“THE ONLY THING WE HAVE TO FEAR IS FEAR ITSELF”

ROOSEVELT, Franklin D. Inaugural Address. Washington, 1933.

First edition, advance issue, one of an unknown but very small number of large-paper, large-type copies “probably released the day before the inauguration” (Halter T544) signed at the close of the text by Roosevelt. $55,000.

“THE MOST INFLUENTIAL WORK OF MODERN TIMES”

JOYCE, James. Ulysses. Paris, 1922.

First edition of the novel that changed the path of modern literature, number 456 of only 750 numbered copies on handmade paper, in the now-iconic original paper wrappers. $52,000.

“I USED TO WONDER AT THE HALO OF LIGHT AROUND MY SHADOW,AND WOULD FAIN FANCY MYSELF ONE OF THE ELECT”

THOREAU, Henry David. Writings. Boston and New York, 1906. Twenty volumes. Manuscript Edition, beautifully bound and illustrated, limited to 600 copies, with manuscript leaf from Walden (two sides) entirely in Thoreau’s hand. $37,500.

“HIS SOUL SWOONED SLOWLY AS HE HEARD THE SNOW FALLING FAINTLY THROUGH THE UNIVERSE AND FAINTLY FALLING, LIKE THE DESCENT OF THEIR LAST END, UPON ALL THE LIVING AND THE DEAD”

JOYCE, James. Dubliners. London, 1914.

Rare first edition of Joyce's first prose work, his great collection of short stories. One of only 1250 copies printed (499 of which were sunk en route to America). $32,000.

"ALL ANIMALS ARE EQUAL, BUT SOME ANIMALS ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS"

ORWELL, George. Animal Farm. London, 1945.

First edition, first printing, of Orwell’s "savagely ironical allegory" (Clute & Grant) on the gap between radical ideals and reality, his most famous and widely read work, an exceptional copy in original dust jacket. $28,500.

BLOOD MERIDIAN, INSCRIBED BY CORMAC MCCARTHY

MCCARTHY, Cormac. Blood Meridian. New York, 1985.

First edition of McCarthy’s mythic vision of the American West, inscribed by him, "For Bonnie All the best from your friend Cormac." $28,000.

“AH! BOURRIENNE, YOU ALSO WILL BE IMMORTAL!”

(NAPOLEON) DE BOURRIENNE, Louis Antoine Fauvelet. Memoirs of Napoleon Bonaparte. London, 1836. Four volumes bound in eight.

Expanded edition of de Bourrienne’s classic biography of Napoleon, with 27 plates, a facsimile of Napoleon’s abdication, and a folding map depicting the Battle of the Nile, expanded to from four volumes to eight and abundantly extra-illustrated with about 300 engraved plates, including portraits, scenes, views and maps, with a document signed by Napoleon bound into the front of the first volume. Beautifully bound by Sangosrki & Sutcliffe in full morocco with Napoleonic emblems in gilt. $25,000.

SIR EDWARD COKE'S COPY OF SENECA, SIGNED BY HIM

(COKE, Edward) SENECA. Senecae Operum Alter Tomus. Lugduni, 1555.

A great rarity: a book from the collection of Sir Edward Coke, one of the iconic figures in English history and law, with his signature on the title page: an early edition, of Seneca's works in Latin, in a beautiful contemporary French calf-gilt binding. $25,000.

“A STREAM, NOT JUST OF WATER OR EVEN OF TIME, BUT OF CONSCIOUSNESS ITSELF”

THOREAU, Henry David. Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers. Boston and Cambridge, 1849.

First edition, first issue, of Thoreau’s first book, one of only 1000 copies printed and one of less than 400 copies in the publisher's cloth, a beautiful copy from the famed collection of Arthur Swann. $25,000.

"IT'S THE BASIC CONDITION OF LIFE TO BE REQUIRED TO VIOLATE OUR OWN IDENTITY"

DICK, Philip K. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Garden City: 1968.

First edition of one of science fiction's most famous and influential novels (and inspiration for the landmark futuristic film noir, Blade Runner), Dick's masterful vision of the struggles between technology and humanity, entropy and empathy, in a post-apocalyptic world. $24,500.

CHARLES DARWIN ARRANGES TO RECEIVE A DEERHOUND PUPPY WHILE "SO KNOCKED UP WITH CORRECTING PROOFS" OF DESCENT OF MAN FROM A BREEDER ENAMORED WITH ORIGIN OF SPECIES

DARWIN, Charles. Autograph letter signed. Down, Beckenham, Kent, Oct 5, 1870.

Interesting 1870 autograph signed letter written by Charles Darwin to his friend, long-time correspondent, author and dog breeder George Cupples, regarding a puppy Cupples had promised to send Darwin, in which Darwin references working on the proofs of Descent of Man—an amazing letter with strong association to Charles Darwin's greatest works, beautifully framed. $22,500.

BEAUTIFUL ILLUMINATED MINIATURE FROM A 15TH-CENTURY FRENCH BOOK OF HOURS DEPICTING THE RESURRECTED CHRIST

(ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT). Illuminated Miniature of the Resurrected Christ. Paris, circa 1460.

Stunning 15th-century illuminated leaf from a French Book of Hours with a depiction of the resurrected Christ—a rare image for a Book of Hours—very handsomely framed. $22,000.

"THE BEST CONTEMPORARY ACCOUNT OF THE REVOLUTION FROM THE BRITISH SIDE"

STEDMAN, Charles. History of the Origin, Progress, and Termination of the American War. London, 1794. Two volumes.

First edition of Stedman's massive contemporary two-volume History of the American Revolution—"the standard work on the subject"—containing 15 military maps and plans (11 folding, the largest nearly 20 by 30 inches), a handsome copy in contemporary tree calf boards. $22,000.

SIGNED BY ABRAHAM LINCOLN

LINCOLN, Abraham. Document signed. Washington, January 22, 1862.

Civil-War era document signed by President Lincoln and countersigned by Secretary of State William Henry Seward, appointing George S. Gideon to be the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police of the District of Columbia. $21,000.

“THERE’S A FAMILY OF DUCKS WALKIN’ DOWN THE STREET!”

MCCLOSKEY, Robert. Make Way for Ducklings. New York, 1941.

First edition of McCloskey’s Caldecott-winning book, beautifully written and illustrated with sepia drawings by him. With the rare original dust jacket. $19,500.

“HUMPTYDUMP DUBLIN SQUEAKS THROUGH HIS NORSE HUMPTYDUMP DUBLIN HATH A HORRIBLE VORSE AND WITH ALL HIS KINKS ENGLISH PLUS HIS IRISMANX BROGUES HUMPTYDUMP DUBLIN’S GRANDADA OF ALL ROGUES”

JOYCE, James. Haveth Childers Everywhere. Paris and New York, 1930.

First edition, number 50 of only 100 signed copies on “Imperial Hand-Made Iridescent Japan” paper, out of a total edition of 685 copies. A stunning copy. $17,500.

DALÍ’S LARGE FOLIO ALICE’S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND, SIGNED BY HIM, WITH AN ORIGINAL ETCHING AND 12 FULL-PAGE COLOR PHOTOGRAVURES

(DALÍ, Salvador) CARROLL, Lewis. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. New York, 1969.

Beautifully printed limited edition of the brilliant and beloved children's classic, number 1638 of 2500 copies signed by Salvador Dalí on the title page, with an original etching and 12 full-page color photogravures after his paintings—as breathtakingly imaginative as the text they illustrate. $16,500.

“THE UNFOLDING OF A MIND OF GENIUS IN DIALOGUE WITH ITSELF”

MONTAIGNE. Essayes Written in French. London, 1613.

Second edition in English of Montaigne’s seminal masterpiece, with the important Elizabethan translation of John Florio used by Shakespeare as a source for The Tempest (circa 1611), a work profoundly influenced by Lucretius, who is quoted almost a hundred times in the work, a splendid folio volume in contemporary calf boards. $16,000.

"SYMBOL OF THE FREE PRESS AS A BULWARK AGAINST TYRANNY"

(ZENGER, John Peter). Case and Tryal of John Peter Zenger of New-York. London, 1738.

Second English edition (first published in New York in 1736) of the landmark trial of John Peter Zenger that produced "one of the famous decisions in legal history," pivotal to "the creation of the Bill of Rights and freedom of the press… had a lasting impact on the development of a libertarian ideology in both England and America," soundly viewed as "one of the famous decisions in legal history, establishing the epochal doctrine of the freedom of the press"—"one of the most important events of colonial times," a splendid copy, handsomely bound. $16,000.

"A PEAK OF VISIONARY AND CREATIVE INTOXICATION": THE VERY RARE AND SIGNIFICANTLY ENLARGED SECOND EDITION OF LEAVES OF GRASS

WHITMAN, Walt. Leaves of Grass. Brooklyn, New York, 1856.

Rare and enlarged second edition, one of only 1000 copies printed, with frontispiece portrait of Whitman and advertisement leaf following text. With 20 additional poems not appearing in the 1855 first edition—including "A Woman Waits for Me" and "Who Learns My Lesson Complete?"—"the book is quite a rarity and is seldom found in good condition" (Wells and Goldsmith). $15,000.

"SINCE THE TIME OF PLATO THERE HAD BEEN NO COMPOSITION WHICH… COULD BE COMPARED TO UTOPIA"

MORE, Thomas. Utopia. London, 1624. Scarce 1624 fourth edition in English of More's classic of social analysis and philosophy. $15,000.

"HISTORICALLY THE MOST IMPORTANT SERIES OF AMERICAN POLITICAL DEBATES"

LINCOLN, Abraham. Political Debates Between Hon. Abraham Lincoln. Columbus, 1860.

First edition, first issue, of the most famous debates in American history, the event that transformed Lincoln into a national presidential candidate—a lovely copy in unrestored original cloth. $14,500.

"THEY HAVE MUCH LITERARY AND BIOGRAPHICAL IMPORTANCE"

DONNE, John. Letters to Severall Persons of Honour. London, 1651.

First edition, first issue, with engraved frontispiece portrait of Donne by Pieter Lombart, and woodcut initials, in contemporary calf boards. $13,500.

ENGLISH LIBERTIES “HAD MORE TO DO WITH PREPARING THE MINDS OF AMERICAN COLONISTS FOR THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION THAN… COKE, SIDNEY AND LOCKE”

CARE, Henry. English Liberties. Providence, Rhode-Island, 1774.

1774 American edition of Care's immensely influential English Liberties, preceded only by the 1721 Boston edition, issued not long after the Boston Tea Party and the same year as the First Continental Congress, with printings of the Magna Charta, the Habeas Corpus Act (1769)—"a second Magna Charta"—and foundational texts on jury trials, "principally designed for America," containing printing of the preface to the 1721 edition proclaiming "when liberty is once gone, even life itself grows insipid," with rear list of Subscriber's Names. $13,500.

“A CENTRAL DOCUMENT OF THE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE”

THOREAU, Henry David. Walden. Boston, 1854.

First edition of this important American classic, one of only 2000 copies published. $13,500.

"HER MIND WAS CHARGED WITH PARADOX"

DICKINSON, Emily. Poems. Second Series. Boston, 1891.

First edition of Emily Dickinson's second book of poetry, one of only 960 copies of the first printing. A lovely copy in the original cloth. $13,000.

"THE CLEAREST OF ALL EXPOSITIONS OF THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF DEMOCRACY"

PAINE, Thomas. Rights of Man. BOUND WITH: Rights of Man. Part the Second. London, 1791, 1792.

Rare fourth edition of Part I and second edition of Part II of Rights of Man, each published shortly after the first editions by J.S. Jordan, who published Part I after the original edition was suppressed and was arrested for publishing Part II. One of Paine’s most important, influential, and bestselling works, Rights of Man resulted in the prosecution in England of Paine, his publishers, and booksellers, forcing Paine to flee to France. $12,500.

CONTAINING THE FIRST PRINTING OF "WHEN LILACS LAST IN THE DOORYARD BLOOM'D"

WHITMAN, Walt. Drum-Taps. New York and Washington, 1865-6.

First edition, the important and preferred second issue, one of only 1000 copies, with the first appearance of the sequel celebrating Lincoln containing "Lilacs" and "O Captain! My Captain!" $12,500.

SIGNED BY JAMES BALDWIN

BALDWIN, James. Fire Next Time. New York, 1963.

First edition of Baldwin's explosive look at race in America, signed by him on the half title. $12,500.

"I SET OUT DELIBERATELY TO WRITE A TOUR-DE-FORCE"

FAULKNER, William. As I Lay Dying. New York, 1930.

First edition, very scarce first issue, of Faulkner’s "strange, hilarious, terrifying" masterpiece, in rarely found original dust jacket. $11,500.

SIGNED LIMITED EDITION OF BASQUIAT’S DRAWINGS

BASQUIAT, Jean-Michel. Drawings. Zurich and New York, 1985.

Limited first edition, number 921 of 1000 copies signed and numbered by Basquiat, with a portrait frontispiece by New York photographer James van der Zee. $11,500.

“THE FIRST OF ITS KIND”: RARE FIRST COMPLETE DIVINE COMEDY IN ENGLISH, 1802

DANTE. (BOYD, Henry, translator). Divina Commedia. London, 1802. Three volumes.

First edition of the first English translation of Dante's Divine Comedy, significant for "assisting to reestablish an audience for Dante, whose reputation had suffered a decline in the previous century" (ODNB), with frontispiece portrait of Dante by Thomas Stothard. $11,000.

“THE MOST WORTHY OF THE GREAT PHILOSOPHERS”

LOCKE, John. Works. London, 1714. Three volumes.

First edition of the collected works of Locke, “the most worthy… of the indisputably great philosophers,” with exquisite copper-engraved frontispiece portrait by George Vertue and full-page memorial plate. $10,500.

"IF YOU EVER BECOME DISSATISFIED WITH YOUR LIFE WITH BENCHLEY AND THAT WHOLE GIN CRAZED SATURNALIA AND WANT TO LEAD A CLEANER LIFE BRING YOUR SHORTWAVE SET DOWN TO KEY WEST AND WE COULD TRY TO TURN AN HONEST PENNY"

HEMINGWAY, Ernest. Autograph letter signed. St. Louis, circa October 1931.

Fine autograph letter signed from Hemingway to Charles MacGregor, secretary to Robert Benchley, one of the members of the famed Algonquin Round Table in the 1920s. $9500.

"THE SPLENDOR AND MAGNIFICENCE OF ELIZABETH'S REIGN"

(ELIZABETH I) NICHOLS, John. The Progresses and Public Processions. London, 1788, 1788, 1805. Three volumes.

First edition of Nichols' splendid history of the reign of Elizabeth I, a magnificent three-volume chronicle of England's greatest queen, featuring 53 full-page engraved illustrations (three folding), three folding genealogical charts, numerous in-text engravings and facsimile signatures, a large folding map of London circa 1558, and a large folding map of Oxford. Complete with the scarce third volume, many copies of which were destroyed by fire. $9500.

SIGNED BY JAMES JOYCE

JOYCE, James. Anna Livia Plurabelle. New York, 1928.

First separate publication of the centerpiece and most beautiful segment of Finnegans Wake, number 129 of only 800 copies signed by Joyce, a beautiful copy in original gilt-stamped cloth. From the library of Danish-American actor and noted bibliophile Jean Hersholt, with his signed bookplate and shelf label. $9000.

ICONS OF POP ART: INSCRIBED BY WARHOL

BASQUIAT, Jean-Michel. CLEMENTE, Francesco. WARHOL, Andy. Collaborations. Zurich, 1984.

First edition, boldly inscribed by Andy Warhol to photographer Christopher Makos on the front flyleaf. $8500.

"THE MOST INFLUENTIAL FANTASY NOVEL EVER WRITTEN," HANDSOMELY BOUND

TOLKIEN, J.R.R. Lord of the Rings. London, 1966. Three volumes.

Second edition—with the author's new foreword and his revisions to the text throughout—of Tolkien's stirring tour de force, finely bound. $8000.

PEANUTS JUBILEE, INSCRIBED WITH LARGE ORIGINAL SKETCH OF SNOOPY BY SCHULZ

SCHULZ, Charles M. Peanuts Jubilee. New York, 1975.

First edition of this celebration of Peanuts' silver anniversary, boldly inscribed on the half title with a large original sketch of Snoopy with a heart next to him, "For Sharon with every best wish—Charles M. Schulz." $7800.

“ONE OF THE MOST VALUABLE WRITINGS BY A MILITARY COMMANDER IN HISTORY"

GRANT, Ulysses S. Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant. New York, 1885-86. Two volumes.

First edition of “one of the most valuable writings by a military commander in history,” illustrated with numerous steel engravings, facsimiles and 43 maps, in handsome publisher’s deluxe full morocco binding. $7500.

SHAKESPEARE IN HARLEM, INSCRIBED BY LANGSTON HUGHES

HUGHES, Langston. Shakespeare in Harlem. New York, 1942.

First edition of Hughes' major book of poetry—"a work of genuine talent and artistry"—inscribed at length by him in the year of publication, "Dear Noël—Much of this book, you know, was written at Hollow Hills. But the poems are of much less pleasant places. Happiness to you always! Langston. New York, February 6, 1942." $7500.

"BECAUSE THE ONLY PEOPLE FOR ME ARE THE MAD ONES"

KEROUAC, Jack. On the Road. New York, 1957.

First edition of Kerouac's second and most important novel, "a physical and metaphysical journey across America," in colorful original dust jacket. $7200.

"THE FIRST POPULAR BOOK ABOUT AFRO-AMERICAN FOLKLORE EVER WRITTEN BY A BLACK SCHOLAR"

HURSTON, Zora Neale. Mules and Men. Philadelphia, 1935.

First edition of Hurston's first non-fiction work—"the perfect book" (Alice Walker)—hailed as "the most engaging, genuine, and skillfully written book in the field of folklore," widely viewed as her masterpiece, highly elusive in the original dust jacket. $6800.

"YOU HAVE TO CONSIDER WE'RE ONLY MADE OUT OF DUST"

DICK, Philip K. Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch. New York, 1965.

First edition of Dick's Nebula Award-winning science fiction novel. $6500.

"MAN IS NOT MADE FOR DEFEAT"

HEMINGWAY, Ernest. Old Man and the Sea. New York, 1952.

First edition of Hemingway's classic story of Santiago and his epic battle with the marlin and the sharks, winning him the Pulitzer Prize in 1953 and contributing to his award of the 1954 Nobel Prize for Literature. $6500.

"SHAKESPEARE IS THE CANON. HE SETS THE STANDARD AND THE LIMITS OF LITERATURE"

SHAKESPEARE, William. Works of Shakespeare. London, 1899. Twelve volumes.

Fine set of the "Larger Temple Shakespeare," number 20 of only 175 sets printed on handmade paper, beautifully illustrated with 40 full-page plates (30 hand-tinted), and copious in-text line cuts, very handsomely bound. $6500.

"I’M GRATEFUL NOW TO ANYBODY WHO LOVED HER"

GREENE, Graham. End of the Affair. London, 1951.

First edition of Greene's celebrated novel—"singularly moving and beautiful" (Evelyn Waugh), inscribed by him, "To Oliver and M—-, in memory of the Feast of the Bells and many gasthofs, from Graham." $6500.

“HOW’S YOUR COEFFICIENT OF TOUGHNESS, JAMES?”

FLEMING, Ian. For Your Eyes Only. London, 1960.

First edition of Fleming's eighth Bond title, the only collection of Bond short stories published in the author's lifetime, including the title story, "From a View to a Kill," and "Quantum of Solace." $6500.

“HAMMETT’S FINEST WORK AND POSSIBLY THE BEST AMERICAN DETECTIVE NOVEL EVER WRITTEN”

HAMMETT, Dashiell. Maltese Falcon. New York and London, 1930. First edition of Hammett’s most famous and influential novel. $5800.

"WE ARE APT TO BE VERY PERT CENSURING OTHERS, WHERE WE WILL NOT ENDURE ADVICE OUR SELVES"

PENN, William. Some Fruits of Solitude in Reflections & Maxims. London, 1693.

Second edition, published the same year as the first, of one of Penn's best-known works, in striking paper-mache binding. $5800.

"LOVE IS A SMOKE MADE WITH THE FUME OF SIGHS…"

SHAKESPEARE, William. Romeo and Juliet. New York, 1892.

Limited edition, number 31 of 50 copies on Japan paper (out of a total edition of 350 copies), illustrated with 21 plates by Jacques Wagrez and Louis Titz, this copy extra-illustrated with 64 additional plates from other editions of Shakespeare, handsomely bound. $5500.

BOLDLY INSCRIBED BY ROALD DAHL

DAHL, Roald. Boy. London, 1984.

First edition of Dahl's lively first autobiography, boldly inscribed by him across the entire half title: "To Douglas Love Roald Dahl." $4800.

SIGNED BY PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA

OBAMA, Barack. Audacity of Hope. New York, 2006.

First edition, first printing, signed on the title page by President Barack Obama. $4500.

"THE GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT IN SPANISH LITERATURE SINCE DON QUIXOTE"

GARCIA MARQUEZ, Gabriel. One Hundred Years of Solitude. New York, 1970.

First edition in English of "one of the preeminent literary achievements of the century," in scarce first-issue dust jacket. $4500.

“DON’T PANIC!”

ADAMS, Douglas. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. New York, (1980-1992).

First American editions, first printings of all five books in Adams' pan-galactically popular "trilogy in five parts," the last two volumes signed by the author. $3950.

INSCRIBED BY PRESIDENT REAGAN

REAGAN, Ronald. American Life. New York, 1990.

First edition of the 40th President's autobiography, inscribed, "To M—- & E—- S—- With Best Wishes. Ronald Reagan. Dec. 2-'91." $3800.

"LISTEN: BILLY PILGRIM HAS COME UNSTUCK IN TIME": FIRST EDITION OF SLAUGHTERHOUSE-FIVE

VONNEGUT, Kurt. Slaughterhouse-Five. New York, 1969.

First edition of Vonnegut's masterpiece—his "most powerful novel"—a modern classic of time travel, metaphysics and the morality, or lack thereof, of war. $3800.

"A SCREAMING COMES ACROSS THE SKY"

PYNCHON, Thomas. Gravity's Rainbow. New York, 1973.

First edition of Pynchon's National Book Award-winning third novel. $3500.

"I WOULD REMEMBER HIM FOREVER AS MY IMAGE OF A MAN"

FLEMING, Ian. Spy Who Loved Me. London, 1962.

First edition of Fleming's tenth Bond thriller—the author's unusual examination of his super-spy "from the other end of the gun barrel." $3000.

“HE LEFT HER A DOLLAR TIP THAT WAS CRAWLING WITH DEATH”

KING, Stephen. Stand. Garden City, 1978. First edition of King’s epic tale of apocalyptic terror, “a cornerstone of modern horror fiction.” $2800.

“LET’S HEAR IT FOR THE VAGUE BLUR!”

DICK, Philip K. Scanner Darkly. Garden City, 1977.

First edition of Dick's "suburban phantasmagoria" (New York Times): his finely crafted and frightening vision of drug culture, social conformity, and the struggle to discern reality. $1750.

"OUR MISSION, COMRADES, IS TO AVOID DETECTION"

CLANCY, Tom. Hunt for Red October. Annapolis, 1984.

First edition of Clancy's "breathlessly exciting" first novel (Washington Post). $1500.

"THIS IS AMERICA, YOU LIVE IN IT, YOU LET IT HAPPEN. LET IT UNFURL"

PYNCHON, Thomas. Crying of Lot 49. Philadelphia, 1966.

First edition of Pynchon's second novel. $1400.

"FAËRIE IS A PERILOUS LAND, AND IN IT ARE PITFALLS FOR THE UNWARY AND DUNGEONS FOR THE OVERBOLD"

TOLKIEN, J.R.R. Poems and Stories. London, 1980.

Deluxe first collected edition, with illustrations by Pauline Baynes. $1200.

THE ROAD GOES EVER ON: SONGS BY TOLKIEN

TOLKIEN, J.R.R. Road Goes Ever On. Boston, 1967. First edition (preceding the British issue) of these song-settings from The Lord of the Rings. $750.

"ADULTS ARE THE REAL MONSTERS"

KING, Stephen. It. New York, 1986.

First edition of the quintessential "evil clown" horror novel. $750.