"Hungry man, reach for the book: it is a weapon. "
— Bertolt Brecht
Collected Works & Sets
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. The Magical Car. Illustrated by John Burningham.
London: Jonathan Cape 1964-5. [Children's classic] 3 volumes, octavos (24 x 17cm). ALL FIRST IMPRESSIONS. Complete. Pp.48, 48, 48. Publisher's white hardcovers in glossy pictorial dust-wrappers. A presentable set with some expected wear, a few marks and tears (one longer tear to no.3), no bookplates or inscriptions. All three volumes... More
Complete James Bond series comprising Casino Royale, Live and Let Die, Moonraker, Diamonds Are Forever, From Russia With Love, Dr. No, Goldfinger, For Your Eyes Only (short stories inc. From A View To A Kill), Thunderball, The Spy Who loved Me, On Her Majesties Secret Service, You Only Live Twice, The Man with the Golden Gun, Octopussy and The Living Daylights (short stories).
London: Jonathan Cape, 1959-1972. COMPLETE CAPE PRINTINGS. In 14 volumes. Octavo (19 x 38cm). Publisher's hardbacks in original illustrated dust-jackets. All Cape printings (the original publisher of the James Bond novels), four titles (Thunderball, You Only Live Twice, Golden Gun and Octopussy) being first impressions. Overall a very good set... More
Complete Set of First Editions of Ian Fleming's James Bond Novels The Works comprise: Casino Royale, Live and Let Die, Moonraker, Diamonds Are Forever, From Russia With Love, Dr. No, Goldfinger, For Your Eyes Only (short stories containing From A View To A Kill and Quantum of Solace), Thunderball, The Spy Who loved Me, On Her Majesties Secret Service, You Only Live Twice, The Man with the Golden Gun, Octopussy and The Living Daylights.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1953-1966. FIRST IMPRESSIONS, with a leaf SIGNED BY IAN FLEMING included in the first title. 14 volumes. Octavo. Beautifully bound in full deep red oasis morocco with gilt raised bands and gilt titles to spines, '007 device blocked in gilt to upper, gilt edges, black endpapers. Internally... More
The Centenary Edition of Ian Fleming's James Bond Novels. [Set of works / novels comprising: Casino Royale, Live and Let Die, Moonraker, Diamonds Are Forever, From Russia With Love, Dr. No, Goldfinger, For Your Eyes Only (short stories inc. From A View To A Kill, Quantum of Solace), Thunderball, The Spy Who loved Me, On Her Majesties Secret Service, You Only Live Twice, The Man with the Golden Gun, and Octopussy with The Living Daylights (short stories)].
London: Penguin 007, 2008. [Spy novels] All FIRST IMPRESSIONS. Fourteen volumes, octavo (23 x 15 x 42cm). Bound in original silver-stamped black cloth in striking dust-jackets with 'retro' style artwork by Michael Gillette. All volumes as new, housed in a custom-made cloth slipcase with fleece lining and ribbon pulls. A.... More
A James Bond Omnibus. Containing Live and Let Die, Diamonds are Forever and Dr No.
London: Book Club Associates 1973. FIRST EDITION of the first James Bond omnibus to be published in the UK, preceding the Jonathan Cape equivalent. Publisher's hardcover in original metallic effect dust-wrapper. A used copy with some toning to edges of text block. Jacket shows general use, some scuffing and soiling... More
The Complete Hornblower Novels. The Happy Return (1937); A Ship of the Line (1938); Flying Colours (1938); The Commodore (1945); Lord Hornblower (1946); Mr Midshipman Hornblower (1950); Lieutenant Hornblower (1952); Hornblower and the Atropos (1953); Hornblower in the West Indies (1958); Hornblower and the Hotspur (1962); Hornblower and the Crisis (1967)
London: Michael Joseph, 1937-67. [Naval fiction / Historical Fiction] ALL FIRST EDITIONS. Eleven volumes, octavos (19 x 13 x 33cm). The full series, bound uniformly in recent blue half morocco, gilt titles to spines with gilt ship and anchor motif, blue marbled paper-covered boards, top edges gilt. Light and occasional... More
A History of the Weald of Kent. With an Outline of the Early History of the County.
Ashford: Henry Igglesden. 1871-1874. First Edition. Two volumes bound in three parts as issued. Octavo, pp. xvi, 462, pp. xii, 424, pp. iii, 425-935. Bound in the publisher's handsome green cloth with gilt titles to spine, black stamped tooling and gilt motifs to the upper boards, matt brown endpapers. Numerous... More
The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. Edited in Seven Volumes with Introduction, Notes, Appendices and Index by J.B. Bury. With: The Memoirs of the Life of Edward Gibbon with various Observations and Excursions, by himself, edited by George Birkbeck Hill.
London: Methuen and Co., 1900-1905. [Late Antiquity] LEATHER-BOUND SET. Eight volumes. Octavo. Contemporary binding of half brown calf by Bickers with gilt titles and gilt to spines, brown cloth boards with gilt rule, top edges gilt others rough trimmed, marbled end papers. With folding maps. Binding slightly rubbed to extremities... More
The Poetical Works of Gray and Collins.
London: Oxford University Press, 1917. [Poetry] FINELY BOUND. Octavo (19 x 14cm), pp.324; [4] blank. Oxford binding of navy polished calf binding, raised bands and gilt titling to red label on spine, elaborate gilt decoration to spine and board edges, endpapers and all edges marbled, Frontispiece and two further plates... More
The Works of H. R. Haggard. Including: King Solomon's Mines, She, Montezuma's Daughter, The Spirit of Bambaste, Cleopatra, Alan Quatermain, The People of the Mist etc.
New York, NY: McKinlay, Stone and Mackenzie, no date [circa 1900]. 20 volumes; octavo. With frontispiece illustrations. Bound in recent dark green half morocco with matching cloth sides, gilt titles on black squares and gilit tooling on red squares to spine. Top edges gilt. Neat ownership inscriptions, to the title... More
![Fragments of Voyages and Travels [to China and the Far East], Including Anecdotes of a Naval...](/pictures/thumb/52790.jpg?v=1544199388)
Fragments of Voyages and Travels [to China and the Far East], Including Anecdotes of a Naval Life: Chiefly for the Use of Young Persons. First, Second and Third Series.
Edinburgh: Robert Cadell, 1831-33. [Far East Travel] COMPLETE FIRST EDITIONS. Three series in nine volumes. Small octavo (16 x 10 x 22cm), pp.[2] vi; 338 [2]; pp.[2] iv; 371 [3]; pp.[2] iv; 320 [2]; pp.[4] vi; 334 [2]; pp.[4] iv; 312 [2]; pp.[4] iv; 339 [3]; pp.[4] viii; 363 [3];... More
![The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent. Containing the Antient [Ancient] and...](/pictures/thumb/49288.jpg?v=1510224384)
The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent. Containing the Antient [Ancient] and Present State of it, Civil and Ecclesiastical; Collected from public Records, and other the best Authorities, both Manuscript and Printed: and Illustrated with Maps, and Views of Antiquities, Seats of the Nobility and Gentry, etc.
Canterbury: Printed for the Author, by Simmons and Kirkby, 1778. [Kentish history]. FIRST EDITION. In four volumes. Folio (41 x 26cm), pp.[4] xii, clii, 580, 42 [2]; pp.[4] 817 [1], 72; pp.[4] ii, 765 [1], 51 [3]; pp.vi, 788, 46 [2]. Complete with all 167 copper engraved illustrations, including county... More
The Life of Napoleon.
London: The Grolier Society / Edinburgh Press, no date [circa 1900]. [History] FINELY BOUND. 6 volumes, octavo (23 x 16 x 23m). Hand coloured frontispieces and illustrations throughout, each with captioned tissue guards. Printed on water marked paper of the Grolier Society. Elegantly bound for/by Brentanos in green half crushed... More
![O. Henry Authorised Edition. [Complete Works of O. Henry]. O. HENRY](/pictures/thumb/50152.jpg?v=1514900465)
O. Henry Authorised Edition. [Complete Works of O. Henry].
New York, NY: Doubleday, Page and Co. for Review of Reviews Co., 1913. COMPLETE WORKS. 12 volumes. Octavo (19 x 14cm). With a frontispiece to each volume. Publisher's red leatherette with gilt titles to spines and gilt monograms to upper boards, brown monogrammed endpapers, top edges gilt. Some volumes with... More
Les Miserables.
Boston, MA: Dana Estes [1902]. [Literary Classic] CENTENARY EDITION, Limited to 1000 copies, of which this is Number 831. 5 volumes, Royal octavo (23 x 16 x 21cm). With photogravure frontispiece in colour, other etched illustrations all with captioned tissue guards, title page printed in two colours. Elegantly bound in... More
The Collected Works of Henrik Ibsen. Copyright Edition.
London: William Heinemann, 1906-1910. [Literature] FINELY BOUND BY ZAEHNSDORF. Eleven volumes, octavo (19 x 14 x 37cm). Beautifully bound by Zaehnsdorf in contemporary deep blue half morocco over marbled boards, gilt and leather onlays to spines. Top edges gilt, marbled endpapers. Internally fine. Binding lightly handled. A sumptuous presentation of... More
The Ingoldsby Legends. Or Mirth and Marvels.
London: Richard Bentley, 1855. [Literature]. FINELY BOUND. Eleventh edition. Three volumes, octavo (21 x 14 x 9cm). Illustrated title pages and a further nineteen plates, plus occasional in-text vignettes. Beautifully bound by Bickers and Son in full polished tan calf, gilt titles to contrasting labels to spines, extra gilt to... More
The Naval History of Great Britain. From the Declaration of War by France in 1793, to the Accession of George IV.
London: Richard Bentley, 1837. New Edition. Octavo, six volumes, pp. xxxii, 404. pp. vii, 396. pp.viii, 376. pp. vii, 376. pp, viii, 404. pp, viii, 567. Finely bound in black polished half calf over marbled boards. Raised bands, gilt titles and gilt ruling to spines. Marbled endpapers and edges. Armorial... More
The Lives of the most Eminent English Poets with Critical Observations on their Worls. With Notes Corrective and Explanatory, by Peter Cunningham.
London: John Murray, 1854. First Cunningham Edition. 3 volumes; 8vo. Later light brown morocco with gilt titles and extra gilt to spines, marbled boards, end papers and edges. A little foxing to first and last blanks. Bookplates. A fine set. Shows extremely well. More
A Dictionary of the English Language. In which the Words are deduced from their Originals, and Illustrated in their different Significations by Examples from the best Writers. To which are prefixed, A History of the Language and An English Grammar.
London: Printed for Longman and others, 1818. FIRST TODD EDITION. 4 volumes. Quarto (29 x 22 x 26cm), with additions and numerous corrections by Rev. Todd. Frontispiece portrait of S. Johnson by Sir Joshua Reynolds. Elegantly bound in original full polished calf, gilt, with gilt labels to spine, gilt crest... More
The Works of Samuel Johnson. With An Essay on his Life and Genius, by Arthur Murphy.
London: Printed for Nichols and Son, etc., 1816. 12 volumes; 8vo (8½ x 13 inches). Contemporary tan half calf with raised bands, gilt and two black title labels to spines; marbled boards and edges; green end papers. Portrait frontispiece to volume one. Bookplates. Boards a little rubbed; spines darkened evenly;... More
The Works of S. Johnson.
Oxford: Printed for William Pickering, London, 1825. 9 volumes; 8vo. (H: 9 x L: 12 inches). Contemporary binding by Bayntun of Bath in half dark red morocco with raised bands, gilt titles and gilt tooling to darkened spines; marbled boards and end papers; top edges gilt. Portrait frontispiece to vol.I.... More
The Writings in Prose and Verse of Rudyard Kipling. [The works include: The Jungle Books, The Second Jungle Book, Kim, Wee Willie Winkie, Plain Tales from the Hills, Just So Stories, Captain Courageous, Rewards and Fairies, Stalky and Co., Puck of Pooks Hill, Rewards & Fairies, The Man Who Would be King, etc.]
New York, NY: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1897-1937. COMPLETE SET, FIRST PRINTINGS, the Outward Bound Edition. In 36 volumes. Octavo (22 x 15cm). With a series of engraved frontispieces. Publisher's brown cloth with gilt titles and gilt to spines and an gilt ivory medallion to upper board of each volume. Top... More
The Bombay Edition of the Works of Rudyard Kipling. [Set of writings / novels / poems including: The Jungle Book, Kim, Wee Willie Winkie, Just So Stories, Captain Courageous, Rewards and Fairies, Stalky and Co, Puck of Pook's Hill, Rewards and Fairies, etc.]
London: Macmillan and Company, 1913-1938. LIMITED EDITION, SIGNED by the author in volume I to half title. Complete in 31 volumes; large 8vo. (25 x 132cm). Finely bound in deep red half morocco, raised bands and gilt rules to spines, matching cloth sides, top edge gilt, others untrimmed. Printed from... More
The Writings in Prose and Verse of Rudyard Kipling. [Set of works / novels including: The Jungle Book, Kim, Wee Willie Winkie, Just So Stories, The Phantom Rickshaw, The Man Who Would be King, etc.]
New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1897-1937. The Outward Bound Edition, regular issue (a signed limited issue was also available). 36 volumes; Octavo. With maps and illustrations, as well as portraits of the author. Elegantly hand-bound in recent half deep red calf, spine gilt-lettered in six compartments with raised bands, red... More