Detective Fiction
Iles (Frances, pseud. Anthony Berkeley Cox) Malice Aforethought.
The story of a commonplace crime
London, Mundanus / Gollancz, 1931.
First edition (preceding the hardback). 8vo. Original printed wrappers. Housed in morocco-backed cloth slip-case and chemise.
An uncommon work by Anthony Berkeley Cox, aka Anthony Berkeley. The work is significant in the genre of crime fiction as one of the earliest and finest examples of the inverted detective story, a technique which would go on to inspire numerous other authors, as well as film-makers - notably Hitchcock and his 1941 film Suspicion (actually based on another, similar Iles title).
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.
London, Gollancz, 1940.
First edition. 8vo. Original blue cloth. Dust-jacket, priced 7/6.
The first edition of the fifth novel to feature John Appleby, a young Detective Inspector in the Metropolitan Police, straddling detective and spy fiction admirably.
South Africa 1929
n.p., International Geological Congress, [1929].
Index, introduction (fold-out black and white colour maps) + 22 booklets (incomplete, lacking 1 issue 'C19'), with additional general programme (32 pages + pull-out map). 8vo. Loose as issued, housed in original grey cloth slip-case with French title and the Congress logo to spine.
An important series of pamphlets published for the International Geological Congress of 1929, including contributions by noted geologists such as du Toit, Rogers, Haughton, Hall & Wagner and others, being guides to accompany delegates on excursions all over South Africa to various geologically noteworthy sites. Places include Chapman's Peak & the peninsula, Kimberley, Pilanesberg, Pretoria salt-pan and iron ore deposits, Vredefort, the Eastern Escarpment, Port Elizabeth, southern & northern Rhodesia, among others. Rare.
Detective Fiction
Philadelphia & New York, Lippincott, [1942].
First edition. 8vo. Original blue cloth. Dust-jacket, priced $2.00.
An enigmatic woman, a hat like a pumpkin, and a murdered wife - things aren't looking good for Scott Henderson in this gripping mystery thriller by Woolrich writing as William Irish.
Detective Fiction
Irish (William, pseud. Cornell Woolrich) Somebody on the Phone
Philadelphia & New York, Lippincott, 1950.
First edition. 8vo. Original teal cloth. Dust-jacket, priced $2.50.
A collection of six stories by Woolrich under his well-known pseudonym 'William Irish'. The title story was the basis for the 1952 film Don't Ever Open That Door.
Modern Literature
London, Hutchinson, 1951.
First UK edition. 8vo. Original blue boards. Dust-jacket, clipped and with price-sticker of 5/.
A very good first UK edition of this collection of seven tales by William Irish, a.k.a. Cornell Woolrich, in striking stylised jacket reflecting the pugilistic title story. Rare.
Detective Fiction
London, Hutchinson, 1951.
First UK edition. 8vo. Original boards. Dust-jacket, correctly priced 9/6.
A further collection of short stories by Edgar Allan Poe Award of the Mystery Writers of America winner William Irish, a.k.a. Cornell Woolrich. Scarce.
Sci-Fi & Fantasy
London, Sampson Low, Marston, [1937].
First edition. 8vo. Original cloth. Dust-jacket.
The only work of sci-fi from an author normally associated with more sedentary works on transport; this Lost Race tale set in the Yukon Territory, 'within a caldera heated by volcanic action, a technologically advanced but priest-ridden civilization of "white Indians", originally from ancient Egypt, uses its helicopter-like airships and strange Weapons to attempt to protect its gold from the outer world.' (The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction).
War, Invasion & Spy
London, Museum Press, 1945.
First UK edition. 8vo. Original black cloth with white skull to spine. Dust-jacket, priced 8/6.
Striking jacket artwork on this murder-mystery with shady espionage overtones, set in New York.
Detective Fiction
Jacobs (T.C.H., pseud. Jacques Pendower) Appointment with the Hangman
London, Stanley Paul, 1936.
First edition, early reissue stating '3rd thousand' on title-page. 8vo. Original brown cloth. Dust-jacket, with overlaid price-sticker '4/-' to spine.
Early printing of this hard-to-find crime thriller, especially tricky in equally coeval jacket.
Caribbean Literature
London, Allison & Busby, 1980.
First edition. 8vo. Original black board lettered in gilt to spine. Dust-jacket, priced £13.95.
The second anthology by Trinidadian author C.L.R. James, including essays such as "The Making of the Caribbean People," "Black Power," and a tribute to his friend and cricketer "Learie Constantine". These anthologies encapsulate the breadth and depth of James' political intellect, from the stories he wrote in his 20s through to his later writings written in his 70s and 80s.
Modern Literature
The Turning of the Screw; Covering End
London, Heinemann, 1898.
First edition. Title printed in red & black. 8vo. Original blue cloth, lettered in gilt with Beardsley-esque blind-stamped design to upper cover.
The first publication in book form of James's iconic ghost story 'The Turn of the Screw' as well as his 'Covering End'. 'The Turn of the Screw' was first published in Collier's Weekly and revised slightly for book publication, and 'Covering End' was first published in this edition.
Horror & Gothic
In The Bookman: Special Christmas Number 1929
London, Hodder & Stoughton, 1929.
Large 8vo. Original pictorial wrappers.
An important Christmas issue of The Bookman, featuring M.R. James' famous essay 'Some Remarks on Ghost Stories', but also featuring contributions by G.K. Chesterton, Algernon Blackwood and Arthur Machen.
Modern Literature
New York, William Morrow & Company, 1929.
First US edition. 8vo. Original black cloth decorated in bright green. Dust-jacket, priced $2.50.
An attractive first US edition of the author's first book, first published in England the same year but immediately confiscated with 517 copies of the 750 printed seized, following allegations of the novel being of an obscene nature in large part due to the key role suicide plays in the story. The book was the subject of an obscenity trial, during which all copies seized were ordered destroyed, ensuring that this US edition and an edition published coevally in Paris are effectively the first available editions. The author herself said she would have quite happily rewritten the offending parts, but alas this was not to be. James did go on to further success, writing some 70 more novels, but none of which are still in print.
Detective Fiction
London, Faber & Faber, 1962.
First edition. 8vo. Original green cloth. Dust-jacket, priced 18s.
A great first edition of James's debut novel, an ingeniously plotted mystery that introduced readers to Adam Dalgliesh of Scotland Yard, immediately ranked the author amongst the best crime writers.
Detective Fiction
Janson (Hank, pseud. Stephen Daniel Frances) Baby, Don’t Dare Squeal
London, Gaywood Press for S.D. Francis, [1951].
First edition. 8vo. Original luridly-pictorial stapled wrappers.
One of the splendidly salacious 'Hank Janson' titles, uncommon in the original wrappers and in such good condition. Frances enjoyed great success with his hardboiled US-style thrillers written under this pseudonym, opening the way for a variety of copycat British authors writing in a similar vein, but they did also court controversy when a murder supposedly inspired by one of the Hank Janson titles led to the publishers being taken to court and successfully prosecuted for obscenity (the author managed to avoid a similar fate on it seems a technicality).
Detective Fiction
Janson (Hank, pseud. Stephen Daniel Frances) Don’t Dare Me, Sugar
London, Gaywood Press for S.D. Francis, [1950].
First edition. 8vo. Original luridly-pictorial stapled wrappers.
One of the splendidly salacious 'Hank Janson' titles. Frances enjoyed great success with his hardboiled US-style thrillers written under this pseudonym, opening the way for a variety of copycat British authors writing in a similar vein, but they did also court controversy when a murder supposedly inspired by one of the Hank Janson titles led to the publishers being taken to court and successfully prosecuted for obscenity (the author managed to avoid a similar fate on it seems a technicality).
Detective Fiction
Janson (Hank, pseud. Stephen Daniel Frances) Kill Her If You Can
London, Gaywood Press for New Fiction Press, [1952].
First edition. 8vo. Original luridly-pictorial stapled wrappers.
One of the splendidly salacious 'Hank Janson' titles. Frances enjoyed great success with his hardboiled US-style thrillers written under this pseudonym, opening the way for a variety of copycat British authors writing in a similar vein, but they did also court controversy when a murder supposedly inspired by one of the Hank Janson titles led to the publishers being taken to court and successfully prosecuted for obscenity (the author managed to avoid a similar fate on it seems a technicality).
Detective Fiction
London, Gaywood Press for New Fiction Press, [1952].
First edition. 8vo. Original luridly-pictorial stapled wrappers.
One of the splendidly salacious 'Hank Janson' titles. Frances enjoyed great success with his hardboiled US-style thrillers written under this pseudonym, opening the way for a variety of copycat British authors writing in a similar vein, but they did also court controversy when a murder supposedly inspired by one of the Hank Janson titles led to the publishers being taken to court and successfully prosecuted for obscenity (the author managed to avoid a similar fate on it seems a technicality).
Detective Fiction
Janson (Hank, pseud. Stephen Daniel Frances) Some Look Better Dead
London, Gaywood Press for S.D. Francis, [1950].
First edition. 8vo. Original luridly-pictorial stapled wrappers.
A 'Hank Janson' title, uncommon in the original disturbingly salacious wrappers and in such good condition. Frances enjoyed great success with his hardboiled US-style thrillers written under this pseudonym, opening the way for a variety of copycat British authors writing in a similar vein, but they did also court controversy when a murder supposedly inspired by one of the Hank Janson titles led to the publishers being taken to court and successfully prosecuted for obscenity (the author managed to avoid a similar fate on it seems a technicality).
Children's Books
The Story of a Boy...with an introduction by E.V. Lucas
London, Jonathan Cape, 1932.
First illustrated edition. 8vo. Original cloth. Dust-jacket.
Jefferies' famous "story of a boy", illustrated for the first time by Pooh illustrator E.H. Shepard; uncommon in the original dust-jacket. Accompanied by original printed prospectus.
Modern Literature
London, Herbert Jenkins, 1938.
First edition. 8vo. Original orange cloth, lettered in black. Dust-jacket, priced 3/6.
Excellent atmospheric jacket artwork and a scarce dust-jacket. A tale of blackmail & murder, from the grandfather of Fay Weldon.
Detective Fiction
Jerome (Owen Fox, pseud. Oscar Jerome Friend) The Red Kite Clue
London, Skeffington, [1929].
First edition. 8vo. Original blue cloth. Dust-jacket, with publisher's 3/6 price-sticker to spine.
An attractive first edition and an uncommon book in the jacket. Detective Philip MacCray is on the case to solve the murder of an archaeologist recently returned from the Orient.
Children's Books
A "Biggles Squadron" Story of the Second Great War
London, OUP, 1943.
First edition, first impression. 8vo. Frontispiece, illustrations. Original cloth with illustration stamped in black to upper cover. Dust-jacket priced at 5/-.
A rare Biggles first edition, with no jacketed copies in commerce that we could find at time of cataloguing. Biggles and his ominously named 666 squadron set up camp in the mountains of Borneo and embark on a campaign of terror strikes on the Japanese forces.
Detective Fiction
Johns (Foster, pseud. Gilbert Vivian Selders) The Victory Murders
London, Harrap, 1927.
First UK edition. 8vo. Original green cloth. Dust-jacket, priced 2/6.
'Armistice Night Murders in Paris, London, and New York' (jacket). An uncommon title in the jacket, from the pen of a prolific American author and cultural critic.
War, Invasion & Spy
London, Latimer House, [1953].
First edition. 8vo. Original blue cloth. Dust-jacket, priced 7/6.
"Here are tales for all moods, blending adventure with sentiment and revealing once again that Captain Johns knows how to cater for the older reader as well as for boys and girls." (jacket blurb)
Detective Fiction
London, Longmans, Green and Co., 1932.
First edition. 8vo. Original cloth. Dust-jacket, priced 7/6.
A scarce detective fiction title, one of only three titles by this author recorded in Hubin.
Detective Fiction
London, John Hamilton, 1929.
First edition. 8vo. Original red cloth. Dust-jacket, correctly priced 7/6.
A pleasing example of this first edition, seemingly one of only two titles by this author. A conspiracy to murder a leading art expert unravels... Scarce.
Detective Fiction
London, T.V. Boardman, 1958.
First UK edition. 8vo. Original orange boards. Dust-jacket, priced 10s6d.
Three more capers for Peter Chambers, Kane's most prolific character. Kane also wrote the movie adaptations for Ed McBain's 87th Precinct's Cop Hater and The Mugger.
War, Invasion & Spy
Kauffer (E. McKnight, jacket artist); Onions ([George] Oliver) Peace in Our Time
London, Chapman & Hall, 1923.
First edition. 8vo. Original red cloth. Dust-jacket, priced 7/6.
Stunning jacket artwork by one of the greatest 20th century jacket artists, E. McKnight Kauffer. Given the condition of the book compared to the jacket we have to presume this is either a marriage or a case of the book and the jacket being kept apart, with the jacket filed away safely...
Detective Fiction
London, Ward, Lock, 1938. First UK edition, first impression. 8vo. 2pp. advertisements. Original green cloth. Dust-jacket, correctly priced at 7/6. A very good first UK edition by a prolific, somewhat bonkers crime writer, a foray into the "locked room" subgenre, revolving around a mysterious manuscript (possibly derived from a short story penned by the author's wife, herself a writer[?]). Scarce in the first issue jacket.
Detective Fiction
London, Ward Lock, 1930
First edition. 8vo. Original cloth. Dust-jacket (the 3 digit number (245) on spine indicates it is an early reprint).
As the Pretty Sinister blog asks: how can anyone resist the subtitle? "In Which a New and Quite Different Type of Detective Unravels a Mystery Staged in Chicago, Bagdad of the Lakes, London of the West!"
Casimer Jech, crooked curio dealer, is approached by millionaire Amos Carrington and together they hatch a scheme to acquire a rare manuscript mistakenly labeled as something fairly worthless to be auctioned off at an Evanston estate.
Detective Fiction
London, Ward Lock, 1939
First edition. 8vo. Original cloth. Dust-jacket (the 3 digits - 902 - indicate an early reprint).
A man claimed that with his artifical ear-drums he could detect sounds inaudible to ordinary people. This acute listening would allow him to manipulate any combination lock and open any safe. Was he the one that opened Mrs. King's safe and stole all of her precious diamonds and jewels?
Detective Fiction
London, Ward, Lock & Co., 1943.
First UK edition. 8vo. Original pale blue cloth. Dust-jacket, priced 5/-.
A very good first UK edition of this non-series title by the often under-appreciated Harry Stephen Keeler, deviser of the "webwork" plot concept.
Modern Literature
London, Hodder & Stoughton, 1913.
First UK edition. 8vo. Original red cloth lettered in gilt. Dust-jacket.
First UK edition this key canonical title from the pen of visual impaired author and activist Helen Keller - despite the title, this is in fact a series of essays on socialism. Distinctly uncommon in the dust-jacket.