Modern Literature
Lagos, Nigerian Printing & Publising, [1959].
First edition. 8vo. Original blue boards. Dust-jacket, priced 12/6.
A nice example of the true first edition of this depiction of the contradiction of Yoruba culture and the Christian missionaries. It was republished as part of Heinemann's influential 'African Writers Series'.
Sci-Fi & Fantasy
London, Weidenfeld & Nicholson, 1953.
First UK edition. 8vo. Original black boards. Dust-jacket, priced 10s 6d.
The first of Asimov's influential science fiction series, a cornerstone of modern speculative fiction. The UK edition came out two years after the US.
Detective Fiction
and other Tales of Adventure
London, Hodder & Stoughton, n.d. [c.1930].
Early edition. 8vo. Original red decorative cloth. Dust-jacket, no price.
A lovely copy of this compilation of stories by American novelist, playwright, and Olympic water polo player Rex Beach.
Detective Fiction
London, Robert Hale, 1979.
First UK edition. 8vo. Original black boards. Dust-jacket, priced £3.95.
Harder-boiled than most, PI Matt Scudder gets to grips with a death of an unlikely couple in Greenwich Village.
Sports & Pastimes
London, Hutchinson, [1935].
First edition. 8vo. Original cloth. Dust-jacket, priced 10/6.
Land speed record holder, adventurer, treasure hunter and avid motor racer Sir Malcolm Campbell recounts his exciting life.
Detective Fiction
London, Collins Crime Club, 1958.
First edition. 8vo. Original dark orange boards. Dust-jacket, correctly priced 10s6d.
Architecture + murder = classic stuff.
Sports & Pastimes
Being an account of one season of B. Bira, the racing motorist.
London & Watford, Sun Engraving Co. Ltd, Printed for Private Circulation only, 1936.
First edition. 8vo. Original blue cloth lettered in gilt. Dust-jacket.
The continued motor-racing adventures of Prince Chula's cousin Prince Birabongse Bhanudej (aka "B. Bira").
Sports & Pastimes
Foreword by Henry Maxwell
London & Watford, Sun Engraving Co. Ltd, Printed for Private Circulation only, 1935.
First edition. 8vo. Original blue pictorial cloth. Dust-jacket.
"One notable book Prince Chula wrote in 1935, "Wheels At Speed," recorded his cousin Bira's first try as a race-car driver. The book was originally intended as a book for only friends and family, but after a few copies went public, interest in the book, increased. Publishers G. T. Foulis re-issued the book ten years after it was first written. MG aficionados will enjoy Wheels at Speed." Wikipedia.
The experiences of a naturalist with the "St. George" Expedition
London, Hutchinson, [1926].
First edition. 8vo. Original black cloth lettered in gilt. Dust-jacket, priced 18/-.
A picturesque account of of travel on the yacht "St. George" among some of the little-known islands of the South Seas, from Easter Island to Rapa and the Marquesas.
Detective Fiction
London & Glasgow, Blackie & Son, 1939.
First edition. 8vo. Original dark orange cloth. Dust-jacket, correctly priced 7/6.
The first edition in book form of a story that was made famous by a successful West End play.
Modern Literature
A Modern Allegory
London, A.B. Campbell, 1939.
First edition. 8vo. Original green cloth. Dust-jacket, correctly priced 7/6.
'Every Irishman, whatever his political opinions, will enjoy the unique solution of the age-old Irish Problem which provides a gentle satire on present-day world conditions.' (jacket blurb).
Sci-Fi & Fantasy
London, W.H. Allen, 1978.
First edition. Ex-Library. 8vo. Original blue boards lettered in gilt. Dust-jacket, priced £3.25.
An uncommon first edition from the Tom Baker era 'Doctor Who', by one of the authors most famously associated with the series; it is probable many copies went into the public library system.
Sci-Fi & Fantasy
London, Nelson, 1926.
First edition. 8vo. Original yellow cloth. Dust-jacket, priced 2/6.
African adventure revolving around the hunting for ivory. Featured in Reginald's Science fiction and fantasy literature.
Modern Literature
London, Hutchinson, 1963.
First edition. 8vo. Original boards. Dust-jacket, price-clipped.
A very good first edition of this novel by Nigerian author Ekwensi, with possibly the most extensive "synopsis" to ever grace a dust-jacket's inner flaps.
Modern Literature
London, Collins, 1935.
First edition. 8vo. Original wine red cloth. Dust-jacket, priced 3/6.
A recounting of the early part of the twentieth century through the filter of childhood memories, by an author more well known for his botanical writings.
Sci-Fi & Fantasy
The Story of Adams and Eva
London, Duckworth, [1928].
First edition. 8vo. Original purple cloth. Dust-jacket, correctly priced 7/6.
A rather wonderful oddity, both in terms of the jacket artwork and the contents. Bleiler in his Science-fiction, the early years found it particularly worthy of attention, calling it a 'glib and frothy account of doings among the British upper crust', before outlining the strange plot that involves a disintegrating universe and part of the Italian Tyrol being blasted off into space to form a new Eden. He finishes noting, 'The scientific nonsense might cause a reader to wonder whether the book is an elaborate exercise in irony and paradox, but author's purpose seems to be societal. In any case, the book is almost unreadable. One marvels that it has been perpetually reprinted.' One to step back and admire more then, perhaps.
Detective Fiction
London, Collins Crime Club, 1970.
Uncorrected proof copy. 8vo. Original wrappers. Dust-jacket, ?price-clipped.
Collins proofs are distinctly uncommon.
Detective Fiction
Lees (Hannah, pseud. Elizabeth Head Fetter) and Lawrence Bachmann. Death in the Doll’s House
London, John Murray, 1944.
First edition. 8vo. Original blue cloth. Dust-jacket, priced 8/6.
Psychological elements in a murder mystery involving a six-year-old child... basis for the 1950 film Shadow on the Wall.
Detective Fiction
London, Readers Library Crime Series, n.d. [c.1930].
Readers Library edition. Small 8vo. Original gilt-tooled burgundy cloth. Dust-jacket.
A really nice copy of this edition of The Floating Prison by Phantom of the Opera author Leroux, first published in English in 1922.
War, Invasion & Spy
London, Martin Secker, October 1931.
First English edition, second printing. 8vo. Original blue cloth. Dust-jacket, priced 7/6.
Wonderful jacket artwork on this story of a political assassin during the few days before the shooting of a Minister of State.
War, Invasion & Spy
London, John Hamilton, [1936].
First edition. 8vo. Original red cloth. Dust-jacket, priced 3s6d.
A solid first edition of a classic aviation tale by prolific writer George E. Rochester, drawing on his own experience in the Royal Flying Corps; bandit menace in the air above Tibet, bad Buddhists, and more…
War, Invasion & Spy
London, John Hamilton, [1936].
First edition. 8vo. Original orange cloth with black spine labels. Dust-jacket, price-clipped.
Howard and Carstairs face aerial threat from the eponymous pirates of the air, in this aviation thriller drawing upon the author's own experiences in the Royal Flying Corps.
War, Invasion & Spy
London, John Hamilton, [1936].
First edition. 8vo. Original blue cloth. Dust-jacket, price-clipped.
Further aeronautical tales of peril from Rochester, drawing to some degree on his own experiences with the Royal Flying Corps. Jacket artwork by one of the best at this sort of thing, Howard Leigh.
Detective Fiction
Stansbury (Alec, pseud. Alec Stansbury Higgs) Cupid Painted Blind
London, Alston Rivers, 1929.
First edition. 8vo. Original green cloth. Dust-jacket, price-clipped.
Attractively jacketed 'twenties title; a tale of financial dishonesty and torrid passion that comes good.
London, John Murray, 1937.
First UK edition, second enlarged edition. 8vo. Original green cloth. Dust-jacket, priced 12s 5d.
Scarce in the dust-jacket. This 'second edition' builds considerably upon the Baghdad edition of 1932, including the addition of ten sketches.
Detective Fiction
London, Herbert Jenkins, 1939.
First edition. 8vo. Original orange cloth blocked in black. Dust-jacket, correctly priced 7/6.
Attractive jacket artwork by a prolific jacket artist of the period, Eugene Hastain. A tale of a proposal of marriage as a business deal, that leads to jealousy and hate...
Weird & Supernatural
London, A.D. Innes, 1898.
First edition. 8vo. Original blue cloth lettered & ruled in gilt.
One of three books drawing upon the author's experiences in Fiji and the South Sea Islands, where he had been based during his Colonial service. Short stories including some weird content.
Modern Literature
London, The Queensway Press, 1937.
First edition. 8vo. Original black cloth. Dust-jacket, price-clipped.
An important work in the context of Indian English fiction, recounting the life of three generations in a family of high-caste Brahmins.