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This 'N That - A Memoir - Signed -
Bette Davis, Michael Herskowitz
1987 - Sidgwick &, London - First English Edition
A signed copy of Bette Davis’ second autobiographical work, which begins in 1983 with her mastectomy and stroke, and is considered the more personal and powerful of the two.
‘A woman of strong appetites and opinions, Bette Davis minces no words. In frank, no nonsense terms she talks about the stroke that nearly killed her, and inspires us with the story of her subsequent recovery from cancer–a lively and encouraging account shot through with the star’s unique blend of spunk and wit.
Davis was famous for being as unsparing of herself as she was of others. Among the “others” of this book are President Ronald Reagan, who was a contract player at Warner Bros. when she was; Joan Crawford, her costar in What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?; Humphrey Bogart; Marilyn Monroe; Elizabeth Taylor; and Helen Hayes, Bette’s costar in her first film after her illness, Murder with Mirrors. She also talks about her deep friendship with her long-time assistant, Kathryn Sermak, who nursed Davis back to health after her stroke and ushered her back into acting when Davis’s doctors thought all hope was lost.
As Davis says, “If everyone likes you, you’re doing your job wrong.” This is a unique and controversial book by one of the most incandescent and unconventional acting talents of all time, as magnetic and supremely talented as the lady herself.’
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Price HK$ 2,000
1987 - Sidgwick &, London - First English Edition
A signed copy of Bette Davis’ second autobiographical work, which begins in 1983 with her mastectomy and stroke, and is considered the more personal and powerful of the two.‘A woman of strong appetites and opinions, Bette Davis minces no words. In frank, no nonsense terms she talks about the stroke that nearly killed her, and inspires us with the story of her subsequent recovery from cancer–a lively and encouraging account shot through with the star’s unique blend of spunk and wit.
Davis was famous for being as unsparing of herself as she was of others. Among the “others” of this book are President Ronald Reagan, who was a contract player at Warner Bros. when she was; Joan Crawford, her costar in What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?; Humphrey Bogart; Marilyn Monroe; Elizabeth Taylor; and Helen Hayes, Bette’s costar in her first film after her illness, Murder with Mirrors. She also talks about her deep friendship with her long-time assistant, Kathryn Sermak, who nursed Davis back to health after her stroke and ushered her back into acting when Davis’s doctors thought all hope was lost.
As Davis says, “If everyone likes you, you’re doing your job wrong.” This is a unique and controversial book by one of the most incandescent and unconventional acting talents of all time, as magnetic and supremely talented as the lady herself.’
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Price HK$ 2,000
The Life of an Actor. Dedicated to Edmund Kean, Esq. The Poetical Descriptions by T. Greenwood. Embellished with Twenty-seven Characteristic Scenes, etched by Theodore Lane; Enriched also with Several Original Designs on Wood, executed by Mr. Thompson -
Pierce Egan, T. Greenwood, Theodore Lane (illustrator)
1825 - Printed for C.S. Arnold, London - First Edition
A finely bound example of Pierce Egan’s wonderful and amusing novel centred around Peregrine Proteus, and his various highs and lows attempting to pursue a career on the stage. Dedicated to Edmund Kean (1789-1833) the greatest of English tragic actors, a turbulent genius noted as much for his megalomania and ungovernable behaviour as for his portrayals of villains in Shakespearean plays.
Illustrated with twenty-seven hand-coloured aquatint plates by Theodore Lane and nine woodcut engravings by John Thompson (1785-1866).
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Price HK$ 15,000
1825 - Printed for C.S. Arnold, London - First Edition
A finely bound example of Pierce Egan’s wonderful and amusing novel centred around Peregrine Proteus, and his various highs and lows attempting to pursue a career on the stage. Dedicated to Edmund Kean (1789-1833) the greatest of English tragic actors, a turbulent genius noted as much for his megalomania and ungovernable behaviour as for his portrayals of villains in Shakespearean plays.Illustrated with twenty-seven hand-coloured aquatint plates by Theodore Lane and nine woodcut engravings by John Thompson (1785-1866).
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Price HK$ 15,000
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 Hoods -
Harry Grey (Pseud. Herschel Goldberg)
1952 - Crown Publishers, New York - First Edition
A rare first edition in unfaded dust jacket. The first novel by Harry Grey (Herschel Goldberg) later to become Sergio Leone’s epic ‘Once Upon a Time in America’ (1984) starring Robert DeNiro loosely playing Harry's life as David ‘Noodles’ Aaronson.
A partly autobiographical account of Goldberg, a Ukrainian born Jewish gangster in New York's Lower East Side between 1910 and 1933, legend has it that this was written whilst incarcerated in the notorious Sing-Sing prison, using the pseudonym Harry Grey to protect his family.
Housed in a bespoke black clamshell case with red morocco spine label lettered in gilt.
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Price HK$ 17,000
1952 - Crown Publishers, New York - First Edition
A rare first edition in unfaded dust jacket. The first novel by Harry Grey (Herschel Goldberg) later to become Sergio Leone’s epic ‘Once Upon a Time in America’ (1984) starring Robert DeNiro loosely playing Harry's life as David ‘Noodles’ Aaronson.A partly autobiographical account of Goldberg, a Ukrainian born Jewish gangster in New York's Lower East Side between 1910 and 1933, legend has it that this was written whilst incarcerated in the notorious Sing-Sing prison, using the pseudonym Harry Grey to protect his family.
Housed in a bespoke black clamshell case with red morocco spine label lettered in gilt.
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Price HK$ 17,000
The Arts of Beauty -
Madame Lola Montez, Countess of Landsfeld
1858 - Dick &, New York - First Edition
‘If Lola Montez’s life was a film script it would be rejected for being too far fetched. With Franz Liszt, Alexandre Dumas and King Ludwig of Bavaria among her many lovers, and shootings, drownings, bigamy and adultery, you just couldn’t make it up.’ - The Irish Times.
The beautiful and fiery Montez had fictional affairs with Harry Flashman,and is reputed to be the inspiration for Irene Adler, in Conan Doyle’s ‘A Scandal In Bohemia’, her infamous ‘Spider Dance’ involved the discovery and removal of numerous spiders amongst her petticoats whilst whirling around in the style of a Spanish gypsy, and the various fatal endings of many lovers was just as spider like.
In this rare little tome she reveals all the secrets required to be, well, Lola Montez. The last fabulous chapter specifically for Gentlemen provides ‘Fifty Rules in the Art of Fascinating’. A superb example, without the use of powders, paints, pomades, embellishment, beautification, or sophistication.
Her name was Lola, she was a showgirl... or more appropriately, Like the spider to a fly...
‘She is fatal to any man who dares to love her.’ - Alexandre Dumas.
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Price HK$ 10,000
1858 - Dick &, New York - First Edition
‘If Lola Montez’s life was a film script it would be rejected for being too far fetched. With Franz Liszt, Alexandre Dumas and King Ludwig of Bavaria among her many lovers, and shootings, drownings, bigamy and adultery, you just couldn’t make it up.’ - The Irish Times.The beautiful and fiery Montez had fictional affairs with Harry Flashman,and is reputed to be the inspiration for Irene Adler, in Conan Doyle’s ‘A Scandal In Bohemia’, her infamous ‘Spider Dance’ involved the discovery and removal of numerous spiders amongst her petticoats whilst whirling around in the style of a Spanish gypsy, and the various fatal endings of many lovers was just as spider like.
In this rare little tome she reveals all the secrets required to be, well, Lola Montez. The last fabulous chapter specifically for Gentlemen provides ‘Fifty Rules in the Art of Fascinating’. A superb example, without the use of powders, paints, pomades, embellishment, beautification, or sophistication.
Her name was Lola, she was a showgirl... or more appropriately, Like the spider to a fly...
‘She is fatal to any man who dares to love her.’ - Alexandre Dumas.
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Price HK$ 10,000
Johnson Over Jordan - The Play. And All About It (An Essay) -
J. B. Priestley
1939 - William Heinemann Ltd, London - First Edition
‘J.B. Priestley is one of our literary icons of the 20th Century. And it is time that we all became re-acquainted with his genius’ – Dame Judi Dench
A smartly bound copy of J.B. Priestley’s ‘adventure in theatre’, Johnson Over Jordan – the story of ‘everyman’ Robert Johnson who attempts to make sense of a life half lived – was the play he considered his finest and most ambitious achievement. Also features an essay by Priestly on the writing of the play and its origins, and the critical reception of the stage production.
Illustrated with 8 full page black and white photographic plates of the original 1939 stage production, which starred Ralph Richardson and featured a musical score by Benjamin Britten.
With a black and white photographic portrait of the playwright tipped in to front endpaper and the front panel of the original dust jacket laid in.
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Price HK$ 1,500
1939 - William Heinemann Ltd, London - First Edition
‘J.B. Priestley is one of our literary icons of the 20th Century. And it is time that we all became re-acquainted with his genius’ – Dame Judi DenchA smartly bound copy of J.B. Priestley’s ‘adventure in theatre’, Johnson Over Jordan – the story of ‘everyman’ Robert Johnson who attempts to make sense of a life half lived – was the play he considered his finest and most ambitious achievement. Also features an essay by Priestly on the writing of the play and its origins, and the critical reception of the stage production.
Illustrated with 8 full page black and white photographic plates of the original 1939 stage production, which starred Ralph Richardson and featured a musical score by Benjamin Britten.
With a black and white photographic portrait of the playwright tipped in to front endpaper and the front panel of the original dust jacket laid in.
More details
Price HK$ 1,500