Rare books from La Playa Books

Shanghai: The Chinese-American Publishing Company, 1947, 1948, 1941. Hardcover . Used - very good. Volumes I and II in green buckram. “Notes” volume is green cloth over hello papered boards. Inscribed by Col. James W. Mosteller, Jr. to Lt. Commander W.A. Mosteller. Volume I Near Fine. Volume II Very Good with upper outside corner of front board creased with corresponding light split to front pastedown. “Notes” volume with moderate scuffing to covers including 5” thin scrape across front board affecting only one letter. All three volumes with clean text and in sturdy bindings. Very well-preserved with gilt lettering on the Junks volumes almost bright as new.

Basic Books, November 1988. First. Hardcover . Used - fine/Near fine. First Edition with “1” in the number line. Inscribed by Crick to UCSD colleague Sanford (Sandy) Lakhoff and dated in the year of publication. Two unobtrusive ink marks in margins of pages 8 and 67. Near Fine in Near Fine unclipped dust jacket ($16.95) with sunned spine (black lettering remains bold). Now protected in removable mylar.

New York: D. van Nostrand, 1865. Hardcover . Used - fine. Small 8vo. Blue blindstamped covers with 3”x 3” illustration of a masted ship in gilt by John Feely. Rear board with same blindstamped ship illustration in reverse. Spine toned, but gilt title and publisher bright. Previous owner’s name on front pastedown and first blank.

Includes publisher's statement, "The publishers desire to state that Mr. Clemens declines to accept any pecuniary return from this booklet, as it is his wish that all proceeds of sales above the cost of publication shall be used in furthering effort for relief of the people of the Congo State." Softcover with black and yellow illustrated wraps. Some chipping to spine and a 4" thin fold to foredge of front cover, otherwise tight with spine uncracked.

First Edition of the poet's first book. Inscribed in the year of publication on FFE. Beige card boards lightly rubbed and with some staining. Dark yellow unclipped dust jacket (Two Dollars) with a circular stain from a glass and rubbing to corner and edges, with a scatter of smaller stains to rear panel.

A copy of Carnegie Hall's 72 season program, including two pages announcing the concert (10-11) with the infamous typo "John McCartney." This was the Beatles' second concert in America, immediately following their inaugural concert in Washington D.C., but the first program produced for a Beatles concert in the states.

New York: The Lakeside Press, 1906. Hardcover . Used - very good. 16mo. Dark green cloth, publisher’s device, spine lettering and borders in gilt. TEG (mostly rubbed off), other two edges deckled. Front cover moderately mottled affecting some of the gilt, rear panel with a few tiny white stains overall this is a square, tight copy with clean and unmarked contents.

London: James Cawthorn, 1810. Hardcover . Used - very good. Signed. Association Copy, Charlotte Turner Smith, The Emigrants, William Hayley Autograph, Thomas Campbell Autograph, William Pitt the Younger Autograph. VG. 85pp, plus 3 pages of ads (most recent dated 1810). 'Kent' watermark on first blank, 'G&RT' on title page. (Contemporary?) three-quarter red leather and swirl-patterned boards and endpapers, spine with four gilt-ruled raised bands and five compartments, four compartments with gilt decoration and fifth with gilt lettering. Binding strong, with slight spine lean, small patches of black stain to covers and a tiny nick to the leather at the front spine fold. All gilt is at least VG, and quite attractive married to the red leather. As with many other copies of this title, there are numerous portrait plates interleaved (34), however, bound into this copy is the autograph of William Pitt the Younger, an autographed letter signed (ALS) from the… Read More

Beginner Books / Random House, October 1975. First. Hardcover . Used - fine/Fine. First Edition with complete number line as per Younger. Inscribed to Geisel by Michael K. Frith, illustrator, former Executive Vice-President and Creative Director of The Jim Henson Company, Editor-in-Chief of the Beginner Books series and friend of Geisel. Fine/Fine. (Younger no.4)

Random House Books for Young Readers, October 1974. First. Hardcover . Used - fine. First Edition. Fine. With original $2.50 price sticker on cover. (Younger no. 80).

Random House Books for Young Readers, January 1972. First. Hardcover . Used - fine/Fine. First Edition with ‘$2.50’ on dust jacket flap and correct ads on rear of dust jacket (Younger no. 45). Fine in Fine jacket with just faint toning to spine. dust jacket now protected in removable mylar.

Doubleday, January 1980. First Edition stated. Hardcover . Used - fine/Fine. “First Edition” stated. Signed by author on title page. Fine in unclipped dust jacket and happily a copy without the remainder spray.

Doubleday, January 1976. First Edition stated. Hardcover . Used - fine/Near fine. “First Edition” stated. Signed by author on title page. Fine with faint remainder spray on bottom edge of text block, in Near Fine, unclipped dust jacket with trivial shelf wear and a bit of toning to verso.

St Martins Pr, January 1984. First stated with '1' in number line. Hardcover . Used - fine/Fine. “First Edition” stated with “1” in number line. Signed by author on title page. Fine in Fine, unclipped dust jacket with subtle 2” closed tear to lower corner of front flap.

Warner Books, Grand Central Publishing, 1987, 1988, 1989. First Printing stated with '1' in number line. Hardcover . Used - fine/Fine. 3 volume set, each First Edition, First printing with '1' in the number line. Each Signed by Butler on title page. Fine in Fine, unclipped dust jackets.