Insterburg (1916). This large format vintage photograph (15" x 10.5') of an elegantly dressed man was made in February, 1916 by a professional photographer named Alphons Schmidt at his studio in Insterburg, Germany (now Chernyakhovsk, Kaliningrad). Blind-stamped with the photographer's name and address at bottom left, the photograph also bears marks on verso identifying the date. Very good in rustic wooden frame. More
Berlin: Fritz Gurlitt Verlag (1923) lg 4to. The classical erotic elegies of Tibullus are illustrated with five homoerotic and romantic etchings of young men engaged in various pastoral activities. Although not explicit, the images are quite sensitive and beautifully conceived. One of a total edition of 220 copies, this is example LVII. Each plate by Schoff is signed in pencil. Very good in original red boards with leather spine which is slightly worn, boards lightly worn and very light spotting throughout. Uncommon. More
[NP] : [1941?]. 283pp. Very good, slight wear to corners, laid in is the original multi-color prospectus. More
Sardanapolis: Aux dépens des Amateurs (1775). 80pp. 8vo. The first edition of the Foutromanie, a poëme lubrique in six parts attributed to Senac de Meilhan or to Mercier de Compiegne. A number of versions and editions have appeared since the publication was issued in 1775, but this is the exceedingly rare first appearance. Pia 289. Very good in contemporary leather binding, gold tooling at edges, gilt devices on spine, label, light wear, contemporary inscription on title page. It appears that the book may have been lightly trimmed. Penciled annotations by Brian Reade on endpaper. 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
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
Los Angeles (1955). lg. 4to. 12pp. One of the privately published collections of the eccentric poet/collector's poetry. No limitation stated, but these were issued in very small editions and distributed to his friends. Warmly inscribed on front endpaper by James to "Mirandi" (Miranda Speranza Masocco Levy), one of the founders of the Santa Fe Opera (and a close friend of Stravinsky). Very good in red wrappers, water stain to top edge, small scar on cover. Rare. More
London: Duckworth (1928). 4to. 131pp. 1st Edition. Hardcover. A survey of London statues, illustrated throughout with Hamnett's delightful interpretations. Included are images of Shakespeare, Achilles, The Fat Boy (at Pie Corner) and various others. A very good copy in lightly worn boards, light spotting to foredege, very good illustrated jacked, lightly worn and marked with small abrasions. Inscribed by Sitwell to John Arlott. Laid into the book are 2 entertaining letters (6pp.) by Sitwell to another friend (one dated 1933) referencing Adrian Stokes, Herbert Read, his troubled relationship with his father, his brother Sacheverell and assorted other affairs. With envelopes, appearing to date from the 1930s. More
New York (1924). 83pp. The first, and extremely uncommon, anthology of homosexual literature to be published in America. The author, a professional chemist and graduate of Columbia University, compiled the anthology anonymously and remains somewhat of a mystery today. His identity has been revealed by the research of several scholars (notably Timothy d'Arch Smith and Donald Mader) and the story of the anthology has been discussed in the only reprint of the edition (Coltsfoot Press, 1978). The anthology commences with works from ancient Hebrew literature and progresses throught the poetry of the 1920s. Included are a selection of known Uranian poets, such as Digby Mackworth Dolben, Edward Cracroft Lefroy, Edward Emmanuel Bradford, John Gambril Nicholson, John Moray Stuart-Young, Edmund John, "Philebus" (John Leslie Barford) and John Addington Symonds. But there are also some surprising contributions from more traditional poets, such as Ernest Myers, William Alexander Percy, James Fennimore Cooper, Jr., Victor Starbuck, Katherine Mansfield, Willard Wattles as well as the anthologist himself. Described by Timothy d'Arch Smith as a "startingly thorough and well-informed anthology" it remains a classic in the field of gay literature and a cornerstone of collecting in the field. According to a prospectus issued by the anthologist, the book was issued in an edition of 150 copies, but relatively few are known to exist. Copy of Samuel Cottam, another Uranian poet with his penned and penciled notations throughout. Front endpaper has remains of a removed photograph or bookplate. Very good in original Italian paper boards, light bumping to corners, spine label missing, ttile page excised. See Rosenthal, An Arcadian Photographer in Manhattan for a thorough examination of Slocum's work. More
Utrecht: Gedrukt by Pieter Muntendam, naer de origineele en by den autheur ondertekende (1731). 22pp; Gedrukt voor den autheur, [1731]. 22pp. Bound with Brief aan den wydberoemden overzetter van brokstukken eniger Engelsche godsgeleerden [...] John. 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 first pamphlet appears to be a variant- another issue with different pagination and the publisher's name on title page appeared in the same year. Wear to covers, issues are unbound and loose. More
London: Chatto & Windus (1889). The first published collection of Uranian poetry, according to the scholar Timothy d'Arch Smith in his definitive treatise on the subject, Love in Earnest (pp.24-27). The book was issued while the author lived in exile in France after a scandal involving a seventeen year old boy with whom he had become besotted had forced him to leave England, leaving a scandal in his wake. The poems in this volume deal directly with this ill-fated love affair and were reviewed by Oscar Wilde in the Pall Mall Gazette in the year of publication (‘He has nothing to say and says it’.) Some have argued that the aristocrat who perverts Dorian Gray in Wilde's novel (Lord Henry) was in fact modeled after Somerset. Very good in original parchment boards, light cover wear, spine gutters cracking a bit, spine a bit dulled. 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
PARIS: International Associes for St. Laurent. ND. large 4to. 52pp. Soft cover. A very large format illustrated edition of this collection of articles and photographs about the career of St. Laurent. Essays by Vreeland, Charles-Roux, Fairchild and others. Numerous photographs of St. Laurent, Cocteau, Berard and many others. More
Toronto (2001). Soft cover. Gay fiction by several hands. Fine in wrappers. One of 26 copies issued. More
Paris (1972). Extraordinary collection of books on architecture and design assembled by the decorator and designer. Over 350 lots, illustrations. Very good in wrappers. More
