Literature
Crime & Detective
Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Spies Espionage James Bond 007
Austen Bronte
Conrad & Kipling
Dickens & Shakespeare
Greene & Orwell
Hemingway & Steinbeck
Maugham & Waugh
Wodehouse
Antiquarian
Modern
American
Poetry
Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect - Facsimile (From Photogravure Blocks) of the Kilmarnock edition 1786 -
Robert Burns
1909 - D Brown & Co. [Printer], Kilmarnock - Facsimile of the 1786 edition
An exquisite and fine presentation of Burns’ ‘Poems’, bound in light brown crushed morocco with brown and tan morocco onlays depicting a harvest mouse in a wheat field (the ‘tim'rous beastie' of ‘To a Mouse’) and ensconced in matching light tan morocco clamshell case, lined in tartan. Bound by Falkirk Fraser Wilson while working for Tom Valentine (a noted Falkirk binder).
The binding houses the 1909 facsimile of the rare and celebrated "Kilmarnock Burns" of 1786, which was printed from photogravure blocks under the supervision of D. McNaught, Esq. J.P., editor of The Burns Chronicle, the proofs being revised from an uncut copy in his possession.
In 1786 at the age of 27, although he had never published anything before, Burns (1759-96) decided to publish a volume of his poems. 612 copies were printed for him by John Wilson of Kilmarnock. They sold out within a month. There are estimated to be less than 70 complete ‘Kilmarnock’ copies in existence today. For this reason D. McNaught used his own uncut copy to produce this facsimile in 1909.
Burns, encouraged by this success, and by a letter from an Edinburgh minister, Dr. Blacklock, moved to Edinburgh instead of emigrating to Jamaica. He became a celebrity and in 1787 a new edition of 1500 copies, to be sold by subscription, was agreed upon with an additional 17 poems and five new songs. There was far greater demand than estimated, so the book was reset, and approximately 3,250 copies printed.
More details
Price HK$ 30,000
1909 - D Brown & Co. [Printer], Kilmarnock - Facsimile of the 1786 edition
An exquisite and fine presentation of Burns’ ‘Poems’, bound in light brown crushed morocco with brown and tan morocco onlays depicting a harvest mouse in a wheat field (the ‘tim'rous beastie' of ‘To a Mouse’) and ensconced in matching light tan morocco clamshell case, lined in tartan. Bound by Falkirk Fraser Wilson while working for Tom Valentine (a noted Falkirk binder).The binding houses the 1909 facsimile of the rare and celebrated "Kilmarnock Burns" of 1786, which was printed from photogravure blocks under the supervision of D. McNaught, Esq. J.P., editor of The Burns Chronicle, the proofs being revised from an uncut copy in his possession.
In 1786 at the age of 27, although he had never published anything before, Burns (1759-96) decided to publish a volume of his poems. 612 copies were printed for him by John Wilson of Kilmarnock. They sold out within a month. There are estimated to be less than 70 complete ‘Kilmarnock’ copies in existence today. For this reason D. McNaught used his own uncut copy to produce this facsimile in 1909.
Burns, encouraged by this success, and by a letter from an Edinburgh minister, Dr. Blacklock, moved to Edinburgh instead of emigrating to Jamaica. He became a celebrity and in 1787 a new edition of 1500 copies, to be sold by subscription, was agreed upon with an additional 17 poems and five new songs. There was far greater demand than estimated, so the book was reset, and approximately 3,250 copies printed.
More details
Price HK$ 30,000
Nova Express -
William S. Burroughs
1964 - Grove Press, New York - First Edition
A fine first edition, with strong bright red lettering to the spine, unlike most examples.
‘A masterpiece of fantasy and reality, a carnival of horrors, a doomsday confrontation of man and his world.’
Burroughs’ ferociously political and prophetic novel – a parody of bureaucracy and human frailty, and the third in his linguistically ‘cut-up’ trilogy, following The Soft Machine and The Ticket That Exploded –fires the reader into the diabolical world of the Nova Mob, poised to wreak havoc and destruction upon the planet. Can Inspector J. Lee of the Nova Police stop them before it’s too late…?
More details
Price HK$ 2,000
1964 - Grove Press, New York - First Edition
A fine first edition, with strong bright red lettering to the spine, unlike most examples.‘A masterpiece of fantasy and reality, a carnival of horrors, a doomsday confrontation of man and his world.’
Burroughs’ ferociously political and prophetic novel – a parody of bureaucracy and human frailty, and the third in his linguistically ‘cut-up’ trilogy, following The Soft Machine and The Ticket That Exploded –fires the reader into the diabolical world of the Nova Mob, poised to wreak havoc and destruction upon the planet. Can Inspector J. Lee of the Nova Police stop them before it’s too late…?
More details
Price HK$ 2,000
Philo Gubb. Correspondence-School Detective -
Ellis Parker Butler
1918 - Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston and New York - First Edition
A near fine first edition, in the original pictorial cloth, and illustrated with twenty full page black and white plates.
A small town good-natured wallpaper hanger, with a fascination for Sherlock Holmes, Philo Gubb’s office also contains a framed diploma from the Rising Sun Detective Agency’s Correspondence School.
Gubb commits a slight case of murder on the King’s English every time he talks, but manages to solve crimes despite his talent for interpreting clues incorrectly and his flair for sporting mail-order disguises that inevitably fail to mask his purposes. A precursor to Inspector Clouseau perhaps...
‘Detecktating is my aim and my profession.’
More details
Price HK$ 1,500
1918 - Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston and New York - First Edition
A near fine first edition, in the original pictorial cloth, and illustrated with twenty full page black and white plates.A small town good-natured wallpaper hanger, with a fascination for Sherlock Holmes, Philo Gubb’s office also contains a framed diploma from the Rising Sun Detective Agency’s Correspondence School.
Gubb commits a slight case of murder on the King’s English every time he talks, but manages to solve crimes despite his talent for interpreting clues incorrectly and his flair for sporting mail-order disguises that inevitably fail to mask his purposes. A precursor to Inspector Clouseau perhaps...
‘Detecktating is my aim and my profession.’
More details
Price HK$ 1,500
Advice from a Lady of Quality to her Children -
Louis-Antoine Caraccioli, Samuel Glasse (translator)
1778 - Printed by R. Raikes and Sold by J. F. and C. Rivington, Glocester - First Edition in English
An extremely rare first edition of this 18th century ‘Tuesdays With Morrie’, first published in 1769 as ’Les adieux de la Maréchale de *** à ses enfants’. Two pretty little volumes In 18th century full calf bindings.
A popular courtesy book written in a series of twenty one ‘conferences’ held between mother, her daughter and sons. Topics covered during these conferences include Virtue, Pride, Generosity, Female Conduct, Friendship, Love of Truth, Brotherly Love, Study, Pleasure, Ambition, Vanity, Relative Duty, Patriotism, Social Duties.
Unlike most courtesy books, Caraccioli's has the semblance of a plot and reads somewhat like a novel, which ends with the death of the main character. Advice from a Lady went through numerous later editions in England and America.
The Translator, Samuel Glasse, dedicates this work to Queen Charlotte (1744-1818), consort of King George III of Great Britain.
More details
Price HK$ 11,000
1778 - Printed by R. Raikes and Sold by J. F. and C. Rivington, Glocester - First Edition in English
An extremely rare first edition of this 18th century ‘Tuesdays With Morrie’, first published in 1769 as ’Les adieux de la Maréchale de *** à ses enfants’. Two pretty little volumes In 18th century full calf bindings.A popular courtesy book written in a series of twenty one ‘conferences’ held between mother, her daughter and sons. Topics covered during these conferences include Virtue, Pride, Generosity, Female Conduct, Friendship, Love of Truth, Brotherly Love, Study, Pleasure, Ambition, Vanity, Relative Duty, Patriotism, Social Duties.
Unlike most courtesy books, Caraccioli's has the semblance of a plot and reads somewhat like a novel, which ends with the death of the main character. Advice from a Lady went through numerous later editions in England and America.
The Translator, Samuel Glasse, dedicates this work to Queen Charlotte (1744-1818), consort of King George III of Great Britain.
More details
Price HK$ 11,000
The Complete Works -
Lewis Carroll, [Charles Lutwidge Dodgson]
1939 - The Nonesuch Press, London - First Nonesuch Edition
A finely bound volume of Lewis Carroll’s works.
Includes: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland; Through the Looking Glass; Sylvie and Bruno; Sylvie and Bruno Concluded; The Hunting of The Snark; Puzzles From Wonderland; Phantasmagoria; Acrostics, Verse, Stories and A Miscellany.
The two Alice titles are illustrated with John Tenniel’s original drawings, and the book begins with an introduction by Alexander Woollcott.
More details
Price HK$ 6,000
1939 - The Nonesuch Press, London - First Nonesuch Edition
A finely bound volume of Lewis Carroll’s works.Includes: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland; Through the Looking Glass; Sylvie and Bruno; Sylvie and Bruno Concluded; The Hunting of The Snark; Puzzles From Wonderland; Phantasmagoria; Acrostics, Verse, Stories and A Miscellany.
The two Alice titles are illustrated with John Tenniel’s original drawings, and the book begins with an introduction by Alexander Woollcott.
More details
Price HK$ 6,000
Murphy’s War -
Max Catto
1969 - Heinemann, London - First English Edition
The basis for the movie of the same name starring Peter O’Toole and Siân Phillips.
Set on the coast of equatorial Africa towards the end of WWII, Murphy is an Australian knockabout sailor from the Royal Navy, and the quarry is a U-boat that he pursues up a vile river from his base...
More details
Price HK$ 1,500
1969 - Heinemann, London - First English Edition
The basis for the movie of the same name starring Peter O’Toole and Siân Phillips.Set on the coast of equatorial Africa towards the end of WWII, Murphy is an Australian knockabout sailor from the Royal Navy, and the quarry is a U-boat that he pursues up a vile river from his base...
More details
Price HK$ 1,500
The First Saint Omnibus. An Anthology of Saintly Adventures -
Leslie Charteris
1939 - Hodder & Stoughton Limited, London - First Edition of this Collection
A finely bound selection of thirteen short stories featuring 'The Robin Hood of Modern Crime'.
Simon Templar, ‘The Saint’, ‘is a rambunctious adventurer who believes in old-fashioned romantic ideals, alter-ego perhaps of his Singaporean born creator Leslie Charles Bowyer Yin Charteris. Templar is prepared to lay down his life for these ideals, using considerable wit and intelligence, the Saint has a preference for avenging innocent victims.
More details
Price HK$ 4,000
1939 - Hodder & Stoughton Limited, London - First Edition of this Collection
A finely bound selection of thirteen short stories featuring 'The Robin Hood of Modern Crime'.Simon Templar, ‘The Saint’, ‘is a rambunctious adventurer who believes in old-fashioned romantic ideals, alter-ego perhaps of his Singaporean born creator Leslie Charles Bowyer Yin Charteris. Templar is prepared to lay down his life for these ideals, using considerable wit and intelligence, the Saint has a preference for avenging innocent victims.
More details
Price HK$ 4,000
Sea Spy. A Naval Novel -
E. Keble Chatterton
1937 - Hurst & Blackett, London - First Edition
First edition in the rare and evocative dust jacket. Chatterton was one of Britain's best-known yachtsmen and maritime writers in the early part of the century.
‘Mr. Keble Chatterton has the art of the sea story at his finger tips and in “Sea Spy” he has combined a fast moving plot with plenty of thrills and action. John Trevenna, late of His Majesty’s Navy, is persuaded by his old chief, now the head of a new department of the Secret Service to give up a pleasure cruise in his one-man yacht, and use it instead to follow the activities of one Zouleki and his henchman Ptemnoff round the coasts of France... a vivid and fascinating tale.” – The Straits Times, Singapore 1937.
More details
Price HK$ 3,500
1937 - Hurst & Blackett, London - First Edition
First edition in the rare and evocative dust jacket. Chatterton was one of Britain's best-known yachtsmen and maritime writers in the early part of the century.‘Mr. Keble Chatterton has the art of the sea story at his finger tips and in “Sea Spy” he has combined a fast moving plot with plenty of thrills and action. John Trevenna, late of His Majesty’s Navy, is persuaded by his old chief, now the head of a new department of the Secret Service to give up a pleasure cruise in his one-man yacht, and use it instead to follow the activities of one Zouleki and his henchman Ptemnoff round the coasts of France... a vivid and fascinating tale.” – The Straits Times, Singapore 1937.
More details
Price HK$ 3,500