Rare books from Brenner's Collectable Books

London: Printed for the Author by W. Bulmer & W. Nicol, Shakespeare Press, 1821. 1st Edition. Full-Leather. Very Good/Near Fine. Three Volumes, 4to., xxv(v)462, lxxix - Bibliographical indices, (i), corrections; (2) 555; (ii)622, (lxii) supplement. Gorgeous First Edition, beautifully bound in contemporary long-grained tanned morocco, four raised bands, elaborate spine decorations and dentelles in gilt; titles in gilt. gilt borders on all boards. a.e.g. Complete with 83 plates without text and 63 plates with text. Remarkably well-preserved set. Square, tight and generally clean throughout save a few light and scattered spots. As is usual, off-setting to page opposite plates, even some of those with tissue guards. Some quite mild rubbing and edge-wear. A tiny scuff here and there. Laid in is the printed Grolier Club announcement of its December, 1935 meeting, "...devoted to Thomas Frognall Dibdin, the bibliographer and bibliophile, 1776-1847". The pamphlet includes an engraved portrait of Dibdin. A… Read More

New York: Virtue & Torston, 1862. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Near Fine. Three Volumes, Large 4to., 664, 680, 738pp. Beautiful First Edition. Bound in contemporary three quarter black leather over purple pebble-cloth covered boards. Gilt borders. Gilt raised bands on spine. Title in gilt upon a red leather label in 2nd compartment; Vol. # in gilt in 4th; gilt decorations in all others. Marbled fore-edges and end-papers. Dozens of in-text and full-page illustrations, maps and portraits. Square and tight with minor rubbing to spine ends, hinges and tips. Fairly light scattered foxing throughout with heavier spotting on full-page plates. Ownership signature on flyleaf of volume 3. Volume 2 has partially erased notes on both front and rear end-papers with 1/2 of rear end-paper torn. A gorgeous, well-preserved collectable set and quite uncommon in this condition. Additional postage may be required for international and Priority Orders.

London: Thorton Butterworth, 1930. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Fine/Very Good. 8vo., 315pp. Beautiful First Edition of this scarce mystery with statement "First Published ... 1930" on copyright page. .Bound in black cloth with titles stamped in red on spine and blind-stamped on front board. Square, tight and clean throughout with little or no wear. Remarkably well-preserved. A touch of off-setting to end-papers but trivial. Very attractive unclipped dust-jacket, (correct price of 7/6 net on the spine panel), Chipping to tip and a small chip at the crown. Light soiling. Some edge-wear and a couple of miniscule closed tears. Still quite fresh and complete and presents much nicer than the Very Good it is. Uncommonly inscribed, dated and signed by the author on the front end-paper, " Inscribed for Mrs. Robert C. Taylor, with all good wishes, Claude Hoghton. - Savage Club. London, S,W,I, March 1939". A quite sharp collectable copy, rarely found in such high-grade condition and certainly not signed.

London: Chapman and Hall, 1839. 1st Edition. Full-Leather. Fine. 4to., xvi(1)624pp. Beautiful First Edition of Dickens' classic about the Nicholas sometimes comic, sometimes tragic, quest for fortune in Victorian England. This is the 2nd state with "visitor" corrected to "sister" on line 17 of page 123. Bound from the original parts published in twenty installments. Gorgeously bound by Bayntun-Riviere in full red morocco, line ruled in gilt with portrait of the author stamped in gilt on front board and signature stamped in gilt on rear board. Five raised gilt embossed spine bands with decoration and titles in gilt in gilt bordered compartments. Lavish gilt-ruled and decorated turn-ins. All edged gilt. Marbled end-papers. Tissue-guarded frontis of the author, Illustrated throughout by "Phiz", (Hablot Knight Browne). A stunning production. Square, tight and generally clean throughout with little or no wear. Strong joints. A couple of errant spots on borders of plates but no foxing to any text pages… Read More

Chicago: A.C. McClurg, 1931. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Fine/Fine. 8vo., 386pp. Beautiful First Edition, bound in orange cloth with titles and in black on front board and spine. Square, tight and clean throughout with no foxing or page toning. Some fairly minor wear to bottom edge and tip. Some softness to the spine ends and gentle bump to top front tip. Bookseller label on rear paste-down. Remarkably well-preserved. As is the stunning unclipped dust-jacket, ($2.00 on rear panel), which has very light wear to the top tips and a couple of tiny rubs to folds. Fresh and bright with no chipping, creases, toning or tears. Quite uncommonly signed by the author on the title page. A simply gorgeous collectable copy. (Hubin p. 405).

New York: Harcourt, Brace, & World, 1966. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Near Fine/Fine. 8vo., 274pp. Beautiful Stated First Edition of this landmark work. bound in gray cloth with spine titles in blue. Square and tight with some softness and a hint of toning to spine ends but quite minor. Pages 89-90 have a are stain, (coffee?), and a couple of additional very small spots to fore-edge. Still a very well-preserved copy. Equally attractive unfaded and unclipped dust jacket, ($4.95), has a touch of wear to the upper rear flap and a miniscule closed tear to the crown which is barely noticeable. Still fresh and bright with no creases, toning or chipping. Made into the terrific1968 film, "Charly", starring Cliff Robertson and Claire Bloom. Laid in is a clipped slip, like from a promotional flyer, signed by the author. A very sharp, collectable copy at a very good price.

New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1915. First U.S. Edition. Hardcover. Very Fine. 8vo., 63pp. Beautiful First American Edition of the iconic poet's first published book. This is the second printing with the spelling correction made on page 14. Rebound in modern blue morocco with four raised spine bands and gilt titles. Abstract spiral design stamped in gilt on both front and rear boards. New marbled end-papers added. Pages trimmed and gilt edges added, A stunningly beautiful production from the Harcourt Bindery of Boston. Square and tight with no discernible wear. A couple of scattered spot to interior pages but trivial. Address label removed from ffep leaving a faint ghost. Bookseller ticket at the bottom of the ffep. Signed and dated on the ffep by Frost from Franconia (NH) in October, 1916. A gorgeous collectable copy.

New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1982. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Fine/Fine. 8vo, 274(1)pp. Beautiful Unread First Edition, First Printing with full number sequence, of Grafton's landmark first mystery, introducing Kinsey Millhome. Square, tight and clean throughout with little or no wear. Equally attractive unclipped dust-jacket, ($12.95), is fresh and bright with no chipping, creases, toning or tears. Inscribed, signed and dated by the author on the title page, (For Bill & Karen, Yours until 'Z' is for Zero. Sue, 5-10-86"). "Bill & Karen" are Bill & Karen Palmer, owners of "Bogies", a bar & restaurant that had been in Manhattan; the first mystery themed restaurant in America and which originated the "Whodunit Dinner Theater". It was a hangout for mystery writers who would come for signing events and played host to groups such as the Mystery Writers of America, the Baker Street Irregulars, and many others. So loved were the restaurant and the Palmers that they have been incorporated into the plots… Read More

New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1939. First U.S. Edition. Hard Cover. Fine/Near Fine/Fine. 8vo., 281pp. Beautiful Stated First American Edition of this high-spot in espionage fiction. A Haycraft-Queen Cornerstone title. Published the same year in the UK as "The Mask of Dimitrios" by Hodder & Stoughton. Bound in gray cloth with titles in red on spine and decoration in reed on front board. Square, tight and clean throughout with little or no wear safe a touch of softness to spine ends but quite minor. Clean interior with no toning or foxing. Very well-preserved. Very attractive unclipped classic dust-jacket ($2.00 net), has very mild wear to the spine ends. Fresh and bright with no chipping, creases, tears or the toning that is common with this jacket. Made into the 1944 film starring Zachary Scott, Peter Lorre and Sidney Greenstreet. A gorgeous collectable copy at a very attractive price. (Hubin, p.7; Steinbrunner & Penzler, p. 8-9).

Sauk City: Arkham House, 1946. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Fine/Fine. Hannes Bok. Tall 8vo., 474pp. Gorgeous First Edition, one of only 3004 copies published. First book form of Howard's stories from the pulps, published 10 years after his death. Bound in black cloth with titles and decoration in gilt on spine. Square, tight and clean throughout with gently bumped spine ends and a tiny, barely noticeable scratch to the heel but not torn. Remarkably well preserved. Equally attractive unclipped wrap-around Hannes Bok dust-jacket, ($5.00), has is immaculate. Perhaps the best I have seen and certainly none better. Uncommonly fresh and bright with no creases, chipping or tears nor any of the toning so commonly found with this jacket. A stunning collectable copy of this high spot of the genre. (Jaffrey, #19).

London: Macmillan, 1975. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Near Fine/Fine/Fine. 8vo., 256pp. Beautiful First Edition of the author's first novel, introducing Oxford's Detective Chief Inspector Endeavor Morse. Bound in brown cloth with title in black on spine. Square, tight and clean throughout with save the mild toning and a few scattered spot that is almost always present due to the high acid content and poor quality of the paper used. Spine ends very gently pushed but quite trivial. Equally attractive unclipped dust-jacket, (£2.50net), isl fresh and bright with no chipping, creases or tears. Quite uncommonly signed by Dexter on the title page. Housed in a Fine custom clamshell box with illustrations reproducing the dust-jacket art. A simply gorgeous collectable copy and quite uncommon in such high-grade condition.

New York: Random House, 1948. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Near Fine/Fine/Fine. 8vo., 247pp. Beautiful Stated First Printing of Faulkner's indictment of souther racism wrapped in the cloak of a murder mystery. Bound in black cloth with titles in gilt with blue capitals on the front board and spine. Square, tight, solid and clean throughout with little or no wear save some gentle bumping to the heel. Some faint off-setting to front end-paper. No toning or foxing. Small bookseller ticket on rear paste-down. Stunning unclipped dust-jacket, ($3.00), has a hint of wear along the top edge but is fresh and bright with no chipping, creases, toning. or tears. Remarkably well-preserved. A simply gorgeous collectable copy.

New York: D. Appleton and Company, 1928. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Near Fine/Very Good. 8vo., 265pp. Beautiful First Edition First Printing with (1) on the last page of text as called for by this publisher. Bound in black cloth with titles in gilt on front board and spine. Square, tight and clean throughout with little or no wear save a touch of softness to the spine ends and a tiny bump to the front top tip. Very well-preserved with no toning or foxing. Small booksellers ticket on the rear paste-down. Very attractive unclipped dust-jacket, ($2.00 in the body of the front flap text), has a couple of spots of spoiling and minor edge-wear. Three small tape repairs on the verso that is just visible from the front. Still fairly unobtrusive. A solid, bright example with no chipping or creases and scarce in any condition. A sharp collectable copy of a quite uncommon t a great price.

Garden City, NY: Doubleday, Page & Co, 1919. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Very Good/Very Good. 12mo., 289 [1] pp.. Sharp First Edition, (Alfred P. Lee's State #3). of Morley's classic bookstore mystery and follow up to "Parnassus on Wheel". Bound in rddish-brown cloth with titles stamped in darker brown on front board and spine. State points are as follows: "Burroughs" bruised on page 76; page "76" lined up under the "Bu"; "Styx" spelled correctly on page100. It is important to note the entry for Lee's bibliography that there is no priority regarding the four know states. Lee states, "The numbers here are used for designation purposes only , having no reference to a possible issue sequence...". Lee simply labeled them as he received them. This is evident as this copy has an error that was previously correct in state #2, (Bruised Burroughs). The book itself is square, tight and clean throughout with no toning or foxing. A touch of wear to spine ends with what looks to be a barely noticeable repair to some… Read More

New York: Coward-McCann, 1938. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Fine/Near Fine/Fine. 8vo., 128pp. Beautiful First Edition of this seminal drama. No other printings listed on copyright page as called for. Bound in olive cloth with titles in white upon a blue background on front board and spine. Square, tight and clean throughout with little or no wear save a hint of softness to spine ends but trivial. A few scattered spots to the fore-edge but no interior toning or foxing. Very well=preserved. Equally attractive unclipped dust-jacket, ($2.00), has a couple of miniscule closed edge-tears on the rear panel and a touch of rubbing to spine ends. Spine panel and edges very lightly toned as is quite common but less than most. A gorgeous collectable copy at a great price.