Featured Items
35 Sonnets
Lisbon: Monteiro & Co. (1918). One of two books self-published by Pessoa in 1918, the other being Antinous. Both of these publications contain a number of passages that have been interpreted as having a gay sub-text. An important and complex collection of modernist poetry, influenced by Elizabethan imagery. Very good in original sewn wrappers, light browning to covers and a few light traces of foxing, pages uncut. More
To Bourdelo
Athens: Nefeli Press (1991). The controversial Greek writer and activist’s study of prostitution in Greece. Extensively illustrated, the work contains much material on homosexuality. Very good in wrappers, light wear and browning to covers. More
Photographie 1947
Paris/London (1947). Soft cover. 4to. One of the most important collections of post-War photographs from some of the masters- Ansel Adams, Brassai, Penn, Henle, Willy Ronis, Barbara Morgan, several by George Platt Lynes and numerous others. The photographs were printed by gravure and are quite well done. Good in spiral binding, a little edgeworn as is common with this book, with wear to spiral binding, as well. More
Galeazzo: A Venetian Episode
Venice: Ongania & London: Swann Sonnenschein (1886). The quite uncommon first collection of verse by the English expatriate who lived in Italy for many years. This publication, his first original work, was highly praised by John Addington Symonds: 'In one way or another Venice forms its theme throughout. It is dedicated to Venice. The author's deep love for the Bride of the Sea, and his long familiarity with all phases of her beauty, are evinced, not in rhapsodies or passages of declamation, but in the the lingering perfume of his studied rhythms, in the unerring rightness of his descriptive touches.' Very good in parchment wrappers, engraved frontispiece of the Venice lagoons, bound in fabric boards, marbled endpapers, Light cover wear and browning at edges. Uncommon. More
Painting the Clouds: J. Martin Pitts (1939-2002)
(Llandogo, Monmouthshire): The Old Stile Press (2002). A collection of images and transcripts of journals by the noted English artist, who specialized in portrayals of young men. Fine in boards, as issued. One of 150 signed copies. More
Plato's Symposium or Supper
Paris: Fortune Press (c. 1929). 112pp. Hardcover. A variant edition without illustrations. One of 1550 copies on unbleached papers. Very good in blue buckram boards, light sunning. D'Arch Smith 431a. More
The Case is Altered
Hogarth Press (1932). Hardcover. Novel set in London, printed by Virginia and Leonard Woolf at the Hogarth Press. A very good copy, just a bit of foxing on endpapers, very good jacket (designed by John Banting) with some edgewear and two smallish chips. office. More
Hommage a Marie-Blanche, Comtesse Jean de Polignac
Monaco (1965) 4to. A lavishly produced memorial tribute to the Comtesse de Polignac, who for many years was at the center of the artistic and social life of Paris. She was the daughter of the couturier, Jeanne Lanvin and belonged just as much to the music world as she did to the fashion world. Janet Flanner commented, "She had a voice like a well-trained lark." Salvador Dalí wrote in My Secret Life, "In spring it was very pleasant at Comtesse Marie-Blanche de Polignac's, where from the garden one listened to string quartets played in the interior, all aflame with candles and the Renoir paintings." This collection consists of tributes by an array of her friends and colleagues, including Lady Diana Cooper, Colette, Louise de Vilmorin, Jean Cocteau, Marcel Achard, Boris Kochno, Emilio Terry, Roderick Cameron and many others. Illustrations by Bérard, Jean Hugo, Picasso, Stravinsky and others. Numerous facsimiles and photographs laid into the text. Very good in chemise and clamshell box, some offsetting to box and small stain. Copy LXIII printed for Robert Veyron-Lacroix (one of 153 special copies). More
Les Illusions
Paris: Charpentier (1909). 348pp. Very good in contemporary marbled boards, original wrappers not present. Rare. More
Il Malnati
Firenze: Piero Betti (1960). 223pp. In June 1960, in Florence, Giorgio Quintini published what was, for the time, a scandalous novel. The cover and the title give a clear idea of the content: love and sentimental triangles in a roman à clef with many recognizable portraits from contemporary Florentine, Umbrian and Roman life. More
Les Pélican: pièce en 2 actes, illustrée d'eaux-fortes, par Henri Laurens
Paris: Éditions de la Galerie Simon [Kahnweiler](1921). 28pp. The precocious writer's first work, which was published when he was only 18 years old. Les Pélican, one of Kahnweiler's most elegant publications, is a two-act satirical play accompanied by Laurens' whimsical, cubist illustrations which capture the absurdist tone of the play. The play was performed for the first time on May 24, 1921 at the Théâtre Michel in Paris to much acclaim. Radiguet, a true enfant terrible, was a protege of Jean Cocteau until his untimely death in 1923 at the age of 19. Very good in custom full blue morocco binding, marbled end papers, with original paper cover mounted at rear. Number 80 of 100 printed copies on Holland laid paper, signed by Radiguet and Laurens. Includes 7 original engravings (one of the tipped in front cover and 2 full page) by the French sculptor and illustrator Henri Laurens (1885-1954). More
In Fancy Dress
London: Walter Scott (1886). 148pp. A collection of poems, velied but clearly Uranian in tone, evoking the spirits of Ganymede, Adonis, Narcissus and other classical figures. Raffalovich, the wealthy Russian emigré, was an acquaintance of Wilde and intimate of John Gray for many years. A frequent writer on homosexuality in medical journals, he also published several other volumes of prose and poetry. Original tan cloth with bevelled edges lettered in red and decorated in black. Covers lightly worn, light loss at head and tale of spine, spine a bit dulled, small mark on endpaper, bookplate of Anthony Reid (by Ralph Chubb) on front pastedown. Inscribed by the author to Mrs. Lovett Cameron (aka Caroline Sharp), the British romantic fiction writer. Young 3177*. Rare. More
Les Deux Amants de Baia. Lentulus et Ascyltos.
NP: Édition Française [19-] 101pp. One of several books of historical fiction with gay themes written by Redni, all of them quite rare. More
L'Éphèbe de Pergame; suivi de Lucien, Les amours
Paris: Édition Francaise. Redni's translation of the homoerotic portions of Petronius' Satyricon and Lucien's Les Amours. Redni is also known as the author of Luxures antiques. Voluptés tragiques. One of 100 numbered copies printed on Hollande, initialed by the author (#VI). Very good in illustrated wrappers, a bit of foxing to untrimmed edges. Uncommon. More
Baron Jacques d'Adelswärd Fersen
Tragara Press (1997). 22pp. A short essay on the enigmatic and decadent inhabitant of Capri. One of 75 copies printed (copy 32) and signed by the author, printed letterpress on Zerkall paper and bound in decorative gold paper wrappers. Very good with light wear to wrappers. More
Vawder's Understudy: A Study in Platonic Affection
London, New York, F.A. Stokes Company [1896]. 197pp. An odd story of a man's attempt to maintain a "Platonic" relationship with a female friend, which ultimately ends in failure and much emotional drama. Very good in illustrated red linen boards. Quite uncommon. More
The Eternal Flame: Volume II
Asphodel (2002). 480pp. Hardcover. Volume 2 of this anthology of homosexual verse in English translations by Anthony Reid. Included are works from Britain, Europe and America. Fine in wrappers. Uncommon. More
Private Road
London: Faber and Faber, 1939. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Light sunning to jacket spine. More
Ninfas y sátiros: Escenas pintorescas de Madrid de noche.
Madrid: Biblioteca Hispania (1918). 370pp. 2nd. An early edition of this erotic novel which takes place during the first world war, republished in the 1960s. Very good in original wrappers, some wear and light staining to covers and spine. More
Méandres
Paris: Éditions de Pan (1912). A quite uncommon collection of short essays with homoerotic allusions, one of which is dedicated to Jacques Fersen (with whom he shared the same publisher) and others to Georges Polti and Robert Scheffer. Many of the writers who were published by Éditions de Pan had also contributed to Fersen's short-lived periodical Akademos. A lovely copy in illustrated wrappers, inscribed by the author on the endpaper, occasional light foxing. Uncommon. More
Rimbaud a Aden
Paris (2001). 4to. Reflections on Rimbaud's visit to Aden in 1880 with numerous photographs retracing his peregrinations. Attractive and interesting book. Fine in wrappers. More
Orphic Love
New York: Hydra Group (1986). Gay poetry by the American port and translator, with a homoerotic foldout illustration by Don Gene Bell. Of an edition of only 100 copies, this is one of 25 hardbound copies in boards, and signed and numbered by the author. Printed at the Red Ozier Press. More
Don Tarquinio- Un Romanzo Catalettico Fantastmatico
Milano: Longanesi (1963). The first Italian ediiton of Corvo's classic. Fine in fine jacket. Woolf D10. More