"Always read something that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it."
— P.J. O'Rourke
Poetry & Drama
To Circumjack Cencrastus, or, the Curly Snake.
Edinburgh: William Blackwood and Sons, 1930. [Scottish Poetry] INSCRIBED FIRST EDITION. Octavo (21 x 14cm), pp.[8] 206 [2]. INSCRIBED by the author in black ink to flyleaf: 'To | Harold Edwards | with ever regard | from | Hugh MacDiarmid. | London. | June 1934.' Publisher's blue cloth with navy..... More
Two Poems by Hugh MacDiarmid: The Terrible Crystal | A Vision of Scotland.
Skelmorlie: The Drumalban Press, 1964. [Scottish Poetry] LIMITED FIRST SEPARATE EDITION. Octavo pamphlet (26 x 18cm), pp.[8]. An out-of-series copy from a numbered edition of just 55. Publisher's blue card covers, with black card fly-leaves, sewn. Light handling to covers, with a little toning to extremities. Near fine. A pair..... More
Whuchulls: A Poem by Hugh MacDiarmid.
Preston: Akros Publications, 1966. [Scottish Poetry] LIMITED FIRST SEPARATE EDITION. Octavo pamphlet (22 x 12cm), pp.[16]. On delicate paper, with three colour illustrations. Number 98 of 100 copies thus. Publisher's plain white card covers, stapled. Paper toned, with some light handling to covers. Near fine. A poem first published in..... More
![Guy Faux [Fawkes]: Or, the Gunpowder Treason: An Historical Melo-Drama, in Three Acts, Printed...](/pictures/thumb/51034.jpg?v=1530718969)
Guy Faux [Fawkes]: Or, the Gunpowder Treason: An Historical Melo-Drama, in Three Acts, Printed from the Acting Copy with Remarks, Biographical and Critical, by D-G. To Which are Added, a Description of the Costume, Cast of the Characters, Entrances and Exits, Relative Positions of the Performers on the Stage, and the Whole of the Stage Business, as now Performed in the Metropolitan Minor Theatres.
London: John Cumberland, n.d. [c.1830]. [Theatre]. EARLY PRINTING. Small pamphlet in sixes (15 x 10), pp.50. With a wood engraved frontispiece and cover illustration after R. Cruikshank by Mr. Bonner. Publisher's grey paper covers with titles, illustration and a price of 6d, sewn. Cumberland's No. 36 Minor Theatre, being a...... More
All Round the Clock.
London: Griffith, Farran and Company, no date [1887]. [Children's Illustrated] FIRST EDITION. Small quarto (24 x 19cm), pp.64. Chromolithographed by Ernest Rister of Nuremberg. Publisher's quarter green cloth with glossy colour-illustrated paper over boards. Patterned endpapers. Browning to endpapers and preliminaries. Tiny damp mark to foot of upper board, rubbing..... More
Mungo's Mansion: A Play of Galway Life in Three Acts.
London: Macmillan & Co., 1946. [Irish Drama] UNCORRECTED PROOF. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.viii; 104. Plain grey paper covers. Light rubbing and handling to covers and edges. Near fine. More
From the Wilderness.
London: Victor Gollancz, 1973. [Highland poetry] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (22 x 14cm), pp.64. Publisher's purple cloth with gilt titles to spine. With the typographic yellow dust-jacket, titled in purple and priced at £2.00. Light wear, with a few small nicks and chips to jacket edges. Near fine. A collection of..... More
Spring Tide and Neap Tide: Selected Poems 1932-72 | Reothairt is Contraigh Taghadh de Dhàin 1932-72.
Edinburgh: Canongate, 1977. [Gaelic Poetry] FIRST THUS, a dual-language edition. Octavo (22 x 14cm), pp.x; 181 [1]. Gaelic poetry to the recto of each leaf, with an English translation facing on each verso. Publisher's blue cloth with gilt titles to spine and upper. With the dust-jacket illustrated by Ruari McLean..... More
Spring Tide and Neap Tide: Selected Poems 1932-72 | Reothairt is Contraigh Taghadh de Dhàin 1932-72.
Edinburgh: Canongate, 1977. [Gaelic Poetry] FIRST THUS, a dual-language edition. Octavo (22 x 14cm), pp.x; 181 [1]. Gaelic poetry to the recto of each leaf, with an English translation facing on each verso. Publisher's blue cloth with gilt titles to spine and upper. With the dust-jacket illustrated by Ruari McLean..... More
The Burning Perch.
London: Faber and Faber, 1963. [Poetry] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (22 x 15cm), pp.58 [2]. Publisher's Purple cloth with gilt titles to spine. With the pink dust-jacket titled in blue and red, priced at 12/6. Also with the scarce Poetry Book Society Bulletin announcing the book's publication, loose to preliminaries. A...... More
The Mad Islands and The Administrator. Two Radio Plays.
London: Faber and Faber, 1964. [Radio Plays] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (22 x 15cm), pp.112. Publisher's purple cloth with gilt titles to spine. With the cream and orange typographic dust-jacket, priced at 18s. Jacket lightly handled, and gently toned. Near fine. More
Ten Burnt Offerings.
London: Faber and Faber, 1952. [Poetry] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (23 x 15cm), pp.96. Publisher's pink cloth with gilt titles to spine. With the grey typographic dust-jacket. Lightly toned throughout; tobacco scented. Jacket toned and rubbed to spine and edges with some light chipping also, and a small ink stain to..... More
Twelve Poems.
Belfast: Festival Publications, 1965. [Poetry] FIRST EDITION, an early reprint. Octavo pamphlet (20 x 13cm), pp.[16]. Publisher's green card covers, showing advertisements for the first and second series of poetry pamphlets, including reprints, to back cover priced at 3s. Light wear to corners. Almost as-new. Mahon's very first publication... More
Land Workers.
London: William Heinemann, 1942. [Poetry] FIRST EDITION. Octavo pamphlet (19 x 13cm), pp.[4] 12. Publisher's plain paper covers, priced at 1s. Toned to covers and throughout, with some light handling. Near fine. More
Minnie Maylow's Story, and Other Tales & Scenes.
London: William Heinemann, 1931. [Verse] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.[14] 256 [2]. Publisher's blue cloth with gilt titles to spine and upper. With the blue-striped dust-jacket priced at 7/6. Jacket heavily toned to spine, with rubbing to joints and chipping to head and tail of spine and corners..... More
Right Royal.
London: William Heinemann, 1920. [Horse Racing Poetry] EX LIBRIS CLEMENT ATTLEE, the second printing. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.[8] 120. Publisher's green paper over boards, with gilt titles to spine and upper. Attlee's distinctive monogram bookplate, and a bookseller's label, to front pastedown. Offsetting to endpapers and toning to edges..... More
The Imitation Game: Three Plays for Television by Ian McEwan. [Jack Flea's Birthday Celebration, and Solid Geometry].
London: Jonathan Cape, 1981. [Television Drama] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (21 x 14cm), pp.175 [1]. Publisher's oatmeal cloth with black titles to spine. With the dust-jacket designed by Craig Dodd, priced at £5.95. A minor bump and a light mark to jacket front cover. A fine copy. Not to be confused..... More
Three Plays. Two Slatterns and a King; Aria Da Capo; The Lamp and the Bell.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1927. [American Drama] FIRST THUS. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.128. Publisher's orange cloth with blue titles to spine; top edge orange. With the dust-jacket illustrated with a woodcut, priced at 5s. Also with a contemporary postcard promoting Cape's 'Now & Then' magazine, loose to preliminaries. A touch..... More
The Crucible.
London: The Cresset Press, 1956. [Modern theatre] First UK edition. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.viii; 143; [1], blank. Publisher's red cloth with gilt titles to spine. With the red and blue dust-jacket priced at 12s.6d. Slightly dusty/toned, small area of browning to rear panel, one short tear at foot. Very..... More
Incident at Vichy.
London: Secker and Warburg, 1966. [Drama] FIRST UK EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.[2] 89 [1]. Publisher's purple cloth with silver titles to spine. With the dust-jacket designed by Bill Botten. Associated newspaper clipping loose to preliminaries, with attendant offsetting to endpapers. Price-clipped jacket very slightly sunned to spine and..... More
Just Wild about Harry. A Melo-Melo in Seven Scenes.
London: MacGibbon & Kee, 1964. [Drama] FIRST UK EDITION. Octavo (21 x 14cm), pp.106 [2]. Publisher's green cloth with gilt titles to spine. With the green and purple typographic dust-jacket, priced at 16s. The lightest of handling. A lovely crisp fine copy. More
Streams.
Lindfield: Lemon Publications, 1975. [Poetry] INSCRIBED LIMITED EDITION. Octavo (21 x 15cm), pp.145; [1]; unpaginated blanks to rear. Publisher's printed wrappers. Signed and inscribed on the title page: "To Guy | Have a jolly jubilee | mate | Peter | The Bend | Lindfield. 77." With a foreword by Spike..... More
The Poetical Works of John Milton.
Cambridge: at the University Press, 1903. [Poetical Works] FINE PRIZE BINDING. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.[2] xxvi; 607 [3]. Contemporary navy full calf for The Leys School, Cambridge, with raised bands, gilt titles and decoration to spine, and the school coat of arms stamped in gilt to upper. All edges..... More
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
Strange Meetings.
London: The Poetry Bookshop, 1917. Second Thousand. Octavo. Flexible paper binding, edges uncut, with black titles to front cover and illustration in modernist style of emaciated figure rising out of crowd, in turn rising out of a fallen skeleton, in black. Edges are bumped, slight rubbing to front hinge, otherwise..... More