Dr. Seuss." Near fine in a near fine dust jacket with light rubbing and wear. Uncommon signed and inscribed.
Price: $4,500.00 Item Number: 87546
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“The sandy beach reminded Harold of picnics": Rare First Edition of Crockett Johnson's Harold and the Purple Crayon
JOHNSON, Crockett.
Harold and the Purple Crayon.
New York: Harper & Brothers, 1955.
First edition of the first book in Crockett Johnson’s Harold series. 12 mo, original half cloth, illustrated throughout. Fine in a very good dust jacket without the price to top of front flap, with code "30-60 / No. 5671A" to front flap and "No. 5672A" to rear flap. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box made by the Harcourt Bindery. A nice example.
Price: $4,200.00 Item Number: 107552
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“It matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be": First Edition of Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire; Signed by J.K. Rowling
ROWLING, J.K.
Harry Potter and the Goblet Of Fire.
London: Bloombsbury, 2000.
First British edition of Rowling’s fourth book in the Harry Potter series. Octavo, original illustrated boards. Boldly signed by J.K. Rowling on the title page. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket. Cover illustration by Giles Greenfield. Cover design by Richard Horne.
Price: $3,500.00 Item Number: 141803
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“Those who don't believe in magic will never find it": Roald Dahl's BFG; Inscribed by Him and signed by Famed illustrator Quentin Blake
DAHL, Roald; Illustrated by Quentin Blake.
The BFG: Illustrations by Quentin Blake.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1982.
First edition, early printing of this Dahl classic, which has sold over 20 million copies. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated by Quentin Blake. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the half-title page, "Love Doug Roald Dahl 1984." Additionally signed by Quentin Blake below. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket.
Price: $3,200.00 Item Number: 142114
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“I knew when I met you an adventure was going to happen”: FIRST EDITION OF WINNIE-THE-POOH; IN THE RARE ORIGINAL DUST JACKET
MILNE, A.A.; Decorations by Ernest H. Shephard.
Winnie-the-Pooh.
London: Methuen and Co, Ltd, 1926.
First edition of this children's classic. Octavo, original publisher's cloth with gilt decorations to the spine and front panel, top edge gilt, cartographic endpapers. illustrated with line drawings by Ernest H. Shepard. Near fine in a good dust jacket.
Price: $3,000.00 Item Number: 143577
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First edition of C.S. Lewis' Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia
LEWIS, C.S.
Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia.
London: Geoffrey Bles, 1951.
First edition of the second book in Lewis' beloved Narnia series. Octavo, original cloth, cartographic endpapers, illustrated by Pauline Baynes. Near fine in a very good dust jacket, ownership inscription to the inside jacket flap.
Price: $2,800.00 Item Number: 143020