"There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book. Books are well written, or badly written. "
— Oscar Wilde
Captain W. E. Johns (William Earl Johns) | First Editions
1893 - 1968
William Earl Johns (5 February 1893 – 21 June 1968) was an English pilot and writer of adventure stories, usually written under thepen name Captain W. E. Johns. He is best remembered as the creator of the ace pilot and adventurer Biggles.
Johns' early ambition was to be a soldier, being a crack shot with a rifle. In 1913, while working as a sanitary inspector, Johns enlisted in the Territorial Army as a trooper in the King's Own Royal Regiment (Norfolk Yeomanry). The regiment was mobilised in August 1914, and was sent overseas in September 1915. This was the start of a very successful military career, which was to inspire his Biggles series. Later, Johns became a flying instructor and aircraft bomber. After leaving the RAF, Johns became a newspaper air correspondent, as well as editing and illustrating books about flying. At the request of John Hamilton Ltd, he created the magazine Popular Flying which first appeared in March 1932. It was in the pages of Popular Flying that Biggles, first appeared. In his 46-year writing career (1922–68) he penned over 160 books, including nearly one hundred Biggles books, and scores of magazine articles and short stories. Johns also wrote eight other books of juvenile fiction, twelve books of fiction for adults, and eight factual books, including several books on aviation, books on pirates and treasure hunting, and a book on gardening.
See below our stock of Captain Johns First Editions, fine bindings, sets and other collectible material.
Biggles and the Gun Runners.
London: Brockhampton Press, 1966. [Adventure novel]. FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.182; [2]; advertisements. Duck egg blue hardcovers titled in gilt, illustrated jacket (priced clipped). Small scuff/sticker pull to flyleaf else a fine copy of the book in a very good wrapper with some rubbing and edgewear plus a...... More
Biggles in the South Seas.
London: Oxford University Press, 1940 [circa 1942]. [Children's Adventure] EARLY REPRINT. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.255 [1]. With a colour frontispiece and six other black and white illustrations by Howard. Publisher's tan cloth with brown titles to spine and upper, and brown decoration matching the First to upper only. With..... More
Biggles And The Lost Sovereigns.
Leicester: Brockhampton Press, 1964. [Children's Adventure] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.184. With a colour frontispiece by Stead. Publisher's yellow cloth with green titles to spine. With the dust-jacket illustrated in colour by Stead, priced at 8/6. A lovely bright, crisp copy, with just a touch of rubbing to..... More
Biggles Goes Alone A Biggles Adventure with a Difference
London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1962. [Children's] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.156. Publisher's red cloth, titles in black to spine, dust-jacket with printed price of 8s 6d net. Colour frontispiece and 12 black and white line in-text illustrations. Edges marginally toned with a few marks, wrapper lightly handled with..... More
Biggles Makes Ends Meet.
London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1957. [Children's Adventure] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.192. With six colour plates, including a frontispiece, by Stead. Publisher's blue cloth with gilt titles to spine. With the dust-jacket, also illustrated by Stead, priced at 10s / 50p. Light spotting to edges. Jacket clipped, though..... More
Biggles Makes Ends Meet.
London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1957. [Children's Adventure] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.192. With six colour plates, including a frontispiece, by Stead. Publisher's blue cloth with gilt titles to spine. With the dust-jacket, also illustrated by Stead, priced at 8/6. Both book and jacket lightly handled; some edge wear..... More
Biggles Sorts it Out.
Leicester: Brockhampton Press, 1967. [Boy's adventure novel] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.184. Publisher's mid-blue cloth with gilt titles to the spine. Dust-jacket illustrated by Leslie Stead, priced at 10/6. Discreet ownership else fine, in a lightly used wrapper with minor wear to crown and a short tear to..... More
Biggles Sorts it Out.
Leicester: Brockhampton Press, 1967. [Children's Adventure] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.184. Publisher's blue cloth with gilt titles to spine. With the dust-jacket illustrated in colour by Stead, priced at 10/6. A lovely, bright, crisp copy. Fine. The trail of a jewel thief takes Biggles from Regent Street to..... More
Biggles' Special Case.
Leicester: Brockhampton Press, 1963. [Children's Adventure] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.170. With a colour frontispiece by Stead. Publisher's light blue cloth with green titles to spine. With the dust-jacket illustrated in colour by Stead, priced at 8/6. A lovely crisp, clean copy, with just a hint of spotting..... More
Biggles And The Black Mask.
London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1964. [Children's] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.159; [1]. Publisher's red cloth, black titles to spine, dust-jacket designed by Studio Stead with printed price of 8s 6d net. With black and white illustrations by Stead. Lightly toned to edges. Wrapper lightly handled. Near fine... More
Biggles and the Black Peril.
London: Dean and Son Ltd., by arrangement with Thames Publishing Co., no date [circa 1960]. [Children's adventure] ATTRACTIVE REPRINT. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.184. Publisher's cornflower blue cloth, titles in black to spine, in pictorial dust-jacket. Neat gift inscription to flyleaf. Minimal bumping to spine and corners with very slight..... More
Biggles and the Deep Blue Sea.
London: Brockhampton Press, 1968. [Children's] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.184. Publisher's burgundy cloth, gilt titles to spine, dust-jacket designed by Studio Stead with printed price of 10/6 net in UK. A couple of faint marks to edges, wrapper very lightly handled with some very slight bruising to the..... More
Biggles and the Missing Millionaire.
London: Brockhampton Press. 1961. [Children's] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.170; [6]. Colour frontispiece by Leslie Stead. Publisher's yellow cloth, red titles to spine, dust-jacket with printed price of 8/6 net. Some marking to edges. Binding and jacket lightly rubbed to extremities, a little toned to spine. Very good..... More
Biggles and the Poor Rich Boy. Another case from the records of Biggles and the Special Air Police.
Leicester: Brockhampton Press, 1961. [Children's Adventure] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.182; [2]. With a chromolithographic frontispiece and occasional in-text illustrations by Leslie Stead. Publisher's brown cloth with green titles to spine. With the dust-jacket also illustrated by Stead, price obscured. Very light spotting to edges. Bruising and very..... More
Biggles and the Poor Rich Boy. Another case from the records of Biggles and the Special Air Police.
Leicester: Brockhampton Press, 1961. [Boy's adventure novel] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.182; [2]. With a chromolithographic frontispiece and occasional in-text illustrations by Leslie Stead. Publisher's brown cloth with green titles to spine. With the dust-jacket also illustrated by Stead, priced at 8/6. A child's blue ink ownership to..... More
Biggles Hunts Big Game.
London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1948. [Children's adventure novel] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.211; [1], advertisement. With sepia illustrations by Leslie Stead. Publisher's red cloth blocked in black, dust-jacket also illustrated by Stead, priced at 6s. Bookshop ticket to pastedown. A little spotting and marking, jacket rather fresh with..... More
Biggles Hunts Big Game. A Story of Sergeant Bigglesworth C.ID. and his Special Air Police.
London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1948. [Children's adventure novel] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.211; [1], advertisement. With sepia illustrations by Leslie Stead. Publisher's red cloth blocked in black, dust-jacket also illustrated by Stead, priced at 6s. Both book and jacket lightly handled; some edge wear, rear panel dusty, rubbed..... More
Biggles in the Terai.
London: Brockhampton Press, 1966. [Children's] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.176. Publisher's green cloth, gilt titles to spine, dust-jacket designed by Leslie Stead with printed price of 10/6 net. Absolutely bright and unblemished. Fine. More
Biggles in the Underworld.
Leicester: Brockhampton Press, 1968. [Children's Adventure] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.184. Publisher's blue cloth with gilt titles to spine. With the dust-jacket illustrated by Studio Stead, original printed price of 10/6 (uncommon thus, seemingly most copies are clipped and repriced by the publisher). Binding rubbed to extremities. Jacket..... More
Biggles Investigates. And Other Stories of the Air Police.
Leicester: Brockhampton Press, 1964. [Children's Short Stories] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.184. Colour frontispiece by Leslie Stead. Publisher's grey cloth, red titles to spine, dust-jacket with printed price of 8/6. Wrapper very lightly handled to extremities, else a pristine copy. Fine. A collection of eight short Biggles stories..... More
Biggles of the Special Air Police. The Kingston Library.
London: The Thames Publishing Co., no date [circa 1956]. [Children's Adventures] EARLY REPRINT. Octavo (21 x 14cm), pp.247 1]. Publisher's red cloth with black titles to spine. With the colour-illustrated dust-jacket. Browning to low grade paper, with a little spotting also to edges and endpapers. Price-clipped jacket rubbed to edges..... More
Orchids for Biggles.
London: Brockhampton Press, 1962. [Boy's adventure novel] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.168; [1], advertisement. With colour frontispiece by Leslie Stead. Publisher's green cloth with titles and publisher's imprint in yellow to spine. Pictorial jacket priced 8s 6d. Simply a lovely fine copy. Biggles travels to Peru in pursuit..... More
Biggles Flies South.
London: Oxford University Press, 1938. [Children's Adventure] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.255 [1]. With a colour frontispiece by Leigh, and a sketch-map and six black and white illustrations by Nicolle. Publisher's tan cloth with brown titles and decoration to spine and upper. Top edge brown. School prize inscription..... More
Biggles and The Black Peril.
London: Regent Classics / Thames Publishing Co., no date [circa 1950s]. [Aviation adventure] Octavo (21 x 14cm), pp.246. Publisher's red cloth boards blocked in black, illustrated dust-wrapper. A few marks to page edges, some toning, jacket with a few small nicks, sunned to spine. Very good. This edition being one..... More
Biggles And The Blue Moon.
London: Brockhampton Press, 1965. [Children's] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.181; [3]. Publisher's black cloth, gilt titles to spine, dust-jacket designed by Leslie Stead with printed price of 10/6 net. Tiny pen mark to top edge. Dust-jacket lightly handled to extremities, but completely bright and unfaded. Fine. The title..... More