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The Prisoner of Zenda -
Sir Anthony Hope Hawkins
1894 - J.W. Arrowsmith, Bristol - First Edition, First State
The rare first edition, first state of the classic swashbuckling romance, appropriately housed in folding cloth chemise and burgundy morocco slipcase, with spine lettered in gilt.
This adventure story was enjoyed by Ian Fleming as a child, and Hope's chivalrous hero is a 'literary ancestor' of the debonair British agent 007 [The Rough Guide to James Bond].
The basis for David O. Selznick's Oscar-nominated movie (1937), starring Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and David Niven. Hawkins most well-known work.
‘For my part, if a man must needs be a knave, I would have him a debonair knave... It makes your sin no worse, as I conceive, to do it à la mode and stylishly.’
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Price HK$ 18,000
1894 - J.W. Arrowsmith, Bristol - First Edition, First State
The rare first edition, first state of the classic swashbuckling romance, appropriately housed in folding cloth chemise and burgundy morocco slipcase, with spine lettered in gilt.This adventure story was enjoyed by Ian Fleming as a child, and Hope's chivalrous hero is a 'literary ancestor' of the debonair British agent 007 [The Rough Guide to James Bond].
The basis for David O. Selznick's Oscar-nominated movie (1937), starring Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and David Niven. Hawkins most well-known work.
‘For my part, if a man must needs be a knave, I would have him a debonair knave... It makes your sin no worse, as I conceive, to do it à la mode and stylishly.’
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Price HK$ 18,000
Chipstead of the Lone Hand -
Sydney Horler
1929 - Henry Holt and Company, New York - First American Edition
The second Bunny Chipstead novel.
‘Amateur gentleman hero, Bunny Chipstead once again comes to the aid of Sir Robert Heddingly, chief of the British Secret Service. Chipstead owns a flat in Paris, an apartment in New York, and a pied-à-terre in St. James, London; he is accustomed to travelling first class, promotes tea drinking to one of the finer arts, smokes a pipe (an infallible marker of virile masculinity and decency), and serves unofficially for both the British and U.S. Intelligence Services (”for the sheer thrill of the game” as the story puts it). In this adventure, Bunny is once again up against the master criminal “The Disguiser,” who has kidnapped Heddingly from a sanatorium.’ – Alan Burton, British Spy Fiction.
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Price HK$ 2,500
1929 - Henry Holt and Company, New York - First American Edition
The second Bunny Chipstead novel.‘Amateur gentleman hero, Bunny Chipstead once again comes to the aid of Sir Robert Heddingly, chief of the British Secret Service. Chipstead owns a flat in Paris, an apartment in New York, and a pied-à-terre in St. James, London; he is accustomed to travelling first class, promotes tea drinking to one of the finer arts, smokes a pipe (an infallible marker of virile masculinity and decency), and serves unofficially for both the British and U.S. Intelligence Services (”for the sheer thrill of the game” as the story puts it). In this adventure, Bunny is once again up against the master criminal “The Disguiser,” who has kidnapped Heddingly from a sanatorium.’ – Alan Burton, British Spy Fiction.
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Price HK$ 2,500
The Courtesy of Death - Inscribed -
Geoffrey Household
1967 - Michael Joseph, London - First Edition
First edition, inscribed from Geoffrey Household:
‘For all the Thompsons with love Geoffrey 19.v.67.’
‘When retired mining engineer Yarrow is disturbed after midnight by Barnabas Fosworth, he assumes that he is just a curious eccentric. But by helping Fosworth in his search for the mysterious girl he seeks, Yarrow soon finds his life inexplicably threatened by a mystical sect who believe that taking life is forgivable, since death is only a transition.
Entombed in a cavern in the Mendips, Yarrow discovers the ancient secrets that have their origins in paleolithic paintings; and it is only through this new knowledge that he can hope to escape a very unpleasant death’ – Orion
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Price HK$ 800
1967 - Michael Joseph, London - First Edition
First edition, inscribed from Geoffrey Household:‘For all the Thompsons with love Geoffrey 19.v.67.’
‘When retired mining engineer Yarrow is disturbed after midnight by Barnabas Fosworth, he assumes that he is just a curious eccentric. But by helping Fosworth in his search for the mysterious girl he seeks, Yarrow soon finds his life inexplicably threatened by a mystical sect who believe that taking life is forgivable, since death is only a transition.
Entombed in a cavern in the Mendips, Yarrow discovers the ancient secrets that have their origins in paleolithic paintings; and it is only through this new knowledge that he can hope to escape a very unpleasant death’ – Orion
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Price HK$ 800
The Novels of Victor Hugo -
Victor Hugo
1888-99 - Little, Boston - Library Editions
A finely bound 14 volume set of the novels of Victor Hugo comprising (by year first published):- Hans of Iceland; Bug-Jargal - with - Claude Gueux - and - The Last Day of a Condemned; Notre-Dame de Paris (two volumes); Les Misérables (five volumes); The Toilers of the Sea (two volumes); The Man Who Laughs (two volumes); and Ninety-Three.
Twenty four full page engravings by A. Demarest, George Roux, Jules Adeline, P. Kaufmann, Jules Lefebvre, Falero, G. Jeanniot, V. Gilbert, Ernest Duez, Cliché Walery, Émile Vernier, Henri Pille, and Adrien Marie. Each with descriptive tissue guard.
With notes and prefaces to the first editions, and in some cases notes to later editions and letters where relevant
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Price HK$ 20,000
1888-99 - Little, Boston - Library Editions
A finely bound 14 volume set of the novels of Victor Hugo comprising (by year first published):- Hans of Iceland; Bug-Jargal - with - Claude Gueux - and - The Last Day of a Condemned; Notre-Dame de Paris (two volumes); Les Misérables (five volumes); The Toilers of the Sea (two volumes); The Man Who Laughs (two volumes); and Ninety-Three.Twenty four full page engravings by A. Demarest, George Roux, Jules Adeline, P. Kaufmann, Jules Lefebvre, Falero, G. Jeanniot, V. Gilbert, Ernest Duez, Cliché Walery, Émile Vernier, Henri Pille, and Adrien Marie. Each with descriptive tissue guard.
With notes and prefaces to the first editions, and in some cases notes to later editions and letters where relevant
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Price HK$ 20,000
And Death Came Too -
Richard Hull
1942 - Julian Messner, New York - First American Edition
A somewhat scarce example, fine in the war-time dust jacket.
‘Arthur Yeldham, a retired housemaster from Finchlngfield School invites four young people to come on to his house after a local dance; and when they get there, Yeldham is found stabbed...’
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Price HK$ 2,700
1942 - Julian Messner, New York - First American Edition
A somewhat scarce example, fine in the war-time dust jacket.‘Arthur Yeldham, a retired housemaster from Finchlngfield School invites four young people to come on to his house after a local dance; and when they get there, Yeldham is found stabbed...’
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Price HK$ 2,700
The Thirteenth Guest - Inscribed -
Fergus Hume
1913 - Ward, London - First Edition
Inscribed to the cousin of Fergus Hume, ‘To Mabel, wishing her all the luck of the year from her cousin, Fergus Hume, Thundesrby, Essex, 25-IX-31’.
First edition, illustrated with colour frontispiece by L. M. Hunter.
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Price HK$ 5,000
1913 - Ward, London - First Edition
Inscribed to the cousin of Fergus Hume, ‘To Mabel, wishing her all the luck of the year from her cousin, Fergus Hume, Thundesrby, Essex, 25-IX-31’.First edition, illustrated with colour frontispiece by L. M. Hunter.
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Price HK$ 5,000
Malice Aforethought -
Francis Iles (pseud. Anthony Berkeley Cox)
1931 - Mundanus Ltd. Victor Gollancz Publisher, London - First Edition
‘It was not until several weeks after he had decided to murder his wife that Dr. Bickleigh took any active steps in the matter. Murder is a serious business.’
Outstandingly original, a notable and influential example of the inverted detective story, subtly presented by Anthony Berkeley’s alter ego, Iles, Ingenious, subtle, unconventional and a favourite of Alfred Hitchcock.
An exceptional example of the first printing which was published in delicate wrappers using Gollancz’s ‘Mundanus’ imprint.
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Price HK$ 6,000
1931 - Mundanus Ltd. Victor Gollancz Publisher, London - First Edition
‘It was not until several weeks after he had decided to murder his wife that Dr. Bickleigh took any active steps in the matter. Murder is a serious business.’Outstandingly original, a notable and influential example of the inverted detective story, subtly presented by Anthony Berkeley’s alter ego, Iles, Ingenious, subtle, unconventional and a favourite of Alfred Hitchcock.
An exceptional example of the first printing which was published in delicate wrappers using Gollancz’s ‘Mundanus’ imprint.
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Price HK$ 6,000
Confessions of Another Young Man -
Bravig Imbs
1936 - Henkle-Yewdale House, New York - First Edition
‘We liked Bravig, even though as Gertrude Stein said, his aim was to please’ – The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas
The charming memoir of Bravig Imbs, an amiable, pleasant, and enthusiastic Norwegian-American writer who, upon their first encounter in 1926, became one of Gertrude Stein’s reverent admirers in the years between the wars. Here, he eagerly recounts the fleeting cavalcade of artists, writers, musicians, pseudo-intellectuals, and poseurs who frequented Gertrude’s salon in Paris.
Unfortunately, despite his devotion – Imbs would often play Miss Stein her favourite tune, ‘The Trail of the Lonesome Pine’ on the violin – Stein ended their friendship due to her aversion to childbirth, after Bravig brought his pregnant wife to a boarding house near Gertrude’s country home.
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Price HK$ 2,500
1936 - Henkle-Yewdale House, New York - First Edition
‘We liked Bravig, even though as Gertrude Stein said, his aim was to please’ – The Autobiography of Alice B. ToklasThe charming memoir of Bravig Imbs, an amiable, pleasant, and enthusiastic Norwegian-American writer who, upon their first encounter in 1926, became one of Gertrude Stein’s reverent admirers in the years between the wars. Here, he eagerly recounts the fleeting cavalcade of artists, writers, musicians, pseudo-intellectuals, and poseurs who frequented Gertrude’s salon in Paris.
Unfortunately, despite his devotion – Imbs would often play Miss Stein her favourite tune, ‘The Trail of the Lonesome Pine’ on the violin – Stein ended their friendship due to her aversion to childbirth, after Bravig brought his pregnant wife to a boarding house near Gertrude’s country home.
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Price HK$ 2,500