Antiquarian and Collectors’ Books

SIGNED BOOK. – Ean WOOD. The Josephine Baker Story. London: Sanctuary Publishing, 2000. First edition, a photographic postcard signed by Josephine Baker mounted to the front-free endpaper, 8vo (233 x 150mm.) Photographic illustrations. (Mild toning.) Original black boards, dust-jacket (spine faded). Provenance: from the estate of the late David Sadler.

SIGNED BOOK. – Eric HEBBORN. Drawn to Trouble. Edinburgh: Mainstream Publishing, 1991. First edition, signed by the author, 8vo (233 x 152mm.) Numerous illustrations. (Mild toning.) Original black cloth, dust-jacket (price-clipped). Note: one of the greatest and most infamous art forgers of the 20th century. Hebborn was found dead on a street in Rome in 1996, most likely murdered by a blow to the back of his head.

SPEER, Albert. The Slave State. London: Weidenfeld and Nicholson, 1981. First edition, includes a 29-line typed letter from Albert Speer, 8vo (233 x 150mm.) (Mild toning.) Original green cloth, dust-jacket (price-clipped). Note: Albert Speer, the ‘Nazi Architect’, was sentenced to twenty years in prison for his close involvement with Hitler and the Nazi’s inner command. He was released in 1966 and his books are a fascinating witness account while also being an attempt to portray himself as unaware of the ‘Final Solution’. However, this has been steadily undermined by research showing that Speer not only knew the fate of the Jews but actively participated in their persecution. This letter, in German and on Speer’s headed paper, is dated March 1969 and mentions the imminent publication of his memoirs in the U.K. in May, 1970. He suggests that while wanting to visit England, he is unsure if he is an ‘unwillkommene Person’ or not. He says he intends to ask his U.K. publisher (‘es wird sicher ein guter sein’ [‘who will certainly be a good one’]) to find out for him. Provenance: from the estate of the late David Sadler.

ROOSEVELT, Franklin D. – Joseph P. LASH. Eleanor & Franklin. London: Andre Deutsch, 1972. First U.K. edition, includes a loosely-inserted 6-line a.l.s. from Franklin D. Roosevelt and another 7-line a.l.s. from Eleanor Roosevelt, 8vo (232 x 149mm.) Photographic illustrations. (Mild toning.) Original red cloth, dust-jacket. Note: the letter from Franklin Roosevelt is dated November 9th, 1931, and is on the ‘State of New York Executive Chamber’ letterhead when Roosevelt was Governor of New York. He became president sixteen months later, in March 1933 and served until his death in 1945. The letter is addressed to Richard S. Childs, a civic and social reformer. It reads: ‘Dear Mr. Childs: Please be assured that your letter of October 27th will be given thoughtful and considerate attention when we pass upon the request of the State Department of Education for the inclusion in its annual budget of an appropriation of $50,000 to conduct a study of New York City Schools. Very sincerely yours, Franklin Roosevelt’. The letter from Eleanor Roosevelt is dated 14th April, 1959. She was seventy-five at the time of writing and had been widowed for fourteen years. The letter reads: ‘Dear Miss Nachamie: I want to thank you very much for your kind invitation. Unfortunately, I cannot come to you in May as my calendar is completely filled. In any case, all my engagements for lectures must go through my agent, Mr. W. Colston Leigh, 521 Fifth Avenue, New York City. Very sincerely yours, Eleanor Roosevelt’. In the 1950’s Eleanor was averaging around a hundred and fifty lectures a year, both in America and abroad, often devoted to her civil rights work and her activism on behalf of the United Nations. Provenance: from the estate of the late David Sadler.

ONASSIS, Jacqueline Kennedy. – Sarah BRADFORD. America’s Queen, the Life of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. London: Viking Publishing, 2000. First edition, fifth impression, with a 15-line hand-written mourning card by Jackie Kennedy to Mr. and Mrs. Goddard Lieberson, 8vo (233 x 148mm.) Photographic illustrations. (Mild toning.) Original black cloth, dust-jacket (minor marks to upper panel). Note: the card reads: ‘Dear Goddard and Brigitta [Vera Zorina], I just can’t get over your Christmas presents – 10 Secret Service men had to carry your box of records upstairs -They were really chosen with an eye for this family!! And how we will adore every one of them – John [John Kennedy Jnr] picked Solo Monk to play the first- which is the most terrible one – J. took Horowitz – Scarlatti to my room – and Caroline has taken Daphnis & Chloe to hers- and there are so many more- and the little note-book- I have been searching for something like that all winter- I hope someone gave you things you love as much, love Jackie’. Goddard Lieberson was the head of CBS Records and a good friend to Jackie. In 1965, Jackie was mourning the death of her husband, John, following his assassination in November, 1963. The mention of the Secret Service is a reflection of the ongoing fear that Jackie would have for her own safety, and that of her children. Provenance: from the estate of the late David Sadler.

SIGNED BOOK. – Margaret THATCHER. The Path to Power. London: HarperCollins, 1995. First edition, signed by Margaret Thatcher on two mounted photographs, 8vo (232 x 149mm.) Numerous photographic illustrations. (Mild toning.) Original black cloth, dust-jacket. Note: the signed photographs are mounted on the front-free endpaper and to p.1, the ‘Part One’ leaf. Provenance: from the estate of the late David Sadler.

SIGNED BOOKS. – Stanley I. KUTLER. Abuse of Power, the New Nixon Tapes. New York London et al.: The Free Press, 1979. First edition, first impression, signed by Richard Nixon on a mounted photograph, 8vo (231 x 149mm.) Numerous photographic illustrations. (Mild toning.) Original black and cream boards, dust-jacket. – And a further three signed autobiographies (including Tony Blair’s ‘A Journey’, 2010, 8vo, and Bill Clinton’s ‘My Life’, first U.K. edition, 2004, 8vo, and John Major’s ‘The Autobiography’, first edition, 1999, 8vo). Provenance: from the estate of the late David Sadler (4).

SIGNED CHEQUE. – Alex KERSHAW. Jack London, A Life. London: Harper Collins, 1997. First edition, with a tipped-in signed cheque written and signed by Jack London, 8vo (233 x 149mm.) Errata slip, photographic illustrations. (Mild toning, small tear to the cheque.) Original black cloth, dust-jacket. Note: the cheque is made out to the ‘Sunset Telephone Co.’ to the amount of $4.35 and is stamped ‘APR 7 1905’ in purple ink by the ‘Central Bank, Oakland’. London spent much of his childhood in Oakland and the waterfront bars include Johnny Heinhold’s ‘First and Last Chance Saloon’ which inspired much of ‘Call of the Wild’ and ‘The Sea Wolf’ and is mentioned many times in ‘John Barleycorn’. Oakland also has a ‘Jack London Square’ and ‘Jack London Train Station’. Provenance: from the estate of the late David Sadler.

SIGNED BOOK. – Larry HAGMAN with Todd GOLD. Hello Darlin’, Tall (And absolutely True) Tales About My Life. London: Simon and Schuster, 2001. First edition, first impression, containing 5 mounted photographs and a ‘Hagman’ $100 bill with 14 signatures from the cast of Dallas, 8vo (232 x 150mm.) Photographic illustrations. (Mild toning.) Original black cloth, dust-jacket. Note: contains the signature of Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing) on the title page, on 3 mounted photographs including the group photo and on the $100 bill, the signature of Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing) on a mounted photocard and on 2 mounted photographs, including the group photo. Aside from Larry Hagman and Linda May, the group photo also contains the signatures of cast members Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing) and Jim Davis (Jock Ewing), Charlene Tilton (Lucy Ewing) and Barbara Bel Geddes (Ellie Ewing), Victoria Principal (Pamela Ewing) and Steve Kanaly (Ray Krebbs). Provenance: from the estate of the late David Sadler.

MOTOR-RACING. – Mike HAWTHORN. Champion Year, My Battle for the Drivers’ World Title. London: William Kimber, 1959. First edition, with a loosely-inserted signature of Mike Hawthorn, 8vo (215 x 137mm.) Photographic illustrations. (Mild toning.) Original red cloth, dust-jacket. – And a further three volumes related to motor-racing, all with signatures (including Rudolf Caracciola’s ‘A Racing Driver’s World’, with a loosely-inserted signed photograph, 1962, 8vo, and Raymond Mays’ ‘Split Seconds, My Racing Years’, with a mounted signature, 1951, 8vo, and Stirling Moss’ ‘A Turn at the Wheel’, signed on the half-title, 1961, 8vo). Provenance: from the estate of the late David Sadler (4).

MOTOR-RACING. – Mike HAWTHORN. Challenge Me the Race. London: William Kimber, November 1957. Seventh edition, with a loosely inserted signature of Mike Hawthorn and Duncan Hamilton, 8vo (215 x 134mm.) Photographic illustrations. (Mild toning.) Original green cloth, dust-jacket. – And a further three volumes related to motor-racing, all with signatures (including Duncan Hamilton’s ‘Touch Wood’, with a mounted signature, 1960, 8vo, and Hermann Lang’s ‘Grand Prix Driver’, with a mounted signed postcard, [1953], 8vo, and Alfred Neubauer’s ‘Speed Was My Life’, with a loosely-inserted signed photograph, 1960, 8vo). Provenance: from the estate of the late David Sadler (4).

WAIN, Louis (illustrator) and Claire WAIN. Louis Wain’s Great Big Midget Book. London: Dean & Son, Ltd., [1934.] First edition, 16mo (116 x 99mm.) Numerous black and white illustrations by Louis Wain. (Toning.) Original pictorial boards (lightly bumped). Note: scarce. The last book that Louis Wain published in his lifetime. Louis and his sister, Claire, worked on it while he was a patient at Napsbury psychiatric hospital in Hertfordshire where he spent the last fifteen years of his life. – And a further thirteen small-format books, mainly by Kate Greenaway (including ‘Almanach de Kate Greenaway 1890’, [1889], 16mo, and Maurice Sendak’s ‘The Nutshell Library’, 4 vols., 1964, 16mo) (10).

AINSLIE, Kathleen. Catharine Susan and Me’s Coming Out. London: Castell Brothers Ltd., [1907.] First edition, 12mo (143 x 119mm.) 15 chromo-lithographic illustrations, 1 double-paged. (Toning, scattered spotting.) Original card covers sewn with cord (spotting to upper cover). – And a further volume by Kathleen Ainslie (‘Me and Catharine Susan’, [1903], 12mo) (2).

DICKENS, Mary Angela. – Harold COPPING (illustrator). Children’s Stories From Dickens, re-told by His Grand-daughter. London: Raphael Tuck & Sons Ltd., 1911. Limited edition, this being number 495 of 500 copies signed by five grand-daughters of Charles Dickens, 4to (241 x 178mm.) 12 colour plates and numerous illustrations, Dickens’s centenary stamp to the front pastedown, 4pp. publisher’s advertisements to rear. (Toning, light spotting to preliminaries.) Original red cloth with pictorial gilt to upper, g.e.

SAUNDERS & OTLEY (publisher). Charles the Tenth and Louis Philippe: The Secret History of the Revolution of July 1830. London: Saunders and Otley, 1839. First edition, 8vo (214 x 127mm.) 2 engraved portrait plates. (Toning, occasional scattered spotting.) Contemporary green half calf (scuffing, stain to lower cover). Note: rare. Only a few printed copies in U.K. institutions. Simon Saunders and Edward Otley founded their publishing company in 1824, mainly publishing three-decker novels. It was closed in 1871. Provenance: Samuel Stanthorpe (ink name inscribed verso front-free endpaper). – And a further seven volumes (including Edward Ward’s ‘The London-Spy Compleat, in Eighteen Parts’, 1718, 8vo, and M. Madan’s ‘A New and Literal Translation of Juvenal and Persius’, 2 vols., 1813, 8vo) (8).

HORSE-RACING. – John CHENY. An Historical List of All Horse-Matches Run, And of all Plates and Prizes Run For In England and Wales (of the value of Ten Pounds or upwards) in 1731. London: Printed in the Year 1731. 12mo (165 x 89mm.) Woodcut initial and head-piece, 18pp. ‘List of Subscribers’ and 3pp. ‘Alphabetical List of Places of Sport mention’d in the forgoing Book’ to rear. (Minor marginal loss to title, damp-staining to C4, marginal spotting to I4.) Contemporary calf, four later morocco lettering pieces to spine, t.e.g. (hinges weakened, extremities rubbed). Note: scarce. John Cheney published his first ‘Historical List’ of the racing calendar in 1727. It cost subscriber’s five shillings and was to appear ‘annually, in the midst of Winter’ and so will be ‘an agreeable Amusement in that dull unactive Season, rend[e]ring Gentlemen capable, even in their Chambers, of diverting themselves with a Prospect, as it were, of the Sport of each past Year’.

HERBERT, George. A Priest to the Temple: Or, the Country Parson’s Character, and Rule of Holy Life. London: Benj. Tooke, 1701. Fourth edition, 12mo (154 x 86mm.) Title, 2pp. ‘An Advertisement to the Reader’, with ‘A Prefatory View of the Life and Vertues of the Author’, 1p. publisher’s advertisement. (Toning, an engraved plate of Saint Augustine mounted verso the title, light browning.) Contemporary calf (lacking lettering piece, extremities rubbed, insect-damage to upper cover).

MATHEMATICS. – W. WEBSTER. Arithmetic in Epitome: or, A Compendium of all the Rules, Both Vulgar and Decimal. London: D. Browne, C. Hitch et al., 1760. Ninth edition, 8vo (164 x 96mm.) 7 engraved tables. (Toning, part of initial blank excised, marginal loss to title, marginal damp-stain E3-F1, equations in contemporary ink to front pastedown.) Contemporary calf (hinges weakened, extremities rubbed). Provenance: Jonathan Miller (ink name to title). – And a further two miscellaneous volumes (Rudyard Kipling’s ‘Thy Servant a Dog, told by Boots’, deluxe issue, 1930, 8vo, and Owen Jones’ ‘Gray’s Elegy’, 1846, [18 leaves only, disbound], 4to) (3).

AIRSHIPS. – Alberto SANTOS-DUMONT. My Airships, the Story of My Life. London: Grant Richards, 1904. First edition, 8vo (204 x 137mm.) Photographic illustrations, manuscript annotation to front-free endpaper and half-title by Lord Ventry. (Light spotting to preliminaries, toning.) Original boards (lightly rubbed). Note: Lord Ventry co-wrote ‘Jane’s Pocket Book 7: Airship Development’ and he also set up the ‘The Airship Club’ in 1948 to fund the building of an airship. Eventually, Ventry’s airship – named ‘Bournemouth’ - had its first flight in 1951. It made eleven flights before crash landing in 1952. Provenance: Lord Ventry (ink annotation to preliminaries). – And a further twenty-five volumes related to airships, Zeppelins, ballooning and early aeronautics (Ernst A. Lehmann’s ‘Zeppelin. The Story of Lighter-than-air Craft’, 1937, 8vo and ‘The Hero of a Thousand Flights’, [1913], 4to, and Griffith Brewer’s ‘Theory of Ballooning’, 1918, 8vo, and ‘The Andree Diaries’, 1931, 8vo, and also a French cast paper-weight model of a De Dion Bouton single cylinder engine) (26).