The Sleeping Lord : The Limited Edition Signed By The Author by Jones, David - 1974

The sole UK printing published by St. Dominic's Press, Ditchling in 1930. The BOOK is in near Fine condition. This is number '1' of a total edition size of only 240 copies. Light pushing at the spine ends and some tiny rubs to the rear panel and upper edge spine cloth. Tiny amount of spotting to the text-block. Free from inscriptions and erasures. Publisher's errata page present. Batchlor & Sons hand made paper printed on the Stanhope Press. Full page wood-engraving 'The Bride' and title page decoration by David Jones. In 'A Survey of the Engravings of David Jones' page 19, Cleverdon wrote ' To the end of his life, David was particularly fond of this engraving'. It was a remaking of a failed first illustration for 'The Ancient Mariner' in which he had wanted to evoke a nun taking the veil. He set off whites and greys against 'very small areas of solid black'. In one Romanesque window, apparently echoing the curves of the bride's breasts, appears the hart of Psalm 42. Dilworth also points out that her… Read More

The First UK printing published by Jonathan Cape, London in 1982. The BOOK is in near Fine condition. Original burgundy boards, lettered in gilt to spine. Light offsetting to the end-papers. Illustrated with B/W photographs throughout. The WRAPPER is complete and is in near Fine condition with a photographic portrait of Cynthia Payne to rear panel. Wrapper design by Craig Dodd. The wrapper is protected in a removable Brodart archival cover. The publisher's Tom Maschler's copy, doubly inscribed to him by both the author and Cynthia Payne : 'for Tom -- who has been here before -- with love from Paul'. And beneath: 'October 13th 1982. To the most brilliant publisher in the world and I must say with the most guts to take me on! Cinders xxx one for John Thomas'. When Streatham brothel-keeper Cynthia Payne was prosecuted in 1980 for keeping a disorderly house, the trial's tales of red-arsed vicars, enslaved Members of Parliament and payment for sex with luncheon vouchers transfixed the country. It also… Read More

The First UK printing published by Hodder and Stoughton, London in 1993. The BOOK is in near Fine condition with light pushing at the spine ends. A hint of toning and very light spotting to the text-block. Free from inscriptions and erasures. The WRAPPER is complete and is in near Fine condition with just a tiny nick at the upper rear spine fold (the white patches on the images are just glare reflected from the shiny wrapper). The wrapper is protected in a removal Brodart archival cover. The book has been signed (without dedication) in the year of publication by the author to the title page : 'John Le Carre, June '93'. The basis for the hugely successful BBC TV dramatisation starring Trevor Hiddelston, Hugh Laurie and Olivia Colman. Scarce with such attributes.Ashton Rare Books welcomes direct contact.

The Sole UK printing published by The Rocket Press, Blewbury, Oxfordshire in 1991 (nd). One of only 40 copies issued. This copy not numbered but an artist's proof set, marked 'AP' and signed by the artist to the limitation page. 23 x 16cm. 24 loose wood engravings by O'Connor printed from the original blocks by Jonathan Stephenson at The Rocket Press, on hand made Zerkel paper, in blue, brick red , brown and green. Each engraving is either signed or initialled by John O'Connor in pencil below the image. The title and colophon page, and 24 loose sheets are housed in a green paper chemise within a beige buckram covered portfolio folder with a printed wood engraving mounted to the front cover. The portfolio is in near Fine condition with just a hint of spotting to the top of the front panel. The 24 engravings are all in Fine condition. The engravings were originally commissioned by Hal Cheetham for his privately printed volume 'La Vida Breve', which was issued in 1991. A very handsome production. More… Read More

The First UK printing published by Heinemann, London in 1937. The BOOK is in near Fine condition with just a few light markings to the boards and light pushing to the spine ends. The gilt titling remains bright and the blue top-stain is still present. The usually encountered darkening to the cheap paper quality endpapers. Free from inscriptions. The WRAPPER is complete and is in near Fine condition with just a hint of toning to the spine and the slightest of fading of the red colouring to the spine. The 'Book Society Choice' WRAPAROUND BAND is complete and is in near Fine condition with just a little toning to the spine. The Gladys Calthrop wrapper artwork looks very striking in the removable Brodart archival cover. A ' The Book Society / 'Present Indicative' ' bookplate (designed by Rex Whistler) has been signed (without dedication) by Noel Coward and is tipped in to the front pastedown. A further generic 'The Book Society' bookplate has been pasted to the front blank end paper. The acclaimed… Read More

The First UK printing published by The Golden Cockerel Press, Waltham St. Lawrence in 1935. Number '25' 0f only 212 copies issued of the special limited edition. The BOOK is in near Fine condition. Printed in Perpetua type on hand made paper and signed by L.A. Strong to the limitation page as called for. There were also 1000 unnumbered and unsigned copies. Original blue morocco spine slightly sunned and marbled boards. Very light spotting to the text block with the occasional light spot to the page edges in places. Free from inscriptions and erasures. The fragile original plain Glassine WRAPPER is in Very Good condition. It is split at the spine with some loss of the spine portion. The scarce glassine wrapper is now protected in a removable Mylar archival cover. Illustrated by Eric Ravilious with a full page frontispiece, first leaf engraving, and a series of repeated decorations (bandeaux). One of three books illustrated by Ravilious for The Golden Cockerel Press. Sanford called this work, 'one of… Read More

The First UK printing published by by Martin Secker, London in 1931. The BOOK is in Very Good++ condition. Light pushing at the spine ends with some light fading to the board edges and the spine. Some toning to the text-block with an area of staining confined to the upper text-block and not affecting the pages. Light offsetting and spotting to the prelims and rear blank endpaper. Free from inscriptions. A bookplate designed by Edmund Dulac for 'The Book Society' to the lower front pastedown which is clean. This is likely to be the first design for the Book Society before being replaced by the more commonly encountered Rex Whistler designed bookplate. The WRAPPER is complete and is in Very Good+ condition. Light edge-wear and rubbing to the spine tips. Toning to the folds and the spine. Light spotting in places. A small stain to the lower rear flap fold. The period wrapper artwork (uncredited) looks striking in the removable Brodart archival cover. 'A remarkable contemporary novel by the author of The… Read More

The First UK printing published by Constable, London in 1928. The BOOK is in near Fine condition in the original variant binding of terracotta cloth, upper board and spine lettered in black. Some faint spotting to the edges and prelims. Free from inscriptions and erasures. The fragile WRAPPER is complete and is in Very Good++ or better condition. Some light markings and slight edge-wear. The wrapper is protected in a removable archival protector and carries a striking period design signed with the initials 'EJIA'. These initials must be those of Edward Jeffrey Irving Ardizzone and this wrapper artwork must have been one of his earliest commissions. Born in Ireland, this is O'Leary's best known work, a science fiction novel in which 'a woman is given a drug that induces a range of Identity Transfer experiences, including life as a mouse and as her own betrayed husband ' (Science Fiction Encyclopaedia, online). A very scarce survivor. More images available on request. Ashton Rare Books welcomes direct contact.

The First UK Printing of the wrappered edition published by Armada Lions, London in 1971. The BOOK is in near Fine condition. Some light spotting to the inside edges of the covers. Some toning to the text-block and page edges due to the quality of the paper stock used. Some very light spotting to the upper text-block. This copy is exceptionally well preserved and appears unread with no creasing to the spine and no fading of colouring to the spine (The book has apparently been protected in brown paper and put away since it was signed by the author near publication date). The book has been inscribed and signed by the author to the verso of the front cover : ' For Biddy, with all good wishes, Michael Bond'. Loosely inserted is a Paddington Bear postcard which the author has also inscribed : ' Fir Biddy, will all good wishes, Padington'. Below Padington's name Michael Bond has doodled Paddington's paw print as Paddington's signature! Michael Bond has signed his name below this in a different ink. Michael… Read More

The sole printing published by The Bonnefant Press , Banholt in 1999. Number '39' of only sixty copies ('which was the number of prints available for pages 19 and 27'). The BOOK is in Fine condition and appears unread. Free from inscription and erasures. Housed in the original publisher's plain grey slipcase which is in Fine condition. Signed by Rigby Graham to the limitation page , who has additionally signed and numbered two tipped-in prints as issued. Profusely illustrated in B/W and colour throughout. Loosely inserted is the publisher's 4 page prospectus with a loose sample of the decorated end-paper design. A very handsome production and increasingly elusive. More images available on request. Ashton Rare Books welcomes direct contact.