Rare books from THE FINE BOOKS COMPANY

A COLLECTION OF WOODEN JIGSAW PIECES IN VARIOUS SHAPES AND SIZES being 18 in number with 5 of them in color and most needing further trimming (which would most certainly enhance the number beyond 18!). Rare indeed.

*** IN THE SCARCE DELUXE BINDING ***DIANETICS, Hermitage, 1950, first edition, some light wear to the lower fore edge corner tips, some rubbing and light wear to the bottom edges of the boards, else a tight, bright vg+ copy with the t.p.e.'s in gold gilt as called for in a vg+/near fine dust-wrapper. (About thirty years ago, while visiting a bookshop in another state, the proprietor, whom I had known a long time, invited me into his office and asked me if I had ever seen any copies of the special edition of this work SIGNED by both the author and the author of the introduction which were bound in red leather. I not only replied, no, I haven't, but also assured him smugly that there was no such thing --- to which he responded by reaching into a drawer of his desk and placing this imaginary book into my hands! In this instance, the crow didn't taste too bad as just the new knowledge of its existence was the condiment which made it very palatable indeed). Alas, this copy… Read More

HIKE AND THE AEROPLANE, Stokes, 1912, first edition, some flaking to the lettering on the spine (but all still easily readable), else a fine copy in the publishers original gray cloth pictorial binding in bright detail. Illustrated. The first book by the first American to win the Nobel Prize in literature. 1/1,000 copies. Very scarce in this marvelous condition.

One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,One Ring to bring them all And in the darkness bind them" * * * THE LORD OF THE RINGS * * * comprising THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING, Houghton-Mifflin, 1954, THE TWO TOWERS, Houghton-Mifflin, 1955 & THE RETURN OF THE KING, Houghton-Mifflin, 1956, first American editions (as well as first printings), some tanning to the base of the spine along with just a bit of wear to same on the first volume, a hint of fraying to the spine extremities of the second volume, else all 3 volumes vg+ to fine in vg+ to near fine… Read More

THE BICENTENNIAL MAN / ORIGINAL CARBON TYPESCRIPT being 50 pages, approximately 15,000 words, fine in custom tray-case. Accompanied by a 200 word plus TYPED LETTER SIGNED by Asimov dated July 12th, 1974 to his long time friend and fellow science fiction personage, Forrie Ackerman, mentioning that he cannot promise a science fiction story to a deadline, but since the proposed anthology title is to be THE BICENTENNIAL MAN, there were 4 previously published items in The Saturday Evening Post that might be possibly utilized revolving around Benjamin Franklin which could be had for a small royalty. Along with copies of three other letters to Ackerman which yield yet more information regarding the specifics of this eventual typescript. (Which goes like this: Sometime in 1974, a woman by the name of Naomi Gordon approached Forrest Ackerman with an idea for a science fiction anthology for the upcoming Bicentennial of the U.S. Projected writers for this undertaking were to be Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. Clarke,… Read More

KING KONG, Grosset & Dunlap, 1932, first edition, some expert professional color retouch to the fore edge margins of the covers, else near fine in bright vg/vg+ full color pictorial dust-wrapper with some light wear and tear and chipping, the latter quite shallow and only at the spine and flap extremities. Stills from this marvelous groundbreaking epic film (the first of now three such productions) make up the photo end-papers. A very nice copy. 

THE ARROW OF GOLD, Doubleday - Page, 1919, first edition (first issue), just about a vg copy. INSCRIBED by the author to his friend Grace Willard and dated at the time of publication. Although apparently there are 2 INSCRIBED dedication copies of this edition to Conrads friend and bibliographer, Richard Curle.This, the American edition, which precedes the English edition, is indeed rare SIGNED or INSCRIBED to anyone with no copies appearing at auction for over the last 30 years and in fact eluding both the famous collections of Raymond Sutton and Robert Findlay.

DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE in Which the Words are deduced from their Originals To Which are Prefixed a History of the Language and An English Grammar, London, W. Strahan for J. and P. Knapton, 1755, first edition, two volumes, large folio (16 -1/2 x 10 -1/4 inches; 412 x 254 mm.), unpaginated. Text in double columns with title-pages printed in red and black along with decorative woodcut tail-pieces. 1/2,000 copies. A most handsome rebound copy in full leather with raised spines and with professional repair to the fore edge corner tips as needed. The title page of volume 2 has been relaid down to promote the loss of the original bottom inch and the first page of text of this volume exhibits some modest wrinkling. All in all, a sumptuous copy with virtually no staining nor foxing and bright brilliant text. A Printing and the Mind of Man title.

FABLES FOR OUR TIME, Harpers, 1940, first edition, slight wear to small sections of the top and bottom edges of the boards, else a bright just about fine copy in pictorial boards in a vg/vg+ unrecorded gold-foil wraparound matching pictorial dust-wrapper with some slight wear and tear. Profusely illustrated of course.

THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES, John Lane, New York, 1920, first edition, several leaves with some smallish light brown stains, else a fine copy rebound in full tan calf with very nice text block and with gold gilt stamping to the spine and front cover matching the original binding design. The authors first novel and quite scarce in the true first edition as is here.

SCIENCE FICTION BECOMES SCIENCE FACT THE AMERICAN GUN CLUB ( FROM THE EARTH TO THE MOON), Scribner, Armstrong & Company, 1874, first edition, obvious wear to the fore edge corner tips and bottom edges with some cloth loss, spine darkened with cloth loss at head & heel of spine, covers somewhat soiled and rubbed, rear inner hinge open, else perhaps a decent copy in the publishers original gold-gilt pictorial cloth. This copy INSCRIBED by Neil Armstrong & Buzz Aldrin to a most prominent collector and Sam Moskowitz Archive award winner. This title re-publishes the first half of its earlier released version FROM THE EARTH TO THE MOON including 24 full page illustrations. Translated from the French by Louis Mercier. and Eleanor E. King. An instant heirloom virtually impossible to find INSCRIBED as this is.

( THE BRADBURY CHRONICLES / MARTIAN LANDSCAPE ) LARGE FULL COLOR OIL PAINTING MEASURING 42 BY 25 INCHES DEPICTING VARIOUS SCENES FROM THE MARTIAN CHRONICLES. FRAMED AND READY TO BE HUNG. This painting was commissioned by Phantasia Press and was to be used for their publication of what later became THE BRADBURY CHRONICLES when another publisher received the contract to produce the book when Phantasia Press decided not to do it afterall. A stunning work and what may be Barclay Shaw's largest work to date. The perfect piece for the Bradbury collector who has everything.

THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ, G.M. Hill, 1900, first edition (3rd issue binding with plain unserified type in red lettering as opposed to green and with the "o" imbedded within the C for company), some light soiling to the covers, binding recased, small nick to the fore edge of the front cover, else a tight vg copy in the publishers original pictorial binding with points in the second state (that is corrected text) and all 24 full color plates present. Still a quite nice copy actually.

THE DARK TOWER CYCLE being THE GUNSLINGER, THE DRAWING OF THE THREE, THE WASTE LANDS, WIZARD AND GLASS, THE WOLVES OF CALLA, SONG OF SUSANNAH & THE DARK TOWER, Donald Grant, 1982 thru 2004, all volumes being the same numbered (#398) first SIGNED / limited edition, all fine to as new in like dust-wrapper and SIGNED by both the author and artist. All volumes illustrated in full color by Michael Whelan, Phil Hale, Ned Dameron, Dave McKean, Bernie Wrightson & Darrel Anderson. The complete 7 volume saga begun in 1978 (1982 in book format) and now ended some 30 years later.

DUNE, Chilton, 1965, first edition, small bruise to the upper right corner of the spine, else a bright fine copy in like full color correct pictorial dw. A very nice copy. The first novel to win both the HUGO and NEBULA awards. An incredible achievement of the imagination. The source book for the thrice filmed interplanetary adventure.