Berlin, München: Eigenbrödler-Verl. (1919). 64pp. Forster was a German actor and dramaturge who contributed to Adolf Brand's influential gay magazine, Der Eigene in the 1920s. See Herrgemömoller, Mann für Mann @ 169. Good in illustrated wrappers with light wear, small closed tears at spine. More about Mammon: Ein Mysterium in 9 Geschehnissen

Paris: La Centaine (impr. Félix Lainé / lith. tirées par Eugène Marchizet) (1926). The complete suite of 52 woodblock images by Rouveyre, printed in sanguine. Very good in original wrappers, bound in brown buckram boards. Warmly inscribed by Rouveyre on endpaper to Adrienne von Tax (?). More about Suite des illustrations composées pour Lettres intimes à l'Amazone. Tirage en sanguine de...

The artist, a bi-sexual Englishman, was one of the more prominent purveyors of nude male magazines and photographs in the post-war period, some of which earned him time in prison. He published magazines such as "Man to Man" and "Golden Boys" and assorted others, but he also self-published several books with more serious allusions, such as the "Superb Youth," series which attempt to cross the line into more conventional "artist's books." Notwithstanding this pretense, the books contain a wealth of well-endowed and quite attractive young men in assorted provocative poses. This profile portrait on “scraper board” measures 15.25” x 12”, signed “JB ’59” at lower left, a few light surface cracks. More about

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 about

Four original photographs of young men (5" x 7") by Marot, the French photographer of the late 1970s and 1980s known for his candid portrayals of boys, often in incongruous settings. Each photograph is signed "Marot '82" and mounted on card stock. More about

A collection of 12 vintage postcards of young male Arab boys, most of which bear a designation by Lehnert & Landgrock, who popularized such images in the early years of the twentieth century. All are in very good condition, several bear inscriptions on versos and most bear the firm's stock number. Severl bear titles, such as "Jeune Arab", "Cairo- The little Shoeblack", etc. More about

New York (1924). 83pp. The first, and extremely uncommon, anthology of homosexual literature to be published in America. The author, a professional chemist and graduate of Columbia University, compiled the anthology anonymously and remains somewhat of a mystery today. His identity has been revealed by the research of several scholars (notably Timothy d'Arch Smith and Donald Mader) and the story of the anthology has been discussed in the only reprint of the edition (Coltsfoot Press, 1978). The anthology commences with works from ancient Hebrew literature and progresses throught the poetry of the 1920s. Included are a selection of known Uranian poets, such as Digby Mackworth Dolben, Edward Cracroft Lefroy, Edward Emmanuel Bradford, John Gambril Nicholson, John Moray Stuart-Young, Edmund John, "Philebus" (John Leslie Barford) and John Addington Symonds. But there are also some surprising contributions from more traditional poets, such as Ernest Myers, William Alexander Percy, James Fennimore Cooper, Jr., Victor Starbuck, Katherine Mansfield, Willard Wattles as well as the anthologist himself. Described by Timothy d'Arch Smith as a "startingly thorough and well-informed anthology" it remains a classic in the field of gay literature and a cornerstone of collecting in the field. According to a prospectus issued by the anthologist, the book was issued in an edition of 150 copies, but relatively few are known to exist. This is a very good copy with the original uncommon half-title page (referencing the author's pseudonym and identifying the work as a scholarly dissertation), a few penciled notations in text. Laid in is a 1pp typescript of three poems that are included in the text on page 64, perhaps by Slocum. This copy bears an inscription from the author to Herbert Boyce Satcher (signed "E.E." [his pseudonym Edwin Edwinstone]). Satcher and Slocum were friends and shared similar homosexual interests. See Rosenthal, An Arcadian Photographer in Manhattan for a thorough examination of Slocum's work. More about Men and Boys: An Anthology

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 about Portrait of Ahmed

London : John F. Shaw and Co., [1887]. 383pp. An historical novel about Gavestone, the favorite of King Edward II. It was alleged by medieval chroniclers that Edward II and Piers Gaveston were lovers, a rumour that was reinforced by later portrayals in fiction, such as Christopher Marlowe's late 16th-century play Edward II. An uncommon book, very good in illustrated boards, with light wear. More about In all time of our tribulation : the story of Piers Gavestone

Lisbao: Olisipo (1922). The second edition of these controversial poems, many of which are explicitly homosexual in content and which created a furor when published in this ediiton. The previous year, Botto had published the first edition of the poems, which were largely ignored until his friend Fernando Pessoa issued the present edition under his Olisipo imprint and publicly praised the poems. Conservatives reacted strongly against the poems, calling them "sodom's literature" and the book was banned by the authorities in 1923. Catholic college students clamored for a burning of the book, but Botto refused to apologize for his work. Botto was openly homosexual throughout his life and later struggled to survive by writing children's books and short essays. Pessoa, Portugal's pre-eminent modernist literary figure, considered Botto the only Portuguese poet worthy of the label "aesthete" and, as a critic and publisher, championed his work. Pessoa translated the poems into English, which were eventually published in 1948 (see below). To publicize the book, Pessoa wrote a provocative article, published in the journal Comtemporânea, (see below) praising the author’s courage and sincerity for shamelessly singing homosexual love as a true aesthete. Pessoa's article prompted the critic Alvaro Maia to excoriate Botto’s work, which was then followed by another article by Raul Leal (an openly homosexual writer, friend of Pessoa). Conservatives reacted and complained to the authorities about the work’s immorality ("Sodom's literature") and the book was confiscated by the authorities in 1923. The Liga de Acção dos Estudantes de Lisboa [Lisbon Students Action League], a Catholic college students group (lead by Pedro Teotónio Pereira) clamored for an auto-da-fé of Botto's book and someone even suggested the author should be hanged. Nevertheless, most artists and intellectuals promptly took up his defence in several polemic articles. Eventually, the scandal subsided, the next year the ban was lifted and until the end of his life Botto would publish several revised versions of the book. His work was applauded by Antonio Machado, Miguel de Unamuno, Camilo Pessanha, Virginia Woolf, Teixeira de Pascoaes, José Régio, Luigi Pirandello, Stefan Zweig, Rudyard Kipling, James Joyce and Federico García Lorca. A very good copy in the original printed wrappers, with the original frontispiece photograph of the author, bound in later marbled boards. A laudatory review of Botto's work by Jayme de Balsemão appears at the end of the book. His work has been widely praised by fellow writers, including James Joyce among others. See also, Leal, Sodoma Divinisada, (see below) which praises Botto's courage for writing about gay subjects. More about Canções

Paris: 1939. 34pp. The first French translation (by Henri Parisot) of this work, issued in an edition of 150 copies. Very good in original wrappers, occasional light spotting. Uncommon. More about Fantasmagorie

Paris Issue 5: 15 Mai 1909. Akademos: Revue Mensuelle d'Art Libre et de Critique. Paris (15 Janvier 1909). 160pp. Issue Number 5 of this short-lived monthly literary review, considered one of the first gay magazines published. Very good in original wrappers, light browning and edgewear, occasional spotting. More about Akademos: Revue Mensuelle d'Art Libre et de Critique

A vintage 1930s photograph of Tony Sansone (9.5" x 7.5") taken by Townsend, who produced many images of the bodybuilder and gay icon. Very good, unmounted. More about Portrait of Anthony Sansone before a mirror