NEW ZEALAND FICTION

London: Secker, 1957 (500 gram rate) buff wrapeprs over sewn sheets, spine is perished, covers still hold but quite a bit of loss of spine paper, closed edges soiled otherwise tidy enough copy of the publisher's proof. First Edition. Original Wraps. Good/No Jacket. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. Galley/Proof. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Auckland: Collins, 1973 near fine in same unclipped DW, maori text by Potae, illustrated in colour, storyu of a maori family by the sea. First Edition. Pictorial Boards. Fine/Fine. Illus. by Barbara Strathdee. 4to - over 9¾" - 12" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Whitcombe and Tombs, 1966 near fine unclipped DW, near fine clean book, closed top edge faintly spotted, New Zealand issue with Whitcombe & Tombs to book and DW spine,224pp DW design by Biro, rear panel lightly dust soiled. First Edition. Hard Cover. Fine/Fine. Illus. by Biro. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Christchurch: Caxton, 1997 (500 gram rate) lightly fingermarked DW, ltd edition #215 of 250copies, inscribed by author to title page 'For Martin Whitworth, with warm thoughts, Jennifer Barrer, 3rd July 2000' 56pp poetry some B&W and colour photographs. Signed by Author. First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good/Very Good. Illus. by Jennifer Barrer. 8vo. limited edition. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Christchurch: Caxton, 1997 (500 gram rate) ltd edition #50 of 250copies, inscribed by author to title page 'For Lynne & Hans, with love, Jenny Barrer, 4th Sept, 1997' 56pp poetry some B&W and colour photographs. Signed by Author. First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good/Very Good. Illus. by Jennifer Barrer. 8vo. limited edition. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Christchurch: Hazard Press, 1992 (500 gram rate) lightly fingermarked DW, ltd edition #22 of 250copies, inscribed by author to half title page 'For Hans Lynne Nicholas & Jane, A lovely family, with love, Jennifer Barrer, 4-9-92' 111pp poetry some B&W and colour illustrations. Signed by Author. First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good/Very Good. Illus. by Jennifer Barrer. 8vo. limited edition. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Christchurch: Hazard Press, 1992 (500 gram rate) ltd edition #241 of 250copies, inscribed by author to half title page 'For Ken & Lucille Ogston who share part of the journey on these Cashmere hills. With love, Jennifer Barrer, 24-3-93' 111pp poetry some B&W and colour illustrations. Signed by Author. First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good/Very Good. Illus. by Jennifer Barrer. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. limited edition. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Auckland: Oxford University Press, 1986 large format, pictorial boards, the book has a plastic cover taped down to the end papers, the cover and the tape have been neatly removed but some minor tacky adhesive residue remains with a minor amount of darkening showing to the pictorial endpapers, the page facing the half title is plain and bears a full page inscription by former owner who donated the book to a kindergarten school, the author illustrator has signed the title page "Best Wishes Gavin Bishop 23.10.86", corners lightly bumped otherwise tidy copy, front cover may be slightly sunned. Signed by Author. First Edition. Pictorial Boards. Very Good/New. Illus. by Gavin Bishop. 4to - over 9¾" - 12" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Wellington: Victoria University Press, 1996 (500 gram rate) pictorial card wrappers with flaps, Katherine Mansfield Birthplace sticker to fep, signed by author to title, 143pp includes 56pp intro and also bibliography etc. Signed by Author. First Edition. Soft Cover. Very Good/No Jacket. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Auckland: Collins, 1986 near fine first edition in same DW. . First Edition. Hard Cover. Fine/Fine. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Christchurch: Pegasus, 1950 Alistair Campbell Poems 1947-49, Pegasus Press 1950 first edition limited numbered #286 of 300 only copies printed, cloth spine, marbled boards, title label, DW unclipped but has some light chipping to edges and sunned / browned, pages are untrimmed to the edges, 42pp, rare and scare early New Zealand poetry by desirable publisher on beautiful hand made paper stock. First Edition. Quarter cloth. Very Good/Good. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. limited edition. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Wellington: Reed, 1979 light wear to DW spine ends, small edge tear to rear panel, two stories in one book, 168pp. First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good/Very Good. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Wellington: Acme Publishing (200 gram rate) folded sheets stapled into pictorial paper wrappers, minor insect damage to wrapper, 32pp + wrappers, includes some fold out pages, offset printed typescript, includes red and green text, unusal item, slipped in 'Notes by author' double sided mimeographed sheet folded once, cove ris 'doodle' art by author. First Edition. Printer Wrapper. Very Good/No Jacket. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. Privately Printed. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

London: T Fisher Unwin, 1891 first and only edition, wine coloured cloth with decorative titling to upper board in black, corners lightly frayed and bumped, backstrip sunned to gold brown with gilt titling, DNZB states this was published anonymously but this copy has Chamier on the spine (blocked) but not the title page of the book, boards faded, spine ends frayed, lower joint rubbed in parts, original chocolate endpapers intact both hinges cracked but tight, 569pp internally very tidy, untrimmed edges, a few margins are a little untidy from careless opening but not intruding to the text, large heavy 8vo, " Chamier spent only a decade in New Zealand, but from that stay emerged what may be considered the best New Zealand novels of the nineteenth century: Philosopher Dick: adventures and contemplations of a New Zealand shepherd (published anonymously in 1891), and A south-sea siren: a novel descriptive of New Zealand life in the early days (1895). The two novels, which are probably semi-autobiographical, form a single extended narrative that focuses on the education of a young gentleman immigrant, Richard Raleigh. Raleigh begins as a naïve idealist, somewhat on the model of Henry Fielding's Tom Jones. Through a series of experiences, first as a cadet shepherd on Marino station and then as clerk to the district council and the local magistrate's court at Sunnydowns (a town probably modelled on Leithfield), he undergoes the usual Victorian intellectual battle of faith and doubt, shaken by Darwinism, and emerges with a stoicism of the kind expressed in Chamier's later volume of essays, War and pessimism and other studies (1911). In the process he undergoes a political and social education about New Zealand. When he came he 'foolishly expected that a new country, wide and bountiful, oppressed with no burdens, hampered with no restrictions, but fresh and fair from the hands of God, would afford much happier conditions of life and progress' than he had found in the Old World. What he discovered was that 'human nature remains always the same, and the Englishman, away from his native land, carries with him all the customs, tastes, and prejudices, and most of the vices of his nationality', so that life in New Zealand was but 'a rather servile imitation of life in the Mother Country', with 'little or no attempt to revert to a purer, simpler and more primitive mode of existence'. Raleigh also undergoes an education about himself. He begins as one of the 'unconscious blind' who 'cannot see that they cannot see', at least 'where their own intentions and sentiments are concerned', and then, especially through his chastening experience with the 'siren' Celia Wylde and her unscrupulous friends (recreated by Stevan Eldred-Grigg in The siren Celia , 1989) comes to recognise and rue his own folly and self-deception. He emerges a more mature individual, and is accepted by the virtuous Alice Seymour. After seeming to have lost his name, his job and his property, he finds that he has really lost but little, and goes off to Wellington to a new life as a journalist. The loose, capacious form of the novels, based on that of eighteenth century novels of education, allows Chamier to include a variety of materials including letters, a diary, philosophical discussions, inset stories and detachable episodes and vignettes. The resulting structure not only expresses Chamier's curious and wide-ranging mind but also gives a comprehensive, comic and critical picture of Canterbury in the 1860s. Christchurch is seen as 'absolutely wanting in all the attractions of a refined civilisation, the beauties of art, or the charms of old associations'; its people, 'without interest in everything except their progress', animated by 'a humdrum, bustling, and practical spirit…servilely devoted to progress and utility '. Narrow materialism is complemented by a doubtful business morality devoted to land speculation and the fleecing of new chums, while colonial politics is not a noble experiment but a 'pitiable exhibition' evoking disgust. Social life is marked by hard drinking - 'the besetting curse of the whole community' - and petty, malicious gossip. The picture is not entirely dark: the Seymour family offer an attractive portrait of virtuous rural retirement, but this is shown to be atypical. The general tone is one of good-humoured criticism. Among the novels of early colonisation, Chamier's present perhaps the fullest and most critical picture." Dictionary of New Zealand Biography , bank transfer only as payment for this please. First Edition. Decorative Cloth. Good/No Jacket. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Auckland: Crump Productions, 1972 excellent copy in same DW, minimal wear spine ends, one short tiny edge tear, one hairline scratch to rear DW panel. 109pp Classic Kiwi humour. First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good/Very Good. Illus. by Howard Baker. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Wellington: Reed, 1970 VG first edition, minor rubbing / chipping spine corners, small splits. Classic Kiwi humour.. First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good/Very Good. Illus. by Tony Stones. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Wellington: Reed, 1962 DW clipped otherwise VG in VG DW. First edition. Classic Kiwi humour. Bookseller stamp (small) to paste down. First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good/Very Good. Illus. by Dennis Turner. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Wellington: Reed, 1963 DW price clipped otherwise just minor corner rubbing, with light chipping to top ends of DW joints, First edition, Classic Kiwi humour . First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good/Very Good. Illus. by Dennis Turner. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Wellington: Reed, 1963 DW price clipped otherwise just minor corner rubbing, small (tiny) pen mark to fep corner. First edition. Classic Kiwi humour. ALSO another available=DW unclipped with lightly soiled lower panel, crease to backstrip, watermarked to reverse side of the wrapper does not show through too badly. ($10). First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good/Very Good. Illus. by Dennis Turner. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Wellington: Reed, 1961 DW clipped lightly rubbed to corners, lightly sunned spine, Second impression completing 20,000 copies, Classic Kiwi humour. ALSO available a Third Impression completing 30,000 copies, name to fep, unclipped DW minor edge wear, lightly soiled DW. First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good/Very Good. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Wellington: Reed, 1965 DW unclipped but rubbed to corners, small splits to edges, lightly soiled. 158pp humour about some refuse workers money making plans. First edition. First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good/Good. Illus. by Roger Hart. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Whitcombe and Tombs, 1970 near fine, unclipped DW under plastic sleeve which has leached some adhesive to the edges of the DW and offset onto the feps, minor discolouration, 350pp. First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good/Very Good. Illus. by Biro. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

New Zealand: Whitcombe and Tombs, 1972 very tidy copy in similar unclipped DW with art by Biro, 254pp, faint foxing to closed edges, one pencil stroke to closed top edge, New Zealand author, novel set in Oxford, England. First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good/Very Good. Illus. by Biro. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Christchurch: Caxton, 1970 very tidy copy, unclipped DW with minimal rubbing wear to spine ends and corner tips, , rear panel has teo tiny edge tears. Part of New Zealand Short Stories series (number 1). Rubricated title page. 185pp. First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good/Very Good. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Christchurch: Pegasus, 1959 (500 grams) first edition , private press, stated limited 400 copies, DW unclipped but rubbed with some minor chipping to corners and a short edge tear to head of spine. 108pp Play set in Akaroa New Zealand. First Edition. Cloth. Very Good/Good. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. limited edition. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Christchurch: Pegasus, 1959 (500 grams) first edition , private press, stated limited 400 copies, DW unclipped but rubbed with some minor chipping to top and bottom edges and a few short edge tears to lower panel. 108pp Play set in Akaroa New Zealand. First Edition. Cloth. Very Good/Good. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. limited edition. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Auckland: The Unicorn Press, 1938 quarter brown cloth with paper label, pale lemon boards with slight stain to top edge of boards, lower board and final 15 leaves have small punture holes from one staple, minor cosmetic fault with little affect to the text etc. 86pp. offset toned endpapers, author first work. former owners signature to fep. First Edition. Quarter cloth. Good/No Jacket. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Dunedin: John McIndoe, 1976 (500 grams) pictorial wrappers, sewn glued sheets, light wear to joints, 136pp. First Edition. Soft Cover. Very Good/No Jacket. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Auckland: The Unicorn Press, 1938 quarter brown cloth with paper label, pale lemon boards with small water stain to top corner of boards, minor cosmetic faults to covers, 86pp offset toned endpapers, author first work. First Edition. Quarter cloth. Very Good/No Jacket. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Christchurch: Pegasus, 1958 June 1958 very scarce second edition, cloth slightly soiled or stained, no inscriptions or marks etc to the text, fep offset toned from DW flaps. DW is G+ rubbed along flap folds, chipped bottom corner, not price clipped , top of spine strip chipped with minor loss, some insect damage to the fore edge folds and the extreme fore edge side of the lower panel, a few spots of surface insect damage to upper panel (minor), small split top of fore edge fold, still a near complete and attractive copy of the DW, book closed edges a little dusty otherwise VG copy. Second Edition. Cloth. Very Good/Good. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Christchurch: Pegasus, 1968 rare first edition, unclipped DW has a few spots of soiling to front (looks like spots of tea), very minimal edge wear, cloth has a little edge wear, contents very tidy, 121pp unclipped Dustwrapper has POEMS BY JANET FRAME | The Pocket Mirror, first New Zealand edition of this New Zealand author, cloth has a few lighter flecks at top and bottom of boards, unmarked text which is clean throughout, rare collection of poems by New Zealand's foremost novelist of the twentieth century, the rare New Zealand printing, 121pp . First Edition. Cloth. Very Good/Very Good. 8vo. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Christchurch: Pegasus, 1958 June 1958 very scarce second edition. spine and cloth very slight fade, no inscriptions or marks etc to the text. fep offset toned from DW flaps. DW is G+ rubbed along flap folds, chipped bottom corner, peice chipped from the top of the S of 'owls' clipped top corner, top of spine strip chipped with loss to the OW of owls, rubbed to spine edges small chip from tail, a tear along the lower part of the front fold in flap along the fold. still a near complete and attractive copy of the DW. book closed edges a little age toned otherwise VG and clean copy. Second Edition. Cloth. Very Good/Good. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Christchurch: Pegasus (200 gram rate) A4 sheet folded once to make four pages, advertising three recent release by Pegasus Press, viz.; Stanbd in the Rain by Jean Watson, Port Before Breakfast by John Hamley and The Adaptable Man by Jeanet Frame, minor light crease otherwise tidy example. First Edition. Broadsheet. Very Good/No Jacket. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. Booklet. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Christchurch: Pegasus, 1967 ex Rangiora School Library New Zealand, white ink '6' to book spine, light tape residue to boards from where DW sleeve was attached, light tape rust to endpapers, front hinge cracked partially, school prize plate and stamps to fep, quite a few stampings of the school library stamp throughout the book, fep and half title short tear to lower margin, rear fep has issuing slip and stamps, rear paste down has bar code label and card pocket, the text block has aged in such a way that some collations are browned while others are not, New Zealand's most well regarded author, outshines Mansfield . First Edition. Hard Cover. Good/No Jacket. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. Ex-Library. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Christchurch: Pegasus, 1967 boards lightly soiled, split to hinge, soiled closed edges, some pages lightly crease, light wtaermarking to closed edges of some pages, DW unclipped but has had tape along edges, this has been removed but the adhesive has darkened the wrapper along the edges, ghost of a shelf mark to the spine, fold in flaps a little chipped to the edges, still quite a presentable DW, New Zealand's most well regarded author, outshines Mansfield . First Edition. Hard Cover. Good/Good. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

London: Blackie blue papered boards with sunned spine, tape stain to the half title of the first story, 180 +208 +224pp 3 volumes in one, New Zealand schoolgirl's adventures, undated but about 1960. First Edition. Half Cloth. Good/No Jacket. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

London: Hutchinson, 1962 lacks fep and DW, otherwise tidy light bump to corners, 199pp. First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good/No Jacket. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Wellington: Oxford University Press, 1980 dustwrapper by Gary Hebley. book lower corners light shelf rubbing otherwise VG VG. Young adults fiction. 72pp first edition. . First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good/Very Good. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

London: Hutchinson, 1965 VG copy, single line name to fep corner, tidy unclipped DW . Gee's scarce second novel. . First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good/Very Good. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Auckland: Longman Paul, 1982 unclipped DW some sun related discolouration and handling wear, otherwise a clean tidy unmarked copy, 300pp, illustrated, a good overview of fiction about or set in New Zealand for younger readers. First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good/Very Good. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Wellington: Progressive Publishing Society edited by Gordon, contributions by Roderick Finlayson, A P Gaskell, Alan Mulgan, Keith Sinclair and others, rubbing to spine joints, some foxing, 80pp (500 grams). First Edition. Original Wraps. Very Good/No Jacket. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Christchurch: Shoal Bay Press, 1999 (500 gram rate) VG used copy with light reading crease to spine and light corner crease to rear wrapper, SIGNED BY AUTHOR with "All the best, Andrew Grant" across the title page, 320pp. Signed by Author. First Edition. Mass Market Paperback. Very Good/No Jacket. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Christchurch: Shoal Bay Press, 1998 (500 gram rate) Vg used copy, 280pp, first reprint in same year as first, thriller set during the South Westland 'Deer Wars' between rival helicopter hunters. reprint. Mass Market Paperback. Very Good/No Jacket. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

London: Michael Joseph, 1965 unclipped DW has short edge tears to top edge at centre of front panel, top of upper joint and centre of rear panel, name and phone number in pen to fep, otherwise tidy used copy, 324pp set in New Zealand between the two World Wars. First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good/Very Good. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Wellington: Reed, 1969 DWsplit along upper joint with short tears to corners, complete but torn, book tidy but aq few sections are detaching from the sewn cords and are only half attached, very nice book however, rare New Zealand illustrated title. First Edition. Pictorial Boards. Very Good/Good. Illus. by H R Hopkins. 4to - over 9¾" - 12" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

London: Nelson, 1920 first reprint 1920 after 1907 original, green cloth decorated with black titling and a pasted on circular vignette. minor surface wear to boards, prize plate to fep dated 1927, some browning to prelims, 243pp + 5 b&w plates. closed edges foxed.. reprint. Decorative Cloth. Very Good/No Jacket. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Auckland: Heinemann, 1986 (1500 gram rate) name to fep, lightly sunned spine of unclipped dustwrapper, 456pp . First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good/Very Good. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Auckland: Heinemann, 1977 name to fep, lightly sunned spine of unclipped dustwrapper, 200pp . First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good/Very Good. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Auckland: Hard Echo Press, 1986 covers are card hand printed with Dance of Death figure by Holbein, laminated. [5] 209 [4] pp hand printed with letterpress, two woodcuts reproduced. looks to be perfect bound? Post Armageddon tale of travelling band who perform King Lear for their sustenance. Science fiction and black humour. . First Edition. Printer Wrapper. Very Good/No Jacket. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. Private Press. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)

Auckland: Collins, 1984 (500 gram rate) very nice, signed to half title by author, an allegory on life through the trials of an angler. 151pp. Signed by Author. First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good/Very Good. Illus. by Con Dimopoulos. 16mo - over 5¾" - 6¾" tall. more information

Offered by Fortuna Books (New Zealand)