20th Century Classics

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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The Man Who Was Murdered Twice – Leitfred – First Edition 1932

Published by Green Circle books, New York first edition 1932.

Octavo, 255 pages in excellent condition bar some dust jacket chips. Classic period dust jacket design …. Well better than that!

Author Robert Leitfred had also penned “The Corpse that Spoke” so this is not the first time he has tackled life after death.

A wealthy playboy returns home to find he has been swindled out of his inheritance. The swindler dies in a car crash … but has he? … fast moving drama 1930’s style

Double the suspense with “twice murdered”

$60.00

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The Human Factor – Graham Greene – Australian First Edition

A first Australian edition published by The Bodley Head in Australia, Sydney in 1978.

Octavo, 339 pages top edge stained lilac as required. Very good if not better condition with a super dust jacket.

Graham Green himself an ex spy back in the world of spies. “Out of reality are our tales of imagination fashioned” – superb Greene. A leak has occurred in SIS and a suspicions and tensions build. Among a number of characters, Maurice Castle, dull but brilliant enjoys sausages for lunch at Voyager Bill’s favourite pub … must be smarter than they think!

Australian First Greene out Spying.

$40.00

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The Invisible Island – Alexander MacDonald – 1911

A Story of the Far North of Queensland … by Alexander McDonald and illustrated by Charles M Sheldon.

Published by Blackie & Sons, London, Glasgow, octavo 360 pages with pictorial image to front cover and spine. A little age otherwise a very good copy and especially clean internally.

The book opens on an island in the south west of the Gulf of Carpentaria … “Through the dank, shimmering heat haze the island loomed in ghostly outline”

Six full page illustrations including the frontispiece.

Adventure and gold in the Far North

$60.00

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The Abbe Prevost – A Play by Helen Waddell – First Limited Numbered Signed edition – 1933

Superior production Published by Constable, London in 1933. Signed by the author and numbered 267 of a limited issue of 750 copies. Printed at the “Raven Press” in Harrow with a frontispiece engraved by Horace Walter Bray. Printed on thick cream paper rough cut to fore-edge, gilt to top. Original quarter velum over beige cloth covered boards. Gilt titles to front and spine.

Very good condition … note on en paper inviting all communications to Miss Waddell’s agent at Lincoln’s Inn.

A Play by esteemed Irish Playwright Helen Waddell, in a Prologue and Three Acts, over 57 pages, with Dramatis Personae of eight. The Prologue is set twenty years after the main events in the Library of the Chateau of the Prince de Conti. Act I is set in Lenski’s lodgings at the Hague in 173 and II and II in Prevost’s garret in Drury Lane, London in 1733.

Abbe (Antoine Francois) Prevost (1697-1763) was a Benedictine Priest who fled France for London in 1728 after falling out with the Abbot. He became a teacher and writer and after a love affair with a pupil fled London for the Hague in 1730. There he met the beautiful Lenski (described by others as a lady of doubtful character) … got into trouble with creditors and fled back to London. It is these events which are the subject of this historical drama.

Back in London, Prevost was briefly imprisoned for forgery. By 1735 he was forgiven by the Catholic faith and returned to Paris in 1735. A prolific writer, whilst all this was going on he published Manon Lescaut in 1731… one of Voyager’s favourites.

A glimpse into the 18thC Life of Abbe Prevost

$60.00

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Steve Young or the Voyage of the “Hvalross” to the Icy Sea – Fenn – circa 1915

The author George Manville Fenn was a prolific writer of adventure stories for the young in the Victorian era.

Published by Partridge and Co, London. Octavo, 416 nicely illustrated. Evenly browned internally otherwise a very good copy. Embossed illustrated boards and spine in near fine condition. Looks a beauty.

A rare book and we cannot find the title on his “official’ list of publications This edition circa WWI era .. we cannot find any other contemporary copies available.

Hvalross is Norwegian for Walrus. Steve Young is an orphan whose uncle, Captain Young has disappeared on a voyage in and around Spitzbergen in the Arctic Ocean. The Captain’s friends charter a boat the Norwegian “Hvalross” to search for him. Sixteen year old Steve goes along much to the disgust of the ships Doctor who thinks young fellows are just a nuisance. Gales, storms, intense cold and Polar Bears … strong currents complete darkness all add to the adventure.

Scarce adventure on the “Walrus” up around Spitzbergen …

$60.00

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Jamaica Inn – Daphne Du Maurier – 1939 Edition

The Man Who Was Murdered Twice – Leitfred – First Edition 1932

The Human Factor – Graham Greene – Australian First Edition

The Invisible Island – Alexander MacDonald – 1911

The Abbe Prevost – A Play by Helen Waddell – First Limited Numbered Signed edition – 1933

Steve Young or the Voyage of the “Hvalross” to the Icy Sea – Fenn – circa 1915

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