Abbey's Road - Inscribed -
Edward Abbey, Jean Pruchnik (illustrator)
1979 - E. P. Dutton, New York - First Edition
A fine first edition, illustrated by Jean Pruchnik, signed and inscribed ‘all the best! Edward Abbey Santa Fe 11/56/88’
‘In the spirit of Desert Solitaire and The Journey Home, Abbey's Road is a personal odyssey. Edward Abbey's explorations include the familiar territory of the Rio Grande in Texas and Canyonlands National Park and Lake Powell in Utah. He also takes us to such varied places as Scotland, the interior of Australia, and the Sierra Madre and Isla de la Sombra in Mexico.’
‘I've been along a few of Mr. Abbey's roads. He sees much more than I did. Indeed, reading him is often better than being there was.’ – John Leonard.
‘Abbey's the original fly in the ointment. Give him money and prizes. Don't let anything happen to him.’ Thomas McGuane.
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Price HK$ 8,000
1979 - E. P. Dutton, New York - First Edition
A fine first edition, illustrated by Jean Pruchnik, signed and inscribed ‘all the best! Edward Abbey Santa Fe 11/56/88’‘In the spirit of Desert Solitaire and The Journey Home, Abbey's Road is a personal odyssey. Edward Abbey's explorations include the familiar territory of the Rio Grande in Texas and Canyonlands National Park and Lake Powell in Utah. He also takes us to such varied places as Scotland, the interior of Australia, and the Sierra Madre and Isla de la Sombra in Mexico.’
‘I've been along a few of Mr. Abbey's roads. He sees much more than I did. Indeed, reading him is often better than being there was.’ – John Leonard.
‘Abbey's the original fly in the ointment. Give him money and prizes. Don't let anything happen to him.’ Thomas McGuane.
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Price HK$ 8,000
The Illuminated Bible, Containing the Old and New Testaments, Translated Out of the Original Tongues. Also, The Apocrypha. -
J. A. Adams {engraver), J. G. Chapman (illustrator)
1846 - Harper & Brothers, New York - First Edition Thus
A handsomely bound example of the largest and most intricately decorated and illustrated 19th century bibles ever published in America.
This copy from the influential Nimick and Beringer families of Pittsburgh.
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Price HK$ 9,500
1846 - Harper & Brothers, New York - First Edition Thus
A handsomely bound example of the largest and most intricately decorated and illustrated 19th century bibles ever published in America.This copy from the influential Nimick and Beringer families of Pittsburgh.
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Price HK$ 9,500
Journey into Fear -
Eric Ambler
1940 - Hodder and Stoughton Limited, London - First Edition
A clean and wonderfully bright, thus rare, jacketed first edition of this thrilling tale of international intrigue, beginning in Istanbul at the outbreak of World War II.
‘Returning to his hotel room after a late-night flirtation with a cabaret dancer at an Istanbul boîte, Graham is surprised by an intruder with a gun. What follows is a nightmare of intrigue for the English armaments engineer as he makes his way home aboard an Italian freighter. Among the passengers are a couple of Nazi assassins intent on preventing his returning to England with plans for a Turkish defence system, the seductive cabaret dancer and her manager husband, and a number of surprising allies.’ [from a later edition]
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Price HK$ 14,000
1940 - Hodder and Stoughton Limited, London - First Edition
A clean and wonderfully bright, thus rare, jacketed first edition of this thrilling tale of international intrigue, beginning in Istanbul at the outbreak of World War II.‘Returning to his hotel room after a late-night flirtation with a cabaret dancer at an Istanbul boîte, Graham is surprised by an intruder with a gun. What follows is a nightmare of intrigue for the English armaments engineer as he makes his way home aboard an Italian freighter. Among the passengers are a couple of Nazi assassins intent on preventing his returning to England with plans for a Turkish defence system, the seductive cabaret dancer and her manager husband, and a number of surprising allies.’ [from a later edition]
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Price HK$ 14,000
In My Fashion -
Bettina Ballard
1960 - David McKay Company, New York - First Edition
The scarce for edition of this ‘A Moveable Feast’ for the fashion conscious, from the woman who, before reporting for duty with the Red Cross, included in her pack ‘a shocking-pink shantung Chinese-y jacket and apple-green pajamas’ and ‘a black jersey Norell dress with a dramatic black pailletted scarf’.
Bettina Ballard, Paris-based correspondent and later Fashion Editor for US Vogue, was at the centre of the fashion world from the 1930s to the ’50s and an intimate of Coco Chanel, Cristóbal Balenciaga and Elsa Schiaparelli. With journalistic flair, she captures the spirit of pre-war Paris, the working methods of the fashion greats and the transformation of the post-war fashion industry with the arrival of Dior.
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Price HK$ 6,500
1960 - David McKay Company, New York - First Edition
The scarce for edition of this ‘A Moveable Feast’ for the fashion conscious, from the woman who, before reporting for duty with the Red Cross, included in her pack ‘a shocking-pink shantung Chinese-y jacket and apple-green pajamas’ and ‘a black jersey Norell dress with a dramatic black pailletted scarf’.Bettina Ballard, Paris-based correspondent and later Fashion Editor for US Vogue, was at the centre of the fashion world from the 1930s to the ’50s and an intimate of Coco Chanel, Cristóbal Balenciaga and Elsa Schiaparelli. With journalistic flair, she captures the spirit of pre-war Paris, the working methods of the fashion greats and the transformation of the post-war fashion industry with the arrival of Dior.
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Price HK$ 6,500
Corpses in Enderby -
George Bellairs (Pseud. Harold Blundell)
1954 - John Gifford Ltd., London - First Edition
A fine example, featuring Inspector Littlejohn of Scotland Yard.
The true first edition with publisher's name to title page (Book Club editions stated 'Thriller Book Club Edition' as publisher to title page instead of Gifford), and in the elusive true first issue dust jacket with 'John Gifford' to the tail of the spine (the 'Gifford' lettering is covered over for the ‘Thriller Book Club’ dust jacket which used matching illustrations, but advertised other ‘Thriller Book Club’ titles, and did not have a price on the front flap.
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Price HK$ 1,800
1954 - John Gifford Ltd., London - First Edition
A fine example, featuring Inspector Littlejohn of Scotland Yard.The true first edition with publisher's name to title page (Book Club editions stated 'Thriller Book Club Edition' as publisher to title page instead of Gifford), and in the elusive true first issue dust jacket with 'John Gifford' to the tail of the spine (the 'Gifford' lettering is covered over for the ‘Thriller Book Club’ dust jacket which used matching illustrations, but advertised other ‘Thriller Book Club’ titles, and did not have a price on the front flap.
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Price HK$ 1,800
The Cursing Stones Murder -
George Bellairs (Pseud. Harold Blundell)
1954 - John Gifford Ltd., London - First Edition
A near fine and rather elusive first edition of this Isle of Man based murder mystery featuring inspector Littlejohn of Scotland Yard.
The true first edition with publisher's name to title page (Book Club editions stated 'Thriller Book Club Edition' as publisher to title page instead of Gifford), and in the elusive true first issue dust jacket with 'John Gifford' to the tail of the spine (the 'Gifford' lettering is covered over for the ‘Thriller Book Club’ dust jacket which used matching illustrations, but advertised other ‘Thriller Book Club’ titles, and did not have a price on the front flap.
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Price HK$ 1,800
1954 - John Gifford Ltd., London - First Edition
A near fine and rather elusive first edition of this Isle of Man based murder mystery featuring inspector Littlejohn of Scotland Yard.The true first edition with publisher's name to title page (Book Club editions stated 'Thriller Book Club Edition' as publisher to title page instead of Gifford), and in the elusive true first issue dust jacket with 'John Gifford' to the tail of the spine (the 'Gifford' lettering is covered over for the ‘Thriller Book Club’ dust jacket which used matching illustrations, but advertised other ‘Thriller Book Club’ titles, and did not have a price on the front flap.
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Price HK$ 1,800
The Book of the Sword - with the original Prospectus -
Sir Richard Francis Burton
1884 - Chatto and Windus, London - First Edition
A magnificent work on edged weapons by Burton, who was a very skilled swordsman, and published an earlier practical work on military exercises for infantry in 1876. Profusely illustrated throughout.
Rarely encountered in such nice condition, and with the bonus of the original prospectus which clearly announces that this is to be the first of three parts. This, the first, ‘treats of the birth, parentage and early career of the sword. It begins with the very beginning, in pre-historic times and amongst proto-historic peoples; and it ends with the full growth of the Sword at the epoch of the early Roman Empire.’ Parts two and three are also described in the prospectus, but despite Lady Burton’s efforts to find someone to complete the two volumes after Burton’s death, the haphazard collection of notes, partial manuscripts, and the commercial failure of the first volume, were enough to put off any publisher.
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Price HK$ 18,000
1884 - Chatto and Windus, London - First Edition
A magnificent work on edged weapons by Burton, who was a very skilled swordsman, and published an earlier practical work on military exercises for infantry in 1876. Profusely illustrated throughout.Rarely encountered in such nice condition, and with the bonus of the original prospectus which clearly announces that this is to be the first of three parts. This, the first, ‘treats of the birth, parentage and early career of the sword. It begins with the very beginning, in pre-historic times and amongst proto-historic peoples; and it ends with the full growth of the Sword at the epoch of the early Roman Empire.’ Parts two and three are also described in the prospectus, but despite Lady Burton’s efforts to find someone to complete the two volumes after Burton’s death, the haphazard collection of notes, partial manuscripts, and the commercial failure of the first volume, were enough to put off any publisher.
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Price HK$ 18,000
It Walks By Night -
John Dickson Carr
1930 - Harper & Brothers, New York - First edition, first impression
First edition of John Dickson Carr’s first novel, and introducing the flamboyant Parisian juge d’instruction, Henry Bencolin.
First edition, first impression, in blue cloth with light blue lettering, copyright page stating ‘First Edition’ and with correct first impression code of 'A-E'.
This is ‘A Harper Sealed Mystery’ - the gimmick employed by Harper & Brothers between 1929 and 1934, in which a yellow tissue paper certificate was wrapped around the final pages that revealed Whodunnit. If the seal was unbroken the purchaser could return the book for a refund. In this copy the remnants can be seen attached to the rear pastedown, so no refund.
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Price HK$ 2,000
1930 - Harper & Brothers, New York - First edition, first impression
First edition of John Dickson Carr’s first novel, and introducing the flamboyant Parisian juge d’instruction, Henry Bencolin.First edition, first impression, in blue cloth with light blue lettering, copyright page stating ‘First Edition’ and with correct first impression code of 'A-E'.
This is ‘A Harper Sealed Mystery’ - the gimmick employed by Harper & Brothers between 1929 and 1934, in which a yellow tissue paper certificate was wrapped around the final pages that revealed Whodunnit. If the seal was unbroken the purchaser could return the book for a refund. In this copy the remnants can be seen attached to the rear pastedown, so no refund.
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Price HK$ 2,000