Goodman (Benny) and Irving Kolodin. The Kingdom of Swing
£125
New York, Stackpole, 1939.
First edition. 8vo. Original black cloth. Dust-jacket, priced $2.00.
The first edition of this account of big band swing by one of the leading band leaders of all time, his concert at Carnegie Hall in 1938 described by one contemporary critic as “the single most important jazz or popular music concert in history: jazz’s ‘coming out’ party to the world of ‘respectable’ music.” Swing began to lose favour after this time, so this book marks an interesting period in 20th century popular music.
In stock
Ownership inscription to front free endpaper; minor bumping to edges; jacket rather worn at edges with some chips and minor marking.
Photographic plates.
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London, The Scientific Press, 1898.
First edition. 8vo. Original green cloth, gilt.
Uncommon. The author's journey took him from Constantinople, to Batumi, Baku, Krasnovodsk, Ashabad, Merv, Bokhara, Samarkand and back home via Odessa, utilising the Transcaspian Military Railway. "Until quite recently the very greatest difficulties were placed in the way of any foreigner who tried to penetrate the region... [and this book] is probably the last of a series that has dealt with Central Asia as a sort of terra incognita" (author's preface).
London, Gollancz, 1950.
First UK edition, first impression. 8vo. Original cloth. Dust-jacket, correctly priced 16/-.
A scarce first Gollancz edition of this harrowing account from the perspective of one of the black men accused of raping two white prostitutes in Alabama in 1931, written with the aid of author & journalist Earl Conrad, who had met Patterson during his time as Harlem Bureau Chief for The Chicago Defender. The title was reprinted very quickly to meet demand, and as a result first impressions are relatively scarce.
with the one-hand gun
Edinburgh & London, Oliver & Boyd, 1942.
First edition. 8vo. Original green cloth. Dust-jacket, priced 2/6.
A very rare first printing in an even scarcer original dust-jacket. Drawing on the authors' practical experience, Shooting to Live covers the gamut of handgun-usage, including concepts, applications, maintenance and more. Fairbairn was an Assistant Commissioner of Shanghai Municipal Police, and Sykes was the officer in charge of the Snipers Unit of the same force.
...edited by William Garnett Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1881.First edition, later state (advertisements dated July 1886). 8vo. Original cloth.An important work on electricity by an author praised to this day for his discovery of the laws of electrodynamics.
St Bartholomew The Great
[London], , September 15th 1964.
First edition, hardback issue. [One of c.50 copies]. 8vo. Original dark blue cloth with printed title label to upper cover.
William Plomer, a writer, editor and poet, became a close companion of Ian Fleming after meeting him in 1929. A wartime colleague and later a publisher's reader at Jonathan Cape, Plomer played a crucial role in getting Casino Royale published and acted as an unofficial editor for Fleming's Bond novels. Goldfinger is dedicated "To my gentle reader William Plomer." Ann Fleming noted that Plomer was one of the few people around whom Ian could truly relax. Plomer also read a tribute at Fleming's funeral.