20th Century Classics

The Duke of York’s Steps – Henry Wade – First Edition 1929.

A super scarce first edition of Henry Wade’s early novel. From the “Golden Age of Detective Fiction”.

Published by Constable, London in 1929. Octavo, 317 pages. Green cloth covered boards with embossed titles in black and spine in rather full form. Unclipped dust jacket with a few chips around the spine ends … generally all in very good condition. Jacket design by Morton Sale.

This was the first in a series of seven novels featuring Chief Inspector Poole. The steps referred to connect the Duke of York Column with the Mall in London. A German Jewish banker seeks revenge for his mistreatment by murdering a fellow banker… Sir Garth Fratten. At the time the book was highly praised.

Henry Wade was the pen name of Sir Henry Lancelot Aubrey-Fletcher (1887-1969) Lord Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire. He had a distinguished military a career in both World Wars and played cricket for his county. He was very successful as a writer and a founding member of the Detection Club.

Scarce First Edition of a very worthwhile detection novel.

$90.00

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Doctor at Large – Richard Gordon – 1950′s

Published by Michael Joseph for the Quality Book Club, London 1953 a first of type. Octavo and 248 pages of hilarity, top edge stained maroon as required. A very good copy.

A young Doctor Gordon finds himself in the usual spot as anew entrant .. competition for promotion does not go his way and he is shuttled off to the Midlands. An experienced practitioner suggests that getting to know fellow doctors wives is a good tactic. Not sure the advisor had in mind Gordan’s interpretation … all good clean fun viz the period.

Doctors Gordon Larger than Life

$30.00

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The Final Hours [A Novel of the Night Life of Madrid] – Jose Suarez Carreno – First English Language Edition 1954– Typography, Binding and Jacket Design by Alvin Lustig.

Published by Alfred Knopf, New York 1954. Octavo, 273 pages printed by the Kingsport Press Tennessee under the art instructions of Alvin Lustig. It is interesting how the striking graphic jacket image has been repeated in blind on the front red cloth covered board. Very good if not better copy.

Translated from the original Spanish by Anthony Kerrigan.

The author Jose Suarez Carreno (1915-2002) was born in Guadalupe, Mexico but spent most of his adult life living in Madrid. He won several literary awards including the distinguished Nadal Prize in 1949 for this work … “Las Ultimas Horas”. At the time of printing few contemporary Spanish works were translated into English.

Recounting the events of one night only we see into the lives of a drifting street boy, a beautiful young prostitute, and a rich married man of unusual character … and the night life of Madrid.

A Night in Madrid – Carreno dressed in Lustig

$120.00

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Our Man in Havana – Graham Greene – First of Type 1960

First Reprint Society edition of 1960, by arrangement with Heinemann. Octavo, 223 pages, top edge stained intense purple as required, very clean internally all in very good condition

Graham Greene’s masterpiece of spy-craft with humour …and a fine encouragement to all vacuum cleaner salesmen. A story nicked by Le Carre for his Taylor of Panama … we prefer Greene’s original …

Greene laughs at espionage … as he described it – An Entertainment.

$40.00

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Vendetta for The Saint – Leslie Charteris – First of Type 1965

Simon Templar (aka The Saint) is relaxing in Naples, eating his “Lobster alla Vesuvio” when he is interrupted by an unsightly brawl … it all turns very “Saintly’ after that.

A Book Club first of type published in 1965 with permission from Hodder. Octavo, 192 pages, a very good copy in a super dust jacket designed by Critchard.

The Saint disturbed from his Lobster – Watch for the Sign of the Saint! … He will be back!

$30.00

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Hornblower & the Crisis – C.S. Forester – First Edition 1967

The unfinished novel of C.s. Forester along with two shorter stories .. Hornblower and the Widow McCool and The Last Encounter.

Published by Michael Joseph, London a first edition 1967. Octavo, 175 pages, a very good copy. Dust jacket art by Ivan Lapper.

C.S. Forester died before he could finish Hornblower and The Crisis … he had written 130 pages. An Editor’s note remarks “but from the notes that he left behind it is possible to see how the story would have ended” … Hornblower’s conscience about becoming a spy … Nelson’s wants …. And, maybe the Victory at Trafalgar.

The short stories … good bedtime reading.

A very good first of the very last of Hornblower.

$40.00

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The Duke of York’s Steps – Henry Wade – First Edition 1929.

Doctor at Large – Richard Gordon – 1950′s

The Final Hours [A Novel of the Night Life of Madrid] – Jose Suarez Carreno – First English Language Edition 1954– Typography, Binding and Jacket Design by Alvin Lustig.

Our Man in Havana – Graham Greene – First of Type 1960

Vendetta for The Saint – Leslie Charteris – First of Type 1965

Hornblower & the Crisis – C.S. Forester – First Edition 1967

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