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Kai Lung Unrolls His Mat -
Ernest Bramah
1928 - The Richards Press Ltd., London - First Edition, in first issue dust jacket
‘The more you can consume, the less will be this self-conscious person’s shame at the insipidity of what he puts before you; the longer you can tolerate his worn-out roof, the greater will be the confidence with which he can henceforth continue to dwell beneath it...’
The third collection of stories in Brahmah’s ‘Kai Lung’ series: a brilliant literary fusion of myths, legends, and cosmology from the Golden age of Han, tied together with Bramah’s keen eye for combining historic fiction and comedy. Kai Lung, our hapless yet loveable protagonist, must once again defeat his enemies and win back his kidnapped wife; Hwa-Mei, by weaving together seemingly unconnected parables and tales until an overarching narrative is skilfully revealed.
A seminal influence in the genre of speculative fiction, Bramah’s works have been compared with those of Jerome K. Jerome, and PG Wodehouse. His work went on to inspire writers such as Dorothy L Sayers, Jorge Luis Borges, and George Orwell, among many others.
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Price HK$ 2,000
1928 - The Richards Press Ltd., London - First Edition, in first issue dust jacket
‘The more you can consume, the less will be this self-conscious person’s shame at the insipidity of what he puts before you; the longer you can tolerate his worn-out roof, the greater will be the confidence with which he can henceforth continue to dwell beneath it...’The third collection of stories in Brahmah’s ‘Kai Lung’ series: a brilliant literary fusion of myths, legends, and cosmology from the Golden age of Han, tied together with Bramah’s keen eye for combining historic fiction and comedy. Kai Lung, our hapless yet loveable protagonist, must once again defeat his enemies and win back his kidnapped wife; Hwa-Mei, by weaving together seemingly unconnected parables and tales until an overarching narrative is skilfully revealed.
A seminal influence in the genre of speculative fiction, Bramah’s works have been compared with those of Jerome K. Jerome, and PG Wodehouse. His work went on to inspire writers such as Dorothy L Sayers, Jorge Luis Borges, and George Orwell, among many others.
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Price HK$ 2,000
The Works of Charlotte, Emily, and Anne Bronte -
Anne, Charlotte & Emily Bront
1893 - J.M. Dent and Company, London
An elegantly bound twelve volume set of the Brontë sisters works, each volume with a decorated title page and frontispiece, and two further black and white illustrated plates by Greig and Tilney (three to volume I).
Presented in a matching navy fleece-lined slipcase with ribbon-pull.
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Price HK$ 25,000
1893 - J.M. Dent and Company, London
An elegantly bound twelve volume set of the Brontë sisters works, each volume with a decorated title page and frontispiece, and two further black and white illustrated plates by Greig and Tilney (three to volume I).Presented in a matching navy fleece-lined slipcase with ribbon-pull.
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Price HK$ 25,000
Sick Heart River -
John Buchan
1941 - Hodder Stoughton Limited, London - First Edition
A fine first edition of Buchan’s last book, published posthumously.
The review in the April 1941 edition of Punch sums it up nicely:-
‘"If thou hast a woe, tell it not to the weakling, tell it to thy saddle-bow, and ride singing forth." John Buchan took this Proverb of Alfred as text for his book Sick Heart River (Hodder and Stoughton, 8/3) which is as good a sermon to lift the downhearted as has ever been given in the form of a novel. When Sir Edward Leithen, a former British Attorney-General, received his notice of death from a specialist, "his memory sprawled over places he had seen" and he decided to go to Quebec to make his soul and to "die standing". One journey led to another in quest of a famous French-Canadian who, in a mood of mental sickness, had suddenly left his wife and important office in New York; and was "wanted" by American people because of his genius over international affairs. The tale that follows of two white men, their half-breed guides and some "Hare Indians", their fight with and against Nature in a lonely place is soul-stirring in more than one way and makes as brave a book as the late Governor-General of Canada ever gave us.’
The fictional Sick Heart River is in the real region of the Nahanni River in Canada's Northwest Territories. It is in some of the most rugged terrain in Canada. The area was only just being mapped when Buchan, as Governor-General Lord Tweedsmuir, passed nearby during his voyage down the Mackenzie River in the summer of 1937. Having heard much about the mysterious South Nahanni, Buchan was fascinated by it and wanted to go there, but did not make it before he died in February, 1940. [Galbraith, 2001]
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Price HK$ 3,500
1941 - Hodder Stoughton Limited, London - First Edition
A fine first edition of Buchan’s last book, published posthumously. The review in the April 1941 edition of Punch sums it up nicely:-
‘"If thou hast a woe, tell it not to the weakling, tell it to thy saddle-bow, and ride singing forth." John Buchan took this Proverb of Alfred as text for his book Sick Heart River (Hodder and Stoughton, 8/3) which is as good a sermon to lift the downhearted as has ever been given in the form of a novel. When Sir Edward Leithen, a former British Attorney-General, received his notice of death from a specialist, "his memory sprawled over places he had seen" and he decided to go to Quebec to make his soul and to "die standing". One journey led to another in quest of a famous French-Canadian who, in a mood of mental sickness, had suddenly left his wife and important office in New York; and was "wanted" by American people because of his genius over international affairs. The tale that follows of two white men, their half-breed guides and some "Hare Indians", their fight with and against Nature in a lonely place is soul-stirring in more than one way and makes as brave a book as the late Governor-General of Canada ever gave us.’
The fictional Sick Heart River is in the real region of the Nahanni River in Canada's Northwest Territories. It is in some of the most rugged terrain in Canada. The area was only just being mapped when Buchan, as Governor-General Lord Tweedsmuir, passed nearby during his voyage down the Mackenzie River in the summer of 1937. Having heard much about the mysterious South Nahanni, Buchan was fascinated by it and wanted to go there, but did not make it before he died in February, 1940. [Galbraith, 2001]
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Price HK$ 3,500
Trouble A-Brewing. A Novel of Detection -
John Bude (Pseud. Ernest Carpenter Elmore)
1946 - Macdonald and Co.(Publishers) Ltd., London - First Edition
An exceptional example of this scarce first edition, in the dust jacket without price-clipping and only a little colour touch-up to spine and outer corners.
Featuring Chief Inspector Meredith who ‘proves himself more than a match for any murderer; even for one who first poisons his victim and then hides the body in a hogshead of beer’.
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Price HK$ 3,000
1946 - Macdonald and Co.(Publishers) Ltd., London - First Edition
An exceptional example of this scarce first edition, in the dust jacket without price-clipping and only a little colour touch-up to spine and outer corners.Featuring Chief Inspector Meredith who ‘proves himself more than a match for any murderer; even for one who first poisons his victim and then hides the body in a hogshead of beer’.
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Price HK$ 3,000
The Last Night of the Earth Poems - Signed and with Original Bukowski Silkscreen Print -
Charles Bukowski
1992 - Black Sparrow Press, Santa Rosa - Letter &lsquo
A special deluxe copy with an original Bukowski silkscreen print signed ‘Buk ‘92’, also signed in the colophon, only 26 where produced each hand-bound by Earle Gray.
One of Bukowski’s most successful collections of poetry.
‘These poems were written when Bukowski was in his seventies. Old man Bukowski reflects on his life in his typical raw style. It features classic Bukowski poems like the beautiful ‘The Bluebird’ and the epic apocalyptic horror that is ‘Dinosauria, we’.’ - Outsiders & Misfits.
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Price HK$ 9,000
1992 - Black Sparrow Press, Santa Rosa - Letter &lsquo
A special deluxe copy with an original Bukowski silkscreen print signed ‘Buk ‘92’, also signed in the colophon, only 26 where produced each hand-bound by Earle Gray.One of Bukowski’s most successful collections of poetry.
‘These poems were written when Bukowski was in his seventies. Old man Bukowski reflects on his life in his typical raw style. It features classic Bukowski poems like the beautiful ‘The Bluebird’ and the epic apocalyptic horror that is ‘Dinosauria, we’.’ - Outsiders & Misfits.
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Price HK$ 9,000
A Clockwork Orange -
Anthony Burgess
1962 - Heinemann, London - First edition first issue in first state jacket
A bright sharp and thus rare first edition of this "scarifying," controversial novel, and source for Stanley Kubrick's cult film. Social prophecy? Black comedy? Study of freewill? A Clockwork Orange is all of these. It is also a dazzling experiment in language, as Burgess creates a new language - 'nadsat', the teenage slang of a not-too-distant future.
'Not only about man's violent nature and his capacity to choose between good and evil. It is about the excitements and intoxicating effects of language' – Daily Telegraph.
'One of the cleverest and most original writers of his generation' – The Times.
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Price HK$ 43,000
1962 - Heinemann, London - First edition first issue in first state jacket
A bright sharp and thus rare first edition of this "scarifying," controversial novel, and source for Stanley Kubrick's cult film. Social prophecy? Black comedy? Study of freewill? A Clockwork Orange is all of these. It is also a dazzling experiment in language, as Burgess creates a new language - 'nadsat', the teenage slang of a not-too-distant future.'Not only about man's violent nature and his capacity to choose between good and evil. It is about the excitements and intoxicating effects of language' – Daily Telegraph.
'One of the cleverest and most original writers of his generation' – The Times.
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Price HK$ 43,000
East of Mansion House -
Thomas Burke
1928 - Cassell and Company, London - First Edition
‘A London native, Burke knew the city intimately and brought it to life in essays, mood pieces, and short stories, most of which had a melodramatic atmosphere of crime.’ – Stenbrunner & Penzler.
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Price HK$ 1,200
1928 - Cassell and Company, London - First Edition
‘A London native, Burke knew the city intimately and brought it to life in essays, mood pieces, and short stories, most of which had a melodramatic atmosphere of crime.’ – Stenbrunner & Penzler.
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Price HK$ 1,200
Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect -
Robert Burns
1787 - Printed for the Author, Edinburgh - Second (first Edinburgh) edition, first issue
In 1786 at the age of 27, although he had never published anything before, Burns decided to publish a volume of his poems. 612 copies were printed for him by John Wilson of Kilmarnock. They sold out within a month. There are estimated to be less than 70 complete Kilmarnock copies in existence today.
Encouraged by this success, and by a letter from an Edinburgh minister, Dr. Blacklock, Burns moved to Edinburgh instead of emigrating to Jamaica. He became a celebrity and in 1787 a new edition of 1500 copies, to be sold by subscription, was agreed upon with an additional 17 poems and five new songs.
A fine Riviere binding, with engraved frontispiece portrait of Burns by I. Beugo after Alexander Nasmyth
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Price HK$ 30,000
1787 - Printed for the Author, Edinburgh - Second (first Edinburgh) edition, first issue
In 1786 at the age of 27, although he had never published anything before, Burns decided to publish a volume of his poems. 612 copies were printed for him by John Wilson of Kilmarnock. They sold out within a month. There are estimated to be less than 70 complete Kilmarnock copies in existence today. Encouraged by this success, and by a letter from an Edinburgh minister, Dr. Blacklock, Burns moved to Edinburgh instead of emigrating to Jamaica. He became a celebrity and in 1787 a new edition of 1500 copies, to be sold by subscription, was agreed upon with an additional 17 poems and five new songs.
A fine Riviere binding, with engraved frontispiece portrait of Burns by I. Beugo after Alexander Nasmyth
More details
Price HK$ 30,000