Fiction

Amorous Fiammetta – Boccaccio – Stunning Illustrations and Striking Gilt Illustrated Vivid Vellum Cover – First Limited Numbered Edition 1929

Published as a limited edition (No 118 of 550) in 1929 by the Mandrake Press, London.

This is simply a stunning book – starting with the vivid blue/green stained limp vellum covers with yapp edges with striking gold motif of The Three Graces. Maybe the most beautiful book we have had. A feast of brightly coloured illustrations … simply stunning.

Originally written by Giovanni Boccaccio and translated into English by Bartholomew Young in 1587.

Edited and introduced by K.H. Josling. Illustrated by M. Leone

Folio, after preliminaries .. Introduction of xxxviii pages; further introductions etc per original text up to xlix; 161 pages then illustrated limitation page. Quality bright gilt to all page edges.

The beautiful Fiammetta was the beloved muse of Giovanni Boccaccio, and was almost certainly Maria d’Aquino (died 1382) a Neapolitan noblewoman. She was the illegitimate daughter of Robert the Wise, King of Naples. Her mother was Sibilia Sabran, wife of Count Thomas IV of Aquino. She was begat during King Roberts coronation festivities.

Beautiful, will make a super gift

$340.00

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Garden District – Two Plays .. Something Unspoken and Suddenly Last Summer – Tennessee Williams – First Edition 1959

A first UK edition published by Secker and Warburg, London in 1959.

Octavo, 72 pages, very good condition.

Two plays … a short one Something Unspoken a type often referred to as a curtain-raiser; and the longer Suddenly Last Summer.

Both had just been performed in England at the London Arts Theatre to much acclaim

Entertaining and still challenging from T.W. …

$30.00

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Sweet Bird of Youth – Tennessee Williams – First UK Edition 1959

A first UK edition published by Secker and Warburg, London in 1959.

Octavo, 93 pages, very good condition bar dust jacket complete but some foxing.

Described by Hart Crane as a “Relentless caper for all those who step the legend of their youth into the noon” … and so we should … and maybe the evening.

The finely crafted dialogue and still with a power to shock as expected from T.W.

A special work by the post war master …

$30.00

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Three Players of a Summer Game – Tennessee Williams – First UK Edition 1960

A first UK edition published by Secker and Warburg, London in 1960.

Octavo,223 pages, very good condition bar dust jacket complete but a little dusty.

Collection of short stories including the title story; The Important Thing; One Arm; Portrait of a Girl in Glass; The Coming of Something to the Widow Holly; Two on a Party; The Yellow Bird; The Field of Blue Children; The Malediction; The Angel in the Alcove; The Resemblance between a Violin Case and a Coffin and The Night of the Iguana.

A fine collection of Tennessee Williams …

$40.00

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The Collected Poems of Sidney Keyes – With Unpublished typescript Poem “Ode to Hitler”

Published posthumously by Routledge, London a fourth impression, 1951. Small octavo, xxiv, 123 pages, original binding, very good condition. The typescript poem “Ode to Hitler’ is dated June 1941 (whilst he was till at Oxford – see below). There is a manuscript note on the endpapers “including unpublished poem”; also a note from Anthony Smith, Headmaster of Dartford Grammar School, which Keyes attended “Dear Professor Porter, I am returning three items we borrowed from you …”. This is October, 1987 and there had been a special Keyes Conference held at the school that year … it is possible that the unique poem was one of the borrowed items, and that this book was Porter’s Professor Porter is likely the Theologian who was at Oriel college, Oxford for 13 years from 1949.

The typescript poem contains an overtyped correction “Lonely” in the third last line – shown in the image. The manuscript date “June 1941” is surely in Sidney Keyes’ hand, by comparison with the facsimile of a hand written poem included in “Collected Poems”

This is a special story. Sidney Keyes (1922-1943) was raised by his maternal grandparent, his mother died shortly after his birth. He began writing poetry at a very young age, influenced by Wordsworth, Rilke and Jung. He won a scholarship to Queen’s College, Oxford. At University he wrote two books “The Cruel Solstice” and “The Iron Laurel” for which he was later awarded the Hawthornden Prize. He was very active at Oxford editing the Cherwell Magazine and forming a dramatic society. Leaving Oxford in 1942 he joined the army and sadly died in active service in Tunisia in April 1943.

All up there are 110 poems of which half relate to the War. All of his poems written during active service were lost.

“Ode to Hitler” is a seven verse poem the first six comprising seven lines, the last six. It is a serious matter, whilst being clear in meaning. We do not want to publish all here … but here are the final lines.

“You tapeworm of the mind, you will forgive
My wanderings, stung by a sudden fury;
Not even speaking for my country, only
A mouthing sharp-tongued poet for the lonely
And awkward speaking. But you will never thrive
While we, the sour and cunning, stay alive.”

A special writer and poet who gave his life too young and, a potentially important unpublished work.

ENQUIRIES WELCOME

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Petronius – The Satyricon – Private Press – Norman Lindsay Illustrated – 1910

A Revised Latin Text of the Satyricon with the Earliest English Translation (1694) Now First Reprinted with an Introduction together with One Hundred Illustrations by Norman Lindsay

Published privately by Ralph Straus, London 1910. Folio, (33cm by 26cm), 303 pages, 100 leaves of plates.

First English translation side by side with the Latin on alternating pages. The Satyricon, Satyricon liber (The Book of Satylike Adventures) a work of fiction by Gaius Petronius. It is and example of Menippean satire.

Gaius Petronius Arbiter (27AD-66AD) was born in Marseille. He became a Roman Courtier in the reign of Nero. He is well mentioned by Tacitus, Plutarch and Pliny the Elder who regarded him as a “judge of elegance”. Petronius became a member of the Senatorial Class who devoted their lives to pleasure … he was essentially a fashion advisor to Nero. Sleeping by day he devoted night time to amusement … he had a reputation of being very good at it!

In the Satyricon, Petronius uses a new style of writing in that each of the characters are well and openly described. Previously, such literature focused mainly on the plot. There is no holding back in terms of moral issues, and it is thought that the main character Trimalchio (who is on the naughty side) is a cameo of Nero.

Petronius fell out of favour and committed suicide in a rather strange manner.

Goings on in the Days of Nero – with numerous Norman Lindsay Illustrations.

$390.00

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Amorous Fiammetta – Boccaccio – Stunning Illustrations and Striking Gilt Illustrated Vivid Vellum Cover – First Limited Numbered Edition 1929

Garden District – Two Plays .. Something Unspoken and Suddenly Last Summer – Tennessee Williams – First Edition 1959

Sweet Bird of Youth – Tennessee Williams – First UK Edition 1959

Three Players of a Summer Game – Tennessee Williams – First UK Edition 1960

The Collected Poems of Sidney Keyes – With Unpublished typescript Poem “Ode to Hitler”

Petronius – The Satyricon – Private Press – Norman Lindsay Illustrated – 1910

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