Martin, George R. R.: A Dance with Dragons. London: Harper Voyager, 2011. First edition thus, first printing, signed by the author. Heavy 8vo., pp.[xiv], 1184. Dark and light blue textured cloth, gilt title to spine, strip of gilt emblems to each board along fore-edge, blue ribbon bookmark. Single scrape to spine approx. 3 x 2.5cm, which has been partially repaired. Very good indeed. Matching blue cloth slipcase with gilt dragon emblem to upper side (no dust jacket as issued), a little rubbed but near fine. Special signed, slipcased edition of the fifth book in the A Song of Ice and Fire series. Ref: 54869show full image..
Martineau, Harriet: Dawn Island. A Tale. Manchester: J. Gadsby, 1845. First edition. 8vo., pp.94 + engraved frontispiece and additional title page, with tissue guard between. Engraved vignette headpiece to chapter one.. Engraved title and frontispiece a little foxed, a few tiny marks here and there. Red cloth neatly rebacked, boards blind stamped with gilt centrepiece to upper, a.e.g.. Small ink blot to upper board, cloth a little darkened at edges, corners frayed, very good. Ownership inscription of William Walls(?) dated 1845 to ffep. Harriet Martineau's (1802-1876) allegorical story, found here in red cloth, is more often seen in green or blue and, according to Sadleir, may also have been issued in other colours. The engraved title-page adds: 'Written for the National Anti-Corn Law Bazaar, May 1845'. The Bazaar was one of a number of popular events arranged by the Anti-Corn Law League, an early model for modern pressure groups, which was founded in 1839 as part of the campaign to repeal the Corn Laws. The first Bazaar was held in Manchester at the Theatre Royal in 1842. The second iteration in May of 1845, for which this volume was issued, was an event in the style of the Great Exhibition, and was held at Covent Garden in London. Sadleir 1631. Ref: 55009show full image..
Milligan, Spike: (Hobbs, Jack, ed:) "Rommel?" "Gunner Who?": A confrontation in the desert. London: Michael Joseph, 1974. First edition, signed presentation copy with letter loosely inserted. 8vo., pp.191, [i]. Illustrations in the text. Black cloth, gilt title to spine, near fine. Dust jacket a little creased along top edge with a little very light dampstaining on the inside, very good indeed. Presentation inscription to ffep and a friendly typewritten letter loosely inserted, both to John Tiplady. The second of Milligan's seven volumes of WWII memoirs. Ref: 54987show full image..
Morris, William: (Kelvin, Norman, ed.:) The Collected Letters. Chichester: Princeton University Press, 1996. 4 vols bound as 5. 3rd printing, large 8vo., pp. lxiv, 626; liii, [i], 365, [i]; [ix], 366-921, [i]; lxv, [i], 537, [i]; lvii, [i], 465, [i]. Internally clean and bright. Beige buckram, burgundy titles to spines. A few small smudges to edges, very good indeed. Dust-jacket spines a little sunned, very good indeed. Dates covered as follows: Vol I, 1848-1880; Vol II pt.i,1881-1884; Vol. II pt.ii, 1885-1888; Vol. III, 1889-1892; Vol. IV, 1893-1896. Ref: 54955show full image..
[Morris, William] Peterson, William S.: The Kelmscott Press: A History of William Morris's Typographical Adventure. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1991. Folio, pp. xiv, 371, [i]. Richly illustrated. Clean and bright within. Very dark blue cloth, gilt title to spine. Very slight wear to endcaps, near fine. Dust-jacket spine a little sunned, very slight shelf wear, very good indeed. Loosely inserted, an interesting correspondence between the noted book collector Eric Sweet and the Oxford University Press prompted, by Mr Sweet's complaints about the quality of the book's boards and the publisher's proof reading. Chapters: 1. The World of Victorian Printing; 2. William Morris and the Book Arts; 3. Founding the Press; 4. Morris as Book-designer; 5. The Decorated Book; 6. The Business of the Press; 7. The Story of Three Books; Ref: 54957show full image..
Naughton, Bill: Alfie. London: MacGibbon & Kee, 1966. First edition. 8vo., pp.208. Bright and clean within. Dark brown cloth, gilt title to spine. Top edge a little dusty, near fine. Some faint creases to dust jacket, slightly chipped at tail of spine, very good indeed. Alfie began life as a radio play called Alfie Elkins and His Little Life, first broadcast by the BBC in 1962. It was adapted for the stage in 1963, and debuted at the Mermaid Theatre before transferring the West End and, briefly, to Broadway. 1966 saw the appearance of both this novel and the celebrated film version starring Michael Caine in the title role. Ref: 54971show full image..
Origo, Iris: (Smith, Denis Mack, intro.:) War in Val d'Orcia. A Diary London: John Murray, 1984. Reissue, first edition thus. 8vo., pp.xvi, 239, [i]. Red cloth, gilt title to spine, near fine. Dust wrapper with a scratch travelling the width of the upper side but otherwise very good indeed. Reissue (with a new introduction by the historian Denis Mack Smith) of the wartime memoir of the writer and philanthropist Iris Origo (1902-1988), written from her home in rural Italy. The New York Times called the book "a remarkably moving document that, like the best of the elemental war stories, eventually becomes a statement about the unplanned nature and folly of war." (29th May 1984) Ref: 54653
Owen, Mrs. Henry: (Egerton, Mary Margaret, ed.:) The Illuminated Book of Needlework: The Illuminated Book of Needlework: Comprising Knitting, Netting, Crochet and Embroidery [...] Preceded by A History of Needlework, including An Account of the Ancient Historical Tapestries. (Bound with) The Illuminated Ladies' Book of Useful and Orn London: Henry G. Bohn, 1847. 8vo., pp. ix, [i], 405, [i], 114 + gilded and coloured additional title-page, with tissue guard, and 18 further colour plates across 13 leaves plus one further plate in black and white. With separate title-page and pagination at rear, The Illuminated Ladies' Book of Useful and Ornamental Needlework, with same publisher and date. Tiny faint spots here and there but clean and bright internally. Red cloth, spine ornately gilt, cliund debossed borders to boards, a.e.g. Endcaps slightly tattered, joints worn, endpaper split at rear hinge, a little worn but very good. To ffep, an inscription: 'Mrs Sutherland, In memory of dear Mrs Mayer - at rest Dec. 28th, 1884. New Year's Day, 1885.' To rear paste-down, small label of Bone and Son, binders of Fleet Street, London. A compilation by Mrs Owen of 'The Illuminated Book of Embroidery' (1847) and 'The Art of Needlework' (1840, here retitled 'A History of Needlework'). The combined book contains chapters on knitting, netting, crochet, and embroidery patterns, and was also issued as 'The Illuminated Ladies' Book of Useful and Ornamental Needlework'. Ref: 55077show full image..
Pinter, Harold: The Dwarfs, A Novel. London: Faber and Faber, 1990. First, limited edition. Signed by the author. 8vo., pp.[x], 183, [i]. Lightly toned. Quarter pale terracotta cloth, gilt title to spine, marbled boards, near fine. With original glassine wrapper tattered at edges but whole. 'One of 150 numbered copies of the First Edition of The Dwarfs signed by the author and specially bound. No.49.' Signed beneath by Pinter. Ref: 54719show full image..
Pinter, Harold: [Fowles, John, foreword:] The Screenplay of The French Lieutenant's Woman. London: Jonathan Cape in association with Eyre Methuen, 1981. First UK edition, signed by John Fowles. 8vo., pp.xvi, 104. Black cloth, gilt title to spine. Endcaps a bit creased, endpapers lightly toned, very good indeed. Dust jacket a little creased at head and tail of spine, small bookseller's label stuck over price on inner flap, very good indeed. Signature of John Fowles to title-page. Two address ink stamps of a previous owner to front pastedown. Label of Serendip Books of Lyme Regis to front flap. Pinter wrote several screenplay adaptations of others' works, including The Servant (1963), The Go-Between (1971), The Trail (1993) and Sleuth (2007). This adaptation of Fowles' The French Lieutenant's Woman was nominated for an Oscar in 1981. Ref: 54986show full image..
