Rare books in the heart of Mayfair
Peter Harrington today announced the opening of their second premises in the heart of London’s West End, situated at 43 Dover Street, adding cultural strength to an area otherwise more recently inhabited by high-fashion brands.
The new shop – envisioned as a gallery space and show room for particularly rare books – occupies the ground and basement floors of the building next door to The Arts Club and directly opposite Dover Street Wine Bar.
This Mayfair opening provides a convenient central-London alternative to Peter Harrington’s shop at 100 Fulham Road, Chelsea, which the bookseller has traded from since 1997.
Owner Pom Harrington is confident that Dover Street will be the perfect fit for the company, noting the literary heritage of the area.
“We’re proud to take our place alongside the antiques dealers and galleries already present between top-level bars, members clubs and fastion retailers,” he said.
“Mayfair has a significant connection to the literary world going back to the 1800s – Brown’s Hotel was founded by Lord Byron’s valet, while Edward Moxon published works by Mary Shelley and William Wordsworth whilst living on this very street.”
The new shop space will stock the classics – ancient and modern – alongside particularly rare items including:
• Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities, 1859: first edition of his best-selling novel, inscribed by him to then virtually unknown George Eliot.
• James Joyce, Ulysses, 1922; one of 100 copies on Dutch paper signed by Joyce, the primary issue in original blue-green wrappers.
• William Shakespeare, Comedies, Histories and Tragedies, 1632; the so-called Second Folio, the earliest practicably obtainable collected edition.
• Mary Shelley, Frankenstein, 1818; the rare first edition of her masterpiece, one of 500 copies printed.
43 Dover Street is open 10am-6pm, Monday to Saturday.
