NEW YORK ANTIQUARIAN BOOK FAIR 2026
seem like a puling idiot. He has forged a language all of his own. It will live; it will outlive Shakespeare and all your other idols’ work.” Miller had formed a close friendship with Durrell, fol- lowing their initial meeting in Paris in 1937 and a return fixture in Corfu in 1939. Born upon mutual admi- ration of each others work their connection proved pivotal to both authors’ de- velopment. WHEN WERE VERY YOUNG Methuen, 1924 [46524] WE First edition, first issue with plain endpapers. 44. MILNE, A.A.
Signed by both A.A. Milne and E.H. Shepard to the title page. 8vo. Original blue cloth with gilt lettering and gilt vignettes to upper cover, top edge gilt. The collection of verses is illustrated throughout by E.H. Shepard. A near fine copy, with a small nick to the left side of the spine. Previous owner’s bookplate on the front pastedown. $14,000
43. MILLER, Henry; DURRELL, Lawrence; YOUNG, Gra- haeme Barrasford [ed.] LABRYS 5 Lawrence Durrell Privately Printed at the Hunting Raven Press, 1979 [46695] Sole edition. One of apparently six copies bound for presentation in black silk boards with an inlaid silver motif. The editors own copy, with which is included the two page holograph manu- script of the letter with Henry Miller’s contribution to the journal on Lawrence Durrell. A fine copy with original tissue glassine. Miller’s manuscript on two pages of letter paper, his address rubber-stamped on the first, with a central crease. $3,250 Labrys was a literary journal edited and published by Grahaeme Barras- ford Young, which would issue special numbers annually focusing on a single author. Young would solicit contributions from literary luminaries who knew the subject. This copy, one of a handful of casebound copies, was retained by Young and contains the manuscript of a short piece that Henry Miller wrote about Durrell, in his characteristically provocative way, “Lawrence Durrell is to me the finest writer in the English language to - day... And being the sort of writer he is he had to leave bloody England and nourish his soul in the “Mediterranean world”. Today he is a thor- ough Mediterranean spirit... As a man and a friend (a perennial) I have the greatest affection and reverence for him. He is the embodiment of humor, joviality, esoteric wisdom and enlightenment... I am glad he is so well received in foreign countries, sincere expatriate that he is. I cannot help but add that he makes the usual British (apologetic) writer
This book is the first in a series of four which introduces the char- acters of Pooh and Christopher Robin. The bear in the poem en- titled “Teddy Bear” gives us the first glimpse of the bear who has gone on to become one of the most popular children’s characters of all time. Christopher Robin appears in “Vespers”, “Buckingham Palace” and various other places. At the time of publication the writers and publisher’s had no idea of the huge success which awaited these char- acters, their initial print run was only 4500 copies, these sold out in the first week and since then all of Milne and Shepard’s “Pooh” books have been reprinted in very many different formats. This luxurious look with gilt embossed vignettes and top edge gilded was only maintained for a few years.
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