Fiction

Three Beds in Manhattan – Georges Simenon – First English Edition

Published by Hamish Hamilton London, a first English edition 1976. Translated from the French by Lawrence G. Blochman.

Octavo, 186 pages, fine dust jacket, all in super condition.

Two lonely people meet in Greenwich Village and a night filled with drink propels them into intimacy but they may be too afraid to believe a new life might have begun. Reality that is Simenon.

The sensitive side of Simenon

$30.00

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Secret Memoirs of the Duke and Dutchess of O***** (Orleans) – Madame d’Aunoy – First Edition 1708

Title continues … Intermix’d with the Amorous Intrigues and Adventures of the Most Eminent Princes of The Court of France

Made into English from the Paris Edition. Published in London, and printed by S.P.R. Burrough and J. Baker in Cornhill E. Curll without Temple Bar. E Sanger at the Post-House, and A Collins at the Black Boy on Fleetstreet, and Sold by J. Morphew near Stationers-Hall, 1708

First English edition translated from the French of the 1690’s. Small octavo, 293. Strange pagination as the printer obviously had his pages mixed up so several times out of order but text runs exactly. Rebound in full leather, in period style by Roger Perry. Four raised bands with separate red leather title label to second compartment. Blind rules to bands and board edges. A delightful item.

An expose of the amorous goings on of the Duke and Duchess of Orleans. The Duchess was Henrietta of England (1644-1670) youngest daughter of King Charles I. She fled England at the age of three with her governess for the French Court. She married King Louis XIV brother Philippe Duke of Orleans. Phillipe a reputed bisexual had been party to a series of sexual scandals prior to the marriage which was secured after the restoration of the Monarchy in England by a dowry from her brother Charles II.

An interesting piece if factually based fiction and not at all vulgar.

The author Madame d’Aulnoy was Marie Catherine Le Jumel de Barneville, Baroness d’Aulnoy (1650-1705). Lucky to have got away with it we would say.

Early expose of the amorous lives of the Duke and Duchess of Orleans.

$290.00

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Mary Anne – Daphne du Maurier – First Australian edition 1954

Published by Angus and Robertson, Sydney 1954. Octavo, 389 pages. A little ageing and some minor dust jacket edge chips. Still a very good copy.

First Australian edition of the novel about her great-great-grandmother Mary Anne Clarke (1776-1852) who led a most interesting life.

She was the mistress of Prince Frederick, Duke of York Commander in Chief … seemingly she liked her men to be well heeled.

Extravagant Mary Anne was in the family

$30.00

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Australian Vintage Children’s Puzzle Blocks – c1920’s

A nice set with six (obviously) pictorial puzzles to solve. Produced in Australia with artwork by “T and C Print”. Nice condition and a lovely example of the challenges that children were given before the iphone and a lot more.

Stress free (for you) educational puzzle for the very young – a future treasure to be handed down …

$50.00

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Rebecca – Daphne Du Maurier – 1947 Edition

Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca one of the greatest romantic novels of all time … a young bride is thrust into the house of the dead former wife.

First published in 1938 by Gollancz. This is the 1947 edition 31st impression of a book that has to run to hundreds editions and impressions.

Octavo, 302 pages, in the iconic Gollancz yellow jacket. Previous owners name and address on the front free end paper, a little age to the jacket, otherwise a very good copy and a “relatively” early edition.

“Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again”

$40.00

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Jamaica Inn – Daphne Du Maurier – 1939 Edition

Daphne du Maurier’s Jamaica Inn vies with Rebecca as her best work… this “First Cheap Edition” has become iconic.

Jamaica Inn was first published in 1936 … this is effectively the eight edition (many more to come) of April 1939.

Octavo, 351 pages, with the publisher Gollancz’s iconic yellow jacket, with the bold Spectator review ‘I do not believe that Stevenson would have been ashamed to have written it”. Jacket chipped and page edges foxed otherwise a perfectly acceptable early Jamaica Inn.

If you are in that beautiful part of England make sure you visit Jamaica Inn and read the book. Daphne gives us a useful introductory note … “Jamaica Inn stands to-day, hospitable and kindly, a temperance house on the twenty-mile road between Bodmin and Launceston” … you can get a nice drop there now and a heavy lunch!

“It was a cold grey day in November …”

$50.00

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Three Beds in Manhattan – Georges Simenon – First English Edition

Secret Memoirs of the Duke and Dutchess of O***** (Orleans) – Madame d’Aunoy – First Edition 1708

Mary Anne – Daphne du Maurier – First Australian edition 1954

Australian Vintage Children’s Puzzle Blocks – c1920’s

Rebecca – Daphne Du Maurier – 1947 Edition

Jamaica Inn – Daphne Du Maurier – 1939 Edition

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