Search Results: Authors starting with Y from Rooke Books

New York: Grossman Publishers, 1965. First edition. Hardback. Fine/Fine. 7.5" by 5.5". Seymour Chwast. A signed, first edition of this collection of rhymes. Signed by the author to the half title page, with his name 'E Y Harburg'. Gift inscription to the recto of front endpaper from two individuals who were friends with Harburg, as is evident from the inscription 'This small gem- by a treasured friend - is now out of print and cant be gotten. Who better to share one of the few remaining copies with thou irreverent and treasured friend. ' Yip Harburg was a popular American lyricist who wrote many well known works. He penned the lyrics to the famous songs in 'The Wizard of Oz' including 'Over the Rainbow'. These poems are illustrated throughout by American graphic designer, Seymour Chwast. In publisher's original cloth binding and held in original, price clipped dustwrapper. Externally, excellent with very little shelfwear. Dustwrapper is also in excellent condition. Very minor bumping to… Read More

Oxford : The Clarendon Press, 1881. Cloth. Very Good. 9" by 6". None. A history of the poets of the Roman Republic. Written by William Young Sellar, a renowned Scottish classical scholar, the work is befittingly authoritative, with sections on both the poets and the eras in which they worked. Contains an ink inscription to endpages addressing the work to one William Coutts, Esq, date 1881. In cloth binding with gilt detailing. Externally quite smart, there is some wear to the extremities, joints and backstrip, with some minor rubbing and tenderness to hinges. Internally, the pages are generally firmly bound, with some strain in areas, and are bright and clean throughout aside from some spotting to endpages. Very Good

London: John Murray, 1916. First edition. Cloth. Very Good. 8" by 5.5". Unnamed. A very scarce first edition copy of this important volume on the Mongol invasion of Japan. A very scarce volume, the first edition. Held institutionally by one library. Detailing the history of the Mongolian invasion of Japan, or Ghenko, which took place between 1274 and 1281. The defeat of the invaders was attributed by many to divine intervention. An historically important work, as the failed invasions set a limit to Mongolian expansion and defined the history of Japan, as well as being one of the first conflicts to use gunpowder outside of China as a weapon. Collating complete with sixteen illustrations and five maps, four of which are folding maps. In the original publisher's cloth binding, with titles stamped in gilt to spine. Externally smart with minor shelfwear only and slight bumping ot head and tail of spine and extremities. Minor watermark to rear board. Small bookseller sticker stamped to front pastedown.… Read More

Tokyo: Not Stated, 1942. Cloth. Very Good. 7.5" by 5.5". Not Stated. A very scarce Japanese work on the history of clockmaking in Japan, the author's presentation copy, illustrated throughout. A very scarce work, written in the original Japanese, reading from top to bottom and right to left.The author's presentation copy, inscribed to the recto to the rear endpaper, 'To Dr. C. A. O. Fox, with the compliments of the author, Ruji Yamaguchi, July 1950. "The Clocks of Japan, a study of antique Japanese clocks during the period of Tokygawa Shogunate, Tokyo, 1942'.In the original slipcase. Slipcase is in a good only condition.A beautiful study of the clocks designed and built in Japan during the period of 1603 to 1868, during the feudal military government of the Edo Period.Illustrated with one folding plate, forty-one plates, and in-text illustrations.Written by Ryuji Yamaguchi.Fox's bookplate to the rear pastedown. In the original publisher's cloth binding, in the original slipcase. Externally,… Read More

London: Michael Joseph, 1971. First edition. Cloth. Near Fine/Near Fine. 8" by 5". None. A first edition of this mystery novel by James Yardley, featuring his popular character Kiss Darling. Described as, 'a story of supersonice excitement which will add to the army of readers who enjoyed 'Kiss the Boys and Make Them Die'.' In a black cloth binding with original unclipped dustwrapper. Externally smart. Some light shelfwear to the boards. Dustwrapper is smart also, with just some light marginal age-toning and a few handling marks. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are very bright and clean. Near Fine

London: Hutchinson & Co. , 1933. First edition. Cloth. Very Good Indeed/Very Good. 7.5" by 5". Not Stated. An entertaining code and cipher puzzle book created by American cryptologist, Herbert O. Yardley. The first edition of the work. An interesting selection of games on the subject of ciphers and codes. In publisher's original binding and original scarce unclipped dust wrapper. Written by Major Yardley, who organised and directed the U.S Military's code-breaking team during and after World War One. Yardley has taken this passion for ciphers and compiled this piece of work, entitled Ciphergrams, to pass this knowledge on to others.Cipher squares remain blank for problem solving. With twenty-five different cipher games explained, with solutions provided. In original publisher's cloth binding, with original unclipped dust wrapper. Externally very smart, with minor shelf wear only. Light bumping to extremities. Age toning and offsetting to endpapers. Dust wrapper in very good condition. Bright… Read More

London: John Van Voorst, 1841. Cloth. Very Good. 9" by 6". William Yarrell. The second edition of this influential work of ichthyology by naturalist William Yarrell. WIth five hundred illustrations. In this field guide, William Yarrell systematically describes every type of fish known to occur in the British Isles. With an article on every species, the English naturalist provides data, descriptions, anecdotes, and illustrations of each fish. With five hundred engraving across the two volumes. The work became the standard for a generation of ichthyologists, and this second edition includes thirty seven more species than the first. Bookplate of S. J. Brown to front paste down in both volumes. Blind stamp to rear endpaper from Neatham Mill Library in both volumes. One page of publisher's adverts to the rear of volume II. In the publisher's original green cloth binding. Externally, generally smart. Lightly rubbed to the boards and the spine. A little bumped to the head and tail of… Read More

London: John Van Voorst, 1845-85. Cloth. Good. 9" by 5.5". Various. This is an illustrated four volume set of this history of British birds. Volumes I-III are second edition with volume IV fourth edition. Illustrated throughout with numerous wood engravings. William Yarrell was an English zoologist, prolific writer, bookseller and naturalist admired by his contemporaries for his precise scientific work. He is best known as the author of The History of British Fishes and History of British Birds, the latter of which went into several editions and was the standard reference work for a generation of British ornithologists. Uniformly bound in blue cloth bindings. Externally, a trifle rubbed, with bumping to extremities and sunning to spines. Boards sunned to volumes I-III. Marks to boards including score marks to boards of volume IV. Hinges tender to all volumes and weak to volume II. Ink inscription and previous owner label to front endpaper of volumes I-III. Internally, generally firmly bound… Read More

London: John Van Voorst, 1836-1845 . First edition. Leather. Very Good Indeed. 9" by 6". Not Stated. The first edition of this lovely set of British Birds and British Fishes by William Yarrell, complete with all the supplements bound in. A lovely half morocco bound set of these first edition natural history studies by William Yarrell, an English zoologist, writer, and naturalist admired for his precise scientific work in the early nineteenth century. Includes A History of British Fishes (1836), illustrated by nearly four hundred wood engravings throughout the text. Includes the four supplements, two to each volume, bound in at the rear from 1839. Complete in two volumes. With A History of British Birds (1843), illustrated by five hundred and twenty wood engravings throughout the text. Includes the two supplements bound in to the rear of the third volume from 1845. Complete in three volumes.  Prior owner's book plates to the front pastedowns. From the library of Howard Douglas Leonard Galton.… Read More

London: John Van Voorst, 1881-1884. Leather. Good. 9" by 6". None. A complete four volume set of this ornithological study of British birds. Four volumes. Fourth edition. Illustrated with 564 in-text wood-engravings. An ornithological study of British birds and a handbook or field guide systematically describing every species of bird known to occur in Britain. This work quickly became the standard reference work for a generation of British ornithologists due to its increased scientific accuracy. Yarrell, originally a newsagent without university education, corresponded widely with eminent naturalists including Carl Linnaeus, Coenraad Jacob Temminck and Thomas Pennant to collect accurate information on the hundreds of species illustrated in the work. Written by William Yarrell, an English zoologist, prolific writer, bookseller and naturalist admired by his contemporaries for his precise scientific work. In the original half green calf binding with cloth boards. Externally, sound… Read More

London: John Van Voorst, 1841. Cloth. Very Good Indeed. 9" by 6". Unnamed. A second edition, copiously illustrated copy of this fascinating study of the indigenous fishes of Britain. William Yarrell was an English zoologist, prolific writer, bookseller and naturalist admired by his contemporaries for his precise scientific work. He is best known as the author of this text, 'The History of British Fishes', and the 'History of British Birds', the latter of which went into several editions and was the standard reference work for a generation of British ornithologists. Volume I only. With two pages of author's advertisements to the rear of the text. Featuring a handwritten letter from the author, tipped to the front pastedown, dated '1839'. In a green cloth binding. Slightly bumped to extremities. Bumped and rubbed to head and tail of spine resulting in small splits and loss to cloth. Slight loss to cloth at head of rear joint. Slight marking to boards. Slight fading to spine. Hinges… Read More

London: John Van Voorst, 1843-1845 . First edition. Cloth. Very Good. 10.5" by 7". Alexander Fussell; John Thompson. The three volume first edition of William Yarrell's study of the history of British birds, with the first of two supplement volumes also present. The three volume first edition of in book form of this work, which had initially been serialised over the course of the previous six years. Also present is the 1845 first supplementary volume.Illustrated with numerous vignette wood engravings throughout the four volumes present here, the majority of which were drawn by Alexander Fussell, and engraved by John Thompson.The work of English zoologist, prolific writer, bookseller and naturalist William Yarrell.Yarrell's work features a field guide systematically describing every species of bird known to have occurred in Britain throughout history. Due to the depth of research, Yarrell's series quickly overtook Thomas Bewick's work of the same name to become the standard reference work for a… Read More

London: John Van Voorst, 1843 . First edition. Leather. Very Good. 8.5" by 5.5". Not Stated. A complete set of first editions presenting the history of British birds, by William Yarrell, with illustrations throughout. First edition, in a half calf binding with marbled boards. Complete in three volumes. Originally published in bi-monthly installments between 1837 and 1843.The work of English zoologist, prolific writer, bookseller and naturalist William Yarrell. Yarrell's work features a field guide systematically describing every species of bird known to have occurred in Britain throughout history. Due to the depth of research, Yarrell's series quickly overtook Thomas Bewick's work of the same name to become the standard reference work for a generation of British ornithologists. Illustrated with numerous vignette wood engravings throughout, the majority of which were drawn by Alexander Fussell, and engraved by John Thompson. Extra-illustrated, with a colour plate following the index to volume… Read More

London: B T Batsford, 1972. First edition. Cloth. Fine/Near Fine. 10" by 7". None. A bright and clean copy of this informative study of fashion in England from the second century to the late twentieth century. The fourth edition of this work. An extremely smart and bright copy of this work. In a price clipped dustwrapper. Written by an authority on the topic, Doreen Yarwood. Yarwood was an English historian of clothing, interiors and architecture. She wrote several works on fashion including 'Outline of English Costume' and 'European Costume: 4000 years of Fashion'. In a full cloth binding. With original price-clipped dustwrapper. Externally, in an excellent condition with minor shelfwear. Dustwrapper is smart with light fading to the spine. Light shelfwear to the head and tail of spine. A few spots internally to the wrap. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are very bright and clean. Fine

London: Harvill Secker, 2013. Paperback. Fine. 9" by 6". None. An uncommon uncorrected proof copy of this daring thriller. Uncommon uncorrect proof copy, in the original paper wraps. Black Chalk by Christopher J. Yates is a fascinating psychological thriller, based around the increasingly dangerous dares carried out between a group of students at Oxford University. In the original paper wraps. Externally in excellent condition with minor shelf wear only. Internally firmly bound. Pages bright and clean. Fine

London: Ward Lock and Co. , 1944. Cloth. Fine/Very Good. 7.5" by 5" . None . A lovely copy of this collection of short stories by Dornford Yates, complete with its vanishingly scarce unclipped dust wrapper. A later impression of this work, originally published in 1928 in The Windsor Magazine. Mostly stand-alone short stories, one features the character of 'Berry'. Written by Cecil William Mercer under pseudonym Dornford Yates, best-selling author during the Interwar Period. Complete with its unclipped dust wrapper, vanishingly scarce. In the original publisher's full cloth binding. Externally lovely. The dust wrapper is unclipped and sound, chipped to the head and tail of the spine, some sunning to the spine. Internally,, firmly bound. The pages are bright and clean. Fine

London: Ward, Lock & Co., Limited, 1936-46. First edition. Cloth. Very Good Indeed/Good. 7.5" by 5". None. Two first edition works by Donford Yates, including a collection of comical short stories, and a gripping adventure novel. Two novels by Donford Yates, both volumes in the original unclipped dust wrappers.Dornford Yates was the pseudonym of Cecil William Mercer, a popular author who was a bestseller during the Interwar era. 'And Berry Came Too', the first edition, published in 1936. A collection of short stories featuring Yates' best known character, Berry Pleydell, and his family.'Red in the Morning', the first edition, published in 1946. A thrilling adventure novel largely set in South-West France, this is a sequel to 'Gale Warning'.  Published in the U.S. as 'Were Death Denied'. In the original publisher's cloth binding, in the original unclipped dust wrappers. Externally, smart. Spine of 'Berry' is faded. Boards of 'Red in the Morning' are a little bowed. A few light bumping to the front… Read More

London: Ward, Lock & Co., 1943-1947. First edition. Cloth. Very Good/Good. 7.5" by 5.5". Not Stated. Three novels from the popular interwar author Cecil William Mercer, known under the pen name Dornford Yates. The first edition, first impressions of An Eye for a Tooth and The Berry Scene, in the publisher's original cloth bindings, and the fifteenth impression of The Courts of Idleness, in the publisher's original cloth binding, with the original price-clipped dust wrapper. Ink inscription to the front free end paper of An Eye for a Tooth. An Eye for a Tooth and The Berry Scene both conform to the authorized war economy standard, as stated to the copyright page of each volume. Cecil William Mercer (1885-1960), known by his pseudonym Dornford Yates, was a best-selling English novelist during the Interwar Period. An Eye for a Tooth (1943) is the sixth adventure novel in the Chandos series. The events of the story immediately follow those of Blind Corner, the first book of the series. The Courts of… Read More

London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1935 . First edition. Cloth. Very Good/Very Good. 8" by 6". None. The first edition of this thriller set in the Pyrenees, by Dornford Yates. The first edition, first impression, in the scarce publisher's original price unclipped dust wrapper.The work of English novelist Cecil William Mercer, who wrote under the name Dornford Yates, and whose humorous novels and thrillers were best-sellers in the period between the First and Second World Wars.The fifth work in Yates's 'Chandos' series. In this work, Chandos and Mansel rescue a drugged young woman who has been held captive at a chateau by a villainous elderly matriarch. In the publisher's original cloth binding, with price unclipped dust wrapper. Bump to spine tail, with fading to cloth at back strip and joints. Dust wrapper back strip and rear wrap age toned, with light spotting and handling marks to rear wrap. Small closed tears to back strip head and tail, with tape repairs to dust wrapper reverse in these regions.… Read More

London: Ward Lock & Co, 1943-1946 . First edition. Cloth. Very Good Indeed/Very Good Indeed. 8" by 5.5". None. Two first edition Dornford Yates novels, both from the author's popular 'Chandos' series of thrillers. Two first editions, first impression, in the publisher's original illustrated dust wrappers. 'Red in the Morning' dust wrapper price clipped, and 'An Eye for a Tooth' dust wrapper unclipped.The work of English novelist Cecil William Mercer, who wrote under the name Dornford Yates, and whose humorous novels and thrillers were best-sellers in the period between the First and Second World Wars.These two works, 'An Eye for a Tooth' (1943) and 'Red in the Morning' (1946) are the sixth and seventh novels in the Chandos series of thrillers. In the publisher's original cloth binding, with original dust wrappers. 'Red' clipped, and 'Tooth' unclipped. Externally, excellent. Light shelf wear to spine tails, with minor fading to head of 'Tooth' back strip. Dust wrappers bright, with back strips a… Read More