Medoso, MMMCCCXXXIII [1888]. 75pp. The second edition of this important early document about sodomy, with particular attention to the notorious Deschauffours affair of 1726 wherein Benjamin Deschauffours was burned at the stake in the Place de Grève in Paris for kidnapping boys and selling them to some 200 French aristocrats. The pamphlet depicts Deschauffours ("Fourchuda") as the champion of the oppressed class in Spira ("Paris") who in his zeal in defending a large army of Ebugors ("Buggers") was taken prisoner in the struggle, thrown into the fire by the partisans of the Cytherons (referencing the Greek island of Cythera, traditionally associated with heterosexual love). The pamphlet uses anagrams throughout to disguise its subject matter and supplies a four page key at the end to assist in deconstructing the essay. The pamphlet was originally published in 1733 is quite rare and was routinely banned by censors. Bibliothèque nationale, Enfer, n° 113 - P. Pia, Les Livres de l'Enfer, p. 49. Very good in marbled boards and calf spine, marbled endpapers, original wrappers present, silk page marker, light spotting to endpapers. More

Los Angeles: Black Sparrow (1972). One of 200 numbered copies signed and numbered by the author. A fine copy in orange printed paper boards with cloth spine and paper label. Ford was a major figure in post-War Surrealist circles and longtime friend of Pavel Tchelitchew. More

W. Heffer & Sons Limited, (Cambridge). 8vo. 96pp. A catalogue of 1,148 items from the library of E. M. Forster at the time of his death. Contains a section of presentation copies with particularly interesting runs of titles by Forrest Reid, Charles Mauron, William Plomer, and Siegfried Sassoon. Illustrated with a photographic portrait of Forster and of his library. Very good in wrappers. More

Paris: Èditions de la Mandragore [ c.1927 ]. 29pp. 8vo. Paul Souday (1869-1929) was one of the most important French literary critics of his time and the author of biographies of Gide, Proust and Valéry. Although very traditional in his tastes, he engaged in an extended correspondence with Proust and wrote his obituary for the New York Times. Nonetheless, Souday often fulminated with homophobic diatribes, including this excerpt in an essay on Gide's Les Faux Monnayeurs: "[There are] annoying analogies between André Gide's various heroes and Mr. Charlus and his friends. Oh! There is no crudity in the language here. All of this is discrete, veiled, and a very innocent reader would not necessarily understand what it's all about. On the other hand, it's all too clear. Truly, it becomes intolerable, especially with Gide's seriousness and insipid sentimentality." (See Levitz, Modernist Mysteries: Persephone @ 267.) Souday had presented a questionnaire on the subject of homosexuality to a number of other homophobic French writers in in 1926 edition of the literary journal Les Marges, which perhaps was the impetus for the present publication. The edition contains a number of short essays on a range of "issues" related to homosexuality and we surmise that the author was in fact submitting a parody of Souday and his compatriots. Very good in original stapled wrappers. Quite rare, no institutional copies located. More

An original vintage sepia photograph (6.25" x 8.5") of a nude male holding a palm frond, mounted on an album leaf. More

Trier (1942-1944) (3" x 4 1/4"). A unique WWII prison album of 15 black and white photographs and 1 negative documenting a romance between two French prisoners of war interned at the Stalag XII-D in Trier, Germany. Spanning a period between November 1942 and May 1944, most of the photographs and inscriptions on versos reveal a romance between Francis Garnier-Arnoul (the owner of the album) and a certain Christian. Among the inscriptions are the following: "Te connaitre, te voir, t'aimer. Bien douces choses Kiki. Gardons et profitons de ces jours heureux en souhaitant que cela puisse continuer. Ch" (To know you, to see you, to love you. Sweet things Kiki. Let's enjoy and always remember these hapy days withthe hope that this may last. Ch). "Trois jours que je ne t'ai vu. C'est long. Crois moi. Le soir je te verrai, et ma joie reviendra. Si tu pouvais lire en moi-meme maintent. Christian." (Three days I have not seen you. It's long. believe me. This evening I will see you, and my joy will return. If you could read me right now. Christian). "Unis par la pensee et par le coeur. Toujours l'un avec l'autre. Christian." (United by the mind and the heart. Always with each other. Christian) This wallet-size album contains five photographs showing the two lovers together (including one duplicate). Other photographs depict some of Francis' friends at the camp (Bruno, Louison, Elie, as well as a Dutch prisoner of war named Henk Timmer). Included are photographs indicating that the two lovers were part of the team publishing the Stalag newspaper. Five of the 15 photographs are inscribed by fellow prisoners of war who befriended Francis during their captivity. Most of the original photographs measure 2 1/2" x 3 1/2", with one measuring 2 3/4" x 2 1/2" . Very good, album is partly rubbed along edges, with paper string missing, most plastic sleeves to house the photographs are split or missing. Photographs in very good condition. More

[Beverly Hills], [©1940]. 78pp. A self-published guide to astrology, with a number of amusing observations. Inscribed to the aesthete Baron Alexis de Rede on front pastedown: "To Alexis/with admiration/A true friend". Very good in green boards, a bit faded. More

Paris: Contact Publishing (1923). 61pp. In addition to being considered one of the foremost American painters of the first half of the 20th century, Hartley also wrote poems, essays, and stories. His book Twenty-five Poems was published by Robert McAlmon in Paris in 1923. First edition, signed by Hartley on the title page, from an edition surmised to be only 300 copies. Original gray wrappers printed in black, in original glassine sleeve. 7 5/8 x 5 3/4 inches (19.5 x 14.5 cm); 60 pp., unopened. A superlative copy of the volume, the glassine with a few chips. More

Madrid: J. Pueyo (1912). 168pp. One of a number of works by the prolific Spanish journalist. Here he recounts tales of the "tragedies" of his race- kings, bullfighters, bishops, courtesans, artists, pedophiles and thieves. Very good in original wrappers. More

SURFERS, SANTA MONICA, c.1940s, silver gelatin print, on carte postale style paper, possible a test print from an edition of /36, with photographers credit stamp verso. Doctor Donald Don James (died December 24, 1996[1]) was a pioneer of early surfing in California prior to the WWII and surf photographer. His published works include many 1960s surf magazine covers. The early 1990s brought a resurgence of long board surfing and with it, a new 1992 VHS video titled Dr. "Don James presents: Surfing in the 1930s". It premiered pre World War II color footage of surfing to the surfing industry and a verbal history of the golden age of surfing / produced by Brad Jennings and Gene Walper / 1992/93, Other separate projects included The books: "Prewar Surfing" and "1936-1942 San Onofre to Point Dume".[1] James began surf photography while he was in high school, taking pictures of his pals, Ed Faron, the Quigg brothers, Bud Rice and the Beach Boys from the Bel Air Bay Club in Santa Monica. During the post Gidget era his talents appeared in commercials and on posters, Don James has been described as "The Premier Photographer of Surfing".[1]. More

Paris (1948). sm. 4to. Autobiographical writings illustrated with two etchings of a male by Daragnés. Of an edition of only 70 copies, this example is one with the printed name of the recipient, the famed French singer Robert Rocca. Very good in loose wrappers. More

Paris (1955). The first censored edition of this controversial novel about schoolboy love. Very good in original decorative wrappers by Czanara present. More

Paris: Salvy (1990). A scrapbook of the 1920s with numerous illustrations by Jullian and text by Angus Wilson. Fine in fine jacket. More