A bibliophile can often build a rare book collection around an author or topic. There are so many to choose from! However, how about a collection of authors who are also artists? There are surprisingly number of authors who have dabbled in art and in fact are as talented with the paintbrush as they are … Read more
A rare publisher’s tale: It is not often that the publishers are featured in the consideration of influences to literary movements. However, The Hogarth Press has a unique place in the history and development of modernism and literature of the twentieth century. The Hogarth Press was born out of an ideal to provide a hobby … Read more
Detective writers love a puzzle. And collecting Agatha Christie books can be as confusing as her detective novels. Occasional Christie novels fetch vast sums of money yet remaining catalogued novels sell for a varied and sometime perplexingly low sums. Of course, the length of Christie’s successful career means that her many books were published several … Read more
Charles Dodgson, or rather Lewis Carroll, is primarily known as the author of the children’s classics, Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. Yet any collection of his works would be incomplete without recognising his expertise in the field of mathematics. In fact many of his fictional works combine his skills of creating fanciful … Read more
What’s in the signature? A question often asked about rare and first edition books. Of course the answer is not as straight forward as it might seem. To put it simply, the interest of a signature in a book depends on who it is and what else is included in the writing. Of course the … Read more
Winnie the Pooh, that well known little bear is again making publicity. The film, Goodbye Christopher Robin is released. What a great opportunity to revisit the fascinating story of the author behind the beloved classic children’s character. And a chance to remind a bibliophile of the appeal and value in acquiring a set of the … Read more
“How the book got it’s jacket” sounds like a good title from Rudyard Kipling‘s Just So Stories , yet it is an interesting question: when did books acquire their dust wrappers? Before the 1820’s the text of a book was often bound in a commissioned binding of the owners choice. If a cover was needed … Read more
A Clockwork Orange dust jacket Book collectors know that, with modern first editions, the dust jacket accounts for about 80% of the value of a book. However, some might argue that book collectors are also in the business of seeking additional rewards from holding an ironically designed jacket. The cover of William Heinemann’s 1962 edition … Read more
Childers – A Rare Thriller for Collectors Collectors of spy thrillers might struggle to build up a collection if they start with one of the classics, The Riddle of the Sands, by Erskine Childers. It was the last and only spy novel he wrote! However, not to have his book in your collection would be … Read more
Kipling’s Enduring Just So Stories Rudyard Kipling has long been recognised as one of the most authentic writers during the British Empire of the early 20th century. Some of his works are clearly of their period yet the Just So Stories have endured the passage of time. They are as appealing to children today as they were when … Read more