EC&O Venues Earls Court And Olympia

Fair Highlights

The 53rd London International Antiquarian Book Fair at Olympia will again be showcasing an astonishing variety of collector’s highlights.

The Olympia Fair ranks as one of the very top international book fairs and has held its position in June in the antiquarian book fair calendar since 1957. Organised by the Antiquarian Booksellers Association (ABA) and affiliated to International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB) , the Olympia Fair is the oldest such Book Fair in the world, now in its 53rd continuous year and is also the oldest collector’s
fair in London. “The mix of dealers from 18 countries around the world creates a genuinely intercontinental flavour which is of course reflected in the stock on view.” says Robert Frew, Chairman of the fair. Please find below a selection of highlights that will be shown at Olympia.
 

Books

William Shakespeare “Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies”

Published according to the true Originall Copies. The second Impression. 1632 Second edition; Allot imprint, the earliest variant without the words "at his shop". Robert Allot had the chief interest in this edition, though four other publishers are listed in the colophon who were all proprietors of one ormore of the copyrights in Shakespeare's plays; some copies were issued with variant titles with their names in the imprint. Folio (320 × 216 mm; 12½ × 8½ ins) in sixes. 454 leaves: complete. Bound by Rivière & Son in late 19th-century crushed red morocco, spine richly gilt
Price: £235,000
Peter Harrington Antiquarian Booksellers

THE GRAND NARRATIVE OF CLASSICAL GREEK HISTORY
HERODOTUS

HERODOTUS.

Historiarum libri IX. Venice: Aldus Manutius, September 1502; [bound with:] THUCYDIDES. Qoukididhs Thucydides. Venice: Aldus Manutius, May 1502 Early ownership inscriptions, one continental, and one of Thomas Moor. Engraved bookplate of Sir George Osborn, 4th baronet (1742-1818), displaying arms granted to him on 15 June 1772. Although the volume has been very slightly trimmed by the eighteenth-century binder's knife, these remain very good tall copies.
Prize: £100,000
Peter Harrington Antiquarian Booksellers

Book of Hours. Composite Mass Book 1400-1480.

Illuminated manuscript Book of Hours on vellum, use of Paris, in Latin and French.
Paris, ca. 1400–10, and Anjou or Poitou (perhaps Poitiers),
ca. 1480 18th-century Irish green morocco richly gilt, label reading “Mass Book”, a magnificent binding by the Rawdon binder A remarkable and interesting composite Book of Hours that was begun around the beginning of the 15th century and was greatly supplemented two generations later.
$195,000
John Windle

Fitzgerald, Edward:
The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam

London: Bernard Quaritch, 1872. 4to most elaborately bound in full rose levant morocco leather joints light blue levant doublures and fly leaves the whole intricately inlaid and gold tooled. On the front cover a peacock design in sunken arabesque panel the peacock being formed of colored enamels the tail feathers radiating gold tooled sprays at the end of each of the 31 feathers is set a garnet and in the crest of
the peacock are set 5 Provenance: The Library of the late Daniel F. Appleton lot 108 in his sale in 1922. Private collection San Francisco.
$75,000
John Windle

Friedlander, Lee: Cherry Blossom Time in Japan

One of 50 signed copies
Haywire Press, 1986. First edition.
Large oblong folio. Embossed silk cloth in embossed cloth slipcase. Engraved title page. Slightest sunning to the delicate pink silk, still easily fine. Copy number 28 of 50 copies (there were also six lettered artist's copies). Twenty-five exquisitely printed gravure images, each numbered and signed by Friedlander.
Gravure printing by Thomas Palmer. A beautiful production.
$45,000
Royal Books

STOW, John
The Survey of London: Contayning The Originall, Increase, Moderne Estate, and Government of that City.

London, Elizabeth Purslow, 1633.
FIRST ILLUSTRATED EDITION pp. (xvi) 939 (xxix). Roman and Italic letter. Double column within printed border. Woodcut initials and headpieces. First illustrated, and first folio edition of Stow's fascinating
popular survey, history and description of London, here in its most complete printing. It opens with the earliest days of the city, discussing the derivation of “London,” from the local Saxon King Lud, (commemorated in 'Ludgate'), moving from Roman times, through the incursions of Franks and Danes, to the laying of the city walls. Local customs are mentioned: 'the only plagues of London, is immoderate quaffing among the foolish sort', with details of the hazards of the streets caused by dangerous driving, and the perpetual risk of fire. A picture of affluent living is given with the expenses of noble and Episcopal households (including silks, furs, and sturgeon). Of unique value for its minute accounts of the buildings,
social conditions and customs of London in the reign of Elizabeth, by the most accurate and business like of English annalists and chroniclers of the 16th century. "An exhaustive and invaluable record of Elizabethan London." Hazlitt 409. Kress 490. Gibson, More 538.
£3,500

Sokol Books
GOULD, John: A century of birds from the Himalaya Mountains.

First edition, second issue (with the backgrounds coloured). Large folio (54 x 36 cm) 80 fine hand-coloured
lithographed plates by Elizabeth Gould after sketches by John Gould, some minor spots to the reverse of the plates, SIGNED BY JOHN AND ELIZA GOULD on front free endpaper, bookplate, library stamp, bound in
contemporary green morocco lavishly gilt decorated, spine gilt lettered, all edges gilt, extremities slightly
rubbed; a very good copy. Provenance: Written in ink "this copy belonged to Sir John Franklin, the arctic
explorer, J. D Hooker"; George Brightwen of Stanmore (bookplate).
Price: 20,000.00
Bernard J Shapero Rare Books

AUSTEN, Jane. Pride and Prejudice: a novel.

In three volumes. FIRST EDITION. 12mo. Printed for T.Egerton, Military Library, Whitehall. [40402] Half titles vols. II & III; one-inch tear in outer margin of vol. III, p139/40 expertly repaired, occasional foxing or browning to a few pages. Beautifully bound in later 19th century half tan calf by Rivière & Son, marbled boards, spines with compartments finely tooled in gilt, raised bands, maroon & dark green labels. A v.g. attractive copy. ¶Gilson A3. The half titles in volumes II and III are as described and illustrated by Gilson.1813
£25,000

Jarndyce Antiquarian Booksellers MILNE. A. A. / E. H. Shepard. Illustrates SET OF WINNIE THE POOH FIRST EDITIONS. When We were very young. / Winnie the Pooh. Now We are Six. / The House at Pooh Corner.

ALL SIGNED BY MILNE. 4 Volumes.
Methuen and Co. London.,1924 - 1928. FIRST EDITIONS. Four volumes. 8vo All four volumes
signed by A.A.Milne to the title pages. Illustrated throughout with wonderful line drawings by E. H. Shepard. When We were very young is the first state with page is (the contents page) un-numbered. Fine, bright copies in the original publisher’s cloth bindings-Blue, Green, Burgundy, Pink, with gilt lettering and ruling to the spines. The front boards all decorated in gilt within a single gilt ruled border. The two volumes of verse (When We were very young & Now We are Six), have a gilt illustration on the rear board as well. Original decorative endpapers in the last three volumes. In the original illustrated dustwrappers which show a small amount of creasing to the very tops of the spines on 3 volumes but are essentially in fine condition and without any fading, darkening or tears. The slip case does not have a makers stamp but is certainly the work of a fine binder and has done its job of keeping the books in original undamaged condition. A lovely, clean, fresh set of first editions of these classic books, all signed by Milne.
Price = £29,500
Paul Foster

Letters
CHRISTIE, Agatha (author),
WILDER, Billy (director).

Autograph letter signed, from Christie to Wilder regarding Wilder’s movie version of “Witness For the Prosecution”. South Devon, UK, no date. ALS, one leaf, pp.2, on Christie’s note paper printed with
her address. Single hole punch and staple, folded once, fine. Housed in presentation book-box. Written out by the author in blue ink; Dear Billy Wilder, Larry Bachman tells me that you never heard whether I liked your picture Witness For the Prosecution. Well- I did [underlined twice]. What’s more- I
enjoyed it [underlined]- a thing I never suspected to when seeing a film made from one of my books! You did a wonderful job and I admire that film very much still. Most people do. So let me make amends. Yours, Agatha Christie. Superb content, and perhaps the author’s only written communication with Wilder, who had directed the Oscar nominated 1958 adaptation of her classic 1948 short story. Wilder, who was regarded as one of the most brilliant and versatile filmmakers of Hollywood's golden age, and who was nominated for eight Academy Awards (winning twice) was responsible for such acclaimed motion pictures as Sunset Boulevard, The Seven Year Itch, The Spirit of St.Louis, Stalag 17 and Some Like It Hot. Less
well know are his contributions to cult 60’as films Ocean’s Eleven and Casino Royale! A remarkable piece of cinema history.
Prize: £5500
Adrian Harrington Ltd

George Orwell “I haven’t anything of great interest to report yet about the Lower Classes”

A two page autograph letter from George Orwell to his friend Dennis Collings written whilst researching “Down and Out in Paris and London”. Dated 1931 the letter covers many topics including his
research for "Down and Out in Paris and London" "I’ve been making just a few enquiries among the tramps. Of the three friends I had before, one is believed to have been run over + killed, one has taken to drink and vanished, one is doing time in Wandsworth.” Autograph material by Orwell is rare.
Price £12,500
Jonkers Rare Books

BYRON “THE MOMENT FOR THE GREAT CONFLICT HAS ARRIVED”

(George Gordon Noel, Lord Byron, 1788-1824).
Fine Series of Four Unpublished Letters Signed to Giorgio Vitali, in Leghorn, ABOUT HIS IMMINENT DEPARTURE FOR GREECE, where, nine months later, he was to die in pursuit of his dream of Greek independence. “I understand that the moment for the great conflict has arrived - and because of that I would never be able to forgive myself the least delay at a time of such urgency...’(July 7, 1823) As was to be expected of a young man of his age & class, Byron had been steeped in the Classics from youth. His passion for Greece was confirmed during his lengthy tour of 1809-11, which fired him with the wish that Greece might be freed from Ottoman rule. Giorgio Vitali (1776-1854): the Vitalis were an ancient
Venetian family with extensive property in Greece and played a significant part in the struggle for Greek independence Not in The Letters, ed. Marchand.
Prize £45,000
Michael Silverman

Manuscripts
CHARLES DICKENS "The Sanatorium"
AN ORIGINAL HAND WRITTEN MANUSCRIPT OF A DICKENS SHORT STORY

A four page manuscript, including various emendations and deletions, plus related correspondence, including two letters signed by Charles Dickens, all window mounted and bound in full red morocco. An important and fascinating group of manuscript material. The Devonshire House Sanatorium was the brainchild of physician and philanthropist, Dr Thomas Southwood-Smith, “...a private hospital designed to provide medical care for members of the middle classes who were living alone in rooms in London.
They paid a small annual subscription and, when admitted for treatment, a modest weekly sum. This was called 'The Sanatorium', and was opened in May 1842 in Devonshire Place House, York Gate, Regent's Park, immediately opposite the house where Dickens lived. Chapman asked Dickens to write a short piece describing and expounding the principal of The Sanatorium to gain some press coverage. Dickens took to the task with enthusiasm giving an eloquent and convincing case for the importance of a sanatorium.
Dickens manuscripts are very rarely seen in the public domain.
£45,000
Jonkers Rare Books

Hammett, Dashiell “The Dain Curse”
Author's corrected galleys for "The Dain Curse"

New York: 1929. Dashiell Hammett's own long galley proofs for the first edition of his second novel, and second book-length story to feature his character The Continental Op, "The Dain Curse." Throughout the proof are Hammett's final holograph additions, deletions, corrections, and changes-135 in allmost
in ink, and all in his hand. Very Good condition and complete. In a Fine full French morocco case, with a signed letter.

Maps
Provenance from Hammett's daughter. Only one other Hammett manuscript of any kind, for "The Glass Key," has ever surfaced. A stunning item from the author who came to be the father of the hardboiled style.
$80,000
Royal Books

A New And Exact Plan Of The City's Of London
And Westminster
By G.Willdey / T.Jefferys
Published in London, 1723-c.1750 114 x 80 cm
Uncoloured copperplate engraving
A rare and interesting large-scale map illustrating the development of early eighteenth-century London.

The map extends from Grosvenor Square in the west to Wapping in the east and from Clerkenwell and Hoxton in the north to the South Bank and Lambeth. As a separately-issued and large map, printed on four sheets with two half sheets of index key, this is in overall very good condition with a few expert repairs to inevitable tears. This fascinating map is detailed with major buildings illustrated in profile and panels of text describing the city's history, watermen's and cabmen's fares, and an explanation of the map's grid system, along with an extensive gazetteer. The map has a confusing genesis, having been published originally by George Willdey in 1723 and reissued by him dated 1735. After Willdey's death, the plates came into the possession of Thomas Jefferys who updated the map without updating the actual date in the title piece - a most irregular practice in map publishing as maps would more often have dates corrected with no other alteration. The map illustrates clearly the developing West End with Mayfair and the streets north of Oxford Street part built, while in the East End Hoxton and Whitechapel take shape. (34528). Howgego, Printed Maps Of London, 79.
£ 5,000
Jonathan Potter

WALKER, J. & C. England and Wales

Founded upon the Grand Trigonometrical Survey, showingall the Mail Coach, Turnpike & Rail Roads, the Rivers &navigable Canals, also the Boundaries & Divisions OfCounties, the extent of Boroughs, County, Election & Polling Places, under the Reform Act together with the sand Banks & soundings round the Coast. London: Published by the Proprietors, According to the Act of Parliament. [N.D.] Map dimensions 132 x 101.5cm, overall dimensions 138 x 107 cm. Large folding map of England and Wales on a scale of 1 & 1/8ths inch to ten miles. The map coloured in wash and outline as discussed below. The map dissected into 24 sections and mounted on linen, pink paper diamonds pasted to linen on folded end sections. The whole folds into contemporary dark green morocco wallet with tabbed opening, matching gilt lettered label to upper board, the lettering reads "Hand Loom Enquiry Commission". A uniquely adapted example of a standard large scale map of England and Wales. The imprint continued in very neat manuscript "Coloured according to the distribution of Hand Loom Labour". The map coloured according to four fabric groups: woollens and worsteds, cottons, linens and silks, with the key table also in manuscript. Further to this the density of the weaving populations are indicated by the intensity of the colour applied. The boundaries of the Poor Law districts are highlighted in pink. Handloom weavers were once a growing and well renumerated sector of the British workforce. However, with the advent of the Industrial Revolution and the invention of the power loom, demand for the weavers' specialised and comparatively well paid skills fell dramatically. As their demand fell, wages were slashed and workers were made redundant by the tens of thousands. After much lobbying in Parliament through the 1830's a Royal Commission was set up to look into the plight of the handloom weavers in 1838. Reports to Parliament were issued in subsequent years, hence the adaptation of this map.
£2,500
Robert Frew Ltd

MISC
Brion GYSIN: Danger I-IV.
A group of 4 b&w landscape prints, 15.3 x 25.4 image on 16.5 x 12 inch paper. October 1959, printed [2008]. Burroughs is depicted in the act of lighting up a cigarette in front of a construction hoarding that reads 'Danger'. These portraits were taken not too far away from the Beat Hotel on Rue Git le Coeur.
Burroughs, a drug addict, who accidentally shot his wife and wrote openly homosexual novels, was much criticized as a purveyor of filth and a dangerous subversive of Western moral values.
£600
Maggs Bros.

Dylan, Bob
Original black-and-white photo of Bob Dylan talking to Suze Rotolo, annotated and inscribed by Dylan to Rotolo,circa 1961; and an inscribed Valentine card sent from Bob Dylan to Suze Rotolo in 1963.

None. Glossy photo print, 8 x 10 inches. Fine condition. A head shot of the young couple looking intently at one another. Inscribed by Dylan on the verso in pencil, beginning with the word HELLO with the word "love" written between each of its letters, followed beneath by a rebus reading "I love you." Finally at the bottom, he adds,"I love you t.v. sets full—me." Suze Rotolo is instantly recognizable here, as is the young Dylan, who is already sprouting the beginnings of his famously high head of hair. Items of this vintage, especially those so closely tied to Dylan's private life, are excessively rare. Provenance: Suze Rotolo's personal archive In Chronicles, Dylan describes meeting Rotolo in 1961, when she was only seventeen: "...She was the most erotic thing I'd ever seen…Cupid's arrow had whirled by my ears before, but this time it hit me in the heart and dragged me overboard…meeting her was like stepping into the tales of 1001 Arabian nights. She had a smile that could light up a street full of people and was extremely lively, had a particular type of voluptuousness—a Rodin sculpture come to life..,000

Royal Books

Searle, Ronald:
An Original Watercolour for Slightly Foxed But Still Desirable
Published: London, The Souvenir Press. 1989
Watercolour and gouache painting on paper.
Signed.
£3500
Lucius Books

Visitor Information

Location: Olympia Exhibition Centre, Olympia Two Hammersmith Road, London W14 8 UX
www.olympiabookfair.com
Dates: 3 – 5 June 2010
Tickets: Advance Tickets free of charge for download from the website
On the door: £10 single
Charity Preview
The fair will host a Charity Preview on Thursday 3 June from 2 - 4pm before the official fair opening in aid of the Royal Society of Literature, supporting their mission to promote and extend the knowledge and love of English literature.

Melvyn Bragg, Patron of the 53rd London International Antiquarian Book Fair, is widely recognised as both author and broadcaster, particularly well known for the late, much lamented, South Bank Show. He is a Fellow and supporter of the Royal Society of Literature.

Lord Bragg will open the Fair on Thursday 3 June during the Preview.
Charity Preview Tickets are £25 per person and can be purchased from the ABA office.

Opening Hours:
Thursday 3 June 4pm – 9pm
Friday 4 June 11am – 7pm
Saturday 5 June 11am – 5.30pm
Press Information and Images
Go to www.olympiabookfair.com under PRESS for all press releases and news.

For more information and high resolution images please contact:

Angelika Elstner
Marketing & PR Manager
angelika.elstner@gmail.com / +44 (0) 75 00 78 66 79