"There is no friend as loyal as a book."
— Ernest Hemingway
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 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
![Item #61295 "Q.Q." Detective Stories [in] The Strand Magazine. Volumes 68 and 69,...](https://harringtonbooks-co-uk.cdn.bibliopolis.com/pictures/61295.jpg?width=320&height=427&fit=bounds&auto=webp&v=1646412192)
"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, priced at 1s. Octavo (25 x 17cm), pp.[52] 215-318 [53-68]; pp.[64] 319-422 [65-80]; pp.[68] 423-530 [69-84]; pp.[96] 531-670 [97-132]; pp.[68] 319-424 [69-86]; pp.[52] 425-528 [53-68]. With frequent black and..... More
![Item #72079 Poirot and The Second Gong and The £10 Adventure [Mr. Parker Pyne], in The Strand...](https://harringtonbooks-co-uk.cdn.bibliopolis.com/pictures/72079.jpg?width=320&height=427&fit=bounds&auto=webp&v=1748968385)
Poirot and The Second Gong and The £10 Adventure [Mr. Parker Pyne], in The Strand Magazine. Volume 84.
London: George Newnes, Ltd., 1932. [Literature/ Crime Fiction] FIRST APPEARANCES. Quarto (26 x 20cm), pp.674. Illustrated throughout in sepia and colour. Original magazine parts bound in a half-yearly volume of light blue cloth pictorially blocked in black to front covers, gilt to spine, all edges tinted blue. Ink name 'Alan..... More
![Item #72650 The Mystery of the Baghdad Chest [Hercule Poirot] in The Strand Magazine. Volume 83....](https://harringtonbooks-co-uk.cdn.bibliopolis.com/pictures/72650.jpg?width=320&height=427&fit=bounds&auto=webp&v=1752941877)
The Mystery of the Baghdad Chest [Hercule Poirot] in The Strand Magazine. Volume 83.
London: George Newnes, Ltd., January-June 1932. [Literature/ Crime Fiction] FIRST APPEARANCE. Quarto (26 x 20cm), pp.628. Illustrated throughout in sepia and colour. Original magazine parts bound in a half-yearly volume of light blue cloth pictorially blocked in black to front covers, gilt to spine. Contents clean, light spotting to endpapers..... More
Poirot and the Triangle at Rhodes and Poirot and the Regatta Mystery. Father Brown / The Vampire of the Village [in] The Strand Magazine. Volume 91.
London: George Newnes, Ltd., 1936. [Literature/ Crime Fiction] FIRST APPEARANCES. Quarto (26 x 20cm), pp.672. Illustrated throughout in sepia and colour. Original magazine parts bound in a half-yearly volume of light blue cloth pictorially blocked in black to front covers, gilt to spine, all edges tinted blue. Contents clean and..... More
![Item #72596 Yellow Iris [Hercule Poirot] in The Strand Magazine. No.559. Agatha CHRISTIE, P. G....](https://harringtonbooks-co-uk.cdn.bibliopolis.com/pictures/72596.jpg?width=320&height=427&fit=bounds&auto=webp&v=1753114503)
Yellow Iris [Hercule Poirot] in The Strand Magazine. No.559.
London: George Newnes, Ltd., 1937. [Literature/ Crime Fiction journal] FIRST UK APPEARANCE. Octavo magazine (26 x 19cm). Illustrated throughout in sepia and colour. Single issue, magazine format in colour illustrated paper covers. Original price 1 shilling. Contents clean but for light spots of foxing, promotional insert still present at rear..... More
Contribute to The Strand Magazine. No.313.
London: George Newnes, Ltd., January 1917. [Literature/ humour / journal] FIRST UK APPEARANCE. Octavo magazine (26 x 19cm). Illustrated throughout in black and white. Magazine format in illustrated paper covers. Original price 6d. Contents clean, covers show some light handling, chipped to spine ends. Includes 'Supreme Moments in Detective Fiction'..... More
Contribute to The Strand Magazine. No.280.
London: George Newnes, Ltd., April 1914. [Literature/ humour / journal] FIRST UK APPEARANCE. Octavo magazine (26 x 19cm). Illustrated throughout in black and white. Magazine format in illustrated paper covers. Original price 6d. Various colour advertising inserts present, lacks one leaf of ads at front. Minor wear and spine roll..... More
![Item #61296 Sergeant Sir Peter's Cases [and] Jeeves and the Spot of Art [and] Jeeves and the...](https://harringtonbooks-co-uk.cdn.bibliopolis.com/pictures/61296.jpg?width=320&height=427&fit=bounds&auto=webp&v=1646412192)
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. Volumes LXXVIII and LXXIX, issues 468 to 474.
London: George Newnes, December 1929 to June 1930. [Literary Magazine] FIRST APPEARANCES. Seven parts in their original colour illustrated paper covers, priced at 1s. Octavo (25 x 17cm), pp.[80] 664 [81-90]; pp.[32] 104 [33-40]; pp.[36] 105-208 [37-44]; pp.[36] 209-312 [37-44]; pp.[40] 313-416 [41-48]; pp.[32] 417-528 [33-40]; pp.[36] 529-640 [37-44]. With..... More
"The Luck of the Stiffhams" in The Strand Magazine. No.339.
London: George Newnes, Ltd., March 1934. [Literature/ humour / journal] FIRST UK APPEARANCE. Octavo magazine (26 x 19cm), pp.336 [25-36]. Illustrated throughout in sepia and black and white. Single issue, magazine format in colour illustrated paper covers. Original price 1 shilling. Contents clean, promotional insert still present at rear, covers..... More
'Poirot & the Crime in Cabin 66' in The Strand Magazine. Volume XC, number 539.
London: George Newnes, February 1936. [Literary Magazine] FIRST UK APPEARANCE. Octavo magazine (26 x 19cm). Illustrated throughout in sepia and colour. Single issue, magazine format in colour illustrated paper covers featuring a striking image of the Belgian detective in deep thought. Original price 1 shilling. Contents clean, creases to final..... More
![Item #72649 The Adventure of the Dying Detective [and] The Horror of the Heights [and] How it...](https://harringtonbooks-co-uk.cdn.bibliopolis.com/pictures/72649.jpg?width=320&height=427&fit=bounds&auto=webp&v=1752941877)
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, white endpapers. Contents clean..... More
![Item #74645 The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone [and] A Bit of Orange Peel [and] The Bully of...](https://harringtonbooks-co-uk.cdn.bibliopolis.com/pictures/74645.jpg?width=320&height=427&fit=bounds&auto=webp&v=1773423127)
The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone [and] A Bit of Orange Peel [and] The Bully of Brocas Court [and] A Glass of Whisky [and] The Heel of Achilles [and] Jeeves in the Spring-Time [and] The Long Hole [and] The Nightmare Room [and] Painting as a Pastime [and] An Unconventional Introduction [and] The Unexpected Clicking of Cuthbert [in] The Strand Magazine. Volume 62.
London: George Newnes, July to December 1921. [Literary Magazine] FIRST APPEARANCES. Octavo (24 x 17cm), pp.iv; 590. With frequent half-tone illustrations, very occasionally in colour. Publisher's pale blue cloth with black and gilt titles to spine, and black titles and decoration to upper. Some toning and spotting to first and..... More
![Item #57768 Punchard's Agency [and] Jeeves and the Unbidden Guest [and] The British Campaign...](https://harringtonbooks-co-uk.cdn.bibliopolis.com/pictures/57768.jpg?width=320&height=427&fit=bounds&auto=webp&v=1599499037)
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
![Item #58790 The Mystery of J.H. Farrer [in] The Strand Magazine. Volume 40; numbers 238 and 239....](https://harringtonbooks-co-uk.cdn.bibliopolis.com/pictures/58790.jpg?width=320&height=427&fit=bounds&auto=webp&v=1611596083)
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
Contribute to The Strand Magazine: The War of the Worlds: An Experiment in Illustration. An Illustrated Monthly. Vol. LIX.
London: George Newnes Limited, January - June 1920. [Literary journal] This volume contains Wells' revised and condensed version of The War of the Worlds with new illustrations. Large octavo (24 x 18cm), bound in publisher's light blue pictorial cloth. Contents clean, prize label to pastedown, binding carefully handled with some..... More
![Item #74577 French Leave [in] John Bull Magazine. P. G WODEHOUSE, Pelham Grenville](https://harringtonbooks-co-uk.cdn.bibliopolis.com/pictures/74577.jpg?width=320&height=427&fit=bounds&auto=webp&v=1772530024)
French Leave [in] John Bull Magazine.
London: John Bull, Novemer 12th, 19th, 26th, December 3rd 1955. [Classic Humour] FIRST APPEARANCE. Quarto (34 x 26cm). Four issues, quarto, newspaper format. Minor edge wear otherwise clean and bright. Contains the first four serial parts of Wodehouse' riotous new novel, a zany tale of love on the continent... More
![Item #74583 Something Fishy [in] John Bull Magazine. P. G WODEHOUSE, Pelham Grenville](https://harringtonbooks-co-uk.cdn.bibliopolis.com/pictures/74583.jpg?width=320&height=427&fit=bounds&auto=webp&v=1772530024)
Something Fishy [in] John Bull Magazine.
London: John Bull, 29th September 1956. [Classic Humour] FIRST APPEARANCE. Quarto (34 x 26cm). Single issue, quarto, newspaper format. Minor edge wear otherwise clean and bright. Contains the first of the serial parts of Wodehouse' riotous new novel. More
The Prince and Betty.
London: George Newnes, [1925]. [Modern literature] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.186. Publisher's red cloth, black titles to upper and spine. Toning, spotting, and marking/thumbing internally and to textblock edges. Boards toned and marked with heavy toning to spine. Good. Another hilarious tale from Wodehouse, this time involving a...... More
The Eighteen-carat Kid, and Other Stories.
New York, NY: Continuum, 1980. [Classic Humour] FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (22 x 15cm), pp.xii; 163 [1]. Publisher's blue cloth, gilt titles to spine. With the illustrated dust-jacket priced at $10.95, and re-priced to $7.95 with a sticker. Internally crisp and clean. Jacket shows some sunning to spine, and..... More
Barmy in Wonderland.
London: Herbert Jenkins, 1952. [Classic Humour] LEATHER-BOUND FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.[2] 222 [4]. Recently re-bound in tan half calf, with gilt titles to spine, raised bands, and matching cloth over boards. Toning to edges, with spotting also to edges, and to the first few leaves. Presented in..... More
Big Money.
London: Herbert Jenkins, 1931. [Humour] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.314; [6], adverts. Publisher's orange cloth, lettered and trimmed in black. Contents clean, sizeable stain/browning to text block fore-edge, half title toned, a few ink dates to endpaper, cloth a little handled and discoloured, free from tears. Very good..... More
Blanding's Castle and Elsewhere.
London: Herbert Jenkins, [1935]. [Humour] Vintage hardback. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.312 [8 of advertisements]. Publisher's orange cloth blocked in black, in pictorial dust-jacket designed by Abbey, priced 3/- on spine. Third printing. School prize label to pastedown, edges dusty/spotted, jacket with some chips and tears. Very good. A riotous..... More
Blanding's Castle and Elsewhere.
London: Herbert Jenkins, [1935]. [Humour] Vintage hardback. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.312; [8 of advertisements]. Publisher's orange cloth blocked in black, in pictorial dust-jacket designed by Abbey, priced 5/- on spine. Fourth printing. A clean, fine copy of the book. Jacket a little edgeworn, chipped to lower edge (copy infill..... More
Carry On Jeeves.
London: Herbert Jenkins, 1925. [Jeeves and Wooster] FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.256. Publisher's green cloth, with black titles and decoration to spine and boards, illustrated dust-jacket priced 3/6 and conforming to the bibliography in every respect. Contents clean with some light spotting to edges of text..... More