[Gorey, Edward] The Dripping Faucet: Fourteen Hundred & Fifty-Eight Tiny, Tedious, & Terrible Tales.
Gorey, Edward

Tall, thin quarto, measuring 11 1/4 by 2 1/4 inches. (4)ff., (or 36, depending on how you count). One of 500 copies signed by Gorey. This unusual transformation book follows two characters, V and W, who resemble salt and pepper shakers and experience changeable fates. Each page is slit into nine sections, each of which, with its own illustration, can be opened independently of the others, thus creating the possibility of the 1,458 tales indicated by the title. This is a fine copy in original green wrappers.

[Miniature] The Last Will and Testament of an Extremely Distinguished Dog.
O'Neill, Eugene

26pp. One of 1000 copies. The great playwright's whimsical epitaph to his Dalmatian, Blemie. With a black & white frontispiece portrait of O'Neill and his dog. Bound in full tan calf, with gilt titling to the front cover as well as a Dalmatian tooled in blind. A fine copy with just a bit of toning to the edges of the back cover. A.e.g. (See Bromer and Edison, pp. 156-158). (2 15/16 by 2 1/8; 75x54mm).

[Dwiggins, W. A.] Extracts from an Investigation into the Physical Properties of Books as They are at Present Published. Undertaken by the Society of Calligraphers.
Dwiggins, W. A

Octavo. (18)pp. First edition of this amusing spoof, published in part by Dwiggins, which proves that "All Books of the present day are Badly Made." A touch of offsetting from the wrappers to terminal leaves, else a remarkably fine copy of this elusive title in kettle-stitched printed wrappers.

Desert Islands and Robinson Crusoe.
de la Mare, Walter

Small quarto. First edition. One of 650 copies signed by de la Mare. With an engraved title-page and decorations by Rex Whistler, with tissue guards. Some pages uncut. Spine slightly rubbed, slightest toning to endpapers, else fine in bright gilt-stamped green cloth. Lacking the slipcase. T.e.g.

[Cruikshank, George] An Essay on the Genius of Geo. Cruikshank.
Thackeray, William Makepeace

Octavo. 60pp. Reprints Thackeray's text as it first appeared in The Westminster Review in 1840. This is an extra-illustrated copy with 79 plates taken from books illustrated by Cruikshank, of which twenty-three are in color. An etched portrait of Cruikshank by F. W. Pailthorpe appears on an engraved title page. In full purple crushed morocco by Morrell with wide double-ruled upper and lower panels, spine with Art Deco-style floral tooling in four compartments, and gilt turn-ins. Spine sunned, oil offsetting from binding to upper margin of preliminary leaves. Overall, a near fine copy. T.e.g.

The Letters of D. H. Lawrence.
Lawrence, D. H.

Quarto. xxxiv, 834pp. First American edition. Edited and with an Introduction by Aldous Huxley. Black cloth boards, stamped in gilt and red. Near fine, with light edgewear and rubbing to front board. Very good dust jacket that shows wear to edges, light soiling, tanned spine, and some rubbing. Previous owner's signature on front endpaper.

Japan: An Attempt at Interpretation.
Hearn, Lafcadio

Octavo. First edition. Hearn's work introduced the West to Meiji-era Japanese culture and contributed to the mania of Orientalism that began sweeping through Europe in the late nineteenth century. This book was published shortly after Hearn's death in September 1904. In brown cloth with gilt lettering and a Japanese device. A brilliant copy of a book rarely seen in this condition. (BAL 7941).

Story for Sara. What Happened to a Little Girl.
Allais, Alphonse

Oblong 12mo. (18)ff. One of twenty-six lettered copies, signed by Gorey. An ironic tale, illustrated Gorey's characteristic drawings. What happened to the little girl was not very nice, but then again, neither was she. Some slight fading to spine and the faintest trace of soil to front cover, else very fine in yellow illustrated wrappers. (Toledano A41a).

Pudd'nhead Wilson's Calendar for 1894.
Twain, Mark (Samuel Clemens)

16pp. Mark Twain's smallest first edition, form C (no priority). Issued as an advertisement for The Century Magazine, which was running "Pudd'nhead Wilson" in serial form. The calendar may have been produced from multiple, not duplicate, settings, and it is possible that all three forms were issued simultaneously. Each month shows a droll paragraph from Mark Twain, such as the one that ends: "put all your eggs in one basket and--watch that basket." Contains an illustration of "Thumb Prints" and a long quotation in which Pudd'nhead discusses the new method of detecting by means of fingerprints. The typesetting is intentionally and comically incompetent, with letters upside down. A delightful, very rare, and fragile Twain item. 1/8 inch tear to cover, still unusually fine in printed yellow wrappers. (BAL 3439). (3 by 2 1/2; 76x60mm).

North of Boston.
Frost, Robert

First edition. From an edition of 1000 copies, this is one of 200 in the sixth binding state. This was one of two binding states that were done by the Dunster House Bookshop in 1923 in Cambridge, MA when the remaining first edition sheets were sold off by Simpkin Marshall. Inscribed by Frost to John Adams Lowe, a former librarian at Wiliams College, on the title page. A fine copy in leaf-green cloth, gilt titled, with the seldom seen original glassine.

Great Expectations.
Dickens, Charles

Three octavo volumes. (iv), 344pp.; (ii), 351pp.; (ii), 344, + 32pp. of advertisements dated May, 1861. First edition, first impression. One of 1,000 copies. Widely acknowledged as Dickens's masterpiece, Great Expectations was one of only two novels not published in monthly parts and published without illustrations. It was serialized in the weekly periodical All the Year Round from December 1860 to August 1861; the first edition appeared on 6 July 1861. Great Expectations is the rarest of Dickens' larger books in that most of the first edition was purchased by libraries; those copies that survive, therefore, are usually not in good condition. This copy conforms to nearly all points established in the Clarendon edition; the exceptions all occurring in Vol. III, which points to a later state occurring within the first impression of that volume. Four additional printings, which were designated "editions," quickly followed, with all misprints preserved. This is a fine copy in publisher's bright violet cloth stamped in blind and gilt, showing minor toning to the spines. Inner hinges of volumes 1 and 3 barely starting. Housed in a full-morocco folding case which bears the bookplates of noted Dickens collectors Kenyon Starling and William E. Self.

The Prisoner of Chillon.
Byron, (George Gordon) Lord

Octavo. 60 pp. First edition. Lacking leaf E8 and half-title. Bound by Sangorski and Sutcliffe in full navy levant morocco. Panels triple ruled and feature a center device consisting of a capital B below a coronet, surrounded by a laurel-patterned circular frame featuring four simple flowers formed of red onlays. On the inside front doublure is a fine Cosway-style miniature portrait on ivory of a youthful Byron, in a recessed frame with elaborate tooling in blind and gilt. Leather booklabel of Hannah Rabinowitz on verso of front endpaper. A very fine example of this binding style, housed in a fleece-lined folding case.

Sylvie and Bruno. Together with Sylvie and Bruno Concluded.
Carroll, Lewis

Two octavo volumes. xxiii, 400pp., + 3pp. advertisements; xxxi, 423 pp., + 5 pp. advertisements. First editions. Each volume inscribed to "Mrs. Morgan" by the author on the half-title, the first volume bearing Carroll's handwritten date of December 12. Apparently, this is the same copy of Sylvie and Bruno mentioned in The Lewis Carroll Handbook by Williams, Madan, and Green. Carroll was still correcting page proofs of the book in November of 1889, "but a presentation copy is known which was dispatched on 12 Dec. in that year," according to the authors. In the companion volume, Carroll dates the inscription to Morgan December 27, two days prior to the book's official release, indicating a second presentation copy and a significant association with Morgan. Each volume contains 46 black and white illustrations by Harry Furniss, who in discussing his relationship with Carroll once mused, "I was willful and erratic, bordering on insanity. We therefore got along splendidly." Bound by Riviere and Son in full red morocco, with gilt-rule border to both boards, gilt decorative device at corners of turn-ins, and marbled endpapers. Spine in six compartments, gilt lettered. Original bindings of full red cloth bound in, each cover bearing a small gilt illustration of one of the characters from the book within a circular border. Both volumes very fine. A.e.g. (Williams, Madan & Green 217, 250).

Excerpts from Visions of Cody.
Kerouac, Jack

One of 750 numbered copies signed by the author. Selections from Kerouac's lengthy character study of Neal Cassady, who appears here as the title character, Cody Pomeray. It was in On the Road that Kerouac first immortalized Cassady as the frenzied, charismatic Beat firgure Dean Moriarty. Their friendship was intense and mutually influential, even if the two more or less parted ways in the Sixties, when Cassady took up with the Merry Pranksters and became involved in the San Francisco psychedelic scene. Cassady has been credited with helping to transform Kerouac's writing from a traditional narrative style to the tumbling, "first thought best thought" mode for which he is so well known. Indeed, in the preface to this book, Kerouac comments that his intention was to write "an enormous paen which would unite my vision of America with words spilled out in the modern spontaneous method. Instead of just a horizontal account of travels on the road, I wanted a vertical, metaphysical study of Cody's character. . . ." Bound in cream boards backed in purple cloth, in original acetate wrapper. Very minor bump at top edge of upper board, small closed tears to acetate at spine head and foot, else a very fine copy. Publisher's announcement laid in.

A Sermon by Robert Frost Spoken on the First Day of the Feast of Tabernacles at the Rockdale Avenue Temple, Cincinnati, Ohio, Thursday Morning, October 10, 1946.
Frost, Robert

First edition. One of 500 copies. Crane erroneously reports that Frost did not authorize publication of this impromptu sermon, which has perhaps contributed to the story that more than half the edition was destroyed by Frost and Spiral Press owner Joseph Blumenthal. In his book, Robert Frost and His Printers, Blumenthal sets the record straight: the copies were distributed to Frost, Rabbi Victor Reichert, and Blumenthal. After re-reading the text, Frost realized "that something in the sermon as printed would offend someone then still living," and he requested that the edition be suppressed. A scarce Frost A item that shows light wrinkling to upper front cover, else fine in plum wrappers with paper label.

One Arm and Other Stories.
WILLIAMS, TENNESSEE

Octavo. (211) pp. First edition. One of fifty copies, signed by the author. One of Williams' scarcest publications. Very fine in three-quarters paste paper with toned parchment spine, gilt-stamped on spine. T.e.g. In slipcase with printed label, slightly worn at extremities.

[Huxley, Aldous] The Palatine Review, Numbers 1 - 5 (all published).
Huxley, Aldous

Two 12mo volumes + three tall octavo volumes. (54), (ii); (52), (iv); (28), (iv); (24), (vi); (30), (ii)pp. Complete run of the literary periodical established by Aldous Huxley, along with fellow Oxonians T.W. Earp (later an art critic for The Daily Telegraph) and Grattan Esmonde. Huxley published a number of early writings here, including several prose pieces that were not reprinted elsewhere: "The Chimney," "The Death of Pellenore," and "From a Lyrical Notebook." First two issues bound in green printed wrappers and saddle-stitched with a single staple. Consequently, the text block has become detached in the first issue. The latter three numbers are in dark blue printed wrappers. Housed in a slipcase. Overall, a fine set of an uncommon periodical, rarely encountered in a complete run.

The Opportunities of a Night.
(Huxley, Aldous). Crebillon le Fils, M. de

Octavo. xxx, 188pp. First edition, limited issue. One of 1,000 copies printed at the Curwen Press. This copy is inscribed by Huxley: "The Opportunities of a Night. (Not a good translation, if I may say so. See the passage quoted in the original French on p xix of the introduction and compare with the translation: there is a blunder which destroys the whole point) Aldous Huxley." Translated by Eric Sutton from the French, and with an Introduction by Huxley. Bound in tan patterned paper-covered boards backed in tan cloth, gilt-titled to spine. In the original dust wrapper of matching patterned paper, bearing a printed label to the front panel. Light foxing to edges and endpapers, short closed tear to front panel of dust wrapper and spine slightly toned, else fine. T.e.g. With the bookplate of English author Dennis Wheatley, who was known for his bestselling thrillers and mysteries.

They Still Draw Pictures!
Huxley, Aldous

Octavo, 71pp., printed on rectos only. Second edition. A collection of drawings made by Spanish children during the Spanish Civil War. Introduction by Aldous Huxley White wrappers printed in brown. Light smudging to wrappers, else fine. Form to accompany contribution to Spanish Child Welfare Associaton laid-in.

The Letters of D. H. Lawrence.
Lawrence, D. H.

Octavo. xxx, 853, (854-63)pp. Proof copy of first edition. Contains an Introduction by Aldous Huxley. Bound in plain brown paper wrappers. Light soiling and wrinkling to covers, rear wrapper is detached, else a very good copy.

Unser Glaube.
Huxley, Aldous

Octavo, 6pp. First separate edition. Originally published as "Beliefs" in Ends and Means. The text has been slightly revised for publication as a monograph. Plain glazed cardboard wrappers. Tan dust wrapper of textured laid paper. Laid-in are three pieces of printed advertising matter for the series "Ausblicke" ("Outlook"), of which this is one, and two typed summaries, one in English, one in German. Extremely fine.

The Discovery: A Comedy in Five Acts.
Huxley, Aldous and Mrs. Frances Sheridan

Octavo. xii, 121pp. First edition, printed at the Curwen Press. A play written by Mrs. Frances Sheridan and first acted at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, in 1763. Adapted for the modern stage by Aldous Huxley. Inscribed on the front endpaper: "The Discovery by Frances Sheridan and Aldous Huxley, July 1926." Bound in floral-patterned red boards, backed in blue-gray cloth, with a light gray dust jacket, printed in blue. Fine, with only faint foxing to fore-edges; dust-jacket lightly foxed at top of spine. Bookplate of Dennis Wheatley. Extra printed label laid-in at rear.

The Discovery: A Comedy in Five Acts.
Sheridan, Mrs. Frances

Octavo. xii, 122pp. First edition. One of 210 numbered copies printed at the Curwen Press on Italian handmade paper, of which 200 were for sale. A play written by Mrs. Frances Sheridan and first acted at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, in 1763. Adapted for the modern stage by Aldous Huxley. Inscribed on the front endpaper: "Hats off to Mrs. Sheridan, Aldous Huxley, July 1926." Bound in floral-patterned black boards, backed in black cloth, with a lavender dust jacket printed in black and numbered in pencil on the spine. Fine, with only faint foxing to fore-edges; dust jacket partially faded, with small chips to head of spine. Bookplate of Dennis Wheatley. Extra printed label tipped-in on rear endpaper.