Rare books from Rainford and Parris Books - PBFA

Heinemann, 1950. Proof Copy. Softcover. VG++. Ultra rare proof copy. 124 x 185cm, 230pp. Publisher's original buff paper wraps with titles and "PROOF COPY" to the front cover and titles and publisher's windmill device to the spine, 230pp. The wraps have been printed on the verso of an unused illustration from a previous Heinemann book, Dog Days by K F Barker, so that parts of a bull terrier in full colour can be seen on the inside of the covers. The verso of the title page states "First Published 1950 - there is a pencil note on the front cover "Sept 30/[19?]50" - though the First Edition was not published until 22nd January 1951 in an edition of 7,500 copies. It is housed in a bespoke, black cloth solander (clamshell) box with gilt titles and lined with marbled paper. There are a few very light marks on the front cover, a very small 3 x 2mm chip near the top of its fore edge, a 3mm open tear at the top of the upper joint and one of 1cm at the foot of the same. The back cover has a toned… Read More

Horace Cox, 1894 1894. 1st Edition. Hardcover. VG. 1st impression. Publisher's original brown cloth with gilt stamped vignette to the front and titles to the front and spine. Inscribed by the author to 'Miss Barnett / With love from the author. / Xmas 1894.' Together with Mary Jaques family Church Services Book, 20 black and white photographs and Miss Barnett's autograph book c. 1905 which includes vers and illustrations from both Mary Jaques and Emma Hartley (a.k.a. "Didymusa", in Texan Ranch Life). The notes from a recent Texas A&M reprint say: J. Frank Dobie once claimed that 'the English write our best Western books:' and Jaques' account bears him out. Out of print for some ninety years, this collector's classic will delight and inform, entertain and amuse - a valuable resource on early Texas life, long sought by collectors and historians alike.' A very rare signed copy. Chipping to head and foot of spine, light rubbing to corners, two splits in the cloth at lower joint and a few white… Read More

Vizetelly, 1888 & [1889] 1888. Hardcover. VG+. Volumes I & III are 2nd states of the 3rd Edition published [1889] at Henrietta Street. Volume II is the Fourth Edition published in 1888 at Catherine Street, The Strand. 12.3 x 19cm brown decorative paper covered boards, all rebacked with original spines laid down. Yellow coated endpapers; Volume I vii[i] 429[1]pp, Volume II 360pp; Volume III 387[1] The delicate bindings are in a much better state than is usually found with most of the spines having been preserved. There is some rubbing to the edges and the War and Peace title on the spines is very faded but the titles of each individual volume on the front covers is clear and bright. The binding is firm. Internally, there is a gift inscription on the front free endpaper of each volume,' R. G. Bury from B. L. May 1898'. There is a little, very light spotting to the margins first few and last few pages of each volume. All in all a surprisingly well preserved Vizetelly set. We were not… Read More

Hodder & Stoughton, August 1944 1944. 1st Edition. Hardcover. VG-/G++. SOPER, Eileen. 1st Edition, 1st Impression. 12 x 19.5 cm blue boards with black titles to front and spine, pictorial endpapers printed in blue, white and black, colour frontispiece, 8 full page 2 colour illustrations (4 in red and black and 4 in blue and black) and numerous illustrations in black only throughout. The first impression dust jacket is unclipped and shows a price of 6/- net on the front flap, whilst the back flap has the extract from the Daily Sketch and lists the Happy, Merry and Jolly Story Books as called for. The boards have some mottling to the front fore edge, spine and rear as is sometimes found with this book and there is a little toning to the very tips of the spine which are a touch pushed. There is a small ding on the top edge of the upper boards and the corners are lightly rubbed with the top corners having a hint of creasing. Internally there is a gift inscription dated Christmas 1944 but otherwise… Read More

William Pickering, 1825. 1st Thus. Full Leather. VG++. 1st Edition Thus. 5 x 18.5 cm [1.2" x 3.4"] in full red morocco binding by Zaehnsdorf with 5 raised bands and gilt titles to the spine and highly decorative dentelles. All edges gilt, Marble endpapers, Zaehnsdorf binding printed to the bottom corner of the verso of the front free endpaper. Volume 1 - Two Gentlemen of Verona, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Merry Wives of Windsor, Twelfth Night [x] 306pp Volume 2 - Much Ado About Nothing, Measure for Measure, Loves Labours Lost, The Merchant of Venice [vi] 279[3]pp Volume 3 - As You Like It, Alls Well that Ends Well, The Taming of the Shrew, A Winter's Tale [vi] 294[2]pp Volume 4 - A Comedy or Errors, Macbeth, King John, Richard II, Henry IV pt 1 [vi] 396[2] pp Volume 5 - Henry IV Pt II, Kenry V, Henry VI Pt1 & Pt II [vi] 321[3]pp Volume 6 - Henry VI Pt III, Richard III, Henry VIII, Troilus and Cressida [vi] 348[2]pp Volume 7 - Timon of Athens, Coriolanus, Julius Caesar, Anthony and Cleopatra [vi]… Read More

Frederick Warne & Co, 1903. 1st Deluxe Edition. Hardcover. VG+. 1st Trade Edition in deluxe binding, 11 x 14.2 cm. Original floral patterned cloth with white buckram onlays with gilt stamped titles. Pictorial endpapers with same image repeated four times 84[1]pp with 27 colour illustrations including frontispiece and black and white vignette title page, all printed on one side of the page only, as called for. [Linder pp138-140 Quinby 5A] Recased with unobtrusive repairs to spine tips. There is some fading to the spine. Internally there is a neat ownership name on the front free endpaper and occasional light marking with an old drip mark on the bottom of pp22-23 of 3.5 x 2.5 cm [image available]. All in all a good looking copy of this scarce deluxe edition one of only two of Potter's books for which the deluxe copies were covered in cloth from her grandfather's calico printing factory. Rainford & Parris Books welcomes enquiries, so please do not hesitate to ask if you require further images or… Read More

Macdonald, 1969 1969. 1st UK Edition. Hardcover. VG++/VG++. 1st UK Edition,13 x 20.4 cm purple boards with silver titles to the spine. 286[2]pp in original unclipped jacket priced at £1.50 and 30s. net. Together with a T.L.S. from Le Guin to Malcolm Edwards the then editor of a Science Fiction Fanzine called Quicksilver, dated 20th April 1971. In it she addresses questions about 'The Left Hand of Darkness' and the first printing of her short story, 'Winter's King' in Orbit 5' (copy included) which she refers to in the letter as "the genesis of the story". A clean bright book without name inscription or bookplate and just a tiny Foyles label on the verso of the front free endpaper. There is also little tape burn on the fore edge of the front free endpaper, presumably from a previous jacket cover, but otherwise the pages are very clean. The dust jacket which is now protected in a removable, clear cover (not shown) is in excellent condition with the merest hint of dust marking to the rear panel… Read More

c.1949 1949. F. An unpublished hand written story in three drafts, two on A4 lined paper [8] and [10] pp and one on [8]pp foolscap, each set tied with red wool, concerning the adventures of 3 Pekingese dogs accompanied by 18 original pen, ink and watercolour illustrations 26.7 x 16.5 cm in mounts measuring 42 x33 cm. Cam [1913-1984] wrote her first book Barbara Lamb in 1943 whilst in the Land Army and John Lane commissioned her to write six more; The Buttercup Fairy [1945], Margaret Fieldmouse [1946], Timothy Tabbycat [1947], Belinda Bear [1948], Bill Frog [1950], Bill Frog to the Rescue [1952]. Collins Then published 'Three Jolly Fishermen [1952], Three Jolly Clowns[1952] and Three Jolly Mountaineers. The story has various corrections in the author's hand, whilst a couple of the pages are dog eared and the wool has pulled through the holes punched on some pages. The illustrations are finely finished and in beautiful condition. A lovely item. Rainford & Parris Books welcomes enquiries, so… Read More

Various, 1855-1917 1855. 1st Edition. Hardcover. The collection is that of Mr George Humphreys, one of a group of friends who met in Bolton, UK, and called themselves "The College". Their meetings soon became dominated by their interest in Walt Whitman, which later turned into regular correspondence with WW and his orbit of friends, and culminated in two visits by two members of the group to meet WW (their subsequent signed books to GH forming part of the collection). The collection also includes a first centennial edition of Rivulets, complete with signed photograph as called for, a signed photograph of WW, a "Deathbed Edition" of Leaves of Grass and some very scarce books relating to WW. (8 books + photo) 1. WHITMAN, Walt Signed photograph of himself, pencil date 1887, with a distinctive, large signature by Whitman below his image. Photo by "F. Gute Kunst Philadelphia" main image measures 9.5 x 14cms. 2. WHITMAN, Walt. Two Rivulets. Camden, Centennial edition (first edition, second printing),… Read More

Sampson Low, Marston, Searle and Rivington, [nd 1884] 1884. 1st Edition. Hardcover. VG. 12 x18.2 cm boards in uniform black & gilt decorated dark green cloth, all edges gilt, bound using three staples, no half title page; vol.1 - frontispiece, cancel title page, [1], contents, [1], 288pp with dark blue/green endpapers, 2 further engraved plates (with page ref.s); vol.2 as vol.1 but without frontispiece, 208pp, khaki green endpapers and 4 engraved plates (without page ref.s). We believe both volumes to have been produced by Friedrich Andreas Perthes as part of their original production. Both have cancel title pages for Sampson Low, Marston, Searle and Rivington (who traded under this exact name at the Crown Buildings, 188 Fleet Street address shown on the title page, between 1874 -1887). Both volumes have the same ownership name to the verso of the front free endpaper. The joints have rubbed through in places (vol.1: upper joint 2cm at the top & 5.5cm bottom and lower joint 5.5cm; vol.2 2.5 cm at… Read More

BCA by arrangement with Little Brown and Company, 1995. 1st Edition. Hardcover. VG++/VG. 1st Book Club Edition Black boards with gilt stamped titles to the spine, [x] 630pp with 22 pages of photographic illustrations in original dust jacket. Signed on the title page on 16/6/98 by Nelson Mandela, on the half title by Thabo Mbeki, F W De Klerk and Desmond Tutu with the last of these dating his signature 15/4/98 and also by Winnie Mandela on the contents page dated 26/7/96. The book is also signed on the recto of the rear free endpaper, rather modestly, by Stan Campbell who was the lead singer with Special AKA on Jerry Dammers song 'Free Nelson Mandela' The boards are clean with a little pushing to the top corners and a couple of dings along the bottom edge. Internally clean with just the signatures as listed. The dust jacket which is now protected in a removable, clear cover (not shown) has a touch of rubbing to the spine tips and corners with a little surface abrasion minimal loss to the bottom… Read More

Insel Verlag, 1908. Limited Edition. Hardcover. VG++. Limited Edition 95 of 100 copies. 11.5 x 18.5 cm red morocco with gilt stamped titles and decoration to the spine. Top edge gilt, other edges uncut with a double page decorative title page in blue and black to the Volume I pp [I] XV 498[2] and single page decorative titles to Volumes II, pp [II] 573[3] and III pp[II] 282[2]. The spine and decorative title pages were designed by Cark Czeschka. A beautiful limited edition set with just a couple of light scratches to the cover of Volume I and a little pushing to the bottom corners of the lower boards of Volumes I and III. Internally clean, without name, inscription or bookplate, just the occasional very light handling mark and a small Zurich bookseller label on the rear pastedown of volume 1. The green ribbon book marks are a touch frayed at the bottom and the uncut edges are remarkably clean. A lovely set. Rainford & Parris Books welcomes enquiries, so please do not hesitate to ask if you… Read More

Methuen & Co Ltd, 1926. 1st Edition. Hardcover. NF/VG++. SHEPARD, Ernest H.. 1st Edition, 12.5 x 19.5 cm green cloth with gilt stamped vignette of Pooh and Christopher Robin to the front within a single lined border and titles to the spine. Top edge gilt, Hundred Acre Wood map endpapers, [xiv] 58(2)pp with black and white illustrations by E H Shepard throughout. In original first state dust jacket priced at 7/6 and with the advert for the 117th Thousand of When We Were Very Young on the rear flap. The boards are clean and bright with just a touch of pushing to three of the four corners and to the spine tips. There is a tiny proud dot two thirds of the way down on the left of the front board (1.5cms in from the gilt rule) and a small ding at the bottom edge of the rear board Internally very clean, without name, inscription or bookplate and just a strip of toning/acid migration to the free endpapers where the dust jacket does not reach, noting a single 2mm spot at the bottom of the recto of the… Read More

The Book Club, 1959. 1st Thus. Hardcover. VG++/VG-. Foyle's 1st Book Club Edition May 1959 (after Cape's 3rd printing in April 1959). 12 x 18.8 cm yellow boards with black titles to the spine, 244pp in original dust jacket. 15 signatures. Although the sixth book in Fleming's James Bond series, Dr. No was the first to be made into a film, in 1962. The book has a clipped signature of Ian Fleming and has been signed by 12 cast, as follows: Sean Connery - James Bond Ursula Andress - Honey Ryder Jack Lord - Felix Leiter Bernard Lee - 'M' Lois Maxwell - Miss Moneypenny Anthony Dawson - Professor Dent Marguerite LeWars - The Photographer (Annabel Chung) Eunice Gayson - Sylvia Trench Peter Burton - 'Q' Joseph Wiseman - Dr No Zena Marshall - Miss Taro Dolores Keator - Mary Trueblood The three additional signatures are: Monty Norman - writer of the film score and composer of the now famous James Bond Theme which has featured in every Eon Productions film since. Vic Flick - James Bond… Read More

Michael Joseph, 1960. 1st Edition. Hardcover. 1st Edition, green cloth with red vignette to the front and red and gilt titles to the spine. Top edge red, 493[3]pp with illustrations by Juliet Renny. In unclipped dust jacket with 35s net price. Signed by the author in the year of publication on the half title. This book together comes together with a proof copy and sections of the galley proof of the same work. The boards are clean and bright with just a little pushing to the corners. Internally clean, with just the author's signature and a line of toning to the the endpapers and page following where the dust jacket does not reach. The jacket which is now protected in a removable, clear cover (not shown) is a little marked and dust stained with rubbing to the corners, spine tips and edges with minimal loss. There are two closed tears of 1 and 1.5 cm with a touch of associated creasing. The proof copy is a little stained and rubbed on the cover and internally there is the occasional comment on… Read More