Alphabets and Others
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
Featured Items
Maison de Santé
Paris: Éditions Briant-Robert (1926). 4to. One of Cocteau's more interesting books, consisting of thirty-one line drawings composed while he was undergoing de-toxification for his longtime addiction to opium. The drawings are often surreal images depicting himself, sailors and dream images that are among his best work. Despite the limitation of 500 copies, the book is quite uncommon. One of an edition of 150 numbered copies on Hollande, signed by the author on the colophon. A near fine copy in original wrappers laid into a custom slipcase. More
De Carolo octavo, Galliae rege, & bello Neapolitano, commentarii: accessit brevis quaedam explicatio rerum et authoris vita
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
Trente Ans de Chiffons
Paris (1964). 221pp. Soft cover. The autobiography of the famous French fabric designer, with mention of Poiret, Balenciage, Cocteau, and many others. One of an unknown number of special copies in a blue chiffon binding with pink borders, with a warm inscription by the author to the actor Marc Dantzer (an intimate in Cocteau's circle) on the title page. In addition, there is a special page bound into the book identifying the recipient. Very good in custom faux velvet fabric box. More
Friends of my Fancy and Other Poems
Eton: Shakespeare Head Press (1960). 90pp. A posthumously published collection of the Uranian poet's work, one of only two such collections issued under his name. Cottam was an Anglican chaplain, who worked for a time with his friend and fellow Uranian, E.E. Bradford at St. George's in Paris. A very good copy ex-library copy in very good dust jacket, with usual library markings on jacket and front and rear endpapers.. Uncommon. More
The Rat Trap
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
Flair
New York (1950). A group of the short-lived and widely acclaimed magazine of arts and fashion, edited by Fleur Cowles. Included are the following, sold as a group: March (1950) 2 copies; May (1950) 3 copies; June (1950); July (1950) 3 copies. Generally very good, some cover browning, spines intact. More
Détours
Paris: NRF (1924). The first novel, largely autobiographical, of the "jeune homo surréaliste," published the year before he was diagnosed with tuberculosis. One of 1100 numbered copies, this example being #4. Very good in original brown wrappers, light edge wear. With the frontispiece illustration of Crevel by his lover Eugene Maccown. More
Vintage portrait of Nancy Cunard by Islay Lyons circa 1951, Capri. (5" x 7")
A very iconic photograph of the eccentric bohemian, taked at the Capri home of Islay Lyons and Kenneth Macpherson (and Norman Douglas). Cunard sports one of her famed ivory bracelets and creative hair nets. One of a series taken by Lyons at the same luncheon and likely the last time that they spent time together. Vintage photograph from the estate of Islay Lyons. More
Le Feu
Paris: Callman-Levy (c. 1910). The French edition of d'Annunzio's work, with a long and sincere dedication to his onetime lover, Romaine Brooks. Around 1909, Brooks and d’Annunzio met at a dinner given by an artist friend who was famous for his colorful posters and paintings. D’Annunzio commented that much more can be expressed without any color at all, and this prompted Brooks to invite him to see her work. Thus began a complicated friendship that lasted for nearly three decades and had a profound impact on Brooks’s art. She saw him as a martyred artist, another lapidé; he wrote poems based on her works and called her "the most profound and wise orchestrator of grays in modern painting". They spent the summer of 1910 in a villa on the coast of France, in a romantic interlude that was disrupted when D'Annunzio's jealous ex-mistress arrived in town. Their friendship remained strong throughout D'Annunzio's life and she painted his portrait in 1912. Very good in original wrappers, rebound in a full morocco signed binding, gilt top edge, gilt titling, very light scuff s, laid into a marbled paper slipcase. More
Books and Autograph Letters mainly of the Eighteen-Nineties
Leicester: July (1960). 24pp. The first book catalog issued by d'Offay, which includes works by Wilde, Raffalovich, Whitman, Spare, Norman Douglas and many others. Very good in stapled wrappers. More
Norman Douglas
London: Rupert Hart-Davis (1952). First revised ediiton, very good in card wrappers, light edgewear. More
Sandro Botticelli
New York: Moffat, Yard (1923). A play about Botticelli and Simonetta by the renowned lesbian. Very good in very good jacket, with chips missing from spine. More
The Collection of Baron De Meyer
Sotheby's: New York. 20 October 1980. The personal collection of De Meyer's photographs, stored in a trunk for many years. Images of Chanel, Josephine Baker, Rita de Acosta and many others. Illustrations. Very good in wrappers with prices realized. More
Catalogi Librorum Eroticorum
London: Woolf (1964). A critical bibliography of erotic bibliographies and book catalogues. One of 500 numbered copies, this is #3. Very good in boards, a little spine sunned. More
Mœchialogía: tratado de los pecados contra el sesto y noveno mandamientos del decalogo, y de todas las cuestiones matrimoniales que con ellos se rozan directa ó indirectamente : seguido de un compendio de embriología sagrada
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
Un Point Curieux des Moeurs Privee de la Grece
Athènes [Brussels] (1871). Soft cover. A curious and rare tract on the question of paederasty in ancient Greece, and almost the only printed document referring to the rare edition of Alcibiade fanciullo a scola. The edition is not to be found in the Bibliothèque Nationale's "Enfer." One of 150 copies, this copy unnumbered. Very good in original marbled wrappers, tipped into plain white wrappers, custom slipcase. More
La Lozana Andaluza (La Gentille Andalouse)
1st Edition. Soft cover. Very good in original wrappers (2 vols.). Pp XVI, 311; 327, uncut, black-and-red title-page. No 209 of 220 copies. More
Le Terze Rime Piacevoli con una Scleta delle Migliori Rime Burlesche del Berni, Mauro, Dolce ed altri autori incerti
Benvenuto (1727) 112pp. Hardcover. Very good in three quarter leather binding with marbled endpapers. More
Chez de Max
Paris: L'Edition (1918). 284pp. Memoirs of the famous French tragedien, who befriended Cocteau at a young age and helped to launch his career as a poet. Illustrated throughout with 24 drawings of Jean Lorrain, Robert de Montesquiou, Henri Bernstein, Sacha Guitry, Sarah Bernhardt, Edmond Rostand and others by Cappiello, de Losques, Lucien Laforge, etc. One of only thirty numbered copies on Japon (after 12 on Chine), this copy is also adorned with a warm inscription from the author on a title page from another addition which is tipped onto endpaper. A very nice copy in original decorated wrappers. More
Birds & Beasts of the Greek Anthology
London: Minerva (1974). Hardcover. Very good in very good jacket. More