Snickerty Nick & the Giant - Inscribed -
Julia Ellsworth Ford, Arthur Rackham (illustrator), Witter Bynner
1933 - Suttonhouse, Los Angeles - Second Edition
A wonderful association copy of this children’s play inspired by Oscar Wilde’s ‘The Selfish Giant’, inscribed from the author to the legendary stage actress, producer, director, translator and author ‘Eva Le Gallienne, A brave woman who dared to carry out her ideals. In admiration from Julia Emsworth Ford. March 8th 1934, Hollywood Calif.’
Additionally with Eva Le Galliene’s fabulous engraved bookplate designed by the influential set and costume designer Waslav Richard Rychtarik (1894-1982), with a quote from her favourite Ibsen character, Hedda Gabler.
Illustrated by Arthur Rackham with three monochrome plates, and eight full page line drawings.
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Price HK$ 5,000
1933 - Suttonhouse, Los Angeles - Second Edition
A wonderful association copy of this children’s play inspired by Oscar Wilde’s ‘The Selfish Giant’, inscribed from the author to the legendary stage actress, producer, director, translator and author ‘Eva Le Gallienne, A brave woman who dared to carry out her ideals. In admiration from Julia Emsworth Ford. March 8th 1934, Hollywood Calif.’Additionally with Eva Le Galliene’s fabulous engraved bookplate designed by the influential set and costume designer Waslav Richard Rychtarik (1894-1982), with a quote from her favourite Ibsen character, Hedda Gabler.
Illustrated by Arthur Rackham with three monochrome plates, and eight full page line drawings.
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Price HK$ 5,000
The Wind in the Willows -
Kenneth Grahame, Ernest H. Shepard (illustrator)
1931 - Methuen &, London - First Edition with Shepard&rsquo
‘And you really live by The River? What a jolly life!’
‘By it and with it and on it and in it,’ said the Rat... ‘It’s my world, and I don’t want any other. What it hasn’t got is not worth having, and what it doesn’t know is not worth knowing.’
A superior example of the first edition to contain the classic and charming illustrations by Ernest Shepard, with his wonderful two page map endpapers at the front .
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Price HK$ 4,500
1931 - Methuen &, London - First Edition with Shepard&rsquo
‘And you really live by The River? What a jolly life!’ ‘By it and with it and on it and in it,’ said the Rat... ‘It’s my world, and I don’t want any other. What it hasn’t got is not worth having, and what it doesn’t know is not worth knowing.’
A superior example of the first edition to contain the classic and charming illustrations by Ernest Shepard, with his wonderful two page map endpapers at the front .
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Price HK$ 4,500
The Three Lieutenants, or, Naval Life in the Nineteenth Century -
W. H. G. Kingston
1897 - Griffith Farran Browne &, London
Illustrations by Charles J. de Lacy. From the Boys’ Own Favourite Library series. The second novel in Kingstons series which began with ‘The Midshipmen’. A lovely copy in pictorial boardsand gilt edges.
Kingston's reputation was made by these books, that first appeared about 1860, and dealt with an officer's life in the Navy at about that time. By an extraordinary coincidence, the three young men who had met as midshipmen, get postings that enable them to keep their friendships alive when they are lieutenants. Another old friend is Admiral Triton, who, though retired, takes a great interest in their careers.
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Price HK$ 900
1897 - Griffith Farran Browne &, London
Illustrations by Charles J. de Lacy. From the Boys’ Own Favourite Library series. The second novel in Kingstons series which began with ‘The Midshipmen’. A lovely copy in pictorial boardsand gilt edges.Kingston's reputation was made by these books, that first appeared about 1860, and dealt with an officer's life in the Navy at about that time. By an extraordinary coincidence, the three young men who had met as midshipmen, get postings that enable them to keep their friendships alive when they are lieutenants. Another old friend is Admiral Triton, who, though retired, takes a great interest in their careers.
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Price HK$ 900
Stalky and Co. -
Rudyard Kipling
1899 - Macmillan and Co., London - First English Edition
“Stalky,’ in their school vocabulary, meant clever, well considered and wily, as applied to plans of action: and ‘stalkiness’ was the one virtue Corkran toiled after.’
Schoolboy japes and mischief abound in this finely bound volume about a trio in an English boarding school, based on Kipling’s own experiences as a young man.
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Price HK$ 2,500
1899 - Macmillan and Co., London - First English Edition
“Stalky,’ in their school vocabulary, meant clever, well considered and wily, as applied to plans of action: and ‘stalkiness’ was the one virtue Corkran toiled after.’Schoolboy japes and mischief abound in this finely bound volume about a trio in an English boarding school, based on Kipling’s own experiences as a young man.
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Price HK$ 2,500
The Story of Ferdinand -
Munro Leaf, Robert Lawson (illustrator)
1936 - The Viking Press, New York - First Edition
A superior first edition of this high point in 20th century children's literature, in a better than usually encountered first issue dust jacket.
Ferdinand, the Bull who preferred to smell the flowers, quickly became popular, striking a chord of anti-fight in a world infected by war. Banned by Franco and burned in Nazi Germany. Translated into over 60 languages and made into an Oscar winning animated film by Disney in 1938.
‘Once upon a time in Spain there was a little bull and his name was Ferdinand.’
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Price HK$ 55,000
1936 - The Viking Press, New York - First Edition
A superior first edition of this high point in 20th century children's literature, in a better than usually encountered first issue dust jacket.Ferdinand, the Bull who preferred to smell the flowers, quickly became popular, striking a chord of anti-fight in a world infected by war. Banned by Franco and burned in Nazi Germany. Translated into over 60 languages and made into an Oscar winning animated film by Disney in 1938.
‘Once upon a time in Spain there was a little bull and his name was Ferdinand.’
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Price HK$ 55,000
The Pooh Books - When We Were Very Young; Winnie the Pooh; Now We Are Six; and The House at Pooh Corner -
A. A. Milne, Ernest H. Shepard (illustrator)
1924 to 1928 - Methuen &, London - First Editions
'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 lovely set of the Pooh books, finely bound in full morocco leather to match their respective original published colours, and housed in custom made felt-lined slipcase.
‘I often wish I were a King, And then I could do anything.
If only I were King of Spain, I’d take my hat off in the rain.
If I were King of Norroway, I’d ask an elephant to stay.
If I were King of Timbuctoo, I’d think of lovely things to do.’
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Price HK$ 50,000
1924 to 1928 - Methuen &, London - First Editions
'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 lovely set of the Pooh books, finely bound in full morocco leather to match their respective original published colours, and housed in custom made felt-lined slipcase.
‘I often wish I were a King, And then I could do anything.
If only I were King of Spain, I’d take my hat off in the rain.
If I were King of Norroway, I’d ask an elephant to stay.
If I were King of Timbuctoo, I’d think of lovely things to do.’
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Price HK$ 50,000
Five Children And It -
E. Nesbit
1902 - T. Fisher Unwin, London - First Edition
A fine first edition of this brilliant story exquisitely bound by Bayntun-Riviere of Bath, wonderfully enhanced with forty-six black and white illustrations by H. R. Millar.
Cyril, Athena, Robert, Jane, and baby brother, Lamb, are exploring the land around the house their parents have rented for the summer when they find the sandpit. They decide to dig a hole straight through to Australia. Their plan is interrupted when Athena discovers a magical creature hiding in the sand. It is a Psammead, and it can grant wishes.
‘The children stood around the hole looking at the creature they had found. It was worth looking at. Its eyes were on long horns like a snail's eyes, and it could move them in and out like telescopes; it had ears like a bat's ears, and its tubby body was shaped like a spider's and covered with thick soft fur; its legs and arms were furry too, and it had hands and feet like a monkey's.’
Psammead: I am a Sand Fairy!
Jane: A Sand Fairy? I thought fairies had little ballet dresses and wings and wands.
Psammead: What on earth have you been reading?
Jane: I'll call you Sandy.
Psammead: Why?
Jane: Because we found you in the sand.
Psammead: You're so funny. Have your parents tried boiling you?
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Price HK$ 12,500
1902 - T. Fisher Unwin, London - First Edition
A fine first edition of this brilliant story exquisitely bound by Bayntun-Riviere of Bath, wonderfully enhanced with forty-six black and white illustrations by H. R. Millar.Cyril, Athena, Robert, Jane, and baby brother, Lamb, are exploring the land around the house their parents have rented for the summer when they find the sandpit. They decide to dig a hole straight through to Australia. Their plan is interrupted when Athena discovers a magical creature hiding in the sand. It is a Psammead, and it can grant wishes.
‘The children stood around the hole looking at the creature they had found. It was worth looking at. Its eyes were on long horns like a snail's eyes, and it could move them in and out like telescopes; it had ears like a bat's ears, and its tubby body was shaped like a spider's and covered with thick soft fur; its legs and arms were furry too, and it had hands and feet like a monkey's.’
Psammead: I am a Sand Fairy!
Jane: A Sand Fairy? I thought fairies had little ballet dresses and wings and wands.
Psammead: What on earth have you been reading?
Jane: I'll call you Sandy.
Psammead: Why?
Jane: Because we found you in the sand.
Psammead: You're so funny. Have your parents tried boiling you?
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Price HK$ 12,500
The Magic Bed-Knob -
Mary Norton, Joan Kiddell-Monroe (illustrator)
1945 - J. M. Dent and Sons Ltd., London - First Edition
Finely bound and charmingly and profusely illustrated throughout in colour and black and white.
Three children are sent off to stay with an old Aunt in the countryside during WWII, which is where they bump into Miss Price, or more precisely she bumps into the ground trying to ride her, well you know where this is going so we shall not spoil the story for you, needless to say there is a magic bed.
The subtitle ‘Or, How to Become a Witch in Ten Easy Lessons’ was added to later editions. This is the first in a series of books that became the basis for the wonderful Disney musical ‘Bedknobs and Broomsticks’.
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Price HK$ 3,000
1945 - J. M. Dent and Sons Ltd., London - First Edition
Finely bound and charmingly and profusely illustrated throughout in colour and black and white.Three children are sent off to stay with an old Aunt in the countryside during WWII, which is where they bump into Miss Price, or more precisely she bumps into the ground trying to ride her, well you know where this is going so we shall not spoil the story for you, needless to say there is a magic bed.
The subtitle ‘Or, How to Become a Witch in Ten Easy Lessons’ was added to later editions. This is the first in a series of books that became the basis for the wonderful Disney musical ‘Bedknobs and Broomsticks’.
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Price HK$ 3,000