Gilbert K. Chesterton
The Napoleon of Notting Hill
John Lane The Bodley Head, London: 1914
- $129
An attractive example of G. K. Chesterton's work of speculative alternate-reality fiction, illustrated throughout. First published in 1904, this is a 1914 edition of Chesterton's work, in the same pictorial cloth binding as the first edition.Illustrated with a frontispiece and seven further plates by William Graham Robertson. Collated, complete.Set in a nearly unchanged London in 1984, the novel presents a London run by an impersonal government, not described in any detail, but apparently content to operate through a figurehead king, who is randomly chosen from the public.With a bookseller's label to the front pastedown. In the publisher's original pictorial cloth binding. Boards bright. Bumping to back strip head and tail, with back strip lightly age toned. Bookseller's label to front pastedown. Internally, generally firmly bound. Pages bright, with light spotting to plates and the pages facing them. Very Good Indeed
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The Practical Poultry Keeper: A Complete and Standard Guide to the Management of Poultry, Whether For Domestic Use, the Markets, or Exhibition
An extensive guide to the keeping of poultry, an interesting agricultural work illustrated with vivid chromolithograph plates. A complete and standard guide to the keeping of poultry, for domestic use, market use, and for exhibition.Illustrated with a chromolithograph frontispiece, seven chromolithograph plates, and in-text engravings.Collated, complete.By L. Wright.The twelfth edition. Undated, dated from publisher's imprint; they were known as 'Cassell, Petter, & Galpin' between 1858 to 1878.Two pages of adverts to the rear. In the original publisher's cloth binding. Externally, generally smart, with light marks, and a slightly larger mark to the head of the front board. Minor bumping to the head and tail of the spine and to the extremities. A little cockling to the cloth to the front board. Light rubbing to the spine. Internally, generally firmly bound. Pages are bright with the occasional spots. Plate facing page 161 is detaching. Good Red Riding Hood
Not Stated A very scarce illustrated Nister volume of nursery rhymes, alongside 'Little Red Riding Hood', a colourful volume cut into the shape of Little Red. A very scarce work, a charming volume of 'Little Red Riding Hood' and various nursery rhymes collected into one volume, which is cut in the shape of Little Red Riding Hood.As well as 'Red Riding Hood', this volume includes 'Little Miss Muffet', 'Sing a Song of Sixpence', 'Jumping Joan', 'Christmas Time', 'Granny's Visitors', 'The Queen of Hearts', 'Jack and Jill', 'Old Mother Hubbard', 'The Babes in the Wood', and 'Simple Simon'.Illustrated in colour and monochrome throughout.Undated, dated from the copyright date.Faded stamp of Michael and Megan Dawson, a husband and wife who established a successful business dealing in and restoring pop-up books, to the rear board. In the original publisher's paper wraps. Externally, a little worn, with some light edge wear, and surface loss of paper to the extremities, a little heavier to the rear wrap. A couple of small chips. Little Red's hat has been provided in a smart hand-coloured facsimile. Wraps are a little age-toned with some light handling marks. Faded stamp to the rear wrap. Loss to the back strip. Internally, generally firmly bound. Pages are lightly age-toned and generally clean. Two of the illustrations have been hand-coloured by a prior owner. Repair to the head of the last leaf. Paper to the rear paste down is lifting. Good- $256
- $256
The Martian a Novel
George du Maurier George du Maurier's autobiographical novel, a smart limited edition copy, complete with illustrations by the author. A limited edition, limited to 250 large paper copies, of which this is numbered 31.'The Martian' follows the life of Barty Josselin, told by his good friend Robert Maurice. The tale starts with their school days in Paris in the 1850s, and follows as they return to England. Josselin's vision fails, and travels in order to find a cure. During this journey he has a dream in which a spirit from Mars, named Martia, comes to him and offers his guidance.Illustrated with a frontispiece, six plates, and many in-text illustrations.Collated, complete.Written and illustrated by George du Maurier. This is a largely autobiographical novel by the author known for his cartoons and Gothic novel 'Trilby'. He was also the grandfather of author Daphne du Maurier, and the grandfather of the five boys who inspired J. M. Barrie in writing 'Peter Pan'.Bookplate of Francis Bullard to the front paste down. In the original publisher's quarter vellum binding with cloth to the boards. Externally, smart, with some light marks to the boards and spine. Minor bumping to the extremities. Very small chip to the head of the spine. Discolouration to the extremities of the boards. Bookplate to the front paste down. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are bright and clean. Very Good- $197
- $197
Crumbling Idols: Twelve Essays on Art Dealing Chiefly with Literature, Painting and the Drama
Hamlin Garland A lovely example of the first edition of this collection of twelve essays by American literary figure Hamlin Garland. The first edition.The twelve essays in this collection include 'The Influence of Isben', 'The Local Novel', and 'Literary Prophecy'.Garland was an American novelist, poet, essayist, short story writer, Georgist, and parapsychologist. He is best known for his fiction involving Midwestern farmers.Evidence of bookplate removal to front pastedown. In the publisher's original cloth binding. Externally, excellent, with a touch of shelf wear to back strip tail. Evidence of bookplate removal to front pastedown. Internally, firmly bound. Pages clean and bright. Very Good Indeed- $142
- $142
Going-to-the-Sun
Vachel Lindsay [Nicholas Vachel Lindsay] A signed copy of the first edition of Nicholas Lindsay Vachel's charmingly illustrated volume of poetry. The first edition of this work, flat signed by the author to the front free endpaper.With vignette illustrations throughout from the author himself.Vachel Lindsay was an American poet and is considered a founder of modern 'singing poetry', as he referred to it, in which verses are meant to be sung or chanted, rather than read. In the publisher's original cloth binding. Bumping to back strip head and tail, otherwise externally excellent. Head of front hinge a touch strained, but firmly held. Inscription to front free endpaper. Internally, firmly bound. Pages clean and bright. Very Good- $164
- $164
The Newcomes
William Makepeace Thackeray; Arthur Pendennis [ed.] The first edition in book form of this novel from William Makepeace Thackery, illustrated with plates by Richard Doyle. The first edition in book form, with volume I published in 1854, and volume II in 1855. The true first edition of this work was published serially in 23 parts between 1854 and 1856.Thackeray's novel chronicles the affairs of a family of merchants, bankers, and petty aristocrats.Illustrated with an engraved frontispiece and title page to each volume, alongside a further forty-four plates, and further vignette illustrations by Richard Doyle. Collated, complete.Edited by 'Arthur Pendennis,' the protagonist in another novel by Thackeray, Pendennis, who is also the narrator to this story.Each volume retains the original half title.In critical commentary 'The Newcomes' has been regarded as a useful source to understand Victorian culture, with Thackeray mentioning several poets, painters, novelists and events of the time. In half calf bindings with marbled paper covered boards. Light rubbing to joints and back strip heads, otherwise externally smart. Internally, firmly bound. Significant spotting to plate perimeters, which are age toned. Pages generally clean and bright. Very Good- $210
- $210
Animal Traits & Characteristics; or, Sketches & Anecdotes of Animal Life. Second Series.
Rev. J. G. Wood [John George Wood] A lovely copy of this Victorian study of animal behaviours, by the parson-naturalist John George Wood, in a half morocco prize binding. A new edition of this work in a half morocco prize binding, with marbled boards, end papers and edges, and the gilt crest of Oswestry School to the front board. Prize bookplate from Oswestry School to the front free end paper, dated 1921. Illustrated with eight plates by British artist Harrison Weir (1824-1906). Collated, complete. John George Wood, or Reverend J. G. Wood (1827-1889), was a prolific and successful natural history writer, though rather as a populariser than as a scientist. In this work, Wood describes the traits and characteristics of various animals, such as the elephant, the lion, the frog, and many more. Undated, dated through copies held at the British Library. In a half morocco prize binding. Externally, smart, with a little rubbing to the joints, head and tail of the spine, and extremities. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are bright and clean. Very Good- $98
- $98
The Royal Tombs of Ancient Egypt
Aidan Dodson A lovely first edition of Dodson's sweeping historical work on the royal tombs of Ancient Egypt, signed by the author. The first edition, first impression of this work in the publisher's original boards, with the original unclipped dust wrapper.Inscribed by the author to 'Martin' to the title page.Aidan Mark Dodson is an English Egyptologist, historian and honorary professor of Egyptology at the University of Bristol. He is also a prolific author. In this work, Dodson covers the full extent of royal funerary monuments, embracing in detail the tombs of kings, queens, princes and princesses. With 96 pages of plates to the rear. In the publisher's original boards, with the original unclipped dust wrapper. Externally, boards are in lovely condition. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are very bright and clean. Dust wrapper is in excellent, bright condition. Fine- $125
- $125
The Merchant of Prato: Francesco di Marco Datini
Iris Origo A fascinating and beautifully illustrated biography of the Italian merchant Francesco Datini, whose private and business papers offer a valuable record of medieval trade. The first edition of this work in the publisher's original cloth binding, with the original unclipped dust wrapper. Illustrated with a colour frontispiece, three further colour plates, and twenty-one black and white illustrations. Collated, complete. Iris Origo's biography of Francesco Datini, an Italian merchant of Prato who is notable for having implemented the first partnership system in business in 1383. When he died in 1410, he left instructions to preserve all of his private business papers; and so they were, in a remarkable and unique collection of about one hundred and fifty thousand letters, more than five hundred ledgers and account books, as well as numerous insurance policies, bills of exchange, and much more. Origo presents the human side of those papers, creating a vivid picture of the man that was Francesco Datini, and the life he led in a fourteenth-century Italy. In the publisher's original cloth binding, with the original unclipped dust wrapper. Externally, cloth is in lovely condition. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are bright and clean. Dust wrapper is smart, though sunned to the spine with a scattering of spots to the panels and a little chipping to the head and tail of the spine. Three small tape repairs to the reverse of the wrap. Fine- $129
- $129
New Preface to “The Life and Confessions of Oscar Wilde”
Frank Harris; Lord Alfred Douglas The first edition of the additional preface intended to address Lord Alfred Douglas's criticisms of Frank Harris's biography of Oscar Wilde. The first edition of this work.Douglas was displeased with the suggestion made in Harris's biography that Douglas and Wilde had committed sodomy.Douglas had grown increasingly bitter about his relationship with Wilde and was eager to clear his name. Harris and Douglas aimed to clarify the nature of his relationship with Douglas. The preface is filled with recriminations, reflecting Douglas's hostility towards Wilde, and his desire to distance himself from the more scandalous aspects of Wilde's story.The "New Preface" was controversial, and did little to rehabilitate Douglas's reputation. In the publisher's original cloth binding. Bumping to back strip head and tail, with light fraying to cloth at back strip head. Internally, firmly bound. Pages clean and bright. Very Good Indeed- $98
- $98
