SELECTED POEMS. Chosen with a preface by John Sparrow by BETJEMAN. JOHN

Chatto & Windus. London. 1891. FIRST EDITION. 3 Volumes. 8vo. (7.5 x 5 inches). Inscribed by the author on the half-title of volume I, "A. P. Watt with the Author's kindest wishes. 6th June 1891". 12 mono full page plates by Green, each with a tissue guard. Original dark green cloth blocked with elaborate blind decoration, spines lettered in gilt, floral patterned endpapers. Cloth very slightly rubbed at extremities and a few thin white streaks to the front board of volume one and some light foxing to the decorative endpapers, otherwise clean, tight and bright throughout. Overall a better than very good set. Alexander Pollock Watt (1838–1914) was the first successful British literary agent. His agency, started in 1875, is still active today and is, in fact, the longest-established literary agency in the world. He acted as Besant's agent, and also his literary executor.

Chatto & Windus. London. 1888. FIRST EDITION. 3 Volumes. 8vo. (7.5 x 5 inches). Inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper of volume I, "A. P. Watt. From the Author". Original brown cloth blocked in metallic blue in a geometric pattern to the spines and front boards. The spines are lettered in gilt. Floral patterned endpapers. Spines rolled a little, some light spotting to endpapers and title pages but generally a clean, tight and bright copy. Overall a better than very good set. Alexander Pollock Watt (1838–1914) was the first successful British literary agent. His agency, started in 1875, is still active today and is, in fact, the longest-established literary agency in the world. He acted as Besant's agent, and also his literary executor.

The Modern Press. 1886. First separate issue, larger untrimmed variant, inscribed by the author. Originally printed in the April 1885-March 1886 issues of "To-Day", this first edition was printed from the corrected and revised stereos of the original setting for the journal. This is the larger, variant issue, with the preliminary blank leaf bound at the beginning. Shaw explains the variant this way: "The size of the bigger copies is due to the fact that they reproduced not only the type but the format of To-day. But the booksellers objected that in this form it occupied too much room to be displayed on their stalls and counters. It was probably cut down as far as the margins would allow to meet this objection" (Laurence). Inscribed by Shaw, "This is the first Issue, which was so tall that the booksellers refused to exhibit it on their counters, as it took too much room. So it had to be cut down. G. Bernard Shaw 26/7/30." . ---- Housed in a green cloth covered chemise and quarter green morocco slip… Read More

John Murray. London. 1927. FIRST EDITION. 8vo. (7.4 x 5 inches). A fine clean copy throughout. Finely bound, by Zaehnsdorf for Asprey and Co, in recent full black morocco. Spine with five raised bands, each with gilt wavy lines. Compartments ruled and lettered in gilt. Boards with gilt ruled border. Board edges with single gilt ruled lines. Turn-ins with elaborate floral gilt decoration. Marbled endpapers. All edges gilt. A highly attractive leather binding.

J. M. Dent and Co.. London. 1909. FIRST RACKHAM EDITION. 4to. (11.5 x 8.8 inches). LIMITED EDITION, SIGNED BY RACKHAM. One of only 750 numbered copies. Beautifully illustrated with 13 mounted colour plates, the frontis with a tissue guard, two full page black and white plates, and 31 line drawings as chapter headings and tail pieces. Publishers white cloth with gilt lettering and illustration to front board. Spine lettered in gilt. Two sets of rose coloured silk ties, still present. Top edge gilt, the others untrimmed. Decorative endpapers, printed on vellum style paper with a blue tint, with gold ink. Red silk book marker. A very small bump to the top outer corner of the front board otherwise a fine and bright copy. Uncommon in such nice condition. --- This deluxe edition includes one extra colour plate, an image of the Yahoos, that wasn't included in the regular trade edition. --- Riall. Bibliography of Arthur Rackham. Page 91 (incorrectly listing fewer line illustrations and the wrong title of the… Read More

The Modern Press. 1886. First separate issue, larger untrimmed variant, inscribed by the author. Originally printed in the April 1885-March 1886 issues of "To-Day", this first edition was printed from the corrected and revised stereos of the original setting for the journal. This is the larger, variant issue, with the preliminary blank leaf bound at the beginning. Shaw explains the variant this way: "The size of the bigger copies is due to the fact that they reproduced not only the type but the format of To-day. But the booksellers objected that in this form it occupied too much room to be displayed on their stalls and counters. It was probably cut down as far as the margins would allow to meet this objection" (Laurence). Inscribed by Shaw, "This is the first Issue, which was so tall that the booksellers refused to exhibit it on their counters, as it took too much room. So it had to be cut down. G. Bernard Shaw 26/7/30." . ---- Housed in a green cloth covered chemise and quarter green morocco slip… Read More

John Murray. London. 1927. FIRST EDITION. 8vo. (7.4 x 5 inches). A fine clean copy throughout. Finely bound, by Zaehnsdorf for Asprey and Co, in recent full black morocco. Spine with five raised bands, each with gilt wavy lines. Compartments ruled and lettered in gilt. Boards with gilt ruled border. Board edges with single gilt ruled lines. Turn-ins with elaborate floral gilt decoration. Marbled endpapers. All edges gilt. A highly attractive leather binding.

The Mandrake Press. London. 1929. FIRST EDITION. Large 8vo. (8.8 x 5.8 inches). Some very mild foxing to fore edges and some light offsetting to the endpapers from the dustwrapper but overall a bright, clean and fresh copy in publishers dark green cloth, spine lettered and ruled in gilt. In the original colour illustrated dustwrapper with striking designs by Beresford Egan to the panels, spine and rear inner flap. A small area of loss to the very top of the spine, which is a bit toned, and some tiny chips to the extremities but overall a superior and un-restored example of this fabulous wrapper. Near fine book in a better than very good wrapper.

Fred De Fau & Company. New York. 1902. LIMITED EDITION. One of 1,000 numbered sets, this number 942. 10 volumes. 8vo. (7.7 x 5.5 inches). Finely bound by Brentanos in contemporary half tan morocco. Each spine with five raised bands, decorated with gilt piping. Compartments multi ruled and lettered in gilt and with blind tooled centre decorations. Marbled paper on boards. Gold on grey marbled endpapers. Top edges gilt, the others untrimmed and a few gatherings still unopened. Illustrated with decorative head and tail pieces, vignettes in the text and multiple full page black and white illustrations by F. S. Coburn throughout. Each frontis plate protected with a printed descriptive tissue guards. Title pages printed in red and black. Pages nice and clean throughout. There is some minor bumping and rubbing to the corners of the bindings and a couple of small scratches to the lower board of volume 9 but overall this is a near fine, handsome set in excellent condition that looks wonderful on the shelf.

William Heniemann. London. 1898. FIRST EDITION. Large 4to. (13.4 x 11.5 inches). Inscribed on the front paste down endpaper by Nicholson to the Daughter, and her second Husband, of his Mistress and house keeper Marie Laquelle; "For Georgette and Norman Holder with love from W. N. who did the pictures. London. Xmas. 1916". Decorative colour printed front board, lettered and showing the illustration for The Bus Driver, plus twelve full page colour lithographs after the original woodblocks. Brown paper covered boards, printed in colour litho. Plain tan cloth spine. Some minor foxing to endpapers and the edges of the boards are rubbed and bumped. Spine cloth is frayed and split,with boards still firmly attached, but overall a very good copy of this beautiful book with an interesting association. Housed in a felt-lined clam-shell box. Marbled paper on boards and a black calf spine, lettered in gilt. ---- 'From about 1910 until he remarried in 1919, Nicholson's housekeeper Marie Laquelle, whose real name… Read More