" It is a man's duty to have books. A library is not a luxury, but one of the necessaries of life. "
— Henry Ward Beecher
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.
The Brethren.
London: Cassell and Company, Limited, 1904. [Historical fiction] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.viii; 342; [16] publisher's advertisements. Publisher's red cloth, gilt titles to spine and upper board, repeating crouched archers pattern to endpapers. Internally fine, some spotting, dustiness to edges, hinges starting, ownership label to pastedown. Cloth shows..... More
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
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
Child of Storm.
London: Cassell, 1933. 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. More
Cleopatra. 6d Paper Novels 38.
London: Wight and Brown, n.d. [c.1930's]. SIXPENNY NOVEL. Octavo, pp.128. In publisher's colour illustrated paper covers. Heavily browned; some losses to spine; hinges very weak. Good overall considering fragility. 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. [Adventure Fiction] FIRST EDITION, First issue, adverts dated January, 1889. Octavo (20 x 13cm), pp.xvi; 336; [16]. With thirty illustrations, errata slip p.xv. Publisher's blue-grey cloth, bevelled edges, gilt titles, edges untrimmed, patterned endpapers. Light spotting, some leaves unopened/uncut, very light rubbing to extremities;..... 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. [Adventure Fiction] FIRST EDITION, First issue, adverts dated January, 1889. Octavo (20 x 13cm), pp.xvi; 336; [16]. With thirty illustrations. Publisher's blue-grey cloth, bevelled edges, gilt titles, edges untrimmed, patterned endpapers. Some spotting, contemporary newspaper review clipped and affixed to flyleaf, armorial bookplate to..... More
Finished.
London: Ward, Lock and Co., 1917. [Fantasy Adventure] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.320. With a black and white half-tone frontispiece. Publisher's green cloth with black titles to spine and upper board. Hinges split; spotting to edges and preliminaries. Rubbing to boards; spine head pulled; corners bumped. Good. The..... More
Finished.
London: Ward, Lock and Co., 1917. [Fantasy Adventure] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.320. With a black and white half-tone frontispiece. Publisher's mid-green cloth with stylistic blue titles to spine and upper. Edges of text block toned, dicreet ink name and date to pastedown, binding rather clean. A very..... More
Jess. A Tale of The Boer War.
London: George Newnes, 1899. First Newnes Sixpenny Novels edition. 8vo. Publisher's light blue illustrated paper wraps. Clean and bright with negligible edgewear and some sunning to the spine panel and a traingle of the rear panel unfortunately detracting a small amount from the charm of a bizarre advertisement for Monkey..... More
Joan Haste.
London: Longman's, Green, and Co. 1895. [Romantic Adventure] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 13cm), pp.x; 425; [3], blank; 24, catalogue dated July 1895. With a frontispiece illustration and 19 further plates. Publisher's blue-grey cloth, bevelled edges, gilt titles, black endpapers. Some spotting, neat ink ownership, corners rubbed, short tear to..... More
Joan Haste.
London: Longman's, Green, and Co., 1895. [Romantic Adventure] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 13cm), pp.x; 425; [3], blank; 24, catalogue dated July 1895. With a frontispiece illustration and nineteen further plates. Publisher's blue-grey cloth, bevelled edges, gilt titles, black endpapers. Some mild spotting/toning; generally fresh in a crisp binding. Most..... More
King Solomon's Mines.
London: Cassell and Company, Limited, 1885. [Fantasy Adventure] FIRST EDITION, THIRD ISSUE (being the first corrected state of the text). Octavo (19 x 14cm), pp.vi; 7-320; [16]. Fold-out colour map as frontispiece. Publisher's red cloth pictorially blocked in black, gilt titles to spine, coated yellow endpapers. Catalogue is dated 5B.11.85..... More
The Mahatma and The Hare. A Dream Story.
London: Longman's, Green, and Co., 1911. [Fantasy novel] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (18 x 13cm), pp.[xii]; 165; [3], blank. With twelve illustrations by W.T. Horton and H.M. Brock. Publisher's red cloth with pictorial upper. A couple of vintage tape marks to endpapers else internally clean. Binding is fine but for faded..... More
Maiwa's Revenge; or, The War of the Little Hand.
London: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1888. [Adventure novel] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.iv; 216; 16, advertisements. Bound in publisher's black cloth with stylised carved titles in red to front board and spine, pale green swan design endpapers. Some spotting, edges of text block a little toned, a couple..... More
Montezuma's Daughter.
London: George Harrap, 1935. Fantasy adventure. 8vo, pp.355. A 2/6 novel. Publisher's cloth, in pictorial dustwrapper. Text block a little foxed at edges, otherwise fine in a particularly crisp dustwrapper, with one small chip to spine top. Sharp copy. More
Montezuma's Daughter.
London: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1893. [Historical Fiction] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.viii; 325; 24, advertisements. Illustrated throughout with beautiful full-page plates, in black and white. Bound in publisher's blue-grey cloth over bevelled boards, with stylised Oriental titles in gilt to front board and spine, pale green swan..... More
Queen of The Dawn.
London: Hutchinson and Co., no date [1925]. [Fantasy novel] FIRST EDITION. Undated, but published 8th April 1925. FIRST ISSUE, with 'sisturm' for 'sistrum' page 11 line 12. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.287; 48, advertisements dated 'Spring 1925'. Bound in publisher's grey/green cloth, titled in black. Upper panel of scarce original..... More
Queen of The Dawn.
London: Hutchinson and Co., no date [1925]. [Fantasy novel] FIRST EDITION. Undated, but published 8th April 1925. FIRST ISSUE, with 'sisturm' for 'sistrum' page 11 line 12. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.287; 48, advertisements dated 'Spring 1925'. Bound in publisher's grey/green cloth, titled in black. Spotting to prelims and edges..... More