The Curious Sofa. A Pornographic Work by Ogdred Weary.
NY: Ivan Obolensky, 1961. First edition, first issue with $1.50 on wrapper. Statement of edition on copyright page is "a spoof." Some general rubbing to dust wrapper, else near fine. More
New Arrivals
THE CURIOUS SOFA, A Pornographic Work by Ogdred Weary.
NY: Dodd, Mead, 1980. Reissue of the first edition. Signed by Gorey. Statement of edition on copyright page is "a spoof." Light rubbing to spine, else fine. (Toledano A7a). Together with the second issue, with $1.75 pasted over the original price on the wrappers. Inscribed by "Ogdred Weary," one of... More
The Lavender Leotard; or, Going a Lot to the New York City Ballet.
NY: Gotham Book Mart, 1973. First trade edition. One of 1000 copies. Ballet was a subject very close to Gorey's heart, and this book was written in celebration of the New York City Ballet's 50th season. Fine in illustrated wrappers. (Toledano A53c). More
The Willowdale Handcar.
NY: Dodd, Mead, 1979. Reissued first edition. Signed by Gorey on the title-page. Minor bumps to head and tail of spine, slightly foxed, toning to spine of price-clipped dust wrappers, else near fine in pictorial boards. More
The Insect God.
NY: Peter Weed Books, 1993. Reissue of the first edition. Signed by Gorey. Originally appeared among "The Vinegar Works". The dust wrapper warns the reader that it is "An admonitory tale of Temptation, hapless Greed, abduction and Unspeakable Ritualistic Practices". Slight wear to extremities of book and wrapper, scant foxing... More
The Insect God.
NY: Beaufort Books, 1986. Reissue of the first edition. Signed by Gorey. Originally appeared among "The Vinegar Works". The dust wrapper warns the reader that it is "An admonitory tale of Temptation, hapless Greed, abduction and Unspeakable Ritualistic Practices". Slight wear to extremities of book and wrapper, wrapper price-clipped, foxing... More
The Broken Spoke.
NY: Dodd, Mead, 1976. First trade edition. Illustrated throughout in color and black & white, cleverly combining "two subjects of consuming interest": postcards and bicycles. Some wear to corners, else near fine in very good dust wrapper. More
The Loathsome Couple.
NY: Beaufort Books, 1986. Reissue of the first edition. Signed by Gorey. According to the side-panel of the wrapper, "This book may well prove to be its author's most unpleasant ever." Very fine in fine dust wrapper. More
Instant Lives.
NY: Saturday Review, 1974. First edition. One of 350 copies, signed by Moss and Gorey. A celebration of notable figures in the arts, providing twisted takes on the lives of everyone from Jane Austen and J.S. Bach to James Joyce and Gertrude Stein. Very fine in gilt stamped black boards... More
The New York Review Quiz Book.
NY: Crown Publishers, 1986. First edition. Signed by Gorey at title page. A collection of trivia questions, sometimes humorous and often obscure, illustrated with Gorey figures in playful, languid, or dour positions. Gorey's own work appears as part of the pictorial quiz in the middle of the book. Fine in... More
La Balade Troublante.
(NY): Fantod Press, 1991. First edition. Signed by Gorey on title page. Illustrated throughout with postage stamp size expressive stick figures cleverly captioned in French. Very fine in pictorial wrappers. (Toledano A-103). More
Q.R.V. The Universal Solvent.
(N.p.): Fantod Press, 1990. First trade edition. Signed by Gorey. Same text and illustrations as the miniature Q.R.V. but in larger format. Fine in printed wrappers. (Toledano A97c). More
The Immigrants.
Glastonbury, CT: Blue Moon Press, 1992. Octavo. (7)pp. One of ninety copies. Four colored images printed from reductions woodcuts, collaged plates, etched zinc plate, and a photo-engraving. One is a fold-out illustration. Napora's poem provides narration and context to the main illustration, which is presented in its original form on... More
(Movable Book)
Accourez tous. Images Tournantes Destinees aux Enfants Sages.
Paris: Nouvelle Librarie de la Jeunesse, (c. 1890). Small quarto. (8)pp. Four full-page color illustrations, with moveable wheels at the fore-edge. Turning the wheels changes a particular aspect of each scene. For example, as children look down from the elevated porch of their snowbound chalet, they find below them, two... More
(Ricci, Gaspero)
Ufizio della B. V. Maria.
Florence: Gaspero Ricci, 1838. 401pp. Engraved frontispiece and five full-page engravings distributed throughout. A miniature edition of the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary, also known as the Hours of the Virgin, a liturgical devotion in imitation of and performed in addition to the Divine Office. For each division... More
(Ongania, Ferd.)
Le Rime.
Venice: Ongania, Ferd. 1879. Two miniature volumes bound as one. 354; 231; (6)pp. One of 1,000 numbered copies. This is copy number 1, and it is signed by Ongania below the limitation statement. With two portrait frontispieces and numerous, exquisite engraved vignettes throughout. Includes six sonnets which had recently been... More
(Hoepli, Ulrico)
La Divina Commedia di Dante.
Milano: Ulrico Hoepli, 1878. 499pp. One of 1,000 copies. The type, cut by Antonio Farina in 1834 but never used by him, was cast in 1850 for this edition of Dante, and is thought to be the smallest ever employed. According to Bondy, "the most widely-discussed and the most sensational... More
(Hoepli, Ulrico)
La Divina Commedia di Dante.
Milano: Ulrico Hoepli, 1878. 499pp. One of 1,000 copies. The type, cut by Antonio Farina in 1834 but never used by him, was cast in 1850 for this edition of Dante, and is thought to be the smallest ever employed. According to Bondy, "the most widely-discussed and the most sensational... More
(Frost, Robert)
A Considerable Speck.
(Salem: Colonial Society, 1939). First separate edition, which consisted of fewer than 100 copies. A single folded sheet with one page of type, printed by Dard Hunter II at the MIT Paper Museum Press. Inscribed by Frost to Martin K. Howes at foot of poem. Frost read this delightful piece... More
(Kent, Rockwell)
Salamina.
NY: Harcourt Brace, 1935. First edition. Illustrated with a double-page map and twenty-two full-page drawings by the author printed in brown. Touchingly inscribed by Kent on the half-title page: "This, my best book, is inscribed for Martin K. Howes by Rockwell Kent 1937". The note evokes Kent's love for Greenland... More
(Frost, Robert)
West-Running Brook.
NY: Henry Holt and Company, (1928). First edition, first issue, with no "first edition" statement on the copyright page, and "roams" for "romps" in the last line of Canis Major on page 44. Signed and dated by Frost on the front endpaper. Illustrated with a frontispiece and three full-page woodcuts... More
(Movable Book)
Neues Verwandlungs-Bilderbuch.
Esslingen: J. F. Schreiber, (n.d.). Small quarto. (7)ff. Six full-color movable images. For each, the upper half may be flipped downward to reveal the second half of the scene. Each is titled at the top and captioned by a four-line poem at the bottom. Mischievous children adorn each image. Their... More
(Dun Emer Press)
Stories of Red Hanrahan.
Dundrum: Dun Emer Press, 1904. First edition. One of 500 copies. This is the fourth book published by the Dun Emer Press, which was managed by W. B. Yeats's sister, Elizabeth. The press would continue under her ownership as the Cuala Press in 1908. Minute chips to spine label, which... More
(Movable Book)
Vertooningen. Beweegbaar Prentenboek.
Leiden: P. J. Trap, (1864). Small quarto. (8)ff. Eight hand-colored lithographed illustrations, each with moving parts operated by tabs. The images show a variety of spectacles, from a monkey playing the violin, to children riding an elephant, to two different escapades of the French tightrope walker, Charles Blondin. Below each... More
(Movable Book)
Levende Beelden in het Circus.
Amsterdam: Cohen Zonen, (n.d.). Octavo. (10)pp. Four full color moveable images, and pen-and-ink drawings throughout. The moveables illustrate humans and animals taking part in charming circus scenes: monkeys clamber about a ladder, an elephant balances a clown upon its trunk, another well-dressed elephant plays the tuba in front of an... More