Featured Items
Almanach des Champs 1 Novembre 1929- 1 Mai 1930
Paris: Horizons de France (1929). 298pp. A collection of writings by Mario Meunier, Jean Giono, Alain-Fournier and others, illustrated throughout with head pieces by Gaston Goor. Very good in wrappers. More
The Island of Capri: A Mediterranean Idyll
London: Fisher Unwin (1896). The English translation of this acclaimed work on Capri by Ferdinand Gregorovius, originally published in 1868. According to Maurice Magnus' unpublished memoir of Capri, this book was actually translated by Norman Douglas and his sister Mary (while intoxicated). As Magnus and Douglas were quite close friends for a time, there may be some merit to the statement, although Douglas' biographer Mark Holloway attributes the translation solely to Mary Douglass Fairbairn. Norman Douglas was introduced to Gregorovius' work by his first Italian teacher and the book played an important role in his later interest in Capri, where he lived for many years and died there in 1952. A fair copy, corners bumped, blue boards a bit marked. Quite uncommon. More
Eux et Lui
Monaco: Éditions du Rocher (1962). sm. 4to. 94pp. A frankly autobiographical essay about the author's homosexuality, illustrated with five drawings by André Masson. Guérin wrote a number of works focusing on anarchism and was a close friend of André Gide. Very good in wrappers, one of 200 special numbered copies. More
The Idylls of Theocritus
London: Rivingtons (1913). 3rd ed. Hardcover. A revised edition printed on heavy rag papers. Laid into this copy are two ALS both in the hand of the translator James Hallard. The first ALS, a postcard to the editor of the Athenaeum, which seeks to have the book reviewed. The seconf ALS, also a postcard is addressed to F.W. Lucas, the Cambridge scholar, responding to a letter from Hallard about a forthcoming revision of the text. Very good in red buckram boards, somewhat sunned. More
Nejma : revue littéraire
Tanger : Librairie de Colonnes (2007). Literary journal, primarily in French, with an early work by Abdellah Taia, Paul Bowles onetime consort Mohamed Mrabet and assorted others. Illustrated. Very good in red wrappers. More
Boy
London: Boriswood (1932). 3rd imp. This controversial novel about a stowaway youth aboard a tramp freighter was seized and destroyed by British authorities upon publication. This edition contains re-written passages "expurged" from the first edition. A very good copy in orange boards, small water stain to front board, good jacket with only minor edgewear, browning to spine, small closed tear. With the penciled ownership signature of Brian Reade on endpaper. Young 1694. More
Memories of an Hotel Man
[New York?]: Printed by the Art-Guild Press (1935). An unusually nice copy of this rare erotic illustrated book, replete with every conceivable amorous coupling. The book appeared with a number of various variant covers- ths example is stiff blue wrappers. More
Twenty-Five Poems
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
Last Poems
London: Grant Richards (1922). Last Poems was a tribute to Housman's close friend, Moses Jackson. One of his best known poems is included in the collection It contains one of his best known poems, Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries " about the Second Battle of Ypres. This is the correct first edition with the typographical errors on page 52. A very good copy in original dark boards, lightly scuffed, light occasional foxing. With the Raffolovich Bequest bookplate on front pastedown and the Dominican Fathers cancellation stamp on first endpaper. More
Le procès du prétendu "renouveau catholique" au tribunal de l'opinion
NP: Hubert (1919). 229pp. A detailed polemic by this French lawyer in which he decries the "Catholic renaissance" which began in the 1880s and the "decadent" literary world of Huysmans, Claudel, Rimbaud, Bloy and many others. The mystical strains in symbolist literature, including frequent representations of homosexuality, satanism, etc. are addressed in detail by Hubert, who resists the efforts by Catholic thinkers to alter traditional beliefs. The cover of the work lists the range of his objections: "Prétendu 'renouveau catholique': en réalité, outrage aux moeurs et satanisme flagrants.-"L'appel des Armes de Psichari ou la Réhabilitation du lupanar: ses "Terres de soleil"- ou la apologie de la pédérastie; scandaleuse réclame des "Études".... For a detailed discussion of the controversies surrounding these issues, see Schloesser, Jazz Age Catholicism: Mystic Modernism in Postwar Paris, 1919-1933 (36 et seq.) A quite uncommon publication, good in rather worn wrappers, spine worn, rear wrapper missing. More
Le Parnasse satyrique du dix-neuvième siècle: recueil de vers piquants et gaillards. Tome I
Bruxelles: Sous le Manteau (1881). Huysmans contributes the quite explicitly homosexual Sonnet Masculin to this controversial collection of erotic texts. The edition was limited to 175 copies reserved for subscribers- this is Volume I (of 2). Good in rather worn boards, edges rubbed, marbled endpapers, a bit of spotting. Uncommon. More
Mondo Uruguayo
Montevideo (28 Jan 1926). 4to. A copy of the long-running Uruguayan magazine of culture with a provocative cover illustration and the caption “Cual es “El?" (What is "He...'?"). Very good, light cover wear and wear to spine with light glue residue. More
Surfers in Santa Monica
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
Carmina Amico
Verona (1932). Published anonymously, this is the author's "opus quintum", issued in an edition of 100 copies printed by the master printer Mardersteig of the Stamperia Valdonega. James is primarily known for his patronage of the Surrealists and his eccentric lifestyle, but he issued a number of beautifully produced volumes of poetry, this being one of the rarest. The book's Uranian content is discussed in d'Arch Smith's Love in Earnest (at 161) One quarter vellum over painted boards, front hinge starting. One of only 100 unnumbered copies, this being one of fifty copies on half-vellum. Mardersteig 39. Verona, 1932. Uncommon. More
Italian Confectioner; or, Complete Economy of Desserts, according to the most modern and approved practice
London, E.S. Ebers. 1841. A good copy in original buff boards, front hinge starting, wear to edges and rubbing to covers. From the library of Richard Olney, with his signature on endpaper. Internally very good. More
Bon-Mots of the Nineteenth Century
London: J.M. Dent and Company, 1897. 12mo. Hardcover. Grotesques by Alice B. Woodward. Very Good in original cream cloth boards with gilt title to spine and front board, some wear and light soiling to covers, corners lightly bumped, light foxing to endpapers. More
Lorsque Maisie Dansait
Paris: Salvy (1990). A scrapbook of the 1920s with numerous illustrations by Jullian and text by Angus Wilson. Fine in fine jacket. More
Troya’da Ölüm Vard .
[Ankara] Forum [1962]. 246pp. Death in Troy is a novel of repressed homosexuality by popular Turkish writer Bilge Karasu (1930-1995). A young man growing up in a small coastal village comes of age in an atmosphere of sublimated, disoriented male eroticism. Governed by religious and sexual taboos, rigid gender roles, stifling maternal love, and the enforced silences of social decorum, he is driven to the point of insanity from which he slowly and painfully returns. Told from several points of view and structured in a series of intersecting flashbacks and interior monologues, the novel describes the difficult geography of male intimacy from multiple perspectives-adolescent friendship, homosexual desire, mother-son bonds, and those between men and women. Perhaps the most important modern gay Turkish novel. Very good in original wrappers, light wear to covers. Uncommon. More
Hecataei Milesii Fragmenta. Scylacis Caryandensis Periplus
Berolini : Impensis G. Reimeri (1831). A dissertation on the life and writings of Hecataeus by the German philologist. Hecataeus of Miletus was a Greek philosopher whose studies of the natural world and geography were among the most provocative of his generation. This text contains a study of early surveys of the ancient world. Rebound in Italian paper boards, leather spine label, with the ownership stamp of Norman Douglas on front pastedown. Light foxing throughout. Map. Rare. More
Histoire merveilleuse et édifiante de Godemiché. Trouvée dans un ancien manuscrit de la Bibliothèque de la sacré Congrégation des Nonnes
A Rome, Aux frais des religieuses du Couvent des Carmélites (1776) 48pp. [1871]. The Abbe Du Laurens was and intriguing subversive libertine and philosopher who spent more than 25 years in prison for his controversial writings, this being among the most licentious. This collection of essays on dildos was originally published in 1763 and is in reality a commentary on the Bible and religion and includes an essay on the subject by "M. de Saint-Evremond". Very good in original grey wrappers, slight wear to covers. Limited to 100 copies, this example is unnumbered. Perceau 42 (indicates that some copies have illustrations- not present here). More
The Death of Madame
Harrison of Paris (1931). 25pp. The seventh publication of Harrison of Paris, translated by Monroe Wheeler, which recounts the death of Charles I's daughter (Louis XIV's sister-in-law), which the author had witnessed. A lovely little book bound in full vellum in the publisher's black paper-covered clamshell box titled in gilt. Printed on Iridescent Imperial Japan vellum, and limited to 325 copies. See, Ford, Published in Paris @335-36. The book and box are laid into a mailing envelope with Monroe Wheeler's penned notations and another notation in the hand of his longtime companion Glenway Wescott ("I don't suppose you want to provide Brooke [Astor] with this? Worthy of her or, the opposite"). Laid into the book is Wheeler's ex libris. More
Der Gemüthausdruck des Antinous ein Jahrhundert Angewandter Psychologie auf dem Gebiete der Antiken Plastik
Berlin: Verlag Spemann (1891). 92pp. A detailed description of existing works in German dealing with Antinous, with 60 works discussed, including those by Hausrath (aka George Taylor) and Gregorovious. Very good in wrappers, small chip to cover, pages uncut, folding chart at rear. Uncommon. More
Pédérastie. (Extrait du Dictionnaire encyclopédique des sciences médicales de Dechambre, série 2, tome 22, 1886)
Paris: G. Masson: P. Asselin (1886). Alexandre Lacassagne (1843-1924) was a professor of forensic medicine at the Faculty of Medicine of Lyon and wrote extensively about issues related to homosexuality. This work is an extract from Dechambre's Dictionnaire encyclopédique des sciences médicales (série 2, tome 22, 1886) and became an important milestone and was praised by Havelock Ellis among others. The article is inscribed by the author to his colleague Dr. Charles Vibert, very good in later plain wrappers. More
Oil Rig #99
"Across the blazing sands of the Sahara- in a savage land of forbidden passions, they came to find a fortune- and found each other. The original vintage film poster for this classic of gay porn, starring Ryan Harker and Bud Wallace. Very good, with light edgewear. More