At Bromer Booksellers, we focus on the visual book, with fine images that both enhance narrative and stand alone as independent creations. Among our holdings in this area are costume books, emblem books, examples from the Art Nouveau and Art Deco periods, the fantasy illustrators in the tradition of Arthur Rackham, and modern books with original graphics. We look for the successful fusion of picture with text from any century, any country, and across a variety of artistic movements and media. We are especially fascinated with books of other cultures, and you will occasionally find items such as Japanese illustrated woodblock books and Eskimo tales without words ...
Read more about Illustrated Books
Oakland, CA: Karl Kardel Co., 1974. Broadside measuring 24 by 18 1/4 inches. One of 1,850 copies. Designed by California artist David Lance Goines and printed in 8 colors, this advertisement for Karl Kardel Co. features a bumblebee over an ochre background. The design was inspired by an unknown philosopher's... More
(London): Golden Cockerel Press, 1934. Tall octavo. (16)pp. One of 500 numbered copies. Illustrated with one full-page wood engraving and a four-line initial capital by Gill. This edition of Gill's "sermon," reflecting on the 136th Psalm, marks the first use of Gill's Perpetua Roman and Felicity Italic typefaces. Bound in... More
London: Golden Cockerel Press, 1952. Tall quarto. 80pp. From an edition of 360 copies, this is one of 60 signed by the artist and author. Illustrated by John Buckland Wright with eight aquatints, printed from the copper plates. Only the deluxe copies had the illustrations printed intaglio; the regular copies... More
(London): Golden Cockerel Press, 1948. Tall octavo. 28pp. From an edition of 750, this is one of 100 copies specially bound and with an extra engraving. The twelve engravings by John Buckland Wright perfectly complement Swinburne's long erotic poem. In full brown morocco with a black onlay to the upper... More
(London): Goode Bros. c. 1875. (47)pp. Illustrated throughout with black & white lithographs, this little book includes excerpts from several Old Testament stories. In dark violet gilt-stamped wrappers. An unusually fine copy. (Bondy 162). (2 1/4 by 1 5/8; 58x40mm.). More
(Middle Falls, NY): Toy Works, 1980. This bean bag toy of a bat with outstretched wings measures approximately fifteen inches from wingtip to wingtip. The fabric is printed with a black and white crosshatched pattern that is shaded on the wings and body to give the figure more dimensionality, evoking... More
(Middle Falls, NY: Toy Works), 1980. This bean bag bat with wings outstretched measures approximately fifteen inches from wingtip to wingtip. The fabric is printed with a black & white crosshatched pattern that is shaded on the wings and body to give the figure more dimensionality, evoking Gorey’s characteristic drawing... More
NY: Crown Publishers, 1986. First edition. Signed by Gorey on the 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... More
Boston: Bromer Booksellers, 1996. Small quarto. 26 pp. From an edition of 2,000 copies, this is one of 200 copies signed and numbered by Edward Gorey. Bromer special holiday catalog with previously unpublished, full-color cover design by Gorey, who created the artwork originally for a Nieman Marcus holiday catalogue. When... More
Reading, MA: Young Scott Books, 1971. First edition. Signed by Gorey on the title-page. With Gorey's large color illustrations surrounding Ennis Rees' whimsical poetic interpretations of Aesop. Near fine in orange pictorial boards and matching very good dust wrapper. More
Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1963. Octavo. 168pp. Illustrated by Pat Marriott, with jacket design by Gorey. Bound in red cloth over boards with black wolf stamped to upper cover. General mild edgewear, else very good in very good dust wrapper. More
NY: Gotham Book Mart, 1988. First edition. One of 300 numbered copies, signed by Beckett and Gorey. Adapted by Samuel Beckett and Jack MacGowran. Design and typography by Ronald Gordon and Dean Bornstein, and illustrated throughout with vignettes by Gorey, printed in blue. Fine in patterned paper over boards. (Toledano B76b). More
NY: Targ Editions, 1982. One of 250 copies. With a signed frontispiece by Gorey, and inscribed by the author, D. R. Bensen, to the noted book collector Stuart B. Schimmel. Bound in purple cloth with a translucent glassine dust wrapper, which is illustrated with four different-colored images by Gorey. Small... More
NY: Gotham Book Mart, 1971. First edition. One of twenty-six lettered copies, signed by Gorey. A suspenseful, nonsensical tale intended “to make all serious men mad, mad, mad, and to amuse children little little little.” Slight toning to spine and rear wrapper. Overall, nearly fine in illustrated wrappers. (Toledano B49a)... More
San Francisco: Troubador Press, 1979. First edition. A collection of hidden picture puzzles, codes, and mazes features some of Gorey's signature characteres. A very fine copy, still in original shrink wrap, in gilt stamped black cloth. (Toledano B64.b). More
NY: Meredith Press, 1968. First edition. "An opera book without libretto or score". Some edgewear to book, slight splay to upper board, else very good in very good dust wrapper. (Toledano A27a). More
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
NY: Adama Books, 1987. First edition. Illustrated with red, blue, and yellow bugs in all sorts of activities as they strive to maintain the order of their community social life. In white pictorial boards, slightly skewed, with some foxing to text block. Very good. More
NY: Meredith Press, 1967. First edition. "In which a self-banished cat named Fletcher and the exquisite Zenobia...find their transport to delight atop a huge and magnificent tree." Near fine, in pictorial boards with matching very good dust wrapper. (Toledano A25). More
NY: Harcourt Brace, 1999. First edition. One of twenty-six lettered copies, signed by Gorey. An adventure in verse of a man and his companion, the Bahhumbug. The end of their journey marks the start of the new millennium. With Bahhumbug beanbag toy, well-dressed in suit, tie, and spats, and standing... More
NY: Beaufort Books, 1986. First printing of the Beaufort reissue. Signed by Gorey on the title page. This title 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... More
NY: Peter Weed Books, 1993. First printing of the Peter Weed reissue. Signed by Gorey on the title page. This title 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... More
NY: Beaufort Books, 1986. First printing of the Beaufort reissue. Signed by Gorey on the title page. This title 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... More
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
NY: Simon and Schuster, 1968. First edition. "Perfectly incomplete in itself....full of mysteries and enigmas which are not solved, of secrets and short cuts that are never explained." Faint staining to initial pages and to head and tail of spine, else near fine in very good dust wrapper. (Toledano A29a)... More
