Dissolution : Signed By The Author : With The Scarce Promotional Wraparound Band by Sansom, C.J - 2003

The First UK printing published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson in 1975. The Book is in near Fine condition. Free from inscriptions. The WRAPPER is in Very Good++ condition with light edge wear. A closed tear to the upper rear edge associated with some creasing and rubbing. A small closed tear to the lower front edge which has been repaired with a small amount of tape to the verso. The wrapper is protected in a removable Brodart archival cover. The book has been signed (without dedication) by Stephen Spender to the title page. Contributors to the book include Stephen Spender, John Betjeman, Cyril Connolly, Christopher Isherwood, Geoffrey Grigson et al. Accompanied by a loosely inserted H/W letter dated 'Nov 13 '73' addressed to a 'M Dosse' in which Spender writes : ' I think it would be absurd to destroy these letters. But then I think it was absurd of Auden to make a request to his friends in such unqualified terms. These letters are gifts to you and I do not think a donor has the right, unless in very… Read More

The First UK printing published by The Golden Cockerel Press, Waltham St. Lawrence in 1935. Number '25' 0f only 212 copies issued of the special limited edition. The BOOK is in near Fine condition. Printed in Perpetua type on hand made paper and signed by L.A. Strong to the limitation page as called for. There were also 1000 unnumbered and unsigned copies. Original blue morocco spine slightly sunned and marbled boards. Very light spotting to the text block with the occasional light spot to the page edges in places. Free from inscriptions and erasures. The fragile original plain Glassine WRAPPER is in Very Good condition. It is split at the spine with some loss of the spine portion. The scarce glassine wrapper is now protected in a removable Mylar archival cover. Illustrated by Eric Ravilious with a full page frontispiece, first leaf engraving, and a series of repeated decorations (bandeaux). One of three books illustrated by Ravilious for The Golden Cockerel Press. Sanford called this work, 'one of… Read More

The First UK printing published by by Martin Secker, London in 1931. The BOOK is in Very Good++ condition. Light pushing at the spine ends with some light fading to the board edges and the spine. Some toning to the text-block with an area of staining confined to the upper text-block and not affecting the pages. Light offsetting and spotting to the prelims and rear blank endpaper. Free from inscriptions. A bookplate designed by Edmund Dulac for 'The Book Society' to the lower front pastedown which is clean. This is likely to be the first design for the Book Society before being replaced by the more commonly encountered Rex Whistler designed bookplate. The WRAPPER is complete and is in Very Good+ condition. Light edge-wear and rubbing to the spine tips. Toning to the folds and the spine. Light spotting in places. A small stain to the lower rear flap fold. The period wrapper artwork (uncredited) looks striking in the removable Brodart archival cover. 'A remarkable contemporary novel by the author of The… Read More

The First UK printing published by Constable, London in 1928. The BOOK is in near Fine condition in the original variant binding of terracotta cloth, upper board and spine lettered in black. Some faint spotting to the edges and prelims. Free from inscriptions and erasures. The fragile WRAPPER is complete and is in Very Good++ or better condition. Some light markings and slight edge-wear. The wrapper is protected in a removable archival protector and carries a striking period design signed with the initials 'EJIA'. These initials must be those of Edward Jeffrey Irving Ardizzone and this wrapper artwork must have been one of his earliest commissions. Born in Ireland, this is O'Leary's best known work, a science fiction novel in which 'a woman is given a drug that induces a range of Identity Transfer experiences, including life as a mouse and as her own betrayed husband ' (Science Fiction Encyclopaedia, online). A very scarce survivor. More images available on request. Ashton Rare Books welcomes direct contact.

The First UK printing published by George Harrap & Co. Ltd., London in 1947. The BOOK is in Very Good++ condition. Publisher's original illustrated boards have some light toning to the edges and some spotting in places. The binding remains tight. Some very slight rubbing at the corners with light toning to the text-block. Internally, some offsetting to the illustrated end-papers but free of inscriptions. Light toning to the page edges in places. The scarce WRAPPER is complete and is in Very Good+ condition. Light toning to the folds, edges and the spine. Some mild edge-wear with only a little loss at the spine ends and edges in places. Some splitting and closed tears to the spine and spine folds. The illustrated wrapper remains striking in the removable Brodart archival cover. Profusely illustrated throughout by Franciskza Themerson. 'My First Nursery Book' tells the stories 'Who Killed Cock Robin?', 'The Gingerbread Man', 'Three Little Pigs' and 'The Three Bears' with uniquely striking period… Read More

The First UK printing published by The Golden Cockerel Press, Waltham St. Lawrence in 1935. Number '25' 0f only 212 copies issued of the special limited edition. The BOOK is in near Fine condition. Printed in Perpetua type on hand made paper and signed by L.A. Strong to the limitation page as called for. There were also 1000 unnumbered and unsigned copies. Original blue morocco spine slightly sunned and marbled boards. Very light spotting to the text block with the occasional light spot to the page edges in places. Free from inscriptions and erasures. The fragile original plain Glassine WRAPPER is in Very Good condition. It is split at the spine with some loss of the spine portion. The scarce glassine wrapper is now protected in a removable Mylar archival cover. Illustrated by Eric Ravilious with a full page frontispiece, first leaf engraving, and a series of repeated decorations (bandeaux). One of three books illustrated by Ravilious for The Golden Cockerel Press. Sanford called this work, 'one of… Read More

The sole UK printing published by Secker & Warburg, London in 1945. The BOOK is in near Fine condition. Number '748' of 850 numbered copies. Publisher's original blue cloth is clean and the gilt titling remains bright. Top edge gilt with others uncut. Light toning and spotting to the extreme page edges due to the quality of the paper stock used. Free from inscriptions and erasures. Some light offsetting to the blank end-papers. The WRAPPER is complete and is in Very Good++ condition. Light rubbing to the folds and spine ends. Some light edge-wear with slight fading of the red colouring to the spine. The wrapper is protected in a removable Brodart archival cover. Six full-page illustrations (of which four are in colour), by Henry Moore. The book has been signed (without dedication) by Henry Moore to the half-title. A melodrama for broadcasting based on Homer's 'Odyssey', with orchestral score by Benjamin Britten. Loosely laid in is a B/W photograph postcard signed by Henry Moore. The postcard measures… Read More

The First UK printing published by by Martin Secker, London in 1931. The BOOK is in Very Good++ condition. Light pushing at the spine ends with some light fading to the board edges and the spine. Some toning to the text-block with an area of staining confined to the upper text-block and not affecting the pages. Light offsetting and spotting to the prelims and rear blank endpaper. Free from inscriptions. A bookplate designed by Edmund Dulac for 'The Book Society' to the lower front pastedown which is clean. This is likely to be the first design for the Book Society before being replaced by the more commonly encountered Rex Whistler designed bookplate. The WRAPPER is complete and is in Very Good+ condition. Light edge-wear and rubbing to the spine tips. Toning to the folds and the spine. Light spotting in places. A small stain to the lower rear flap fold. The period wrapper artwork (uncredited) looks striking in the removable Brodart archival cover. 'A remarkable contemporary novel by the author of The… Read More

The First UK printing published by Constable, London in 1928. The BOOK is in near Fine condition in the original variant binding of terracotta cloth, upper board and spine lettered in black. Some faint spotting to the edges and prelims. Free from inscriptions and erasures. The fragile WRAPPER is complete and is in Very Good++ or better condition. Some light markings and slight edge-wear. The wrapper is protected in a removable archival protector and carries a striking period design signed with the initials 'EJIA'. These initials must be those of Edward Jeffrey Irving Ardizzone and this wrapper artwork must have been one of his earliest commissions. Born in Ireland, this is O'Leary's best known work, a science fiction novel in which 'a woman is given a drug that induces a range of Identity Transfer experiences, including life as a mouse and as her own betrayed husband ' (Science Fiction Encyclopaedia, online). A very scarce survivor. More images available on request. Ashton Rare Books welcomes direct contact.

The First UK printing published by George Harrap & Co. Ltd., London in 1947. The BOOK is in Very Good++ condition. Publisher's original illustrated boards have some light toning to the edges and some spotting in places. The binding remains tight. Some very slight rubbing at the corners with light toning to the text-block. Internally, some offsetting to the illustrated end-papers but free of inscriptions. Light toning to the page edges in places. The scarce WRAPPER is complete and is in Very Good+ condition. Light toning to the folds, edges and the spine. Some mild edge-wear with only a little loss at the spine ends and edges in places. Some splitting and closed tears to the spine and spine folds. The illustrated wrapper remains striking in the removable Brodart archival cover. Profusely illustrated throughout by Franciskza Themerson. 'My First Nursery Book' tells the stories 'Who Killed Cock Robin?', 'The Gingerbread Man', 'Three Little Pigs' and 'The Three Bears' with uniquely striking period… Read More