viaLibri ~ Rare Books from 1952

Ernest Hemingway
        The Old Man and the Sea
      Charles Scribner's, 1952. Hardcover. Very Good/Very Good. Charles Scribner's, New York 1952. First Edition / First Printing. Scribner's "A" with the Seal on the copyright page. No additional printings listed. Blue cloth boards with silver lettering. Book Condition: Very Good-, shelf wear, spots on the boards. Tight spine, clean pages, light spots on the page edges. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good, wrapped in a new removable mylar cover. Jacket priced at $3.00 at the front flap, shelf wear, light chipping.

      [Bookseller: 1st Editions and Antiquarian Books, ABA,]

1. Check availability: IOBABooks Link/Print

COCTEAU Jean :
        Le chiffre sept *
      P.Seghers, Paris 20.10.1952. - Broché 26 x 20, couverture illustrée à rabats. Quelques salissures légères en bord supérieur, autrement très frais. Lithographie originale de l'auteur, tirée en blanc sur papier bordeaux, contrecollée en couverture. Exemplaire de tête méconnu, et souvent mal décrit qui plus est, présentant par ailleurs des différentes très nettes avec le tirage ordinaire: format plus grand, motif du premier plat lithographié en blanc sur feuillet teinté contrecollé et non pas en violet à même la couverture, papier non vergeturé, etc.Avec une carte de visite et d'hommage de l'éditeur, signée "fraternellement" par ce dernier. Édition originale. L'un des exemplaires hors commerce ainsi marqué réimposés sur Vélin d'Arches comme les 50 numérotés de tête, avant 1900 Vergé de Hollande.

      [Bookseller: Librairie Oh 7e Ciel]

2. Check availability: AbeBooks Link/Print

CARTIER-BRESSON, Henri
        The Decisive Moment
      New York: Simon and Schuster, (1952). A little bumped at the corners and spine ends (with the hint of a concurrent bump barely visible at the top edge of the text block), edge dent to the top of the front board, still a clean, near fine copy in a close to near fine jacket with a few small edge tears and tiny chips. Very pleasing example of a book that is hard to find in collectible condition.. First U.S. Edition. Folio. Caption booklet laid in. Boards and dust jacket designed by Matisse. 126 images, lusciously printed, of Cartier-Bresson's early work. Only few photobooks in history can match the influence of The Decisive Moment. Since its publication in 1952, it has remained one of the pillars of photography. (Parr / Badger, v1, 208-209; Roth 134-135; Open Book 154-155).

      [Bookseller: Harper's Books, Inc.]

3. Check availability: Biblio Link/Print

Hjul, James H
        Building Plans, Elevations, Interior Details, and Perspectives for the Lawrason Driscoll Residence, Novato, California. (Possible address 405 Gage Lane)
      San Francisco: James H. Hjul, Structural Engineer, June 1952 - August 1952. Original pencil drawings on tracing paper. Sheet size 19" x 24". 16 sheets. Job #232, for Lawrence Driscoll (1908-1982), Attorney at Bronson, Bronson and Mckinnon. File Numbers 1927 and 4065. James Hansen Hjul (1882 - 1957), a structural engineer, constructed many buildings in San Francisco. He was the founder of the J.H. Construction Company and was listed as a contractor, civil engineer, structural engineer and construction engineer in San Francisco City Directories from 1907 to 1958. Most of his work occurred in the South of Market area on warehouses and industrial buildings.

      [Bookseller: Alan Wofsy Fine Arts]

4. Check availability: Biblio Link/Print

ROY Claude :
        La France de profil *
      Guilde du Livre, Lausanne 10.10.1952. - Cartonnage souple 28 x 22, jaquette photo. Petit manque en tête du papier cristal et à peine émoussé en coins. Photographies de Paul Strand, tirées par Héliographia à Lausanne sur papier sans bois. Malgré un tirage relativement important, même le tirage courant de cet album magnétique n'est pas si facile à dénicher en parfait état. Icelui, très frais sous son pergamine d'origine, dans la tranche des trente premiers hors commerce, est enrichi de l'intégralité des bulletins de la Guilde qui contiennent des textes critique sur cet ouvrage, publiés au fil du temps jusqu'en 1955.Dans le premier 2 pages, 1 image et un texte bilingue de Jacob Deschin, tiré du New York Times.Le deuxième comporte 2 pages, 1 portrait photographique des auteurs croqué par un troisième larrons (inconnu) et un texte de Robert Coiplet.Le dernier de 2 pages et 1 image avec son commentaire de Claude Roy et un article critique de Pierre-François Lacome.Intéressant ensemble complet. Édition originale. L'un des 30 exemplaires de tête dits d'animateurs et numérotés en romain, avant 10'300 arabes.

      [Bookseller: Librairie Oh 7e Ciel]

5. Check availability: AbeBooks Link/Print

Darwin, Bernard, et al; Foreword by Sir George Cunningham
        A History of Golf In Britain
      London: Cassell & Company, 1952. First edition of this classic golf work. Quarto, original green cloth. Signed by Bernard Darwin on the front free endpaper. Frontispiece of John Taylor, illustrations throughout. Near fine in a very good dust jacket with some small chips to the front panel and one to the foot of the spine. Housed in a custom quarter morocco clamshell box. Books signed by Bernard Darwin are rare.This book," says Sir George Cunningham, Captain of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, "will be a classic in the literature of golf. The names of the contributors, famous for playing the game and for writing on it, are sufficient of that.

      [Bookseller: Raptis Rare Books, ABAA/ ILAB ]

6. Check availability: ABAA Link/Print

Milligan, Spike [1918-2002]
        Theatre Programme [Signed]
      Published by Palace Theatre, Chelsea Monday December 8th . 1952 - Two colour theatre programme. 7½" x 5" 8 pp. SIGNED by the author 'Spike Milligan' ivory card laid in. This programme shows that 'NEXT WEEK' Spike Milligan will be on stage. Spike was taken ill and was not able to appear. The Goon Show at that time was in its 3rd series. The recording of 'The Expedition for Toothpaste' on 7th December 1952 was recorded without Spike. When the show was broadcast on 9th December 1952, Spike was in hospital suffering from a nervous breakdown. Very scarce item. In Fine condition. Member of the P.B.F.A. MILLIGAN, Spike

      [Bookseller: Little Stour Books PBFA]

7. Check availability: AbeBooks Link/Print

RICCARDI, Pietro
        BIBLIOTECA MATEMATICA ITALIANA DALLE ORIGINI DELLA STAMPA AI PRIMI ANNI DEL SECOLO XIX.
      Goerlick 1952 IN-4°, 2 VOLUMI IN TELA EDIT. COMPLESSIVE 1324 PP. RISTAMPA DELLA PIÙ AUTOREVOLE BIBLIOGRAFIA ITALIANA RAGIONATA SULLE SCIENZE ESATTE, DIVENUTA INTROVABILE NELL' EDIZIONE ORIGINALE (1870-1880), CHE ERA STATA TIRATA A SOLI 250 ESEMPLARI, ED AVEVA AVUTO UN SEGUITO DI 7 SUPPLEMENTI CON CORREZIONI ED AGGIUNTE, PUBBLICATI FINO AL 1928. QUESTA NUOVA EDIZIONE È STATA CORREDATA DI UN INDICE GENERALE DEGLI AUTORI CHE FACILITA LA CONSULTAZIONE DELL' OPERA. UTILISSIMA PER LE COLLAZIONI E LE AMPIE NOTE ANALITICHE E CRITICHE. ESAURITA E RICERCATA. Esemplare come nuovo.

      [Bookseller: Brighenti libri esauriti e rari]

8. Check availability: maremagnum.com Link/Print

Milligan, Spike [1918-2002]
        Theatre Programme [Signed]
      Published by Palace Theatre, Chelsea Monday December 8th 1952. Two colour theatre programme. 7½" x 5" 8 pp. SIGNED by the author 'Spike Milligan' ivory card laid in. This programme shows that 'NEXT WEEK' Spike Milligan will be on stage. Spike was taken ill and was not able to appear. The Goon Show at that time was in its 3rd series. The recording of 'The Expedition for Toothpaste' on 7th December 1952 was recorded without Spike. When the show was broadcast on 9th December 1952, Spike was in hospital suffering from a nervous breakdown. Very scarce item. In Fine condition. Member of the P.B.F.A.

      [Bookseller: Little Stour Books PBFA]

9. Check availability: Biblio Link/Print

Abbey, J.R
        SCENERY OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND IN AQUATINT AND LITHOGRAPHY 1770 - 1860, FROM THE LIBRARY OF J.R. ABBEY, A BIBLIOGRAPHICAL CATALOGUE
      London: Privately printed at the Curwen Press, 1952. cloth, leather spine label, dust jacket, top edge gilt. 15557|2918|2957|58056/PR. Abbey, J.R.. thick 4to. cloth, leather spine label, dust jacket, top edge gilt. xx, 399 pages. First edition, limited to 500 numbered copies. A magnificent catalogue with 34 colored plates and 54 figures in the text. Full bibliographical descriptions given. The jacket is chipped and spotted.

      [Bookseller: Oak Knoll Books/Oak Knoll Press]

10. Check availability: Biblio Link/Print

Pechstein, Max, German expressionist painter and printmaker (1881-1955).
        3 autograph letters signed ("HMPechstein" and "Max Pechstein").
      Berlin, 7. XI. 1937 to 15. III. 1952. - 4to. Altogether 6 pp. on 4 ff. Comprehensive letters to the German artist Irmgard Hasenbach-Tavolato (née Seeling, 1899-1978), on financial worries (1937) and the loss of his work (1948). "Now, after my return to Berlin [.], it is necessary to deliberate my future life in order to care for the existence of my family and me since it is simply not possible to earn enough through my own artistry [.]" (Berlin, 7. XI. 1937; translated from the German original). - "At least life is saved, although everything else is lost. What hurts me most, is the loss of my work, whole periods from 1905 onwards were smashed, a vast number of drawings irretrievably lost [.]" (Berlin, 31. III. 1948).

      [Bookseller: Antiquariat INLIBRIS Gilhofer Nfg. GmbH]

11. Check availability: AbeBooks Link/Print

Vogt, Adolf Max.
        Max Gubler.
      Ed. du Griffon,, Neuchâtel, 1952 - Neuchâtel, Ed. du Griffon, 1952. 4°. 12 S.; 8 farb. Tafeln. Mit einer hs. signierten und datierten Originalradierung. In 2 OBr.-Decken, in einer OFranz.-Br.-Decke, in Kt.-Mappe. =Quatrième album de la collection L'art suisse contemporain. - Eines von 100 deutschen Exemplaren mit einer Originalradierung, erschien in total 700 deutschen 500 französischen Exemplaren. - Die Radierung von Gubler in Bleistift bezeichnet: II. Zustand Probedruck. Für Exemplar 554. - Mit einer handschriftlichen Widmung von Max Gubler an Walter und Alice Hugelshofer, dat. 21.XII.52. - (Mappe leicht gebräunt). - Sonst sehr schönes Exemplar. Sprache: Deutsch In 2 OBr.-Decken, in einer OFranz.-Br.-Decke, in Kt.-Mappe. [Attributes: First Edition; Hard Cover]

      [Bookseller: Biblion Antiquariat]

14. Check availability: AbeBooks Link/Print

OATTS Lt.Col. L.B.,
        PROUD HERITAGE. The Story of the Highland Light Infantry (4 Vols). Vol.I The 71st H.L.I. 1777-1881; Vol.II The 74th Highlanders 1787-1882; Vol.III The Regular, Militia, Volunteer, T.A., and Service Battalions H.L.I. 1882-1918; Vol.IV The Regular, Territorial, and Service Battalions H.L.I. and the H.L.I. of Canada 1919-1959.
      London Thomas Nelson & Glasgow The House of Grant /59/61/63 1952 - Green cloth gilt. All volumes in good dustwrappers, some with slight loss. A few marks to the covers of Vol.IV, otherwise a very good, clean set. pp. xvi, 256; xii, 386; ix, 404; xi, 490. With illustrations and maps. [Attributes: Hard Cover]

      [Bookseller: GROVE RARE BOOKS ABA ILAB]

17. Check availability: AbeBooks Link/Print

Schulz, Charles M
        Peanuts
      New York: Rinehart & Co., 1952. First edition of the first collection of the Peanut cartoons. Octavo, original illustrated wrappers. Signed by Charles Schulz, who has also added a drawing of Snoopy. In good condition. Schulz's beloved cartoons have won him the National Cartoonists Society's Humor Comic Strip Award in 1962, the Reuben Award for 1955 and 1964, the Society's Elzie Segar Award in 1980, and the Milton Caniff Lifetime Achievement Award in 1999. Interestingly, his cartoons have also awarded him an abundance of equally colorful honors and recognitions. In 1996, Schulz was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, adjacent to Walt Disney's. And for his interest in sports he was inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in 1993 and then the Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 2007. Perhaps most peculiar was the bill awarded to Schulz by Bill Clinton, which was by accepted by Schulz's widow in 2001.

      [Bookseller: Raptis Rare Books, ABAA/ ILAB]

19. Check availability: Biblio Link/Print

Gardner, Erle Stanley
        CASE OF THE MOTH-EATEN MINK (Inscribed)
      New York: William Morrow, 1952. Gardner, Erle Stanley. THE CASE OF THE MOTH-EATEN MINK. New York: William Morrow, (1952). First Edition. A FINE bright copy in a NEAR FINE priced dust jacket (tiny bit of edge wear). Inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper: "To Tee Rose, with much love from one damn good writer to another and a hunch your luck is on the upgrade as of now. Yours, Erle." Underneath this, he has signed his full name "Erle Stanley Gardner" followed by "Presented at Rancho del Paisano/ April 27, 1952." Not much is known of the recipient other than she did write a story for Argosy Magazine in the late 1940s that appeared in the same issue as one of Gardner's. Erle Stanley Gardner occasionally signed copies of his books for friends and people he worked with but rarely did he inscribe a book so intimately. Furthermore, out of the long run of copies we have in stock inscribed to Tee Rose, this is the only one in which he writes the day along with the month and year; this is a fact which seems significant as it's also the only copy which he inscribes as "Presented at..." strongly suggesting to us that this copy, unlike all the others, wasn't sent to her but actually given in person. Keywords: Tee Rose.. Signed by Author. First Edition. Hard Cover. Fine/Near Fine. Illus. by Charles Lofgren.

      [Bookseller: Lakin & Marley Rare Books]

20. Check availability: Biblio Link/Print

Hedlund, Bertil Bull (1893-1950)
        Le Diner.
      Förlaga i blyerts till etsningen med samma namn, signerad och daterad 1938. Bladets storlek 19,5 x 23,5 cm, teckningen (14,5 x 18,5 cm) inom enkel ramlinje. Litteratur: Jfr Nils Lindgren, Bertil Bull Hedlund (1952), s. 125 f, etsningen avbildas på s. 126; nr 113 i förteckningen. - Etsningen avhandlas av Nils Lindgren i avsnittet om Gastronomi och exlibris: "Från Frankrikevistelsen 1938 härstammar Le Diner'. Här är det paret från Wienervals I' eller Sommarnatt', som återkommer i en ny inkarnation, desillusionerat när det gäller kärleken och kampen för tillvaron men med känslan för bordets nöjen förstorad. Karakteristiken är gjord med nålvass skärpa, och en rad lysande ljusglober understryker kraftigt bladets svart och vitt-verkan" (s. 125 f, avbildad s. 126; nr 113 i förteckningen).

      [Bookseller: Hatt Rare Books]

21. Check availability: AbeBooks Link/Print

(TRUMAN, Harry) HILLMAN, William
        MR. PRESIDENT. THE FIRST PUBLICATION FROM THE PERSONAL DIARIES, PRIVATE LETTERS PAPERS AND REVEALING INTERVIEWS OF HARRY TRUMAN
      New York: Farrar, Straus & Young, (1952). First Edition. Hardcover. Near Fine in a Good dustwrapper with some chipping and edgewear and a large chip at the bottom front panel. Quarto (8" x 11") bound in two-toned cloth and illustrated with numerous facsimiles of Truman's writing, drawings, and photographs in color and black and white. INSCRIBED and SIGNED by the former President as usual in the large blank margin beneath the color frontispiece photograph of Truman at his desk: "Kindest regards to Dorothy M. Shanley/Harry Truman." Also SIGNED and INSCRIBED to Shanley by the author on the title page along with a fine SIGNED INSCRIPTION on the front endpaper by Rose A. Conway, President Truman's personal secretary from 1945-1953: "With every good wish to/Dorothy and many thanks/for the many kindnesses to me,/during my tour of duty here./Rose A. Conway." Dorothy Shanley was an usher on Truman's White House staff.

      [Bookseller: Charles Agvent]

22. Check availability: Biblio Link/Print

Winston S. Churchill
        The War Speeches of the Rt. Hon. Winston S. Churchill, three volume set
      London: Cassell and Company Ltd., 1952. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Near fine/Near fine. This is a superior first edition, first printing set of the three-volume "definitive" edition of Churchill's war speeches. During his long public life, Winston Churchill played many roles worthy of historical note - member of Parliament for more than half a century, distinguished soldier and war correspondent, author of scores of books, ardent social reformer, combative cold warrior, Nobel Prize winner. But more than anything else, it was Winston Churchill's leadership during the Second World War that made him a preeminent historical figure. His soaring and defiant oratory sustained his countrymen and inspired the free world during the greatest war the world has ever known. Of Churchill, Edward R. Murrow said: "He mobilized the English language and sent it into battle." Between 1941 and 1946, Churchill's war speeches were published in seven individual volumes. In 1952, during Churchill's second premiership, the publisher reissued the War Speeches as a new, three-volume edition. This edition is, in many ways, superior to the original seven wartime editions in both aesthetics and content. Gone is the cheap economy paper of the wartime editions. The binding is a heavy navy cloth with attractive, uniform dust jackets. Further, the books measure a substantial 10 x 6.25 inches. New speeches are added, as is a very helpful index. Some of the original speeches considered peripheral are eliminated while others are retitled and chronological dates are replaced with brief transitional or introductory notes. These sets have become quite scarce in the original dust jackets and particularly so in top condition. Here is an excellent set, near-fine in near-fine first printing dust jackets. The dust jackets are entirely complete, unclipped with no losses. The jackets show no spotting and only incidental soiling. These dust jackets proved quite susceptible to significant spine toning. Here toning to the jacket spines is quite mild and the only minor flaw worthy of note. The volumes beneath are excellent. The blue cloth bindings are superlative - square, tight, and clean with nicely rounded spines, bright spine gilt, sharp corners, and virtually no wear. Notably, the contents show absolutely no spotting and no previous ownership marks. Even the text block edges remain unusually bright and clean with neither age-toning nor spotting. The sole flaw that keeps these volumes from being truly fine is some misguided protection; the previous owner had applied heavy dust jacket protectors sealed with sellotape where they covered the flap folds. This tape was not affixed to either the jackets or the books beneath, but regrettably left some glue staining to the ffep corners of each volume as the tape aged and deteriorated. This is a minor flaw and pardonable given that the dust jackets and volumes beneath were otherwise so very well preserved as a result of the old protectors. The dust jackets are newly fitted with removable, archival quality clear covers. Bibliographic reference: Cohen A263.1(I-III).a, Woods/ICS A136(a.1), Langworth p.303.

      [Bookseller: Churchill Book Collector]

24. Check availability: IOBABooks Link/Print

CÉLINE (Louis-Ferdinand).
        FÉÉRIE POUR UNE AUTRE FOIS.
      1952 - Paris, Gallimard, 1952. In-12 (140 X 200) relié cartonnage noir décoré en trois couleurs, auteur et titre, date en queue (reliure de l'éditeur) ; 327 pages. Infime trace de choc à la coiffe supérieure et en tête du plat, sinon exemplaire à l'état de neuf. ÉDITION ORIGINALE. UN des 1 050 exemplaires numérotés sur vélin labeur (n°1 088) et reliés d'après la maquette de Paul BONET. «Il y a, dans "Féérie pour une autre fois", d'admirables portraits, des invectives, de la poésie. Il y a surtout, présent à toutes les lignes, Céline l'inimitable, Céline le formidable, cette personnalité qui a dominé le monde des lettres » (Prière d'insérer). Exemplaire en BEL ÉTAT. NICE COPY. PICTURES AND MORE DETAILS ON REQUEST. [Attributes: First Edition; Hard Cover]

      [Bookseller: LIBRAIRIE ERIC CASTERAN]

26. Check availability: AbeBooks Link/Print

Ralph Ellison
        Invisible Man
      Random House, 1952. Hardcover. Very Good/Very Good. Random House, New York 1952. First Edition / First Printing. Stated First Printing, no additional printings listed. Black and tan two tone cloth boards. Book Condition: Very Good, shelf wear, spots on the boards. Rubbing at the spine, corners and lettering, light spot at the top edge. Tight spine, cloth at the spine lifting, clean pages. Light age toning. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good-, wrapped in a new removable mylar cover. First Issue Jacket priced at $3.50 at the front flap. Author's photo at the rear panel by Gordon Parks. Shelf wear, rubbing at the folds, chipping at the jacket spine.

      [Bookseller: 1st Editions and Antiquarian Books, ABA,]

27. Check availability: IOBABooks Link/Print

Jean Cocteau
        Le chiffre sept
      Pierre Seghers 1952 Pierre Seghers, Editeur. Paris, 1952. Edizione limitata di 1900 copie. Esemplare n. 828. Brossura ed. rilegata in pelle. 16 x 20 cm, Litografia originale di Cocteau in copertina (prima pagina). Carta vergé de Hollande Pannekoek. Dedica e firma di Cocteau in antiporta. Con il volume sono inclusi altri due autografi: una cartolina con auguri a firma di Jean Cocteau e un telegramma, anche questo autografo e firmato. Sono inclusi anche una cartolina di Hermes e la plaquette del libro, con la fascetta editoriale originale (Pierre Seghers, Editeur. Paris, 1953, collection P.S. Poésie 53, plaquette in-16 oblong de 31pp. )

      [Bookseller: Libreria Galleria Il Museo del Louvre]

28. Check availability: maremagnum.com Link/Print

BALZAC Honoré de :
        Le Père Goriot *
      Imprimerie Nationale / A.Sauret, Paris 1952. - Broché 23 x 17, couverture imprimée rempliée, double étui décoré, dos de la chemise parchemin avec décor et titre dorés. L'un des 300 exemplaires de tête numérotés sur Grand Vergé d'Arches, avec deux états du frontispice. Lithographie originale de Picasso en frontispice, signée dans la plaque et tirée par Mourlot, le second état en feuillet volant sur Chine. Un petit écho graphique au "Chef-d'oeuvre inconnu" du même Balzac, publié chez Vollard en 1931 et magistralement illustré par l'artiste; ce dernier n'y avait alors point fait figurer un portrait de l'auteur comme c'est le cas ici. L'air très "rabelaisien" de ce dernier, qui ne manque pas de souffle, nous réconcilie quelque peu avec ce livre qui, à l'adolescence, faillit nous endormir et nous dégoûter définitivement de la littérature !Préface d'André Maurois.

      [Bookseller: Librairie Oh 7e Ciel]

30. Check availability: AbeBooks Link/Print

FERBER, Edna
        Giant
      Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Company, Inc.,, 1952. Octavo. Original black cloth, titles to spine in silver, red endpapers, top edge dyed red. With the dust jacket. A superb, fresh copy in the jacket that is only very lightly rubbed at the extremities with a few tiny nicks and short splits. First edition, first printing. Presentation copy inscribed by the author on the front blank, "When Harriet Moore founded Poetry Magazine she broke new ground, in her own way, with courage & foresight to match, the pioneers of an earlier day. Edna Ferber. New York, October, 1956". Moore founded Poetry Magazine in 1912 to "print the best English verse which is being written today regardless of where, by whom, or under what theory of art it is written". The magazine published important early work by most of the greatest poets of the 20th century, including Eliot, Joyce, and Pound, and is still being published. A superb association.

      [Bookseller: Peter Harrington]

31. Check availability: Biblio Link/Print

FORESTER, C. S
        Lieutenant Hornblower
      London: Michael Joseph,, 1952. Octavo (180 x 120 mm). Finely bound by Sangorski & Sutcliffe in full blue morocco, titles to spine gilt, raised bands tooled in gilt, gilt rule to compartments, single rule to boards, twin rule to turn-ins, all edges gilt. Spine lightly rubbed and sunned but gilt still bright, very slight bowing to the boards, tanning to edges of free endpapers, prelims and end leaves. An excellent copy. First edition, third impression. The author's specially bound personal copy. With the loosely inserted posthumous estate label signed by the author's great nephew Mr A. S. Troughton-Smith.

      [Bookseller: Peter Harrington]

34. Check availability: Biblio Link/Print

RIENITS, Rex
        Assassin for Hire
      Frederick Muller London: Frederick Muller. (1952). First. First edition. Foxing to the page edges and first and last few leaves, else about fine in very good plus dustwrapper with some tiny nicks and tears. Hired assassin Antonio Riccardi hides behind his false identity as a rare stamp dealer. Adapted and novelized by the author from his own radio scripts, this was the first of several of this Australian writer's books to be filmed, in 1951 directed by Michael McCarthy, and featuring Sydney Tafler, Ronald Howard, and Katharine Blake. This book also includes the text and first book appearance of the author's short story (again adapted from his own play) "Wide Boy," which was banned by the BBC, about a petty criminal who becomes involved in blackmail and murder, and which was also made into a 1952 film by Ken Hughes, and featuring Tafler, Howard, and Susan Shaw. A nice copy of a very scarce and poorly manufactured title. .

      [Bookseller: Between the Covers- Rare Books, Inc. ABA]

35. Check availability: ABAA Link/Print

Beckett, Samuel
        En attendant Godot: pièce en deux Actes
      Paris: les èditions de Minuit, 1952 First edition, first printing. Original publisher's white paper wrappers, lettered in blue and black. A fine copy, with a hint of wear to the extremities, bright and clean panels, spine nearly devoid of any toning, fresh pages. An excellent copy. Housed in a custom folding box. En attendant Godot is an absurdist play about two main characters, Vladimir and Estragon, who converse in witty and amusing banter while they wait for Godot, who ultimately never arrives. Beckett, a Scottish author and native English speaker, moved to France and subsequently transitioned from writing in English to French, including this play. In 1954, Beckett translated this text from its original French into English, and it was published in London by Faber and Faber in 1956 under the English title Waiting for Godot. The play originally premiered in Paris at the Théâtre de Babylone in January 1953, and this true first edition uses the text from that production; the subsequent English edition contains the text used by the Criterion Theater for its production of the play after the London premier in August 1955 at the Arts Theater, including the "small number of textual deletions" that were made as per Lord Chamberlain's requirements in accordance with the strict UK theater censorship of the 1950's. Many subsequent productions have since altered Beckett's original text, leading to a bit of a discrepancy as to which version is the definitive text, but this French text is irrefutably the original. Regardless, Waiting for Godot is a theatrical masterpiece- "its form is unusual: its contents weird, its chief themes are madness, boredom, suffering, cruelty: yet the effect of its inspired cross-talk is hilarious.". 1st Edition. Soft Cover. Fine.

      [Bookseller: B & B Rare Books, Ltd., ABAA]

37. Check availability: Biblio Link/Print