Paris: Inversions (1924-1925). 4to. A complete set of the extremely rare magazine dedicated to homosexual issues in France. Although Fersen's journal Akademos is often cited as the first gay journal, Inversions (and its successor L'Amitie) were far more explicit in their open treatment of gay issues. The editors were not part of Parisian literary circles, but managed to obtain contributions from some of the most forceful proponents of homosexual rights, many of which contributed under pseudonyms: Numa Praetorius , St. Ch. Waldecke , Louis Estève , Willy , G. Pioch, Claude Cahun , Georges d'Autry, Pierre Guyolot-Dubasty (Axieros) , Marcel Dartus, Havelock Ellis and Camille Spiess. Four issues of the magazine were produced before formal complaints were made about its content (one objector called it an "official review of pederasty, which clearly proclaims its ignoble program") which lead to an official prosecution. In April of 1925, the magazine changed its name to L'Amitie in an effort to forestall the prosecution, but the principals were eventually convicted of "d'outrage aux bonnes mœurs et de propagation de méthodes anticonceptionnelles" and the two editors were incarcerated for three months. The magazines were printed on inexpensive acidic paper and as a consequence deteriorated rapidly and rarely appear in commerce. This set is in fair condition- all pages are present but many are laid into marbled boards, with browning and chips to edges. Laid in is a 1 pp.TLS regarding Claude Cahun's contribution to L'Amitie. There is a long pencilled notation on the front endpaper about the history of the magazine from the previous owner (noting that he has never seen another collection). More

NP: ND (1990). 4to. A series of eight posters bemoaning Helms' morally deficient views on AIDS, immigration, poverty and other issues in his 1990 Senate race. Very good, laid into wrappers, which have a bit of wear to edges. More

NP: Paris-London (1925). The complete set of these three works, all of which went through numerous editions over the years. Three volumes in pink wraps with black and red titles. Some fading to spines, edge-wear, light shelf-wear. Pia (@ 1290-91) indicates that each volume contained 12 pouchoir images, although the copies at the Bibliotheque Nationale (Enfer 1228, 1229, 1230) are incomplete. Our examples contain 25 images laid into the rear of the volumes (12 in La Veuve Amoureuse and 12 in Miss Frankland, 5 in Madame Benson) although it is unclear which illustrations were destined for each volume. The images represent a variety of sexual encounters, including several gay subjects. Uncommon. More

Amsterdam: Jacques. van Cleef (1904). 228pp. The second (largely re-written) edition of this early gay classic. The first edition included a veiled reference to A. Aletrino, which precipitated his purchase and destruction of nearly all copies. According to the scholar Paul Snyders, the second edition is in some ways more open than the first, with a completely different style. Very good in later marbled boards. 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 good copy of a quite rare book with cover illustration by the author, light cover wear, corners lightly bumped, front cover a bit darkened, rear cream boards lightly stained. 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

Rouen: Association des Amis d'Hugues Rebell (1994). 108pp. A collection of writings about Wilde's incarceration by a number of French writers, including Stuart Merrill, Jean Lorrain, Laurent Tailhade and others. One of 500 copies, very good in wrappers, light wear to covers. 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

Two vintage photographs of a male model (likely taken in Italy in the 1950s/60s). (9 1/2" x 12"). Very good with silvering at edges. More

Vintage photograph of La Piazzetta in Capri taken by Islay Lyons in the early 1950s. (10" x 10"). Very good. More

Vintage portrait of the acclaimed novelist taken at a luncheon in Capri at the home of Kenneth Macpherson and Islay Lyons (Nancy Cunard and Norman Douglas were also in attendance). Taken by Lyons in the early 1950s, stamped on verso with penned notation. (7" x 9"). Very good condition. More