Twelve original vintage photographs of Noel Coward, taken by Lyons over an extended period of time, all stamped on verso with the Lyons copyright. Various sizes, mostly 9” x 12”. Along with a telegram from Coward to Lyons, regarding the use of one photograph for an edition of his plays. More
Girard, Kan. : Haldeman-Julius Co., c [1906]. 61pp. Uncommon and early collection of these essays about Wilde. Little Blue Book #601. Very good in wrappers. More
An original pen and ink drawing of two young lovers (3.5" x 3"). Matted and framed (8.25" x 8.5"). Philippe Jullian (1919 – 1977) was a French illustrator, art historian, biographer, aesthete, novelist and dandy. The drawing was likely used to illustrate one of the many illustrated books for which he became well known. Very good in gilt frame. More
London: Barrington (1970-71). Issues 1-4 of this short-lived publication, each limited to 250 copies. Barrington had been imprisoned for publishing pornography in the 1960s and issued these publications in a more limited way in order to avoid legal problems. Each issue contains images of male nudes printed on Barrington's lithography machine, bound in blue stapled wrappers. See Smith, Physique: The Life of John S. Barrington @184. Uncommon. More
Berlin: Barsdorf (1919). 240pp. A history of the Eulenburg scandal, which received wide publicity and is often considered the biggest domestic scandal of the German Second Empire. It led to one of the first major public discussions of homosexuality and was the first occasion that the word "homosexual" was introduced into common usage. A good copy in boards, spine is damaged, original wrappers present. More
NP: Zwolle (1936, 1937). 2 vols. 91pp., 87pp. Two books which deal with the famous case against the Dutch paymaster general L.A. van Ries, who was accused of homosexual activities and who lost his position as high ranking official because of the controversy. Very good in black wrappers, cover labels with light wear. More
Den Helder: De Boer (1913). 22pp. This essay by the renowned Dutch physician deals with venereal diseases in the Navy and is a response to a colleague's writings on the subject. Very good in stapled buff wrappers, light loss on one corner and spine. More
A limited edition series of photographs by George Platt Lynes, one of the most innovative and influential photographers of the 20th century. Five male nudes have been selected for this unique portfolio, drawn from a collection of negatives acquired directly from the artist by Dr. Alfred Kinsey in the 1950s. The hand-crafted platinum prints have a beautiful tonal range that is well suited to Lynes’ distinctive compositions. Published in an edition of 20 portfolios and 2 artists’ proofs, the photographs are approximately 8 x 10 inches and printed on 11 x 14 inch 100% rag paper. The prints are matted on acid-free museum board and presented in an elegant cloth-covered 17 x 15 x 2 inch archival box. This example is #5/20, fine as issued. More
Privat-Druck (1910). 4to. Meinke, a frequent contributor to Adolf Brand's Der Eigene magazine. This, his first book, is a collection of poems dedicated to Wilde, Baudelaire, Poe, Hoffman and Verlaine with woodblock illustrations by the author. Very good in wrappers with string ties. More
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
Dresden: E. Piersons Verlag (1901). 161pp. An early German novel with a strong undercurrent of homosexuality, wherein the protagonist strives for "high ideals" and exaggeratedly rejects females "before it degenerates into unnatural passion". Baron Baillou published several books on esthetics and philosophy, but is largely unknown. Very god in contemporary marbled boards, wear and short tears to linen spine. Quite rare. 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: Buchh. Vorwärts (1907). 16pp. The Eulenburg affair, was the controversy in Germany surrounding a series of courts-martial and five civil trials regarding accusations of homosexual conduct, and accompanying libel trials, among prominent members of Kaiser Wilhelm II's cabinet and entourage during 1907–1909. It also involved Adolf Brand, Magnus Hirschfeld and numerous others. An uncommon record of the facts surrounding the drama as it unfolded. Very good in somewhat yellowed wrappers. More
Lyon: A. Rey (1921). 457pp. Alexandre Lacassagne was a French physician and criminologist who edited the influential Archives d'anthropologie criminelle for many years. It was in this context that he became acquainted with Andre Raffalovich, who contributed a number of essays on homosexuality to the journal. This was the author's last work and bears a warm inscription to Raffalovich on front endpaper. Very good in original wrappers. More
Paris: Librairie Generale Catholique (1922). 287pp. A fictionalized version of the events leading up the the eruption of Mt. Pele in 1902, which resulted in the death of 30,000 people around St. Pierre, the capitol. St. Pierre has been described as the Sodom of the Caribbean, a town rife with prostitution, decadence, blasphemy, homosexuality and unbelief and many believed this was the reason for the eruption. The author portrays assorted sacrileges and "decadent behavior" that occurred immediately before the eruption. Very good in original wrappers, light wear to covers and spine, pages uncut. Quite rare. More
London (1699). 31pp. 8vo. A record of the famous Castlehaven sodomy trial in 1631. The 2nd Earl of Castlehaven was convicted of abetting the rape of his wife and of committing sodomy with his male servants and the trial was a spectacular sex scandal, resulting in the execution of Castlehaven and his servants. Light age yellowing, occasional spotting, 3 leaves trimmed, evident glue stain from repair at gutter throughout, modern blue cloth, new endpapers, a little rubbed. Bookseller's description tipped on to rear pastedown (from 1948). More
London, J.W. Parker and Son (1858) 8vo., 128 pp. A rare volume on the conduct of young men given to the eccentric teenage poet and Etonian, Digby Mackworth Dolben at age 14. Dolben caused considerable scandal at Eton with his exhibitionist behaviour and homosexual eccentricities He wrote homosexual verses to his contemporaries and scandalized his tutors with his behaviour. Dolben drowned at 19 and was mourned by the great Victorian poet, Gerard Manley Hopkins: “there can very seldom have happened the loss of so much beauty (in body and mind and life) ... Inscribed in 1862 to Dolben by Edward Daniel Stone, classical scholar and a schoolmaster at Eton during Dolben's tenure there. Armorial ex-libris of George Digby Scott, rector of Bray Quite rare- the first book of Dolben's library of which we are aware. Full crushed brown morocco and gilt, some wear, evidence of old tape strip removal, all edges gilt. More
Amsterdam: F. van Rossen (1908). 78pp. Aletrino was a prolific Dutch writer and a lecturer on criminal anthropology in Amsterdam and was one of the earliest Dutch advocates of homosexual rights, widely respected in his field. In 1903 he visited Magnus Hirschfeld in Berlin and discusses his observations in Hermaphrodisie en uranisme. See Bleys, The Geography of Perversion: Male-To-Male Sexual Behavior Outside the West. Very god in original wrappers, small signature on front cover, light sunning to edges, light spotting to foredge. More
København: Gyldendal (1904). 379pp. The only overtly gay novel written by the highly regarded Danish writer, a leading European impressionist writer of the period. Bang was openly gay, a fact which contributed to his isolation in the cultural life of Denmark and made him the victim of smear campaigns. The book was adapted to the screen in 1902 and again in 1924, directed by Carl Theodor Dreyer. Very good in contemporary marbled boards. Quite rare. More
The Hague, Luctor et Emergo (1918). 246pp. François was a Dutch writer and gay activist who also campaigned for social justice in Indonesia. Anders was his first novel with an overtly gay theme and describes in detail how homosexuals lived in the Netherlands before the Second World War. Good in decorative boards by the great Dutch artist W. Arondeus, spine a bit dulled with light spotting, edges a bit dulled but internally very good. More
München: Verl. Akropolis [1911]. 130pp. 2nd. One of the most uncommon of the visionary writer's works, a morality fantasy/fairytale about a young prince and his relationship with the mysterious Tio. Elisar von Kupffer (1872-1942) was a Baltic German artist, anthologist, poet, historian, translator, and playwright who settled, along with his longtime partner, Eduard von Mayer, in Locarno, Switzerland in the 1920s. T See Ricci, Ritter, Tod und Eros: die Kunst Elisar von Kupffers (1872-1942) at 187. A near fine copy in the original wrappers. All copies of the book of which we are aware are second editions. More
Oxford: B.H.Blackwells (1917). The first of the Wheels anthologies, devised by the Sitwells to publish works of young poets (including themselves). Included in this preiere issue are works by Nancy Cunard, Osbert Sitwell, Edith Sitwell, Arnold James, Iris Tree, E.W. Tennant, Sacheverell Sitwell, Victor Tait Perowne and Helen Rootham. Warmly inscribed by Cunard to "Otto" in "1929 or so" and additionally in 1943 ("I would like to consign this to limbo, dear otto- so keep it dark."). Good in yellow boards, a bit of wear t covers with some abrasions, several pages roughly opened. More
Lisboa (1932). 71pp. Previously unpublished material, issued in a limited edition of 250 copies. Warmly inscribed by the author to Ferreira da Castro in the year of publication. Very good in buff wrappers, occasional light foxing, browning to spine. More
Lisboa: Romero (1941). 413pp. The definitive edition of these poems, issued as Volume 1 of the collected works. Warmly inscribed by Botto on the endpaper to José Maria Ferreira de Castro in the year of publication. Very good in wrappers, browning to spine. More
