Search Results: First Editions by wodehouse

London: Herbert Jenkins Limited,, 1923. The second Jeeves and Wooster book First edition, first impression, in the extremely rare dust jacket, this copy from the library of James H. Heineman (1917-1994), the co-author of P. G. Wodehouse: Centenary Celebration (1981) and "the world's foremost collector of Wodehouse memorabilia" (Plum Lines), with his bookplate. The copy was later in the collection of the Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts (1941-2021), with his posthumous bookplate. This is the second collection of Jeeves and Wooster short stories, following My Man Jeeves (1919), and the first in the legendary Jenkins format. The 18 short stories originally appeared in The Strand Magazine between 1918 and 1922. This copy is a first issue, without the full stop after the date on the title page. We can trace only one other copy in the jacket in auction records. Octavo. Original green cloth, spine and front cover lettered and decorated in black, publisher's device to rear cover in black. With dust… Read More

London & New York: Watt, Herbert Jenkins, Doubleday, & Simon & Shuster, 1996. First (and later) editions. Near Fine/Near Fine. An extensive collection of 45 titles, the majority first editions, all in the publisher's boards or cloth, and most in the publisher's original pictorial dust jackets. Overall condition of the collection is Near Fine, with 2 copies closer to Very Good (noted below). Two books inscribed by Wodehouse: Pigs Have Wings and Ice in the Bedroom. The Collection includes: A15a. The Prince and Betty (First Edition, no DJ) 1912, USA (front inner hinge expertly repaired, slight stain at top of first few pages); A32a. Ukridge (First Edition, second printing, second printing DJ) 1924, UK; A34a. Carry On, Jeeves (First Edition, no DJ) 1925, UK; A42a. Very Good, Jeeves (First Edition, DJ) 1930, USA; A50a. Heavy Weather (First Edition, DJ) 1933, USA; A53a. Blandings Castle (First Edition, third printing, DJ) [1935], UK; A55a. Young Men in Spats (First Edition, First Variant with Drones Club… Read More

London: George Newnes; Herbert Jenkins,, 1919-74. Handsomely bound set of first editions First editions, first impressions, of the complete set of Jeeves and Wooster titles, spanning My Man Jeeves (1919) to the last story, Aunts Aren't Gentlemen (1974), and including the short story collections in which Jeeves and Wooster appear, all in their first London editions. 17 works, octavo (slightly varying sizes: 164 x 100 mm to 192 x 121 mm). Attractively bound in recent burgundy morocco, spines lettered and decorated in gilt, raised bands, marbled endpapers, gilt edges. Some occasinal foxing and toning to a few volumes overall contents nice and clean. An excellent set.

London: Herbert Jenkins Limited, 1924. First Edition. Near Fine/Very Good. First edition, first printing. Bound in publisher's original green cloth stamped in darker green. Very Good or better with foxing to spine, light mottling to cloth at bottom edges of covers. Pages tanned and with foxing to textblock edges, preliminary and terminal sheets, small bookseller ticket to rear pastedown. In a Nvery Good dust jacket with publisher's correct price of 3/6 at the foot of the spine; lightly soiled and edge worn, with foxing and tanning to the blindside and with a crease to the rear flap. Rare in the dust jacket, unrestored and entirely in original condition.

New York: W. J. Watt and Company,, 1912. An exceptional copy in the very scarce dust jacket True first edition, first printing, of the author's early romance novel, preceding the first British edition by three months. We can trace only two other copies in the jacket in auction records. Provenance: from the collection of the Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts (1941-2021), with his posthumous bookplate. Octavo. Original black cloth, spine and front cover lettered in gilt, two oval onlaid illustrations to front cover. With dust jacket. Frontispiece, with tissue guard, and 4 illustrated plates by Will Grefé. Binding remarkably bright, just a few small bumps to extremities; dust jacket slightly soiled, edges lightly chipped with some loss to head of spine affecting first word of title, flaps without price as issued: a fine copy in an exceptionally well-preserved dust jacket. Jasen 15; McIlvaine A15a.

New York: W. J. Watt, 1910. First Edition. Very good. An exceptional copy, presented by the author to the publisher’s wife, “To Mrs. Watt with the author’s compliments. P. G. Wodehouse. May 14, 1910 [drawing of three stick men and a sign with the book’s title].” Publication day was three days earlier. We cannot recall seeing another Wodehouse book with a holograph drawing by the author.

London: Herbert Jenkins Limited,, 1934. A Wodehouse classic" (Jasen) First edition, first impression, of the second full-length novel featuring Jeeves and Wooster. It was published in October 1934, hot on the heels of Thank You, Jeeves, which was issued in March. The novel contains "one of the most memorable drunk scenes in all English literature, when Gussie presents the prizes" (Jasen). The dust jacket is a variant issue, not noted by McIlvaine, with the rear flap advertising 14 books by Wyndham Martyn. The jacket otherwise corresponds exactly with McIlvaine's first issue, with the price "7/6" on the spine and list of 26 Wodehouse titles on the front flap. The two variants were seemingly issued simultaneously (see Townend). Octavo. Original buff cloth, spine and front cover lettered in red, publisher's device to rear board in red, top edge red. With dust jacket. Spine slightly toned, cloth a little marked and rubbed, contents clean; extremities of jacket lightly chipped, minimal rubbing and… Read More

London: Methuen & Co,, 1917. The first appearance of Bertie and Jeeves First edition, first printing. Wodehouse's collection of short stories, including "Extricating Young Gussie" in which Jeeves, Bertie Wooster and Aunt Agatha make their first appearances. The scarcest book needed to complete a Jeeves and Wooster collection. Octavo. Original light red cloth, titles to spine and front cover in black. Boards marked and rubbed, spine faded, small split to front joint, slightly larger split to back joint. McIlvaine A21a.

London: Cassell. Very Good. 1907. First Edition. Hardcover. Rust brown cloth, gilt titles; 8 small circles, Cassell & Co on spine; top corners bumped; front hinge slightly weak but overall firm binding; nice copy of thiis very rare early work by Wodehouse; photos available on request; 8vo 8" - 9" tall; 279 pages .

London: Metheun & Co. Ltd,, 1924. A bright copy First edition in book form, first impression, in a well-preserved example of the rare dust jacket. The story was originally serialized in the Saturday Evening Post from May to July 1924. The novel features the recurring characters Sir George Pyke (later Lord Tilbury), a publishing magnate and the founder of the Mammoth Publishing Company, who would later visit Blandings Castle in Heavy Weather (1933), and his subordinate Percy Pilbeam, who appears in several novels, but is perhaps best known for his involvement with the denizens of Blandings Castle in Summer Lightning (1929). Provenance: from the library of Scott Cunningham (1956-1993), a writer of several books on Wicca and alternative religions, with his bookplate, designed by Eric Gill, on the front pastedown. Octavo. Original red cloth, spine and front cover lettered in black, 8 pp. of publisher's advertisements at rear. With dust jacket, illustrated by Frank Marston. Old bookseller notes in pencil… Read More

London, Alston Rivers, 1909. . First edition, first impression; 8vo; publisher's pictorial wrappers, some neat repair at the spine, early ownership signatures to inside of front wrapper and the first leaf, a few smudges and scuffs. Very good. A vulnerable piece of book production, and although nothing approaching the rarity of The Globe By The Way Book, it is not common at all in collector's condition.

London: Herbert Jenkins Limited, 1932. First Edition. Near Fine/Very Good. First edition, first printing. Bound in publisher's original orange cloth stamped in black. Near Fine with former owner book plate and shelf stamp to front paste down, his name and date to title page. Creasing to rear free endpaper and hinge there slighly over-opened. In a dust jacket correctly priced 7/6 on the spine, Very Good, with several short closed tears, chipping with some loss at the base of the spine, two pencil marks to the rear panel. Scarce in the correct dust jacket.

London: Herbert Jenkins, 1932. First Edition. Hard Cover. Dust Jacket. (London: Herbert Jenkins 1932). First UK Edition. Publisher's orange boards with black lettering and designs. A former owner's neat - rather faint - name to the front free end-paper otherwise a fine copy. In the RARE D/W priced 7/6 net on green label to the spine. The D/W is the correct first issue with 26 titles by J. S. Fletcher to the front flap and 14 titles to the rear flap by Wyndham Martyn. The D/W is VG indeed with small chips to the spine ends (not affecting any lettering) and with a small chip (with associated creasing) to the bottom/middle of the back panel (not affecting any lettering). The D/W has several, insignificant, short, closed tears which do not detract from what is overall a very nice bright and un-faded copy of one of the scarcer PGW first editions (in our experience) from the 1930's. McIlvaine A47A. Photographs/scans available upon request.

New York: W. J. Watt & Company Publishers,, 1914. The Charlie Watts copy First US edition, first printing, of the author's early comic novel, very rare in the jacket: we can trace no other copies in the dust jacket in auction records. It was first published in Britain the previous year. Provenance: from the collection of the Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts (1941-2021), with his posthumous bookplate. Octavo. Original black cloth, spine lettered in gilt, front cover decorated in gilt. With dust jacket. Frontispiece, with tissue guard, and 2 illustrated plates by Will Grefé. Binding bright, small spot of wear to rear joint neatly repaired, contents clean; jacket rubbed and marked, extremities lightly chipped, a few neat tape repairs to verso: a very good copy in very good jacket. McIlvaine A16b.

London: Alston Rivers, 1909. Small 8vo, pp. 122, 4 pp. advertisements bound in at rear. Original illustrated stiff paper wrappers. Housed in a red folding box, title in gilt to spine. Corners a trifle bumped, rear endpaper a little dusty, two small pieces of clear tape to ffep. strengthening join with spine. Ffep. also bears an early ownership inscription. Otherwise a much better than very good copy. Line drawings throughout by C. Harrison. First edition. 'There was once a millionaire who, having devoted a long life to an unceasing struggle to amass his millions, looked up from his death-bed and said plaintively, 'And now, perhaps, someone will kindly tell me what it's all been about.' I get that feeling sometimes, looking back. Couldn't I, I ask myself, have skipped one or two of these works of mine and gone off and played golf without doing English literature any irreparable harm? Take, for instance, that book The Swoop, which was one of the paper-covered shilling books so prevalent around 1909.… Read More

London: Alston Rivers, Limited, 1909. Illustrated by C. Harrison. London: Alston Rivers, Limited, 1909. First edition. Small octavo (7 3/16 x 4 7/8 inches; 182 x 123 mm). 126, [1, colophon], [1, blank] pp. With numerous illustrations in the text, many of which are full page. Original white wrappers printed in orange and black. Some restoration to spine and front wrapper has a small repair and touch-up. A bit of dust soiling. Still, a fine copy of this fragile item. Housed in a custom slipcase with a replica of the wrappers affixed to the case. "Clarence Chugwater is not a Boy Scout for nothing. It is summer 1909 and everyone is too interested in the Test Match to notice that England has been invaded by the Germans. And the Russians. And the Chinese. Not to mention a 'boisterous band of the Young Turks', a mad Mullah, and a brace of North African pirates. The government has recently abolished the army so there is nothing to be done about it anyway, except give a masterly display of polite… Read More

314 pages with color lithographic frontispiece and 4 black and white illustrations by Will Grefé. Small octavo (7 3/4" x 5 1/4") bound in original publisher's pictorial black cloth stamped in grey and yellow, lettered in gilt, with applied chromolithographic illustration housed in custom cloth clamshell box. Inscribed in bold hand by author. (McIlvaine A13a) First edition.A Gentleman of Leisure is a novel by P G Wodehouse. The basic plot first appeared in a novella, The Gem Collector, in the December 1909 issue of Ainslee's Magazine. It was substantially revised and expanded for publication as a book under the title The Intrusion of Jimmy by Tit-Bits between 11 June and 10 September before being published as A Gentleman of Leisure by Alston Rivers Ltd, London, on 15 November 1910. There are minor textual differences between the American and British editions of the book. A Gentleman of Leisure was adapted for the stage in 1911 and has twice been filmed, in 1915 and 1923.Condition: Inscribed in bold… Read More

London: Methuen & Co. Ltd., 1917 A good copy of the rare 1st edition, which marks the first appearance of Bertie Wooster. In the original light red cloth binding which has been expertly rebacked and is sound and tight. The cloth on the spine is faded and browned. The boards have some light marking (more obvious on the back board) with some scuffing. Internally new endpapers have been added. Contents are complete as per McIlvaine A21a. There is persistent spotting, particularly to page edges and margins. Spotting visible at the foredge. The publisher's listing at the rear is very browned. Please enquire if you would like to see additional images.

London: Herbert Jenkins, 1928. First Edition. Hard Cover. Dust Jacket. First UK Edition. Publisher's bright orange cloth with black letters and decorations. Offsetting to both the front and rear end-papers, some fading to the spine (and also to the extremities of the boards) overall a VG copy. IN THE VERY RARE D/W priced 7/6 net to the spine (as called for). Although the D/W is correctly priced at 7/6 we believe that it may be a First Edition, second state. The first state " should show Meet Mr Mulliner at 7/6d to the front flap rather than 2/6d as is shown here. NB: The D/W remains extremely rare in both first and second states. The spine of the D/W is faded from salmon-pink to a paler orange and there is minor, shallow chipping at the spine ends and folds (not affecting any lettering). Particularly scarce in D/W this is a true PGW rarity especially in collectible condition. McIlvaine A39a. Scans invited.

London: A&C Black, 1902. 8vo, pp. 272. Original blue boards, lettered in silver to spine, loving cup in silver to front panel. One small and slight scuff mark to centre of spine, light wear to spine ends, corners a trifle bumped. Offsetting to endpapers, and very light and very occasional spotting to text edges. Lettering bright, and with no sunning to spine. Frontispiece and nine plates by R. Noel Pocock. First edition of the author's first book. First issue, with no advertisements, and with silver loving cup to front board. First published in serial (and slightly condensed) form in Public School Magazine, January--March 1902. '[I]n 1900, [boys' magazine] The Captain appeared, and in the first number was a serial by Fred Swainson called Acton's Feud. It began, I remember, 'Shannon, the old international, had brought a hot side down to play the school...' and if there has ever been a better opening line than that, I have never come across it. It was something entirely new in school stories -- the real… Read More