APRIL 2023
Mostly Literature




1. Aldington, Richard. 
Death Of A Hero. 
New York: Covici-Friede Inc, 1929. First American edition. 398 pages. 27 x 14.5 cm. Aldington's first novel which preceded publication in the UK and France. His celebrated novel forced him to censor to assure the publication of the book would not be challenged by the English authorities. A tale of World War I whose main character is Captain George Winterbourne a causality in battle. The author also served in WWI. Laid-in is a 1916 photograph of Aldington in his British uniform, and a second photograph of Aldington by Man Ray in civilian attire. Aldington was also a distinguished poet and editor of "The Egoist," a literary journal, and an early associate of the Imagist movement. Dust wrapper loss at lower front spine corners and at head of rear cover. Orig. beige linen cloth lettered in brown. Top edge red. Very good in original unclipped dust wrapper. $550.00

[CHILDREN'S BOOKS] 2. Baum, Frank L. 
The Navy Alphabet Pictures by Harry Kennedy * Lettered by Charles Costello.
Chicago & New York: George M. Hill Company, 1900. First edition. Unpaginated. 31.3 x 25.5 cm. 27 color plates printed recto only. First and only edition of this rare oversized fragile picture book. "A" is for Admiral George Dewey, the hero of the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War. Although issued simultaneously with The Army Alphabet and likely in the same printing, The Navy Alphabet has proven to be rarer than its companion. Owner inscription free front endpaper dated 1903. Small book label of Floeser & Co. Brooklyn Book Store. Solid copy, plates bright and sharp, wear to corners and backstrip extremities. Smudges to pastedown rear endpaper. BIENVENUE & SCHMIDT. p.182 Orig. illustrated boards, maroon cloth spine. Very good. $2,250.00

4. Capote, Truman . 
The Muses Are Heard. 
New York: Random House, 1956. First edition. 182 pages. 21 x 14 cm. Capote's trip to the Soviet Union in 1955 to present "Porgy And Bess" in Leningrad, as a cultural exchange attempt at the height of the cold war. Almost as new copy in unclipped dust wrapper, tiny nicks at foot. Orig. black cloth backstrip lettered in white and blue with front inset in three colors. Fine in near fine dust wrapper. $200.00

5. Capote, Truman & Harold Arlen. 
house of flowers. 
New York: Random House, 1968. First edition. 111 pages. 21 x 14.5 cm. Music by Harold Arlen when first presented in 1954 in New York. His first attempt as a writer of musical comedy, although he wrote a theatrical adaptation to his "The Grasp Harp." Very sharp almost as new copy, dust jacket price clipped -- tiny nick dj head. Orig. black cloth and white boards decorated in blind. Fine in near fine dust wrapper. $395.00


6. Capote, Truman. 
Answered Prayers The Unfinished Novel. 
London: Hamish Hamilton, 1986. First edition. 181 pages. 22 x 13.5. Capote died in 1984 -- here are three chapters of an unfinished novel. Orig. black cloth. Fine in fine dust wrapper. $40.00

7. _____.
The Grass Harp. 
New York: Random House, 1951. First edition. 181 pages. 21 x 14 cm. His second novel in clipped dust wrapper, a bright, very fresh copy. Double illustrated title page lettered in red. Orig. beige cloth spine lettered in red and green. Fine in very good dust wrapper. $400.00

8. _____. 
Other Voice Other Rooms. 
New York: Random House, 1948. First edition. 231 pages. 21 x 14 cm. His first novel in unclipped dust wrapper, a bright, very fresh copy. The only fault a very slight crease to front cover of the dust wrapper at the lower foot. Orig. cream cloth spine lettered in red. Fine in near fine dust wrapper. $600.00


9. Chagall, Marc. 
Drawings For The Bible (Dessins Pour La Bible) Text by Gaston Bachelard (Translated by Stuart Gilbert).
New York: Harcourt Brace and Company, 1980. First American edition. Introductory text not paginated (seven leaves). 37 x 27 cm. Twenty four full page original color lithographs, plus 96 plates in black and white. Chagall's biblically theme drawings first reproduced in Verve 33/34 and the second suite Verve 37/38 (double issue), Summer 1960 and is the final entry in the Verve bibliography. The heliogravures in black and white printed by Draeger Freres, and the color lithographs by Mourlot Freres. CRAMER 42. MOURLOT 230-277. SORLIER 75. Orig. color lithographed boards. Near fine in original unclipped dust wrapper chipped along the edges. $5,500.00

[BOXING] 10. Dempsey, Jack. 
Championship Fighting Explosive Punching and Aggressive Defense.
New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc, 1950. First edition. 264 pages. 21 x 14 cm. Signed presentation copy from Dempsey "To My Llittle Pal Frankie Mastro Thanks Partner" signed by him in blue ink. Edited by Jack Cuddy with illustrations by Ed Igoe. Laid-in a "For Review" slip from the publisher to Frank Mastro. Frank Mastro boxed before he became a boxing reporter for the Chicago Tribune from 1930 to 1969, known for his straw skimmer and big cigar. Orig. maroon cloth lettered in white. Fine. $350.00

11. Dickens, Charles
Memoirs of Joseph Grimaldi. Edited by "Boz" 
London: Richard Bentley, 1838. First edition, second issue. 288, 263 pages. 19 x 12.5 cm. Half–titles, EXTRA–ILLUSTRATED WITH 61 ENGRAVINGS including the 12 etchings by George Cruikshank, many hand–colored and folding (including a play bill from the Drury Lane Theater announcing his last public appearance, Friday, June 27. 1828), several proofs before letters. Grimaldi was considered the most celebrated of English clowns, know particularly for his pantomime. An early work of Dickens, who wrote the preface, the last chapter, and edited this work on the famous English actor and clown according to Johnson's biography. Gilt stamped, bound by Baytun; issue with the plate "Last Song" without a border. Spine in six compartments, raised bands gilt lettered, inner dentelles, original brown cloth bound in at end, marbled endpapers with spine lettered at foot noting "Extra Illustrated." ECKLES p.152-153. GIMBEL B64. Full green levant with large central pictorial inlays of Grimaldi as a clown and as another theatrical character in various color morocco's within a geometric gilt frame. Aeg. Two vols. $6,900.00

12. Fante, John. 
The Brotherhood Of The Grape. 
Santa Rosa: Black Sparrow Press, 1988. First edition. 178 pages. Limited edition, copy Z of 176 deluxe copies hand bound in boards by Earle Gray with a special marbled board spine. His early semi-biographical novel about Los Angeles in the 1930's, inspired Charles Bukowski and Robert Towne. Illustrated boards in clear mylar dust wrapper. Fine. $300.00

13. Faulkner, William. 
Doctor Martino and other stories. 
New York: Harrison Smith and Robert Haas, 1934. First edition. 371 pages. 221 x 14 cm. Limited edition, copy 34 of 360 signed by Faulkner, printed on W. and A. all rag paper. A collection of short stories -- Doctor Martino, Fox Hunt, The Hound, Death Drag, There Was A Queen, Smoke, Turn About, Beyond, Wash, Elly, Black Music, Leg, Mountain Victory, Honor. Bound by James Rigg with a presentation note, "17 Dec. 1968 This book was bound for Win Adair, a friend and former shipmate." Last few leaves slightly toned at edges. PETERSEN A15a. MASSEY 438. Raised bands, brown leather spine label printed in gilt. Three quarter black morocco, marbled boards with matching marbled endpapers. Near fine. $750.00

14. _____
Go Down, Moses And Other Stories. 
New York: Random House, 1942. First edition. 383 pages. 20.5 x 14.5 cm. Bright, very clean copy with seven short stories including, "The Bear." PETERSON A21d. Price clipped dust wrapper. Orig. black cloth lettered in gilt. Fine in very good dust wrapper top stained red, nicked at bottom front cover and backstrip head and foot. $800.00

15. Fitzgerald, Edward (Translator).
Rubaiyat Of Omar Khayyam Rendered into English Verse by Edward Fitzgerald.
New York & London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1909. Approx. 124 pages. 32 x 25.5 cm. The American Limited edition, copy 40 of 200 with book label of Paul Elder, San Francisco back cover free endpaper (recto). Printed from the second edition. Twenty mounted color plates within decorative borders, all with lettered tissue guards, peacock feather motif endpapers. A clean, brilliant copy, only flaw a slight bump backstrip foot. HUGHEY 21d. Orig. full vellum decorated in gilt designs, cover and backstrip with original brown cloth ties. Teg. Near fine. $1,200.00

16 _____.
Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam.
London: Hodder and Stoughton, (1913). 75 pages printed recto only. 27.5 x 22.5 cm. Hand bound by Joseph E. Zuffant Jr.,for The Monastery Hill Bindery with his label mounted to inside front free endpaper. Twenty four tipped in color plates with lettered tissue guards, illustrations after Rene Bull mounted within decorative borders with additional black and white illustrated in line. Raised bands, spine panels in gilt motifs, inner dentelles, decorative raised endpaper designs, double gilt border panel covers frame arabesque designs. Full red levant. Aeg. Fine in matching red slipcase. $1,095.00

17. _____.
The Rubaiyat Of Omar Khayyam A Variorum Edition Of Edward Fitzgerald's Rendering Into English Verse Edited by Frederick H. Evans.
London: Privately Printed (Temple Sheen Press), 1914. 109 pages. 22.5 x 17.5 cm. Limited edition, one of 300 hand-printed by Arthur K. Sabin on Batchelor hand-made paper. Made with the idea of giving, for the first time collectively, each Stanza in the full text of each of its versions, as given in the four editions (1859 - 1868 - 1872 - 1879) that contain any differences in text. Temple Sheen Press produced high quality fine press books issued in wrappers. Bound by Morley Brothers of Oxford, wide text margins, inner gilt decorated dentelles, marbled endpapers, raised bands, spine panels in gilt floral motifs. Full red morocco, front covers in geometric and floral designs. Teg. Fine. $2,250.00

18. _____.
Rubaiyat Of Omar Khayyam, The Astronomer-Poet Of Persia, Rendered Into English Verse By Edward Fitzgerald, The Text Here Given Being That Of The Fifth Recension With The Same Done Into Greek By Ernest Crawley of Bradfield College, Berkshire England.
Boston: Merrymount Press, 1902. 69 pages. 24 x 15.5 cm. Limited edition, copy 17 of 25 on Japan vellum (total edition of 150) with mounted manuscript limitation card signed by Nathan Haskell Dole. Light edge wear, covers splayed. Orig. gilt lettered red vellum with four silk ties, two detached but present. Very good. $1,500.00

[BOXING] 19. Graziano, Rocky with Rowland Barber. 
Somebody Up There Likes Me The Story Of My Life Until Today.
New York: Simon & Schuster, 1955. First edition. 375 pages. 21.5 x 15 cm. Signed presentation copy by Graziano "To Frank Mastro the swell fellow" in blue ink. Frank Mastro boxed before he became a boxing reporter for the Chicago Tribune from 1930 to 1969, known for his straw skimmer and big cigar. Laid-in Mastro's membership card "Chicago Press Veterans Association" dated 1969. illustrated with photographs. Orig. white spine lettered in red and dark gray boards. Near fine in worn and chipped dust wrapper. $450.00

20. Joyce, James. 
Finnegans Wake. 
London & New York: Faber & Faber Limited & The Viking Press, 1939. 628 pages. 26 x 17 cm. Limited edition, copy 22 of 425 signed by James Joyce in green ink. Joyce wished to puzzle critics with his novel's plot which is not nearly as complex as the linguistic tactics he employed, and he did both. Finnegans Wake met with mixed review: some said it was unreadable, others praised Joyce for ingenuity. Joyce combined use of a number of languages with complex ironic implications to create wordplay and hidden meaning throughout this work. His polyglot idiom of puns and portmanteau words was intended to convey the relationship between the conscious and the unconscious. The density and layers of meaning have induced scholars to dedicate a good portion of their lives studying it. The critic and scholar Richard Ellman was best known for his literary biography of Joyce noted, "In his earlier books Joyce forced modern literature to accept new styles, new subject matter, new kinds of plot and characterization. In his last book (Finnegans Wake) he forced it to accept a new area of being and a new language." Connolly: The Modern Movement 87. Slocum & Cahoon A49. Slight spine fading, some minor soiling to slipcase. Orig. publisher's orange/red buckram, backstrip lettered in gilt. Fine in the original yellow cloth slipcase as issued. Teg. $15,500.00

21. ______. 
Tales Told of Shem and Shaun Three Fragments from Work in Progress. 
Paris: Black Sun Press, 1929. First edition. 55 pages. 21 x 17 cm. Limited edition, copy 325 of 500 on Holland Van Gelder Zonen. Preface by C.K. Ogden. Portrait of the author by C. Brancusi. Title printed in red and black: The three fragments are entitled; "The Mookse and the Gripes. The Muddest Thick That Was Ever Heard Dump. The Ondt and the Gracehoper." Binding by Andrea Kohler. The three fragments comprise pp. 152-159, 282-304 and 414-419 respectively of "Finnegans Wake." The image by Brancusi is a graphic work. THE ARTIST & THE BOOK 1860-1960," notes: "A portrait as abstract as the author's text." This was one of the last books printed at the Black Sun Press. Crosby committed suicide in December, 1929. Slocum and Cahoon A36. Kohler binding in fine red velvet and gold framed slipcase housed in fine black leather spine folding box lettered in red and black. Orig. printed stiff wrappers. Fine in original glassine nicked with some minor loss. $3,250.00

22. Mandeville, Bernard. 
The Fable Of The Bees; Or, Private Vices, Public Benefits With A Commentary Critical, Historical and Explanatory by F.B. Kaye.
Oxford: The Clarendon Press, 1924. 481 pages. 21 x 15 cm. Limited edition, copy 20 of 25 on India Paper, "has been printed for presentation to friends." Title page in red and black, several engraved facsimiles including frontispiece and captioned tissue guards. Originally published 1705 as satire on economic orthodoxy and a seminal text of libertarian thought. Mandeville argues that the basest and vilest behaviors produce positive economic effects. His philosophy gave great offence at the time, and was stigmatized as false, cynical and degrading. He was also an early describer of the division of labour, and Adam Smith used of some of his examples. Two volumes in one. Raised bands, spine lettered in gilt, marbled endpapers, spine slightly darkened. Three quarter red levant and marbled boards. Teg. Near fine. $1,795.00


23. McMurtry, Larry. 
In A Narrow Grave Essay on Texas.
Austin: The Encino Press, 1968. First edition. 177 pages. 23.5 x 17 cm. Limited edition, copy 53 of 250, signed on half title as issued, and additionally inscribed: Presentation copy to actor William Ely -- "The book took me longer than any novel, with good wishes, Larry McMurtry". This was the author's first book of non-fiction, and is the second (correction) printing that was preceded by a first printing that was so littered with typographical errors that it was recalled and destroyed. Orig. two-toned brown/tan boards. Fine in fine slipcase. $3,250.00

24. Ovidius Naso, Publius. 
Ovid's Metamorphoses In Latin And English Translated By The Most Eminent Hands (Dryden, Addison, Pope, Gay, Congreve) With Historical Explications Of the Fables, Written By The Abbott Banier, Member Of The Academy Of Inscriptions And Belles Lettres. Translated Into English. Adorned with Sculptures, by B. Picart, and other able Masters. 
Amsterdam: Printed for the Wetsteins and Smith, 1732. First Picard Edition. 524 (4) pages. Folio, 47.5 x 30 cm. Title page in red and black, engraved allegorical frontispiece, lacks half title. 130 half page copper engraved plates by Bernard Picart, Charles Le Brun, Maas, Romain et al, plus woodcut head and tail pieces, and initials. Considered one of the very special editions of Ovid's epic transformation. Among the hundreds of classical legends retold are those of Europa, Pygmalion, Midas, Aeneas, Tiresias, Ulysses, Icarus, Pyramus and Thisbe, Diana and Actaeon, Narcissus and Echo, Perseus and Andromeda, Medea and Jason, Venus and Adonis and Orpheus and Eurydice. BRUNET Vol. IV p.285 notes is sought after because of the plates by Picart. He earned a reputation as an artist and engraver, and for a time Paris offered full employment. In 1712 he removed to Amsterdam where he also sold prints. RAY [ART OF THE FRENCH ILLUSTRATED BOOK] p.7 says: "His best-known later works, to the illustration of which his pupil Dubourg contributed more than did Picart himself include Ovid's Metamorphoses......" COHEN-DE-RICCI. pps.348-349. "A magnificent work." LOWNDES III. P.1744. Rebacked preserving original spine, red morocco lettering piece in second compartment with gilt tooling, corners repaired and endsheets renewed. Sporadic toning and embrowning. Contemporary full tree calf. Very good. Two Vols. in one. $4,680.00

25. Steinbeck, John. 
The Grapes Of Wrath. 
New York: Viking Press, 1939. First edition. 619 pages. 21 x14 cm. With dust wrapper noting "First Edition," and noting the $2.75 price at publication. Dust wrapper designed by Elmer Hader. Steinbeck's Pulitzer Prize-winning classic. Perhaps the most influential, and best remembered book to come out of the Great Depression. Goldstone and Payne A12a. Decorated endpapers, a musical score of the "Battle Hymn of The Republic." Nicks to backstrip head of dust wrapper with slight loss, front cover of dust wrapper at lower foot slightly rubbed, interior contents fresh and clean. Orig. illustrated beige cloth. Near fine in very good dust wrapper. $2,950.00

26. _____. 
The Red Pony I. The Gift * II. The Great Mountains * III. The Promise.
New York: Covici Friede, 1937. First edition. 81 pages. 25.5 x 17.5 cm. Limited edition, copy 343 of 699 signed by John Steinbeck, set in monotype Italian Oldstyle, printed on hand-made La Garde paper, and printed by the Pynson Printers under the supervision of Elmer Adler. Steinbeck's novella in which the first three chapters were published in magazines, 1933-1936 -- stories of a boy's life on a California ranch. Small bump front cover lower corner. Orig. pictorial cream cloth. Near fine in original publisher's slipcase. $1,750.00

27. Wright, Frank Lloyd. 
The Buildings Plans And Designs Frank Lloyd Wright. 
New York: Horizon, 1963. Elephant folio, 30 pages in text, 100 mounted plates printed on heavy card stock. Foreword by William Wesley Peters. Limited edition copy 445E of 2600. 32 page booklet enclosed. Plates bright, clean and fresh. KARPEL B1332." A near but not exact facsimile of the Wasmuth `Ausgefuhrte Bauten,' published in Berlin in 1910. H. Allen Brooks, the distinguished Wright scholar calls the Wasmuth original the `most influential book ever published by Wright , and probably the most influential book on architecture published during our century.' The Horizon facsimile is very well done and essential to the student of Wright..............." SWEENEY 1534. Repair to first cover sheet: Guide To Terms Used In The Plans and black chemise holding the individual pages. Wear to board portfolio, cloth ties lacking. Orig. cloth and board portfolio. Very good. $1,350.00

28. Wyeth, Andrew. 
The Four Seasons Paintings and Drawings by Andrew Wyeth.
New York: Arts in America, [1963]. First edition. 43.5 x 34 cm. Folio, Limited edition, copy 224 of 500 signed by Andrew Wyeth. Preface by Lloyd Goodrich, Director of the Whitney Museum of America Art. Twelve color plates with original dimensions, ownership and dates. The works were selected by Andrew and Betsy Wyeth from works in the house and studio at Chadds Ford. With a few exceptions they have never been exhibited or reproduced. The plates were made directly from the originals. Light gray cloth portfolio, front cover paper label. Fine in fine matching gray box, also with cover paper label. $995.00

29. Yeats, William Butler. 
The Book Of The Rhymers' Club. 
London: Elkin Mathews, 1892. First edition. 94 pages. 16.5 x 13 cm. Limited edition, one of 450. John Quinn's bookplate front cover paste-down. Original contributions by Yeats (6 poems), Richard Le Gallienne, Arthur Symons, and other Rhymer’s Club members. Purportedly, Yeats proposed this collection because "I wanted to have copies of Dowsons poems. He had read them to us at the Cheshire Chease." WADE 291. Laid-in a play bill from the Grand Opera House, Chicago (33 x 12.5 cm) for "Final Performances The Irish Players from the Abbey Theater, Dublin dated March 12, 1912. Five plays noted, three by Lady Gregory, one each by Yeats and Doyle with complete casts for each. Crease to front and back covers, backstrip extremities worn, spine paper label faded. Orig. mustard cloth. Very good. $640.00

30. _____.
The Countess Kathleen And Various Legends and Lyrics Cameo Series.
London: T. Fisher Unwin, 1902. First edition. 141 pages. 19 x 11.5 cm. Engraved frontispiece by T.J. Nettleship. The present volume represents Yeats's second collection of poetry. In addition the play The Countess Kathleen, the collection includes some of Yeats finest early lyrics, including The Lake Isle of Innisfree, When You Are Old, and The Man Who Dreamed of Faeryland. The work is dedicated to his long-time love, Maud Gonne, and many of the poems reflect Yeats's burgeoning interests in alchemy and esotericism. WADE 6: "500 copies were published in September 1892." Front and back free endpapers toned, owner inscription front free and quotation from Sir Philip Sydney, "An Apology for Poetry." Backstrip toned. Orig. decorated green boards and quarter parchment, yapp edges. Teg. Very good in fine folding chemise and green morocco backed slipcase backstrip evenly faded to brown. $895.00

31. _____.
Essays.
New York: Macmillan, 1924. New and Revised edition. 538 pages. 25.5 x 14 cm. Limited edition, copy 206 of 250 signed by Yeats. Pristine, unopened copy.
Contents contain "Ideas Of Good And Evil, The Cutting Of An Agate, and Per Amica Silentta Lunae." Dedicated to Lennox Robinson, an Irish dramatist, poet and theatre producer and director who was involved with the Abbey Theatre. Spine paper label slightly toned. Orig. teal cloth spine, textured brown boards, front cover and spine paper labels. Fine. $1,295.00

32 _____.
Plays And Controversies.
New York: Macmillan, 1924. New and Revised Edition. 474 pages. 25.5 x 14 cm. Limited edition, copy 72 of 250 signed by Yeats. Pristine, unopened copy, frontispiece portrait of Yeats at a young age drawn by John Singer Sargent with seven additional illustrations in the text. Chapter on "Music For `At The Hawks Well' by Edmund Dulac. Orig. teal cloth spine, textured brown boards, front cover and spine paper labels. Fine. $1,295.00

33. _____.
The Shadowy Waters.
London: Hodder And Stoughton, 1900.
First edition. 57 pages, 24 x 17.5 cm. Fresh, clean copy, wide text margins, owner inscription dated 1900, book dedicated to Lady Gregory. Backstrip gilt lettering bright as well as the two front cover gilt decorations. WADE 30. Orig. navy vertically ribbed blue cloth. Teg. Near fine. $550.00

34. _____.
The Tower.
London: Macmillan, 1928. First edition. 210 pages. 19.5 x 13 cm. Front cover designed by Thomas Sturge Moore, a poet in his own right and long time friend of Yeats. As a wood-engraver and artist he designed the covers for poetry editions of Yeats and others. Contains "Sailing To Byzantium." Text clean and fresh with wide text margins. WADE 159. Orig. green cloth front cover elaborately decorated in gilt. Fine in restored dust wrapper lacking portions at spine. $1,550.00