Bucky Fuller Presentation Copy

NINE CHAINS TO THE MOON. 1938. First Edition of Buckminster Fuller's first book. Excellent Presentation Copy, Inscribed: 'To ...with confidence in his ability to demonstrate creation responsibility in his day for other men'. $3000

From The Library Of Joseph Conrad

MINUTES OF A CONVERSATION WITH NAPOLEON BONAPARTE. By I. H. Vivian. First Edition. 1839. A very good copy of a rare Napoleon item. Author's presentation copy, inscribed: 'Henry Reeve esq. with I H. Vivian(s) Compliments". With the printed label to the inside front board: "From the library of Joseph Conrad, sold at messrs. Hodgsons. March 13th, 1925."  Presentation Copy. $1500

Faulkner, William. REQUIEM FOR A NUN. New York: Random House, 1951. First Trade Edition, First state, with dark grey top-edge in the First Issue Dust Jacket [E. McKnight Kauffer misspelled, $3.00 price]. 8vo., 286pp. A fine copy. [No indication of edition stated as called for]. Nicely signed by Faulkner in black fountain pen at the top of the front free endpaper. Quarter-bound in black cloth over sea green cloth with gilt lettering to the spine. A very nice example of this work; a play, with long narrative sections, continuing the story of Temple Drake introduced two decades earlier in 'Sanctuary'. Faulkner's first book after winning the Nobel Prize. "I Decline to accept the end of man. He is immortal, not because he alone among creatures has an inexhaustible voice but he has a soul, a spirit capable of compassion and sacrifice and endurance". W.F. - Nobel Speech. While signed limited editions abound, signed trade editions are very uncommon as Faulkner generally refused to sign them.  $5.975

 Greene, Graham. THE LAWLESS ROAD. London: Longmans, Green and Company, 1939. Greene's excellent account of his Mexican journey. First edition. Variant issue with white map of Mexico endpapers not Wobbe's yellow ep's. Second issue binding; red cloth stamped black at the spine, 8vo., 306pp. A very good or better copy in a very bright & fresh [generously] price-clipped dustwrapper with a bit of expert archival repair to a couple of small chips at the crown & heel of the spine and a small chip at the bottom of the front panel. An attractive copy. Wobbe A14. $1350.

 Williams, Tennessee. CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF. [Original Playscript], [n.d.] [c: 1954] Ts, 133 pp. [Typescript Carbon Original]. Acts I, II & III. Numbered internally by Act. Bound into a grey two hole duo tang style folder showing some use, with the red printed label of "Anne Meyerson Manuscript Typing And Mimeographing Service pasted onto the top left corner. Originally sold by Harvey Tucker of Black Sun Books in 1981 with his signed note on the title page: "This script of Tennessee Williams is from the collection of Audrey Wood, his agent, and is authentic". The play was dedicated by Williams to Audrey Wood his long-time literary agent. From 1939 Wood helped guide & focus Williams' writing. With her nurturing, he created some of his greatest works, including: Menagerie, Streetcar & Cat. An essentially fine copy of this rare playscript with holographic red pencil corrections [of uncertain origin, likely Williams or Wood's] suggesting a move of Brick's line: "I might be impotent - Maggie" from 3-39 to the close at 3-40, adding a line for Margaret [Maggie the cat]: "I'm not afraid" & then "Curtain"; the text unrevised or revised does not appear in any later published editions. This very early unsanitized pre-New York playscript contains the original lewd "Elephant Joke" [Texas 14, 15: Parker 484-5] 3-31 with Brick's uproarious laughter which Kazan gradually eliminated from successive drafts but which was incorporated into the original Philadelphia play tryouts. 'Cat's' Brick & Maggie originated in the short story "Three Players of a Summer Game," first published in The New Yorker, November 1, 1952 which Williams developed into the play. In late 1954, the Playwrights Company agreed to produce Cat on a Hot Tin Roof & named Elia Kazan as director who suggested revisions to the script, asking Williams to rewrite the third act for Broadway. The play opened March 25, 1955, & the revised ending has engendered an ongoing debate over its correctness that remains to this day. New Directions published the first edition in book form later that year with both Williams' original version of the third act & the Broadway version, with a "Note of Explanation" discussing the circumstances of the revision. The original Kazan directed theatrical performance, featured Ben Gazzara, Burl Ives, Barbara Bel Geddes, Pat Hingle, & blues greats Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee. Elizabeth Taylor & Paul Newman starred in the film version. A very early state of this Pulitzer winning Williams masterpiece. $39500
 

Williams, Tennessee. CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF. New York: New Directions, 1955. First Edition, First Issue. 8vo., 197pp. An essentially near fine copy showing minimal use. Neatly signed in blue fountain pen by Williams on the second free endpaper. First state binding without mention of the New York Times review on the copyright page & no credit for Mielziner or Ballard on p. XII. The original Alvin Lustig designed dustwrapper in very good or better condition [A couple of closed tears, minor wear]. An important title, difficult to find signed. The original 1955 Kazan directed theatrical performance, featured Ben Gazzara, Burl Ives, Barbara Bel Geddes, Pat Hingle, & blues greats Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee. Elizabeth Taylor & Paul Newman starred in the film version. A nice copy of this Pulitzer winning Williams masterpiece which along with "Streetcar" ranks as his most desirable title to find signed. $4575

1 - Gibson, William. NEUROMANCER. London: Victor Gollancz, 1984. 1st Edition. "The sky above the port was the color of television, tuned to a dead channel." Gibson's literary agent's copy of the actual Xerox corrected typescript used to publish the first UK & first hardcover edition of Neuromancer with his name [Christopher Priest] & contact information sticker on the first page. 8vo., 8 1/2" x 11" white bond, 303pp. Bound in a blue business 'Joca' file binder with a plain typed label on the upper cover. In addition, 42 non-sequential pages [Xerox] with additional corrections inserted loosely at the back of the binder. A rare state of this breakthrough defining novel & Nebula, Hugo and Philip K. Dick Award winner. Gunn, The New Encyclopedia Of Science Fiction. Pringle. 100 Best Science Fiction Novels. Of the three or four modern cornerstone SF novels of the 20th century that will stay top-of-mind for the foreseeable future, Neuromancer along with Dune, Stranger In A Strange Land & Do Androids Dream lead the way. $25000

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Matisse, Henri. [1869-1954]. 1 Page A. L. S. n.p., 11 03 09. 8vo. Elegantly Framed & Glazed with carefully coordinated quad matting. A curious letter about housekeeping at his villa & studio - neatly signed. A very handsome presentation. Matisse was a French artist, known for his use of colour & his fluid, brilliant & original draughtsmanship. As a printmaker, & sculptor, but principally as a painter, Matisse is one of the best-known artists of the 20th century. Although he was initially labeled as a Fauve (wild beast), by the 1920s, he was increasingly hailed as an upholder of the classical tradition in French painting.[1] His mastery of the expressive language of colour & drawing, displayed in a body of work spanning over a half-century, won him recognition as a leading figure in modern art. $6750

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Sartre, Jean-Paul. THE WORDS. THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF JEAN-PAUL SARTRE. Signed. New York: George Braziller, 1964. First American Edition Inscribed & Signed by Jean-Paul Sartre on the title-page in blue ballpoint: 'A John P. James, Jr. trés cordialement [signed] Sartre, 18 Oct. 69'. 8vo. 255 pp. A near fine copy in black cloth, white titles to the spine, rose topstain, (John P. James, Jr.'s neat bookplate on the front pastedown), in a bright, fresh, price-clipped dustwrapper. Translated from the French by Bernard Frechtman. A brilliant autobiography that is often compared with, Rousseau's, Confessions. Housed in an elegant custom clamshell case, black cloth over marbled paper, red morocco spine label with gilt titles. $5,750

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 Salmon, Andre. [1881-1969]. French poet, art critic & writer. He was one of the defenders of cubism, with Apollinaire and Maurice Raynal; an authentic member of the 'Avant-Garde'. In 1904, lived in Bateau-Lavoir with Picasso, Max Jacob and Apollinaire. In 1964 he was awarded the Grand Prix for poetry by the French Academy. Autographed Manuscript Signed. N.p., n.d.. 4to, full page in green fountain pen on pad paper stock. Several corrections. Lovely content - the entire text in French about the artist & illustrator, Marcel Vertès. [Wasn't it Pierre MacOrlan who discovered Vertès?] "N'est-est pas Pierre Macorlan qui découvrit Vertès?... Acte de foi ou placement de père de famille? Altruism ou traite des noirs? Freveur de l'esprit? Simplicite du coeur?... Que sais-je! Comme disait l'autre, le grand autre... Mais si Vertès ne se peut abondonner, non sans fièvre, qu'a l'exceptionnel du plus aigu modernisme, ce sera donc que, venu de loin, excepté de la petite peur des façon del la vielle pour être entré en bolide dans le present, l'etranger sensible se voit attribuer la mission de renouer les fils de tradition". A beautiful 'Hommage' to Budapest born Vertès [1895 - 1961], an outstanding 20th century painter, printmaker & illustrator, who moved to Paris during the First World War. Living and working in the famous Latin Quarter, Vertes quickly established himself as one of the most important artists of the Paris scene, thus continuing in the footsteps of Boutet, Forain, Toulouse-Lautrec & others. The art of Marcel Vertes was at its peak during the vibrant & somewhat wild decade of the 1920’s. Concentrating upon scenes of Paris street life, portrayals of women & depictions of circus & cabaret acts, Vertès left a legacy of original lithographs & drawings that superbly capture the spirit of 1920’s Paris. Vertes would be also be noted for his stunning line of Schiaparelli perfume advertisements. $1975

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 [John Steinbeck]. Pyle, Ernie. HERE IS YOUR WAR. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1943. The Pyle/Steinbeck Presentation Copy. A likely first edition but a possible candidate for a variant binding with an undated title page & no further printings mentioned on the verso, neither of which are actually called for. 8vo, 304pp., tan cloth, black titles. A wartime production of uncertain bibliography with binding variants frequently encountered; teal boards with silver titling, green cloth with black titling, burgundy cloth with silver titling. Regardless, this is one of Pyle's own copies of this WWII classic, inscribed by one great war correspondent, Pulitzer winner & great friend to another on the front free endpaper:
 

"To Gwyn & John Steinbeck - / Alright goddamit, since you wouldn't ask / for one, here's one anyway - personally, I / think its wonderful! / Ernie Pyle" An extraordinary copy in very good condition with some professional repair to the spine ends, contents clean, dust jacket with original $3.00 price, showing modest use with small loss at the crown & heel. [In later printings, the excerpt by Malcolm Bingay on the rear flap was replaced by a blurb by Steinbeck]. Custom Clamshell Collector's Case with a beautiful wood cut style blind emboss of the famous Pyle dust jacket illustration. Ernie Pyle's moving first-hand reportage as a roving war correspondent for Scripps-Howard, of the plight of WWII American G.I.'s fighting Germans in North Africa. Pyle followed the American troops from England through the campaign in Tunisia, the Allies first great victory. "There are really two wars and they haven't much to do with each other. There is the war of maps and logistics, of campaigns, of ballistics, armies, divisions and regiments--and that is General [George] Marshall's war. - Then there is the war of the homesick, weary, funny, violent, common men who wash their socks in their helmets, complain about the food, whistle at the Arab girls, or any girls for that matter, and bring themselves through as dirty a business as the world has ever seen and do it with humor and dignity and courage--and that is Ernie Pyle's war." - John Steinbeck, TIME $7750

Burgess, Anthony as Joseph Kell [pseudonym]. ONE HAND CLAPPING. London: Peter Davies, 1961. First Edition, First Impression. The Dedication Copy, With the author's Signed presentation to his wife on the front endpaper in blue ink: 'To Hazel/for her birthday/28th Sept, 1961/Joseph Kell' - below which, in red ink, Burgess has printed; 'Joseph Kell is/Anthony Burgess'. This is the second book Burgess published under the name Joseph Kell and very scarce with any authorial inscription. A very good copy showing some use in nubby yellow and red spotted cloth, metallic blue titles to the spine in a near fine [presumably supplied], bright blue, price-clipped pictorial dustwrapper. $5350

Ginsberg, Allen. KADDISH. San Francisco: City Lights Books, 1961. 12mo., 100pp. Printed wrappers. Inscribed Association Copy presented to William Meredith " For William Meredith / Jan 18, 78 / Allen Ginsberg" with Ginsberg's usual added decorative graphic flair. This is an early issue with a seven line statement on the back panel rather than the 10 lines found on the 1st issue & other than the 23 line statement found on later reprints. Great copy linking these two major 20th American century poets. Number 14 in the Pocket Poets Series. Next to HOWL, Ginsberg's most important book. Dowden p. 8. Cook, City Lights Books, 30, p. 42; Kraus 17 $1450

 Ashbery, John. THE DOUBLE DREAM OF SPRING. Inscribed. New York: E. P. Dutton, 1970. First Edition Inscribed and dated in the year of publication by Ashbery on the ffe. to Howard Moss, long-time Poetry Editor at the New Yorker magazine. A near fine copy in the original 1/4 black cloth over green cloth covered boards, gilt lettering on the spine in a near fine dustwrapper. 8vo. 95 pp. Includes the poet's, Sunrise In Suburbia, For John Clare and The Bungalows. An Excellent Association Copy.  $1450

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