Literature
Showing 301–320 of 4080 results
-
Browse by Category
- Browse All
- Americana
- Art and Architecture
- Autograph Letters Signed
- Biography and Autobiography
- Children's Books
- Economics and Finance
- Featured Rare Books
- Fine Bindings and Sets
- First Edition
- First Edition>Signed
- Food and Wine
- Framed Autographs and Historical Documents
- Geography
- Gifts
- Gifts - For Her
- Gifts - For Him
- Gifts - Graduation and Celebrations
- Gifts - Holidays
- History, Law, and Politics
- Literature
- Music
- New Arrivals
- Philosophy
- Photography
- Poetry
- Presidents and World Leaders
- Religion
- Science and Natural History
- Science Fiction and Mystery
- Signed
- Signed & Autographed Books
- Sports and Leisure
- Travel and Exploration
- Uncategorized
-
Scarce second edition of The First Spelling Primer; or an Easy Introduction to the Art of Reading Adorned with Emblematic Pictures
The First Spelling Primer; or an Easy Introduction to the Art of Reading Adorned with Emblematic Pictures.
London-Derry: Published by G. Douglas, 1795.
Second edition of this scarce 18th century spelling primer. 16mo, original limp paper boards, illustrated with twenty-six small text woodcuts illustrating the Prince's Alphabet, followed by an ABC poem, The Alphabet in Rhime, syllables of two and three letters, easy words, easy reading lessons, the Lord's Prayer, and a publisher's advertisement leaf aimed at children mentioning four other titles: The Ladder to Learning; Manson's Spelling Primer; Manson's Spelling Book; and The Universal Spelling Book. In good condition. Ownership name to the front panel. Housed in a custom folding case. Exceptionally rare with no other copies traced in auction records, nor…
Price: $12,500.00 Item Number: 135238
-
First Edition, First Issue of Pearl Buck's Masterpiece The Good Earth; In the Rare Original Dust Jacket
BUCK, Pearl S.
The Good Earth.
New York: The John Day Company, 1931.
First edition, first issue with "flees" for "fleas" on page 100, line 17 of the author's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel and masterpiece. Octavo, original brown cloth, illustrated endpapers. Near fine in an excellent dust jacket with some professional restoration. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box made by the Harcourt Bindery. Rare in the original dust jacket.
Price: $12,500.00 Item Number: 138099
-
“You cannot conceive, nor can I, of the appalling strangeness of the mercy of God": First Edition of Graham Greene's Brighton Rock; Inscribed by Him
GREENE, Graham.
Brighton Rock.
New York: The Viking Press, 1938.
First American edition, preceding the British edition by one month of Greene's chilling expose of violence and gang warfare in the pre-war underworld is a classic of its kind. Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, "For Clive affectionately, Graham." The recipient Clive Francis is a British actor, known for his roles in Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange, Inspector Clouseau and The Crown and was a friend of Greene's. An excellent example in a very good dust jacket with rubbing and wear. Jacket design by George Salter. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box.…
Price: $12,500.00 Item Number: 106788
-
FIRST EDITIONS OF THE ADVENTURES AND MEMOIRS OF SHERLOCK HOLMES; In Exceptional Condition
DOYLE, Arthur Conan.
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes.
London: George Newnes, Limited, 1892-1894.
First editions of Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic stories starring literature’s most famous detective, with an autographed letter. Octavo, original pictorial black and gilt-stamped light blue and dark blue cloth, illustrated by Sidney Paget, patterned endpapers, all edges gilt. First issues, the first title with the street scene vignette with no text on the street sign and with "Violent" for "Violet" on p 317. Each are in near fine condition with the spine gilt fresh. Each is housed in a custom half morocco slipcase. An exceptional set, most rare and desirable in this condition.
Price: $12,500.00 Item Number: 146225
-
“Across the yard, brilliant against the façade of pines beyond, a cardinal shot like a drop of blood": First Edition of Cormac McCarthy’s First Book The Orchard Keeper; Signed by the author
MCCARTHY, Cormac.
The Orchard Keeper.
New York: Random House, 1965.
First edition of the author's rare first book. Octavo, original half cloth. Boldly signed by Cormac McCarthy on the front free endpaper. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket with some light wear to the extremities, closed tear with archival tape repair. Jacket design by Muriel Nasser. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box made by the Harcourt Bindery.
Price: $12,500.00 Item Number: 140633
-
“That is just the way with some people. They get down on a thing when they don’t know nothing about it": First Edition Of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in The Rare Original Publisher’s Morocco
TWAIN, Mark [Samuel L. Clemens].
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn [Tom Sawyer’s Comrade].
New York: Charles L. Webster and Company, 1885.
First edition, first issue of Twain's masterpiece, one of approximately 500 copies bound in publisher's three-quarters morocco binding. Octavo, original three-quarters brown morocco and marbled boards, gilt-decorated spine, marbled endpapers. Lithographic frontispiece and with 174 illustrations by E.W. Kemble, photographic portrait frontispiece of the bust of Mark Twain by Karl Gerhardt. Copies of Huckleberry Finn in the original publisher's leather bindings are quite rare: "The relative rarity of the cloth and leather bindings is clear. Less than two weeks before publication, [the publisher] Webster announced that he was binding 20,000 copies in cloth, another 2,500 in sheep, and 500 copies…
Price: $12,500.00 Item Number: 73064
-
"In an old house in Paris that was covered with vines Lived twelve little girls in two straight lines...": First Edition of Madeline; Inscribed by Ludwig Bemelmans
BEMELMANS, Ludwig.
Madeline.
New York: Simon and Schuster, 1939.
First edition, first issue of this classic children's book with the 1939 date on the title page and with 12 girls instead of 11 in the "They went home and broke their bread" illustration. Thin folio, original illustrated boards, color illustrations throughout, illustrated endpapers. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, "For Elinor Green Ludwig Bemelmans." The recipient, Elinor Green, was the promotions director at Simon and Schuster in the 1940s, and married Merle Miller in 1948. Near fine in a very good dust jacket. Light rubbing to the extremities and spine of the dust jacket,…
Price: $12,500.00 Item Number: 146780
-
“My philosophy is that you can't explain the world. It's too big and it's too crazy and sometimes it's funny and most of the time it's... strange": First Edition of The Town and the City; Lengthily inscribed by Jack Kerouac
KEROUAC, Jack.
The Town and the City.
New York: Harcourt, Brace and Company, 1950.
First edition of the Jack Kerouac's first book. Octavo, original red cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, "To Dave Creviston To Scribner's With Luck To Dave With Luck (f.s) Jack Kerouac." An interesting inscription as Kerouac submitted this work to Charles Scribner's Sons twice, and was rejected both times before being accepted by Harcourt Brace. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box made by the Harcourt Bindery. An exceptional inscription, rare and desirable.
Price: $12,500.00 Item Number: 131371
-
Rare First Illustrated Edition in English of Cervantes’ Masterpiece Don Quixote
CERVANTES SAAVEDRA, Miguel de.
The History of the Most Renowned Don Quixote of Mancha: And his Trusty Squire Sancho Pancha, Now Made English according to the Humour of our Modern Language. And Adorned with several Copper Plates.
London: Printed by Tho. Hodgkin, and are to be sold by John Newton, 1687.
First edition of the first illustrated edition in English of Don Quixote. Folio, bound in three quarters calf over marbled boards, gilt titles to the spine, raised bands. With copper-engraved frontispiece and eight copper-engraved plates, each bearing two images. Translated by John Phillips. In very good condition with all plates present, signature trimmed. A very sharp example.
Price: $12,500.00 Item Number: 133909
-
Rare 1925 Printing of the Piano solo and second piano score for Rhapsody in Blue; Inscribed by George Gershwin
GERSHWIN, George.
George Gershwin Signed Rhapsody in Blue Piano Score.
New York: Harms Incorporated, 1925.
Rare 1925 printing of the piano score for the orchestral composition that defined the jazz age, first published in 1924. Small folio, original illustrated wrappers, piano solo and second piano in score. Presentation copy, inscribed by George Gershwin on the title page, "For Mr. Fuerst - with all best wishes George Gershwin." The recipient, Eugene Fuerst, was conductor and director of the Portland Civic Opera Association and the Theater Arts Opera Association. In very good condition with some loss and creasing to the cover and slight toning to the title page. A beautiful signature from Gershwin.
Price: $12,500.00 Item Number: 145285
-
“Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own": First Edition of Robert A. Heinlein's Stranger In A Strange Land; Inscribed by Him
HEINLEIN, Robert A.
Stranger In A Strange Land.
New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1961.
First edition, first issue with code C22 in the gutter of page 408 (Currey, 193) of Heinlein's masterpiece. Octavo, original green cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, "To Forrest K. Dart- All good wishes! Bob Heinlein." Near fine in a near fine price-clipped dust jacket. Jacket design by Ben Feder, Inc. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box. A sharp example, rare and desirable signed and inscribed.
Price: $12,500.00 Item Number: 117628
-
The original publisher's Galley Proof of Stephen King's The Plant: Part Three; With King's edits and annotations, approved and signed by him
KING, Stephen.
The Plant: Part Three Stephen King Original Annotated Galley Proof.
Bangor, Maine: Philtrum Press, 1985.
The original publisher's galley proof of Part Three of King's rare unfinished epistolary novel, initially published in parts and sent to his close friends in lieu of Christmas cards. Folded, the proof measures 60 inches by 19 inches with a typed note from King's publisher on the title page and King's inscription, "copy-edit complete. Steve King/." With King's annotations and edits throughout. In near fine condition. Exceptionally rare, a highly desirable rarity for the King collector.
Price: $12,500.00 Item Number: 136241
-
First Edition of William Faulkner's Intruder In The Dust; Inscribed by Him to his Cousin
FAULKNER, William.
Intruder In The Dust.
New York: Random House, 1948.
First edition of this classic Faulkner novel, which explores the lives of a family of characters in the South. Octavo, original cloth. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, "For Sally Burns William Faulkner 16 April." The recipient Sallie Faulkner Burns was William Faulkner‘s first cousin and was a great friend to Maud, William‘s mother. This was given to her by Faulkner and has remained in the family until now. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket with a touch of rubbing. Jacket design by E. McKnight Kauffer. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box.
Price: $12,500.00 Item Number: 114816
-
"The past is never dead. It's not even past": First Edition of Requiem for a Nun; Inscribed by William Faulkner to Editor John Bott and with an original drawing
FAULKNER, William.
Requiem for a Nun.
London: Chatto & Windus, 1953.
First British edition of the sequel to Faulkner's Sanctuary. Octavo, original cloth. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper in the year of publication on the title page and with an original drawing by Faulkner on the front free endpaper, "For John Bott William Faulkner New York 3 Mar 1953." The recipient, John Bott was the City Editor of the New York Post who wore leg braces his whole life due to polio. Bott's friend had just brought him the book from London. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Paul Hogarth.…
Price: $12,500.00 Item Number: 144084
-
"To my sweetheart, Sylvia": Sylvia Plath's childhood copy of A Little Maid in Vermont; inscribed to her by her mother
CURTIS, Alice Turner [Sylvia Plath].
A Little Maid of Vermont.
Philadelphia: The Penn Publishing Company, 1927.
First edition of the author's children's classic; from the library of Sylvia Plath. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated by Grace Norcross. Presentation copy, inscribed by Sylvia Plath's mother on the front free endpaper, "Feb. 10, 1941 To my sweetheart, Sylvia from Mommy" and with her father, Otto Plath's, embossed library stamp. Sylvia Plath was born in Boston, Massachusetts. Her mother, Aurelia Schober Plath, was a second-generation American of Austrian descent, and her father, Otto Plath (1885–1940), was from Grabow, Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Germany and worked as a professor of biology at Boston University. Plath would have been 8 years old when her mother…
Price: $12,500.00 Item Number: 134822
-
"Who Is Content Only With The Right Word": First Edition of Death of a Naturalist; Inscribed by Seamus Heaney to his Aunt
HEANEY, Seamus.
Death of a Naturalist.
London: Faber and Faber, 1966.
First edition of Heaney's first major published volume. Octavo, original green cloth with titles to the spine in gilt. Association copy, inscribed by the author to his aunt in a contemporary hand on the front free endpaper, "For Aunt Annie: who is content only with the right word. Love, Seamus." Additionally signed by Heaney in full on the title page. Fine in very good dust jacket with sunning to the pink portion of the spine and some overall wear. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box made by the Harcourt Bindery. Association copies of this caliber seldom enter the…
Price: $12,500.00 Item Number: 3529
-
“We're forever teetering on the brink of the unknowable, and trying to understand what can't be understood": First Edition of Isaac Asimov's The Caves of Steel; Signed by Him
ASIMOV, Isaac.
The Caves of Steel.
Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Company, Inc, 1954.
First edition of the first work in Asimov's acclaimed Robot series. Octavo, original blue boards, red topstain. Signed by Isaac Asimov on the title page. Light wear to the cloth, near fine in a very good dust jacket with some rubbing and wear to the extremities. Dust jacket design by Ruth Ray. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box. Rare and desirable signed.
Price: $12,500.00 Item Number: 39015
-
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
-
“We all have souls of different ages": First Edition of The Beautiful and the Damned; In the Rare Original Dust Jacket
FITZGERALD, F. Scott.
The Beautiful and the Damned.
New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1922.
First edition, first state of the author's second novel. Octavo, original green cloth, titles to the spine in gilt. Very good in a very good dust jacket with some professional restoration. Jacket illustrated by W.E. Hill. Housed in a custom clamshell box.
Price: $12,500.00 Item Number: 138104
-
First edition of Ambergris: A Selection From the Poems; inscribed by Aleister Crowley to English Zionist Sir Henry Ludwig Mond, 2nd Baron Melchett
CROWLEY, Aleister.
Ambergris: A Selection From the Poems.
London: Elkin Mathews, 1910.
First edition of this scarce collection of Crowley's poetry. Octavo, original publisher's boards lettered in gilt, rebacked, frontispiece portrait. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the rear free endpaper, "Henry Mond from Aleister Crowley." The recipient, Sir Henry Ludwig Mond, 2nd Baron Melchett was an English politician, industrialist and Zionist. He served as Member of Parliament for the Isle of Ely 1923-24 as a Liberal and deputy chairman of Imperial Chemical Industries from 1940 to 1947. Having been brought up in the Church of England, he reverted in the 1930s to his family's original Judaism and became a champion…
Price: $12,500.00 Item Number: 146395