Clearwater Books

CONRAD AIKEN. The Soldier. A poem. Editions Poetry London 1946. First UK Edition (originally published in the US two years previously), this copy inscribed by the author on the front endpaper and dated the year of publication. 40pp. Russet boards lettered in gold at spine. Endpapers a little spotted and printed on slightly sub-standard war-time paper-stock, yet still a very crisp and bright copy in tanned dust wrapper, a little chafed at extremities and with a single short closed tear and a minor accompanying crease. £50

JULAIN BARNES. Talking it Over. Jonathan Cape, London 1991. First Edition, first printing – this copy signed by the author on the title page. 273pp. Beige cloth lettered in gold at spine. In virtually fine state, marred only by a hint of spotting to top edge and a tiny stain to fore-edge. In near fine dust wrapper, lightly tanned at spine panel. Barnes’ sixth novel, a superb love triangle tale, told from three different perspectives. Followed by a sequel, Love, etc, nine years later. £20

JULIAN BARNES. The Porcupine. Jonathan Cape, London 1992. First UK Edition, first printing (oddly enough, first issued earlier the same year in Bulgaria under the title Bodlivo Svinche).  This copy signed by the author on the title-page. 138pp. Maroon boards lettered in gold at spine. In fine state with fine dust wrapper. Barnes’ seventh novel. £20

NATALIE CLIFFORD BARNEY. Selected Writings. Edited and with an introduction by Miron Grindea. Adam Books 1963. First Edition – limited to just 100 numbered copies signed by Barney. 162pp. With a portrait frontispiece of the author by Romaine Brooks, a fold-out reproduction of Le Salon de l’Amazone, a hand-drawn ‘map’ of Barney’s celebrated Parisian salon which was first printed in her 1929 Aventures de l’esprit, plus numerous other facsimiles and photographs. A hint of water staining to one corner of rear board, rear pastedown and endpaper, with a hint of wear to head and base of spine and a little occasional spotting to several preliminary leaves. Former owner name and date quite boldly inked to front endpaper. A very bright copy of an extremely scarce volume, in lightly marked and chafed dust wrapper. A series of short essays and poems by various contributors, including Richard Aldington, Jean Cassou, Thornton Wilder, Paul Morand, Samuel Putnam, George Antheil and others, plus selections from Barney’s own works. £400

JOHN BETJEMAN. A Pictorial History of English Architecture. John Murray, London 1972. Signed Limited Edition, number 90 of 100 numbered and signed copies. 112pp. Quarto. Buckram-backed marbled paper boards. Decorated endpapers. Top edge gilt. Numerous photographs, mainly in colour, some full-page, by various photographers including Margaret Harker, Edwin Smith, A.F.Kersting, Michael Holford, et al. A fine copy in original unprinted tissue wrapper with a couple of tears at spine panel. In original decorated slipcase.  £350

JOHN BETJEMAN. A Nip in the Air. John Murray, London 1974. Signed Limited Edition, number 112 of 175 copies on hand-made paper, signed by Betjeman. 62pp. Yellow buckram with gilt lettering to spine. Decorated endpapers. A fine copy in original protective acetate wrap with two tiny tears.  £275

RONALD BLYTHE. A Treasonable Growth. Macgibbon & Kee 1960. First Edition – this copy inscribed by the author. 286pp. Boards lightly marked, and bumped at tips of two corners. Top edge dust marked and endpapers very lightly browned. A very good, bright copy in marked, dusty and chipped dust wrapper with a single indeterminate yet small stain to front panel. Blythe’s first novel, really quite scarce. £75

MALCOLM BRADBURY.  What is a Novel?  Edward Arnold Publishers Ltd, ‘Arnolds General Studies’ series, 1969.  First Edition – this copy signed by the author. 72pp.  Card wrappers, lightly rubbed at some extremities.  A very good copy.  An interesting study, written when Bradbury was teaching at the University of Birmingham. £25

JOHN BUCHAN. Midwinter. George H.Doran, New York 1923. First US Edition – this copy inscribed by the author on the front endpaper and dated September 1923. 333pp. Cloth, quite marked, faded, stained and tanned. Binding a little tender and front hinge partially cracked. Some spotting to preliminary leaves. Former owner name. No dust wrapper. Not the nicest copy, but scarce with inscription. £50

PETER CAREY. Oscar and Lucinda. Faber, London 1988. First English Edition, first printing – this copy inscribed by the author on the title page. 512pp. Blue boards lettered and ruled in white at spine. A hint of spotting to top and fore-edge else in virtually fine state with only a tiny indication of the usual page tanning which affects this production. In very lightly spotted else very good dust wrapper. Carey’s third novel and his first Booker Prize winner. £75

SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE. Anima Poetǽ. From the Unpublished Note-books of Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Edited by Ernest Hartley Coleridge. Heinemann 1895. First Edition, this copy inscribed by the editor (Coleridge’s grandson) and from the library of Havelock Ellis, with his inked name. 332pp + iv publisher’s catalogue. Professionally re-backed retaining the original cloth, which is quite tanned at spine. Top edge gilt, others untrimmed. Cloth rubbed at tips of corners and a little tanned and marked. Preliminary leaves a little foxed. A good, bright copy. £175

CYRIL CONNOLLY. The Evening Colonnade. David Bruce & Watson, London 1973. First Edition, first printing – this copy signed by the author on the front endpaper. 519pp. Blue boards lettered in gold at spine. A hint of discolouration to extreme edges of boards and a tiny stain to edge of rear endpaper. In virtually fine state with fine double-spread Cecil Beaton dust wrapper. Neat former owner name and blind stamp to title page. Over 100 essays by Connolly, the majority collected from his Sunday Times column, with subjects including Oscar Wilde, Henry James, Marcel Proust, T.S.Eliot, Richard Aldington, Ernest Hemingway, F.Scott Fitzgerald, Jean Cocteau, Louis MacNeice, W.H.Auden, George Orwell, Norman Mailer and the Spanish Civil War. £50

RHYS DAVIES. A Pig in a Poke. Stories. Joiner & Steele, London 1931. First Edition – the deluxe signed and numbered issue, limited to just 70 copies (50 for the UK market and 20 for the US). 280pp + iii publisher’s advertisements. White buckram, lettered in gold at spine and with facsimile signature to upper board. Top edge gilt, others untrimmed. Buckram a little dust marked and handled, sunned at spine panel and lifting in one or two places. Some fox spotting to bottom edge, endpapers and a number of preliminary and final leaves. No dust wrapper, as issued, but missing the unprinted acetate protector. Fifteen stories – one of Davies’ earliest collections. The title story was originally printed in the April 1929 issue of the periodical London Aphrodite. £75

LOUIS DE BERNIERES. Labels.  With vignette engravings and cover-design by Christopher Wormell.   One Horse Press. London 1997. The second edition, newly illustrated, this copy signed by the author. Small 8vo. 34pp. Card wrappers, triflingly chafed in one place, yet in crisp state. (The 1993 first edition was limited to 2000 signed copies).  £35

LOUIS DE BERNIERES. Birds Without Wings. Secker & Warburg, London 2004. The deluxe issue of the first edition, limited to 1000 signed and numbered copies. 624pp. Red cloth, lettered in gold at spine. Colour map-illustrated endpapers. In fine state with slipcase. £40

GORDON DAVIOT. [John Gielgud]. Richard of Bordeaux. A play in three acts. Victor Gollancz, London 1933. Second impression (issued one month after the first). Card wrappers with French flaps, somewhat tanned, handled and dust marked and with a short tear and several light resulting creases to lower front panel. Very bright internally. This copy signed on the half-title by seven members of the original 1932 New Theatre cast including John Gielgud, Gwen Ffrançon-Davies, Richard Ainley, Margaret Webster, Walter Hudd, Clement Mccallin and Alfred Harris. Neat former owner gift inscription and date inked to front endpaper (with a little off-setting to front flap). £50

Gordon Daviot is the pseudonym of Scottish mystery writer Elizabeth Mackintosh. Mackintosh wrote the play especially for John Gielgud (also the dedicatee) who directed it himself at the New Theatre. It ran in the West End for over a year catapulting Geilgud to superstar status.

MICHAEL DIBDIN. And Then You Die. An Inspector Zen novel. Faber, London 2002. First edition, first impression – this copy inscribed by the author. 174pp. Black boards lettered in silver at spine. In fine state with fine dust wrapper. The eighth Aurelio Zen book. £35

NORMAN DOUGLAS.  Looking Back. An Autobiographical Excursion.  Chatto & Windus, London 1933.  The deluxe issue of the first edition, limited to 500 signed copies, complete in two volumes. Buckram-backed patterned boards. Some browning and fox-spotting (mostly confined to preliminary leaves). A virtually fine set in dust-marked, tanned and slightly nicked jackets.  £140

RODDY DOYLE. Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha. Secker & Warburg, London 1993. First Edition, first impression of Doyle’s Booker Prize winning novel – this copy signed by the author on the title page. 282pp. Black boards lettered in gold at spine. Boards very lightly rubbed at extremities. Slight scuff to front endpaper where a former owner name has been partially erased. Paper stock a little tanned at margins as is often the case.  A very good copy in dust wrapper, lightly rubbed at head and base of spine panel. Doyle’s fourth book. £50

LAWRENCE DURRELL.  The Alexandria Quartet.  Faber & Faber Limited, London 1962.  The first single-volume edition limited to 500 numbered and signed copies.  A short preface by Durrell details a few  minor textual alterations.  884pp. Orange buckram with gilt lettering and rule to spine and black motif to upper board.  Top edge gilt. Spine sunned and boards very lightly marked in one or two places.  Fore edge foxed with some additional unsightly foxing encroaching upon the margins of some preliminary and final leaves.  Faint ghost of former owner pencil marks to front endpaper.  A nice copy, albeit a little marred by the spotting.  Missing the original glassine wrapper and slipcase.  £650

BRET EASTON ELLIS. The Informers. Picodor, London 1994. First UK Edition – this copy signed by the author on the title page and dated the year of publication. 225pp. Blue boards lettered in silver at spine. In fine state with fine dust wrapper. A collection of seemingly-linked short stories, Ellis’ fourth book. £35

JAMES ELLROY. My Dark Places. An L.A. Crime Memoir. Century, London 1996. First trade edition, first impression – this copy signed by the author on the title page using his initials only. 353pp. Blue boards lettered in gold at spine. In fine state with dust wrapper, just fractionally lifting at top edge. This trade edition preceded the American trade edition but was itself preceded by a signed limited issue of eighty-five copies published by the Scorpion Press. £15

An autobiographical account of his mother’s unsolved murder and his own efforts to investigate the case by the celebrated US crime writer

SEBASTIAN FAULKS.  A Fool's Alphabet.  Hutchinson, London 1992.  First Edition of Faulks third novel, this copy signed by the author on the title-page.  274pp.  Light brown cloth, gilt lettered at spine.  Tips of several corners and head and foot of spine lightly knocked.  Small superficial stain to fore edge of front endpaper.  A very good copy in dust wrapper, lightly chaffed at some extremities else in super state.  £75

JOHN FOWLES. The Ebony Tower. Jonathan Cape, London 1974. First Edition, first printing – this copy signed by the author on the title page. 300pp. Black boards lettered and ruled in gold at spine. A tiny hint of speckling to top edge and three or four minor spots to front and read endpapers. Near fine in price-clipped dust wrapper, lightly rubbed at extremities. Fowles’ seventh book, a collection of five novellas including the title story (marvellously adapted for television in 1984 and starring Laurence Olivier as the reclusive irascible painter), Eliduc, Poor Koko, The Enigma and The Cloud. £175

JOHN GALSWORTHY.  A Commentary. Sketches.  Richards Press, London 1930.  The deluxe issue of this new edition, limited to 275 signed copies. Maroon buckram, slightly mottled. Gilt letter at spine. 141pp. Endpapers lightly browned. A very crisp copy in slightly nicked and marked dust wrapper.  £35

DAVID GASCOYNE. For David Gascoyne on his Sixty-fifth Birthday. Enitharmon Press, London 1981. First edition, limited to 350 copies, this copy signed by David Gascoyne early in 1982. Card wrappers, a little marked and spotted in places. Poems and prose contributed by Lawrence Durrell, Richard Burns, John Heath-Stubbs, Kathleen Raine, Michael Hamburger, Frances Horovitz and others. £25

ROBERT GRAVES. The Shout. A story.  Elkin Mathews & Marrot, "Woburn Books" series, London 1929. First edition, limited to 530 signed copies. Patterned boards, very slightly bumped at tips of two corners. A near fine copy in chipped dust wrapper.  £85

ROBERT GRAVES, Richard Perceval Graves. Robert Graves. The Assault Heroic 1895-1926. With illustrations. Viking, New York 1987. The first American edition, this copy inscribed by the author, Richard Perceval Graves. A near fine copy in dust wrapper. Fibre-pen mark to bottom edges. £20

GRAHAM GREENE.  The Man Within.  Heinemann, 1929.  First Edition.  354pp.  Black cloth, gilt lettered at spine.  An extremely rare signed copy of Greene’s first book.  Cloth lightly blemished in one or two places. Top edge dust marked.  Slight ridge to spine and a hint of spotting to preliminary leaves and some page margins. Faint ghost of former owner pencilled gift inscription to front endpaper. A very good copy in scarce dust wrapper, tanned at spine panel and with a little wear to top edge. A single internally repaired tear where rear panel meets spine and a little resulting creasing.  Signed by Greene in blue ink on the title page. Very scarce indeed.  £4,500

W.H.HUDSON, Eric Fitch Daglish. Far Away and Long Ago. A History of my Early Life. With wood engravings by Eric Fitch Daglish, and with an introduction by R.B.Cunninghame Graham. Dent 1931. Printed at the Temple Press, Letchworth. Limited Edition, 1 of only 110 hand-numbered copies (100 of which were for sale). 337pp. Full vellum with gilt lettering to spine and a gilt owl illustration to upper board. Top edge gilt, others untrimmed. With a frontispiece and 11 full-page wood engravings and numerous additional illustrations in the text.  Plus an additional tipped-in wood engraving signed by Daglish. Vellum quite marked and boards just beginning to bow as is customary with this material. Minor crease to head of spine. The lightest smattering of foxing to front and rear endpapers, else a fine copy internally. A magnificent and very scarce volume. £375

T.E.LAWRENCE. T.E.Lawrence to his Biographer Robert Graves [and] Liddell Hart. Information about himself, in the form of letters, notes, answers to questions and conversations. Edited with notes and critical commentaries by Robert Graves and B.H.Liddell Hart. Faber 1938. First Edition, presented in two volumes and limited to 1000 numbered and signed copies (by Graves and Hart respectively), these two being #382 (500 of this print run was for distribution in the UK. 187pp & 233pp. Full buckram, lettered and ruled in gold at spines and upper boards. Top edges gilt, others untrimmed. Each volume with a different portrait frontispiece. A little light browning to the recto of each colophon page and spines just a fraction sunned as is common, else both volumes in fine state, missing the unprinted acetate protectors but with the original cloth covered slipcase, just a little marked and fingered. £500

LAURIE LEE. I Can’t Stay Long. Andre Deutsch, London 1975. First Edition – this copy inscribed twice by the author, mischievously, to two different recipients, both in the year of publication. 232pp. Olive cloth, lettered and decorated in gold at spine. With a portrait frontispiece of the author and handsome chapter page decorations by Susan Campbell. The first inscription is to the front free endpaper and reads: “Dr. John Sutherland Esq, Received with thanks the market price £3.25 Laurie Lee 75”. The second inscription is to the title page and reads “For Jane with love and dazzlement Laurie Oct 75”. Tiny bump to the tip of two corners, else in virtually fine state with dust wrapper, a little chafed at top edge with several little nicks. A collection of twenty-three short pieces, mostly travel, some hitherto unpublished outside the US. A lovely collector’s piece. £175

JOHN LEHMANNN. The Age of the Dragon. Poems 1930-1951. Harcourt Brace, New York 1952. The first American edition. 137pp. Blue cloth, silver letter and ruled at spine. Covers just a little spotted in places. A bright copy in slightly tanned and rubbed dust wrapper. This copy inscribed "for Alan Smith with all good wishes from John Lehmann 1976". £70

IAN MCEWAN. Black Dogs. Jonathan Cape, London 1992. First Edition, possibly a later state (this copy has white endpapers but we understand there is an issue with red endpapers which might have precedence). This copy signed by the author on the title page. 174pp. Black boards lettered in gold at spine. A miniscule touch of spotting to top- and fore-edge, else in fine state with fine dust wrapper. McEwan’s fifth novel. £50

IAN MCEWAN. The Innocent. Jonathan Cape, London 1990. First Edition, first impression – this copy inscribed by the author on the title page. 231pp. Blue boards lettered in silver at spine. In fine state with fine dust wrapper. £30

LOUIS MACNEICE. Holes in the Sky. Poems 1944-1947. Random House, New York 1949. First US edition – this copy inscribed by the author on the front endpaper: “For Esme / Xmas ’49 / from Louis” with a pen sorely lacking in ink and with a subsequent inked gift inscription from the original recipient. 61pp. Decorated paper-covered cloth. Just a hint of discolouration to board extremities, else a very good copy in dust wrapper, tanned at spine panel with a number of nicks, tears and resulting creases and some loss to head and base of spine panel. Thirty-three poems, NacNeice’s tenth solo collection and the third to be published in the US by Random House. £200

HUGO MANNING. Woman at the Window. A poem. Illustrated with cuts by Paul Peter Piech. Taurus Press, Bushey Heath 1974. First edition, limited to 125 copies, signed by both the author and the artist. 4to. Stiff card covers. Small hole to one edge of spine, else a crisp copy. £15

YANN MARTEL. Life of Pi. Canongate, London 2002. Later impression of the first UK edition – this copy inscribed by the author and dated one month after he was awarded The Booker Prize. 319pp. Navy blue boards lettered in silver at spine. Pictorial endpapers. In fine state with virtually fine dust wrapper, just fractionally rubbed at head of spine panel. £50

Life of Pi was initially rejected by five London publishers before eventually being issued by Knopf Canada in September 2001. The following year the UK edition was awarded the Man Booker Prize.

JOHN MASEFIELD. The Trial of Jesus. A play. Heinemann, London 1925. The deluxe issue of the first edition, limited to 530 signed and numbered copies. 101pp. Quarter-bound paper-covered vellum, lettered in gilt at spine. Top edge gilt, others untrimmed. Endpapers lightly spotted and half-title browned. A very good copy, bright copy in dust wrapper, a little marked in places and tanned at spine panel. Masefield’s play was first performed at the Music Rooms, Boars Hill on 9^th May 1925, starring his daughter. £50

ROHINTON MISTRY. Family Matters. Faber, London 2002. First Edition - this copy inscribed by the author. 486pp. Faint ghost of former dealer pricing to front endpaper, else in fine state with like dust wrapper. The author’s third novel, short-listed for the Booker Prize. £25

BRIAN MOORE. Black Robe. Jonathan Cape, London 1985. First Edition, first printing – this copy inscribed by the author on the title page. 246pp. Black boards lettered in gold at spine. A tiny hint of spotting to top- and fore-edge, else in fine state with fine dust wrapper. Adapted for cinema in 1991 and winning the genie Award for the Best Canadian Film. £30

JOHN MORTIMER. Rumpole on Trial. Viking, London 1992. First Edition, first impression – this copy signed by the author on the title page. 243pp. Black boards lettered in gold at spine. Minor bump to the tips of two corners. Top- and fore-edge lightly speckled. Faint ghost of former dealer pricing to tip of front endpaper, else an extremely crisp and bright copy in price-clipped dust wrapper, fractionally rubbed at one or two extremities. Seven Rumpole stories, Mortimer’s ninth collection featuring his loveable Old Bailey hack. £35

JOHN MORTIMER. Rumpole and the Angel of Death. Viking, London 1995. First Editon, first impression – this copy inscribed by the author on the title page. 260pp. Black boards lettered in silver at spine. Base of upper board lightly marked with a single tiny blemished to front endpaper. Virtually fine in dust wrapper, a little rubbed at extremities and with two short closed tears. Six Rumpole stories, Mortimer’s tenth collection featuring his loveable Old Bailey hack. £35

R.H.MOTTRAM. The Spanish Farm Trilogy 1914-1918. With a preface by John Galsworthy. Chatto & Windus, London 1928. Third impression of the combined edition of Mottram’s celebrated Great War trilogy – this copy with the following note from the author inked to the front endpaper: “Signed by the author Ralph H.Mottram 12 Mar 1929”. 799pp + iv publisher’s advertisements. Cloth faded at spine and a little rubbed and nicked at head and base. Binding partially cracked at title page and a little tender, and with lengthy yet not too troubling creases to the first dozen of so leaves. Quite a good, bright copy but lacking the dust wrapper. £35

SARA PARETSKY. Indemnity Only. Victor Gollancz, London 1982. First UK Edition– this copy signed by the author on the title page. 244pp. Minor slant to binding. An exceptionally crisp and bright copy in fine price-clipped dust wrapper. Paretsky’s debut novel, introducing her celebrated private eye V.I.Warshawski. £125

T.F.POWYS. Fables. Stories. With four drawings by Gilbert Spencer. Chatto & Windus, London 1929. First edition, deluxe issue of 750 signed copies. Tall 8vo. Buckram covers, just a little marked in places and with trifling chafing to leather spine-label. A very nice copy. £50

RUTH RENDELL. Shake Hands for Ever. An Inspector Wexford mystery. Hutchinson, London 1975. First Edition – this copy warmly inscribed by the author on the title-page and dated the month of publication. 215pp. Black linson, lettered in gold at spine. Top edge very lightly marked and binding a fraction cocked. Rubbed at head and base of spine. Ghost of former owner pricing to front endpaper. A good, bright copy in dust wrapper, rubbed and with a fraction of loss to base of spine panel, accompanied by evidence of slight water damage. The ninth Wexford novel. £225

ADRIENNE RICH. What is Found There. Notebooks on Poetry and Politics. Norton, New York 1993. First edition. 304pp. This copy inscribed by the author. In fine state with fine dust wrapper. £30

THEO RICHMOND. Konin. A Quest. Jonathan Cape, London 1995. First Edition – this copy signed by the author on the title page. 520pp. Brown cloth lettered in gold at spine. Illustrated with forty-two photographs. Map-illustrated endpapers. Tiny crease to the edge of a single leave, else in fine state with virtually fine dust wrapper, just fractionally rubbed at head of spine panel and tip of a single corner. £15

Richmond’s memorable search for the lost community of Konin, a small town in Poland, swept aside by the German advance in 1939. “One reads [it] sometimes with a smile...always on the edge of tears--as if it were the most gripping adventure story.” - Elie Wiesel.

KEITH ROBERTS. Kiteworld. Victor Gollancz, London 1985. First Edition - this copy inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper: “For Monique with much love Keith Roberts August 1985". 288pp. Blue cloth, gilt lettered at spine. Fractionally rubbed at head and foot of spine panel, yet a fine copy in like dust wrapper. Inscribed Roberts volumes are quite scarce as he was known for being an extremely difficult and cantankerous writer.  £50

DAVID STOREY. Storey’s Lives. Poems 1951-1991. Jonathan Cape, London 1992. First Edition, first printing – this copy warmly inscribed by the author to Andrew Speed, stage manager of the National Theatre who was heavily involved with the initial production of Storey’s play Stages at the Cottesloe Theatre in 1992; and additionally inscribed by the play’s director Lindsay Anderson. 279pp. Blue boards lettered in gold at spine. In fine state with virtually fine price-clipped dust wrapper with just a tiny hint of rubbing to top edge. One hundred and fifty-four poems. A super association copy. £95

GRAHAM SWIFT. Waterland. Heinemann, London 1983. Reprint in the same year as original publication – this copy inscribed by the author on the title page to Andrew [Speed], Stage Manager of the National Theatre. 309pp. Black boards lettered in gold at spine. Tiny stain to fore edge, else in fine state with price-clipped dust wrapper, flaps lightly spotted else in superb state. Laid-in is a folded flyer promoting Swift’s Q&A session at the National Theatre in March 1997. Swift’s third novel – and surely still his finest - short-listed for the Booker Prize and winner of the 1983 Guardian Fiction Prize. £50

DONNA TARTT. The Little Friend. Bloomsbury, London 2002. Deluxe issue of the first English edition, limited to 350 signed copies. 555pp. Quarter-bound. In fine state with cloth-covered slipcase. The author’s second book. £85

PAUL THEROUX. Waldo. A novel. The Bodley Head, London 1968. First UK Edition, first printing of Theroux’s debut novel – this copy signed by the author on the title page. 208pp. Purple cloth lettered in gold at spine. A tiny smattering of foxing to top edge and a single tiny blemish to front endpaper. Near fine in Yvonne Skargon-designed dust wrapper, fractionally marked and with a single lengthy closed tear to front panel. £250

PAUL THEROUX. Sailing through China. With illustrations by Patrick Procktor. Michael Russell, Wiltshire 1983. First Trade Edition following a limited issue of 150 numbered and signed copies.  This copy signed by the author on the title page. Small 8vo. 64pp. Blue cloth lettered in gold at spine. With a frontispiece and twelve handsome drawings by Procktor. Several numerals neatly inked to front endpaper, else in fine state with fractionally tanned dust wrapper. An account of Theroux’s journey down the Yangtze with a party of American millionaires (much to the surprise of the Chinese). £30

PAUL THEROUX. O-Zone. A novel. Hamish Hamilton, London 1986. . First Edition – this copy signed by the author on the title page. 468pp. Paper stock lightly tanned as is often the case, else in fine state with fine price-clipped dust £20

D.M.THOMAS [Wendy Perriam]. Ararat. Gollancz, London 1983. First Edition – this copy lengthily yet indecipherably inscribed by the author to fellow author Wendy Perriam. 191pp. Black boards, lettered in gold at spine. In fine state with dust wrapper, fractionally rubbed at head of spine panel. £20

IRIS TREE. John Betjeman. The Marsh Picnic. A poem. With an introduction by John Betjeman. Rampant Lions Press, Cambridge 1966. First edition, designed and printed by Will Carter and limited to just 300 copies. A presentation copy from the author, inscribed thus: "Jan 1967. For Dick Lyons from Iris Tree of the early wood days". 19pp. 4to. Title label to upper board. Boards fractionally sunned and rubbed at head of spine panel. A very bright copy. £150

E.H.VIKIAK. Flints and Flashes. With an introduction by A L Lilley. Elkin Mathews, London 1911. First Edition. Card wrappers. 12mo. 43pp. This copy inscribed on the half-title by the author. A bright copy with a small light crease to both front and rear wrapper. Just a hint of foxing to half-title. There is a miscellaneous red stain along the edges of the front and rear wrappers which affects a number of page edges, and just a little of the text on three or four pages. £70

KEITH WATERHOUSE. Office Life. A novel. Michael Joseph, London 1978. First edition, first printing – this copy signed by the author on the front endpaper. 235pp. Grey boards lettered in black at spine. Some spotting to top edge and a hint more to extremities of endpapers. Tiny dealer plate to front pastedown. A very good copy in like dust wrapper, fractionally marked at rear panel, lightly chafed at head of spine and with a little internal spotting. The author’s fifth novel. £45

KEITH WATERHOUSE. Thinks. A novel. Michael Joseph, London 1984. First edition, first printing – this copy signed by the author on the front endpaper. 187pp. Black boards lettered in silver at spine. Top edge lightly spotted with a little additional spotting to endpaper margins. Some tanning to paper stock. A very good copy in like dust wrapper with just a hint of spotting to wrapper flaps. £35

IRVINE WELSH.  Filth.  Jonathan Cape, London 1998.  First Edition.  392pp.  The casebound issue, black cloth with silver lettering to spine.  This copy signed by the author on the title page.  A virtually fine copy in dust wrapper, just fractionally rubbed at head and foot of spine panel.  £60

MALACHI WHITAKER. No Luggage? Stories. Cape, London 1930. First Edition. This copy inscribed by the author “To H.E & M.Bates, with love Malachi Whitaker.” 256pp. A slightly dusty copy, with a little foxing to top- and fore-edge and some preliminary leaves. In good dust wrapper, with just a little loss to head and foot of spine panel and tip of a single corner. Spine label quite sunned. The author’s second book, this copy from the library of H.E.Bates. £85

Malachi Whitaker is the pseudonym of Marjorie Olive Taylor, a Bradford-born short story writer who gained the accolade of ‘The Bradford Chekhov’ in the 1920s and 1930s. First recognized by John Middleton Murry who printed a number of her stories in The Adelphi, she numbered among her friends and literary acquaintances Bates, Arnold Bennett and John Galsworthy

CHARLES WILLEFORD. The Burnt Orange Heresy. A novel. Crown Publishers, New York 1971. First Edition – this copy inscribed by the author and dated the year of publication 190pp. In virtually fine state with slightly sunned dust wrapper, very lightly chipped at head and base of spine panel and with a little superficial creasing to front flap. Former owner name (the recipient of the inscription) neatly inked to front endpaper along with an ownership blind-stamp. £250

The Burnt Orange Heresy is Willeford’s tenth novel – and the first to be issued in casebound format following a string of pulp paperbacks. Willeford was a painter in addition to being a novelist and the plot here (“crossing the art world with the underworld”) provides a clearly much-relished opportunity for him to critique the modern art world. Willeford is most remembered for his sequence of detective thrillers featuring his classically hardboiled detective Hoke Moseley.

JEANETTE WINTERSON. Fit for the Future. The Guide for Women who want to Live Well. Pandora Press, London 1986. First Edition (the card wrapper issue, published simultaneously with a cloth edition). 126pp. Pictorial cards wrappers, with light readership creases. Paper stock very lightly tanned. A good, bright copy of Winterson’s third and probably scarcest book – this copy signed on the title page by the author. Former owner initials discreetly inked to inner front wrapper. £95