A collection of some of our rarest and most distinguished titles:
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QuickviewA Bear Called Paddington
Children's Fiction, First Edition, Michael Bond, Modern First Editions, Showcase, Signed First EditionsA Bear Called Paddington By Michael Bond First edition, first impression (Collins Clear-Type Press: London and Glasgow, 1958). Signed and inscribed by the author to the front endpaper: "To Nina, with best wishes, Michael Bond". The dedicatee is Nina Froud who was a personal friend of the author and worked at his literary agency. The first book in the Paddington series where one of the most iconic and beloved British fictional characters first appeared, later going on to form the basis of several ongoing TV and successful film adaptations. Publisher's original red cloth with silver lettering to spine containing illustrations by Peggy Fortnum. A beautiful, fine and pristine book throughout, save for a touch of off-setting to endpapers. Appears unread. The original complete dust jacket is not price-clipped and is in unusually superior condition with a chip to spine head - not affecting any lettering - and a closed tear to top of upper panel fore-edge with a couple of tiny and inconspicuous nicks to the top edge of lower panel. A very rare inscribed presentation copy of a quality and with an association that are very seldom encountered.£10,000.00 -
QuickviewA Christmas Carol
Antiquarian, Charles Dickens, ShowcaseA Christmas Carol By Charles Dickens Fifth edition (Chapman & Hall, 1844). Issued the year after the first edition, which was published in December 1843. Hand-coloured etched frontispiece and a further three plates by John Leech with four wood-engravings by W.J. Linton. Two pp advertisements at rear. Gilt edges with publisher's original cinnamon vertically ribbed cloth stamped in blind and gilt. Previous owner name to half-title dated 1844. Small stain on page 25 and one plate detached. A little light soling to leaves here and there with some rubbing to edges. Hinges starting and binding a little exposed towards the rear of the book, but all pages, save for the one aforementioned plate, still firmly in place. A very good example.£2,500.00 -
QuickviewA Pale View of Hills
First Edition, General Literary Fiction, Kazuo Ishiguro, Modern First Editions, Showcase, Signed First EditionsA Pale View of Hills By Kazuo Ishiguro First edition, first impression. Signed, inscribed and dated by the author to the title page: "To Charles, all best, Kazuo Ishiguro 7th June '89". Rare inscribed. The author's first book and the winner of the 1982 Winifred Holtby Memorial Prize. Original cloth with lettering to spine in gilt. Very faint traces of dustiness to top edge with minor pushing to spine head, else fine, in a near fine or better dust jacket with just a hint of the usual fading to spine panel and one instance of negligible wear to spine head. A superior copy.£4,000.00 -
QuickviewA Song of Ice and Fire
First Edition, Modern First Editions, Science Fiction, ShowcaseA Song of Ice and Fire By George R. R. Martin Five volumes. All first UK editions, first impressions. The basis for the popular TV series with the concluding two volumes to the book series, 'The Winds of Winter' and 'A Dream of Spring' still in production. A Game of Thrones: Original red cloth with lettering to spine in gilt. A very good or better copy with mild rubbing to spine ends and a little of the usual yellowing to edges, in a near fine and unclipped dust jacket with minor signs of wear to edges. A Clash of Kings: Original blue cloth with lettering to spine in gilt with only mild traces of handling wear and '1171' written in pen, inconspicuously, on the rear paste-down, covered by the lower flap of the dust jacket, else a near fine example. A Storm of Swords: Original blue cloth with lettering to spine in gilt. A very good or better copy. The corner of the upper spine has been pushed. A handful of the preliminary pages have a crease to the side text block. A Feast for Crows: Original red cloth with lettering to spine in gilt. A fine copy in fine dust jacket. A Dance with Dragons: Original black cloth with silver lettering to spine. A little concavity to the spine due to the size of the volume with a light scuff mark to the edge of the lower flat of the dust jacket and light edge wear. A near fine set, overall.£2,250.00 -
QuickviewCaves of Steel
Isaac Asimov, Modern First Editions, Science Fiction, ShowcaseCaves of Steel By Isaac Asimov First UK edition, first impression. Published in the same year as the first US edition and seemingly less common with striking cover art. Publisher's original black cloth with silver lettering to spine and motif to bottom corner of upper board. Light spotting to top edge and some off-setting to endpapers with a previous owner name to front endpaper and a few ticks in red biro next to some of the titles listed on half-title verso, otherwise very good. The original dust jacket is price-clipped and has some wear and a few tears to top edge with some rubbing and chipping to spine panel, primarily to the top. A good or better copy of an uncommon edition.£800.00 -
QuickviewDifferent Seasons
First Edition, Modern First Editions, Showcase, Signed First Editions, Stephen KingDifferent Seasons By Stephen King First edition, first impression. Signed, inscribed and dated by the author to the front endpaper just over a month prior to publication: 'For Pearl and Lennie - All best wishes, Stephen King 7/18/82'. Housed in a custom cloth drop-back box quarter-bound in black leather with gilt lettering to spine and one or two small spots of light rubbing to spine foot. A collection of four novellas whose subtitles correspond to the four different seasons. Three of these were adapted into classic films under the titles 'The Shawshank Redemption', 'Stand by Me' and 'Apt Pupil'. Quarter-bound in dark blue cloth on blue boards with lettering to spine in gilt and white and the author's initials to upper board in gilt with white endpapers and paste-downs. A near fine or better copy with minimal evidence of the often-encountered concavity to the top portion of the spine and a small area of faint marking to top edge. The original and unclipped dust jacket has a minuscule chip to each of its top corners, and a trivial amount of isolated toning, but is otherwise in fine condition, bearing the requisite $16.95 price and '0882' code to the upper flap. A superior and early inscribed copy of a book that features the first appearance of two stories, in the form of 'Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption' and 'The Body', which would later be developed into extremely successful films, thought by many to be among the best ever made.£2,950.00 -
QuickviewEast of Eden
First Edition, John Steinbeck, Modern First Editions, ShowcaseEast of Eden By John Steinbeck First edition, first impression and first state with 'bite' for 'bight' on page 281. The title described by the author himself as his magnum opus. Small pinhole to spine with a small and faint stain to bottom for-edge of text block. The original and unclipped dust jacket has a couple of closed tears and small nicks to edges with some shallow chipping to spine foot. Some of the usual toning to spine panel. A very good copy indeed.£1,500.00 -
QuickviewEast of Eden: Chapter 34
General Literary Fiction, John Steinbeck, Modern First Editions, ShowcaseEast of Eden: Chapter 34 By John Steinbeck Two variants (no priority) containing Chapter 34 from the novel 'East of Eden', privately printed and limited to only 125 copies. The first ever appearance of an extract from the novel, issued prior to its publication in 1952. These copies were mailed by the author to his nephew-in-law, David Heyler. Both housed in the original envelope signed and addressed by Steinbeck. From the Mary Steinbeck Dekker Family Collection. Very faint traces of soiling to rear cover of one booklet with a little peripheral toning to the covers of the other, else near fine.£3,000.00 -
QuickviewFor Whom the Bell Tolls
Ernest Hemingway, First Edition, General Literary Fiction, History, Modern First Editions, ShowcaseFor Whom the Bell Tolls By Ernest Hemingway First edition, first impression in first issue dust jacket. Original publisher's cloth. Some rubbing to label on spine with toning to edges and a small area of browning to edge of of paste-downs and endpapers. Contents beautifully clean throughout otherwise. The original and unclipped dust jacket has a little soft crease close to fore-edge of upper panel, else in beautiful, fine condition. A fantastic example of one of the author's highlight titles.£3,000.00 -
QuickviewHarry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Children's Fiction, First Edition, J.K. Rowling, Modern First Editions, Showcase, Signed First EditionsHarry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix By J . K. Rowling First deluxe edition, first impression. Published simultaneously with the first trade edition in 2003. Signed and inscribed by the author to half-title: 'To Betty, Happy 70th!! With love from J. K. Rowling x'. Original burgundy cloth and endpapers with lettering to spine and upper board in gilt, gold page edges, ribbon marker and pictorial onlay to upper board featuring artwork by Jason Cockcroft. A beautiful, fine copy. Very rare signed or inscribed.£3,750.00 -
QuickviewHarry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
First Edition, J.K. Rowling, Modern First Editions, ShowcaseHarry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban By J. K. Rowling First edition first impression and first state with 'Joanne Rowling' to the copyright page and dropped text on page 7. It has been confirmed by the publisher that all states of the first impression consisted of 5,150 copies in total, of which - it is generally believed - 2,500 pertained to the first state. Original pictorial boards. A fine book with the slightest hint of spotting to top edge in a beautiful fine dust jacket without flaws. Rare in such superior condition.£7,500.00 -
QuickviewHigh-Rise
First Edition, Modern First Editions, Showcase, Signed First EditionsHigh-Rise By J. G. Ballard First edition, first impression. Signed and dedicated by the author to the title page at a book launch at Forbidden Planet in London. Original blue cloth with lettering to spine in gilt. A little pushing to spine foot, else fine in a fine and unclipped dust jacket. A fantastic copy. Rare with such attributes.£1,250.00