Hamburg: Carl Griese (1893). 4to. A very early and quite rare illustrated history of Capri, with 50 b/w photographs of the people and sights, including Villa Allers, the Blue Grotto and the villa of Tiberius. Quite rare, only two institutional copies located. More
Paris: Le Divan (1926). 287pp. An early work by the prolific chronicler of Parisian degenerate life. One of 1,500 numbered copies, with a printed dedication to Pierre Mac Orlan. Near fine in wrappers. More
New York: Antinous Press (2007). 4to. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Beautifully presented collection of color photographs and artwork by the French artist, whose work remains largely unknown. The images are primarily of male nudes, many in outdoor settings, with surrealistic imagery. Introduction by David Deiss. More
NP: [1950]. 139pp. The author's most important and controversial gay novel, originally issued in three separate stages, this is the first edition of the complete text ("version integral") André Gide described his writing as “a bizarre delight” and there is a printed quotation from Gide on the half-title. Considered by many to be among France's greatest underground writers, his works have been widely re-issued in recent years. After years of wandering, Augiéras died in a hospice in 1971 at the age of forty-six. Very good in lightly browned wrappers. Inscribed by the author on front endpaper. Uncommon. More
Leipzig: Verlag von Max Spohr (1900) 184pp. Published originally in French in 1899 (l'Amour Libre), this German edition was published by Max Spohr, publisher of Magnus Hirschfeld and numerous other anarchist and progressive causes. Daudet was a printer, journalist, militant antimilitarist who was imprisoned for his political and social beliefs and the author of numerous texts. More
Buenos Aires: Talleres Graficos Juan Perrotti, (1930), 124pp. First edition of a curious study on the social causes of delinquency in the Argentine capital, with references to prostitution and sexuality. Very good in wrappers, spotting to prelims and foredge. More
Christie's: Monaco (20 June 1998). Soft cover. Impressive collection of furnishings and artwork from this collector's home in Roquebrune. Introduction by his friend Hubert de Givenchy. Very good in wrappers. A. More
Armstrong Press, Notasilga, (1988). Hardcover. One of 125 copies signed by the authors. Numerous examples of printed typography, along with a number of printed ephemeral items laid in at rear. A lovely copy. More
Argentorati: in aedibus Vuendelini Rihelii (1548). [8], 111, [9] fol. Commines was a philosophical historian and has been called the "first truly modern writer" and a major primary source for 15th century European history. His life was a continuing drama of intrigues involving the royal houses of Burgundy and France, ultimately ending in his employ by Charles VIII of France. His series of memoirs have been hailed for their forthright and often cynical understanding of the dramas of his age. This volume, one of the last in the series, recounts the Italian wars. Very good, early paper wrappers, present but detaching, small chip to front wrapper, pages generally very good with some browning. Uncommon. More
London: Ernest Benn (1924). The Rat Trap is a four-act drama by Noël Coward, his 'first really serious attempt at psychological conflict', written when he was only 18. Inscribed by Coward on the front endpaper to Audrey Pleydell-Bouverie, one of the Bright Young Things and doyenne of transatlantic high society (and sister to the Surreast collector Edward James). Very good in blue linen boards, light edge wear, browning to spine label, corner of rear board bumped. More
Oxford: B.H.Blackwells (1917). The first of the Wheels anthologies, devised by the Sitwells to publish works of young poets (including themselves). Included in this preiere issue are works by Nancy Cunard, Osbert Sitwell, Edith Sitwell, Arnold James, Iris Tree, E.W. Tennant, Sacheverell Sitwell, Victor Tait Perowne and Helen Rootham. Warmly inscribed by Cunard to "Otto" in "1929 or so" and additionally in 1943 ("I would like to consign this to limbo, dear otto- so keep it dark."). Good in yellow boards, a bit of wear t covers with some abrasions, several pages roughly opened. More
San Francisco (1987). Recipes, writings, and illustrations of food, finely printed. Produced by a group of San Francisco restaurateurs to raise money for people fighting AIDS. Restaurants include: Campton Place, Chez Panisse, China Moon Cafe, Fleur de Lys, Fog City Diner, Fournou's Ovens, Greens at Fort Mason, Hayes Street Grill, The Mandarin, Pierre at Le Meridien, Rosalie's, Square One, Stars, and Zuni Cafe. Authors include: Marion Cunningham, Diana Kennedy, Gerald Asher, James Beard, M. F. K. Fisher, Richard Olney, Angelo Pellegrini, and Calvin Trillin. Artists include: Elmer Bischoff, Christopher Brown, Squeak Carnwath, Richard Diebenkorn, Robert Hudson, Oliver Jackson, Deborah Oropallo, Irene Pijoan, Wayne Thiebaud, William Wiley. First Edition limited to 500 copies, 32 loose plates (9 x 13). Contributors include Chez Panisse, China Moon Café, Marion Cunningham, Arion Press, David Goines, Peter Koch, M.F.K. Fisher and others. Housed in a maroon portfolio with small closed tears to folds. More
London: de Hartington (1972). Soft cover. The d'Arch Smith Collection of Uranian literature, comprising nearly one hundred books of great rarity. Very good in salmon wrappers, light wear to covers. Uncut proofs. More
Lille: GKC (1994). Soft cover. Reprint of the rare limited edition published in 1937 of these 'idylles d'amour grec en Angleterre." Fine in wrappers. More
London (ND). Important books, manuscripts and paintings, including worsk by Raffalovich, Montague Summers, Denton Welch and many others. Very good in wrapers, one corner bumped. More
Hanuman Books, Madras & New York, 1987. One of the series of small books initiated by Francesco Clemente. Vry good, light edgewear. More
Barcelona: Pons (1867). 310pp. 3rd. ed. A compendium of every conceivable sin relative to sex, written for the use of priests in dealing with their errant flocks. The treatise on church doctrine includes great detail relative to the variations of sexual improprieties, including bestiality, sodomy, pederasty, masturbation (with extensive discussion of the details of this vice). A fair copy in original boards, extensive browning throughout, front hing cracked, signature and stamps on title page. Uncommon. More
Paris: Heugel, [1895]. 4to. Léon Delafosse (1874 – 1951) was a French composer and pianist, generally considered the model for the character of Charles Morel, a violinist portrayed in Marcel Proust's novel In Search of Lost Time. He had been an intimate in the Proust/Montesquiou circle and had his portrait painted by John Singer Sargent in The charming young pianist was nicknamed "the Angel," and was a favorite attraction at the salons of the most elite patrons of music in both Paris and London until he fell out of favor with Proust and his friends. This musical score was created at the height of his success and friendship with Montesquiou, whose poems include "Mauve" and "Baiser" (dedicated to Proust). Good in original decorative wrappers, small closed tears at edges, foxing throughout. This is the dedication copy, warmly inscribed on endpaper by Delafosse to his patron Montesquiou in December of 1894. Bound with Poème des mois, calendrier de Robert de Montesquieu, mis en musique par Raoul Brunel (Paris : A. Leduc, [1905]. The musical scores are dedicated to a number of Montesquiou's society friends, including the Comtesse Greffulhe and the Comtesse Jean de Castellane and others. More
Benvenuto (1727) 112pp. Hardcover. Very good in three quarter leather binding with marbled endpapers. More
Paris Modern-Bibliothèque [1909?] 155p. The first illustrated edition of this novel, which caused a scandal when it appeared. because of its 'indelicate and unpatriotic' novel about military life, it includes one character, Laprévotte, a sodomite, who is cuaght in Le Havre with a group of seven boys. It was prodeeded against for indecency ('outrage aux moeurs'), and the defendants were acquitted in March 1890." - - Patrick Pollard, André Gide: Homosexual Moralist, Yale University Press, 1991). More
Paris: Union Internationale d'Éditions (1909). 155pp. This "roman militaire" is similar to Lucien Descave's portrayal of army life in "Sous-Off" in its descriptions of the seamier aspects of military life. Deverin, an accomplished artist as well as writer, describes in some detail visits to brothels and assorted sexual improprieties. Very good in original decorative wrappers, light wear to covers and spine. The author has illustrated the front endpapers with an original signed drawing depicting a seated soldier. Uncommon. More
Graz: Neugebauer (2016). 277pp. Volume 8 of the Norman Douglas Selected Correspondence series, the correspondence commences in 1928 and ends shortly before Douglas' death in 1952. Fine in red fabric boards, as issued. Photographic frontispiece. More
Napoli: Guida (1988). 4to. An Italian reprint of the author's Summer Islands with a number of color photographic illustrations and notes by several hands. Very good in very god jacket, light edgewear. More
Graz: Neugebauer (2010). 312pp. Volume 3 of the Selected Correspondence of Norman Douglas, which includes nearly 40 years of letters between these longtime friends, covering a wide range of shared interests and acquaintances. Illustrations. Fine in red linen boards. More
NP: ND [1911]. This controversial work of pornography contains a chapter on Baron Jacques d'Adelwärd Fersen, which was originally published by the author in 1904 in a pamphlet entitled Les mémoires du Baron Jacques : Lubricités infernales de la noblesse décadente. The author sets forth a rather bizarre and largely spurious account of Fersen and his sexual indiscretions, including alleged trysts with Oscar Wilde, Jean Lorrain, his own mother and assorted others. The original pamphlet was condemned by the Cour d'Assises in 1913 and this version, significantly revised was issued several years later. (see Ogrinc, Frère Jacques: A Shrine to Love and Sorrow). A quite rare publication, we can find no institutional copies. Very good, with original front wrapper present, which includes an original, rather accomplished erotic drawing, plain brown wrappers. The first section includes 72 pages and six chapters, the second section is identified as "Livre III: Deuzième Volume" and consists of 88 pages and six successively numbered chapters and an Epilogue. Pia 1100, 1101; Perceau 287-C, D (who identifies the date of pubication]. More