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• 1 • 01 BIBLE. The New Testament of Jesus Christ, Translated Faithfully Into English, out of the authentical Latin… With Arguments of bookes and chapters, Annotations, and other necessarie helpes… for cleering the Controversies in religion, of these daies… Rhemes, 1582. Small quarto, early 19th-century full diced brown calf gilt. $35,000 Very scarce first edition of the important Rheims New Testament, the first Roman Catholic version in English, translated from the Vulgate. Like the Geneva Bible, the Rheims New Testament was “produced by religious refugees who carried their faith and work abroad. Since the English Protestants used their vernacular translations, not only as the foundation of their own faith but as siege artillery in the assault on Rome, a Catholic translation became more and more necessary in order that the faithful could answer, text for text, against the ‘intolerable ignorance and importunity of the heretics of this time.’ The chief translator was Gregory Martin… Technical words were transliterated rather than translated. Thus many new words came to birth… Not only was [Martin] steeped in the Vulgate, he was, every day, involved in the immortal liturgical Latin of his church. The resulting Latinisms added a majesty to his English prose, and many a dignified or felicitous phrase was silently lifted by the editors of the King James’s Version, and thus passed into the language” (Great Books and Book Collectors, 108). While Martin was responsible for the translation, the controversial textual annotations in defense of Catholic doctrine are attributed to Richard Bristow, one of the supervisors of the project; most copies of this edition were purportedly suppressed and destroyed because of these notes (some of which were removed from later editions). The New Testament was issued separately and first, in the hope that its successful sale would finance prompt production of the Old Testament; the two-volume Old Testament did not, however, appear until 1609-10. With ornamental woodcut title border, historiated initials, and head- and tailpieces. The Bible 100 Landmarks 65. The Bible in the Lilly Library 39. Dore, 291-98. Herbert 177. Darlow & Moule 134. Pierpont Morgan Library, The Bible 112. Rumball-Petre, 15. Rylands, 95. STC 2884. Armorial bookplate. Early owner signatures on title page, 18th-century notations to last leaf, a few pages with early marginal annotations; early description tipped to front flyleaf. Small corner tear to leaf ZZ2, not affecting text, leaves M3 and M4 with marginal repairs to tears, very minor marginal wormholing to a few leaves of the rear table, not affecting text, faintest marginal dampstaining to a few early leaves. Beautiful early calf with light wear to joints. A beautiful copy of a landmark Bible. 1582 FIRST EDITION OF THE FIRST ROMAN CATHOLIC NEW TESTAMENT IN ENGLISH
• 2 • 02 THOMAS, Dylan. A Child’s Christmas in Wales. Norfolk, Connecticut, 1955. 12mo, original cream paper boards, dust jacket. $650 First separate edition of Thomas’s beloved Christmas story. Published the year after its first appearance in the short story collection Quite Early One Morning, and specially produced for sale at Christmastime 1955. Rolph B30. Small bookseller ticket to back pastedown. Contents clean; minor toning to boards and to price-clipped dust jacket. An attractive near-fine copy. "ALL THE CHRISTMASES ROLL DOWN TOWARD THE TWO-TONGUED SEA…"
• 3 • VERY LARGE AND BEAUTIFUL KUBASTA CHRISTMAS POP-UP, FEATURING FATHER CHRISTMAS VISITING A SNOW-COVERED CZECH VILLAGE WITH HIS REINDEER AND SLEIGH 03 [KUBASTA, Vojtech]. Christmas pop-up [“Father Christmas”]. London, circa 1960. Folio pop-up, measuring 9 by 13 inches folded. $950 First edition in English of this lovely and completely functional Kubasta Christmas pop-up, featuring Father Christmas and his reindeer visiting a snowy Czech village celebrating Christmas with a tree, decorations, and carolers, with front wrapper including a moveable of Father Christmas in which his eyes open and close as the moon comes out. This beautiful folio pop-up depicts a notably Czech version of Christmas in a Czech town with half-timbered buildings. In the scene, two of Santa’s reindeer wait with the sleigh, while Father Christmas delivers a sack of presents through the door of a cozy traditional home. On the other side of the house carolers celebrate the holiday alongside a Christmas tree and a snowman. The included story concerns a family in Lapland and the grandfather’s Christmas narrative about Christmas in more southern parts of Europe (like Czechoslovakia). “Kubasta’s talent as a graphic artist was to combine a robust graphic style of great charm and humor with a puppetmaster’s flair for story-telling in three dimensions” (John Michael Dawson). “His distinctive bold and colorful figures, as seen in this work, became increasingly popular. After the Czech publishing industry was nationalized in 1948, Kubasta began creating advertising materials for Czech products abroad that included three-dimensional cards for items such as Pilsner beer, porcelain and sewing machines. Beginning in the 1950s, he developed elaborate paper construction crèches annually each Christmas season… His beautifully designed and intricate pop-ups were later produced from the 1960s-1980s worldwide and became the inspiration for the revival of the pop-up book industry in America” (Stephen Van Dyke, Smithsonian Libraries). “Kubasta’s faux-naif style with a Bohemian flavor is somewhat exotic to an American eye” (Ellen G.K. Rubin), and “today, original editions of his illustrations and books are sought after by collectors from around the world” (James A. Findlay). Kubasta’s works were all printed in Czechoslovakia using a special pre-war press at the state-run company, Artia Prague. They were then published for various markets, including Great Britain. Early gift inscription on presentation page. Pop-up bright, fine and fully intact; original boards with only minor wear, very faint pencil prices to front board.
• 4 • MAURICE SENDAK’S CHRISTMAS MYSTERY, INCLUDING A BOOK ILLUSTRATED BY SENDAK AND A 48-PIECE PUZZLE, FROM THE COLLECTION OF SENDAK’S NEIGHBOR AND CLOSE FRIEND 04 SENDAK, Maurice. Maurice Sendak’s Christmas Mystery. New York, 1995. Very tall 12mo, staplebound as issued, original pictorial paper wrappers; 48-piece puzzle; pictorial box. $600 First edition of this Christmas-themed gift set, comprising a short illustrated story by Sendak and a 48-piece puzzle featuring a Sendak illustration that promises to “solve the mystery.” From the collection of Sendak’s close friend. This lovely Christmas set revolves around a Christmas mystery conceived by beloved children’s author Maurice Sendak. Using a small illustrated book full of pictorial clues and a 48-piece puzzle, the owner is invited to solve the mystery. Intended for ages 3 and up, but perfect for anyone who enjoys Maurice Sendak’s illustrations. The former owner of this gift set was Maurice Sendak’s neighbor, Andrew, from Ridgefield, Connecticut, the brother of the inscribee, Michael. Sendak bought a home and studio in Ridgefield in 1972 with his longtime partner, Eugene Glynn, and lived there until his death. Andrew first encountered Sendak in 1975 during one of his daily dog walks. (Sendak owned many dogs throughout his life, and they often starred in his books.) Andrew was immediately taken with Sendak, who reminded him of his recently deceased father. One day, Andrew called Sendak at home and asked if he could join him on his walks. Andrew and Sendak thus embarked on a 37-year friendship that also included the Andrew’s mother, Betty, as well as Andrew’s brother. Sendak went on long walks and hikes with Andrew and his family regularly, discussing general life events, opera, and books. He also invited them into his studio to show off works in progress. Andrew’s mother, Betty, was an avid reader and collector and she and Sendak would talk late into the night about books. Sendak offered Betty advice about how to find and authenticate rare children’s books, which she used to build her collection. Additionally, he frequently bartered for autographs (i.e. a cake for an inscribed drawing). The many inscribed drawings, along with first editions, signed books, and other valuable items grew into one of the country’s premier Sendak collections. Fine condition.
• 5 • “OOOOOOOOOOOOO! I ABSOLUTELY LOVE CHRISTMAS” 05 THOMPSON, Kay. Eloise at Christmastime. Drawings by Hilary Knight. New York, 1958. Slim folio, original pictorial red boards, dust jacket. $950 First edition of the third book in the wonderfully illustrated series of Eloise stories. Eloise creates holiday gifts—and havoc—at the Plaza Hotel. “First Printing” on copyright page. Cotsen 11003. Gift inscription. Book fine, price-clipped dust jacket nearly so with a tiny amount of wear to corners. A lovely copy.
• 6 • “VERY EARLY CHRISTMAS MORNING… A LITTLE CHILD WAS BORN IN THE BIRD HOUSEHOLD” 06 WIGGIN, Kate Douglas. The Birds’ Christmas Carol. San Francisco, 1887. Small quarto (6 by 6-1/4 inches), original tan wrappers, custom chemise. $1200 First edition, the privately published true first edition of Wiggin’s beloved holiday tale, in fragile original wrappers. The Birds’ Christmas Carol, one of Wiggin’s earliest children’s books, was written and privately published to raise money for childrens’ education. Her holiday tale of “Carol Bird, an invalid girl so named because she was born at Christmas,” soon became one of her most beloved works (Carpenter & Prichard, 570). Like her Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (1903), it is “still read by children… In addition, the kindergarten movement that Wiggin sponsored became one of the foundations of education in our society” (ANB). In her lifetime, Wiggin’s endearing childrens’ books earned “her the name of the ‘The Lady of the Twinkle and the Tear’” (New York Times). First edition: “Deposited Dec. 31, 1886” (BAL 22580). In 1888 a trade edition was reportedly issued where “fewer than ten copies of the first printing are thought to have survived” (Martin Sale). The “first formally published edition” was issued in 1889 (BAL 22587). See Cotsen II:11978. Early owner inscription: “Anna Warner. Pagoda Hill Kindergarten, Oakland.” Bookplate to custom chemise. Text very fresh and crisp, lightly soiled wrappers with tiny bit of dampstaining, early reinforcement with slight loss to spine. A desirable extremely good copy.
• 7 • THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, ILLUSTRATED BY W.W. DENSLOW OF OZ FAME 07 DENSLOW, William Wallace. Denslow’s Night Before Christmas. New York, 1902. Slim quarto, original gray cloth. $1800 First edition by the illustrator of the Wonderful Wizard of Oz, of this cherished Yuletide poem, with numerous full-page color plates. The anonymous poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” later attributed to the Rev. Clement Moore, first appeared in 1823 in the Troy Sentinel, marking “a division between the Puritan antipathy toward Christmas and acceptance of the holiday” (Chronology of American Literature). This edition boasts numerous illustrations, many full-page and in color, by onetime newspaper cartoonist and poster designer William Wallace Denslow, perhaps best known for his work on L. Frank Baum’s Father Goose (1899) and especially The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900). His “conceptions of the characters and landscapes,” Denslow thought, “contributed immeasurably to the book’s popularity” (Fricke, 22). In 1902, Denslow turned his attention to Moore’s famous Christmas poem, which became an enormous best-seller that season. With the considerable profits from his illustrated books, “he bought a small island in Bermuda, built a ‘castle’ on it, and crowned himself King Denslow I of Denslow Island” (Michael Patrick Hearn). Binding in second state (cloth rather than boards). Interior near-fine with minor soiling to first few leaves, inner hinges expertly reinforced; front panel of cloth lightly soiled. A very good copy.
• 8 • INSCRIBED BY PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER 08 CARTER, Jimmy. Christmas in Plains. Illustrated by Amy Carter. New York, 2001. Octavo, original white paper boards, dust jacket. $350 First edition, with illustrations by Amy Carter, inscribed, “To Bill—J. Carter.” In the tradition of Capote’s A Christmas Memory and Thomas’ A Child’s Christmas in Wales, the former president’s charming memoir recalls the Carters’ holiday celebrations in Plains, Georgia. Fine condition.
• 9 • "YES I LOVE YOU BUDDY": ONE CHRISTMAS, SIGNED BY CAPOTE 09 CAPOTE, Truman. One Christmas. New York, 1983. Octavo, original maroon cloth, slipcase. $1500 First trade edition of Capote’s heartwarming childhood recollection, signed on the title page by Capote. One Christmas tells the redemptive story of a young Capote’s first Christmas with his estranged father. The photographic illustration on the slipcase pictures a young Truman seated on his father’s lap. First trade edition, first printing: issued along with a signed limited edition (500 copies). Fine condition.
• 10 • “WHY IS THAT YOUTHFUL QUEEN, THE PRIDE OF BRITAIN, THERE? GOES SHE TO WIN THE LAUREL WREATH TO DECK HER TRESSES FAIR?” 10 SHOBERL, Frederick, ed. Forget Me Not. A Christmas, New Year’s, and Birthday Present, for MDCCCXLVI. London, 1846. Small octavo, contemporary full red morocco gilt, custom clamshell box. $2200 1846 edition, the penultimate edition of this Victorian literary annual, featuring prose and poetry and ten engraved plates, finely bound with Queen Victoria’s monogram in gilt. The literary annual was a particularly Victorian form, a literary collection—often lavishly illustrated and elaborately bound—intended to be given as a gift. The publisher Ackermann began issuing his annual, Forget Me Not, in 1822, and did so yearly until 1847; this is the penultimate edition in that series. The binding features Queen Victoria’s monogram within a crowned ringlet with the motto of the Order of the Garter, “Honi soit qui mal y pense,” set within. The first selection in the volume, “The Royal Guest,” by American Lydia Signourney, is a poetic description of “the visit of Queen Victoria to King Louis Philippe.” Faint marginal foxing to a few plates. About-fine condition.
• 11 • "…BUT HE WAS STILL HUNGRY": FIRST EDITION OF THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR 11 CARLE, Eric. The Very Hungry Caterpillar. New York and Cleveland, 1969. Oblong quarto, original pictorial boards, dust jacket. $12,000 First edition of Carle’s most famous children’s book. Carle described the inception of The Very Hungry Caterpillar: “I playfully punched a hole into a stack of papers. I thought, a bookworm at work! Not enough for a book, but, nevertheless, a beginning.” Of its remarkable success, he said, “My editor, my friends, my family, we all have talked about it. I think it’s a book of hope. ‘You, little, insignificant caterpillar or child or baby, can grow up and spread your wings and try your talent and fly all over the world.’ I wonder if that’s it.” “I believe the passage from home to school is the second biggest trauma of childhood; the first is, of course, being born. Indeed, in both cases we leave a place of warmth and protection for one that is unknown. The unknown often brings fear with it. In my books I try to counteract the fear, to replace it with a positive message” (Carle). “Carle was one of the first illustrators intrigued with the idea of introducing natural science concepts to young children. The Very Hungry Caterpillar has remained in print for [over] 25 years, attesting to its popularity… [Carle has written,] ‘I would like to be remembered as a picture writer and as someone who has opened a door for children to the world of pictures and words” (Silvey, 120-21). This copy is the rare first printing, with all first edition points. The dust jacket has been clipped (as usual) at both the top and bottom corners of the front flap, which had prices of $4.25 and $3.97; apparently the publisher price-clipped the jackets prior to issue, and unclipped dust jackets so rare that even Carle’s own copy was clipped. See Cotsen 1871. Grolier Children’s 99. With later price sticker on dust jacket front flap. Book bright and beautiful, with a few faint scratches to boards. Dust jacket with very minor wear to spine ends, a few very short closed tears. A near-fine copy.
• 12 • FIRST EDITION OF HAROLD AT THE NORTH POLE 12 JOHNSON, Crockett. Harold at the North Pole. A Christmas Journey With the Purple Crayon. New York, 1958. 12mo, original half black cloth, dust jacket. $1500 First edition of the scarce fourth book in Crockett Johnson’s Harold and the Purple Crayon series. Harold and his trusty purple crayon help Santa Claus and his eight reindeer on Christmas Eve. Johnson, whose real name was David Johnson Leisk, was “first recognized in 1942 for his syndicated newspaper comic strip, ‘Barnaby,’ which gained national acclaim when the strip’s characters, five-year-old Barnaby and his imaginary Fairy Godfather, Mr. O’Malley, appeared in the tabloid PM… Johnson made his picture-book debut in 1945 when he illustrated The Carrot Seed, written by his wife, Ruth Krauss, a respected author of children’s books for the very young… Johnson alone wrote and illustrated the enormously successful Harold and the Purple Crayon… With the fewest of lines, Johnson depicts Harold as a toddler clad in sleepers, his chubby hand gripping a fat plum-colored crayon. From page to page, the thick, firm, purple mark delineates Harold’s actions against the stark white background so effectively and ingeniously that the crayon is as much a character as Harold. The same economy that informs Johnson’s art permeates his text; he writes so concisely of Harold’s moonlight stroll that his style perfectly echoes the clarity of his boldly outlined cartoon illustrations” (Silvey, 355). Ink price stamp to price-clipped dust jacket, suggesting that this particular copy failed to sell and was re-priced to the early edition price of $1.75. Book fine, price-clipped dust jacket with light wear and soiling. A near-fine copy.
• 13 • "BON APPETIT!": FROM JULIA CHILD'S KITCHEN, SIGNED BY JULIA CHILD 13 CHILD, Julia. From Julia Child’s Kitchen. New York, 1975. Octavo, original pictorial cloth, dust jacket. $1400 First trade edition of Child’s fourth cookbook, signed on the half title by Julia Child. Child was the girl from Pasadena who revolutionized American cooking with her irrepressible humor, genial expertise, and her signature phrase, “Bon Appétit!” Winner of three Emmys, the Peabody Award, the National Book Award, and the French Légion d’Honneur, she was the first woman ever inducted into the Culinary Institute of America’s Hall of Fame and her kitchen has been installed in the Smithsonian. A “self-confessed ham, she became a darling of audiences… almost from the moment she made her debut in 1963 at the age of 50” (New York Times). Paul Child, Julia’s husband, provided the photographs and drawings that illustrate the book. Preceded by a signed limited edition of 1500 copies. With “First Edition” on copyright page; dust jacket with “10/75” on lower corner of rear flap. Dust jacket with faint toning to spine, rear panel with one spot of soiling, tape repair at top of flap fold. An extremely good copy.
• 14 • BAKING WITH JULIA, SIGNED BY JULIA CHILD 14 (CHILD, Julia) GREENSPAN, Dorie. Baking with Julia. Based on the PBS Series Hosted by Julia Child. New York, 1996. Quarto, original cream paper boards, dust jacket. $950 First edition of this splendid cookbook companion to the Baking with Julia television series, signed by Child on the half title. “Julia Child’s newest TV series is a 39-part ‘full course in the art of baking.’ Here Greenspan (Waffles from Morning to Midnight) delivers the textbook for the course. The syllabus is comprehensive, covering breads, morning pastries, cakes, cookies, pies and savory pastries. The French classics— baguette, croissant, genoise, savarin, madeleines—are all present, but so are focaccia, pita, cobbler, rugelach and biscotti… Greenspan presents the nearly 200 recipes in classic Julia style; each recipe is clear, complete and comes with preparation and storage information… For the ambitious, the adventurous and the simply appreciative, Baking with Julia is a course worth taking and a cookbook worth owning” (Publishers Weekly). Faintest dampstain to top rear board and top verso of dust jacket rear panel. A nearly fine copy.
• 15 • “CHURCHILL’S LAST GREAT WORK”: HISTORY OF THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING PEOPLES 15 CHURCHILL, Winston. A History of the EnglishSpeaking Peoples. London, 1956-58. Four volumes. Octavo, modern full red morocco gilt. $3200 First English editions of Churchill’s classic history, illustrated with maps and genealogical tables, handsomely bound. Churchill believed that “Every nation or group of nations has its own tale to tell. Knowledge of the trials and struggles is necessary to all who would comprehend the problems, perils, challenges, and opportunities which confront us to-day… It is in the hope that contemplation of the trials and tribulations of our forefathers may not only fortify the English-speaking peoples of to-day, but also play some small part in uniting the whole world, that I present this account.” “Churchill’s last great work was published nearly 20 years after he penned its first draft in the late 1930s, just after wrapping up [the biography of] Marlborough. This enabled him to utilize the literary team he had assembled for the biography, to which he added dozens of outlines he had solicited from scholars… In its final form the original single volume evolved to four, each of which was published simultaneously in Britain, the USA and Canada— a first for Churchill’s works” (Langworth, 312). Cohen A267.1.a. Woods A138(a). Langworth, 312-317. Fine condition.
• 16 • “THEY MAY BE THE LAST WORD UPON THE WAR”: FIRST EDITIONS OF CHURCHILL’S WAR SPEECHES, HANDSOMELY BOUND 16 CHURCHILL, Winston. Collection of World War II speeches: Into Battle, (1941); The Unrelenting Struggle, (1942); The End of the Beginning, (1943); Onwards to Victory, (1944); The Dawn of Liberation, (1945); Victory, (1946); Secret Session Speeches, (1946). London, 1941-46. Seven volumes. Octavo, modern three-quarter burgundy morocco gilt. $4500 First editions of Churchill’s separately published World War II speeches, handsomely bound. Churchill’s speeches “constitute a contemporary history of the war which is as lively as it is authoritative; and, so far as contemporary history is of value, they may be said to be the last word upon the war” (Randolph S. Churchill). With 50 halftone photographic plates, including frontispieces. Into Battle second state, with page number “78” present. The Unrelenting Struggle first state, with page number “281” printed incorrectly. Victory second state, with page number “177” correctly printed. Secret Session Speeches first English edition, preceded by the American edition. Cohen A142.1.a; A172.1.a; A183.1.a; A194.1.a; A214.1.a; A223.1.a; A227.2.a. Langworth, 202-247. Woods A66(a)-A114. Faint foxing to text block edge of a few volumes, interiors fine. Very handsomely bound.
• 17 • "WHO IS JOHN GALT?" 17 RAND, Ayn. Atlas Shrugged. New York, 1957. Thick octavo, original green cloth, dust jacket. $5200 First edition of one of the most popular and influential novels of the last 50 years, in original dust jacket. “From 1943 until its publication in 1957, [Rand] worked on the book that many say is her masterpiece, Atlas Shrugged. This novel describes how a genius named John Galt grows weary of supporting a society of ungrateful parasites and one day simply shrugs and walks away. He becomes an inspiration to like-minded men and women, all of whom eventually follow his example, until society, in its agony, calls them back to responsibility and respect. Again [as with Rand’s novel The Fountainhead in 1943] reviews were unsympathetic, and again people bought the book” (ANB). By 1984 more than five million copies of Atlas Shrugged had been sold, and in a 1991 Library of Congress survey Americans named it second only to the Bible as the book that had most influenced their lives. First printing, in first-issue dust jacket. Perinn A4a. Dust jacket with light wear and toning to spine, a bit of rubbing to bright front panel with one tiny hole. A near-fine copy.
• 18 • “THE FIRST AND GREATEST CLASSIC OF MODERN ECONOMIC THOUGHT”: SMITH’S WEALTH OF NATIONS, 1796, IN CONTEMPORARY CALF 18 SMITH, Adam. An Inquiry Into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. London, 1796. Three volumes. Octavo, contemporary full brown tree calf. $6500 Early edition of Smith’s magnum opus, this copy with a contemporary provenance in containing the armorial bookplates in each volume of Sir Roger Holt Leigh, a Member of Parliament from 1802-1820, a handsome copy in contemporary tree calf. “Where the political aspects of human rights had taken two centuries to explore, Smith’s achievement was to bring the study of economic aspects to the same point in a single work… it is the first and greatest classic of modern economic thought” (PMM 221). Buckle’s History of Civilization calls Wealth of Nations “probably the most important book which has ever been written,” while economist J.A.R. Mariott asserts that “there is probably no single work in the language which has in its day exercised an influence so profound.” First published in 1776. Stated eighth edition. With half titles; Volume III with rear page of publisher’s advertisements; Volume II without preliminary blank leaf. Kress B3289. Goldsmiths 16558. Palgrave III:116. ESTC T95381. From the library of Sir Roger Holt Leigh, who was a Member of Parliament (1802-1820). Each volume containing his armorial bookplates displaying a banner printed “in hoc signo vinces,” translatable as “in this sign thou shalt conquer.” Each volume also containing the signed, “R.H. Leigh 1798,” reportedly in his hand. Text pristine in contemporary tree calf with expert reinforcement to joints, spine ends and corners. An excellent near-fine copy.
• 19 • "PLEASE, SIR, I WANT SOME MORE": FIRST ISSUE OF OLIVER TWIST 19 D I C K E N S , Charles. Oliver Twist; Or, the Parish Boy’s Progress. By “Boz.” London, 1838. Three volumes. Octavo, contemporary full tan calf. $9500 First edition, first issue, of Dickens’ classic, with the “Fireside” plate and “Boz” title pages, in handsome contemporary calf-gilt. “Oliver Twist was originally conceived as a satire on the new poor law of 1834 which herded the destitute and the helpless into harshly run union workhouses, and which was perceived by Dickens as a monstrously unjust and inhumane piece of legislation (he was still fiercely attacking it in Our Mutual Friend in 1865). Once the scene shifted to London, however, Oliver Twist developed into a unique and compelling blend of a ‘realistic’ tale about thieves and prostitutes and a melodrama with strong metaphysical overtones. The pathos of little Oliver (the first of many such child figures in Dickens), the farcical comedy of the Bumbles, the sinister fascination of Fagin, the horror of Nancy’s murder, and the powerful evocation of London’s dark and labyrinthine criminal underworld, all helped to drive Dickens’ popularity to new heights” (ODNB). “When Bentley decided to publish Oliver in book form before its completion in his periodical, Cruikshank had to complete the last few plates in haste. Dickens did not review them until the eve of publication and objected to the Fireside plate which depicted Oliver at Rose Maylie’s knee [Volume III, p. 313]… Dickens had Cruikshank design a new plate… This Church plate was not completed in time for incorporation into the early copies of the book, but it replaced the Fireside plate in later copies… Dickens not only objected to the Fireside plate, but also disliked having ‘Boz’ on the title page. He voiced these objections prior to publication and the plate and title page were changed between November 9 and 16” (Smith, 35). Bound without half titles for Volumes I and II and publisher’s ads at the end of Volume I and the beginning of Volume III. Without list of plates in Volume I, no priority. One plate (“Mr. Claypole as he appeared when his master was out”) misbound, opposite page 72 in Volume I rather than page 130 in Volume II. Smith 4 (especially note 3). Eckel, 5160. Bookplates. Usual foxing to plates and text. Beautifully bound.
• 20 • “WHETHER I SHALL TURN OUT TO BE THE HERO OF MY OWN LIFE…”: FIRST EDITION OF DAVID COPPERFIELD 20 D I C K E N S , Charles. The Personal History of David Copperfield. London, 1850. Thick octavo, contemporary three-quarter red morocco. $3000 First edition, first issue in book form, of Dickens’ “most popular success,” with 40 etchings by Hablôt Knight Browne (“Phiz”), including frontispiece, vignette title page and the second of Browne’s famous “dark plates.” “With many lovers of the author’s works David Copperfield ranks as the finest of his writings. With a book which gave to the world such characters as Betsy Trotwood, Micawber, the Pegottys and Mr. Dick…. it would be strange if it had been otherwise” (Eckel, 77). “Dickens and Browne are the most celebrated author-artist team in the history of English book illustration,” and Copperfield was their “most popular success” (Hodnett, 111-12). It contains the second of Browne’s so-called “dark plates” (“The River,” at page 482— the first dark-plate appeared in Dombey and Son), created by a machine process that tints the etched plate so as to heighten the contrast between black and white, anticipating some of the techniques of white-line engraving (Johannsen, Phiz, 309). David Copperfield was originally published in 20 parts from May 1849 to November 1850. First issue, with date present on engraved title page and six-line errata leaf on page [xv]; with all first-issue points listed in Smith, except on page 132, line 20, “screwed” appears instead of “screamed.” Bound without half title and esapublisher’s advertisements at rear. Eckel, 77-78. Smith I:9. Gimbel A122. Owner inscription. Only occasional light foxing and faint offsetting from plates, far less than usual. Handsomely bound.
• 21 • “BOOKS OF CONSEQUENCE… IN ELEGANT DRESS”: FIRST BASKERVILLE MILTON, 1758, BOUND IN FULL MOROCCO 21 MILTON, John. Paradise Lost. WITH: Paradise Regain’d. Birmingham, 1758. Two volumes. Octavo, 20th-century full olive straight-grain morocco gilt. $6000 First Baskerville Press edition of Milton’s Paradise Lost—”one of the greatest poems in the English language”—and other works, handsomely bound by H. Sotheran. First published in 1667, “Paradise Lost is generally conceded to be one of the greatest poems in the English language; and there is no religious epic in English which measures up to Milton’s masterpiece… Milton performed an artist’s service to his God” (Magill, 511, 515). The sequel, Paradise Regained, followed in 1671. This first Baskerville Press edition of Milton (followed by 1759 and 1760 editions) occupies a notable place in the history of printing, for it carries Baskerville’s threepage preface to Paradise Lost in which he states his aims and ideals as a fine printer and comments on type, ink and other elements of his craft—his only such published statement: “It is not my desire to print many books; but such only as are books of Consequence… which the public may be pleased to see in an elegant dress…” This edition, from the text of Thomas Newton, also includes Sampson Agonistes, Poems on Several Occasions and a 49-page Life of Milton (the latter bound herein in Volume II). Text of volume II in first state with header errors uncorrected. Text of volume I in second state, with pagination on page 135 and header on page 346 corrected; “h” in “God his light” erased by hand on page 75. Simultaneously issued in quarto. Gaskell 4a, 5a. ESTC T133903, T134224.Contents clean; spines evenly sunned to brown as often seen with green morocco. A strikingly attractive set.
• 22 • “ALL SHALL BE WELL, AND / ALL MANNER OF THING SHALL BE WELL”: FOUR QUARTETS, THE CULMINATING WORK OF T.S. ELIOT’S LATER CAREER, INSCRIBED BY THE POET IN LITTLE GIDDING 22 ELIOT, T.S. Four Quartets: Burnt Norton, East Coker, The Dry Salvages, and Little Gidding. London, 1940-42. Four pamphlets. Octavo, original blue-green, gold, light blue and mauve paper wrappers. $17,500 First separately published editions of each of Eliot’s Four Quartets, in their original paper wrappers; “Little Gidding” inscribed by the author on the title page to his Swedish publisher: “to Mr. & Mrs. Kaj Bonnier with the author’s best wishes. T.S. Eliot.” The four parts of Eliot’s celebrated Four Quartets made their first appearances between 1936 and 1942. “Burnt Norton,” based upon lines Eliot excised from his verse drama Murder in the Cathedral, was first published in the poet’s Collected Poems (1936). Later, Eliot decided that “Burnt Norton” should not stand alone and began composing three additional “quartets,” the poems aspiring to the structured, harmonious condition of music. It would be the fourth part, “Little Gidding,” that would prove to be the most challenging to complete. “London and the provincial cities had been bombed night after night [and although] the worst of the blitz was now over, no one knew it then, and at this perilous juncture in the war Eliot had been anxiously writing against time… he experienced the horror of the German raids: the nightly bombings, the streets blocked with rubble, the glow in the evenings as fires burned throughout the city, and the peculiarly dank smell of ruined buildings; it was this which provoked fear, precluded concentration on other things, and destroyed the will to work.” The final part of Four Quartets “was by far the most laboriously produced of the sequence; there are some five drafts, and thirteen separate typescripts, extant.” Finally, in September of 1942, he finished. ”East Coker,” “The Dry Salvages,” and “Little Gidding” appeared in the journal New English Weekly in 1940, 1941 and 1942 respectively. Faber and Faber then published each separately in pamphlet form to make the first collection of the Four Quartets as a uniform set. Although separately issued and each an individual poem, the Four Quartets as finally realized are parts of a unified work loosely based upon the scheme of the four seasons and the four elements. Named after American or English villages and landscapes, the poems are meditations upon conflict and peace, poetry and philosophy, time and eternity. The first of Eliot’s poems to reach a wide public, their celebration of England and Anglicanism was seen as a unifying force in the besieged England of World War Two. “Little Gidding” is the first issue (sewn rather than wire-stitched). “East Coker” is technically the third edition, as usual, but is often referred to as the first as it is the first Faber edition and is preceded only by two extremely rare New English Weekly Supplement printings. Gallup A36c, A37, A39, A42. “Little Gidding” inscribed by Eliot to his Swedish publisher Kaj Bonnier and his wife Ulla, who hosted a dinner party for Eliot in Stockholm on the occasion of his Nobel Prize presentation. “East Coker” with inked and penciled owner inscriptions; “Dry Salvages” with penciled initials. Wrapper edges mildly to moderately toned; “Burnt Norton” and “East Coker” with usual rusting to staples, the latter with spots of minor foxing. An extremely good set, inscribed and offering a pleasing connection to Eliot’s career.
• 23 • FINELY BOUND SET OF THE WORKS OF THE BRONTE SISTERS 23 BRONTE, Charlotte, BRONTE, Emily, and BRONTE, Anne. The Life and Works of Charlotte Bronte and Her Sisters. London, 1884-1885. Seven volumes. Octavo, contemporary three-quarter tan calf gilt. $4500 Illustrated seven-volume edition of the works of the Bronte sisters, handsomely bound. Includes Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre, Shirley, Villette and The Professor; Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte; Agnes Grey and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte; the poems of Charlotte, Emily, Anne and Patrick Bronte; and Mrs. Gaskell’s Life of Charlotte Bronte. Each volume features an engraved frontispiece and title-page vignette and additional views of buildings and landscapes from the stories; the Life opens with a portrait engraved by J.C. Armytage after George Richmond. Smith, Elder & Co. first published this well-received edition in 1872. Contents clean; leather with a few small scuffs. A very attractive set in handsome 19th-century bindings.
• 24 • “HOW DO I LOVE THEE? LET ME COUNT THE WAYS”: ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING’S POEMS, INCLUDING HER SONNETS FROM THE PORTUGUESE 24 BROWNING, Elizabeth Barrett. Poetical Works. London, 1890. Six volumes. Small octavo, contemporary half red morocco. $2800 Handsomely bound, illustrated six-volume set of Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s poems, including her Sonnets from the Portuguese. Collected works of one of the most romantic figures of the 19th century, featuring her novel in verse Aurora Leigh as well as the beloved Sonnets from the Portuguese, along with her essays “Some Account of the Greek Christian Poets” and “The Book of the Poets.” Five of the volumes open with engraved frontispiece portraits of Elizabeth Barrett Browning at different stages of her life; other engravings picture her sitting-room at Casa Guidi, Coxhoe Hall, Hope End and her tomb, and volume IV includes a facsimile of the manuscript of “May’s Love.” This edition contains a prefatory note by Robert Browning (1887), Elizabeth Browning’s original dedication and preface to the first collected edition of her poems (1844) and both a general index and an index of first lines. Barnes E181.1. Minimal rubbing to extremities; pages gently age-toned. A beautiful set.
• 25 • MARY SHELLEY’S IMPORTANT 1839 EDITION OF SHELLEY’S POETICAL WORKS, HANDSOMELY BOUND 25 SHELLEY, Percy Bysshe. The Poetical Works of Percy Bysshe Shelley. Edited by Mrs. Shelley. London, 1839. Four volumes. 12mo, later full dark green calf gilt. $4000 First edition of Mary Shelley’s important edition of her husband’s poetical works, with engraved frontispiece portrait of the poet by Finden, finely bound.. After Percy Shelley’s death in 1822, Mary Shelley devoted herself to writing his biography and publishing his manuscripts. She first attempted to publish Shelley’s poems in 1824, but his father, Sir Timothy Shelley, prevented further publication of Shelley’s writings for 15 years. “In 1839, the obstacles to an authentic edition having been removed… Mrs. Shelley published what was then supposed to be a definitive edition in four volumes, enriched with biographical notes and some very beautiful lyrics which had remained in manuscript” (DNB). Lowndes, 2374. A beautifully bound set in excellent condition.
• 26 • "AN EPIC POEM IN PROSE ABOUT GOD, HUMANITY, AND HUGO" 26 HUGO, Victor. Les Misérables. New York, 1890. Five volumes. 12mo, publisher’s three-quarter brown polished calf gilt. $2500 Later American edition in French of Hugo’s “massive novel of human redemption” (Dolbow, 213), in attractive publisher’s calf binding. Victor Hugo’s story of Jean Valjean is one of the most beloved in all French literature. Hugo’s “great novel has been hailed as a masterpiece of popular literature, an epic poem in prose about God, humanity, and Hugo… Hugo hoped that Les Misérables would be one of if not the ‘principal summits’ of his body of works. Despite its length, complexity, and occasionally unbelievable plot and characterization, it remains a masterpiece of popular literature. It anticipates Balzac in its realism, but in its flights of imagination and lyricism, its theme of redemption, and its melding of myth and history, it is uniquely Hugo” (Dolbow, 149, 214). “It had taken Hugo 17 years to produce what would become his magnum opus and one of the most influential novels ever written… It was an instant success and sales clearly showed that Hugo had managed to do something that no one had done before; he had reached the masses with a work of serious fiction. Everybody, all over the world, was reading the story of Jean Valjean, Fantine, Javert and Cosette” (Michaux). Text in French. Owner signature. Interiors generally quite clean, slightest foxing to fore-edges. Minimal edge-wear and tiny abrasions to calf, one volume with expert inner hinge repair. Gilt bright. A handsome set, very nearly fine.
• 27 • 27 LOGAN, James and MCIAN, Robert Ronald. The Clans of the Scottish Highlands. London, 1857. Two volumes. Folio (11 by 15 inches), publisher’s full red pebbled morocco, elaborately giltdecorated spines and covers, raised bands, all edges gilt. $11,500 Second edition of the first illustrated encyclopedia of traditional Scottish tartans, with two chromolithographic heraldic frontispieces and 72 vibrant, hand-colored lithographic plates after the celebrated paintings of Robert Ronald McIan. An excellent copy in splendid publisher’s deluxe morocco-gilt. Initially an aspiring actor in London, Robert Ronald McIan eventually abandoned the stage to develop his gifts as a painter. Today, he is best remembered for the vibrant and dramatic illustrations of Highlanders in their tartans that fill these volumes. McIan’s art, supplemented by text from scholar and journalist James Logan (author of the landmark The Scottish Gael, 1831), helped fuel the Victorian public’s fascination with Scottish costumes, particularly following the 1782 law prohibiting the wearing of Highland dress. Very popular at the time, McIan’s Clans is still considered the finest example of a large number of works on the subject. First published 1845-47 by Ackermann and Co.; this Willis and Sotheran edition is essentially an identical reissue of that earlier work with an altered letterpress title page, published shortly after McIan’s death in 1856. Hiller, 550. Tooley 322. Houfe, 219. See Colas 1892. Armorial bookplate in each volume. Occasional light spotting; hinges and spines expertly refurbished. A handsome copy in excellent condition. “FOND ADHERENCE TO THEIR PRIMITIVE GARB”: BEAUTIFUL COPY OF CLANS OF THE SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS, WITH 72 SPLENDID HAND-COLORED LARGE FOLIO PLATES OF TARTANS
• 28 • “ONE OF THE MOST MAGNIFICENT BOOKS IN THE ENTIRE LIBRARY OF GOLF”: LIMITED FIRST EDITION OF THE ROYAL AND ANCIENT GAME OF GOLF, 1912 28 HILTON, Harold H. and SMITH, Garden G., eds. The Royal & Ancient Game of Golf. London, 1912. Tall quarto, original full scarlet morocco gilt; custom slipcase and box. $4500 Limited first edition, number 190 of 900 copies, of Hilton and Smith’s tribute to the legendary history and traditions of golf, with color frontispiece and six plates (two in color), along with numerous in-text black-and-white illustrations, including many photographic portraits of famous golfers and courses, in publisher’s original gilt-stamped morocco. Hilton and Smith’s impressive volume “is one of the most magnificent books in the entire library of golf, comprehensive in content, very handsome in appearance and attractively illustrated” (Murdoch 348). Royal and Ancient Game of Golf traces the sport from its Scottish origins to its embrace worldwide, depicting many famous greens from St. Andrews to the links of Lombardtzyde and such leading contemporary golfers as John Ball, Harry Vardon, James Braid and Walter Travis, as well as noted golfing authors H.G. Hutchinson and Bernard Darwin. With extensive list of subscribers; front cover with gilt-stamped vignette of a lion above the giltlettered banner, “Far & Sure.” Issued along with a limited deluxe edition of 100 copies bound in vellum. Donovan & Murdoch 21090. Interior quite clean and fine, mild soiling and edge-wear to publisher’s morocco, gilt bright. A near-fine copy.
• 29 • BRADY, MONTANA, STARR, NAMATH, STAUBACH, BRADSHAW, AIKMAN, ELWAY: SIGNED BY ALL THE SUPER BOWL MVP AWARD WINNERS 29 (FOOTBALL). Super Bowl XL Opus. No place, 2006. Large thick folio (20 by 20 inches), original full leather, silk clamshell box, cardboard shipping carton. $15,000 First edition of this richly illustrated chronicle of the 40 Super Bowls, number 131 of only 400 copies signed by all Super Bowl “Most Valuable Player” award winners living in 2006: Bart Starr, Joe Namath, Len Dawson, Chuck Howley, Roger Staubach, Jake Scott, Larry Csonka, Franco Harris, Lynn Swann, Fred Biletnikoff, Randy White, Terry Bradshaw, Jim Plunkett, Joe Montana, John Riggins, Marcus Allen, Richard Dent, Phil Simms, Doug Williams, Jerry Rice, Ottis Anderson, Mark Rypien, Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, Steve Young, Larry Brown, Desmond Howard, Terrell Davis, John Elway, Kurt Warner, Ray Lewis, Tom Brady, Dexter Jackson, Deion Branch and Hines Ward. This lavishly illustrated history features iconic images from the 40 Super Bowls, and includes many previously unpublished photographs by the sport’s leading photographers, including Walter Iooss, Jr., Neil Leifer and Heinz Kluetmeier. An MVP portrait gallery, photographed by Iooss in Detroit in 2006, perfectly complements the signatures. Pulitzer Prize-winner David Halberstam has written the introduction, and many of America’s most celebrated sportswriters, including Dan Jenkins, Red Smith and Roy Blount, Jr., recount gripping tales of Super Bowl heroism. This massive volume weighs 88 pounds. With original shipping carton. Includes a pair of cotton gloves and instructions from the publisher for protecting and preserving the volume. A fine copy.
• 30 • SIGNED BY LEGENDARY FOOTBALL COACH AND PENNSYLVANIA ATHLETIC COMMISSIONER JOHN “OX” DAGROSA 30 DAGROSA, John. A Complete Bibliography of Football. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1935. Slim octavo, original printed beige paper wrappers. $950 First edition of this 1930s bibliography of works on American football, boldly signed on the title page by early football coach and Pennsylvania Athletic Commissioner John DaGrosa. Covering football writing from the late 1800s to 1935, this bibliography offers sections on nonfiction football books, football novels, and football newspaper and magazine articles. Author John DaGrosa was a Colgate University football player who later coached at Georgetown, Temple, and Holy Cross as well as for the Eagles. DaGrosa was also Pennsylvania Athletic Commissioner from 1949 to 1953, the year he died. Interior generally quite nice, just a couple tiny spots of soiling to wrappers, mild toning to rear wrapper. A handsome copy in near-fine condition.
• 31 • THE DIMAGGIO ALBUMS, ONE OF ONLY 700 SETS SIGNED BY DIMAGGIO 31 DIMAGGIO, Joe. The DiMaggio Albums. Selections from Public and Private Collections Celebrating the Baseball Career of Joe DiMaggio. New York, 1989. Two volumes. Quarto, original full blue morocco, blue cloth slipcase. $2200 Signed limited first edition, number 604 of 700 sets signed by DiMaggio on the limitation page in Volume I. Joltin’ Joe developed from “a gawky, awkward kid” to one of the game’s most graceful athletes— a “picture player” both at bat and in center field. Many rate DiMaggio’s 56-consecutive-game hitting streak in 1941 as the top baseball feat of all time. This two-volume commemorative album contains over 800 pages of newspaper accounts, photos and reproductions of memorabilia from DiMaggio’s incomparable career, with an introduction and commentary by DiMaggio himself, and signed by him. Fine condition.
• 32 • EARLY ILLUSTRATED BASEBALL CLASSIC, PATTEN AND MCSPADDEN’S BOOK OF BASEBALL, 1911 32 PATTEN, William and MCSPADDEN, J. Walker, editors. The Book of Baseball: The National Game from the Earliest Days to the Present Season. New York, 1911. Folio, original half maroon cloth, pictorial boards. $1500 First edition of this wonderfully illustrated folio volume on the early history of baseball, with cover design in the style of William Nicholson, frontispiece by Charles Dana Gibson and halftone photographs on nearly every page. This popular work includes chapters on baseball’s early history, league histories, technique and strategy, and also includes a full recap of the 1910 season and a preview of 1911. With hundreds of illustrations, many of which are photographs of historic ballparks, game situations, team pictures and portraits of the early greats, including Ty Cobb, Cy Young, Connie Mack, Joe Jackson and others. Smith 638. Grobani 6-10. Gift inscription. Interior crisp and fresh, text block and board edges with light expert restoration. A very good copy.
• 33 • SIGNED BY 44 BASEBALL PLAYERS, 15 HALL-OF-FAMERS INCLUDING BOB FELLER, RICHIE ASHBURN, RALPH KINER, YOGI BERRA, BOB GIBSON, AND BROOKS ROBINSON 33 (BASEBALL) HONIG, Donald. Baseball. The Illustrated History of America’s Game. New York, 1990. Quarto, original half red cloth, dust jacket. $3800 First edition of this profusely illustrated history of baseball through the 1980s, signed by 44 players, including 15 Hall-ofFamers—Johnny Mize, Bob Feller, Enos Slaughter, Hal Newhouser, Rich Ashburn, Ralph Kiner, Orlando Cepeda, Yogi Berra, Bob Gibson, Bill Mazeroski, Dick Allen, Brooks Robinson, Rollie Fingers, Jim Palmer and Jim Rice. The signatures are found throughout the text, always next to images of the signer; some players have signed multiple times. With signatures from Johnny Mize, Bob Feller, Barney McCoskey, Sam Chapman, Enos Slaughter, Hank Borowy, Hal Newhouser, Richie Ashburn, Del Ennis, Ralph Kiner, Ray Sievers, Joe Black, Bob Buhl, Orlando Cepeda, Yogi Berra, Ned Garver, Ralph Branca, Bobby Thomson, Bobby Shantz, Chico Carrasquel, Bill Bruton, Bob Avila, Bill Skowron, Frank Thomas, Gil McDougald, Vic Power, Elroy Face, Bob Gibson, Bob Friend, Bill Mazeroski, Clete Boyer, Bobby Richardson, John Roseboro, Frank Howard, Rico Petrocelli, Dick Allen, Brooks Robinson, Rollie Fingers, Garry Maddox, Jim Palmer, Jim Rice, Larry Bowa, Dave Cash and Greg Luzinski. Interior with soiling to page 151, otherwise fine; text block expertly repaired, mild wear to cloth spine; dust jacket crisp and fresh. A near-fine multi-signed copy.
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