"Outside of a dog, man's best friend is a book. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read."
— Groucho Marx
Henry Rider Haggard | First Editions
1856 - 1925
Sir Henry Rider Haggard, KBE (22 June 1856 – 14 May 1925), known as H. Rider Haggard, was an English writer of Victorian adventure novels set in exotic locations, predominantly Africa; he is considered a pioneer of the Lost World literary genre. In fact, the hugely popular King Solomon's Mines is sometimes considered the first of the Lost World genre. His novel She is generally seen to be one of the classics of imaginative literature, and with 83 million copies sold by 1965, it is one of the best-selling books of all time.
His novels portray many of the stereotypes associated with colonialism, yet they are unusual for the degree of sympathy with which the native populations are portrayed. Africans often play heroic roles in the novels, although the protagonists are typically European. Notable examples are the heroic Zulu warrior Umslopogaas and Ignosi, the rightful king of Kukuanaland, in King Solomon's Mines.
See below our stock of H. Rider Haggard First Editions, fine bindings, sets and other collectible material.
Lysbeth. A Tale of the Dutch.
London: Longmans, Green and Co., 1901. [Historical fiction] FIRST EDITION. Octavo, pp.xiv; 496; [4], adverts. With 26 illustrations by Jacomb Hood. Publisher's gilt-titled blue cloth with coated black endpapers. Contents clean, edges of text block a little spotted, binding lightly handled and rather bright; an attractive, near fine copy of..... More
![An Incident of African History [and] M.I. [in] The Windsor Magazine. Volumes XIII and XIV. Sir H....](/pictures/thumb/49974.jpg?v=1583755546)
An Incident of African History [and] M.I. [in] The Windsor Magazine. Volumes XIII and XIV.
London: Ward, Lock and Co., December 1900 to November 1901. [Literary Magazine] FIRST APPEARANCES. In two volumes. Octavo (24 x 18cm), pp.vi; 754; pp.vi; 714. With frequent photogravure illustrations. Publisher's green cloth with gilt and dark brown titles and decoration to spines and upper boards. Blue ink ownership inscription to..... More
The Lady of Blossholme.
London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1909. [Historical Fiction] FIRST EDITION, first state with misprint to p.79, line 16 'very' for 'every'. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.316, with five colour plate illustrations by Wal Paget. Publisher's mid-green cloth, with gilt titles and colour illustration laid down to upper. Contents clean, some bumping..... More
The Lady of Blossholme.
London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1909. [Historical Fiction] FIRST EDITION, first state with misprint to p.79, line 16 'very' for 'every'. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.316, with five colour plate illustrations by Wal Paget. Publisher's mid-green cloth, with gilt and black titles and a colour illustration laid down to upper. Contents..... More
Benita. An African Romance.
London: Cassell & Company, 1906. [Fantasy Adventure] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.viii; 344 [16]. Catalogue date 8.06. With 16 illustrated plates, including a frontispiece, by Browne. Publisher's red cloth with gilt titles to spine and upper, and patterned endpapers. Black ink ownership to half-title. Heavy spotting to edges..... More
Allan's Wife. And Other Tales.
London: Spencer Blackett, 1889. [Fantasy Adventure] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.331 [36]. With eight black and white illustrated plates by Greiffenhagen and Kerr, including a frontispiece. Publisher's brown cloth with gilt titles to spine and upper, and plum-coated endpapers. Large gum mark to front pastedown where a bookplate..... More
Ayesha. The Return of She.
London: Ward, Lock & Co., 1911. [Fantasy Adventure] VINTAGE COPY, a later edition. Octavo (20 x 13cm), pp.384. With eight black and white illustrated plates by Greiffenhagen, including a frontispiece. Publisher's cyan cloth with gilt titles and blind decoration to spine and upper. Some spotting to endpapers and preliminaries; toning..... More
Montezuma's Daughter.
London: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1893. [Historical Fiction] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.viii; 325 [27]. With 24 black and white illustrated plates, including a frontispiece, by Greiffenhagen. Publisher's catalogue dated 8/93, making this an earlier copy than the one mentioned in Whatmore (11/93). Publisher's dark grey cloth with..... More
Swallow. A Tale of the Great Trek.
London: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1899. [Historical Adventure] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.[2] x; 348. With eight black and white illustrated plates, including a frontispiece, by Greiffenhagen. Publisher's dark navy cloth with gilt titles to spine and upper, with bevelled edges and black-coated endpapers. Blind W.H. Smith stamp..... More
Lysbeth. A Tale of the Dutch.
London: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1901. [Historical fiction] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.[2] xiv; 496 [4]. With 26 illustrations by Hood, including a frontispiece. Publisher's blue cloth with gilt titles to spine and upper, and black-coated endpapers. Armorial bookplate of George Mallows Freeman to front pastedown, alongside a...... More
Black Heart and White Heart. And Other Stories.
London: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1900. [Fantasy Adventures] FIRST COLLECTED EDITION, FIRST ISSUE. Octavo (19 x 14cm), ppxii; 414. With the error '18' for '16' on page [xi] line 7. Illustrated with 34 plates, including a frontispiece, by Kerr and Townsend. Publisher's dark blue cloth with gilt titles to spine..... More
Child of Storm.
London: Cassell and Company, 1913. [Zulu / Fantasy Novel] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.xvi; 348 [6]. With two black and white illustrated plates and a colour frontispiece by Michael. Catalogue date 1.13. Publisher's brown cloth with titles in gilt to spine and blind to upper. Thumbing, chips and..... More
The Ghost Kings.
London: Cassell and Company, 1908. [Fantasy adventure] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.viii; 376 [8]. With eight black and white illustrated plates by A.C. Michael, including a frontispiece. Publisher's dark blue cloth with gilt titles to spine and a gilt device to upper. Illustrated bookplate to front pastedown. Heavy..... More
Marie.
London: Cassell and Company, 1912. [Zulu / Fantasy Novel] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.xvi; 346 [2]. With three black and white plates and a colour frontispiece by Michael. Publisher's red cloth with titles in gilt to spine and blind to upper. Heavy spotting to edges, and occasionally throughout..... More
The Wanderer's Necklace.
London: Cassell and Company, 1914. [Historical Fantasy] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.xii; 328. With a colour-illustrated frontispiece and three black and white illustrations by Michael. Publisher's orange cloth with gilt titles to spine and blind titles to upper. Heavy spotting to edges, preliminaries and final leaves; lighter spotting..... More
The Yellow God. An Idol of Africa.
London: Cassell and Company, 1909. [Fantasy Adventure] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.[8] 352 [10]. Catalogue dated 10/08. With two black and white illustrated plates and a colour frontispiece by Michael. Publisher's green cloth with gilt titles to spine and black titles to upper. Black ink ownership to fly-leaf..... More
The Ancient Allan.
London: Cassell and Company, 1920. [Historical Fantasy] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.[10] 310. With eight illustrated plates by Morrow, including a frontispiece. Publisher's brown cloth, with titles in brown to spine and blind to upper. Pictorial cartouche ("the little white seal of the king of the east") to..... More
The Heart of the World.
London: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1896 [1895]. [Adventure novel] FIRST UK EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.[8] 348 [24]. Publisher's catalogue dated 12/95. With 15 full page black and white illustrated plates, including a frontispiece. Publisher's dark green cloth titled in gilt to spine and upper, with bevelled edges and..... More
Pearl-Maiden: A Tale of The Fall Of Jerusalem.
London: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1903. [Historical Novel] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.[12] 463 [5]. With 16 engraved plates, including a frontispiece, by Shaw. Publisher's navy cloth with gilt titles to spine and upper. Moderate spotting throughout. Minor repairs to rear hinge. Fairly light wear to cloth, with..... More
Fair Margaret.
London: Hutchinson & Co., 1907. [Historical fiction] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.viii; 374 [34]. With 15 illustrations by Skelton, including a frontispiece. Publisher's dark blue cloth with gilt titles to spine and upper. Offsetting to endpapers. Heavy spotting to edges, preliminaries, and around plates. Recent repairs to upper..... More
Joan Haste.
London: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1895. [Romantic Adventure] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 13cm), pp.[2] x; 425 [27]. Catalogue dated July 1895. With a frontispiece illustration and nineteen further plates by Wilson. Publisher's dark navy cloth with gilt titles to spine and upper, with bevelled edges and black-coated endpapers. Spotting..... More
Cleopatra. Being an Account of the Fall and Vengeance of Harmachis, the Royal Egyptian, as set forth by His Own Hand.
London: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1889. [Historical Fiction] FIRST EDITION, later issue. Octavo (20 x 13cm), pp.xvi; 336 [16]. Catalogue dated August 1889. With 29 illustrations by woodville and Greiffenhagen, including a frontispiece. Publisher's blue-grey cloth, bevelled edges, and gilt titles to spine and upper. Publisher's swan-patterned endpapers. Lightly toned..... More
Beatrice.
London: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1890. [Victorian Novel] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 13cm), pp.[8] 312 [16]. Catalogue dated 3/90. Publisher's dark green cloth with gilt titles to spine and upper, and black-coated endpapers. Red ink ownership stamp to title page. Spotting and toning throughout, occasionally quite heavy. Spine toned..... More
Beatrice. Newnes Sixpenny Novels Illustrated.
London: George Newnes, n.d. [c.1895]. SIXPENNY NOVEL. Octavo, pp.192. With eight lithographic illustrations by Cyrus Cuneo. In publisher's colour illustrated paper covers. Browned, as expected, with some marks to front cover. Very good indeed considering its fragility. More
The Brethren.
London: Cassell, 1930. Classic fantasy adventure. 8vo. Popular Edition, a 2/6 novel. Publisher's cloth, in pictorial dustwrapper. Text block a little foxed at edges, otherwise a very good copy in like jacket showing some sun-lightening. Attractive. More