Montague Glover (1898 – 1983) was a British freelance architect and private photographer. He is most notable for his depiction of homosexual life in London during the early to mid-20th century through private photographs taken primarily for his own enjoyment. His photographs tend to document 'rough trade', the working class and members of the military. See Gardiner, A Class Apart - The Private Pictures of Montague Glover (1992). His work is rarely seen in trade as the great majority of his work is held in a major private collection. This portrait of a model in a studio wearing a military uniform is a vintage silver gelatin print on Velox paper, image size, 4 1/4" x 6 1/4", mounted to card. [c. 1930]. More

Oxford: Thos. Shrimpton and Son (1878). 8vo. The first edition of Wilde’s first work published in book form and the winner of the Newdigate Prize Poem competition in 1878 that was awarded to students at the University of Oxford for the Best Composition in English verse. “During a vacation ramble in 1877 he started for Greece, [and] visiting Ravenna by chance on the way, he obtained material for a poem on that ancient city, and singularly enough ‘Ravenna’ was afterwards given out as the topic for the Newdigate competition” (The Aesthetic Movement in England by Walter Hamilton, 1882). The subject was to be confined to the study of the ancient Greek and Roman remains of architecture, sculpture, and painting that was to be written in heroic couplets. Wilde’s success was announced on June 10 and advertised in the Oxford University Gasette (viii, 293, p. 451) on June 18th. In the same issue it was announced that the winners will recite their prized entries at the Hall of New College. “One of the Professor’s [of Poetry] duties is to suggest textual improvements to the Winner of the Newdigate. The amendments proposed are usually accepted with gratitude; but there have been exceptions to the rule. Shairp suggested many improvements in Oscar Wilde’s Ravenna. Wilde listened to all suggestions with courtesy and even took notes of them, but he went away and printed the poem without making a single alteration in it” (The Academy, February 17, 1906). Mason 301. Foolscap 8vo. Original publisher’s printed wrappers (slightly toned at edges, else fine); folding hardcover chemise. Provenance: George Cukor (bookplate on chemise). More

Bonn: Marcus & Webers Verlag (1919-20). A collection of essays on sexology, including one by the gay rights' advocate, Numa Praetorius (Eugene Wilhelm) "Das Liebesleben Lidwigs XIII von Frenkreich". Marcuse was an editor for Magnus Hirschfeld’s Journal of Sexology in 1919 and continued editing the journal until 1932. Very good in orange wrappers, light wear to rear covers, pages uncut, wear to spine. More

Scrapbook prepared by Cecil Beaton over the period 1935-1944, with some later inclusions. Decorated paper over boards, cloth spine lettered "Scrap Book." 14 1/4 x 11 3/4 inches (35 x 20 cm); 50 ff., with mounted newspaper clippings (most poignantly those dealing with the death of his friend, the artist Rex Whistler), notes and letters received by Beaton (including a five-page letter from the poet and Surrealist Edward James, among others), telegrams and bills, fair copies in his hand (some extending for pages) of texts that interested him, etc. etc. Some leaves with evidence of extractions, some loose clippings, some later and unrelated material laid in at front. The sections in Beaton's hand include a three-quarter page section of observations on roses in art; a four-page copy of a work by Norah Lindsay "Summer Roses of Long Ago;" a sheet laid in with copies of four of Shakespeare's sonnets; and another with an unidentified quotation; and a typed sheet of musings on Beaton's 8 Pelham Place stationery (his London address). Beaton scrapbooks are rare in commerce. Sold with a copy of Beaton. The Art of the Scrapbook, Assouline/Knopf 2002. More

Privately printed for Alan Clodd (1965). 5pp. An early short work by Firbank, with an introduction by his biographer, Miriam Benkovitz. One of 50 numbered copies issued, fine in wrappers. More

Paris: Imprimerie nationale 1923. 4to. 179pp. The only published work by the author was the daughter of Count Henry Greffulhe and his wife, Élisabeth de Riquet de Caraman-Chimay (said to be a model for the Duchess of Guermantes in Marcel Proust’s novel, À la recherche du temps perdu). Proust attended her wedding in 1904 and his appearance was apparently caught on film. Robert de Montesquiou, a cousin, has contributed an introduction. Very good in marbled wrappers, light wear. Quite rare with only two institutional copies located. More

Montrouge : Draeger frères, 1924. — In-folio. 312: (4 ff. First white), 11 plates, illustrated cover. In sheets, under shirt with jacket adorned with a typographic decoration. Prestigious catalog glorifying the graphic arts industries through a leading collaboration between the printer Draeger, the writer Jean Cocteau and the artist Charles Martin. The text is a treasure trove of typographic presentation and calls out to advertisers to encourage them to have Draeger catalogs edited. It is followed by 11 boards designed by Charles MARTIN (1884-1934) in the purest Art Deco spirit. "This catalog is the perfect celebration, never equaled, of the publishing professions, as well as one of the most prestigious DRAEGER albums" (Forney exhibition 1988, n ° 82). A few spots and pitting on the dust jacket and a few small freckles scattered on the boards. More

Portrait of a tattooed model in a studio wearing briefs. Vintage silver gelatin print on Velox paper, image size, 4 1/4"" x 6 1/2", mounted to card. [c. 1930], More

Paris: Black Sun Press (1929). Robert Carlton Brown (1886-1959) was an American author, journalist, publisher, and collector. He wrote an assortment of pulp fiction, non-fiction, cookbooks, avant-garde publications, and experimented with various styles of writing. 1940-1950 was published by the Crosby's Black Sun Press when Brown and his wife were involved in the expatriate literary community in Paris. Limited first ed., signed to Nancy Cunard. 150 copies total; this one signed and inscribed to Nancy Cunard (who, at the time, was running The Hours Press, which would soon publish Brown's book Words); Brown's inscription reads "To Nancy Cunard/ after reading her/ answers in the/Little Review/Bob Brown/Paris/ Oct 1929." A superb association copy of a book that became a kind of underground sensation, at least until reprinted by Jargon 30 years later. Condition: VG, in original glassine jacket. Some browning to edges, and some internal spotting/foxing, likely due to paper stock used. But a real rarity. More

Jersey: Purple Sandpiper Press (2003). 8pp. A collection of poems dedicated to Alan Clodd, accompanied by artwork by Edouard Tanguy. Limited to 100 copies, and twenty signed silk bound copies (of which this is #3). Very good in elaborate silk boards, inscribed by the author on colophon page. More

Corbeil: Impr. Crété ; Paris : R. Saillard (1937). 190pp. A biographical novel about sailors with gay elements by the author of the controversial Chez les Mauvais Garçons. Very good in wrappers. Inscribed on front endpaper to Georges Lecante of the Academie Francaise, library stamp on endpaper. More