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A collection of some of our rarest and most distinguished titles:

  • £12,500.00
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    A Bear Called Paddington

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    A 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.
    £12,500.00
    £12,500.00
  • £2,750.00
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    A Christmas Carol

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    A 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.
    £2,750.00
    £2,750.00
  • £4,000.00
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    A Pale View of Hills

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    A 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
    £4,000.00
  • £1,250.00
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    Beowulf

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    Beowulf By Seamus Heaney First edition, first impression. Signed by the poet to the title page. Winner of the Whitbread Book of the Year Award. Original black cloth with lettering to spine in gilt. Some light white marks to lower board fore-edge, else fine in a beautiful, fine dust jacket bearing the Waterstones 'Signed First Edition' wraparound band. A superior example of one of the poet's highlight titles.
    £1,250.00
    £1,250.00
  • £5,000.00
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    Carrie

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    Carrie By Stephen King First English edition, first impression published by New English Library in 1974. Featuring the beautiful dust jacket artwork by Ray Feibush. The first US edition was published in April 1974 with a print run of 30,000 copies. The print run of the English edition, published the following month in May 1974, consisted of only 600 to 1000. A number of these were given to libraries, making copies in good condition very scarce. Original purple cloth with lettering to spine in gilt and gilt motif to upper board. Some toning and spotting to edges with a little isolated rubbing to edges of boards in places, but very good indeed otherwise and free from names and inscriptions. The original and unclipped dust jacket has a little of the often-encountered fading to the spine panel with a couple of shallow chips to edges and isolated instances of rubbing. Closed tear to top corner of upper panel with associated and inconspicuous tape repair to verso and a crease to bottom corner of lower flap, otherwise very good and bearing the correct '£2.50' issue price. An extremely rare and desirable edition of the author's first published novel.
    £5,000.00
    £5,000.00
  • £800.00
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    Caves of Steel

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    Caves 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
    £800.00
  • £1,500.00
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    East of Eden

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    East 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
    £1,500.00
  • £3,000.00
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    East of Eden: Chapter 34

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    East 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
    £3,000.00
  • £2,500.00
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    Five Little Pigs

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    Five Little Pigs By Agatha Christie First edition, first impression, published in the US under the title 'Murder in Retrospect'. Signed by David Suchet to the title page, who played Poirot in the TV adaptation of the book. A page seemingly extracted from an autograph book bearing the author's signature is loosely laid in. Original cloth with black lettering to spine. Previous owner name to front endpaper; some sunning to spine and faint soiling to boards in places and rubbing to edges; corners a touch bumped with a small and faint area of soiling to rear endpaper and slight cracking to rear hinge. The original dust jacket is complete and unclipped with a little loss to spine foot, a few tears to edges and some toning to spine panel verso.
    £2,500.00
    £2,500.00
  • £3,000.00
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    For Whom the Bell Tolls

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    For 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
    £3,000.00
  • £875.00
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    Foundation

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    Foundation By Isaac Asimov First UK edition, first impression (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1953). Originally published in the US in 1951. The first book in the Foundation series, which won the Hugo Award for Best All-Time Series in 1966 and forms the basis for the 2021 Apple TV series. Publisher's original black cloth with silver lettering to spine. A near fine book with some of the usual moderate spotting to edges and off-setting to endpapers and half-title; light pencil impressions to top of front endpaper. The original and price-clipped dust jacket has a little bit of minor rubbing to edges in places and a couple of very tiny chips to corners. A near fine example of a rare edition of an iconic and influential work in the science fiction genre.
    £875.00
    £875.00
  • £3,750.00
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    Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

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    Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire By J.K. Rowling First edition, first impression. Signed and inscribed by the author to the dedication page: "To Laura and Kat, Who, I hear, are Harry fans - making me like them a lot! J K Rowling". Inscribed copies of this title are exceptionally rare and were usually given to people who were involved in arranging the signing events or had a personal connection with the author. Some fading to the spine of the book and top edge of upper board with tanning to edges and barely visible pencil impression to the front endpaper from a previous retailer. The original and unclipped dust jacket has a little fading to spine and a couple of soft creases to spine ends, near fine otherwise.
    £3,750.00
    £3,750.00
  • £4,500.00
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    Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

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    Harry 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.
    £4,500.00
    £4,500.00
  • £7,500.00
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    Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

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    Harry 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
    £7,500.00
  • £3,000.00
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    I Am Legend

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    I Am Legend By Richard Matheson First paperback edition, first impression, published by Gold Medal Books in August 1954 and featuring cover art by Stan Melzoff. Uniquely signed, inscribed and dated by the author to the title page: "I was 26 when I wrote this ______ when I signed it! Richard Matheson. The true first edition of the novel, published some 16 years prior to the first hardcover edition that was issued in 1970. A hugely influential work that was instrumental in the modern development and popularisation of both cinematic and literary works depicting zombies and vampires, as well as the more general concept of disease leading to dystopian, apocalyptic circumstances. The novel was cited by George Romero as a key influence in the creation of the film 'Night of the Living Dead' (1968) and famously had its own film adaptations in 1964 under the title 'The Last Man on Earth', in 1971 as 'The Omega Man', and most recently in 2007 as 'I Am Legend'. A little yellowing to spine and to the top of lower cover with one or two slight creases and areas of minor rubbing. Very small and shallow indentation halfway down the spine. A very good example indeed of the first appearance of a classic and impactive work, uniquely inscribed by the author. Very rare thus.
    £3,000.00
    £3,000.00
  • £1,250.00
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    Mort

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    Mort By Terry Pratchett First UK edition, first impression. Signed and dated by the author in the year of publication to the title page, shortly before the general release on November 12th 1987. The popular fourth Discworld novel, and the first to feature 'Death' as its protagonist. Dust jacket art by Josh Kirby. Original black cloth with lettering to spine in gilt. a fine book in a near fine dust jacket with some fading to spine panel.
    £1,250.00
    £1,250.00
  • £1,500.00
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    Of Mice and Men

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    Of Mice and Men By John Steinbeck First UK edition, first impression (Heinemann, 1937). Bound in full green morocco by the Cottage Bindery of Bath. Top edge gilt; raised bands with gilt compartments; gilt borders to upper and lower covers with a pictorial on-lay to the upper cover replicating the original illustration from the UK first edition dust jacket in colour. Housed in a blue cloth slipcase. A fine example with a little very light and isolated spotting to preliminaries. A beautiful example of a rare edition in an extremely attractive, well-executed and unique binding.
    £1,500.00
    £1,500.00
  • £3,000.00
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    One Hundred Years of Solitude

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    One Hundred Years of Solitude By Gabriel García Márquez First US edition, first impression (Harper & Row, 1970) in first state dust jacket with the exclamation mark after 'Latin America' on upper flap. Originally published in Spanish in 1967. Original green cloth with lettering to spine in gilt and green endpapers and paste-downs. A small area of light browning to front endpaper with very minor traces of rubbing to spine tips, near fine otherwise. The original and unclipped dust jacket has very mild traces of edge wear in places with a very small chip to bottom of lower panel, a couple of tiny nicks to edges and a price fairly inconspicuously pencilled under the original jacket price. A beautiful copy of the novel's first appearance in English, housed in an attractive drop-back box.
    £3,000.00
    £3,000.00
  • £2,000.00
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    The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

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    The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes By Arthur Conan Doyle First edition, first impression with 'violent' for violet on p. 317, and no name on the street sign on the upper board. Illustrations by Sidney Paget. Some light spotting, floral endpapers, publisher's light blue cloth with gilt edges. Spine ends repaired with some of the often-seen rubbing and soiling to the boards and spine and previous owner's bookplate to front paste-down.
    £2,000.00
    £2,000.00
  • £1,500.00
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    The Bell Jar

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    The Bell Jar By Victoria Lucas (Sylvia Plath) Second edition. Originally published the previous year. The poet's only novel written under the "Victoria Lucas" pseudonym. Original green cloth with silver lettering to spine. A near fine book with slight knocking to bottom corners and extremely faint and minor spotting to edges. The original dust jacket has some surface rubbing and slight fading to spine panel. An excellent, clean and sharp example.
    £1,500.00
    £1,500.00
  • £2,500.00
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    The Cat in the Hat

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    The Cat in the Hat By Dr. Seuss First UK edition, first impression (Collins Clear-Type Press, 1958). Originally published in the US the previous year. Signed and inscribed by the author to front endpaper verso: 'for the children of Battersea with Best Wishes... Dr Seuss'. Rare thus. Publisher's original turquoise pictorial boards. Rubbing to edges and to spine with some bumping to corners; very slight bowing to upper board; contents clean and free from names and inscriptions. A good copy of an edition that is rare to find bearing a unique inscription from the author.
    £2,500.00
    £2,500.00
  • £2,750.00
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    The Handmaid’s Tale

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    The Handmaid's Tale By Margaret Atwood First Canadian edition, first impression (McClelland and Stewart, 1985). Signed and inscribed by the author to half-title: 'For Nancy - Best Wishes - Margaret Atwood'. Featuring striking dust jacket artwork by Tad Aronowicz. The true first edition, preceding that of the UK and the US. Winner of the Arthur C. Clarke Award and more recently adapted into a successful TV series. Quarter-bound in maroon cloth with cream boards and white lettering to spine. A fine and clean copy with some of the seemingly always present rubbing to the spine ends. The original and unclipped dust jacket has a nick to spine foot, but is otherwise beautifully crisp and sharp. A uniquely superior example of a classic of dystopian fiction.
    £2,750.00
    £2,750.00
  • £750.00
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    The Player of Games

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    The Player of Games By Iain M. Banks First edition, first impression. Signed and dated by the author in the year and month of publication. Rare thus. Cover art by Richard Hopkinson. The popular second book in the Culture series. Original dark blue cloth with lettering to spine in gilt. Just a hint of the usual rubbing to spine tips, else fine, in a near fine or better dust jacket with the slightest hint of spine fade and one isolated and very minor instance of wear to spine head. A fantastic example, seldom encountered with such attributes.
    £750.00
    £750.00
  • £1,500.00
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    The Player of Games

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    The Player of Games By Iain M. Banks Limited edition. One of 201 numbered copies to be signed by the author, of which this is number 178. Housed in accompanying cloth slipcase. A beautiful, fine book in a fine slipcase with a little rubbing in places, primarily to the corners and back.
    £1,500.00
    £1,500.00
  • £2,000.00
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    The Secret Seven: Complete Set

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    The Secret Seven By Enid Blyton A complete set of first editions, first impressions.'Puzzle for the Secret Seven' has been signed by the author to an adhesive label bearing her photograph affixed to the reverse of the front endpaper. All books and dust jackets are very good, or better than very good in some cases. 'The Secret Seven' has some spotting and dust jacket is price-clipped, as is the dust jacket of 'Good Work Secret Seven'. 'Well Done Secret Seven' and 'Fun for the Secret Seven' have gift inscriptions to the front paste-down and front endpaper verso respectively. The 'This Book Belongs to' label present on the half-title pages has been filled in in the cases of 'Secret Seven Mystery', 'Fun for the Secret Seven', and 'Puzzle for the Secret Seven'. 'Go Ahead Secret Seven' has an owner label to front endpaper and some brown tape reinforcement to edges of dust jacket verso. A very good set indeed. Rare in such good condition as a complete set with the additional appeal of the author's signature to one of the volumes.
    £2,000.00
    £2,000.00
  • £5,500.00
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    The Stand

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    The Stand By Stephen King Deluxe Limited Edition. Bound in full black morocco, title in gilt on spine with raised bands and decorative red title on front cover. Stated “first edition” on copyright page. All edges gilt, sewn in silk bookmark. Red silk endpapers. Illustrated by Bernie Wrightson. Includes the scarce glassine tissue cover. Housed in a black wooden box lined with red satin. One of 1,250 copies signed by the author and illustrator, of which this is number 370. A stunning production the size of a family bible, this is widely considered to be the both the most beautiful and among the most desirable books bearing the author's name. A very good wrapper with some edgewear, a tear and couple of tiny nicks to bottom edge. The book is in pristine, fine condition.
    £5,500.00
    £5,500.00
  • £1,750.00
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    The Starlight Barking

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    The Starlight Barking By Dodie Smith First edition, first impression (Heinemann, 1967). Illustrated by Janet and Anne Grahame-Johnstone. Signed, inscribed and dated by the author in the year of publication on the front blank: 'To Cicely Courtneidge, from Dodie Smith "Dear Octopus", Theatre Royal, Haymarket, 1967'. The inscription refers to Smith's play 'Dear Octopus', which was revived in 1967 for the fiftieth wedding anniversary of the comedy actors Dame Cicely Courtneidge and Jack Hubert. Dodie Smith's married name, 'Mrs Beesley', Dodie Smith's married name is also written in ink in another hand to the front flap of the dust jacket. Additionally a postcard from the author is loosely inserted: 'Dearest Cis, Here is "The Starlight Barking" as a tiny first night present. It's also intended as a get well present to your dear poodle - I trust you'll be able to use Bill's line and say "The dog liked it". Bless you and thank you for your lovable, funny and altogether admirable performance as "Dora". Much love as ever, Dodie". 8vo, publisher's original blue cloth with gilt lettering to spine and pictorial decorative endpapers. fine with just a little pushing to spine ends in a near fine, price-clipped dust jacket with slight edge-wear in places and a couple of spots to upper panel. A near fine example of the sequel to 'The Hundred and One Dalmatians'.
    £1,750.00
    £1,750.00