"A book worth reading is worth buying."
— John Ruskin

See below our stock of H. G. Wells First Editions, fine bindings, sets and other collectible material.
London: George Newnes, 1891-1905. [Literary Magazine] FIRST THIRTY VOLUMES OF THE STRAND. Thirty volumes, large octavos (25 x 18 x 129cm). A straight run of 30 volumes, from volume I to XXX. Includes the first publication of several novels and stories such as Conan Doyle's The Hound of the Baskervilles..... More
London: George Newnes, November 1939 to September 1940. [Literary Magazine] First appearance. Eleven magazine issues in their original colour-illustrated paper covers, priced at 1s. Octavo (25 x 19cm), pp.[7-8] 104 [9-16]; pp.[1-2] [15-16] 105-208 [17-24]; pp.[8] 209-312 [9-16]; pp.[8] 313-416 [9-16]; pp.[12] 417-520 [13-20]; pp.[12] 521-624 [13-20]; pp.[12] 104 [13-20];..... More
London: George Newnes, June 1925 to March 1926. [Literary Magazine] FIRST APPEARANCES. Ten parts in their original colour illustrated paper covers. Octavo (27 x 20cm), pp.[56] 529-634 [57-70]; pp.[52] 108 [53-64]; pp.[48] 109-212 [49-60]; pp.[52] 213-320 [53-64]; pp.[60] 321-424 [61-76]; pp.[72] 425-530 [73-90]; pp.[98] 531-670 [99-130]; pp.[46] 104 [47-64]; pp.[52]..... More
London: George Newnes, March and April 1903. [Literary Magazine] FIRST APPEARANCES. Two octavo magazines (27 x 18cm), pp.lxxvi; 241-360; lxxvii-lxxxiv; pp.lxxx; 361-480; lxxxi-lxxviii. With frequent in-text illustrations. Publisher's pale blue paper covers titled in dark blue, stapled twice. Presented in black cloth-covered chemise case with gilt titles to spine. First..... More
London: George Newnes, July 1903 to December 1904. [Literary Magazine] FIRST APPEARANCES. Three volumes. Octavo (24 x 27cm), pp.[4] 804; pp.[4] 724; pp.[4] 804. With frequent black and white illustrations, including Paget's famous illustrations for the Holmes stories. Publisher's cyan cloth with gilt titles to spines and black titles and..... More
London: George Newnes, January to December 1898. [Literary Magazine] FIRST APPEARANCES. Two volumes. Octavo (24 x 18cm), pp.[4] 804; pp.[4] 804. With frequent black and white illustrations. Publisher's cyan cloth with gilt titles to spines and black titles and decoration to uppers. All edges speckled red. Clean internally, with moderate..... More
London: George Bell and Sons, 1908. [Scientific romance] FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE. Octavo (20 x 15cm), pp.viii; 389; [3]. With 16 black and white half-tone plates, including a frontispiece, after illustrations by A.C. Michael. Publisher's original gilt-decorated blue cloth (Currey's binding A). Contents clean, edges a little toned, flamboyant gift..... More
London: Jonathan Cape, 1938. [Modern Literature] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.352. Publisher's pink cloth with gilt titles to spine. With the black typographic dust-jacket, priced at 7/6. Heavy pencil ownership to fly-leaf, and a small label removed. Light toning and spotting to edges, with a brown water stain..... More
London: 52 St James's Court, Buckingham Gate, S.W. undated. [Autograph Letter] ORIGINAL AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED. One sheet of headed note paper addressed to a Mr. Collins discussing arrangements for an interview. Presented mounted in a grey cloth-covered diptych case, with a photographic image facing, and gilt titles to spine. Light..... More
London: Ernest Benn, 1926-1929. [Classic Literature] INSCRIBED COLLECTED WORKS. Complete in 28 volumes, one volume 'Joan and Peter' in cloth rather than limp leather. Octavo (17 x 11cm). Inscribed by the author in black ink to half-title of 'The History of Mr Polly' to his Secretary, Lucienne Southgate. Publisher's brown..... More
Leipzig: Bernhard Tauchnitz, 1926. [Science-Fiction Short Stories] COPYRIGHT EDITION. Octavo (17 x 12cm), pp.267 [37]. Publisher's plain paper covers; edges untrimmed. Blue ink ownership to front cover, and some light toning and rubbing to spine. First gathering coming loose. Unusually well-preserved. Near fine. A collection of short stories which take..... More
London: Chatto & Windus, 1936. [Psychological Fantasy] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 13cm), pp.[10] 82 [4]. Publisher's brown mottled (almost leopard print) cloth with a plain paper title label to spine. With the pink and green-illustrated dust-jacket by Harold Jones, priced at 3/6. Black ink ownership to fly-leaf. Slight offsetting..... More
Leipzig: Bernard Tauchnitz, [February 1925]. [Utopian Fiction] CONTINENTAL COPYRIGHT EDITION. Small octavo (17 x 12cm), pp.294; [4]. Publisher's paper wrappers with titles to front cover and spine, and a list of recent publications dated February 1924 to rear cover. Fore and lower edges untrimmed. Rubbing to joint and edges; spine..... More
London: William Heinemann, 1945. [Dreams and Philosophy] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (22 x 15cm), pp.vi; 50. Publisher's navy quarter cloth with gilt titles to spine and pink paper-covered boards, titled in blue. With the plain dust-jacket titled in orange, priced at 6s. Gently toned throughout. Jacket a little sunned to spine..... More
London: Michael Joseph, 1939. [Dystopia] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.447 [1]. Publisher's deep pink cloth with silver titles to spine and yellow endpapers. With the black and pink typographic dust-jacket by Barlow, priced at 8/6. Charming illustrated bookplate of Joan Whitney, by Tiffany and Co., to front pastedown..... More
London: C. Arthur Pearson Limited, 1897. [Speculative fiction] FIRST EDITION, first Issue. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.[viii]; 246; [2] advertisements. With page 1 incorrectly numbered as 2. Attractively bound in full burgundy oasis, gilt-lettered in six compartments with raised bands, top edge gilt, original cover bound in at rear. A...... More
London: Ernest Benn, 1927. [Political Novel] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.288. Publisher's brown cloth with gilt titles to spine. With the plain cartoon-illustrated dust-jacket, priced at 7/6. Gently toned throughout. Jacket lightly soiled, with some rubbing and chipping to edges. Near fine. A novel framing Wells' thoughts on..... More
London: William Heinemann, 1945. [Philosophy and Apocalypse] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (22 x 15cm), pp.x; 34. Publisher's red cloth with gilt titles to spine and upper. With the red dust-jacket, priced at 6s. A lovely clean copy with just a little rubbing to jacket. Near fine. A small selection of essays..... More
London: T. Fisher Unwin, 1924. The Atlantic Edition, Limited to 620 sets of which this is No.411, SIGNED on the limitation page by the author. 28 volumes, large octavo. Portrait frontispiece, title printed in red and black. Finely bound in dark green half oasis morocco with gilt titles and decoration..... More
London: Illustrated London News Company, 15th September 1897. [Literary Interview] ORIGINAL ARTICLE. A single folio leaf (36 x 25cm), pp.317-318 of the issue. An interview with the author, then aged 31, about his early career and education, books then in progress (including The Invisible Man), and the significance of bicycles..... More
George Bell and Sons, London, 1908, FIRST EDITION. Crown octavo, pps.[viii]; 389. With 16 monochrome illustrations by A. C. Michael. In a robust private binding of grey cloth with morocco label titled in gilt, top edge gilt. Some light spotting else clean, in lightly rubbed binding. Wells' famous 'scientific romance'..... More
New York, NY: Doubleday Doran and Company, Inc., 1932. [Classic Humour] FIRST ANTHOLOGY EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm). Publisher's pale green cloth blocked in dark green, pictorial dust-wrapper priced at $2.50. Jacket just a touch dusty and marginally sunned to spine else a particularly fine copy which appears to be..... More