A late November selection of recent additions and more, with something of a focus on collectible children’s books.
Children's Books
London, Sampson Low, 1953.
First edition. 8vo. Original pictorial boards and matching dust-jacket.
A good copy of this title from the 'Cherubs' series of books, uncommon in the dust-jacket. Hodgetts was most famous as the creator of the character Toby Twirl, a Rupert-the-bear-esque character based on a soft toy owned by the illustrator for the series, Edward Jeffrey.
Weird & Supernatural
A practical treatise in support of the assertion that the hand-writing of a person is an infallible guide to his character
London, William Rider, 1919.
Third edition, revised & enlarged. 8vo. Original cloth. Printed dust-jacket.
A scarce graphological work, particularly in the original dust-jacket and in such condition. The eldest daughter of an eminent London newspaper man, Rosa Baughan was a prolific writer on spiritualist subjects, including graphology, divination and the influence of the stars.
Children's Books
London, The National Magazine Co. Ltd, 1946.
True first edition. 8vo. Original cloth. Dust-jacket, correctly priced 7/6.
A scarce first edition of this collection of the quirky and imaginative short stories by the Famous Five and Noddy creator.
Children's Books
London, Juvenile Productions, [1937].
Merlin Series' edition. 8vo. Original cloth. Dust-jacket.
Lewis Carroll's classic for children, here illustrated by D.R. Sexton and issued for the Merlin Series.
Weird & Supernatural
and other sketches and vignettes
London etc., Humphrey Milford, 1921.
First edition. 8vo. Original green cloth. Printed dust-jacket.
A collection of short stories, many of a supernatural nature. De Montmorency's background was in law, but he was a prolific writer, "much of his published work is of a somewhat miscellaneous and transient character. He was one of the principal contributors to the series of monographs published by the Society of Comparative Legislation under the title of Great Jurists of the World, and he wrote the section 'Sea-policy and the Alabama claims' in the Cambridge History of British Foreign Policy, volume 3 (1923). Selections of the articles which he contributed to The Times and the Contemporary Review were published under the titles of The Never-Ending Road (1916), The White Riders (1918), and The Admiral's Chair (1921)." (ODNB)
Weird & Supernatural
and other sketches in war-time
London etc., Humphrey Milford, 1918.
First edition. 8vo. Original green cloth. Printed dust-jacket.
A collection of short stories, many of a supernatural nature. De Montmorency's background was in law, but he was a prolific writer, "much of his published work is of a somewhat miscellaneous and transient character. He was one of the principal contributors to the series of monographs published by the Society of Comparative Legislation under the title of Great Jurists of the World, and he wrote the section 'Sea-policy and the Alabama claims' in the Cambridge History of British Foreign Policy, volume 3 (1923). Selections of the articles which he contributed to The Times and the Contemporary Review were published under the titles of The Never-Ending Road (1916), The White Riders (1918), and The Admiral's Chair (1921)." (ODNB)
Detective Fiction
Frome (David, pseud. Zenith Brown) Mr. Pinkerton and the Old Angel
London, Longmans, Green, 1939.
First UK edition. 8vo. Original cloth. Dust-jacket, with price-sticker 3/6.
A very nice first UK edition of one of the later Pinkerton titles, distinctly uncommon in the jacket.
Weird & Supernatural
Graham (Winifred, pseud. Matilda Winifred Muriel) The Gods of the Dead
London, Rider, 1912.
First edition. 8vo. Original blind-tooled purple cloth.
A rare work of a weird & supernatural bent, Egyptian mummies, reincarnation, ghosts, that sort of thing... Winifred Graham was a a prolific author, though this title was the only one of hers to make it into Bleiler's Guide to Supernatural Fiction (and he was not exactly gentle with it therein!). Distinctly uncommon.
Weird & Supernatural
London, Stanley Paul, 1909.
First edition. 8vo. Advertisements. Original green cloth.
A superb first edition of this key work in Hope Hodgson's canon, here in the seemingly less common green cloth, as opposed to red (no priority being definitively established). The tale recounts a ship crew's strange & terrifying experience as their reality comes into contact with an alternative, darker mirror world. Bleiler was a huge fan of Hope Hodgson, calling his novels "visionary accounts that have no real parallels in English literature". Of this particular title he noted:
"One of the great sea novels. highly original in detail and well done. Although it is overshadowed as visionary horror by the more spectacular The House on the Borderland and The Night Land, as a work of art, it is finer." (The Guide to Supernatural Fiction).
A revised version of the ending was anthologised, under the title "The Silent Ship".
Children's Books
Inchfawn (Philip & Fay, pseud. Atkinson & Elizabeth Ward) Father Neptune’s Treasure:
The adventures of three children and a golliwog under the sea
London, S.W. Partridge, 1919.
First edition. 8vo. Original pictorial cloth. Dust-jacket.
An early dust-jacket, splendidly preserving the book beneath. Rare.
Modern Literature
London, Herbert Jenkins, 1940.
First edition. 8vo. Original cloth. Dust-jacket, correctly priced 7/6.
A great first edition of this tale of romance, dance and dangerous rivalry. Exotic dancing seems to be something of a theme with this author, who also wrote Orient Pearls, The Slave Market and A Dancer of India. Excellent jacket artwork.
Children's Books
London, Dennis Dobson, 1968.
First edition. 4to. Original pictorial boards. Dust-jacket, price-clipped.
Developed from a story by Milligan for a BBC short film (one of the Beeb's first television colour films).
Children's Books
London & Glasgow, Collins, 1920.
First edition. 8vo. Original pictorial blue cloth.
The second book in Oxenham's Abbey series, introducing the characters whose ongoing adventures would be the basis for the subsequent books in the popular series.
Children's Books
London, Museum Press, 1946.
First edition. Oblong 8vo. Original cloth. Dust-jacket.
One of the popular children's books by a prolific author of the time.
Children's Books
London, Museum Press, 1945.
First edition. Oblong 8vo. Original cloth. Dust-jacket.
One of the popular children's books by a prolific author of the time.
Children's Books
London, Gawthorn, [1944].
First edition. Oblong 8vo. Original cloth. Dust-jacket.
An uncommon first edition in the original jacket, very much in keeping with the format and vogue of an earlier era...
Children's Books
London, Collins, 1972.
First UK edition. Large 8vo. Original pictorial boards, issued without jacket.
One of the good Doctor's most famous titles, a topical tale of environmental awareness.
Weird & Supernatural
London, William Rider, 1922.
First edition. 8vo. Original cloth-backed boards. Printed dust-jacket.
A pleasingly good, jacketed example of this work on handwriting and what it can tell us about someone's character.
War, Invasion & Spy
London, Chapman & Hall, 1955.
First edition. 8vo. Original cloth. Dust-jacket, correctly priced at 12s.6.
A very good first edition of the second book in Waughs' Sword of Honour trilogy, loosed derived from the author's own wartime experiences.