20th Century Classics

Captain Caution – Kenneth Roberts – First UK Edition 1949

First UK edition published by Collins, London in 1949.

American historical adventure writer Roberts highly regarded at the time compared, by some, with Dumas and Victor Hugo … high praise indeed.

Octavo, 255 pages with the super period dust jacket. A fine copy the condition surprising considering age and time of printing.

In the main concerning the American War of Independence. Our hero Captain Marvin stocks it up the British but not without a period of imprisonment in the hulks … escapes and takes a prize in true Hornblower fashion. He escapes to France and is victorious in a thrilling naval battle off Madeira.

Captain Caution is not so Cautious.

$25.00

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The Chiffon Scarf – Mignon Eberhart – First Edition 1940.

1940 First Edition published by The Sun Dial Press, New York. Octavo, 301 pages, some dust jacket chips otherwise a really good copy of a hard to come by period mystery.

More murders than Midsummer. A triangular love affair complicates a situation rife with horror! A test flight to check the performance of a new engines leaves two dead. With many a weapons about but what about “The Chiffon Scarf”?

Nebraska born Mignon Eberhardt (1899-1996) was probably America’s most successful female mystery writer during her lifetime and she wrote from the 1920’s into the 1980’s. Winner of many awards her novels compared with Agatha Christie in terms pf plot, characterisation and dramatic effect …

1940 First Edition – Sensational Mystery

$50.00

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Kangaroo – Sylvie Selig – Jonathan Cape 1980

Possibly our favourite kangaroo book.

Picture book published by Jonathan Cape in 1980. Landscape 44 pages and an unusual construction in that every second page is a half page which creates a new image against the full pages … an interesting and amusing device. A pretty good copy.

Our little kangaroo has an idyllic home life but is carried away by a bird of prey … not for long he is rescued and looked after and soon recovered to his grateful family. Every page a vibrant image. Not said but clearly based in the more tropical parts of Australia.

Sylvie Selig was born in 1941 in France … her art cover a broad range of styles and her premium work is highly collectable … at the core is her vibrant imagination subtly bordering ion the surreal.

Collectable kangaroo with striking colourful illustrations.

$25.00

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The Nature of Crime – Joseph Conrad and Ford Madox Hueffer (Ford) – First Edition 1924

An unusual novel the third and final collaboration between Joseph Conrad and Ford Madox Ford. Originally written in 1909 but only published until June 1924 … Conrad was to die in August that year.

Published by Duckworth, London. Octavo, 119 pages, a short, pointed story. Preface by Conrad, one of the last things he penned. And, another Preface by Ford Madox Ford. Both particularly interesting writing about the effects of their collaboration [Conrad didn’t like Madox Ford’s choice of verbs]. A particularly good copy in a rather fine dust jacket.

Described by Conrad as a “Fragment” … it is a short read … we agree with Conrad’s conclusion that it is well honed and written to be read out loud for dramatic effect. They did this to each other in its crafting.

The unnamed protagonist tells his story through a series of letters to a love interest. The protagonist, a lawyer, has committed a crime, the embezzlement of trust funds over and extended period. He becomes more inwardly affected as time goes by … the letters become more frequent, and his deteriorating moral stance leads him downwards. Likely echoes difficult periods in Conrad’s early life and makes for a powerful intense drama.

An unusual novel from the Conrad / Madox Ford co-operative … when alone read out loud!

$40.00

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The Book and The Brotherhood – Iris Murdoch – First US Edition 1987

A first US edition of Iris Murdoch’s substantial and powerful novel published by Viking, New York in 1987.

Large octavo, 607 pages, printed on heavy stock paper, Complete dust jacket, with some sunning, very clean inside. A heavy book, would require an Overseas supplement. Very good condition.

A suspense novel with a romantic element, characters develop to a depth rarely achieved. Violence, passion, hatred, a duel and even murder have their place.

Iris Murdoch at the top of her game with The Brotherhood.

$25.00

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Without Malice – Bruce Graeme – First Edition 1946.

A seriously spooky crime story from Bruce Graeme … pen name for Graham Montague Jeffries (1900-1982) a much loved and much published crime author. Published his first work in 1926 and his last in 1980 two years before his death.

Published by Hutchinson, London in October 1946. Octavo, 164 pages so along the lines of an “entertainment” than a full blown novel. Dust Jacket art superb. Very good condition.

The main character Detective Sergeant Marsh has a rather unusual murder to solve and the murderer could not be more unusual.

Without Malice – well maybe!

$50.00

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Captain Caution – Kenneth Roberts – First UK Edition 1949

The Chiffon Scarf – Mignon Eberhart – First Edition 1940.

Kangaroo – Sylvie Selig – Jonathan Cape 1980

The Nature of Crime – Joseph Conrad and Ford Madox Hueffer (Ford) – First Edition 1924

The Book and The Brotherhood – Iris Murdoch – First US Edition 1987

Without Malice – Bruce Graeme – First Edition 1946.

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