WHEN WE WERE VERY YOUNG. by MILNE, A. A. ; SHEPARD. E. H. Illustrates - 1924

Chatto & Windus. London. 1891. FIRST EDITION. 3 Volumes. 8vo. (7.5 x 5 inches). Inscribed by the author on the half-title of volume I, "A. P. Watt with the Author's kindest wishes. 6th June 1891". 12 mono full page plates by Green, each with a tissue guard. Original dark green cloth blocked with elaborate blind decoration, spines lettered in gilt, floral patterned endpapers. Cloth very slightly rubbed at extremities and a few thin white streaks to the front board of volume one and some light foxing to the decorative endpapers, otherwise clean, tight and bright throughout. Overall a better than very good set. Alexander Pollock Watt (1838–1914) was the first successful British literary agent. His agency, started in 1875, is still active today and is, in fact, the longest-established literary agency in the world. He acted as Besant's agent, and also his literary executor.

Cassell & Co. ltd. London. 1948-54. FIRST EDITION. First impression. Six volumes. 8vo. Illustrated throughout with maps and plans, many folding. A bright, clean set, which has been finely bound in recent full dark blue morocco leather. The spines with raised bands, twin red labels, gilt. Spine compartments ruled and decorated with gilt stamped rampant lion device. Single gilt ruled border on boards. All edges gilt. A fine set of Churchill's monumental history.

The Nonesuch Press. London. 1924-27. FIVE VOLUMES. Tall 4to. (12.3 x 8.3 inches). Limited edition. One of 1000 sets printed on Japon vellum (The Apochrypha is one of 1250 copies) from a total edition of 1075 copies. The typography was arranged by Frances Meynell. Each volume decorated with copperplate engravings by Stephen Gooden, including the title pages. A lovely clean set finely bound in recent full black morocco, decorative gilt border to boards. Spines with raised bands, each with decorative gilt piping and ruling. Red title labels, gilt. Top edges gilt, others untrimmed. A beautiful set.

J. Johnson, John Nichols and Son, R. Baldwin ...... London. 1803. FIRST PRINTING OF THIS EDITION. 24 volumes. 6mo. (6.4 x 4.1 inches). Frontis portrait of Swift in volume one. Offsetting front frontis to the title page. Finely bound in contemporary attractive full black straight grained morocco bindings. Spines with two wide and one narrow raised bands, lettered and decorated in gilt. The compartments are fully decorated in gilt. Boards with single ruled line border around a decorative floral roll, gilt. Board edge corners with multiple gilt ruled lines. Floral gilt roll to the turn ins. Beige coloured silk endpapers with gilt tooled Greek key roll around edges and floral corner pieces. All edges gilt. A little rubbing to the extremities of some volumes but overall a very good fresh and highly attractive set of early 19th century leather bindings.

J. M. Dent and Co.. London. 1909. FIRST RACKHAM EDITION. 4to. (11.5 x 8.8 inches). LIMITED EDITION, SIGNED BY RACKHAM. One of only 750 numbered copies. Beautifully illustrated with 13 mounted colour plates, the frontis with a tissue guard, two full page black and white plates, and 31 line drawings as chapter headings and tail pieces. Publishers white cloth with gilt lettering and illustration to front board. Spine lettered in gilt. Two sets of rose coloured silk ties, still present. Top edge gilt, the others untrimmed. Decorative endpapers, printed on vellum style paper with a blue tint, with gold ink. Red silk book marker. A very small bump to the top outer corner of the front board otherwise a fine and bright copy. Uncommon in such nice condition. --- This deluxe edition includes one extra colour plate, an image of the Yahoos, that wasn't included in the regular trade edition. --- Riall. Bibliography of Arthur Rackham. Page 91 (incorrectly listing fewer line illustrations and the wrong title of the… Read More

Privately Printed by Clement Shorter. London.,1919. LIMITED EDITION. One of just 25 copies printed. 20pp. Unopened copy, sewn in wraps. (10.1 x 7.8 inches). Printed on hand made Aldwich paper. Red paper wraps, sewn with original red cord. Printed in black to front panel. Edges a little rubbed but essentially a fine copy of this Rare booklet.:.

( Geo. P. Putman. New York.) - Paris. 1848 (1928). FACSIMILE EDITION. One of 50 copies printed. 12mo. (7.5 x 5.3 inches). [1] - 143pp, plus 16pp publishers advertisements. Black cloth with blind ruled lines and gilt lettering to the spine. Both boards with triple ruled line borders and decorative circular device to the centre, all in blind. Complete with the facsimile bookplate of noted American book collector Stephen H. Wakeman, the sixth owner, after Poe, of the original book, on the front pastedown endpaper. A fine copy of this rare facsimile of the Author's own annotated copy of the last work published in Poe's lifetime, and one he considered his finest. This facsimile was created in 1928 while the book was owned by Florence Meyer Blumenthal, the 8th owner of the original annotated book, after Poe himself. "A beautiful and remarkably faithful facsimile of this copy was made in 1928 in Paris, in an edition of 50 copies. It is occasionally mistaken for the original" - Edgar Allan Poe Society of… Read More

The Mandrake Press. London. 1929. FIRST EDITION. Large 8vo. (8.8 x 5.8 inches). Some very mild foxing to fore edges and some light offsetting to the endpapers from the dustwrapper but overall a bright, clean and fresh copy in publishers dark green cloth, spine lettered and ruled in gilt. In the original colour illustrated dustwrapper with striking designs by Beresford Egan to the panels, spine and rear inner flap. A small area of loss to the very top of the spine, which is a bit toned, and some tiny chips to the extremities but overall a superior and un-restored example of this fabulous wrapper. Near fine book in a better than very good wrapper.

Fred De Fau & Company. New York. 1902. LIMITED EDITION. One of 1,000 numbered sets, this number 942. 10 volumes. 8vo. (7.7 x 5.5 inches). Finely bound by Brentanos in contemporary half tan morocco. Each spine with five raised bands, decorated with gilt piping. Compartments multi ruled and lettered in gilt and with blind tooled centre decorations. Marbled paper on boards. Gold on grey marbled endpapers. Top edges gilt, the others untrimmed and a few gatherings still unopened. Illustrated with decorative head and tail pieces, vignettes in the text and multiple full page black and white illustrations by F. S. Coburn throughout. Each frontis plate protected with a printed descriptive tissue guards. Title pages printed in red and black. Pages nice and clean throughout. There is some minor bumping and rubbing to the corners of the bindings and a couple of small scratches to the lower board of volume 9 but overall this is a near fine, handsome set in excellent condition that looks wonderful on the shelf.

William Heniemann. London. 1898. FIRST EDITION. Large 4to. (13.4 x 11.5 inches). Inscribed on the front paste down endpaper by Nicholson to the Daughter, and her second Husband, of his Mistress and house keeper Marie Laquelle; "For Georgette and Norman Holder with love from W. N. who did the pictures. London. Xmas. 1916". Decorative colour printed front board, lettered and showing the illustration for The Bus Driver, plus twelve full page colour lithographs after the original woodblocks. Brown paper covered boards, printed in colour litho. Plain tan cloth spine. Some minor foxing to endpapers and the edges of the boards are rubbed and bumped. Spine cloth is frayed and split,with boards still firmly attached, but overall a very good copy of this beautiful book with an interesting association. Housed in a felt-lined clam-shell box. Marbled paper on boards and a black calf spine, lettered in gilt. ---- 'From about 1910 until he remarried in 1919, Nicholson's housekeeper Marie Laquelle, whose real name… Read More