"There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book. Books are well written, or badly written. "
— Oscar Wilde
P. G. Wodehouse (Pelham Grenville Wodehouse) | First Editions
1881 - 1975
Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse, KBE (15 October 1881 – 14 February 1975) was an English author, and one of the most widely read humorists of the 20th century. His early novels were mostly school stories, but he later switched to comic fiction, creating several regular characters who have become embedded in the consciousness of generations growing up in the earlier part of the 20th century. They include: the feather-brained Bertie Wooster and his sagacious valet, Jeeves; the immaculate and loquacious Psmith; Lord Emsworth and the Blandings Castle set; the Oldest Member, with stories about golf; and Mr Mulliner. Wodehouse worked extensively on his books, sometimes having two or more on the go simultaneously. He would take up to two years to build a plot and write a scenario of about thirty thousand words. After the scenario was complete, he would write the story. Early in his career, Wodehouse could produce a novel in about three months, but in old age his production slowed to around six months.
During and after the First World War, together with Guy Bolton and Jerome Kern, Wodehouse wrote a series of Broadway musical comedies. These were an important part of the development of the American musical, and show Wodehouse to be a rather multi-talented fellow.
See below our stock of P. G. Wodehouse First Editions, fine bindings, sets and other collectible material.
The Cecil Aldin Book.
London: Eyre and Spottiswoode, no date [1932]. [Illustrated Miscellany] FIRST EDITION. Small quarto (25 x 19cm), pp.193; [1]. With eight plates in colour, seven half-tone plates, and 95 black and white drawings. Publisher's oatmeal cloth with orange title labels to spine and upper board. Quite heavy spotting to first and..... More
The Play's the Thing.
New York, NY: Brentano's, 1927. [Hungarian Drama] FIRST EDITION IN ENGLISH. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.[8] 139 [1]. Publisher's brown cloth with titles blocked with designs in blue and green to spine and upper board. Fore-edge untrimmed. With the green dust-jacket titled in a darker green. Lightly browned throughout. Dust-jacket..... 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
!["Q.Q." Detective Stories [in] The Strand Magazine. Volumes 68 and 69, numbers 405 to 408, and...](/pictures/thumb/51492.jpg?v=1530544479)
"Q.Q." Detective Stories [in] The Strand Magazine. Volumes 68 and 69, numbers 405 to 408, and 412 to 413.
London: George Newnes, September 1924 to May 1925. [Literary Magazine] FIRST APPEARANCES. Six parts in their original colour illustrated paper covers. Octavo (25 x 17cm). Presented in a navy blue quarter morocco clamshell box, with gilt titles to spine, raised bands and a fleece lining. Wear and small losses to..... More
![Sergeant Sir Peter's Cases [and] Jeeves and the Spot of Art [and] Jeeves and the Kid Clementia...](/pictures/thumb/51463.jpg?v=1535556522)
Sergeant Sir Peter's Cases [and] Jeeves and the Spot of Art [and] Jeeves and the Kid Clementia [and] Jeeves and the Old School Chum [and] Indian Summer of an Uncle [and] Tuppy Changes His Mind [and] Gala Night [in] The Strand Magazine.
London: George Newnes, December 1929 to June 1930. [Literary Magazine] FIRST APPEARANCES. Seven parts in their original colour illustrated paper covers. Octavo (25 x 17cm). Presented in a quarter black morocco clamshell box, with gilt titles to spine, raised bands and a fleece lining. Some rubbing and small losses to..... More
Playboy Magazine. Vol. 13, no. 10.
Chicago, IL: HMH Publishing Company, October 1966. [Men's Magazine] ORIGINAL MAGAZINE. Quarto (28 x 21cm), pp.228. Illustrated throughout. Publisher's colour-illustrated paper covers, with two staples to the spine, priced at 75c. Light wear to covers. Very good. Including 'The Man in the Rorschach Shirt' by Bradbury; 'First Aid for Freddie'..... More
![The Adventure of the Dying Detective [and] The Horror of the Heights [and] How it Happened [and]...](/pictures/thumb/58997.jpg?v=1612201522)
The Adventure of the Dying Detective [and] The Horror of the Heights [and] How it Happened [and] The Poison Belt, Chapter 6 [and] To the South Pole: Captain Scott's Own Story [and] Back to Back [and] Keeping Watch [and] The Weaker Vessel [and] Bits of Life [and] The Journal of Aura Lovel [and] Keeping it from Harold [and] The Torch [and] Wet Magic [in] The Strand Magazine. Volume 46, complete.
London: George Newnes, July to December 1913. [Literary Magazine] FIRST APPEARANCES. Octavo (24 x 18cm), pp.iv; 802; viii. With frequent black and white, and occasional dichromatic, illustrations. Publisher's cyan cloth with gilt titles to spines and black titles and decoration to uppers. All edges speckled red. Ink library stamps of..... More
![Three of Them [and] Jeeves and the Chump Cyril [and] The Film that was Never Shown [and] The...](/pictures/thumb/57769.jpg?v=1601136904)
Three of Them [and] Jeeves and the Chump Cyril [and] The Film that was Never Shown [and] The Magic Plus Fours [and] Billy Bones [and] The Forbidden Subject [and] First Aid for Dora [in] The Strand Magazine. Volumes 55, 56, 64, and 66; numbers 328, 331, 332, 366, 384 and 392.
London: George Newnes, April, July, August, and December 1918, December 1922, and August 1923. [Literary Magazine] FIRST APPEARANCES. Six magazines. Octavo (27 x 19cm), pp.44; 265-344; 45-52; pp.20; 76; 21-32; pp.16; 77-152; 17-34; pp.64; 361-484; 65-82; pp.84; 487-628; 85-118; pp.48; 105-212; 49-64. Liberally illustrated in black and white throughout. Publisher's..... More
![A Scandal in Bohemia [and] The Passing of Conan Doyle [and] Best Seller [and] Big Money [and] My...](/pictures/thumb/58999.jpg?v=1612201523)
A Scandal in Bohemia [and] The Passing of Conan Doyle [and] Best Seller [and] Big Money [and] My Gentle Readers [and] The Parish Magazine [and] The End of Devil Hawker [and] The Last Resource [and] Clemenceau - the Man and the Tiger [and] The Truth about the Ex-Kaiser [and] The Creaking Door [in] The Strand Magazine. Volume 80.
London: George Newnes, July to December 1930. [Literary Magazine] THE PASSING OF CONAN DOYLE. Octavo (24 x 17cm), pp.viii; 700. With frequent black and white, and occasional dichromatic, illustrations. Publisher's cyan cloth with gilt titles to spines and black titles and decoration to uppers. All edges lightly tinted blue. A...... More
![Punchard's Agency [and] Jeeves and the Unbidden Guest [and] The British Campaign in France [and]...](/pictures/thumb/57768.jpg?v=1599499083)
Punchard's Agency [and] Jeeves and the Unbidden Guest [and] The British Campaign in France [and] Uneasy Money [and] The Man-Trap [in] The Strand Magazine. Volume 53, numbers 315, 316 and 317
London: George Newnes, March to May 1917. [Literary Magazine] FIRST APPEARANCES. Three magazines. Octavo (27 x 19cm), pp.50; 209-312; 51-58; pp.50; 313-416; 51-58; pp.40; 417-512; 41-48. Liberally illustrated in black and white throughout. Publisher's blue paper covers, titled in red and navy, and priced at 7d. Presented in a navy..... 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
Rugger Stories. One the Playing of Football; Scotland Take the Shock; "Rattle 'em Under"; Cock House Match at Haileybury; The Young Man's Game; The Wing Three-Quarter; T'Match; The Springboks Beaten; The Ripon Match; Past Development in Rugby Football; The Rugger Match; Mind Over Matter; The Best Game to Watch; Oxford v. All Blacks; The Great Scrummage; More by Luck—; Ronnie Poulton; R.W.P.P.; A Damn Fine Show; Bernard Darwin Sits Aloof; Behind the Posts; A Fragment of Life; A Famous Victory; A Football Player; Getting a Blue; "He'll Make a Player."
London: Putnam, 1932. [Rugby Short Stories] FIRST EDITION, first state binding. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.xvi; 303 [1]. With the errata slip to contents page. Publisher's green cloth with orange titles to spine and upper. Spotting and toning to edges, endpapers and preliminaries. Tobacco-scented. Moderate wear to cloth; spine heavily..... More
![The Mystery of J.H. Farrer [in] The Strand Magazine. Volume 40; numbers 238 and 239. E. Temple...](/pictures/thumb/58790.jpg?v=1611596104)
The Mystery of J.H. Farrer [in] The Strand Magazine. Volume 40; numbers 238 and 239.
London: George Newnes, October and November 1910. [Literary Magazine] FIRST APPEARANCE. Two octavo magazines (27 x 19cm), pp.[84] 385-508 [12]; [85-108]; pp.[90] 509-636 [91-116]. With frequent in-text illustrations. Publisher's pale blue paper covers titled and illustrated in dark blue, stapled twice, and priced at 6d. Presented in a black fleece-lined..... More
Playboy Magazine. Vol. 14, no. 7.
Chicago, IL: HMH Publishing Company, July 1967. [Men's Magazine] ORIGINAL MAGAZINE. Quarto (28 x 22cm), pp.178. Illustrated throughout. Publisher's colour-illustrated paper covers, with two staples to the spine, priced at 75c. Light wear and a little spotting to covers. Very good. Including an interview with Michael Caine, and 'Uckridge Starts..... More
The Swoop! Or, How Clarence Saved England.
London: Alston Rivers, 1909. [Satire/humour] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (17 x 12cm). Pp. 122; [6], advertisements. With illustrations. In an elegant vintage binding of quarter native red morocco over patterned paper covered sides, leather-tipped corners, gilt titles and decoration to spine, original colour-printed wraps bound in, marbled endpapers. A lovely fine..... More
Something New.
New York, NY: D. Appleton and Company, 1915. [Classic Humour] FIRST US EDITION. Octavo (20 x 13cm), pp.[6]; 347; [3]. With four photogravure plates after F.R. Gruger, including a frontispiece. Publisher's red cloth with gilt titles to spine and upper board, green and gilt scarab devices to upper board. Textblock..... More
Plum Stones — The Hidden P.G. Wodehouse. Wodehouse, Detective Writer; Unrepublished Reggie Pepper; Theatrical Stories; Keggs, The Butler; First Impressions, Mature Reflections; There but for the Grace of God Goes Baxter; Self-Derivatives Par Excellence; Bertie's Friends; "In that Shape, Rotten"; Ethics and Eugenics; Wrykyn Havoc; First Drafts.
London: Galahad Books, 1993. [Humour and Satire] FINELY BOUND OMNIBUS LIMITED EDITION. Octavo (23 x 16cm), pp.[8] x; 51 [3]; xii; 61 [3]; x; 51 [3]; xii; 22 [2]; x; 41 [1]; x; 16 [2]; xii; 48; xii; 31 [1]; x; 30; x; 40 [2]; xii; 22 [2]; x; 32..... More
![The Man Who Disliked Cats. [An extract from The Strand Magazine]. P. G. WODEHOUSE, Pelham...](/pictures/thumb/57233.jpg?v=1609174443)
The Man Who Disliked Cats. [An extract from The Strand Magazine].
London: George Newnes, May 1912. [Magazine Extract] FIRST APPEARANCE. Octavo pamphlet (23 x 16cm), pp.507-515 [1]. With in-text illustrations by Simpson. Leaves removed from a copy of The Strand Magazine and bound recently in brown paper, with a plain printed title label to upper, stapled twice. Fine. The first appearance..... More
![Jeeves and the impending Doom [within] The London Omnibus. Introduction by Carl Van Doren. P. G....](/pictures/thumb/54730.jpg?v=1568109519)
Jeeves and the impending Doom [within] The London Omnibus. Introduction by Carl Van Doren.
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
Big Money.
New York, NY: George H. Doran Company, 1931. [Humour] FIRST US EDITION, early issue with 'Ganville' for 'Grenville' on copyright page, title appears to be a cancel, in 1932 [A.L. Burt] dust-wrapper. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.[vi] 316. Publisher's orange cloth blocked in black, 'Doubleday Doran' imprint on spine, top..... More
Bill the Conqueror. His Invasion of England in the Springtime.
New York: George H. Doran Company, 1925. [Humour] FIRST US EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.323; [1], blank. Publisher's yellow cloth, titled in green to spine and upper board, decorative border to upper board. Pictorial dust-jacket with a image McIlvaine believed to be drawn by May Wilson Preston, printed price..... More
Bill the Conqueror. His Invasion of England in the Springtime.
New York, NY: George H. Doran Company, 1924. [Classic Humour] FIRST US EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.323; [1]. Publisher's orange cloth with green titles to spine and upper board. With the illustrated dust-jacket, priced at $2. Old repair to rear hinge, textblock toned. Jacket toned with chips and closed..... More
The Code of the Woosters.
London: Herbert Jenkins, 1938. [Jeeves and Wooster] FIRST EDITION. Octavo, pp.312; [8 of advertisments]. Publisher's green cloth blocked in black to spine and boards, top edge tinted green, in pictorial dust-jacket designed by Fenwick, priced 7'6 on spine. Some spotting to edges, top edge tint not faded, faint thumb marks..... More
The Code of the Woosters.
London: Herbert Jenkins, 1938. [Jeeves and Wooster] FIRST EDITION. Octavo(19 x 13cm), pp.312; [8], advertisments. Publisher's green cloth blocked in black to spine and boards, top edge tinted green, in pictorial dust-jacket designed by Fenwick, priced 7/6 on spine. Bookblock and covers clean, jacket with several chips and tears, some..... More
Do Butlers Burgle Banks?
London: Herbert Jenkins, 1968. [Humour] FIRST EDITION INSCRIBED BY ETHEL WODEHOUSE. Octavo (21 x 14cm), pp. 189; [3] blank. Publisher's green cloth titled in silver to spine, pictorial dust-jacket designed by Osbert Lancaster, priced at 21s. Inscribed by Ethel Wodehouse to flyleaf. Spotting to edges, a few corners folded to..... More