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New
QuickviewChildhood’s End
Arthur C. Clarke, First Edition, Modern First Editions, Science FictionChildhood's End By Arthur C. Clarke First UK edition, first impression, published in 1954; the year after the American edition (Ballantine Books, August 1953) . A landmark of modern science fiction and one of Clarke’s most enduring works, 'Childhood’s End' explores the transformation of humankind under the guidance of the enigmatic “Overlords”. Expanded from Clarke’s short story “Guardian Angel” (1950), the novel established his reputation as a writer of rare intellectual and imaginative depth. Octavo. Original light blue cloth, spine lettered in gilt. With the original dust jacket designed by Deborah Jones, reproducing her oil painting exhibited at the Royal Society of British Artists in 1953. Light fading to spine base, some offsetting to paste-downs and browning to rear endpaper. The jacket shows light rubbing and small chips to extremities, a few short closed tears, but remains bright and unrestored, the spine only slightly toned. Price “10s. 6d. net” intact on the front flap. A very good copy in a very good dust jacket.£400.00 -
New
QuickviewDo Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
First Edition, Modern First Editions, Philip K. Dick, Science Fiction, ShowcaseDo Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? By Philip K. Dick First UK edition, first impression of one of the most influential novels in twentieth-century science fiction, published the year following the American edition (Doubleday, 1968). A notably uncommon edition in truly collectible condition. Set in a post-apocalyptic San Francisco following a nuclear war, Dick’s masterwork explores questions of empathy, identity, and reality through the story of bounty hunter Rick Deckard, charged with “retiring” rogue androids. The novel inspired Ridley Scott’s 1982 film Blade Runner, a landmark in science fiction cinema that profoundly expanded the book’s cultural legacy. Octavo. Original green cloth with spine lettered in silver. With the original dust jacket designed by Lawrence Edwards. A near fine copy with some off-setting to endpapers and the usual light spotting to edges. Contents otherwise pristine with spotting not encroaching in any way on pages or text. The original and unclipped dust jacket shows a touch of rubbing to spine ends and corners with a minuscule chip and nick to spine ends, the latter of which is only visible upon very close inspection, else near fine. [Offered together with:] Blade Runner Sketchbook. San Diego: Blue Dolphin Enterprises, 1982: First edition, first impression. A fascinating production companion to Blade Runner, featuring concept art and designs by Syd Mead, Ridley Scott, Mentor Huebner, Charles Knode, and Michael Kaplan. Includes sketches for the film’s vehicles, architecture, and iconic props, with commentary on the visual development of Scott’s dystopian Los Angeles. Some light creasing to covers but internally bright and clean. The Blade Runner Portfolio. San Diego: Blue Dolphin Enterprises, 1982: First edition. Issued to coincide with the film’s release, this portfolio presents twelve striking colour prints of key scenes featuring Harrison Ford as Rick Deckard, suitable for framing. Complete and well preserved; folder with minor handling wear. A compelling trio connecting Philip K. Dick’s visionary novel with its cinematic reimagining — the original British edition of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, accompanied by two uncommon 1982 publications documenting the creation and iconography of Blade Runner.£4,500.00 -
New
QuickviewMonkey Planet (Planet of the Apes)
First Edition, Modern First Editions, ShowcaseMonkey Planet By Pierre Boulle First UK edition, first impression, published by Secker and Warburg in 1964. First published in French under the title 'La Planète des Singes' in 1963. The basis for the 1968 science fiction classic film adaptation 'Planet of the Apes'. Accompanied by a typed letter signed ("Pierre Boulle") dated April 2nd 1981, discussing autographed material, manuscript pages and thanking the recipient for their devotedness to his books. Boulle's satirical and philosophical tale of a civilisation ruled by apes, first published in France in 1963, quickly became one of the cornerstones of 20th-century speculative fiction. The English edition, retitled 'Monkey Planet', preceded the 1968 film adaptation starring Charlton Heston, which transformed the work into a major cultural phenomenon. The translation was undertaken by Xan Fielding, a British author, translator, journalist and traveller, who served as a Special Operations Executive (SOE) agent in Crete, France and East Asia during World War II. The accompanying autograph letter signed reads: "Herewith are the autographed plates & a photo. I will see if I can send you a few manuscript pages (I hate departing from them!). Many thanks for your devotedness to my books." Original green cloth, spine lettered in silver. A fine copy, the cloth bright and square, with only very slight traces of toning to edges. The dust jacket design, by Margaret Eastoe, features her striking line drawing of captive humans observed by their simian masters; an image that captures the novel's dark wit and satirical edge. Jackets in such well-preserved condition are uncommon, retaining the vivid pink lettering to the jacket spine and panels, showing a couple of single nicks to spine foot and to top corner of lower flap, a touch of rubbing to extremities and a small and faint stain to lower flap. A near fine copy overall.£1,250.00 -
New
QuickviewThe Call of the Man-Eater
First Edition, Modern First Editions, Non-FictionThe Call of the Man-Eater By Kenneth Anderson First edition, first impression. Octavo. Original black cloth, spine lettered in silver. With the striking pictorial dust jacket, likely designed by William Randell, depicting two tigers in dense jungle foliage. Illustrated with photographs, including portraits of the author and his family with various animals and scenes of the Indian jungle. A very good copy of Anderson's fourth book, recounting his encounters with the wildlife of South India. Blending natural history with thrilling narratives of hunts for tigers, leopards, and other predators, Anderson continues the tradition of Jim Corbett, though his writing is marked by its own dry humour and intimacy with the forest. Particularly evocative are his depictions of the Indian landscape, and his sympathetic accounts of snakes, elephants, and other creatures beyond the tiger. The present copy is bright and sharp, the cloth binding clean and square, the contents fresh with just a touch of toning to the text block and dustiness to top edge. The dust jacket is complete and unfaded, showing only light wear at extremities and a couple of closed tears, far better preserved than is typically encountered.£200.00 -
New
QuickviewFairies: The Cottingley Photos and Their Sequel
First Edition, Modern First EditionsFairies: The Cottingley Photos and Their Sequel Gardner, Edward L. First edition, first impression of this important early work on the Cottingley Fairies, published by one of the leading Theosophists of the day. Gardner (1880–1969), General Secretary of the Theosophical Society in England, was instrumental in promoting the photographs taken by Elsie Wright and Frances Griffiths, and in persuading Sir Arthur Conan Doyle of their authenticity. This volume reproduces the famous photographs, including Alice and the Fairies, Fairy Offering a Posy to Elsie, and Frances and the Leaping Fairy, alongside Gardner’s commentary and his defence of their genuineness. The Cottingley Fairy photographs, taken in 1917 and 1920, became one of the most celebrated photographic hoaxes of the 20th century, though they were not fully exposed as fakes until the early 1980s, when both women admitted to having staged them using cardboard cut-outs. At the time, however, they convinced many spiritualists, not least Conan Doyle, who saw in them a vindication of his beliefs in spiritualism and psychic phenomena. Octavo. Original blue cloth-backed boards, titles to upper board in black. With the 5 famous Cottingley Fairy photographs. Bookplate of Jean Corke to front pastedown and front free endpaper, with ownership name to the latter. Some spotting to endpapers and text throughout, more pronounced to preliminaries and plate leaves, boards a little rubbed, spotted and toned, spine ends lightly worn, cracking to binding at p 26, but pages still holding firm. A good copy.£250.00 -
New
QuickviewThe Honourable Schoolboy
First Edition, John Le Carré, Modern First Editions, Signed First EditionsThe Honourable Schoolboy By John le Carré First edition, first impression. Signed by the author to the title page. The second book in the famous Karla Trilogy. Original blue boards with lettering to spine in gilt and map endpapers and paste-downs. A couple of small blue marks to fore-edge of text block. Touch of rubbing to spine ends with a minor knock to top corner of upper board, else near fine. The original and unclipped dust jacket priced '£4.95' has a closed tear and a couple of small nicks to spine ends with some rubbing to extremities, as is common. Closed tear to bottom fore-edge of lower flap. Otherwise very good.£2,500.00
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