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Rare & Classic, American or English Literature Books for Sale Online
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Exceedingly rare first edition, first issue presentation copy of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit; inscribed by Tolkien to the Livesleys who ran the summer guest cottage in the village of Sidmouth which inspired 'The Shire' and where Tolkien did much of his writing
TOLKIEN, J.R.R.
The Hobbit.
London: George Allen & Unwin Ltd, 1937.
First edition, first issue of Tolkien's classic tale, "among the very highest achievements of children’s authors during the 20th century” (Carpenter & Pritchard, 530), one of only a handful of presentation copies reserved for Tolkien to give to family members, colleagues and close friends. Octavo, original cloth, cartographic endpapers, frontispiece and 9 full-page uncolored illustrations after drawings by Tolkien. Presentation copy, inscribed by Tolkien on the flyleaf, "Mr. & Mrs. Livesley & Edgar with best wishes from J.R.R. Tolkien." The recipients, the Livesleys and their son Edgar, ran the Kennaway House, a Regency town house in the village of Sidmouth,…
Price: $475,000.00 Item Number: 135801
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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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Rare Association Copy of Arthur Rackham's Illustrated edition of J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens; signed and inscribed by J.M. Barrie, George Frampton, Princess Beatrice, Princess Marie Louise, Nadejda Mountbatten, and Arthur Rackham with an original drawing
BARRIE, J.M. Illustrated by Arthur Rackham.
Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens.
London: Hodder & Stoughton Limited, n.d.
New edition of Rackham’s highly-sought-after masterpiece, which established his reputation as one of England’s premier illustrators. Quarto, original publisher's green cloth elaborately decorated in gilt, illustrated by Arthur Rackham with 50 mounted color plates complete with captioned tissue guards including frontispiece. Association copy, signed by author J.M. Barrie on the verso of the front free endpaper, signed by Arthur Rackham on the recto of the frontispiece with an original drawing as well as Nadejda "Nada" Mountbatten, Marchioness of Milford Haven, signed by the sculptor of the Peter Pan statue in Kensington Gardens, George Frampton on front pastedown, and signed by Princess…
Price: $18,000.00 Item Number: 142267
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“NIELSEN’S MOST SPECTACULAR AND CELEBRATED BOOK”: SIGNED LIMITED EDITION OF EAST OF THE SUN AND WEST OF THE MOON
NIELSEN, Kay. Asbjornsen.
East of the Sun West of the Moon: Old Tales from the North.
London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1914.
Signed limited edition of one of the most important and impressive books of the Golden Age of book illustration. One of 500 numbered copies, this is number 41. Quarto, original vellum, gilt titles and decoration to spine and front cover gilt, top edge gilt, pictorial endpapers. Signed by the illustrator Kay Nielsen. With 25 tipped in color plates. In near fine condition. A very nice example. Laid is the original notice for the Leicester Galleries exhibition held in November and December of 1914, where the watercolors for this book were offered for sale.
Price: $15,000.00 Item Number: 69026
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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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"Hi-dee-ho, here I go, Lookin' for my missin' piece": First edition of Shel Silverstein's The Missing Piece; inscribed by him with an original drawing
SILVERSTEIN, Shel.
The Missing Piece.
New York: Harper & Row, Publishers, 1976.
First edition of Silverstein's classic work, published by Ursula Nordstrom. Octavo, original illustrated cloth, illustrated. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the pastedown and front free endpaper "For Frank - Thank you for making the road less rocky - And thank you for believing in this book ~ Love Shel." Silverstein has added a drawing of the book's protagonist rolling along on a level path. Fine in a fine price-clipped dust jacket.
Price: $8,800.00 Item Number: 135135
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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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"In no time at all she was princess of the land. And she and her husband, the charming Prince, rode to their palace in a golden coach to live happily ever after!": First Edition of Walt Disney's Cinderella; Signed by Him
DISNEY, Walt.
Walt Disney’s Cinderella.
Stuttgart: Bluchert-Verlag, 1951.
First German edition of the classic retelling of one of the most celebrated Disney films. Octavo, original illustrated boards, pictorial endpapers, illustrated throughout. Boldly signed by Walt Disney on the half-title page. Near fine in a very good dust jacket. Laid in is a business card of the publisher with a note referencing this was signed in 1953. Rare and desirable signed by Walt Disney.
Price: $7,500.00 Item Number: 106556
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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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First Edition of Little Pig's Picnic; Signed by Walt Disney
DISNEY, Walt; Brown.
Little Pig’s Picnic and Other Stories.
Boston : D.C. Heath and Company, 1939.
First edition of this collection of stories. Octavo, original illustrated cloth, pictorial endpapers. Boldly signed by Walt Disney on the half-title page. Illustrated throughout by the Walt Disney Studio. Story by Margaret Wise Brown. In very good condition with some rubbing to the extremities. Rare and desirable signed by Walt Disney.
Price: $5,500.00 Item Number: 30060
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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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“We're all human, aren't we? Every human life is worth the same, and worth saving": First Edition of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows; Inscribed by Her
ROWLING, J.K.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
London: Bloomsbury, 2007.
First edition of the seventh and final novel in Rowling's immensely popular Harry Potter series. Octavo, original illustrated boards. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the title page, "To Robin J.K. Rowling." With the author's hologram to the title page. Accompanied by the original ticket and bag from the signing event, which was on July 21, 2007. Fine in a fine dust jacket. Cover illustrations by Jason Cockcroft.
Price: $4,600.00 Item Number: 141297
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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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Dr. Seuss's Thidwick The Big Hearted Moose; lengthily inscribed by him with an original drawing
SEUSS, Dr. [Theodor Seuss Geisel].
Thidwick The Big-Hearted Moose.
New York: Random House, 1948.
First edition, later printing of one of the more elusive Seuss titles. Quarto, original blue cloth, pictorial endpapers, illustrated by the author. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the dedication page, "[Extra Moose Moss for Helen] And some Extra Moose Moss for Blair... from Dr. Seuss WHAT..? No Moose Moss? Here's some more Dr. Seuss." Seuss has added an original drawing of moose moss. Very good in a very good price-clipped second state dust jacket. Loss to the dedication page and inscription. Rare signed and inscribed by Seuss.
Price: $1,600.00 Item Number: 135709
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"No spots are too hard for a hat cat like me!": The Cat in the Hat comes Back; Inscribed by Dr. Seuss
SEUSS, Dr. [Theodor Geisel].
The Cat in the Hat Comes Back.
New York: Beginner Books: A Division of Random House, 1958.
Early printing of the sequel of Dr. Seuss' The Cat in the Hat. Octavo, original illustrated boards, pictorial endpapers. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author opposite the title page, "For Aaron Samuel congratulations and Best Wishes! Dr. Seuss." Near fine in a good dust jacket with rubbing and wear.
Price: $1,250.00 Item Number: 144491
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"And there the wicked old witch stayed for a good long time." "And did she ever come out?" "Not yet": First Edition of Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West; Lengthily Signed by Gregory Maguire
MAGUIRE, Gregory.
Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West.
New York: HarperCollins Publishers, Inc, 1995.
First edition of Gregory Maguire’s immensely popular reinvention of Oz. Octavo, original illustrated boards, cartographic endpapers. Lengthily signed by the author on the half-title page, "And then the wicked old witch stayed for a good long time." "And did she ever come out?" "Not yet." Gregory Maguire." Fine in a fine dust jacket. Illustrations by Douglas Smith. Jacket design by Joel Avirom. An exceptional example.
Price: $1,250.00 Item Number: 144224