"Always read something that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it."
— P.J. O'Rourke
Children's Books
Flower Fairies Of The Autumn. With the Nuts and Berries they Bring.
London: Blackie and Son Ltd, no date. Duodecimo (15 x 12 cm). Publisher's light brown patterned cloth with a coloured plate of 'The Hawthorn Fairy' to the front in a warmly illustrated dust jacket, priced 2/6. Slightly bumped to the lower spine and corners with a hint of a lean..... More
Flower Fairies of the Autumn. With the Nuts and Berries they bring.
London: Blackie and Son Ltd., no date. Duodecimo (15 x 12 cm). Publisher's light brown patterned cloth with coloured plate of 'The Hawthorn Fairy' pasted down to upper; pictorial end papers; yellow dust-wrapper priced 2/6, with 'The Beechnut Fairy' illustration to upper. With 24 wonderful colour illustrations by the author..... More
The Lonely Rhinoceros.
Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1980. [Children's illustrated] FIRST EDITION IN ENGLISH. Small quarto (24 x 26cm), pp.[24]. With colour illustrations by Manhes to almost every page. Publisher's glossy illustrated paper-covered boards, priced at £3.95. Light rubbing and bumping. Near fine. More
The Cruise of The Breadwinner.
London: Michael Joseph, 1946. [Maritime Adventure] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (21 x 14cm), pp.63 [1]. Publisher's black cloth with silver titles to spine and a silver device to upper. Endpapers illustrated by Broom Lynne. With the colour-illustrated dust-jacket, also by Broom Lynne, priced at 5s. Some rubbing and light chipping to..... More
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The Centenary Edition.
London: Pavilion, 1999. [Children's Illustrated] SIGNED FIRST FOREMAN ILLUSTRATED EDITION. Large octavo (25 x 20cm), pp.160. With colour illustrations by Foreman throughout. SIGNED by the illustrator in black ink to title page. Publisher's green paper-covered boards with gilt titles to spine, and red endpapers. With the dust-jacket also illustrated by..... More
![The Rupert Book: The Daily Express Annual [21]. Rupert and the Blue Moon; Rupert and Unlucky...](/pictures/thumb/56812.jpg?v=1591203304)
The Rupert Book: The Daily Express Annual [21]. Rupert and the Blue Moon; Rupert and Unlucky Simon; Rupert and the Bandits' Cave; Rupert and the Flying Sorcerer.
London: Oldbourne Book Co., 1956. [Children's Annual] ORIGINAL ANNUAL. Large octavo (25 x 18cm), pp.108. With colour illustrations by Bestall to every page. Publisher's colour-illustrated laminated paper-covered boards, with illustrated endpapers. Blue ink ownership to 'This Book Belongs To' box on verso of flyleaf. Date written in black ink to..... More
![Rupert [Daily Express Rupert Bear Annual], No.22. Alfred BESTALL](/pictures/thumb/53514.jpg?v=1554478459)
Rupert [Daily Express Rupert Bear Annual], No.22.
London: Express Newspapers, Printed by Oldbourne, no date [1957]. FIRST EDITION. Quarto (25 x 18cm), pp.107. Stories illustrated in colour throughout. Publisher's matte card covers, pictorial endpapers. Original price 4/6s. intact. 'Book belongs to' box and colouring leaf both filled out, contents otherwise clean, light wear to covers and spine..... More
![Rupert [Daily Express Rupert Bear Annual], No.33. With Magic Painting. Alfred BESTALL](/pictures/thumb/53512.jpg?v=1554478459)
Rupert [Daily Express Rupert Bear Annual], No.33. With Magic Painting.
London: Express Newspapers, Printed by Robinson, 1968. FIRST EDITION. Quarto (25 x 18cm), pp.115. Stories illustrated in colour throughout. Publisher's glossy card covers, pictorial endpapers. Original price 6s. intact. Just one of the eight magic paintings completed, contents very clean, no ink names or scribbles, light wear to extremities. A...... More
![Rupert [Daily Express Rupert Bear Annual], No.38. Alfred BESTALL](/pictures/thumb/53497.jpg?v=1584712443)
Rupert [Daily Express Rupert Bear Annual], No.38.
London: Express Newspapers, Printed by Purnell, 1973. FIRST EDITION. Quarto (25 x 18cm), pp.115. Stories illustrated in colour throughout. Publisher's glossy card covers, pictorial endpapers. Trivial handling, no marks or scribbles. Price-clipped, else a lovely fine example. More
![Rupert [Daily Express Rupert Bear Annual], No.39. Alfred BESTALL](/pictures/thumb/57653.jpg?v=1598029148)
Rupert [Daily Express Rupert Bear Annual], No.39.
London: Express Newspapers, Printed by Purnell, 1974. FIRST EDITION. Quarto (25 x 18cm), pp.115. Stories illustrated in colour throughout. Illustrations by Bestall and Cubie. Publisher's glossy card covers, pictorial endpapers. Original price of 60p intact. Trivial handling, no marks or scribbles. A near fine copy. More
![Rupert's Adventure Book [Daily Express Rupert Bear Annual No.5, 1940]. Alfred BESTALL](/pictures/thumb/53519.jpg?v=1567177111)
Rupert's Adventure Book [Daily Express Rupert Bear Annual No.5, 1940].
London: Annual Concepts [Express Newspapers], 1992. Facsimile Edition of the 1940 Rupert Annual. Octavo (25 x 19cm), pp.126. Stories pictured in colour throughout. Publisher's colour Illustrated boards. Sunned to spine else a lovely fine copy. More
Rupert. The Daily Express Annual 1978.
London: Express Newspapers, 1978. [Children's Annual] ORIGINAL ANNUAL. Large octavo (25 x 19cm), pp.116. With colour illustrations by Bestall to every page. Cover art and endpapers by Harrold. Publisher's colour-illustrated paper-covered boards, and colour-illustrated endpapers. Light browning to edges. Near fine. The first Rupert Annual to feature cover art by..... More
The Worm and the Bird.
London: Particular Books, 2017. [Children's Illustrated] SIGNED FIRST EDITION. Octavo (26 x 19cm), unpaginated, with striking polychrome illustrations by the author to every page. SIGNED by the author in black ink to half-title. Publisher's black cloth with gilt titles and decoration to spine and boards. Dark illustrated endpapers, with the..... More
The Blackbird's Nest. A Tale for Youth.
Philadelphia, PA: Johnson and Warner, 1812. [Children's Antiquarian]. EARLY EDITION. Vigesimo-quarto (13 x 9cm), pp.36. With occasional vignette wood engravings. Recently re-backed in matching grey card with original grey illustrated paper covers laid over. Remarkably crisp and clean, with some wear to original cover edges. Very good. A fine wholesome..... More
Double Cross.
London: Doubleday, 2008. [Young Adult Fiction] SIGNED FIRST EDITION. Octavo (22 x 14cm), pp.[10] 434 [4]. SIGNED by the author in black ink to title page. Publisher's black cloth with silver titles to spine. With the black and white dust-jacket, priced at £12.99. Slightly toned to edges, lightly handled. Near..... More
An Elegy on the Glory of Her Sex.
London: Frederick Warne and Co., Ltd., c.1900. AN ILLUSTRATED PICTURE BOOK. Slim oversized octavo, pp.22. Bound in publisher's decorated paper-covered boards, depicting two men in Georgian attire holding a portrait of a lady in side profile. Front and rear pastedown illustrated with full colour plates. Publisher's advertisement to rear. A...... More
The Horkey.
London: Macmillan and Co., 1882. [Children's illustrated] ILLUSTRATED BY GEORGE CRUICKSHANK (the younger). Slim quarto (25 x 21cm), pp.48. Printed with colour illustrations to every page. Illustrated paper-covered boards, green cloth spine, all edges green. Blind stamp of W.H. Smith Library to flyleaf, some toning and light spotting. Boards rubbed..... More
The Fourth Holiday Book.
London: Sampson Low, Marston and Co., no date [1949]. [Children's Illustrated] FIRST EDITION. Small quarto (25 x 20cm), pp.192. With two double-sided colour plates by Eelco van der Beeke, and frequent in-text illustrations by various artists. Publisher's red quarter cloth with gilt titles to spine, and also to green paper..... More
The Third Holiday Book.
London: Sampson Low, Marston and Co., no date [1948]. [Children's Illustrated] FIRST EDITION. Small quarto (25 x 20cm), pp.192. With four double-sided colour plates by Boswell, and frequent in-text illustrations by various artists. Publisher's green quarter cloth with gilt titles to spine, and also to orange paper over boards. Red..... More
The River of Adventure.
London: Macmillan, 1955. [Children's classic] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.277; [1] imprint. Illustrations throughout by Stuart Tresilian Publisher's pictorial yellow cloth blocked in green and black, dust-jacket designed by Tresilian, priced at 8s.6d. A lightly used copy, clean jacket with a few trivial nicks and tears. Near fine..... More
The Wonder World Fairy Tale Book.
London: Cecil Palmer, 1931. [Children's Illustrated]. FINE COLOUR PLATES. Small Quarto (25 x 19cm), pp.xii; 122 [2]. With nine chromolithographic plates by Harold Gaze. Publisher's blue cloth with black titles to spine and upper board. Illustrated endpapers. With colour-illustrated dust-jacket. Light spotting and browning. A 2cm square area at the..... More
Bengal Fairy Tales.
London: John Lane, The Bodley Head, 1920. [Children's illustrated] FIRST TAGORE ILLUSTRATED EDITION. Small quarto (26 x 20cm), pp.[2]; x; 209; [3]. With six chromolithographic illustrations including a frontispiece. Publisher's green cloth with gilt titles to spine and gilt decoration debossed to upper board. With the original blue dust-jacket. Top..... More
Faerie Wars.
London: Bloomsbury, 2003. [Children's Fantasy] SIGNED FIRST EDITION. Octavo (21 x 14cm), pp.368. SIGNED by the author in blue ink to fly-leaf. Publisher's paper-covered boards illustrated by Carol Lawson and Ian Butterworth, with the matching dust-jacket priced at £12.99. A fine, as-new copy. The first of five volumes in the..... More
A Knight of St. John. A Tale of the Siege of Malta.
London: Blackie and Son, 1906. [Children's Historical Adventure] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 15cm), pp.384 [16]. With eight black and white plates by Rainey, including a frontispiece. Publisher's green cloth with gilt titles and colour decoration to spine and upper. All edges green; grey endpapers. Blue ink gift inscription to..... More
Rab and His Friends.
Edinburgh: Edmonston and Douglas, 1862. [Illustrated] FINE COPPER ENGRAVINGS, later edition. Slim quarto (26 x 21cm), pp.34. With seven fine copper engravings after George Harvey, R.S.A., including a frontispiece. Recently re-backed using original white glazed paper-covered boards, with black titles printed to upper board. Black ink gift inscription to half-title..... More