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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.’
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Price HK$ 2,200
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.’
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Price HK$ 2,200
La Chute -
Albert Camus
1956 - Gallimard, Paris - First Edition (in French), First printing
Number 233 of of 235 copies on ‘vélin pur fil Lafuma-Navarre’.
A superlative example – largely unopened – of the first edition of Camus’ philosophical novel, described by fellow existentialist Sartre as 'perhaps the most beautiful and the least understood' of Camus’ works. With text in French. Published in English as ‘The Fall’
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Price HK$ 15,000
1956 - Gallimard, Paris - First Edition (in French), First printing
Number 233 of of 235 copies on ‘vélin pur fil Lafuma-Navarre’.A superlative example – largely unopened – of the first edition of Camus’ philosophical novel, described by fellow existentialist Sartre as 'perhaps the most beautiful and the least understood' of Camus’ works. With text in French. Published in English as ‘The Fall’
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Price HK$ 15,000
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.
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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.
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Price HK$ 11,000
Alice's Adventures In Wonderland - with - Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There -
Lewis Carroll [Charles Lutwidge Dodgson]
1867 - Macmillan and Co., London - Third Edition (a year after the First Edition)
“Whilst Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass were intended for children “fresh from God’s hand”, it is equally enthralling and delightfully magical for adults as they follow Alice on her vibrant adventures escorted by her famous companions. Who can possibly not have been carried away into the fantastically crazy world of the Mad Hatter? Or never have heard of Tweedledee and Tweedledum? Who cannot have been struck by Carroll’s love for sophisticated play with words?.” - Stephanie Chan.
A finely bound pair, in which Tenniel’s illustrations, 42 in Wonderland and 50 in Looking-Glass, perfectly capture Alice’s upside-down world and are considered to be his finest and most enduring achievement.
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Price HK$ 60,000
1867 - Macmillan and Co., London - Third Edition (a year after the First Edition)
“Whilst Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass were intended for children “fresh from God’s hand”, it is equally enthralling and delightfully magical for adults as they follow Alice on her vibrant adventures escorted by her famous companions. Who can possibly not have been carried away into the fantastically crazy world of the Mad Hatter? Or never have heard of Tweedledee and Tweedledum? Who cannot have been struck by Carroll’s love for sophisticated play with words?.” - Stephanie Chan.A finely bound pair, in which Tenniel’s illustrations, 42 in Wonderland and 50 in Looking-Glass, perfectly capture Alice’s upside-down world and are considered to be his finest and most enduring achievement.
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Price HK$ 60,000
Murphy s War -
Max Catto
1969 - Heinemann, London - First Edition
Basis for the movie 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...
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Price HK$ 1,500
1969 - Heinemann, London - First Edition
Basis for the movie 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...
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Price HK$ 1,500
The First Saint Omnibus. An Anthology of Saintly Adventures -
Leslie Charteris
1939 - Hodder &, 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.
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Price HK$ 4,000
1939 - Hodder &, 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.
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Price HK$ 4,000
Sea Spy. A Naval Novel -
E. Keble Chatterton
1937 - Hurst &, 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.
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Price HK$ 3,500
1937 - Hurst &, 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.
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Price HK$ 3,500
The Wapshot Chronicle -
John Cheever
1957 - Harper &, New York - First Edition
A fine first edition of Cheever’s work that won him the 1958 National Book Award, establishing him as a major novelist.
John Cheever’s classic novel about one eccentric New England family, inspired by the author’s own adolescence. The Wapshots have called the quintessential Massachusetts fishing village of St. Botolphs home for eons, but now it is time for the next generation – brothers Moses and Coverly – to go out and see the world.
By turns tragic and deeply funny, The Wapshot Chronicle is a “richly inventive and vividly told” (The New York Times Magazine) work of fiction about one very odd family. [Penguin]
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Price HK$ 3,000
1957 - Harper &, New York - First Edition
A fine first edition of Cheever’s work that won him the 1958 National Book Award, establishing him as a major novelist.John Cheever’s classic novel about one eccentric New England family, inspired by the author’s own adolescence. The Wapshots have called the quintessential Massachusetts fishing village of St. Botolphs home for eons, but now it is time for the next generation – brothers Moses and Coverly – to go out and see the world.
By turns tragic and deeply funny, The Wapshot Chronicle is a “richly inventive and vividly told” (The New York Times Magazine) work of fiction about one very odd family. [Penguin]
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Price HK$ 3,000