London : Vicky Richardson, 2003. Title from label on outside of box. Limited edition of 100 boxes. Consists of a hinged beech wooden box, the interior divided into eight, with objects by type in the partitions. All relate to materials or objects found at or used on the renovation of a house at Dungeness by Simon Conder Associates. Very good condition. More
Paris: Librairie Artistique et Édition Parisienne Réunies (1929). 215pp. This gay camp novel, one of several dealing with young Fredi's adventures in a a variety of situations. Illustrated throughout by Gaston Smit, the book also contains the four extra etchings laid into the text, which are often missing. A good copy with light cover wear, edgewear to spine and edges, occasional light spotting. Uncommon. More
Vintage portrait of young male in profile taken by anonymous photographer (c. 1960s/70s). (9.5" x 7 3/4"). Ink stamp on verso and penciled notations. More
An original vintage photograph of a male nude by the celebrated French photographer, known for his portraits of Jean Marais and Parisian film stars. The image bears the blindstamp of the photographer at lower right and is in very good condition. Voinquel's vintage photographs are highly collected and have been reproduced in several monographs of his work. (4.5" x 6"). More
An original vintage portrait (c. 1890-1900) of a male youth, mostly likely "Ahmed" who appears in other images by the photographer. (9" x 6.25") mounted on a sheet from a photography album. More
Leipzig: P. Reclam jun, [1908]. 88pp. This romantic play addresses the political and social turmoil in Estonia as a result of the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905 and the subsequent Russian Revolution of 1905-1907. The play takes place at the end of July 1905 on a manor in Estonia on the border with Latvia. Introduction by the author's longtime companion, Eduard von Mayer. Very good in original wrappers, previous owners stamp on front wrapper. More
Berlin-Neurahnsdorf A. Brand [1900]. 220pp. The first true anthology of homosexual writing, produced by the artist and writer and initiated in response to Oscar Wilde's imprisonment. The writers represented include the early Greeks and include Goethe, Verlaine, Adolf Brand (with whom he collaborated on the long-running gay journal, Der Eigene) and numerous others. Von Kupffer's introduction to the book argues that homosexuality is a fundamental part of social life and disparages the idea of a "third sex" advocated by Hirschfeld and others as destructive. The volume was banned by authorities in 1903 and the book has become a great rarity and is an important milestone in gay history and one of the cornerstones of gay literature. The arguments articulated in the book remain as culturally significant as they were in his own day. The volume precedes the other major anthologies in the field, Men and Boys: An Anthology (1924) and Edward Carpenter's Iolaus (who was inspired to collect his material after reading this book). A very good copy in lightly worn contemporary boards, the uncommon wrappers are present and bear the signature of the Romantic writer Peter Hille. The book was published in 1900 by the gay rights crusader Adolf Brand and the sheets were later conveyed to Max Spohr, who re-issued the book under his own imprint. Quite rare. $2000. More
Stockholm: Svanbäcks Boktryckeri (1890). 4to. 67pp. Carl von Platen was a Swedish dilettante nobleman and an amateur photographer who took provocative photographs of young men posing in dresses and swimwear. This penchant led to his being prosecuted for indecency in 1903 and his photographs were seized by the authorities. Thereafter, he spent a period in a private nursing home, then traveled around Europe and wrote travelogues. In 1918, Von Platen was arrested by the police for the second time in Malmö, when he tried to kiss a boy in the Kramer hotel elevator. This edition, a travelogue of sorts, contains 18 photographic images of various locations he encountered in his travels Limited to 100 copies, several penciled corrections to the text, light wear to boards. More
Albert Wainwright (1898-1943) was born in Castleford and studied at Leeds School of Art, where he was friends with fellow student, Henry Moore. He was a prolific artist and illustrator, primarily in a post-Beardsley and Viennese secessionist manner. He found early success with a one-man show in Leeds, at the age of 22, followed by a show at the Goupil Gallery in London. He traveled extensively to Germany and Austria, where these images were created. One verso is another gouache drawing: “Gentleman in traditional costume, Salzburg.” Both images are ink and wash drawings, unframed, unsigned, (25cm x 18cm). More
An original pen and ink drawing of a German soldier, signed and dated 1918. The sketch was done on a "carte postale militaire" dated 3 August 1914, so perhaps the (unknown) artist was a French soldier mocking German "Kultur" in the form of an effeminate infantryman. Very good, light wear to edges. More
Oxford: James Thornton (20 May 1892; 27 May 1892; #3, #4, (2 issues). Two issues of the Oxford magazine with contributions by divers hands, including poetry, letters and short prose works. Both copies are edge chipped and split at the hinges, but internally very good. Priced as a group. The magazine became infamous during the editorship of Lord Alfred Douglas, who published much Uranian material, including works by Oscar Wilde. More
Los Angeles (1991). 4to. Introduction by William Burroughs, and an afterword by the photographer. Very good in stiff wrappers. More
London: Enitharmon Press (1976). A posthumous collection of Welch's intensely personal poetry and a selection of his drawings, with an Introduction by Jean-Louis Chevalier. Mine was a lost and moony life Alone among the fields at night: Or in the loft with the sick smelling apples Blistering along the shelves in the moonlight. Mine was a life all to myself With torn newspaper about my feet, But now I lie beneath this enemy sky At the end of the longest street. Of a total edition of 660 copies, this is one of 60 special numbered copies on blue paper and specially bound. A fine copy. Uncommon. More
Edinburgh: Privately Printed (1981). An essay by Jeremy Mason on Wilde's stay in Berneval after his release from prison, with several tipped in photographs and a previously unpublished letter from Wilde to Reggie Turner. One of 70 numbered copies printed letterpress at the Tragara Press, fine in marbled wrappers. More
Philadelphia: CSM Press (2013). 198pp. A collection of Wilde's writings on dress and fashion, many of which have been inaccesible until now. The book contains generously annotated and illustrated chapters that analyze the importance of dress in the historical context of Wilde's career, together with a comprehensive review of the inspiration, trends, and source material that informed his philosophy. Fine in original boards, one of 100 numbered copies (#92). More
Portland, Maine Thomas B. Mosher (1903). Three-quarter crushed blue morocco binding, gilt top edge, marbled endpapers. A very nice copy, spine a little sunned, bookplate. Limited to 600 copies printed on Van Gelder Paper. More
London: Grant Richards (1906). 328pp. There are nine contributions (poems) by Wilde, including "Theocritus" and "The True Knowledge." Very good in gold stamped boards, wear to head and tail of spine, edgewear. More
Three TLS and one typed card from Williams to collector Anthony Reid, all dated 1980. Williams was the longtime principal of the Jargon Society, the important small-press publisher founded in 1951 by Williams. The amusing letters are filled with book gossip and reference Ralph Chubb, Ian Young and a number of shared interests. Very good, laid into a custom paper envelope by Reid, along with his Ralph Chubb bookplate. More
Paris: Chez les marchands de nouveautés, [ND]. 284pp. A quite rare treatise on homosexuality, mistakenly attributed to Liane de Pougy (whose novel L'idylle Saphique was written around the same time.) Only one instiutional copy located at the Bibliothèque Nationale. Very good in slighly marked original wrappers. More
