Cakes and Ale - or - The Skeleton in the Cupboard -
William Somerset Maugham
1930 - William Heinemann Ltd, London - First Edition
“Enjoy yourself while you have the chance, I say; we shall all be dead in a hundred years and what will anything matter then?”
A fine first edition, in an outstanding example of the dust jacket, of Somerset Maugham's classic satirical novel; a story of literary poseurs, fame, hypocrisy and freedom, narrated by novelist William Ashenden, Maugham's alter-ego who had already appeared in 'Ashenden', the fictional account of his Secret Service work in World War I.
The book I like best is Cakes and Ale. It was an amusing book to write.
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Price HK$ 6,000
1930 - William Heinemann Ltd, London - First Edition
“Enjoy yourself while you have the chance, I say; we shall all be dead in a hundred years and what will anything matter then?” A fine first edition, in an outstanding example of the dust jacket, of Somerset Maugham's classic satirical novel; a story of literary poseurs, fame, hypocrisy and freedom, narrated by novelist William Ashenden, Maugham's alter-ego who had already appeared in 'Ashenden', the fictional account of his Secret Service work in World War I.
The book I like best is Cakes and Ale. It was an amusing book to write.
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Price HK$ 6,000
The House at Pooh Corner -
A. A. Milne, Ernest H. Shepard (illustrator)
1928 - Methuen & Co. Ltd., London - First Edition
'Pooh looked at his two paws. He knew that one of them was the right, and he knew that when you had decided which one of them was the right, then the other one was the left, but he never could remember how to begin.'
A fine first edition of A. A. Milne’s beloved children’s tale, the fourth in his series of Pooh books and the first in which Tigger makes an appearance. In a matching superior example of the delicate dust jacket.
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Price HK$ 15,000
1928 - Methuen & Co. Ltd., London - First Edition
'Pooh looked at his two paws. He knew that one of them was the right, and he knew that when you had decided which one of them was the right, then the other one was the left, but he never could remember how to begin.'A fine first edition of A. A. Milne’s beloved children’s tale, the fourth in his series of Pooh books and the first in which Tigger makes an appearance. In a matching superior example of the delicate dust jacket.
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Price HK$ 15,000
The Story of a Fierce Bad Rabbit -
Beatrix Potter
1906 - Frederick Warne & Co., London & New York - First Edition First Printing
‘At the beginning of 1906 Beatrix Potter was also planning some stories for very young children. Each story contained fourteen pictures and fourteen pages of simple text, mounted on a long strip of linen, and folded concertina-wise into a wallet with a tuck-in flap. Three stories were written in this form - The Story of a Fierce Bad Rabbit, The Story of Miss Moppet, and The Sly Old Cat; but only the first two were published.’
This is a rare example of one of those stories, stunning when unfolded to it's full length of eight feet (2.492 metres). But as a result of the delicateness of this format, they only produced two small print runs, so complete and unrestored copies with the little silver tuck-in flap intact are scarce.
The Story of a Fierce Bad Rabbit was written especially for Harold Warne’s little girl, Louie, who had told Aunt Beatrix that Peter was much too good a rabbit, and she wanted a story about a really naughty one! The manuscript was given to Louie, and her father had it specially bound in wallet form, just like the published copies.
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Price HK$ 12,000
1906 - Frederick Warne & Co., London & New York - First Edition First Printing
‘At the beginning of 1906 Beatrix Potter was also planning some stories for very young children. Each story contained fourteen pictures and fourteen pages of simple text, mounted on a long strip of linen, and folded concertina-wise into a wallet with a tuck-in flap. Three stories were written in this form - The Story of a Fierce Bad Rabbit, The Story of Miss Moppet, and The Sly Old Cat; but only the first two were published.’This is a rare example of one of those stories, stunning when unfolded to it's full length of eight feet (2.492 metres). But as a result of the delicateness of this format, they only produced two small print runs, so complete and unrestored copies with the little silver tuck-in flap intact are scarce.
The Story of a Fierce Bad Rabbit was written especially for Harold Warne’s little girl, Louie, who had told Aunt Beatrix that Peter was much too good a rabbit, and she wanted a story about a really naughty one! The manuscript was given to Louie, and her father had it specially bound in wallet form, just like the published copies.
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Price HK$ 12,000
The Story of Miss Moppet -
Beatrix Potter
1906 - Frederick Warne & Co., London & New York - First Edition First Printing
‘At the beginning of 1906 Beatrix Potter was also planning some stories for very young children. Each story contained fourteen pictures and fourteen pages of simple text, mounted on a long strip of linen, and folded concertina-wise into a wallet with a tuck-in flap. Three stories were written in this form - The Story of a Fierce Bad Rabbit, The Story of Miss Moppet, and The Sly Old Cat; but only the first two were published.’
This is a rare and superior example of one of Miss Moppet, stunning when unfolded to it's full length of eight feet (2.492 metres). s a result of the delicateness of this format, they only produced two small print runs, so complete and unrestored copies with the little silver tuck-in flap intact and the lettering clean and bright are scarce.
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Price HK$ 12,000
1906 - Frederick Warne & Co., London & New York - First Edition First Printing
‘At the beginning of 1906 Beatrix Potter was also planning some stories for very young children. Each story contained fourteen pictures and fourteen pages of simple text, mounted on a long strip of linen, and folded concertina-wise into a wallet with a tuck-in flap. Three stories were written in this form - The Story of a Fierce Bad Rabbit, The Story of Miss Moppet, and The Sly Old Cat; but only the first two were published.’This is a rare and superior example of one of Miss Moppet, stunning when unfolded to it's full length of eight feet (2.492 metres). s a result of the delicateness of this format, they only produced two small print runs, so complete and unrestored copies with the little silver tuck-in flap intact and the lettering clean and bright are scarce.
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Price HK$ 12,000
History of the British Turf. From The Earliest Times To The Present Day -
James Rice
1879 - Sampson Low, London - First Edition
An appropriately bound set, of this comprehensive work on the history of British horse racing, retaining the original gilt illustrated covers.
Race tracks, famous horses, famous races, peppered with anecdotes, betting, successful jockeys, owners, pedigrees, race tracks. Entertaining and comprehensive.
Penned by James Rice, a Barrister of Lincoln’s Inn, educated at Queens’ College Cambridge. Illustrated with frontispieces, a plan of Newmarket Heath, enhanced with tables listing winners, and a bibliography.
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Price HK$ 10,000
1879 - Sampson Low, London - First Edition
An appropriately bound set, of this comprehensive work on the history of British horse racing, retaining the original gilt illustrated covers.Race tracks, famous horses, famous races, peppered with anecdotes, betting, successful jockeys, owners, pedigrees, race tracks. Entertaining and comprehensive.
Penned by James Rice, a Barrister of Lincoln’s Inn, educated at Queens’ College Cambridge. Illustrated with frontispieces, a plan of Newmarket Heath, enhanced with tables listing winners, and a bibliography.
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Price HK$ 10,000
Maskee - A Shanghai Sketchbook by Schiff - Signed -
Friedrich Schiff
Circa 1938 - , Shanghai - First Edition. Number A358 of an unspecified Limited Edition
A fine thus scarce example in the original green silk.
Fabulously Shanghai Art-Deco 15 foot long accordion folio in original silk covers, folding out to show 21 illustrated panels each hand-coloured by Schiff. Each panel depicting a view of 1930’s expatriate life in Shanghai through the unique eyes of Schiff. More a folio of art-deco artwork than a book, although many of the panels include amusing comments and rhymes for example:
Miss Shanghai
Me No Worry – Me No Care!
Me Go Marry Millionaire!
If He Die – Me No Cry!
Me Go Marry Other Guy!!
Signed to the first panel by Friedrich Schiff (1908-68), an Austrian Jewish artist who moved to Shanghai in 1930 after an invite to visit from a cousin and lived there for 17 years. He had worked as a newspaper cartoonist in Vienna and continued this line of work in Shanghai, soon becoming famous for his amusing caricatures of the city's inhabitants. Prolific, Schiff’s cartoons appeared in books, newspapers, magazines and advertisements throughout China and the Far East, and collaborations with Ellen Thorbecke (Peking Studies; People in China; Hong Kong; and Shanghai).
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Price HK$ 22,000
Circa 1938 - , Shanghai - First Edition. Number A358 of an unspecified Limited Edition
A fine thus scarce example in the original green silk.Fabulously Shanghai Art-Deco 15 foot long accordion folio in original silk covers, folding out to show 21 illustrated panels each hand-coloured by Schiff. Each panel depicting a view of 1930’s expatriate life in Shanghai through the unique eyes of Schiff. More a folio of art-deco artwork than a book, although many of the panels include amusing comments and rhymes for example:
Miss Shanghai
Me No Worry – Me No Care!
Me Go Marry Millionaire!
If He Die – Me No Cry!
Me Go Marry Other Guy!!
Signed to the first panel by Friedrich Schiff (1908-68), an Austrian Jewish artist who moved to Shanghai in 1930 after an invite to visit from a cousin and lived there for 17 years. He had worked as a newspaper cartoonist in Vienna and continued this line of work in Shanghai, soon becoming famous for his amusing caricatures of the city's inhabitants. Prolific, Schiff’s cartoons appeared in books, newspapers, magazines and advertisements throughout China and the Far East, and collaborations with Ellen Thorbecke (Peking Studies; People in China; Hong Kong; and Shanghai).
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Price HK$ 22,000
South - The Story of Shackleton's Last Expedition 1914-1917 -
Sir Ernest Shackleton
1919 - William Heinemann, London - First Edition, First Impression
A superior example of this ‘legendary account of leadership. It was on this expedition that the marooned Shackleton made his famous voyage in a 22-foot boat with five companions through 800 miles of some of the stormiest seas in the world, finally reaching South Georgia and a Norwegian whaling station’ [Spence]. Probably the most evocative narrative of the Heroic Age of Antarctic exploration.
With 86 full page plates, and large folding map to the rear, many classic photographs existing only due to the stubbornness of Hurley, Shackleton’s photographer, in refusing to leave the plates behind to conserve energy and food.
"I think that though failure in the actual accomplishment must be recorded, there are chapters in this book of high adventure, strenuous days, lonely nights, unique experiences, and above all, records of unflinching determination, supreme loyalty, and generous self- sacrifice on the part of my men which, even in these days that have witnessed the sacrifices of nations and regardless of self on the part of individuals, still will be of interest to readers who now turn gladly from the red horror of war and the strain of the last five years to read, perhaps with more understanding minds, the tale of the White Warfare of the South. The struggles, the disappointments, and the endurance of this small party of British, hidden away for nearly two years in the fastnesses of the Polar ice, striving to carry out the ordained task and ignorant of the crises through which the world was passing, make a story which is unique in the history of Antarctic exploration." — Ernest Shackleton
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Price HK$ 37,000
1919 - William Heinemann, London - First Edition, First Impression
A superior example of this ‘legendary account of leadership. It was on this expedition that the marooned Shackleton made his famous voyage in a 22-foot boat with five companions through 800 miles of some of the stormiest seas in the world, finally reaching South Georgia and a Norwegian whaling station’ [Spence]. Probably the most evocative narrative of the Heroic Age of Antarctic exploration.With 86 full page plates, and large folding map to the rear, many classic photographs existing only due to the stubbornness of Hurley, Shackleton’s photographer, in refusing to leave the plates behind to conserve energy and food.
"I think that though failure in the actual accomplishment must be recorded, there are chapters in this book of high adventure, strenuous days, lonely nights, unique experiences, and above all, records of unflinching determination, supreme loyalty, and generous self- sacrifice on the part of my men which, even in these days that have witnessed the sacrifices of nations and regardless of self on the part of individuals, still will be of interest to readers who now turn gladly from the red horror of war and the strain of the last five years to read, perhaps with more understanding minds, the tale of the White Warfare of the South. The struggles, the disappointments, and the endurance of this small party of British, hidden away for nearly two years in the fastnesses of the Polar ice, striving to carry out the ordained task and ignorant of the crises through which the world was passing, make a story which is unique in the history of Antarctic exploration." — Ernest Shackleton
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Price HK$ 37,000
An Authentic Account of an embassy from the King of Great Britain to the Emperor of China -
Sir George Staunton, Earl of Macartney, Sir Erasmus Gower
1797 - Printed by W. Bulmer and Co. for G, London - First Edition
A majestic set of this cornerstone of China related travel literature in contemporary bindings, together with the magnificent Elephant Folio Atlas showing forty-four engraved maps and plates (mainly after Alexander, of which one is folding and six are double-page.
‘An account of the first British embassy to China, under Lord Macartney. Great Britain was anxious to establish formal diplomatic relations with China and thus open the way for unimpeded trade relations, but centuries of Chinese reserve and self-sufficiency presented a formidable obstacle to the embassy, and the Chinese emperor effectually resisted Lord Macartney’s arguments and gifts. The visit of the British embassy nonetheless resulted in this remarkable account of Chinese manners and customs at the close of the eighteenth century’ - The Hill Collection of Pacific Voyages.
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Price HK$ 120,000
1797 - Printed by W. Bulmer and Co. for G, London - First Edition
A majestic set of this cornerstone of China related travel literature in contemporary bindings, together with the magnificent Elephant Folio Atlas showing forty-four engraved maps and plates (mainly after Alexander, of which one is folding and six are double-page.‘An account of the first British embassy to China, under Lord Macartney. Great Britain was anxious to establish formal diplomatic relations with China and thus open the way for unimpeded trade relations, but centuries of Chinese reserve and self-sufficiency presented a formidable obstacle to the embassy, and the Chinese emperor effectually resisted Lord Macartney’s arguments and gifts. The visit of the British embassy nonetheless resulted in this remarkable account of Chinese manners and customs at the close of the eighteenth century’ - The Hill Collection of Pacific Voyages.
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Price HK$ 120,000