BABEL BOOKS   Kevin Perryman

Literature, especially poetry, in English and German

Catalogue TWO

Signatures  –  A SELECTION OF Signed Firsts

As a rule the descriptions are in English for books in that language, German for books in that language. There are exceptions.

These books are all signed and quite a few are inscribed by their authors, in a couple of cases by the editor, translator or contributor(s). (One book is signed and inscribed by the subject, the sculptor Fritz Wotruba.)

All books are first editions in the original binding, unless otherwise described. Dust-jackets are only price-clipped if this is stated.

I have decided against upper-case inflationary headings: MAGNIFICENT ASSOCIATION COPY, VERY SCARCE etc., although these apply in several cases. Just browse through the entries, gentle reader, and you'll see what sort of stuff I'm selling this time. At least one of the books could be called "unique" (the Aldous Huxley Point Counter Point; I hope it goes to a good home). And there are several Nobel prizewinners here: Samuel Beckett, Heinrich Böll, Elias Canetti, William Golding, Günter Grass, Seamus Heaney, Doris Lessing and Harold Pinter.

1. AMIS, Kingsley (1922-1995), The Old Devils

London Limited Editions (from Hutchinson sheets), London 1986;
that year's Booker prizewinner; 128/250; "One of 250 numbered copies of the First Edition of The Old Devils signed by the author and specially bound" i.e. half cloth, marbled-paper-covered boards; fine in the usual greaseproof-paper dust-jacket (with signs of wear and tear at the extremities), as issued;
signed under the number in fine black felt-tip (fountain pen?) on the limitation page: "Kingsley Amis"
€ 130

2. AMIS, Martin (*1949), Einstein's Monsters

Jonathan Cape Ltd, London 1987;
mint in mint dust-jacket; [if you still haven't read this, do]
signed in black ink (or fine felt-tip?) on the title page: "Martin Amis"
€ 75

ARP, Hans  →  DOMIN, Hilde, Doppelinterpretationen

ARP, Hans  →  EXNER, Richard, Gedichte

3. AUSLÄNDER, Rose (1901-1988), Mein Venedig versinkt nicht.

Gedichte, S. Fischer, Frankfurt am Main 1982;
"Mängelexemplar" mit entsprechendem Stempel [der größte Mangel] auf hinterem Vorsatz; Inhalt frisch; Kopfschnitt etwas angestaubt; einseitig bestoßen am Fuß des Rückens; sonst neuwertig;
signiert mit blauem Kugelschreiber auf dem Schmutztitel: "Rose Ausländer"
€ 75 VERKAUFT

AYRTON, Michael  →  GRAVES, Robert, The Golden Ass

AYRTON, Michael  →  GRAY, Cecil, Gilles de Rais

AYRTON, Michael  →  SPARK, Muriel, Not to Disturb

4. BÄCHLER, Wolfgang (1925-2007), Lichtwechsel [II]

Bechtle Verlag, München und Eßlingen 1960;
"Umschlaggestaltung und Tuschen: hap Grieshaber"; (Umschlag und acht ganzseitige Tuschezeichnungen hier erstmals veröffentlicht); nach dem Klappentext eine "neue Auflage" der Ausgabe von 1955; in Wirklichkeit eine neue Ausgabe, fast ein anderes Buch, denn zwei Gedichte aus Lichtwechsel [I] fehlen (Mittag im Vaucluse und Herbst-variationen), und sechs neue sind hinzugekommen (Verlassenes Schlachtfeld und Staub aus Zisterne und Am Seine-Ufer des Bois de Boulogne, Die Züge rollen weiter, Rausch und Kollektivträume); Inhalt fast neuwertig; Umschlag nicht ganz frisch, vor allem am Rücken; Bindung ein wenig bestoßen an der vorderen unteren Ecke wegen eines Produktionsfehlers (Einband vorne viel breiter als hinten);
signiert (senkrecht von unten nach oben) mit schwarzem Kugelschreiber auf Schmutztitel: "Wolfgang Bächler"
€ 85

5. BÄCHLER, Wolfgang (1925-2007), Türklingel

Bechtle Verlag, München und Eßlingen 1962;
Rücken gebräunt, ein Riß (1 cm) im Umschlag vorne (oben); auch sonst Gebrauchsspuren, aber vertretbar; Inhalt frisch;
signiert (senkrecht von unten nach oben) mit schwarzem Kugelschreiber auf Vorsatz: "Wolfgang Bächler"
€ 65

6. BÄCHLER, Wolfgang (1925-2007), Ich ging deiner Lichtspur nach.

Liebesgedichte, S. Fischer Verlag, Frankfurt am Main 1998;
Sammlung aus verschiedenen früheren Bänden mit sieben bislang unveröffentlichten Texten; neuwertig in neuwertigem Schutzumschlag;
signiert (senkrecht von unten nach oben) mit schwarzem Kugelschreiber auf Schmutztitel: "Wolfgang Bächler"
€ 55 VERKAUFT

7. BANVILLE, John (*1945), Ghosts

Secker & Warburg, London 1993;
one small tear (8 mm) in one of the pages, not affecting the text; a production fault, I imagine, since the book does not appear to have been read; contents tight and mint, although the paper is already beginning to go brown; black paper-covered boards fine to mint; dust-jacket ditto;
signed in black biro on the title page: "John Banville"
€ 95

8. BECKETT, Samuel (1906-1989), Happy Days

Faber and Faber, London 1962;
first UK edition (published the previous year by Grove Press Inc.); pages 10-11 have spots at the bottom (coffee?); someone has tried unsuccessfully to remove one or two (of the two or three) on page 10, there are four on page 11, all small, none affecting the text; extensive (light) pencil notes - not by Beckett - almost filling the rear free endpaper; these could easily be rubbed out; almost illegible, beginning "Most biographers[?]/biographies[?]…"; top edge starting to show its age; otherwise tight and clean; red cloth-covered boards tired, slightly bumped and worn at the corners; dust-jacket a bit bashed at the extremities; some creasing and scratching, but not as grim as this sounds;
signed in black ink (fountain pen) on the title page under his printed name: "Samuel Beckett" [some of the signature has offset onto the page opposite]
€ 750

9. BECKETT, Samuel (1906-1989), Residua

Suhrkamp Verlag (Bibliothek Suhrkamp 254), Frankfurt am Main 1970;
Sammelband mit vier kurzen Prosastücken französisch, englisch und deutsch; erste Buchveröffentlichung der englischen und deutschen Texte von sans; First thus; four short prose pieces in French, English and German, (Enough, Imagination Dead Imagine, Ping and Lessness); first book publication of Lessness, translated by Beckett from the French (sans); paper browning, top edge dusty; three pages (in Lessness) folded over at the bottom corner (production fault?); otherwise tired but reasonable; white paper-covered boards slightly bumped at the corners and with two small dents at the bottom; dust-jacket bashed at corners and head and foot of spine, which is sunned; the lamination is coming unstuck at the extremities;
signed in black ink on the title page: "Samuel Beckett"
€ 295 SOLD

10. BECKETT, Samuel (1906-1989), contributes to: Minuit 16

Minuit, Paris 1975;
first publication of Pochade radiophonique, six and a half pages of dialogue with exquisite, precise stage directions (Petit temps pour l'imagination, or avec une tendre condescendance; some, admittedly, predictable: Un temps or Silence); fine in fine printed paper wrappers, barely chipped at the bottom; unusual in this condition; most unusual signed; there is some overprinting on one page (nowhere near the Beckett text);
signed in black ink at the top of the page on which his contribution starts: "S. Beckett"
€ 750

11. BECKETT, Samuel (1906-1989), Collected Poems in English and French

John Calder, London 1977;
first book publication of a handful of poems; and at least nine lines have been changed in other poems since earlier printings; first thus; fine in brown paper-covered boards, in fine dust-jacket with some sunning to the spine;
signed in black ink on the title page "Samuel Beckett" with a miniscule flourish
€ 475 SOLD

BIENEK, Horst  →  DOMIN, Hilde, Doppelinterpretationen

BLOCH, Ernst  →  CELAN, Paul, Auf gespaltenem Pfad

12. BÖLL, Heinrich (1917-1985), Group Portrait with Lady

Secker & Warburg, London 1973;
the English (or rather American) translation, by Leila Vennewitz, of Gruppenbild mit Dame; Kopfschnitt angestaubt und nicht ganz frisch; Anzeichen von Stockflecken an den Schnittkanten; Einband unbestoßen; der Schutzumschlag am Rücken verblaßt, an den Rändern etwas bestoßen, und oben hinten mit Falten;
signiert mit blauem Kugelschreiber auf vorderem Vorsatz: "For / Betty Calver / Heinrich Böll"
€ 75 VERKAUFT

BORCHERS, Elisabeth  →  DOMIN, Hilde, Doppelinterpretationen

13. BOUCHET, André du (1924-2001), peinture

Fata Morgana, 1983;
34/50 with an original etching by Gilles du Bouchet; (there were also 1,300 copies unsigned, on different paper and without the etching; both together comprising the original edition); completely unopened; contents mint, binding (paper wrappers) slightly sunned on the spine and slightly bumped at the foot of the spine;
signed in pencil on the colophon page by the painter: "Gilles du Bouchet" and the author: "A du B"
€ 375 SOLD

BROD, Max  →  CELAN, Paul, Auf gespaltenem Pfad

14. BROWN, George Mackay (1921-1996), Christmas Poems, with wood engravings by John Lawrence

The Perpetua Press, Oxford 1984;
one of the "general edition" of 750 copies in card wrappers; (there was also a beautiful, hand-set "limited edition" of 100 copies); no rust (yet) on the staples; slightly bumped at the foot of the spine; otherwise fine;
no signature called for, but signed by the poet in blue biro on the title page: "George Mackay Brown"
€ 90

15. BROWN, George Mackay (1921-1996), Two Poems for Kenna

Words Press, Child Okeford 1988;
68/75; Mir Poets One; "Edition limited to 200 copies. Nos 1-75 are signed by the author"; in faded light green paper wrappers; no rust (yet) on the staples; slightly bumped at the top corner; otherwise fine;
signed by the poet in black biro on the colophon page: "George Mackay Brown"; [I am reasonably sure that the number, too, was written by the author]
€ 200

16. BROWN, George Mackay (1921-1996), contributor, with Hugh MacDairmid, Norman MacCaig,

Iain Crichton Smith, Robert Garioch, Sorley MacLean, Edwin Morgan [in this order on the title page], Seven Poets

17. BUKOWSKI, Charles (1920-1994), Women

Black Sparrow Press, Santa Barbara 1978;
213/300; one of 300 "hardcover copies numbered & signed by the author" (there were also 500 unsigned, as well as a paperback version); contents fine (the physical state, I mean); light blue corduroy and brown paper-covered boards with a "cover drawing" by the author; top edge dusty; two dents in base of covers; in the original acetate wrapper;
signed in black felt-tip on the colophon page: "Charles Bukowski"
€ 550

18. BURGESS, Anthony (1917-1993), A Clockwork Orange

Penguin Books, Harmondsworth 1982 (reprint);
with the nasty browning typical of Penguin paper; slight sunning to spine; [a brilliant novel that has lost none of its power since it came out in 1962; reality is trying hard to catch up];
inscribed and signed in black ink [fountain pen] on the title page: "To Ian / Anthony / Burgess" with a single-line flourish.
€ 240

19. CANETTI, Elias (1905-1994), Fritz Wotruba

Verlag Brüder Rosenbaum, Wien 1955;
"Mit 58 Abbildungen" (die zum Teil wesentlich besser sind als die derselben Werke im Münchner Katalog 2007); ein gelungenes, damals gewagtes Buch: Format, Layout, Schrift, Abbildungen und Canetti-Text überzeugen und behaupten sich einzeln und im Dienst des Ganzen; Inhalt frisch; Kopfschnitt etwas angestaubt; naturbelassenes Leinen unten ein wenig berieben; der Schutzumschlag läßt zu wünschen übrig: Risse, Knicke, Schmutz sowie Inventarnummer und Preis eines (anderen) Antiquars;
mit Datum, Widmung und Signatur des Bildhauers Fritz WOTRUBA (1907-1975) in blauem Kugelschreiber auf dem Schmutztitel: "Frau Sonja zur Erinnerung / an den kurzen Aufenthalt in Wien / herzlich Wotruba / 25 IIII [sic] 57"
€ 1500

20. CANETTI, Elias (1905-1994), Die Fackel im Ohr

Carl Hanser Verlag, München / Wien 1980;
Inhalt frisch; Kopfschnitt ein wenig angestaubt; ganz hellbraunes Leinen geradezu neuwertig; der Schutzumschlag ist am Rücken etwas verblaßt, sonst vollkommen;
signiert mit blauem Kugelschreiber auf der Titelseite: "Elias Canetti"
€ 250 VERKAUFT

21. CAUSLEY, Charles (1917-2003), Underneath the Water

Macmillan, London 1968;
contents fine; binding (blue paper-covered boards) with minimal bumping to the foot of the spine; the [strange] dust-jacket is bright and only slightly chipped at the extremities;
inscribed, signed and dated with a felt-tip pen by the author: "Good wishes - / Charles Causley / at Totleigh Barton / St Swithin's Day / 1976"; someone (the author?) has also crossed out the author's printed name in black biro [Totleigh Barton is the home of the Arvon Foundation, so this was presumably signed at a reading or workshop there.]
€ 75

22. CELAN, Paul (1920-1970), Beitrag in: Auf gespaltenem Pfad, für Margarete Susman

Herausgegeben von Manfred Schlösser, Erato-Presse, Darmstadt 1964;
zum 90. Geburtstag von Margarete Susman in 550 numerierten Exemplaren, mit Originalbeiträgen von Ernst BLOCH, Max BROD, Martin BUBER, Paul CELAN, Hans-Georg GADAMER, Gerschom SCHOLEM, Carl ZUCKMAYER u.v.a.m.;
XI/XXX; Vorzugsausgabe auf Büttenpapier in bordeaux-rotem Kalbsleder handgebunden, aber im Nachwort steht dazu: "die Nummern I-XL wurden … von allen Autoren handsigniert"; unten auf dieser Seite (397) mit schwarzem Kugelschreiber an dem für die Numerierung vorgesehenen Ort: "XI"; in derselben Schrift und ebenfalls in schwarzem Kugelschreiber steht dieselbe Nummer auf einem vor dem hinteren Vorsatz eingeklebten (also späteren) Kolophon-Blatt: "XI" nach folgendem Text: "Von dieser Ausgabe wurden 30 Exemplare in Kalbsleder handgebunden von Willy Hofmann … Dies Exemplar trägt die Nummer"
Erstveröffentlichung zweier Gedichte Paul Celans: "SINGBARER REST - DER UMRISS / dessen, der durch / die Sichelschrift lautlos hindurchbrach, abseits, am Schneeort. /…" und "VOM GROSSEN / Augen- / losen / aus deinen Augen geschöpft: / …" Schnittkanten, vor allem oben, etwas gebräunt; insgesamt nicht mehr frisch, aber sehr gut erhalten; ein früherer Besitzer hat im Beitrag von Erich Lüth auf zwei Seiten in blauem Kugelschreiber Unterstreichungen und Hervorhebungen vorgenommen; der Ledereinband weist einige kleine Kratzer auf; Rücken am Fuß stark bestoßen;
signiert von vielen Autoren, z.B. mit blauem Kugelschreiber: "Ernst Bloch", mit blauem Kugelschreiber: "Max Brod", in blauer Tinte (Füller): "Paul Celan", in schwarzer (oder sehr, sehr dunkelblauer) Tinte (Füller): Hans-Georg Gadamer, mit blauem Kugelschreiber: "Gerschom Scholem", in blauer Tinte (Füller): "Carl Zuckmayer"
€ 4800 VERKAUFT

23. CREELEY, Robert (1926-2005), The Charm

Calder and Boyars, London 1971;
first UK edition (The Perishable Press, Mt. Horeb, published The Charm in 1967 - handset, numbered and signed; the Four Seasons Foundation published an edition in San Franciso in 1969); this is the "Cloth edition" (thus on the copyright page), which is, in fact, bound in grey-green paper-covered boards, which are clean and unbumped; cheap, shoddy binding, completely skew (the front endpaper particularly); contents fine; dust-jacket price-clipped and with some signs of wear; (slightly rubbed and scratched here and there);
signed in black felt-tip (or similar) on the title-page above his printed name: "Robert Creeley" (illegible, but genuine)
€ 45

24. DOMIN, Hilde (1909-2006), Herausgeberin, Doppelinterpretationen

Athenäum Verlag, Frankfurt am Main und Bonn 1966;
laut beigelegter Original-Verlags-Information erschien gleichzeitig auch eine Leinenausgabe; Erstveröffentlichungen von u.a. Hans Arp, Horst Bienek, Elisabeth Borchers, Erich Fried, Günter Bruno Fuchs, Peter Huchel, Marie-Luise Kaschnitz, Karl Krolow, Ernst Meister, Nelly Sachs; Rücken etwas verblaßt; nicht ganz frisch, aber sonst in schönem Zustand; Original-"Paperback";
signiert und datiert mit blauem Kugelschreiber auf der Titelseite: " Hilde Domin / Dez. 002" [sic]
€ 40 VERKAUFT

25. DURRELL, Lawrence (1912-1990), A Private Country

Faber and Faber Ltd, London 1943;
his first collection (preceded only by two pamphlets); letterpress; beautiful deckle-edged, probably hand-made paper, which has aged extremely well; the pale grey cloth feels more like silk; corners bumped; two marks on the front cover; spine slightly discoloured, but the gold lettering is still fresh; no dust-jacket present;
signed on the front loose endpaper in black felt-tip: "Lawrence Durrell / 1988" with a long, single-line flourish (laid in: a single sheet of laid paper, the programme for a 1944 recital given by Renée King, soprano, and Margaret Norman, piano; letterpress)
€ 135 SOLD

26. DURRELL, Lawrence (1912-1990), The Tree of Idleness

Faber and Faber Ltd, London 1955;
contents crisp and clean; endpapers seriously brown; brown cloth battered at the extremities and with considerable signs of wear, especially on the back; no dust-jacket present;
signed and dated in black felt-tip on the front loose end-paper: "Lawrence Durrell / Provence 1988"
€ 75 SOLD

27. DURRELL, Lawrence (1912-1990), Nunquam

Faber and Faber, London 1970;
pp. 1-14 top corner folded over (production fault?); top edge dusty and with one small (coffee?) stain; contents otherwise fine; green-black cloth slightly worn and bumped at extremities; the gold lettering on the spine is still very bright; dust-jacket worn at head of spine, otherwise fine;
signed and dated twice in black felt-tip on the half-title: "Lawrence Durrell / Provence / 1988" with a single-line flourish, and on the dedication page: "Lawrence Durrell / Provence / 9 April 1988"
€ 75

28. DURRELL, Lawrence (1912-1990), The Red Limbo Lingo, A Poetry Notebook

Faber and Faber, London 1971;
9/100; "Edition limited to 1200 numbered copies of which 500, together with 100 signed by the author, are for publication in Great Britain by Faber and Faber Limited and 500, together with 100 signed by the author, are for publication in the United States of America by E. P. Dutton and Company Inc. This copy is Number 9"; contents mint; red cloth very slightly sunned on the spine, otherwise mint; acetate dust-jacket present with one small (1 cm) tear; in the unbumped black paper-covered slip-case, as issued; complete with the publisher's original publicity material, stating that this edition cost £6;
signed in black felt-tip under the limitation statement: "Lawrence Durrell"
€ 160

29. EXNER, Richard (*1929), Gedichte

Limes Verlag, Wiesbaden 1956;
"Umschlagentwurf: Hans Arp"; Umschlag etwas vergilbt und mit Gebrauchsspuren, z.B. zwei Rissen (jeweils ca. 12 mm); oben und unten am Rücken stark berieben; Linol(?)schnitt von Arp unbeschädigt und frisch; Inhalt sauber und ordentlich;
signiert in schwarzer Tinte (oder mit feinem Filzstift?) auf der Titelseite: "Richard Exner." mit schrägem Abschlußstrich darunter
€ 50 VERKAUFT

30. FAINLIGHT, Ruth (*1931), Twenty One Poems

Turret Books, London 1973;
86/100; "This edition is limited to 500 copies, the first 100 signed and numbered by the author"; contents fine (with some brown spots on top edge); in fine red cloth; back top corner badly bumped; very minor damp marking to the cloth; minimal sunning to spine on the dust-jacket, which is bent outwards at the top, because someone stuffed it in cellophane;
signed twice, in black felt-tip under her printed name on the title page: "Ruth Fainlight" with a small dash-like flourish, and, in black ink (fountain pen), on the copyright page under the number: "Ruth Fainlight"
€ 40 SOLD

31. FRAZER, J.G. (1854-1941), Adonis Attis Osiris. Studies in the History of Oriental Religion

Macmillan and Co., Limited, London 1906;
[the year before the first chair in anthropology was created for him at Liverpool University]; from the preface: "These studies are an expansion of the corresponding sections in my book The Golden Bough … By far the greater part of them is new, and they make by themselves a fairly complete and, I hope, intelligible whole"; contents remarkably good; pages untrimmed; they have all been opened except for a couple of pages of adverts at the end; all edges dust-soiled; the gatherings are no longer tight, but not ready to fall apart either; the paper has lasted extremely well, the endpapers less so (severe browning); the dark green cloth-covered boards are worn and battered, particularly at the corners (boards visible here) and top and bottom of spine; the spine itself is hanging on by a few threads at the back, but is otherwise virtually intact; the gold lettering is clean and clear;
signed presentation inscription in pencil on the front free endpaper: "W.W.F. / from / J.G. Frazer"
€ 560

32. FRIED, Erich (1921-1988), Unter Nebenfeinden

Verlag Klaus Wagenbach, Berlin 1970;
"1.-4. Tausend"; gleich zwei (kleine) Adressaufkleber (auf der Rückseite jeweils des Umschlages und des Schmutztitels); sonst in ordentlichem Zustand; Kopfschnitt nicht ganz frisch;
signiert auf dem Schmutztitel vorne: "Erich Fried"
€ 30

FRIED, Erich  →  DOMIN, Hilde, Doppelinterpretationen

33. FRISCH, Max (1911-1991), Biografie: Ein Spiel

Suhrkamp Verlag, Frankfurt am Main 1967;
"Erstes bis zwanzigstes Tausend"; ungelesen, aber etwas mitgenommen; Inhalt frisch; Umschlag (englische Broschur) am Rücken etwas verblaßt, am Kopf des Rückens bestoßen und mit einem Riß (6 mm); vorne oben mit Fältchen und gerissen (3 mm); Schmutz an der unteren Ecke des Buchblocks;
auf dem stark gebräunten Schmutztitel (das Buch hat keinen Vorsatz) signiert und datiert in schwarzem Filzstift: "Max Frisch / 1981"
€ 95 VERKAUFT

FUCHS, Günter Bruno  →  DOMIN, Hilde, Doppelinterpretationen

34. FULTON, Robin (*1937), Fields of Focus

Anvil Press Poetry, London 1982;
paperback; contents fine; the glossy wrappers are not aging well, starting to arc [probably the grotty paper]; the cover design (by Asa Beneviste) is pleasing, using a photograph (or two) by the author; the layout of the contents is less sucessful; [Fulton is a fine poet; seriously underrated;]
inscribed, signed and dated (in the usual green ink) on the half-title in the year of publication: "to Martin / from Robin / Oct. 82"
€ 25

GADAMER, Hans-Georg  →  CELAN, Paul, Auf gespaltenem Pfad

GARIOCH, Robert  →  BROWN, George Mackay, Seven Poets

35. GOLDING, William (1911-1993), Fire Down Below

Faber & Faber, London 1989;
the Booker prizewinning sequel to Rites of Passage and Close Quarters; signed on the half-title; contents mint, but the paper already browning; there is also a damp-stain at the top corner, not visible on the individual pages; black paper-covered boards virtually mint; dust-jacket mint;
signed in black biro on the half-title: "WGolding" [more of a squiggle, actually, but genuine]
€ 95

36. GRAHAM, W. S. (1918-1986), Implements in their Places

Faber & Faber, London 1977;
contents fine; a little soiled at the bottom; a couple of almost-creases to the back wrapper (there was no hardback); slight wear to the extremities of the wrappers; [a brilliant poet;]
signed in black felt-tip on the title page under his printed name, which he has crossed out: "WSGraham"
€ 75 SOLD

37. GRASS, Günter (*1927), Das Treffen in Telgte

Luchterhand, Darmstadt und Neuwied 1979;
ungelesen, frisch; der Kopfschnitt fängt an, ein wenig angestaubt zu wirken; rotes Gewebe und Schutzumschlag neuwertig;
signiert in schwarzem Filzstift auf der Titelseite: "Günter Grass"
€ 55 VERKAUFT

38. GRAVES, Robert (1895-1985), translator, The Golden Ass by Lucius Apuleius

The Folio Society, London 1960;
no. 137 in Folio 21. A Bibliography of the Folio Society 1947-1967; with two-colour lithographs by Michael Ayrton; first thus; (there were also 75 copies bound in brown morocco and signed by the illustrator); contents mint; some damp-spotting on the vertical edge; the bottom back corner of the binding is bumped; the parchment is slightly grubby where fingers have touched it, pulling the book from its protective slipcase, which is bashed, broken at the bottom, and generally tatty;
no signature called for, but inscribed twice in the year of publication - in black ink (fountain pen) on the reverse of the frontispiece: "Bill Ellis / aféctuosamente / Robert Graves / 1970 / Deyá" (its mirror image visible, almost legible, on the page opposite) and, on the reverse of the title page in black ink (fountain pen): "Bill Ellis / in friendship / and / gratitude / from / Robert / Graves" and, presumably as an afterthought, "Easter 1970" at the side of the slanting dedication (this time with no offsetting on the page opposite)
€ 220

39. GRAY, Cecil, Gilles de Rais, with decorations by Michael Ayrton

The Favil Press, London n.d. (1945);
64/250; "250 copies … have been printed … of which 200 are for sale, signed by Author and Decorator" [not a brilliant play, and the "decorations" are twee and frilly]; title page and four half-page black and white illustrations - reproductions from pen and ink drawings; this copy is unopened; contents mint; top edge dust-soiled; paper wrappers fine with minimal soiling, especially to the spine; laid in: Erratum slip, though this is not the only printing mistake in the book [e.g., p. 45, line 14];
signed in blue ink (fountain pen) on the reverse of the title page under the number: "Cecil Gray" and "michael ayrton. / 1945"
€ 190

GRIESHABER, hap  →  BÄCHLER, Wolfgang, Lichtwechsel

40. HAMBURGER, Michael (1924-2007), Feeding the Chickadees

Turret Books, London 1968;
90/200; "200 signed and numbered copies of this edition have been printed"; nice laid paper; contents mint; light blue cloth-covered boards mint, the gold lettering on the spine bright; dust-jacket fine (slightly sunned on the spine);
signed under the number on the copyright page: "Michael Hamburger"
€ 25 SOLD

41. HÄRTLING, Peter (*1933), Neue Gedichte

J.G. Bläschke Verlag, Darmstadt o.J. [1972?];
(Das neueste Gedicht Band 48); "1. Tausend"; Inhalt frisch; blauer Umschlag an den Rändern, vor allem vorne oben stark verblaßt (d.h. jetzt grau);
signiert in blauer Tinte (Füller) auf der Titelseite: "Peter Härtling"
€ 25 VERKAUFT

42. HÄRTLING, Peter (*1933), Die Mörsinger Pappel. Gedichte

Luchterhand, Darmstadt und Neuwied 1987;
insgesamt nahezu neuwertig bis auf den Stempel am Fußschnitt, der behauptet, es handele sich hier um ein "Mängelexemplar";
signiert und datiert in schwarzer Tinte auf der Titelseite: "Peter Härtling / 29.9.2003"
€ 25

43. HEANEY, Seamus (*1939), Door into the Dark

Faber and Faber Ltd, London 1969;
his second collection; letterpress; contents fine, a half- crease to the top corner of two pages (production fault) and miniscule bumping to the top corner of most of the pages (ditto) notwithstanding; black cloth fresh; gilt let-tering on spine very slightly rubbed; dust-jacket showing some signs of wear (a couple of creases, a damp-mark and two small tears at the top of the front) and sunned at the spine; the book's first owner has monogrammed (PGM) and dated (July '69) the front free endpaper in blue ink (probably fountain pen) soon after publication;
signed and dated in fine felt-tip (or similar) also on the front free end-paper: "Seamus Heaney / October 1993"
€ 1400

44. HEANEY, Seamus (*1939), editor (with Ted Hughes),

Arvon International Poetry Competition 1987 Anthology

HEIDERHOFF, Horst  →  KROLOW, Karl, Fremde Körper

HEISSENBÜTTEL, Helmut  →  JANDL, Ernst, Laut und Luise

45. HILL, Geoffrey (*1932), Preghiere

Northern House Pamphlet Poets, Leeds 1964;
"Hand-set at the School of English, University of Leeds"; letterpress; flimsy, fragile publication in reasonable condition; minimal bumping to corners; some wear where old prices have been erased; one small (1 cm) thin stain or mark to the foot of the title page (=cover); contents clean; sewn without wrappers, as issued;
signed in fine black felt-tip or similar on the half-title: "Geoffrey Hill" (with a generous "J"- or loop-shaped flourish)
€ 150

46. HILL, Geoffrey (*1932), Tenebrae

André Deutsch, London 1978;
contents uncrisp, but fine; almost imperceptible bumping to corners of green paper-covered boards; spine creased (production fault?) in a slightly discoloured, otherwise fine dust-jacket; laid in: the Poetry Society membership blurb (the volume was a Poetry Book Society Choice)
signed in black biro(?) on the half-title: "Geoffrey Hill" (with a loop-shaped flourish clearly visible a couple of pages later as a scored line)
€ 95 SOLD

HUCHEL, Peter  →  DOMIN, Hilde, Doppelinterpretationen

47. HUGHES, Ted (1930-1998) Rain-Charm for the Duchy and other laureate poems

faber and faber, London 1992;
114/250; (there were also 30 copies [I-XXX] "reserved for the author"); contents mint; maroon paper-covered boards with a slender black cloth spine fine to mint; no bumping at all; in slightly grubby, beige paper-covered slip-case;
signed in black ink (fountain pen) under the number on the colophon page: "Ted Hughes" - together with The Unicorn, (in the same slip-case) in similar condition (but top corner lightly bumped through-out), same format, but a pamphlet, same publisher, date, maroon etc. also signed in black ink (with a different fountain pen) under the number on the colophon page: "Ted Hughes"; [I am sure the number ("114") was, in this case, written by the poet, too.]
€ 190

48. HUXLEY, Aldous (1894-1963), Point Counter Point

Doubleday, Doran & Company, Inc., Garden City 1928;
first US edition; interestingly, the label stuck to the spine (still in almost pristine condition) calls the book "Point- / Counter- / Point"; one gathering loose; some damp-marks to edges of paper, nowhere near the text; bottom edge grubby; the light-green cloth is clean and bright, slightly bumped at extremities; the dust-jacket is well worn and grubby, particularly on the spine, but almost intact; there are chips and small tears here and there and one small hole on the spine;
stuck to the front patterned endpaper is a postcard from Paris postmarked 8 V 1929; on it the author has written in blue ink: "Diverse Laws was the title originally / chosen for Point Counter Point & after- / wards abandoned. / Al Huxley."
€ 1400

49. JANDL, Ernst (1925-2000), Laut und Luise

Walter-Verlag, Olten und Freiburg im Breisgau 1966;
Walter-Druck 12; "Die Auflage bleibt auf 1200 Exemplare der einmaligen Ausgabe beschränkt", mit einem Nachwort von Helmut Heißenbüttel; [Laut und Luise kam 1971 bei Luchterhand als "Lizenzausgabe" heraus - lange nicht so schön gedruckt oder gebunden natürlich (bei den "visuellen" Gedichten ist die Luchterhand'sche Fassung dergestalt mißlungen, daß ich mich frage, ob Jandl je eine Fahne sah); and the rest is history]; enthält wien : heldenplatz, schtzngrmm, fragment, falmaleikum, lichtung, eulen etc.; unbeschnitten, aber durchgehend aufgeschnitten; das Papier wirkt fast wie neu; der Umschlag (englisch broschiert) ist arg lädiert: der Rücken ist gebrochen, oben bestoßen und weist (von oben, vorne) einen fast 4 cm langen Riß auf; ein hellbrauner Fleck reicht 4 cm vom Fuß des Rückens aufwärts und bis zu 6 mm auf den vorderen Umschlag; der Butterbrotpapierumschlag darüber ist ähnlich lädiert und mit noch mehr braunen Flecken versehen; diese stammen höchst wahrscheinlich von der ebenso lädierten Hülle aus braunem Ingres-Papier, die dort entsprechend blaß ist, wo sie Farbe an Über-Umschlag und Buch abgegeben hat; vollständig;
mit Widmung signiert und datiert im Jahr des Erscheinens in blauer Tinte (Füller) auf dem Schmutztitel: "For Bob / - what a pleasure / to be reading our / sound-poems together - / Ernst / Vienna, September '66"
€ 150 VERKAUFT

50. JANDL, Ernst (1925-2000), der gelbe hund. gedichte

Luchterhand, Darmstadt und Neuwied 1980;
Kopfschnitt ein wenig angestaubt, sonst nahezu neuwertig; jemand hat bei der Inhaltsangabe (in Bleistift) Gedichte mit Nummern versehen und einige weitere Überschriften (samt Nummern) hinzugefügt - Protokoll einer Lesung?
Signiert und datiert im Jahr des Erscheinens mit blauem Kugelschreiber auf der Titelseite: "Ernst Jandl / München, 1980"
€ 45 VERKAUFT

51. JOHNSON, Uwe (1934-1984), Jahrestage (1)

Suhrkamp Verlag. Frankfurt 1970;
Inhalt frisch; die Bogen sind auf unterschiedliche Papiere gedruckt worden, sodaß die Ränder der einzelnen Lagen unterschiedlich gebräunt sind; kleiner Monogrammstempel (WNB, oval, rot) auf der Titelseite; in frischem, fast neuwertigem grauem Leinen, kein bißchen verblaßt am Rücken; an der Ecke hinten unten etwas bestoßen; Schutzumschlag dito; die durchsichtige Beschichtung löst sich etwas an den Rändern, sonst sehr schön;
signiert und datiert im Erscheinungsjahr mit rotem Kugelschreiber auf dem Halbtitel: "Uwe Johnson. / 4.12.1970"
€ 180 VERKAUFT

KASCHNITZ, Marie-Luise  →  DOMIN, Hilde, Doppelinterpretationen

52. KROLOW, Karl (1915-1999), Fremde Körper

Suhrkamp Verlag (Bibliothek Suhrkamp 52), Berlin und Frankfurt am Main 1959;
"Erstes bis drittes Tausend"; Kopfschnitt etwas angestaubt; Inhalt frisch; Schutzumschlag für sein Alter recht gut bis auf einen kleinen Riß (6 mm) oben (vorne); dezentes Ex Libris (von Horst Heiderhoff) auf dem Vorsatz;
mit Widmung (an einen seiner Verleger) in schwarzem Kugelschreiber auf der Titelseite: "für / Horst G. Heiderhoff / herzlich / von / Karl Krolow / 24. II. 85", zwei Jahre nachdem Krolow den [in jeder Hinsicht gelungenen] Band Herodot oder der Beginn von Geschichte bei Heiderhoff veröffentlicht hatte
€ 60

53. KROLOW, Karl (1915-1999) Übers.: APOLLINAIRE, Guillaume, Bestiarium

Suhrkamp Verlag (Bibliothek Suhrkamp 607), Frankfurt am Main 1978;
(zweisprachig; mit den reproduzierten Holzschnitten von Raoul Dufy); Kopfschnitt etwas angestaubt; Inhalt frisch; Schutzumschlag nicht ganz frisch, aber vollständig; ein kleiner Riß (5 mm) vorne, einer (ca. 1 cm) hinten, letzterer mit Tesa (innen) geflickt; sonst mit geringfügigen Gebrauchsspuren;
signiert und datiert auf der Titelseite: "Karl Krolow / 18.4.84"
€ 40 VERKAUFT

KROLOW, Karl  →  DOMIN, Hilde, Doppelinterpretationen

54. KUNERT, Günter (*1929), Die Brüste der Pandora

ephemera, München 2004;
7/XVI; [eine merkwürdige Veröffentlichung:] Gedichte und Kurzprosa (ohne Paginierung oder Inhaltsangabe) samt Zeichnungen (ebenfalls vom Autor, nehme ich an, aber das wird nirgends erwähnt); hinzu kommen drei unsignierte Originalgraphiken, "Überdrucke für "Ganymed", Bd. 5, 1925" (aus dem Kolophon): eine Lithographie von Hugo Troendle mit eingebunden ("Brücke") und zwei Radierungen eingelegt: Rudolf Grossmann, "Jahrmarkt" und Hans Gött, "Schlafendes Mädchen"; ebenfalls eingelegt ist ein Selbstporträt vom Autor, signiert in schwarzem Filzstift: "Günter Kunert"; auch die Numerierung ist ungewöhnlich: Im Kolophon steht "Die Vorzugsausgabe (I-XVI)…", aber dieses Exemplar, das eindeutig zur Vorzugsausgabe gehört, trägt die Nummer 7;
signiert in feinem Filzstift(?) auf der Kolophon-Seite: "Günter Kunert / 13.3.05"
€ 180

55. LESSING, Doris, (*1919), The Marriages Between Zones Three, Four, and Five

[the second novel in the Canopus in Argos Archives], Jonathan Cape, London 1980;
[if you don't understand why she won the Nobel Prize for Literature, read the Canopus in Argos novels, and The Good Terrorist]; fine, but not tight and crisp, in near-fine dust-jacket: the two front corners are a bit bumped;
signed in fine black felt tip (?) on the page opposite the copyright page: "Doris Lessing"
€ 75

56. LESSING, Doris, (*1919), The Sentimental Agents in the Volyen Empire

[the fifth novel in the Canopus in Argos Archives], Jonathan Cape, London 1983;
[in Germany, the pieces on her in the press after the Nobel Prize announcement didn't even mention the Canopus in Argos novels and just went on (and on) about The Grass Is Singing and The Golden Notebook and feminism]; near mint, but for two production faults: glue, which has seeped out onto the top and bottom edges; and the rear endpaper is improperly trimmed at the head of the spine; in near-mint dust-jacket with some creasing to the head of the spine;
signed in fine felt tip (?) on the title page: "Doris Lessing"
€ 75

57. LESSING, Doris, (*1919), The Good Terrorist

Jonathan Cape, London 1985;
[one of my favourite four novels from the second half of the twentieth century in English, with William Golding's Darkness Visible, Richard Hughes' Fox in the Attic and Iris Murdoch's The Good Apprentice] fine, but not quite tight and crisp; top edge damp- and dust-marked; in mint, but price-clipped dust-jacket; this was perhaps done by the publisher or at the latest in the bookshop before the book was first sold: a little J.Cape stamp next to the snip states that the new price is £9.50;
signed in blue biro on the half-title: "Doris Lessing"
€ 95 SOLD

58. LEVI, Peter, S.J. (1931-2000), Pancakes for the Queen of Babylon

Anvil Press Poetry, Northwood 1968;
[not his best book]; "Of this edition 50 hardbound copies have been signed by the author"; contents mint; the cloth of the binding is sunned at the spine; minimal rubbing to the foot of the spine and covers, i.e. the book has been pushed into a space on a bookshelf and removed again a few times; in the original acetate wrapper, which is virtually pristine, but does seem to have shrunk, or perhaps it was not cut properly in the first place;
signed in black ink on the copyright page: "Peter Levi"
€ 45 SOLD

59. LOWELL, Robert (1917-1977), The Voyage

Faber and Faber Limited, London 1968;
x/210; first thus, with 24 full-page illustrations by Sidney Nolan (seven in colour); "This edition which is signed by the author and artist is limited to 200 numbered copies and 10 copies out of series. This is number [handwritten:] out of series"; sumptuous; contents tight and fresh: mint; the bevelled binding in lilac linen-covered boards with a dark-blue linen spine with some rubbing to head and foot, is no longer quite pristine, but fine; in acetate wrapper with wrinkles; in lilac cloth-covered protective slip-case, which is faded where it has stuck out from the other books on a shelf;
signed on the limitation page in blue biro; "Robert Lowell" and, in blue ink (fountain pen): "Sidney Nolan."
€ 420 SOLD

MACCAIG, Norman  →  BROWN, George Mackay, Seven Poets

MACLEAN, Sorley  →  BROWN, George Mackay, Seven Poets

MEISTER, Ernst  →  DOMIN, Hilde, Doppelinterpretationen

60. MIDDLETON, Christopher (*1926), The Fossil Fish. 15 micropoems

Burning Deck, [n.p.] (Providence?) 1970;
B/150; "This booklet was hand set in Caslon Old Style. The cover is by Keith Waldrop. There are one hundred and fifty copies of which this is number (then by hand:) B [for copyright]" (from the colophon); [the Caslon italic ampersand is a lasting delight; and the poems are not (just) as playful as the typography pretends]; contents fine, but the pamphlet is shelfworn, with some indentations to the bottom edge; twin pin-pricks visible on four pages; staples not yet rusty; printed paper wrappers rather grubby and sunned; bumped at the extremities and showing various signs of wear and tear (fingermarks, a stain, scuffing) but intact; [some people can work wonders with rubbers];
signed and dated in black biro on the first blank: "Christopher Middleton / May 17, 1999"
€ 140 SOLD

61. MIDDLETON, Christopher (*1926), The Redbird Hexagon

[no publisher] Austin 1999;
x/100; "One hundred copies printed at Digital Letterpress… Copies 1 through 10 are numbered and signed by the author" (from the colophon); this copy is not numbered; [the lines are as strong and taut as we have come to expect from this poet; is it possible to not continue reading a poem that starts "It waylaid my eye"?] contents mint, but for a bump to the foot of the spine [the Post Office?]; sewn into olive-leaf-green laid paper (Roma?), slightly creased at the bottom corners and bumped at the foot of the spine;
inscribed, signed and dated in black biro on the first blank: "for Peter Riley / best wishes / Christopher M. / January 12, '05" [who was, in fact, sent two, as he explains in an enclosed note, so I was able to have one]
€ 40

MORGAN, EDWIN  →  BROWN, George Mackay, Seven Poets

62. MOORE, Nicholas (1918-1986), Recollections of the Gala. Selected Poems 1943/1948

["New" rather than "Selected" on the dust-jacket], Editions Poetry London, London 1950;
contents near fine; a couple of gatherings loose; paper beginning to brown from the edges in, endpapers more so; cloth-backed boards bumped (but not worn) at the corners; dust-jacket slightly grubby, bashed at the extremities, and with two small tears at the top on the back (8 mm and 1½ cm), but not half as bad as this sounds;
numbered and signed in sepia ink on the page opposite the title page: "No. 9. Nicholas Moore" with a single-line flourish and a dot, although there is no mention of a limitation or signed, numbered issue anywhere in the book, and on the front loose endpaper, also in sepia ink, a tantalising presentation inscription in the year of publication: "For Margaret / a sort of belated / wedding-present and in / {illegible} / Nicholas / [single-line flourish] / May. 1st. '50."
€ 125 SOLD

63. MURDOCH, Iris (1919-1999), The Philosopher's Pupil

Chatto & Windus / The Hogarth Press, London 1983;
top edge slightly dust-soiled; three of the gatherings were printed on different, cheaper paper that is already notice-ably browner than the rest of the book; contents otherwise fine; dark blue paper-covered boards dull, the gold lettering on the spine bright and fresh; dust-jacket mint, except for some bumping to the base of the spine; [one of her best novels];
signed in black felt-tip (or similar) on the title page under her printed name: "Iris Murdoch"
€ 150

64. MURDOCH, Iris (1919-1999), De leertijd

Uitgeverij Contact, Amsterdam 1986;
(translation, by Heleen ten Holt, of The Good Apprentice) [my favourite; forget the widower's musings, forget the film, read the novels]; a huge, thick paperback; the paper is already beginning to go brown; the bottom edge slightly grubby, the foot of the spine slightly scuffed; with a couple of pin-sized holes in the paper at the bottom edge (production fault?);
inscribed in black biro on the title page: "from / Iris Murdoch / to John Fletcher/ with gratitude & very best wishes / Amsterdam / October / 1986" the place and date in a circle which veers off to make an almost perfect pear; Fletcher was Murdoch's (and Beckett's) bibliographer
€ 95

65. MURDOCH, Iris (1919-1999), The Green Knight

Chatto & Windus, London 1993;
no longer immaculate, but fine throughout; dust-jacket mint, except for some minor creasing at the head of the spine, due to its being stuffed inside some adaptaroll;
signed and dated in the year of publication in fine blue felt-tip on the title page under her printed name: "Iris Murdoch / Sept 16 / 1993" [she seems to have signed several that day]
€ 95

NOLAN, Sidney  →  LOWELL, Robert, The Voyage

66. PINTER, Harold (*1930), The Dwarfs

London Limited Editions (from Faber sheets), London 1990;
119/150; "One of 150 numbered copies of the First Edition of The Dwarfs signed by the author and specially bound" i.e. half cloth, marbled boards; mint in an almost perfect greaseproof-paper dust-jacket, as issued;
signed in black felt-tip on the limitation page [it's not really a colophon] "Harold Pinter"
€ 120

67. PINTER, Harold (*1930), Collected Poems and Prose

Faber and Faber, London 1991;
"This edition is an expanded version of Collected Poems and Prose first published in 1986"; first thus; paper already browning, minimal bumping to about one third of the book at the top corner; wrappers unbumped and clean; slight scuffing to the top and to the head and foot of the spine; an almost-fold runs through the middle of the spine;
signed in black felt-tip on the title page: "Harold / Pinter"
€ 60

68. RAFFERTY, Seán (1909-1993), Peacocks, Full Stop

Peter Riley, Cambridge 1993;
4/10; Poetical Histories No 29; one of a total of 140 copies, of which ten were numbered and signed by the publisher and signed by the poet, who has also written out a (much earlier) poem [from the magnificent 16 Poems, Grosseteste Review Books, 1973]; first thus;
three fine late poems, one of which is printed here for the first time, one of the others is a variant version (here sans title) of Peacocks; [the poet regarded the variants more as a joke, but, sadly, they have nudged their way into the canon - for now];
letterpress; eight pages, unbound, as issued; mint, aside from a small bump to the foot of what would have been the spine, and a production fault: a wave in the final sheet;
numbered and signed in sepia ink on the colophon page: "4/10 PRiley" and on the page before that in black biro:
"Late at e'en drinkin' the wine / me misel thegither / I have altercation with / the skeleton my brother. / Time's on his side: / he does it out of pride. / / Seán Rafferty"
€ 120

69. RUSHDIE, Salman (*1947), East, West

Jonathan Cape, London 1994;
first publication of this collection of nine stories, six of which had previously appeared elsewhere, "although in somewhat different form"; mint in almost mint dust-jacket (one small crease at the back in the middle at the bottom);
signed in blue biro on the title page: "Salman Rushdie" [though only "Salm" is really legible]
€ 30 SOLD

70. RUSSELL, Peter (1921-2003), Omens and Elegies

The Hand and Flower Press, Aldington 1951;
the author's first collection; "Poems in Pamphlet VIII"; top edge dusty, staples rusty, otherwise in remarkably good condition; in card wrappers, which are sunned at the spine and slightly chipped at the bottom; otherwise fine throughout;
signed in black felt-tip on the title page under his printed name: "Peter Russell"
€ 40 SOLD

71. RUSSELL, Peter (1921-2003), The Golden Chain, Lyrical Poems 1964-1969

"published by the author", Venice 1970;
(there was also a splendid signed and numbered edition); top edge slightly dusty, sewn; contents mint; in fine grey card wrappers; dust-jacket bashed and creased at the top and worn where the book has been taken off the shelf and put back on;
signed in black felt-tip on the title page under his printed name (which is crossed out): "Peter Russell"
€ 50 SOLD

SACHS, Nelly  →  DOMIN, Hilde, Doppelinterpretationen

72. SCHNURRE, Wolfdietrich (1920-1989) Kassiber und neue Gedichte

List, München 1979;
Nachdruck von Kassiber mit 59 neuen Gedichten; Schnurre war Gründungsmitglied der Gruppe 47, wie auch Bächler; Kopfschnitt etwas angestaubt; Inhalt einwandfrei; blaues Leinen; Produktionsfehler bei der Klebebindung, sichtbar im Bund der letzten ca. 20 Seiten, was eher überrascht, da der Band sonst schön ist; Schutzumschlag nahezu makellos;
signiert mit schwarzem Kugelschreiber auf der Titelseite: "Wolfdietrich Schnurre"
€ 35

SCHOLEM, Gerschom  →  CELAN, Paul, Auf gespaltenem Pfad

73. SMITH, Iain Crichton (1928.1998), Selected Poems

Victor Gollancz Ltd, London 1970;
letterpress; the contents fine, except that the paper is just beginning to brown, in from the edges; the binding is fine, the gold lettering particularly crisp and bright; the dust-jacket is slightly discoloured at the spine, slightly worn and creased at the top, and has a huge (7 cm) tear running down the spine from the top and then diagonally into the front, it is clean and unobtrusive and could easily be repaired; the price on the dust-jacket (£1.80p / 36s) has been crossed out in black biro and replaced by 90p;
inscribed and signed in black biro on the front endpaper: "To / John / with best wishes / Iain Crichton Smith"
€ 50

SMITH, Iain Crichton  →  BROWN, George Mackay, Seven Poets

74. SPARK, Muriel (1918-2006), Not to Disturb

Observer Books, London 1971;
x/200; "500 copies of this de luxe edition have been printed … Each copy contains an original etching by Michael Ayrton and is signed by the author and illustrator." contents mint (the etching is in pristine condition); quarter nutmeg cloth and (English) mustard paper-covered boards near mint, but with a couple of finger-nail marks; the greaseproof paper wrapper has two tears (each 1 cm) and a fold at the top in the front, bumping to the bottom extremities and a 4.3 cm tear up from the foot of the spine; copies should be numbered; this one isn't;
signed on the half-title in blue biro: "Muriel Spark" and in black biro: "michael ayrton"
€ 95

75. TESSIMOND, A.S.J. (1902-1962), The Walls of Glass

Methuen & Co. Ltd., London 1934;
the author's first book; some of the pages carelessly opened, never affecting the text; gatherings loose, parti-cularly at the beginning and end of the book; contents otherwise fine in turquoise-grey paper-covered boards, slightly bumped at head and foot of spine; two small dents at the top of the front cover; the dust-jacket is grubby and dull, some staining visible either side of the spine, bumped at extremities and with a small tear at the bottom right hand corner of the front with slight loss, minimally affecting the design;
signed and inscribed in pencil on the front free endpaper: "To Mrs Morgan / Best of luck! / John Tessimond" followed by a sqiggly flourish
€ 175 SOLD

76. THOMAS, R.S. (1913-2000), six poems

The Celandine Press, Halford 1997;
106/125; "125 copies have been printed, of which the first 60 copies are signed by the poet"; letterpress (handset at the Rampant Lions Press); deckle-edged paper; marbled paper wrappers; immaculate condition in original plastic bag as issued;
signature not called for, but signed on the half-title: "R.S. Thomas"
€ 125

77. THOMAS, R.S. (1913-2000), Between Here and Now

Macmillan, London 1981;
gatherings no longer all tight, but contents fine; production faults in the binding, a cheap and nasty "hardback" (green paper-covered boards), shoddy workmanship and / or the juxtaposition of incompatible papers (and too much glue), resulting in buckling to the frontispiece against the title page; slight wear to head and foot of spine; gilt lettering on spine still bright; boards beginning to bow; dust-jacket fine with minimal bumping to head and foot of spine;
inscribed and signed on the half-title: "Greetings / R.S."
€ 175

WOTRUBA, Fritz  →  CANETTI, Elias, Fritz Wotruba

78. ZUCKMAYER, Carl (1896-1977), Gedichte

S. Fischer Verlag, Frankfurt 1960;
Kopfschnitt angestaubt; Vorder- und Fußschnitt weisen wenige Stockflecken auf; Inhalt sonst einwandfrei; grüner Leineneinband frisch, mit einigen kleinen Dellen an den senkrechten Kanten; Schutzumschlag vor allem oben sonnenverblaßt und an den Rändern lädiert (kleine Risse, Fältchen, Kratzer);
schwungvoll schön signiert in blauer Tinte (Füller) auf der Titelseite: "Carl Zuckmayer"
€ <>85

ZUCKMAYER, Carl  →  CELAN, Paul, Auf gespaltenem Pfad