"If one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again, there is no use in reading it at all. "
— 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 In Borneo.
London: Geoffrey Cumberlege / Oxford University Press, 1952. [Aviation adventure] Vintage hardcover. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.181; [3], blank. With illustrations within the text by Stuart Tresilian. Publisher's light green cloth with black titles to spine, 'Flying Jacket' series wrapper. Contents clean, no inscriptions, some expected spotting to edges, price..... More
Biggles in the Baltic.
London: Geoffrey Cumberlege / Oxford University Press, 1950. [Aviation adventure] Vintage hardcover reprint. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.256. With illustrations within the text by Alfred Sindall. Publisher's green cloth with gilt titles to spine, 'Flying Jacket' series wrapper priced at 5/-. Contents clean, no inscriptions, some expected spotting to edges..... More
Biggles in the Baltic.
London: Geoffrey Cumberlege / Oxford University Press, 1952. [Aviation adventure] Vintage hardcover. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.256. With illustrations within the text by Alfred Sindall. Publisher's light green cloth with black titles to spine, 'Flying Jacket' series wrapper priced at 6/-. Contents clean, no inscriptions, some expected light spotting/dustiness, jacket..... More
Biggles Goes Home.
London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1960 [circa 1971]. [Children's adventure novel] FIRST EDITION, first impression, later issue. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.160. Publisher's laminated boards with exactly the same artwork and layout as the jacketed edition. No inscriptions, contents clean, edges slightly dusty, minor wear. Very good indeed. A Biggles caper..... 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 Takes a Holiday.
London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1949. [Modern Literature] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.190; [1]. Publisher's blue cloth lettered in red to upper board and spine, red pictorial motif to upper, illustrated dust-jacket with printed price of 6/- to front flap. Illustrated frontispiece and seven other coloured illustrated plates throughout..... More
Biggles Sees It Through.
London: Geoffrey Cumberlege / Oxford University Press, [1941]. [Children's Adventure] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.254; [2], blank. With a colour frontispiece and six full-page black and white illustrations by Alfred Sindall. Publisher's orange cloth blocked in brown, text block thickness is 32mm. Some light and infrequent spotting throughout..... More
Another Job For Biggles.
London: Hodder and Stoughton Limited, 1951. [Children's adventure novel] FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.191 [1]. Illustrations by Stead, including four sepia plates plus a small number of black and white drawings, one as frontispiece. Publisher's red cloth blocked in black to spine and upper. With the..... More
Biggles and the Black Raider. Another Adventure of Air Detective-Inspector Bigglesworth and his Air Police.
London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1953. [Adventure novel] FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.192. Contains six boldly coloured plates, all by Leslie Stead, and cartographic endpapers. Publisher's red cloth titled in black to spine and upper. With the illustrated dust-jacket, priced at 7/6. Spotting to edges, otherwise internally..... More
Biggles and the Black Raider. Another Adventure of Air Detective-Inspector Bigglesworth and his Air Police.
London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1953. [Adventure novel] FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.192. Contains six boldly coloured plates, all by Leslie Stead, and cartographic endpapers. Publisher's red cloth titled in black to spine and upper. With the illustrated dust-jacket, priced at 7/6. Internally clean, some spotting to..... More
Biggles and the Plane that Disappeared. A Story of the Air Police.
London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1963. [Children's adventure] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.159; [1] blank. Publisher's red cloth, titles in black to spine, dust-jacket designed by Studio Stead with a 10s. price label over printed 8/6 price, discreet bookstore stamp and date beside price. Contents very clean, no inscriptions..... More
Biggles and the Plane that Disappeared. A Story of the Air Police.
London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1963. [Children's adventure] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.159; [1] blank. Publisher's red cloth, titles in black to spine, dust-jacket designed by Studio Stead with printed 8/6 price. A fresh, immaculate copy of the book in a fine fresh wrapper with nominal rubbing to joints..... More
Biggles and the Poor Rich Boy. Another case from the records of Biggles and the Special Air Police.
Leicester: Brockhampton Press, 1961. [Adventure novel] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 13cm), pp.182 [2]. Publisher's brown cloth with green titles to spine. With a chromolithographic frontispiece and occasional in-text illustrations by Leslie Stead. With the pictorial dust-jacket, priced at 8/6. Internally clean, jacket crisp and bright. A particularly fresh copy..... More
Biggles At World's End.
Leicester: Brockhampton Press, 1959. [Aviation adventure] FIRST EDITION, first impression, in later issue binding. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.182. Illustrated by Leslie Stead with six colour plates including a frontispiece. Publisher's brown cloth titled in black, in pictorial dust-jacket, priced at 8/6. Most of pp.31/32 torn away, otherwise internally clean..... More
Biggles Delivers the Goods. A 'Biggles Squadron' Story.
London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1946 [October 1949]. [Children's adventure] FIRST EDITION, third printing. Crown octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.182. With 10 illustrations including colour frontispiece by Leslie Stead. In publisher's pale blue cloth with silver titles to spine and upper board. Carlographic endpapers to front. With original colour illustrated dust-jacket..... More
Biggles Forms a Syndicate.
London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1961. [Adventure novel] FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.160. With a colour frontispiece and occasional in-text illustrations by Stead. Publisher's red cloth with black titles to spine and a black design to upper board. With the dust-jacket illustrated in colour, also by Stead..... More
Biggles Forms a Syndicate.
London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1961. [Adventure novel] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.160. With a colour frontispiece and occasional in-text illustrations by Stead. Publisher's red cloth with black titles to spine and a black design to upper board. With the dust-jacket illustrated in colour, also by Stead, priced at..... More
Biggles Forms a Syndicate.
London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1961. [Adventure novel] FIRST EDITION, glazed boards issue. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.160. With occasional in-text illustrations by Stead. Publisher's laminated boards with exactly the same artwork and layout as the jacketed edition, top edge tinted blue. No inscriptions, contents clean, edges slightly dusty with light..... More
Biggles Gets His Men. A Further Adventure of Sergeant Bigglesworth of the Special Air Service, C.I.D.
London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1950. [Children's adventure fiction] FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.189; [3], blank. Publisher's blue cloth with titles in black to front board and spine, in pictorial dust-jacket illustrated by Stead priced at 6s. With black and white illustrations by Stead. No inscriptions, tape..... More
Biggles Gets His Men. A Further Adventure of Sergeant Bigglesworth of the Special Air Service, C.I.D.
London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1950. [Children's adventure fiction] FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.189; [3], blank. With black and white illustrations by Stead. Publisher's blue cloth with titles in black to front board and spine, in pictorial dust-jacket illustrated by Stead priced at 6s. No inscriptions, edges..... More
Biggles Goes Alone. A Biggles Adventure with a Difference.
London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1962. [Young adult adventure story] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.156. Colour frontispiece and 12 black and white line in-text illustrations. Publisher's red cloth, titles in black to spine, dust-jacket with printed price of 8s 6d net. Simply a beautiful fresh copy. Biggles plays detective..... More
Biggles In Mexico.
Leicester: Brockhampton Press, 1959. [Children's adventure novel] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.184. Colour frontispiece and five colour plates. Bound in publisher's brick red cloth, titles in black to spine, illustrated dust-jacket priced at 8/6. Contents clean, no inscriptions, some marks to text block edges and endpapers, jacket lightly..... More
Biggles In Mexico.
Leicester: Brockhampton Press, 1959. [Children's adventure novel] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.184. Colour frontispiece and five colour plates. Bound in publisher's brick red cloth, titles in black to spine, illustrated dust-jacket priced at 8/6. Ink ownership to pastedown, edges toned/spotted, jacket chipped at crown and extremities. Biggles and..... More
Biggles In the Blue.
Leicester: Brockhampton Press Ltd. 1953. [Young adult adventure story] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.192; [2], ads. Colour frontispiece and five colour plate illustrations by Leslie Stead (complete). Publisher's pale grey cloth, blind-stamped design showing publisher's trade mark of small dog. Titles and decoration in dark blue to spine..... More
Biggles Learns to Fly.
Leicester: Brockhampton Press / Brock Books, 1955. [Children's adventure novel] REVISED EDITION, first thus. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.192; [1], advert. Colour frontispiece. Publisher's red cloth, titles in black to spine, illustrated jacket priced at 6s. No inscriptions, edges dusty/spotted, jacket with some wear to spine ends, rich colour remaining..... More