Fiction

A Burnt-Out Case – Graham Greene – First Edition 1961 [Based in Africa - the Congo]

Published by Heinemann, London 1961 First Edition.

A very good copy with the brightest jacket we have seen.

Greene at his most powerful – character put to the ultimate test in the African Congo. Based on real life experiences – well Greene had many of them

Classic Greene First Edition

$50.00

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May We Borrow Your Husband? and Other Comedies of the Sexual Life – Graham Greene – First Edition – 1967 Fine Condition

Published by the Bodley Head, London in 1967, a first edition.

Octavo, 188 pages, with super dust jacket designed by Stephen Russ. Very good if not better condition with a fine complete dust jacket

Twelve short stories by Greene – “Comedies of the Sexual Life” many of which rank among his best.

The subtitle we are told not to be interpreted too narrowly … and we agree. Many different characters and settings, from the South of France to the Caribbean. The title piece is really super and packs in so much in just 40 pages.

We also like the reality of “The Over-night Bag” and the Invisible Japanese Gentlemen

Greene wit at its best .. makes a great and thoughtful gift.

$60.00

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Sete – Images of Provence – Seven Poems by Count Potocki of Montalk; Five Drawings by Marjorie Jackson- Pownall – Limited Numbered Eccentric Private Press

A scarce work by the rather odd Count Potocki of Montalk. Number sixty five of 120 copies set by hand by Count Potocki of Montalk, [which] have been printed by hand and foot by him.

Produced in the aforementioned style at The Melissa Press, Villa Vigoni, Chemin de St Martin, Draguignan, Var France – the authors home – 1972.

Printed on Fabriano watermarked paper – we are told in the introduction that “we went to Italy expressly to buy the art paper on which to print Marjorie Jackson-Pownall’s charming drawings, with their unambiguous clarity” ….

Large octavo, 18 pages, bound quarter green cloth over papered [wallpaper?] boards – a fine copy.

Copyright and limitation page, title, charming rather haphazard introduction, the poems and drawings – hints of risqué … see below authors background – artwork neat.

The Count was born in New Zealand in 1903. He is generally described as a poet, polemicist and pretender to the Polish throne – he did genuinely have connections. In 1926 he deserted his wife and child for Europe and the arts. First, to England where he developed his extreme right-wing views knew Mosley but, appears to have been more interested in Mosley’s wife. Moved to Draguignan in southern France after WWII mixed with fellow arty folks in the region and printed several unusual private press items. Backtrack – in England in the 1930’s he was sent to prison for attempting to publish what was then regarded as obscene literature – “the Lament of Sir John Penis” along with translations of Rabelais and Verlaine. He was supported in court by Leonard and Virgina Woolf. Aldous Huxley later arranged bail for another skirmish with the law and funded the purchase of Potocki’s first printing press.

Potocki was a truly odd one – often went about dressed in what he thought was medieval garb – tights, satin pyjamas all wrapped up in velvet curtains etc.

The eccentric Count Potocki of Montalk – a unique item

$120.00

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Billabong Riders – Mary Grant Bruce – 1952

This is the first UK edition published in 1952, having been published in Australia in 1942.

An absolutely clean copy with a perfect dust jacket … given the time period of over 70 year something special .. would make great gift.

Octavo, 192 pages, frontispiece like the jacket cover. We have gushed about the quality, put up with a previous owners book label at the front ends.

This is all about the riders of Billabong the authors special place that defines real Australia to many … full of character and characters. Understand it before tall buildings take over.

One for the bush or the curious city dweller.

$35.00

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Spanish Love [the Girl and the Matador] – Juanita Savage – 1926

A 1926 edition of this feisty love story. Not long off a hundred year old and still with a wonderful dust jacket.

Octavo, 316 pages, pages browned a bit; excuse it for its otherwise very good clean condition … still very gift worthy.

Set in Spain, and we love the authors name … adds a bit of ferocity.

Our lady, Dolores Annesley was born of a Spanish mother we are told and hence inherited a certain beauty and power over men. Don Pedro was also no slouch when it came to the romantic game … so with two positive charges we are in for a bit of a roller coaster romance. And, we get it … with paella.

Great guide to romance in Spain if you are heading that way or a few clues for us wishful types.

$40.00

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The True-born English-man: A Satyr – Daniel Defoe – 1716

A rare item by Daniel Defoe. The scarce “enlarged” edition printed and sold by James Roberts in 1716.

Small pocket sized 12mo, 12, 26 pages, bound in contemporary calf backed boards, some age and wear but solid and rare in this original state.

First edition thus. After the accession of Hanover Defoe added a new passage of 49 lines satirizing the English temper. It was hastily published and contains a number of hasty error which ironically confirm its pedigree

A True-born English-man, satirical poem of length about xenophobia … a few could learn from it today. Dutch born William of Orange has become King of England, and there was much tittle tattle about his lack of Englishness. Defoe, forever a wit, wrote this is support of old William of O, ridiculing the notion of English racial purity. Well the evidence is there.

Defoe … much quoted from his opening rant

“that het’rogeneous thing, an Englishman:
In eager rapes, and furious lust begot
Betwixt a painted Britain and a Scot
Whose gend’ring off-spring quickly learn’d to bow,
And yoke their heifers to the Roman plough:
From whence a mongrel half-bred race there came,
With neither name, nor nation, speech nor fame.
In whose hot veins new mixtures quickly ran,
Infused betwixt a Saxon and a Dane
While their rank daughters, to their parents just,
Receiv’d all nations with promiscuous lust.
This nauseous brood directly did contain
The well-extracted blood of Englishmen.”

Daniel Defoe and his True-born a delicious antiquarian rarity

$380.00

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A Burnt-Out Case – Graham Greene – First Edition 1961 [Based in Africa - the Congo]

May We Borrow Your Husband? and Other Comedies of the Sexual Life – Graham Greene – First Edition – 1967 Fine Condition

Sete – Images of Provence – Seven Poems by Count Potocki of Montalk; Five Drawings by Marjorie Jackson- Pownall – Limited Numbered Eccentric Private Press

Billabong Riders – Mary Grant Bruce – 1952

Spanish Love [the Girl and the Matador] – Juanita Savage – 1926

The True-born English-man: A Satyr – Daniel Defoe – 1716

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