J O N K E R S R A R E B O O K S
SHIEL, M. P. HERE COMES THE LADY The Richards Press Ltd., [1928] [46161] First edition. Original green cloth lettered in black in rare pictorial dustwrapper. Termi- nal adverts dated Au - tumn 1928. A near fine copy with a slightly faded spine in a very good dustwrapper in- deed which shows a little wear to the spine ends and corners and a small hole to the centre of the spine. $3,250
that he believed the book to be a work of genius, but it might lose the firm £1,000. Stanley Unwin replied, “If you believe it is a work of genius, then you may lose a thou- sand pounds”. The first volume was eventually published in July 1954, in an edition of only 3,000 copies. The second volume, published that Novem - ber, comprised 3,250 copies. Initial sales were promising, and so the final volume, pub - lished in October 1955, comprised 7,000 copies. Initial reviews were mixed, some thinking the narrative confused by Tolkien’s use of lan- guage and detail, others thought it profound. W.H.Auden, a former pupil of Tolkien’s, de- scribed it in a review as “a masterpiece”, whilst
The fourth of Shiel’s influ - ential collections of super- natural short stories. The stories in this collection are all linked to form an episodic novel. Rare in the dustwrapper. FIRST EDITIONS, FINELY BOUND TOLKIEN, J.R.R. THE LORD OF THE RINGS being The Fellow- ship of the Ring; The Two Towers; The Return of the King Lon- don, Allen & Unwin, 1954-5 [45853] Three volumes, all first editions. Finely bound for Asprey (prob - ably by Sangorski & Sutcliffe) in full red morocco with gilt titles and raised bands to the spine with a gilt ‘ring’ vignette in the other compartments of the spine. Gilt ruled borders to covers and turn-ins. Marbled end papers, all edges gilt. Fold out maps to the rear of each volume, printed in red and black, drawn by Christopher Tolkien. A fine set, handsomely bound. $35,000 Tolkien’s epic work of fantasy, which began life to as a sequel The Hob- bit, but grew in scope and volume as Tolkien worked on it in stages be - tween 1937 and 1949. On its own, it was a novel of great size, and publishing the work in three volumes was estimated to cost the publisher £1,000. Rayner Unwin, the biggest supporter of the novel at the firm, wrote to his father to tell him
the NY Herald Tribune was perhaps the most prescient, stating that it was “destined to outlast our time”. Its reception amongst readers was swift and unequivocal and currently ranks amongst the highest selling books of any genre and among the most influential fantasy books ever published. Hammond A5a. WAUGH, Evelyn BLACK MISCHIEF Chapman & Hall , 1932 [46592] First edition. 8vo. Original marbled cloth in pictorial dustwrap - per. Retaining the green book society Book of the Month wrap - around band. Frontispiece map of the “Azanian Empire”. A fine copy, in a near fine dustwrapper, bright and crisp with just a
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