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
Waltham Saint Lawrence: Golden Cockerel Press, 1926. Small quarto. 15pp. One of 250 numbered copies. The text is illustrated with six wood engravings by Eric Gill. The engravings are beautifully rendered interpretations of scenes from the last day of Jesus's life, from his vigil at the Garden of Gethsemane, to..... More
Waltham Saint Lawrence: Golden Cockerel Press, 1928. Octavo. (vii), 18, (i)pp. Illustrated with two full-page woodcuts by Eric Gill, plus a title-page device. The text comprises a lecture Gill delivered at Manchester University in 1928, revised for this edition. This is Gill's own copy, with his bookplate on the front..... 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 deluxe copies, signed by the artist, John Buckland Wright, and the author, Phyllis Hartnoll. Illustrated by Buckland Wright with eight aquatints, printed from the copper plates. Only the deluxe copies had..... More
(Waltham Saint Lawrence): Golden Cockerel Press, 1928. Quarto. 101pp. One of 500 copies. Illustrated with wood engravings and all but two initial capitals by Robert Gibbings. The remaining two capitals—“Lamia” on the title page and “IT” on page 18—were engraved by Eric Gill. A fine copy of what the Press..... More
Waltham Saint Lawrence: Golden Cockerel Press, 1931. Octavo. 66pp. One of 500 copies, signed by Powys. Five intertextual wood engravings by Nash. Backed in blue morocco with pattered paper covers. Spine somewhat sunned, faint edgewear, else near fine. (Chanticleer 76). 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, with their supple lines and rich settings, perfectly complement Swinburne’s long erotic poem. In full sienna morocco..... More
(Minneapolis): Gonfalon Press, 1996. Quarto. Accordionfold, dos-à-dos. One of forty copies, signed by the printer, Michael Fallon. Doris Adams's traditional tale is adorned with glittering illustrations of the story's heroic rabbit, Cufe, while Kate Taluga's essay is dotted with images of corn, shells, and wildflowers. Compiled and printed by Michael..... 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
1993. Watercolor and ink on paper, measuring 7 by 6 inches. Matted and framed. This illustration appeared on page 21 of the July 19, 1993 issue of Sports Illustrated. The image served as the lead-in to the "Anniversary" section, and it depicts an obscure baseball moment from 1893, when former..... More
Figbash stands (if he could stand) about six inches tall with an armspan of about 19 1/2 inches. Hand-sewn by Edward Gorey himself in a scarlet fabric with gold brocade. With the original tag reading "Designed life-size and sewn by hand and filled with rice by Edward Gorey." "Edward Gorey"..... 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
1992; 1996. Two posters, which employ an identical design. Dancers, a skeleton, the Black Doll, a cat, a dog, idle children, and men in large coats dot a gridded structure, whose central column details the event at hand. The earlier poster, which is one of 1000 copies, advertises The Sylvia..... More
Worcester, MA: Metacom Press, 1989. 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 cut-figure book follows two characters, V and W, who resemble salt and pepper shakers and experience changeable fates..... More
(NY): Random House, 1982. First edition. A macabre pop-up book, in which the family MacFizzit sets out "to visit the varied distractions of Hickyacket Hall." No price sticker, else fine in illustrated paper over boards. (Toledano A83a). More
NY: Gotham Book Mart, 1983. First edition. Signed by Gorey in his guise as "Dogear Wryde". A book of paper doll cutouts. Fine in illustrated wrappers. (Toledano A87). More
c. 1964. Four sheets, three of which measure 8 1/2 by 11 inches; the single sheet of text is smaller, measuring 8 by 6 inches, and is on blue paper. The pages reveal the unfolding of Gorey's creative process in developing the story and preliminary illustrations for his book, The..... More
Boston: Anne & David Bromer, 1989. (49)pp. First edition. From an edition of 400 copies signed by Gorey, this is one of 110 comprising the deluxe issue, with twenty-nine illustrations hand-colored by him in silver and gold metallic paint. An homage to Isaac Watts, Gorey's text is obscurely akin to..... More
Boston: Anne & David Bromer, 1989. (49)pp. First edition. From an edition of 400 copies signed by Gorey, this is one of 110 comprising the deluxe issue, with twenty-nine illustrations hand-colored by him in silver and gold metallic paint. An homage to Isaac Watts, Gorey's text is obscurely akin to..... More
San Francisco: Pomegranate, 2003. First edition. Signed by Kevin McDermott, who is responsible for the text and photographs, and John Updike, who wrote the Foreword. A visually stunning tour of Gorey's home, with McDermott's writing describing each room and its function, along with anecdotes about Gorey. Cloth binding in fine..... More
NY: Chelsea House, (1965). Octavo. 47pp. Miss Phypps' "simple rules of propriety and common sense" tell a girl what to say when deflowered on a blind date, at a seance, by a marimba player, on an American Express tour, etc. Rubbing to extremities of pictorial boards, else very good. More
NY: Young Scott, 1967. First edition. Signed by Gorey. A lively retelling of some of the most well-known fables from the American South. Spot of soiling to spine, else near fine in illustrated library binding, as issued. (Toledano B31a). More
San Francisco: Word Play Publications, 1996. First edition. One of 226 copies, signed by Gorey and by the authors. This illustrated reference work includes ephemera and collectibles, dramatic productions, a list of pseudonyms, and more. The first true Gorey bibliography. Bound in cloth-covered boards. Fine in near fine dust wrapper..... More
Boston, MA: Earthlight Gallery, 1980. Poster for the exhibition of paintings and drawings by fantasy artists Barry Windsor-Smith and Robert Gould at the Earthlight Gallery in Boston. The exhibit was held from November 22 through December 31, 1980. The exhibit poster features the illustration "The Head of Perseus" by Windsor-Smith..... More
