First Edition or First of Type

War and Peace – The book of the picture story of Leo Tolstoy’s great novel.

Published by Frederick Fell. New York in 1956. Large octavo 120 pages after preliminaries. Very good condition with near full dust jacket just some signs of ageing particularly the back of the dust jacket. Internally fresh and clean. Over 120 images from the screen and how good are they.

Adapted from the novel and the motion picture by Bernard Geis and he did a good job given the size of the Tolstoy volume and the length and complexity of the film. A relevant forward by Professor Atwood Townsend, New York University. The cast as famous as the book with the gorgeous Audrey Hepburn as Natasha and Henry Fonda as Pierre Bezukhov and then we have John Mills, Herbert Lom (a very Napoleon Napoleon) and Anita Ekberg as Helene.

A special book for fans of Tolstoy, War and Peace, Fonda and Hepburn and the cinema

$40.00

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The Complete Works of Francois Villon – Translated by J.U. Nicolson – Illustrated by Alexander King – Fine First Editions 1928

Superior two volume set published by Covici, New York in May 1928 part of limited set of 960 this copy numbered 427 signed by the translator J.U. Nicolson. Typography by C. McMurtie.

Royal Octavo 809 pages all up after preliminaries. A near fine set rich red cloth covered boards with gilt title to spine and front unmarked, fully protected by complete heavy black dust jackets with a slight edge crease and a small closed tear. Top edge rich gilt very clean internally pages bright as new. Dust jackets nearly always missing with this set. Lovely full page sepia-tone illustrations as frontispiece and throughout the volumes. A heavy set near 3 kgs so may require some extra postage dependent on your location.

The volumes are set out side by side original French and English translation. Villon (1431 to c1463) by far the best-known French poet of the late Middle Ages, a renowned and shady character whose verses chronicle his escapades. He was born in Paris and disappeared from “historical” view in 1463. He had multiple encounters with the law. His real name may have been Francois de Montcorbier or Francois des Loges. Whatever, his nom de plume “Villon”’ appears everywhere in his writing. His work suggests he was born into poverty and raised by a foster father (from whom he adopted the name Villon). He was bright and received qualifications from the University of Paris at an early age. His first real skirmish with the law came in 1455 when he “accidentally” killed a man during a scuffle. He was banished and then pardoned when evidence was produced that the dead party had forgiven him before the lights went out. Shortly afterwards he was involved in a serious robbery and after various complexities was banished and wandered the country supposedly as part of a gang of thieves. In 1461, he spent the “summer” in the Bishop’s prison at Meung-sur-Loire and dodgey things went on from there.

All of this makes for interesting poetic accounts of life as Villon experienced it. Le Testament written in 1461 is regarded as his greatest work, His work is sprinkled with mystery and hidden jokes and include much slang from the underworld he inhabited. His texts include the real names of many influential people of the time … the rich, royal officials, lawyers, police and prostitutes. The most quoted refrain “Mais ou sont les neiges d’antan?” (Where are the snows of yester-year?) comes from the Ballade des dames du temps jadis and has been quoted from Rossetti to the hit TV program Downton Abbey. We cannot write about Villon’s influence in Film, Theatre, Poetry etc. as we would be here all year!

All of Villon in French and English in Fine Presentation.

$180.00

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A Burnt-Out Case – Graham Greene – First Edition 1961

Published by Heinemann, London 1961 First Edition in the English Language. A very good copy with a closed to the dust jacket fore-edge but the brightest jacket we have seen.

Greene at his most powerful – character put to the ultimate test in the African Congo.

Classic Greene First Edition

$50.00

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Night of the Big Heat – John Lymington – First Edition 1960

Published by Dutton, New York in 1960.

Missing its front end paper and tape marks to the boards but this is a first edition of this great Sci-Fi classic. The dust jacket is very good indeed no chips or creases.

Tension, drama and seriously scary …. this is THE NIGHT OF THE BIG HEAT!

Read it with the heating turned up full … but with a cool beer

$50.00

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Jack O’Lantern – George Goodchild – First Edition 1930 – Gene Designed Dust Jacket

Published by The Mystery League in very good condition albeit the dust jacket chipped at the corners and spine ends … but just look at it!

1930 First edition … Jack O’Lantern the cleverest of criminals ever to pit his wits against the machinery for man-finding! Superb entertainment and the “Gene” Art Deco dust jacket a Voyager favourite.

Could anyone beat Jack O’Lantern?

$60.00

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The Saints the Devil and the King – M.L. Mabie – 1930 First Edition

Published by Boobs Merrill & Co, Indianapolis a first edition 1930. A very good copy in a pretty good dust jacket a couple of chips to the corners and the spine ends but still displaying its 1930′s lovliness.

Interesting novel based on the life of Louis IX and all those around him. Unusually structured book which once immersed makes it all the more delightful. Jacket art by Horvath.

Rare 1930’s Historical First

$50.00

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War and Peace – The book of the picture story of Leo Tolstoy’s great novel.

The Complete Works of Francois Villon – Translated by J.U. Nicolson – Illustrated by Alexander King – Fine First Editions 1928

A Burnt-Out Case – Graham Greene – First Edition 1961

Night of the Big Heat – John Lymington – First Edition 1960

Jack O’Lantern – George Goodchild – First Edition 1930 – Gene Designed Dust Jacket

The Saints the Devil and the King – M.L. Mabie – 1930 First Edition

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