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From the Library of John Steinbeck
[STEINBECK, John].
Two Russian Books From the Library of John Steinbeck.
Moscow: Various, c. 1960.
Two volumes in Russian from the library of American literary master John Steinbeck. Quarto, two volumes including a book of early Russian Orthodox paintings with many in color and a folio of loose plates featuring artwork from the Hermitage Museum. From the library of John Steinbeck. In very good condition.
Price: $950.00 Item Number: 117588
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First Edition of Elspeth Huxley's With Forks and Hope: An African Notebook; inscribed by her
HUXLEY, Elspeth.
With Forks and Hope: An African Notebook.
1964: William Morrow & Company, New York.
First edition of Huxley's authoritative report on the rapidly changing political climate of post-colonial East Africa. Octavo, original half cloth, illustrated with maps and drawings by Jonathan Kingdon. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the title page, "For Joe Ferrier with my best wished Elspeth Huxley." Laid in is the original typed transmittal letter, an autograph card and photograph of Huxley; all three signed by her to Ferrier. The recipient, Joe Ferrier was a lifelong fan and pen pal of Huxley’s. They often exchanged letters, books, and article clippings between England and the United States. Near fine in a…
Price: $175.00 Item Number: 96083
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The Works of Jonathan Swifts's From the Library of Founding Father Robert R. Livingstone
SWIFT, Jonathan [Robert R. Livingstone].
The Works of Jonathan Swift: Including, Gulliver’s Travels.
Edinburgh: Printed by Mrs. Mundell, 1778.
First of 4 issues, Scotch editions, from the library of Robert R. Livingstone, with his bookplate to the pastedown of each volume. Small octavo, bound in contemporary calf, spine compartments ruled with Greek key tooling, morocco spine labels. From the library of founding father Robert R. Livingston. As one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, Livingston played an important role in the early development of the newly formed country. He was known as "The Chancellor", after the high New York state legal office he held for 25 years. He was a member of the Committee of Five that drafted the Declaration of Independence, along with Thomas…
Price: $15,000.00 Item Number: 119642
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Exceptionally rare First edition of Herman Melville's first and most popular book Typee A Peep at Polynesian Life During a Four Months' Residence in A Valley of the Marquesas; inscribed by him to Captain Charles Ball
MELVILLE, Herman.
Typee: A Peep at Polynesian Life. During a Four Months’ Residence in A Valley of the Marquesas.
New York: Wiley and Putnam, 1846.
First edition of Melville's first book and his most popular during his lifetime. Octavo, two volumes bound into one in the original cloth stamped in blind with gilt titles to the spine, frontispiece map, both half-titles and 6 pages of publisher's advertisements at rear. BAL 13653. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper one month after publication, "Captain Ball, With the respects of the author, Westport April 18th 1846." The recipient, Captain Charles Ball was captain of the whaling ship Theophilus Chase, on which Thomas Melville, the author's youngest brother, set sail for the first time…
Price: $250,000.00 Item Number: 138349
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First edition of The Innocents Abroad; inscribed by Mark Twain to Mrs. P. T. Barnum
TWAIN, Mark. [Samuel L. Clemens].
The Innocents Abroad, Or The New Pilgrims’ Progress.
Hartford: American Publishing Company, 1874.
First edition, second issue of the author’s second book, one of the best-selling travel books of all-time. Octavo, bound in three quarter morocco with gilt titles to the spine, marbled endpapers, all edges marbled, with two hundred and thirty-four illustrations. Association copy, inscribed by Mark Twain on the fly-leaf, "To Mrs. P. T. Barnum from Yours Truly Samuel L. Clemens Mark Twain Oct 1875." The recipient, Nancy Fish, was the second wife of American showman P. T. Barnum. Twain and Barnum were, by various accounts, friends, mutual admirers and rivals. After visiting Barnum's American Business Museum in New York City…
Price: $35,000.00 Item Number: 133104
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H. Rider Haggard's King Solomon's Mines; inscribed by him to his sister Ella Green
HAGGARD, H. Rider.
King Solomon’s Mines.
London: Cassel & Company, 1885.
First edition, third issue of Haggard's immensely popular Victorian adventure novel the first great "Lost World" action-adventure, a precursor to Indiana Jones. Octavo, original cloth, folding facsimile of the map of the route to King Solomon's mines. Association copy, signed by the author opposite the half-title page with an additional note inscribed to his sister, Ella Green, pasted to the same page, "your loving brother H. Rider Haggard." In very good condition. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box. An exceptional association.
Price: $12,500.00 Item Number: 118637
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First Edition of Ernest Seton-Thompson's Lives of the Hunted; Inscribed by Him
SETON-THOMPSON, Ernest.
Lives of the Hunted.
New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1901.
First edition of this collection of stories. Octavo, original cloth, with over 200 drawings. Inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, "To S.D. Green with best wishes of Ernest Seton-Thompson." Seton Thompson has added a drawing of a bear paw. In near fine condition.
Price: $350.00 Item Number: 79038
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The Innocents Abroad; Signed by Mark Twain
TWAIN, Mark. [Samuel L. Clemens].
The Innocents Abroad, Or The New Pilgrims’ Progress.
New York: Harper & Brothers, 1905.
Uniform edition of the author’s second book, one of the best-selling travel books of all-time. Octavo, original cloth, gilt titles to the spine, engraved frontispiece and photographic portrait with facsimile signature. Signed by the author "Truly yours Mark Twain" to the front pastedown. In very good condition, name to the front free endpaper. Housed in a custom full morocco clamshell box.
Price: $7,500.00 Item Number: 144202
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"you see stretching from the spurs of Ritter a row of exceedingly sharp and slender spires": The Manuscript Edition of The Writings of John Muir; with an original autograph manuscript page from Muir's The Mountains of California
MUIR, John.
The Writings of John Muir: The Manuscript Edition.
Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1916-24.
The Manuscript Edition of The Writings of John Muir, one of 750 numbered sets produced with an original autograph manuscript page bound into the first volume. Octavo, 10 volumes in the publisher's deluxe three quarter crushed levant morocco over cloth boards with gilt titles and tulip stamping to the spine in five compartments within raised bands, marbled endpapers, top edge gilt with others untrimmed, ribbons bound in, illustrated with 69 photogravures, including colored frontispiece, 34 halftone plates of the author's sketches, 7 maps, and 2 plates of his drawings. One of 750 numbered sets with an original manuscript page bound…
Price: $10,000.00 Item Number: 143457
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"Keep close to Nature’s heart... and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean": Finely Bound Set of The Manuscript Edition of The Writings of John Muir; With Eight Original Photographs
MUIR, John.
The Writings of John Muir: The Manuscript Edition.
Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1916-24.
The Manuscript edition of The Writings of John Muir. One of only 750 numbered copies, this is number 461. Octavo, 10 volumes, bound in the original green with morocco spine labels with gilt titles, containing the original gelatin silver photographic frontispiece to each volume with tissue guards present, illustrated with numerous photogravure and halftone plates; folding map in volume two. Edited by William Frederic Badè. The scenes depicted in the inserted photographs are: The House of John Muir, Martinez, California; The Cathedral Spires, Yosemite National Park; Eucalyptus on Muir's Ranch, Martinez, California; An Orange Tree in Front of Muir's House,…
Price: $6,200.00 Item Number: 96258
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"Keep close to Nature’s heart... and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean": Finely Bound Set of The Manuscript Edition of The Writings of John Muir; With Eight Original Photographs
MUIR, John.
The Writings of John Muir: The Manuscript Edition.
Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1916-24.
The Manuscript edition of The Writings of John Muir. Octavo, 10 volumes, bound in original special deluxe three quarters morocco over marbled boards, leather edges ruled in gilt, gilt titles and tooling to the spine, raised bands, matching endpapers, top edges gilt. With volumes 1 through 8 of this set each containing an original gelatin silver photograph at the front, each with a printed tissue guard. Kimes does not describe an edition with these additional real photo frontispieces. The binding matches that of Kimes 342. The scenes depicted in the inserted photographs are: The House of John Muir, Martinez, California;…
Price: $12,000.00 Item Number: 76020
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Signed Limited First Edition of William Beebe's Galapagos: World's End
BEEBE, William.
Galapagos: World’s End.
New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1924.
Signed limited first edition, one of 100 numbered copies, this is number 54, boldly signed by William Beebe, the father of modern ecology. Quarto, original cloth, illustrated endpapers. Illustrated with 24 tipped-in color plates by Isabel Cooper, and 83 photographs mostly by John Tee-Van. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket.
Price: $3,000.00 Item Number: 84953
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"Here are deep maters, not easily to be dismissed by crying blasphemy": First edition of The Magic Island; inscribed by William Buehler Seabrook
SEABROOK, William Buehler.
The Magic Island.
New York: Harcourt, Brace and Company, 1929.
First edition of occultist William Buehler Seabrook's account of his time spent among Voodoo practitioners in Haiti, credited with introducing the concept of a zombie to popular culture. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated with drawings by Alexander King and photographs by the author. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, "For Yolanda Billia with best wishes W. B. Seabrook." With an original black and white glossy photograph tipped in annotated "W. B. Seabrook before a Voodoo Altar" and an additional original black and white glossy photograph of him laid in. Near fine in a near fine dust…
Price: $2,000.00 Item Number: 124734
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First edition, first printing of William Seabrook's Jungle Ways, one of 315 numbered extra-illustrated copies signed by him
SEABROOK, William B.
Jungle Ways.
New York: Harcourt, Brace and Company, 1931.
Signed limited first edition of occultist and cannibal William Buehler Seabrook's account of his travels along the Ivory Coast and through West Africa where he witnessed witchcraft, cannibalism and human sacrifice. Octavo, original half cloth, illustrated, tissue-guarded frontispiece. One of 315 extra-illustrated numbered copies signed by the author on the limitation page of which 274 were for sale, this is number 198. Near fine in the original slipcase which is lacking the bottom panel.
Price: $350.00 Item Number: 124947
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First British Edition of Isak Dinesen's Out of Africa; King Edward VIII's Copy with his ownership inscription
DINESEN, Isak [Karen Blixen] [King Edward VIII].
Out of Africa.
London: Putnam, 1937.
First British edition of the author's masterpiece, a lyrical meditation of the years she lived in Kenya, from the library of King Edward VIII. Octavo, original cloth. With numerous original photographs and newspaper clippings affixed to the front few pages. Originally from the collection of the author's brother Thomas Fasti Dinesen with two original black and white photographs of him hunting affixed to the verso of the front free endpaper and half-title page above which he has annotated, "My first lion April 6th 1922" and "Shot from boma April 11th 1922 The boma only five feet from the hill on…
Price: $12,500.00 Item Number: 110991
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"The cowboy is the most vivid and native character in the United States today": First Edition of Alice Rogers Hager's Big Loop and Little; Inscribed by her to Amelia Earhart
HAGER, Alice Rogers [Amelia Earhart].
Big Loop and Little: The Cowboy’s Story.
New York: Macmillan, 1937.
First edition of the author's classic illustrated story of the West. Large octavo, original cloth, illustrated. Association copy, inscribed by the author to legendary aviator and personal friend Amelia Earhart on the front free endpaper, "To Amelia Earhart - First Lady of the Air because she, too, loves the free West. With admiration and appreciation of pleasant days at Burbank and Oakland. Alice Rogers Hager Washington, D.C. June 1937." From the library of Amelia Earhart with here bookplate to the verso of the front panel. Near fine in a very good dust jacket. An exceptional example with noted provenance.
Price: $2,000.00 Item Number: 61792
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"The light of Greece opened my eyes, penetrated my pores, expanded my whole being": Rare First Edition of Henry Miller's The Colossus of Maroussi; Warmly Inscribed by Him in the year of publication
MILLER, Henry.
The Colossus of Maroussi.
New York : Colt Press, 1941.
True first edition of the author's landmark travel book and frequently cited as one of his finest. Octavo, original cloth. Association copy, inscribed by the author in the year of publication on the front free endpaper, "To Tania and Jimmy, from their good friend, Henry Miller, N.Y., 12/3/41." The recipients were James and Tania Stern, close friends of the author. Very good in the rare original dust jacket, which is in very good condition with some rubbing and wear.
Price: $2,000.00 Item Number: 127544
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Scarce Limited First Edition of Gontran de Poncins' Kabloona; signed by him
DE PONCINS, Gontran. In collaboration with Lewis Galantiere. Illustrated by the author.
Kabloona.
New York: Reynal, Hitchcock, Inc, 1941.
First limited edition of French adventurer Gontran de Poncins' classic account of his solo unsupported journey in the Canadian Arctic. Octavo, bound in three quarters morocco over cloth covered boards with gilt titles and tooling to the spine. One on only 550 copies, this is number 81. Boldly signed by the author on the front free endpaper, "Before I disappear for good!...I remain your friend, 'Eskimo Miki', de Poncins." With the original Publisher's Note laid in which explains, "The Vicomte Gontran de Poncins, author of KABLOONA, called out of the Arctic to join the colors of his country, disappeared in the debacle of the…
Price: $2,800.00 Item Number: 95094