Results for: Biography

Bideford, Devon: The Rebel Press (and Element Books), 1981. First edition. 173pp. Spine showing where opened too flat at pp54-55. Half title bears the stamped address and 1982 pencilled ownership name of Rosamund Strode, Britten's Musical Assistant, from whose collection the book came. Five pages have biro lines in the margins to mark particular passages: however, those on pp144-5, beside some of Duncan's most shocking remarks, have been tippexed out. Contents otherwise clean and unmarked. Paperback, in glossy pictorial covers, clean and firm, with minor knocks to the edges, a small crease to the upper corner of the front cover and a heavy crease to the lower corner of the back cover. A very engaging read. Very Good.

Price: £48.00

London: Printed by J. Bettenham, 1724. First English Edition. Ex-library copy in recent fine binding. (24), 552, (40), plus the 2 frontis portraits. Frontis and title slightly browned, upper corner of title patched, with library stamps at its base, and more stamps on the verso. Small stamps also on the backs of the two portraits, and one or two in the text. Contents otherwise very clean. 22.5 x 13.5cms, all edges red. In recent tan half calf with delicately marbled boards: spine with 5 raised bands ruled in gilt, and red lettering-piece. A very attractive copy (with the possible added interest of the library stamps). VG+.

Price: £320.00

London: Faber & Faber, 1977. First edition. xvi, 275pp, illustrated with photographs. 1977 ownership name of Nancy Strode on front free endpaper. Title page INSCRIBED by Blades: ' 'Rosamund's Mother' My every good wish and my love. James. Aldeburgh 15-6-77.' [Rosamund Strode was Britten's musical assistant.]. Contents otherwise very fresh and clean. In the original brown cloth-textured binding lettered in gilt, clean, bright and firm, with small knocks to head of spine and lower board: base of spine slightly rounded and small repair to base of lower joint. In protected price-clipped pictorial dust jacket, edges slightly knocked, and with a small nick at base of lower joint. Very nice association copy. Very Good in VG+ dust-jacket.

Price: £42.00

Fish Hoek, South Africa: Amani Press, 2007. First edition. x, 566pp, printed on glossy paper and illustrated in colour and monochrome. Half-title inscribed by author. Contents otherwise clean and unmarked. Fairly large format paperback (22 x 15 cms), with pictorial covers. There are small knocks at the ends of the upper joint, and a 4cms tear to the top end of the hinge: this has been made good with archival tape to discourage it from extending. Otherwise a very fresh clean firm copy. Very Good+.
[Heavy Item]

Price: £50.00

A Paris: chez Brunet, 1818. First edition. (iv), x, 391; (iv), 407; (iv), 420, 2. Early Lincoln's Inn ownership name on front free endpaper and later small minimal ownership stamp on pastedown. Ffep partially detached and gutters split adjacent to endpapers, but cords firm. Some creasing and foxing to final pages (of Vol III). Contents otherwise very good. Text block edges sprinkled. Firm, in 19thC light tan half calf with marbled boards, spine ruled in gilt: rather rubbed and scuffed, but red lettering-piece bright and not affected. VG.
[Heavy Item]

Price: £85.00

London: Faber and Faber, 2004. First edition. xxvi, 758pp, illustrated. Title page bears very warm gift inscriptions from 2 or 3 of the editors - Mitchell, Reed, and one other (illegible) - to Rosamund Strode, Britten's former musical assistant. Contents otherwise very fresh and clean. In the original binding of dark grey cloth, spine titled in gilt, bright and sharp, with very slight compression to base of spine, which also affects the protected unclipped pictorial dust jacket. Near Fine in near fine dust-jacket.
[Heavy Item]

Price: £95.00

London: Longmans, Green and Co, 1907. First edition, first printing. xvi, 475, plus the 23 full page illustrations, including colour frontis, and text illustrations on every page. Early Simonstown ownership name on title page. Title page dated 1907, no dates on verso. Occasional minor foxing: contents otherwise clean and unmarked. In the original binding of smooth navy cloth, illustrated and titled in gilt. Firm, with some rubbing and marks to cloth, and indentations to lower board. Spine ends crimped and slight scuffing to extremities. Good copy of the first edition. VG.

Price: £360.00

Lewes, Sussex: Printed by W.E.Baxter, 1946. First and only edition. The author's compilation of his verse and journals written during his imprisonment by the Japanese: gritty and witty. Pastedown bears the ownership name of 'J.N.Lewis Bryan / Changi 1942-1945': [Bryan was Assistant Chaplain General in Singapore at the time of the surrender, and published his book 'The Churches of the Captivity in Malaya' in 1946.] *** 120pp, illustrated. Contents in very fresh clean condition. In the original binding of blue cloth, illustrated and titled in black: firm and clean, but with some fading. In the protected unclipped blue dust jacket: the blue has faded completely from the spine and front panel, leaving them a light brown, but the title and illustration are perfectly clear. Small chip and a few neatly repaired closed tears at head of spine. Very nice copy of a book now scarce. Very Good+ in very good dust-jacket.

Price: £95.00

Lavenham: Terence Dalton, 1970. First edition. 92pp, illustrated with 26 photographs. Contents clean and unmarked, appears unread. In the original blue cloth-textured binding titled in silver, clean, bright and firm, with very slight blunting to spine ends. The protected unclipped blue pictorial dust jacket is bright, with some scuffs to extremities and joints and minor signs of handling. Near Fine in VG dust-jacket.

Price: £50.00

London: John Wyat and John Hartley, 1710. First edition. [ii], xviii, 314pp, 108 (Appendix of original MSS), [v] (Table & errata): with engraved portrait frontispiece, and title page printed in red and black. Modern endpapers with transferred slightly damaged armorial bookplate (Shirley of Shirley). Pages slightly cockled and with generally unobtrusive light toning or pale foxing throughout: contents otherwise clean and unmarked. Tall quarto, 13 x 8ins, in a somewhat plain 20thC binding of maroon half morocco and pale orange cloth: spine with five raised bands ruled in gilt, and gilt title on red lettering piece. Contents very good, binding near fine.
[Heavy Item]

Price: £180.00