"There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book. Books are well written, or badly written. "
— Oscar Wilde
H. G. Wells | First Editions
1866 - 1946
Celebrated novelist and short story writer in the 'fantasy' and 'romance' genres, essayist, social philosopher and historian. Together with Jules Verne, frequently considered the grandfathers of modern science fiction. An apprentice draper, teacher and biologist prior to journalism. Played a vital part in disseminating the progressive ideas which characterized the early twentieth century, becoming one of Britain's foremost popular writers writers, with scientific fantasies such as The Time Machine (1895) The Island of Dr. Moreau (1896), The Invisible Man (1897), The War of the Worlds (1898), When The Sleeper Wakes (1899), The First Men In the Moon (1901, serialized in The Strand) and In The Days of the Comet (1906). He penned numerous strange tales for various periodicals, later gathered in his classic book collections The Stolen Bacillus (1895), Tales of Space and Time (1899), Twelve Stories and a Dream (1903) The Country of the Blind (1911) etc. He also wrote a range of comic social novels which proved highly popular, notably Kipps (1905) and The History of Mr Polly (1910). Many of his works made successful (sometimes classic) early films.See below our stock of H. G. Wells First Editions, fine bindings, sets and other collectible material.
Joseph Pennell's Pictures of War Work in England. Reproductions of a series of drawings and lithographs of the munition works made by him with the permission and authority of the British Government with notes by the artist and with an introduction by H.G. Wells.
London: William Heinemann, 1917. [War Art] FIRST EDITION. Large octavo (25 x 18cm), pp.xii; with 51 black and white plates, each with an accompanying descriptive leaf. Publisher's brown paper-covered boards with titles to plain cream label on spine and illustrated label over upper board. Offsetting to endpapers. Boards rubbed and..... More
![The Land of Mist [in] The Strand Magazine. Volumes 69, 70 and 71, numbers 414 to 423. Arthur...](/pictures/thumb/59324.jpg?v=1616002387)
The Land of Mist [in] The Strand Magazine. Volumes 69, 70 and 71, numbers 414 to 423.
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
![The Flying Death [and] The Adventures of Etienne Gerard [and] The Castaway [and] Admiral Peters...](/pictures/thumb/57798.jpg?v=1599843606)
The Flying Death [and] The Adventures of Etienne Gerard [and] The Castaway [and] Admiral Peters [and] The Truth About Pyecraft [in] The Strand Magazine. Volume 25, numbers 147 and 148.
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
![The Return of Sherlock Holmes [and] Dixon's Return [and] The Ebony Box [and] Eyes of Terror [and]...](/pictures/thumb/57803.jpg?v=1599843608)
The Return of Sherlock Holmes [and] Dixon's Return [and] The Ebony Box [and] Eyes of Terror [and] Gervais of Blois [and] The Iron Maiden [and] The King and I [and] The Land Ironclads [and] Lawyer Quince [and] Liar and an Elephant [and] The Phoenix and the Carpet [and] Point of Law [and] The Country of the Blind [and] Dialstone Lane [and] Echo [and] Golden Bars [and] Sadi the Fiddler [and] Billy the King [and] The Diver's Story [and] The Girl on the Sands [and] An Irish Gentleman [and] The Messenger in Mufti [and] The Mistress of the Chateau [and] The Ring and the Lamp [and] A Splendid Rogue [and] The Temptation of Samuel Burge [and] That Brute Simmons [in] The Strand Magazine. Volumes 26, 27 and 28, complete.
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
![Round the Fire Stories [and] The Brotherhood of the Seven Kings [and] Miss Cayley's Adventures...](/pictures/thumb/58996.jpg?v=1612201522)
Round the Fire Stories [and] The Brotherhood of the Seven Kings [and] Miss Cayley's Adventures [and] Glimpses of Nature [and] Safety Match [and] Smoked Skipper [and] Clochette [and] The Gray Parrot [and] The Madness of Mr. Lister [and] Mr. Ledbetter's Vacation [and] The Stolen Body [and] Underground Passages and Trap-Doors [and] Where the Air Quivered [in] The Strand Magazine. Volumes 15 and 16, complete.
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
![The Murder at the Villa Rose [and] The Magic City [in] The Strand Magazine. Volumes 38, 39 and...](/pictures/thumb/58578.jpg?v=1611596103)
The Murder at the Villa Rose [and] The Magic City [in] The Strand Magazine. Volumes 38, 39 and 40; numbers 228 to 239.
London: George Newnes, December 1909 to November 1910. [Literary Magazine] FIRST APPEARANCES. Twelve octavo magazines (28 x 19 x 18cm), pp.[126] 647-848; [127-166]; pp.[74] 128; [75-90]; pp.[80] 129-256; [81-96]; pp.[82] 257-384; [83-110] pp.[82] 385-512 [83-106]; pp.[82] 513-640 [83-106]; pp.[82] 641-768; [83-102]; pp.[70] 128; [71-86]; pp.[56] 129-256; [57-72]; pp.[70] 257-364; [71-86];..... More
Apropos of Dolores.
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
The Country of the Blind and Other Stories. vol. 4713.
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
The Croquet Player. A Story.
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
The Dream.
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
The Happy Turning. A Dream of Life.
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
The History of Mr. Polly.
London: Thomas Nelson and Sons, 1910. [Comic Novel] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.374. With a colour illustrated frontispiece. Publisher's green cloth with gilt titles over white backing square on spine. Publisher's decorative endpapers. Small black ink ownership to verso of fly-leaf. Toning to edges. Four leaves of advertisements..... More
The Holy Terror.
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
The Invisible Man. A Grotesque Romance.
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. Publisher's pictorial red cloth titled in gilt to spine and upper with vignette in black to upper. Contents toned as usual, a few..... More
The Invisible Man. A Grotesque Romance.
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
Meanwhile. The Picture of a Lady.
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
Mind at the End of its Tether.
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
Mr. Blettsworthy on Rampole Island. Being the Story of a Gentleman of Culture and Refinement who suffered Shipwreck and saw no Human Beings other than Cruel and Savage Cannibals for several years. How he beheld Megatheira alive and made some notes of their Habits. How he became a Sacred Lunatic. How he did at last escape in a Strange Manner from the Horror and Barbarities of Rampole Island in time to fight in the Great War, and how afterward he came near returning to that Island for ever. With much Amusing and Edifying Matter concerning Manners, Customs, Beliefs, Warefare, Crime, and a Storm at Sea. Concluding with some Reflections upon Life in General and upon these Present Times in Particular.
London: Ernest Benn, 1928. [Castaway Novel] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.288. Publisher's brown cloth with gilt titles to spine. With the dust-jacket illustrated by Sir William Orpen, priced at 7/6. A little spotting to edges, otherwise a nice crisp, clean copy. Light general soiling to jacket, with light..... More
The New Machiavelli.
London: The English Review, 1910. [Modern Literature] FIRST APPEARANCE, original magazine parts bound as one volume. Octavo (24 x 17cm), pp.[2] 286-329 [2]; 532-563 [1]; 673-715 [2]; 98-136 [1]; 270-308; 477-511 [2]; 682-702 [2]. Contemporary green half calf, with raised bands, gilt titles to orange label, further gilt decoration to..... More
New Worlds For Old.
London: Archibald Constable & Co., 1908. [Political Philosophy] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.[6] 355 [5]. Publisher's red cloth with gilt titles to spine and upper, as well as a gilt monogram stamped to upper. Lower edge untrimmed. Rough erasure of a black ink ownership to fly-leaf. Toning to..... More
The Stolen Bacillus. And Other Incidents.
London: Methuen, 1895. FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp. [x]; 275; [1], imprint; [32], catalogue, dated November 1896. In publisher's blue cloth, with gilt titles to spine and upper board, edges untrimmed. Internally very clean, adverts mainly uncut although final four pages have been roughly opened. Cloth generally bright..... More
The Works of H.G. Wells. Contains all his famous titles, including: The Time Machine, The Invisible Man, Kipps, First Men in The Moon, War of The Worlds, The War in The Air, etc.
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
A Young Novelist Who has "Arrived": A Chat with Mr. H.G. Wells. [A loose leaf from 'The Sketch' magazine].
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
The Sea Lady
London, Methuen and Co. 1902. Strange Tale. FIRST EDITION, 8vo., with later ads. dated August 1908. A fantasy novel. Bound in publisher's gilt-trimmed red cloth, showing some light, acceptable wear and handling but generally in an attractive state. Wells' little known fantasy foreshadows Franz Kafka's dark fables of the totalitarian..... More
The War in the Air and Particularly how Mr. Bert Smallways Fared while it Lasted.
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