There is a deceptively simple goal for the collector of first editions: to obtain the earliest printed form of a work of literature, in as close to the condition it was in when it first appeared in bookstores as a new book. Dig deeper, though, and you find that the first edition collector also has an interest in ...
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Edinburgh & London: William Blackwood and Sons, 1925; 1926. Two octavo volumes. First edition of the Scottish poet Hugh M'Diarmid's first collection of poetry, in the second binding, together with a first edition of his second book. Hugh M'Diarmid, or MacDiarmid, as it is more commonly written, was the pen..... More
Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1976. First edition, first printing. A River Runs Through It, for its vision of the West and of the unknowns of love and family, has won acclaim in both its original novella form and its film adaptation directed and produced by Robert Redford. The semi-autobiographical..... More
Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1976. First edition, third printing. Presentation copy, inscribed by Maclean on front endpaper to Robert Williams, whose essay on the making of this book accompanies this copy. For its vision of the West and of the unknowns of love and family, A River Runs Through..... More
Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1976. First edition, eleventh printing, signed by Maclean and Robert Redford on front endpaper. A River Runs Through It, for its vision of the West and of the unknowns of love and family, has won acclaim in both its original novella form and its film..... More
NY: Harper & Brothers, 1849. Two octavo volumes. 365; 387pp., + 8pp. ads. First American edition. Mardi was Melville's third book, and also his third on the theme of South Pacific exploration. In the novel, an American sailor deserts his whaling ship in order to pursue his own adventures. At..... More
Evanston: Press of Ward Schori, 1962. 23pp. One of 100 copies, signed by Ward Schori. Bound in full green leather with richly gilt-stamped front cover with decorative borders and shell motif in the four corners. An extremely fine copy of the first book of the Press. A.e.g. (1 13/16 by..... More
(Minneapolis): Minnesota Center for Book Arts, 2005. Tall quarto. (48)pp. From an edition of 226, this is one of twenty-six lettered copies, specially bound and with tipped-in editioned prints by five Minnesota artists. An anthology of original poetry from twelve Minnesota writers, including Robert Bly, Adrian Louis, Susan Steger Welsh..... More
Fullerton, CA: Lorson's Books, 1986. (20)pp., frenchfold. One of 50 copies, numbered, dated and signed by Murray, the designer, artist and printer. Four poems by Housman are illustrated with two full-page watercolor illustrations by Murray and a decoration to the title-page. Bound in olive cloth, with cross-stitched design. Black slipcase..... More
Mt. Horeb, WI: Perishable Press, (1970). Octavo. (11) ff. One of 183 copies. With an inscription by James Laughlin. A short collection of poems by the poet and legendary founder of New Directions, which published some of the most important writers of the twentieth century, including Ezra Pound, William Carlos..... More
Philadelphia: David McKay, (1929). Octavo. 225pp. First edition, printed before the limited UK edition, which Potter used to establish copyright in England. According to Linder, Potter originally wanted the book to only be printed in America, since “she felt that the stories were ‘too personal—too autobiographical'” to publish in her..... More
Boston: Small, Maynard, (1910). Octavo. First edition, second binding. Head of spine bumped and paper starting to split along upper hinge, else a near fine copy of Pound's first book printed in America. In dust wrapper with a few small chips to extremities. (Gallup A6). More
Nappanee: Press of the Indiana Kid, 1976. (10)pp. One of forty-five copies. A miniature recollection of the printer's brief correspondence with George Bernard Shaw. Bound in leather-backed marbled boards lightly rubbed, else near fine. (2 3/4 by 1 7/8; 70x48mm). More
Hamburg: Raamin-Presse, 1976. Quarto. (40)pp. From an edition of 170, this is one of twenty copies with an additional two plates signed and numbered by the printer and illustrator, Roswitha Quadflieg. Translated into German from the original French by Elmar Tophoven, the short story "L'Expulsé" ("The Expelled") first appeared in..... More
(Hamburg): Raamin-Presse, 1977. Quarto. 24pp. From an edition of 120 numbered copies signed by the artist/printer, Roswitha Quadflieg, this is one of forty copies printed in English, and from those forty, this is also one of ten with an extra signed etching. The text is from Adventures in the Skin..... More
London: Harrap, (1929). Quarto. 232pp. From an edition of 775 copies signed by Rackham, this is one of 575 copies that comprise the English issue. Illustrated with twelve full-page color plates and twenty-two black & white drawings. This is Rackham's second book published by Harrap, after 1928's Sleepy Hollow, and..... More
Charleston: Poetry Society of South Carolina, 1923. Octavo. First edition. First appearance of this poem, which was awarded the Poetry Society of South Carolina's Southern Prize for 1923. This publication also prints the poems which received honorable mention: "A Fragment" by William Alexander Percy, and "Avalon" by Donald Davidson. This..... More
East Aurora, NY: Roycrofters, 1904. Square small octavo. (vii), 70pp. One of 100 copies printed on Japan vellum. Signed by Elbert Hubbard at the limitation page. Frontispiece photograph portrait of Whitman. Whitman's expansive and exhortative centerpiece of his "Leaves of Grass" here receives sumptuous treatment, with a full floral title..... More
NY: Harcourt, Brace & World, (1968). Small quarto. xiv, 577pp. Edited by Herbert Mitgang. Fine in black cloth, with near fine dust jacket showing wear to edges and hinges. More
NY: Knopf, 1929. Quarto. First illustrated edition. One of 170 copies signed by Cather. Illustrated with full-page chapter headings, head- and tailpieces from drawings by Harold von Schmidt. This is the first illustrated edition of Cather's most significant novel. Spine faintly sunned, else a fine copy in full limp vellum..... More
NY: Ballantine Books, 1957. First edition. A sort of interstellar Robinson Crusoe, Cycle of Fire follows the survival of human castaway Nils Kruger and his shipwrecked extraterrestrial companion Dar. As they travel across an unfamiliar planet, they learn to communicate and trust one another, eventually sharing critical knowledge that ensures..... More
London: Lockwood & Co., 1864. Octavo. (4), 204pp. First edition. Inscription on recto of frontispiece identifies author: “Geo. Evans presented to him by the Author H. Cowen the 20 Sept. 1866.” In standard references and OCLC previous to this copy’s discovery, the book was recorded as anonymous or according to..... More
Hicksville, NY: Gnome Press, 1959. First edition. Inscription of publisher, Martin Greenberg, on front paste-down identifies this as the publisher’s file copy. Gnome Press, though short-lived, was responsible for the publication of many significant works in the Golden Age of science fiction. Their output included Arthur C. Clarke’s The Sands..... More
NY: Frederick A. Stokes, (c. 1900). Six 64mo. vols. 192; 191; (163); 165; (176); 158pp. Each volume begins with a unique frontispiece of landmarks around Scotland: Scott's family home of Abbotsford, Ellen's Isle on Loch Katrine, Newark Castle, the House of Lorn, Norham Castle, and Smailholm Tower. The six volumes..... More
NY: Random House, (1939). First edition. Inscribed by Seuss "For Lulu Godiva, II / with lots of thanks for / nice things done." Illustrated throughout in red and black, with one three-color page. In this version of an old tale, the seven Godiva sisters (Arabella, Dorcas, Mitzi et al.), "who..... More
NY: David McKay, (1974). First edition. Author’s second novel, which was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1975 and was the basis for the film Gettysburg. Because of the poor production quality, this is a book which is not often encountered in fine condition. Aside from light foxing to top edge..... More
