Rugby: George Over (1889). Sayle's second book of verse, highly praised by John Addington Symonds and reviewed by Charles Kains Jackson in the Artist and Journal of Home Culture. Sayle went on to become a noted bibliographer in Cambridge, where he lived most of his life. Original white buckram a little yellowed, covers a bit marked, light browning to endpapers, erratum present at rear, rear hinge split. Limited to 220 copies. Uncommon. Young 3439. d'Arch Smith 250. More
London: The Century Guild: Hobby Horse (October 1892). 4to. The Hobby Horse was a quarterly Victorian periodical in England published by the Century Guild of Artists and ran from 1884–1894. Unlike its successors, The Yellow Book and The Savoy, The Hobby Horse was not solely committed to an elite aestheticism and it contained a variety of essays on the social role of art and artists. This issue contains a long and laudatory essay by Sayle, a fellow Uranian poet, on Nicholson's collection of pederastic sonnets, Love in Earnest. See d'Arch Smith, Love in Earnest @ 76. A very good copy of an uncommon publication, covers are lightly marked and browned with edgewear and some light loss to spine. More
Paris: La Table Rond (2009). 60pp. A facsimile edition, along with a transcription and introduction, of this previously unknown story involving a lesbian romance. Schwob, who was at the center of Symbolist movement in France and an intimate of Oscar Wilde (and assisted with his Salomé) apparently wrote this work toward the end of his life. A fine copy in original wrappers, one of only 30 numbered copies (this being #5) printed on on Vélin d'Arches. More
Quebec (1982-1984). A series of seven Signe de Piste periodicals (#62, 73, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79) each of which are 24pp in stapled wrappers with numerous illustrations by Pierre Joubert and others, as well as numerous photographs of scouts. More
Paris [1925]. large 4to. 20pp. A portfolio of images of the infamous Luis Ferdinand d'Orleans y Borbón, Infante d'Espagne, outrageous gay character, drug dealer, cocaine addict, friend to Cocteau, Mistinguett, Marcel Proust among others. Luis Ferdinand is portrayed in a number of outrageous poses, cavorting with sailors, sniffing cocaine, dressing as a woman and soliciting policemen, etc. He was expelled from France on several occasions for dealing in drugs (dressed as a woman on one occasion) and King Alfonso XIII of Spain eventually deprived him of his rights as an Infante of Spain. In 1930, he married (the much older) Marie Constance Charlotte Say, widow of Prince Henri Amédée de Broglie and the owner of the Château de Chaumont, creating great controversy in the process. His relationship with Proust is detailed in Gury, C. Proust et le "très singulier" infant d'Espagne. Undoubtedly Sem's most outrageous published collection of images. Very good in original decorative wrappers, warmly inscribed by Sem on the title page "Pour Jean Cocteau, Ces enfants terribles! affectueusement. Sem." The book also bears the notation, also in Sem's hand: "Cet album est un peu culotte (si j'ose dire) mais c'est un des derniers qui me restent." Wrappers have been lightly restored with one closed tear, the marbled boards are lightly worn with some slight loss at spine and light repair, leather label.Quite rare, particularly in the wrappers; only one institutional copy found. See Rodriques, J. El Infante Maldito: La Biographía de Luis Fernando de Orleans, el Más Depravado Princípe Borbon. More
Paris: Imprimerie A. Lanier et ses fils, 1888. (76 p.). This very uncommon doctoral dissertation on "sexual anomalies" undertaken under the direction of Valentin Magnan. Serieux proposed that a great number of people with "aberrant sexuality" were in fact insane « anormaux constitutionnels ». More
Toulouse (1948). A small compendium of information on sexuality, with explanations of frigidity, homosexuality. Very good in wrappers. More
London: Walter Scott (1889). 2nd ed. 88pp. This quite uncommon collection by the Scottish poet (aka Fiona Macleod). Sharp, a member of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, used his feminine alter ego increasingly after 1893. A very good copy in rather browned and chipped parchment paper wrappers, slight loss at head of spine. Warmly inscribed by Sharp to fellow poet Bliss Carmen on front endpaper. More
Fifty-eight book catalogues issued by the legendary bookseller. A wealth of modern literature, including many very rare books, including works by Gill, Raffalovich, Wilde, Ravilious, Corvo, Eric Gill and many others. Generally very good, staples a bit rusty, one cover detached but very good with illustrated covers. Sold as a group: #11, 25, 29, 36, 38, 39, 45, 47, 53, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 99, 100, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107. More
Utrecht (1731). 20pp. Emanuel Valk (1697-1732) was minister in Velzen (1723-1730) and later in Vianen. In 1730, he was suspected of sodomy and resigned from his church and moved to Utrecht, where he wrote pamphlets about his case. In 1732, he was arrested in Utrecht and handed over to the police of Vianen, where he subsequently committed suicide in his cell. The 'Letter to a friend' contains copies of the summons of 27 August 1731 and the sentence of 19 November the same year. The second work listed is signed by the author opposite the title page. Contemporary marbled limp boards. title page lightly foxed; one leaf loosening, backstrip damaged. Both wrks are quite rare. More
Frankfurt (1590-1594). 9 1/4" x 13 5/8" 1594. This engraving is from Theodor De Bry's important historical work, Grands Voyages. This from the German edition with this particular engraving being published in Frankfurt between 1590 and 1594 for de Bry by J. Feyrabend. Grands Voyages is considered one of the most remarkable collections of voyages published in the Age of Discovery. Believed to be the first representation of homosexuality ever printed, the engraving depicts a gory scene of eight Spanish conquistadores watching their dogs kill a group of Indians. Balboa set his dogs on forty to fifty people of Quarequa described as being “dressed as women” (Martyr 1912 [1516]:285), or having committed the nefarious sin (pecado nefando). See https://www.colorado.edu/genders/2016/05/19/los-huecos-negros-cannibalism-sodomy-and-failure-modernity-tierra-firme. The text includes the following statement: "Greatly astonished he [Balboa] ...understood that the kinglet and all of his courtiers were smitten by that abominable crime against nature so stunned him ...that he went up to forty of the savages, bade them all be seized and bringing in the dogs he ordered the savages be torn to pieces." Very good, light wear and yellowing. Rare. More
Rome (2007). 127pp. 4to. An extensively illustration exhibition catalogue of the life and work of the great Italian dancer and illustrator. Fine in stiff wrappers. More
Lausanne: Editions Athanor (1950). 105pp. A memoir of Spiess' life and writings, with a preface by Miyajima. Photographic frontispiece. inscribed by Spiess on endpaper and laid in is a handwritten note in Spiess' hand relating to several of his books. Very good in wrappers with several light stains. More
London: David Nutt in the Strand (1894). 168pp. The only published prose collection by the eccentric Estonian count, a highly praised collection of macabre stories. Stenbock, a contemporary of Oscar Wilde, was "bizarre, fantastic, feverish, eccentric, extravagant, morbid and perverse" according to Arthur Symons and many others shared similar thoughts about the gay poet, whose life ended the year following publication of this collection at age thirty-five. See Adlard, Stenbock, Yates and the Nineties; Young 3631* A very good copy of a quite rare book with cover illustration by the author, light cover wear, rear cream boards lightly darkened, endpapers lightly browned. Sullivan (ed), The Penguin Encyclopedia of Horror and the Supernatural, p. 401. Locke, A Spectrum of Fantasy Volume II, p. 104. See Tymn (ed), Horror Literature 3-227. Bleiler (1978), p. 186. Reginald 13606. More
A small collection of 12 printed ephemeral items, Christmas cards, and assorted other printed matter from one of the great Dutch printers. Many of the items are hand-colored and several are signed by the publisher/printer Ger Gleis. Works by James Purdy, William Blake, Sandro Penna and others are included. All near fine. Along with R. Breugelmans' bibliography of the press, 107 maal: Sub Signo Libelli (1/400 numbered copies). More
London: Alpine Club (1972). Soft cover. Forty illustrated works, many of which were unpublished. Very good in wrappers. Uncommon. More
Two autograph letters from the acclaimed painter to his longtime friend and confidant, Charles Kains-Jackson, both dated 1926. Tuke was best known for his paintings of maritime subjects, particularly of nude young men at the beach. The first is dated 11 February 1926, toward the end of Tuke's nine-week stay in Jamaica and was written on the letterhead of the Waterloo Hotel on Black River. Tuke writes: " I have done quite a lot of sketches & studies & found some good subjects, if one was ever to come back here for any length of time." The second letter was dated at Hampstead, England on 4 May 1926, shortly after his return, discussing his plans to visit the artist colony at Kardomah, Wales with friends: "Masson, Colin, and Towsey are all staying this week-end with Sidney Lomer!" Tuke's patron Sydney Lomer once famously asked Tuke to define the genitals more clearly in one of his paintings. "Colin' was possibly Colin Goodwyn, a model for his 1900 painting 'The Coming of Day'; 'Masson' was in all probability the artist's close friend Charles Masson Fox (1866-1935); and the final guest would be the photographer Stanley Towsey. Tuke also writes "If you come here I can show you a number of my sketches and you can inspect the new room I have added to the house." Signed as H .S. Tuke, each 2 pages, the first 8 1/2x5 1/2 inches, 21 1/2x14 cm, and the other a bit smaller; moderate wear and soiling to the first letter and minimal wear to the second. More
One of the fathers of the gay rights movement, Ulrichs (1825-1895) penned the highly influential Forschungen über das Rätsel der mannmännlichen Liebe in which he first articulated his view that homosexual love was natural and biological. His subsequent writings have formed the foundation of all later research and his insights were eventually adopted by mainstream science. Holograph postcard (3" x 5.5") from Ulrichs (signed "Carlo Arrigo Ulrichs") to a bookseller in Emden, Germany regarding his publication Alaudae. Ulrichs has settled in Aquila, Italy towards the end of his life and from 1889 to his death in 1895, he published the literary review Alaudae to promote the international use of Latin. He refers to several subscribers of the journal, including "a bishop and a reigning majesty ...' Although difficult to determine, it appears the card is dated 20 April 1889. Ulrichs correspondence is extremely rare. More
Boston: Merrymount Press (1941). One of 75 specially bound and signed copies for the Society of Printers. Near fine in marbled boards, original glassine wrappers yellowed and edgeworn. More
(1947). Jaap Vegter (1932-2003) was a highly regarded Dutch satirist and comic artist who worked for numerous newspapers and magazines. He often gave a clever and humorous comment on events and people from political, social and cultural life. This is one of his early works, a pen and ink drawing on paper of a group of men and boys arrayed before a naked recumbent boy wearing a sailor's cap. The artist has also decorated the frame in pen and ink with the caption: "JongelingenVereeniging op Gereformeerde Grondslag" and his signature in the lower frame. The subject relates to the "League of Youth Associations" a youth movement associated with the Dutch Reformed Churches where boys were made acquainted with the anti-revolutionary principles. More
Imprimé sous le manteau et ne se vend nulle part. [Paris: Albert Messein, 1903.] In-12 (183 x 116 mm). The first edition of Verlaine's explicit paean to homosexual love, which includes the "Sonnet au trou-du-cul" written in collaboration with his lover Arthur Rimbaud. The editor Le Dantec refused to include this collection in the modern critical edition of Verlaine's complete works. Enfer 1151. Pia 601 A beautiful copy of the special edition, limited to 25 (this is copy #1), bound in full morocco, signed H. Duhayon, raised bands, edges gilt, original wrappers present, wood slipcase, ex libris of Henri Fischer. With the holograph corrections to the page numbers (46. 47. 48) Van Bever & Monda, p. 67; Carteret Romantique II, p. 435; Paul Verlaine, Oeuvres poétiques complètes, Pléiade, p. 1375; Pia Enfer, 650; Dutel I, p. 170, N° 397*. More
