Rare books from Thompson Rare Books

London: Chapman & Hall., 1907. First Edition. Octavo, bright red cloth lettered in gilt on spine & front panel. All edges trimmed. 312 pp. Some light foxing to page edges, a spot of wear to the cloth at extreme lower right-hand corner of the front. In all a magnificent copy, bright & clean, the lettering sharp. ¶ A horror novel written in an archaic style, presented as a true account of the events encountered by a passenger of the ship 'Glen Carrig', lost at sea in the mid-18th Century. Our "second-time-around" with this copy, which was item No. 1 in our 1996 Catalogue "William Hope Hodgson: A Catalogue of First & Early Editions, with Points for Identification & Several Rarities Bearing Inscriptions & Correspondence from the Author" (Published by The Hard Press, Vancouver).

London: Holden & Hardingham. , [1921]. Second Edition. Hardcover. Very Good. Reprint, first issued by Chapman & Hall in 1908. Small octavo, original pale tannish green boards lettered in black on spine panel. [252] pp. Cheap paper lightly browned, as usual; a very good clean copy in the rare pictorial dust jacket which has some small chips to the edges and a few small stains. ¶ Weird fantasy novel. "He relates the story of a lonely house in Ireland enveloped by hideous forces from other worlds and besieged by weird monstrosities emerging from an abyss beneath the house." - H.C. Koenig, 'William Hope Hodgson: Master of the Weird and Fantastic" (Introduction to the Arkham House edition, 1946). "One of the classics of supernatural fiction." - Bleiler, The Guide to Supernatural Fiction (1983).

London: Printed for Cadell and Davies.... Etc, and Samuel Bagster, 1807. 12mo, bound in full tree-calf, spines ruled and with contrasting leather labels lettered in gilt. 122 of 124 volumes, bound two volumes to one (61 books); lacking Vols 117-118. Most volumes with one or two attractive portrait engravings. This edition, usually referred to as "Bagster's Edition", is a reprint of John Bell's edition of 1777 - 92, which was issued in 109 volumes. Includes introductions with critical and biographical notes by Samuel Johnson and others. Some spine labels missing; one volume (v. 79-80, Pope Vol 2-3) has the front board sympathetically replaced. The POETS... begins with a lovely set of Chaucer (14 volumes). Note: This is a very large multi-volume set and will require extra postage to ship to most destinations. ¶ Curiously, these were available in two different formats: 124 volumes or 62 double-volumes; and what we have here is the 124 single volumes bound as doubles. The missing volume, Books… Read More

[UK]: [The Artist], 1941. First Edition, The Rare First Issue. Octavo, softcover (8 x 5 inches), stapled at spine. Original pictorial wrappers, the upper wrapper reproducing in colour an early design of the first trump, 'The Magician' (when the deck was eventually published the title of this card was changed to 'The Magus' and a very different design was used); stapled at spine. 20 pp. THE RARE FIRST ISSUE, with the title page intact. THE ARTIST'S OWN COPY, with her ownership inscription in pencil on the verso of the title page “Frieda, Lady Harris" and with a short shopping list in her hand (also in pencil) on the rear wrapper “Shoes - Hollywood, Pilchards”. The title page reads: “Exhibition of Playing Cards. The Tarot (Book of Thoth) 78 Paintings According To The Initiated Tradition And Modern Scientific Thought With Other Occult And Alchemical Designs. To Be Shown At The Nicholson Gallery (Nicholson & Venn) At 46 High Street Oxford From June 7 to June 21 1941 e.v.". Small circular stain to… Read More

London: Rebman Limited., 1910. First Edition (& 1st printing). Octavo, publisher's original burgundy cloth, front panel stamped in black, spine panel stamped in gold. A variant binding - most copies known are in black cloth with white chalk lettering (which is invariably damaged or perished). This red cloth with gilt lettering is presumably a later issue binding but is superior to most extant copies surviving in the black binding. Elaborate & decorative bookplate on front pastedown "Presented with the Compliments of the Home & Colonial Stores Limited 1913". Slight spine lean, some rubbing and spotting to cloth, a very good, bright copy. A very uncommon book. ¶ Historical novel of witchcraft and were-wolfery in early sixteenth century Scotland. "A long, muddled beginning, but very interesting second portion, with much folklore. The motif of the werewolf is exceptionally well handled." - Bleiler, The Guide to Supernatural Fiction 276. The author, John William Brodie-Innes, was a practicing occultist,… Read More