Catalogue Ten Firsts luciusbooks luciusbooks luciusbooks To celebrate our participation in FirstsLondon, the UK’s premier rare book fair, we have dedicated a small section of Catalogue Ten (items 1 – 42) to some literary, musical and art debuts. During 2019/20 we will be exhibiting at the following book fairs: Firsts – The ABA London International The Boston International Antiquarian Bookfair Antiquarian Bookfair Hynes Convention Center, Boston Battersea Park, London 15 – 17 November 2019 7 – 9 June 2019 2/ The China In Print Hong Kong International The ABA / PBFA Bristol Bookfair Antiquarian Bookfair The Passenger Shed, Station Approach, Bristol HK Maritime Museum, Central Ferry Pier 8, Hong Kong 2/ AMIS, Kingsley: LUCKY JIM. London: Victor Gollancz. 1953 5 – 6 July 2019 22 – 24 November 2019 First edition, first printing. Signed by the author. Original green cloth with gilt titles to the spine, in dustwrapper. Brooklyn Antiquarian Book Fair York PBFA Antiquarian Book Fair A near fine copy, the binding clean and firm, the pages Brooklyn Expo Center, Greenpoint, Brooklyn The Knavesmire Suite, York Racecourse spotted to the text block edge are otherwise clean 7 – 8 September 2019 11 January 2020 throughout and without previous owner’s inscriptions or 1/ stamps. Complete with the near fine, very lightly rubbed The PBFA York International Bookfair Complimentary tickets are available on request and creased dustwrapper which has a couple of tiny closed The Knavesmire Suite, York Racecourse tears at the spine folds and remains exceptionally clean and 13 – 14 September 2019 bright. Not price-clipped (12/6 net to the front flap). A very 1/ ADAMS, Richard; illustrated by LAWRENCE, John: attractive example of the author’s debut novel which won WATERSHIP DOWN London: Penguin Books and Kestrel Books the 1955 Somerset Maugham Award. £6,750 1976 Signed by Kinglsey Amis in black ink underneath his printed First illustrated edition, first printing. Publisher’s beige paper name on the title page. Loosely inserted are two typed letters covered boards and brown cloth spine, in dustwrapper from the author, the first agreeing to sign this copy of the and slipcase. Illustrated in colour and black and white book, the second returning the book and commenting “How 144 Micklegate, York YO1 6JX UNITED KINGDOM throughout. A lovely fine copy, the binding clean and square, interesting to see the first edition”. T: +44 (0)1904 640111 E: [email protected] the contents with a neat ink ownership name to the front luciusbooks.com endpaper are otherwise spotless throughout. Complete Shop Opening Hours: Mon­­day to Saturday 10am – 6pm, Sunday 11am – 4pm with the lightly rubbed dustwrapper. Not price-clipped We accept all major credit cards and cheques in Pounds Sterling or US Dollars Members of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association (£8.75 net to the front flap). Housed in the fine original All items are priced in Pounds Sterling and are offered subject to being unsold. Any item Catalogue by James Hallgate, Monica Polisca, Althea pictorial slipcase. £150 may be returned for any reason if done so promptly, with prior notice and if it arrives in Thomas-Hall and Poppy Connor-Slater. the same condition as originally dispatched. All items are guaranteed to be authentic Design by HBA Graphic Design (www.hba-design.com) An excellent example of the first John Lawrence illustrated and as described. edition. 2/ 2 Catalogue Ten luciusbooks.com luciusbooks.com Firsts 3 luciusbooks luciusbooks The first appearance of The BFG 3/ BENNETT, Jill illustrating DAHL, Roald: DANNY THE copy in Jill’s hand of a letter from Bob Gottlieb to Roald Dahl CHAMPION OF THE WORLD Original Artwork. Later published approving the trial drawings and setting out the deadlines, in London by Jonathan Cape and Puffin Books and in America illustration requirements and fee amount, and a standard by Alfred A. Knopf. 1975 letter from Random House enclosing early reviews of the book. All the above is housed and beautifully presented in The Jill Bennett archive of illustrations for the first edition two purpose made quarter black morocco solander cases. of Roald Dahl’s Danny The Champion of The World. Including correspondence between the author, artist and The publication of Danny The Champion of the World the publishers Jonathan Cape, Alfred A. Knopf and Penguin marked a notable turning point for Roald Dahl and his books. (Puffin) Books. The illustrations begin with the three fine Having been published in the UK by George Allen and Unwin, pencil character studies Jill Bennett sent to Dahl (who a muddle occurred over the contract for Danny, provoking forwards them to his publisher) and includes the full colour Dahl to investigate alternative publishers, and, impressed by dustjacket artwork and the 71 original pen and ink drawings Tom Maschler’s energy, he transferred to Jonathan Cape. (on 66 sheets) used to illustrate the story. Also present is the For the first time both the UK and US editions were to have original photograph (believed to be Roald Dahl as a baby) the same illustrations. Jill Bennett had just completed the used at the beginning of chapter one, and the “Sparky” illustrations for the first paperback edition of Fantastic lettering used at the conclusion of the final page. Mr. Fox for Puffin Books, and, delighted with the result, Correspondence includes two autograph letters from Kaye Webb at Puffin sent her the manuscript for Roald Roald Dahl to Jill Bennett, one confirming receipt of the Dahl’s new book Danny The Champion of The World. The trial drawings, the other confirming the commission and correspondence retained in the archive clearly shows that forwarding comments from Knopf’s “wizz-kid editor” Bob all three publishing houses worked together in order to 3/ Gottlieb; two typed letters from Alfred Knopf to Roald bring the book to print and even though the Puffin edition Dahl, one returning Jill Bennett’s illustrations, the other would be the last to publish, it was Kaye Webb who, with the giving layout measurements and deadlines for the jacket obvious approval of Roald Dahl, was instrumental in bringing illustration; three typed letters from Kaye Webb at Penguin Jill Bennett to the project. to Jill, the first sending the manuscript of ‘Roald’s new In chapter two of Danny we meet for the first time a book’, the second asking for an alternative illustration character who would become one of Dahl’s most famous to the photograph due to concerns about the quality of and best loved creations: The BFG. Jill’s illustration of the Big reproduction and the last enclosing two copies of Danny Friendly Giant who, “three times as tall as an ordinary man,” ‘in its Puffin coat’; three typed letters from Robert (Bob) with “hands as big as wheelbarrows,” appears on page 20 of Gottlieb at Alfred Knopf to Jill confirming receipt of the the Jonathan Cape first edition. £85,000 jacket artwork ‘which has been hailed a triumph’, another enthusing about the Danny pictures and advising that ‘our Dahl’s own manuscripts, notebooks and correspondence, half of your payment was sent out to you some days ago. including those for Danny, are held at the Roald Dahl Museum And I have written strongly to Tom Maschler, urging him to in Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire. Manuscript material pay his share at once.’; two typed letters from Tom Maschler pertaining to any of his major books is exceedingly rare. To at Jonathan Cape to Jill, the first enclosing a cheque in have such a complete archive documenting the illustration payment ‘I am delighted with the result and I hope the process from the initial sight of the manuscript, retaining the great British reading public will be equally delighted!’, the three trial sketches, through to the execution and completion other forwarding a couple of copies of the Cape first edition of the project, we believe is unique. and apologising for the delay in doing so; an autograph 4 Firsts luciusbooks.com luciusbooks.com Firsts 5 luciusbooks luciusbooks “ Let me play my violin and see what happens” 6/ 7/ 6/ CAMBERTON, Roland; pseudonym of COHEN, Henry; illustrated by MINTON, John: SCAMP London: John Lehman. 1950 5/ First edition, first printing. Publisher’s original orange cloth with gilt titles to the spine, in dustwrapper. An excellent near 5/ BLAKE, Quentin: PATRICK London: Jonathan Cape. 1968 fine copy, the binding firm and square, the contents clean 4/ throughout and without previous owner’s inscriptions or First edition, first printing of the first book to be written and stamps. Complete with the lightly rubbed and nicked John illustrated by Quentin Blake. Association copy, inscribed, 4/ BIGGERS, Earl Derr; illustrated by SNAPP, Frank: SEVEN Minton illustrated dustwrapper which is entirely without with an original drawing for his publisher. Original pictorial KEYS TO BALDPATE New York: Bobbs-Merrill. 1913 loss, with only a single short closed tear to the rear panel boards, in the dustwrapper. Illustrated in colour throughout. and some toning to the extremities. Not price-clipped (9s 8/ First edition, first printing. Publisher’s blue cloth with gilt A better than very good copy, the binding square and firm 6d net to the front flap). A scarce title, especially so in this titles to the upper board and spine, in the original pictorial with a little bumping at the extremities. The contents are condition. £1,250 dustwrapper. Illustrated with a tissue guarded frontispiece clean throughout and without previous owner’s inscriptions 8/ COLES, Manning; [pseudonym of MANNUNG, Adelaide and four black and white plates by Frank Snapp. An or stamps. With the Quentin Blake designed bookplate of The author’s first of only two novels and winner of the 1951 Frances Oke and COLES, Cyril Henry]: DRINK TO YESTERDAY attractive better than very good copy, the binding clean and Tom Maschler to the lower front pastedown.