Shop — page 2 of 30

A fascinating group of correspondence, ephemera and even a plan of his Halifax mansion, Belle Vue, which was retained by Charles Trollope as a memento of his time as Commander of British Forces in Nova Scotia in the late 1850s. This includes the first ever telegram received in Halifax via the Nova Scotia Electric Telegraph Company. The telegraph wa… Read more…

A unique and extraordinary record of the life of an English explorer and adventurer in Patagonia between 1907 and 1920 who worked out of Puerto Prat between 1907 and 1914 and then Ultima Esperanza until 1920. Willis’s Patagonian life is told through his very large album (31x26cmx8cm) that he filled with photographs, panoramas, letters, a dance card… Read more…

A very busy, comprehensively revised, first draft autograph manuscript comprising nearly half of Raven’s second novel from his witty and scabrous novel sequence, Alms for Oblivion. Perhaps on account of his rackety later years Raven’s manuscripts do not appear to be represented in any of the major research libraries; this one was gifted to a ‘Dr Sc… Read more…

A heavily corrected full-length typescript of George Steiner’s magnum opus on translation bearing around 500-700 autograph emendations and additions to the text. These range from single word corrections to full paragraphs in Steiner’s hand. The typescript comes from the estate of Elsa Southern, Steiner’s longterm secretary and assistant in Cambridg… Read more…

First edition, bound in quarter black roan over worn marbled boards. Ownership signature of ‘Midgley Rushworth’ from 1840 on front flyleaf; similar inscription on final flyleaf. Foxing and browning but internally very good. Martineau’s novella about industrial conflict is set in Manchester. BLx3 only. Read more…

First edition of Smart’s signature novel - with its memorable title and equally striking dustjacket. Publisher’s red cloth binding, near fine; contents near fine - a little toning to paper stock. Bookseller’s label from Welwyn Garden City to front pastedown.The jacket has divided along the spine with substantial loss to the paper over the spine and… Read more…

The first volume of the first edition of Shakespeare’s works to appear after the four Folio Editions of the seventeenth century and the very first illustrated edition which has been described by a recent scholar as an 'inaugurating moment'. The publisher Jacob Tonson and the book’s editor Nicholas Rowe achieve their preeminence among Shakespeare pr… Read more…

A very pleasing association copy of Volume III of Gilbert’s monumental biography presented by the author to Churchill’s friend and Parliamentary Private Secretary from the 1920s, Robert Boothby: ’Inscribed with many thanks for a most superb lunch Martin Gilbert. London January 1975’. Additionally Boothby has signed his name as ‘Boothby’ on the dedi… Read more…

Rare possibly unique survival of this miniature ready reckoner with a record of female ownership, probably to a London family of Covent Garden market traders. Miniature format bound in publisher’s cloth with gilt lettering, faded and marked but sound. All edges gilt. Pencilled ownership signature of ‘Isabelle Levy 1874’ to the yellow-coated flyleaf… Read more…

Appointments diary from their family home in Lord North Street, Westminster, of Mary Wilson, wife of the past and future Prime Minister Harold Wilson, during his phase as Leader of the Opposition to Edward Heath’s Tory government in 1973. From dinners with Lord Goodman to her packing list for the Labour Party Conference in Blackpool in October 1973… Read more…

1920s era ‘fifty-sixth’ edition of the earliest book by an English doctor to describe contraceptive methods, a publication that saw its author struck off from the medical register. PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: The book is bound in printed wrappers, no date but OCLC suggests 1922. A little dog-earring to early leaves, otherwise unmarked. One terminal adver… Read more…

Written by the former Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson, this is the first section of a speech which he delivered - and then revised for subsequent reuse - around the time of the publication of his book-length account of ‘the creation of the State of Israel’. A lifelong and unwavering Zionist, Wilson wrote into his 1981 publication, Chariot of Is… Read more…

An inscribed copy of this rare book about the manners and customs on the Solway Firth. Small format bound in embossed blue-green cloth, neatly repaired, with yellow-coated endpapers and an albumen portrait of the author tipped in opposite the title page, inscribed below. Collates complete: pp208; a little paper decay at the foot of the title page a… Read more…

Privately printed family history with biographies and photographs of family members. Red crushed roan binding; heraldic bookplate; 48 pages of text interleaved with blanks for photographs and additional card blanks with further images to the rear. Inscribed on the front flyleaf: ‘J Lowther Bouch from E.J.L.’ A little grubby along the top of some pa… Read more…

Ninety two photographs documenting the experience of an ordinary German family that attended the Berlin Olympics of 1936 with American swimmers in the pool, athletics in the newly built stadium and adoring crowds giving Hitler the Nazi salute. The photographs feature the opening ceremony and athletics events such as the hurdles as well as dressage… Read more…

A signed first edition of Richard Hoggart's career-making study of ‘Aspects of Working Class Life with special reference to publications and entertainments.’ Orange-brown cloth, near fine; a little spotting to the text, inscribed in blue ink, warmly, on the title page. In a good jacket, complete but nicked and with short tears close to the edges; s… Read more…

First edition with the Book Society’s wraparound band still present. Very good plus book, spotting to the edges of the text block and first few pages; bright red boards otherwise internally fine; offsetting from an early newspaper review laid into the final in at the end. In a very good plus example of John Craxton’s magnificent dustjacket; tiny pu… Read more…

First edition signed for ‘Richard...’ by Greg Searle, and 4 other British Olympic Gold Medallists for rowing: Katherine Grainger (now Chancellor of the University of Glasgow), Alex Gregory, Pete Reed and Zac Purchase. A fine first in a fine jacket. A lovely association copy, presented in another Olympic year. Read more…

Rare chapbook publication of John Wesley’s recipes bound after an earlier collection of receipts published on the other side of the Pennines in Rochdale. Modern half crushed brown morocco over marbled boards; brown endpapers. 19th century book label of ‘George B Burton Preston’ laid down on the first flyleaf. Worrall’s text is complete but well use… Read more…

Inscribed first edition from the book’s editor and the author’s son: ‘To my Florentine friends with affectionate greetings from Geoffrey Bret Harte April 1926’, written on the front flyleaf. Publisher’s blue cloth; a crease to the upper cover where it has been bent. Spotting to early leaves but internally very good. Geoffrey Bret Harte himself publ… Read more…

In verse and pictures, the cycling adventures of Hiram Jones - sent as eight weekly cards by Brown Brothers of London - to advertise the new coasting brake manufactured by the New Departure Manufacturing Company of Connecticut. Eight stiff cards (18x14cm), printed on both sides in green and black. On the recto of each is the full title which explai… Read more…

Last Will and Testament of a Stratford woman who owned land next to New Place, Shakespeare’s grand home in the town - and took special care in this document over the disposal of her ‘Bed, Bedstead and the Appurtenances and entire Furniture of such Bed’. Single manuscript bifolium document measuring 33x21cm with legal text on two leaves and a docket… Read more…

Coal mining photo album which includes images of an underground explosion and ‘Strike Volunteers’ - strike breakers? - from the miner’s strike of 1921. Kodak “Eton” Album (17.5x14.5cm) containing 35 silver gelatin prints (c7-10cm) mounted on card leaves. Generally annotated in a contemporary hand these photographs show scenes from the Staffordshire… Read more…

Attractively inscribed copy of the 3rd impression ‘For Mr Leslie Bridgewater. Thanking him for one kindness after another - from Ethel Smyth 1939’ on the half title. A near fine copy, just a little spotting, in a very good jacket. The book’s printed dedication is to Smythe’s longterm friend Virginia Woolf. Bridgewater was a successful composer of l… Read more…

Unsophisticated and attractive example of this satire on Richard Cobden complete with uncoloured illustrations and found here in the publisher’s binding with the binder’s ticket of ‘Remnant and Edmonds’ still present on the lower pastedown. Straight grain red cloth with gilt decoration, slightly discoloured, a bump two thirds of the way up the spin… Read more…