Literature & History (all items)
We offer free shipping
JOYCE, James.
Ulysses. 1922
£275,000
First edition, primary issue, one of 100 copies on Dutch handmade paper; this copy numbered 45 and signed by Joyce on the limitation page. The first printing of Ulysses consisted of...
Quarto; almost entirely unopened except for the final chapter. Original deep blue wrappers, title to front wrapper in white. Preserved in a contemporary morocco-backed... Read more
![[Opera, in Greek, edited by Demetrius Chalcondylas.]](/content/store/products/17986/2/33192.jpg)
HOMER.
[Opera, in Greek, edited by Demetrius Chalcondylas.] 1488/89]
£175,000
Editio princeps of the writings attributed to Homer, including the Iliad and the Odyssey, two of the earliest, most important and influential works of European literature. "The Iliad...
2 volumes, Median folio (332 × 238 mm). Lately rebound to style using 18th-century brown morocco, spine decorated in blind with urn and lyre devices etc in... Read more
SHAKESPEARE, William.
Comedies, Histories and Tragedies. 1685
£140,000
Fourth folio, and the last of the 17th-century editions of Shakespeare's works, edited by John Heminge (d. 1630) and Henry Condell (d. 1627), the seven plays added by Philip Chetwin...
Folio (356 × 230 mm). Nineteenth-century burgundy crushed morocco by Maltby of Oxford, spine richly gilt in compartments, sides ruled in gilt and with gilt... Read more
SHELLEY, Mary.
Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. In three volumes. 1818
£135,000
First edition of Mary Shelley's masterpiece of Gothic horror and early polemic against the hubris of modern science. Written when Mary Shelley was only nineteen, Frankenstein is not...
3 volumes, 12mo (177 × 107 mm). Contemporary calf, covers ruled in gilt with a single fillet, smooth spines, black morocco labels, gilt lozenge motifs in... Read more
STOKER, Bram.
Dracula. 1897
£125,000
First edition, scarce first issue published in May 1897, with no advertisements as issued and printed on slightly thicker stock. Presentation copy to Mrs W. S. Gilbert, with the...
Octavo. Original yellow cloth, titles to both boards and spine in red within a one-line red rule border, all edges untrimmed. Custom black cloth folding case, spine... Read more
HEMINGWAY, Ernest.
The Sun Also Rises. 1926
£125,000
First edition, first printing, first issue text, in first issue dust jacket, inscribed by Hemingway: "To Cuyler Stevens with all best wishes Ernest Hemingway" and with Stevens's...
Octavo. Original black cloth, gold paper title label to upper board and spine printed in black. With the pictorial dust jacket. Housed in a black quarter morocco drop... Read more
FITZGERALD, F. Scott.
The Great Gatsby. 1925
£120,000
First edition, first printing, first state of the text, first issue dust jacket. The copy is the correct first printing, with "chatter" on p. 60, line 16, "northern" on p. 119, line...
Octavo. Original green cloth, titles to spine gilt and to upper board in blind, top edge trimmed others uncut. With the dust jacket. Housed in a dark green quarter... Read more
AUSTEN, Jane.
Sense and Sensibility: a novel. In three volumes. By a Lady. 1811
£100,000
First edition of Jane Austen's first published novel, scarce thus in the original boards, and with a distinguished provenance. From the libraries of Sir John Shelley, 6th Baronet...
3 volumes, duodecimo. Uncut in the original publisher's boards, original pink paper labels on spines, skilfully rebacked preserving most of the original spines.... Read more
FAULKNER, William.
The Marble Faun. 1924
£100,000
First edition, first printing of the author's rare first book. The dedication copy inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, "To Dad and Mother Xmas 1924 William Faulkner"....
Octavo. Original green boards, printed paper label to upper board. Housed in a green cloth drop down box. Contents somewhat toned, pastedowns bubbled, backstrip... Read more
JOYCE, James.
Ulysses. 1922
£85,000
First edition, first impression, one of 750 printed on handmade paper. The first edition of Ulysses is a notoriously vulnerable production. An uncommonly long work to begin with and...
Small quarto. Original blue wrappers, titles to upper wrapper in white, all edges untrimmed. Housed in a blue cloth solander box. Some minimal rubbing to the edges,... Read more
[CLEMENS, Samuel Langhorne] TWAIN, Mark.
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. 1876
£67,500
First American edition, first printing, printed on wove paper, with the half-title and frontispiece printed on separate leaves (verso of half-title and recto of frontispiece blank).
Square octavo. Original blue vertically-ribbed cloth decoratively stamped in black and gilt and lettered in gilt and blind on front cover and spine, back cover... Read more
JOYCE, James.
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. 1916
£65,000
First edition, first printing. A superb example of one of the legendary rarities of twentieth-century literature. Due at least in part to the adverse reception of the Egoist...
Octavo. Original blue linen, titles to upper board in blind and to spine gilt. With the dust jacket. In a quarter blue morocco box. An exceptional copy in the little... Read more
BECKETT, Samuel.
Murphy. 1938
£62,500
First edition, first impression, first issue binding with the smooth green cloth and gilt titles, one of no more than 718 copies thus. Beckett's first novel is recognized now as one...
Octavo. Original green cloth, titles to spine gilt. With the dust jacket. Housed in a black quarter morocco solander box made by The Chelsea Bindery. Top edge very... Read more
HEMINGWAY, Ernest.
Three Stories & Ten Poems. 1923
£62,500
First edition, sole printing. Apparently one of 300 copies. The author's first book. A signed presentation copy inscribed on the second blank leaf, "To Don Marquis from Ernest...
Octavo. Original blue/grey wrappers printed in black. Housed in a black quarter morocco solander box made by The Chelsea Bindery. Contents very lightly toned,... Read more
YEATS, W. B.
Reveries Over Childhood and Youth. 1916
£60,000
First English edition of Yeats's first autobiography; a canonical presentation copy, inscribed in the month of publication, "Ezra Pound from W. B. Yeats, October 1916." One of 1,000...
Octavo. Original blue cloth, decoration and titles to upper board and spine gilt designed by Sturge Moore, edges untrimmed. Custom blue morocco-backed slipcase and... Read more
(KELMSCOTT PRESS) CHAUCER, Geoffrey.
The Works of Geoffrey Chaucer now newly imprinted. 1896
£60,000
First Kelmscott edition, one of 425 copies on paper. The book was originally issued in either the standard Kelmscott binding of quarter holland boards or in full pigskin by the Doves...
Folio. Bound by Sangorski & Sutcliffe in full pigskin over heavy reverse bevelled boards, raised bands and headcaps, compartments ruled in gilt, gilt lettered in... Read more
MILTON, John.
Paradise lost. 1667
£50,000
First edition of Milton's great epic poem, first issue, with Amory's state 1(b) of the title-page (the traditional first state), dated 1667 and with Milton's name spelled in full and...
Quarto (181 × 133 mm). Early 20th-century full crushed red morocco by Riviere & Sons, sides with double frame in gilt and blind enclosing central gilt cartouche,... Read more
CATHER, Willa.
The Troll Garden. 1905
£50,000
First edition of the author's first prose work. Presentation copy; inscribed to the great American illustrator and writer Howard Pyle, "Will Mr. Howard Pyle accept through me the...
Octavo. Original cloth in the dust jacket. In a red quarter morocco solander case. Edge of front pastedown scraped, else a fine copy in a very good dust jacket with... Read more
JOYCE, James.
Ulysses. 1922
£50,000
First edition. From a total edition of 1000 copies this is copy number 619 of the last 750 on handmade paper. There were also 100 signed copies on thicker paper and 150 large paper...
Small quarto. Original blue wrappers, titles to cover in white. In a blue quarter morocco solander case with marbled sides and blue chemise. Lightly rubbed, spine... Read more
YEATS, W. B.
October Blast. 1927
£45,000
First edition, presentation copy, with the author's signed inscription in the month of publication on the first blank: "Olivia Shakespear from WB Yeats August 1927". Olivia...
Octavo. Original blue grey boards with grey cloth spine, titles to upper board in black, titles to label on spine in black. Custom black morocco-backed slipcase and... Read more
YEATS, W. B.
Stories of Red Hanrahan. 1904
£45,000
First edition, presentation copy, with the author's signed inscription to the first leaf recto, "Lady Gregory from her friend W. B. Yeats, April 18, 1905." On the following leaf,...
Octavo. Original linen-backed blue boards, white paper title label to upper board and spine printed in black, blue endpapers. Custom blue morocco-backed slipcase and... Read more
YEATS, W. B.
The Tower. 1928
£45,000
First edition, presentation copy, with the author's signed inscription in ink on the front free endpaper, "Lady Ottoline Morrell from WB Yeats June 22 1928", and signed by the author...
Octavo. Original green cloth, upper board and spine elaborately blocked after a design by Sturge Moore and titles gilt, all edges untrimmed. Custom green... Read more
COLLINS, Wilkie.
The Woman in White. 1860
£45,000
First edition, published on or around 15 August 1860 (preceding the New York edition by two weeks), of the classic early mystery novel, Collins's "best-known novel" and his "greatest...
3 volumes, octavo. Original violet-blue close bead-grain cloth, spines lettered and decorated in gilt, sides with decorative panel blocked in blind, cream endpapers,... Read more
[BRONTË, Charlotte]
Jane Eyre. An Autobiography. Edited by Currer Bell. 1847
£39,500
First edition of one of the keystone books for any collection of 19th-century literature, Charlotte Brontë's first novel and the first published novel of any of the Brontë...
3 volumes, octavo. Contemporary blond half calf, double green morocco labels, spines gilt in compartments with flower-head tools and lattice work, matching... Read more
BECKETT, Samuel.
More Pricks Than Kicks. 1934
£37,500
First edition, first impression of the author's first published book of fiction (preceded only by the poem Whoroscope and his essay Proust). This is certainly Beckett's scarcest...
Octavo. Original tan cloth, titles to spine in blue, top edge stained tan. With the dust jacket. Housed in a quarter green morocco folding case. Pages just a little... Read more
