Books
Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, By John Foxe, Originally Published in 1563, Under the Title Actes and Monuments, This New and Complete Book Of Martyrs, or, An Universal History of Martydom. Circa 1750
We also have the earlier version, as a seperate volume, detailing the Burning at the Stake of the Protestant Martyrs Under Queen ‘Bloody’ Mary the 1st’s Rule, Published 1741, Formerly Part of the Richard Hoare Collection.
Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, originally published in 1563 under the title Actes and Monuments, underwent a dramatic transformation in structure, format, and title during the mid-18th century (circa 1750).While the 16th and 17th-century editions were massive, multi-volume academic folios chained to church lecterns, the 1750–1850 window marked the era where publishers heavily abridged the text. They stripped away John Foxe's complex Latin theological debates and focused strictly on the dramatic, biographical narratives of the martyrs. This is precisely the era when the simplified title "The Book of Martyrs" became standard public parlance.
In 1571 under Queen Elizabeth I, there was an order for John Foxe’s Book of Martyrs to be chained alongside the Bible in cathedrals and some churches and halls. Anne Askew's own testimony of her faith and trials was included. As Foxe said of her:
She being born of such stock and kindred that she might have lived in great wealth and prosperity, if she would rather have followed the world than Christ
Editions printed around 1750 began replacing the classic 16th-century woodcuts with highly detailed, dramatic copperplate line engravings depicting scenes of trial and execution (such as the famous imagery of John Badby or the Marian persecutions)
Title in gilt on spine in second compartment, all edges gilt. Engraved frontispiece, vi, 7-951, (5) pages. Being the Book of Martyrs, Revised and Corrected, The Whole originally Composed by the Rev. Mr. John Fox. An expanded version of Fox's Book of Martyrs, first published in 1563, with handsome engravings depicting the sufferings of Christian martyrs. Engraved frontispiece and illustrations in text. Covers rubbed and scuffed, mainly at edges. Previous owner's business name inscribed on his notepaper.
Scattered foxing. Some of the pages have been professionally repaired. Engraved loose frontispiece has some loss along the edges due to trimming by a previous binder. With 49 fine full-page copperplates of martyrdoms Index at rear. Contains five books: Books I,II, and III are Protestant Martyrs, Book IV is Eminent Protestant Martyrs, and Book V is Part II, a Supplement on Primitive and Early Martyrs. English historian and Reverend John Foxe compiled multiple volumes documenting Christian martyrology and persecutions from the earliest ages of the church to the late 16th century, most notably his Universal History of Martyrdom. His extensive history was revised and with additions and corrections by multiple authors, including Paul Wright, the Vicar of Oakley under the reign of Queen Mary the first who also authored a Complete British Family Bible and Complete Life of Jesus Christ. With the intention of promoting the Protestant religion, Foxe's martyrology includes accounts of the lives and persecutions of the Macabees by the Greeks, the Hebrews by the Egyptians, the Israelites by the Phillistines, Jesus Christ and his Apostles, and the Protestants in England, Scotland and Ireland.
The Apostles and Evangelists: Accounts of the dramatic deaths of Christ’s disciples, including the stoning of Stephen, the crucifixion of Peter (upside down), and the beheading of Paul in Rome.
The Ten Primitive Persecutions: Stories of early Christians under Roman Emperors like Nero, Domitian, and Diocletian. Famous narratives included Christians being thrown to lions, burned as human torches, or tortured in the Colosseum.
By 1750, editors routinely added updated appendices to make the book highly relevant to contemporary British readers. These additions included: The Spanish Armada (1588): The miraculous defeat of the Catholic invasion fleet.The Gunpowder Plot (1605): Guy Fawkes' failed conspiracy to blow up Parliament.The Irish Rebellion of 1641: Sensationalized accounts of the massacres of up to 40,000 Protestant settlers in Ireland.The St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre (1572): The slaughter of French Protestant Huguenots in Paris.
The European Persecutions: Stories of the Waldensians and the Albigenses in Europe, who resisted papal authority centuries before the Reformation.
The Spanish and Italian Inquisitions: Highly descriptive accounts detailing the torture methods, secret trials, and public executions (autos-da-fé) carried out by the Catholic Church.
Mid-18th-century printings such as this, are typically large quartos or folios bound in period full calf or sheepskin leather, blind-stamped decorations. The pages were printed on handmade rag paper, which frequently shows varying degrees of "foxing" (brown spotting) today read more
995.00 GBP
A Large Volume of Foxe's Book of Martyrs 1570, by An Impartial Hand. Detailing the Burning at the Stake of the Protestant Martyrs Under Queen ‘Bloody’ Mary the 1st’s Rule, Published 1741, Formerly Part of the Richard Hoare Collection.
We also have the later and more expanded version, as a seperate volume, published in circa 1750 detailing the martyrdoms from the early Roman era, and into the Charles Ist era.
Bearing original Richard Hoare’s Ex-Libris bookplate. One of the most foremost and important books of the 16th century, and a fabulous book for those that wish to have a most impressive rare book as a statement piece for an eclectic collection of unusual artefacts covering a broad spectrum. An absolute beauty. The Book of Martyrs: Containing an Account of the Sufferings and Death of the Protestants in the Reign of Queen Mary. ... Illustrated with Copper-plates. Originally Written by Mr. J. F., and Now Revised and Corrected by an Impartial Hand. One of the martyrs was Derek Carver, owner of a Brighton brewery barely 150 yards from our Brighton gallery. He was burnt at the stake in 1555, in our local Sussex market town of Lewes, while stood in a beer barrel, around 12 miles distant from us. A most fine example formerly from the library and private collection with family crest and library plate of Richard Hoare descendant of famous abolitionist and 'Sign of the Black Horse' founding banker, Samuel Hoare Jr. Richard, of Marden Hill Hertfordshire, was born in 1824, son of the banker Samuel Hoare (1783-1847) who was grandson of Quaker and abolitionist Samuel Hoare Jr. whose bank, Barnetts, Hoares, Hanbury & Lloyd, first used The Sign of the Black Horse as it's symbol, that was taken over and used by Lloyds Bank as it's logo in 1884. We show a portrait of young Richard Hoare painted by Royal Academician George Richmond
The book was originally produced in 1563 and illustrated with over sixty distinctive woodcut impressions and was to that time the largest publishing project ever undertaken in England. Their product was a single volume book, a bit over a foot long, two palms-span wide, too deep to lift with only one hand, and weighed about the same as a small infant. Foxe's own title for the first edition (as scripted and spelled), is Actes and Monuments of these Latter and Perillous Days, Touching Matters of the Church. Long titles being conventionally expected, so this title continues and claims that the book describes "persecutions and horrible troubles" that had been "wrought and practiced by the Roman Prelates, speciallye in this realm of England and Scotland". Foxe's temporal range was "from the yeare of our Lorde a thousand unto the tyme nowe present"
Following closely on the heels of the first edition (Foxe complained that the text was produced at "a breakneck speed"), the 1570 edition was in two volumes and had expanded considerably. The page count went from approximately 1,800 pages in 1563 to over 2,300 folio pages. The number of woodcuts increased from 60 to 150. As Foxe wrote about his own living (or executed) contemporaries, the illustrations could not be borrowed from existing texts, as was commonly practiced. The illustrations were newly cut to depict particular details, linking England's suffering back to "the primitive tyme" until, in volume I, "the reigne of King Henry VIII"; in volume two, from Henry's time to "Queen Elizabeth our gracious Lady now reygnyng..The title plate bears a hand penned note dating the entry in 1847 at Marden Hill. n the 1540s the Black Lion brewery was purchased by a Flemish man named Deryk Carver. A Protestant, Carver had fled religious persecution in his home country and had settled in England. At this time, England was a Protestant country following Henry VIII’s break with Rome and the establishment of the Church of England in the early 1530s. Unfortunately for Carver, this policy was reversed in 1553 when Queen Mary I succeeded to the throne. Mary restored Catholicism as the state religion, and revived a series of heresy laws that outlawed Protestant practices. In late 1554 a series of persecutions began, which have left Mary with the nickname of ‘Bloody Mary’.
Carver, who acted as lay preacher in his house in Brighton, was an early victim. He was arrested in October 1554, and tried in London the following year. When questioned by Bishop Bonner on his beliefs, Carver refused to recant his Protestant practices. Sealing his fate, Carver made a fierce attack on the Catholic faith:
‘..your doctrine is poison and sorcery. If Christ were here you would put Him to a worse death than He was put to before. You say that you can make a God: ye can make a pudding as well. Your ceremonies in the Church be beggary and poison.’ (Quoted in John Ackerson Erredge, History of Brighthelmstone 2005, p.120).
Carver was found guilty and burnt at the stake in Lewes on 22 July 1555. In order to mock his profession, he was placed in a barrel prior to his execution.
Carver is one of several Protestant martyrs whose death is marked by the bonfire celebrations in Lewes. But he has never been forgotten in Brighton. John Ackerson Erredge, the first historian of Brighton, dedicated an entire chapter of his History of Brighthelmstone to his execution. The Black Lion brewery was regarded as one of the oldest buildings in Brighton until it was demolished in about 1970. It was partially rebuilt in 1974 as a near-replica of the original building. David Hawkins senior attempted to buy the original former brewery, in order to save it for posterity, and donate it to the town, but his offer was sadly rejected, and an office block architecturally inspired by a shoebox, was built on its main site. In 1970 building regulations in Brighton were woefully inconsiderate to historically important buildings. Book dimensions; 9.75 inches x 15 inches x 2.25 inches 713 pages , plus index of the victims up to 'H'. read more
1895.00 GBP
A Wonderful Collection of Cowper's Evocative Poetry. Stunningly Bound
A wonderful size pocket edition. If there was ever a single poet who should be read by every higher education student Cowper is the one. Poems by William Cowper of the Inner Temple. In two books, within this single volume of 480 pages. Printed for Longman and Co. Paper Ex Libris label of L E WEIR. George Cowper was an English poet and hymnodist. One of the most popular poets of his time, Cowper changed the direction of 18th century nature poetry by writing of everyday life and scenes of the English countryside. In many ways, he was one of the forerunners of Romantic poetry. Samuel Taylor Coleridge called him "the best modern poet", whilst William Wordsworth particularly admired his poem Yardley-Oak. He was a nephew of the poet Judith Madan. The stages of William Cowper's life: forced into a career in the law that he did not want, forbidden from marrying the woman he loved, and insensed by certain religious and political views of his cousin, can be found within the lines of his verse. His words very much encapsulate the zeitgeist of the late 1700s. The religious tone of The Task, its domesticity, and its treatment of such topics as slavery and consideration for animals, are all anticipated themes associated with the evangelical revival which began in the late 1780s. The clash between Cowper's horror at his cousin's theories and his sense of family and personal obligations unleashed a great burst of creative energy. In the four months from December 1780 to March 1781 Cowper composed 2700 lines of verse, moral satires, in pentameter couplets. This portrait of a man divided particularly demonstrates the conflicting nature of the era. In decorative full calf bindings. Externally beautiful with most handsome tooling with only a little wear to the extremities. Generally very bright and clean with just occasional light spotting on the last two pages. 5.25 x 3 x1 inches approx. read more
135.00 GBP
Original Publication Of the Memoires of a Famous I7th-18th Century French Pirate, Admiral Duguay-Trouin, René (1673-1736) Pirates Memoires de Monsieur Du Guay-Trouin, Lieutenant General Des Armées Navales Published by Amsterdam, Pierre Mortier, 1732.
Ironically this is a 1732 printed 'pirated edition', printed without the permission of the author in Amsterdam, of the memoirs of a famous French pirate due to be 'officially' published in 1740. These pirated copies are very much sought after, the ealiest the date of printing, the better.
First published in Amsterdam, in 1730, in a pirated edition extracted from an unfinished manuscript. This volume was one of the earliest published 'pirated' editions from Amsterdam, without plates.
The first official (and complete) edition was published posthumously in Paris, in 1740. Admiral Du Guay-Trouin, noted for his exploits during the War of the Spanish Succession, from 1699 to 1712, sailed American and Caribbean waters as a privateer. In 1711, he led a French expedition against Rio de Janeiro, then considered impregnable, and after an eleven day siege he occupied the city for some two months, holding the governor for ransom and ransacking the churches and plundering their treasures
DUGUAY-TROUIN, René (1673-1736). Memoires de Monsieur Dugué-Trouin. Amsterdam: Pierre Mortier, 1732. (148 x 87 mm). Early unauthorised edition.
This volume, the memoirs of one of France's most illustrious seamen and corsairs, was not intended to be published until after the author's death. The authorized edition of 1740 is lacking in many of the details found here, which the author suppressed at the request of Cardinal Fleury. Duguay-Trouin spent his active years engaged in attacks against Rio de Janeiro, attacking the port and city and ransacking the city's treasures. Borba de Moraes I, 272-273;
At the age of 16, Duguay-Trouin first went to sea as a sailor on board the French privateer Trinité under the command of a Captain Legoux. The privateer subsequently captured two enemy merchant ships, the François Samuel and Seven Stars of Scotland. Just two years later in 1691, his family provided him with command of his own ship, the 14-gun lugger Danycarn. In the next year, King Louis XIV appointed Duguay-Trouin to command the thirty-gun ship of the line Hercule on 6 June.
Ennoblement and naval career
In 1694, Louis XIV awarded Duguay-Trouin with a sword of honour for his naval service. In the same year, Duguay-Trouin, commanding the frigate Diligente, was attacked by a Royal Navy squadron commanded by Admiral David Mitchell while convoying a group of French merchant ships on 12 April. Duguay-Trouin successfully enabled the convoy to escape capture but was forced by Mitchell's squadron to strike his colours after a brief naval engagement which saw most of the crew of Diligente either killed or wounded. Duguay-Truin was taken as a prisoner of war to Plymouth, England.
The Admiralty, upon learning that Duguay-Trouin had fired upon Prince of Orange, an English merchant ship, while flying the Red Ensign, imprisoned him. On 19 June, Duguay-Trouin successfully escaped from England by boarding a small ship that he purchased from a friendly Swedish sea captain whose vessel was lying at anchor nearby. During his escape attempt, he was accompanied by four crewmembers: Lieutenant Nicolas Thomas, naval surgeon L'Hermite, Pierre Legendre and the quartermaster of Diligente. After conducting a series of raids on coastal settlements in Ireland, Duguay-Truin returned to Saint-Malo.
In 1697, the Treaty of Ryswick concluded the Nine Years' War, bringing a halt to the activities of naval officers such as Duguay-Trouin; he temporarily settled down in Saint-Malo. During this period, he was involved in a duel with another gentleman, Charles Cognetz, who Duguay-Trouin alleged had cheated in a game of cards. Both men were subsequently detained and taken to a local police official, Monsieur de Vauborel, who explicitly forbade the two to engage in any further violence.
War of the Spanish Succession
In 1702, as the War of the Spanish Succession was ongoing, he commanded two frigates, the Bellone and Railleuse. During this period, he formally became an officer in the French Navy. From 1704 to 1705, Duguay-Trouin commanded the warship Jason and captured the Royal Navy ships of the line HMS Elizabeth and HMS Coventry. On 21 October 1707, together with Claude de Forbin, he defeated a Royal Navy squadron commanded by Richard Edwards at the Battle at The Lizard.
In 1709, he captured the Royal Navy ship of the line HMS Bristol. In the same year he was ennobled by Louis XIV, choosing the motto Dedit haec insignia virtus ("Bravery awarded these honours"). By this point, he had captured 16 warships and over 300 merchant ships of varying sizes from the English and Dutch.
On 21 September 1711, in an 11-day battle, he captured Rio de Janeiro, then believed impregnable, with twelve ships and 6,000 men, in spite of the defence consisting of seven ships of the line, five forts, and 14 000-15 000 men; he held the governor for ransom. Duguay-Trouin captured large quantities of loot from Rio de Janeiro, including numerous Black slaves; he later sold these slaves at Cayenne, French Guiana. Investors in this venture doubled their money, and Duguay-Trouin earned a promotion to Lieutenant général de la Marine. Picture 7 in the gallery is the pirate admirals portrait, and picture 8 in the gallery is a popular early 18th century print of the admiral pirates campaign in Rio de Janiero {for information only not included} read more
945.00 GBP
This Week Had The Privilege To Acquire Another Entire Mansion House Library of a Late Collector & Bibliophile. A Collection of Over 550 Volumes, Antique and Vintage, Accumulated Over 50 Years
We were more than delighted to acquire this most eclectic of libraries, lovingly selected over decades, mostly comprising of historical but also contemporary novels of fiction, 1st Editions and books on military based subjects, both ancient and modern. From a former Radio 4 broadcaster and polymath, his collection was a delight to admire, let alone acquire.
We were once again most happy to sell, on the first day of their arrival here, to one collector, a selection of over 130 of the former bibliophiles book collection.
We have also selected around 175 to add to our own reference library of over 1000 volumes we have accumulated over the past century read more
Price
on
Request
The African Queen First Edition by C S Forester . Cecil Louis Troughton Smith, Known As Cecil Scott "C. S." Forester, "A Joy To Receive, Yet An Even Greater Joy To Give" M.H.
FORESTER, C.S. The African Queen
Heinemann, 1935.
First edition. Original brown cloth with gilt titles to the spine. A nice original copy with wear to the spine ends.
One of our most popular purchases from The Lanes Armoury, for gifting will always be our finest novels, by iconic authors. An heirloom for generations to come, that combines to be a fabulous read as well as an antiquarian joy of considerable beauty.
The African Queen is a 1935 novel written by English author C. S. Forester. It was adapted into the 1951 film of the same name.
The First UK printing published by William Heinemann Ltd., London in 1945. The BOOK is in Very Good++ condition . Original publisher's tan cloth with gilt titling to the spine. Very light bumping to the lower corners. Mild pushing to the spine tips with a very light vertical crease to the spine. The binding remains very tight and sound. Mild spotting to the text block with some light toning to the page edges. Free from inscriptions and erasures. A small light mark to the rear lower panel. Protected in a loose archival Mylar cover. Only 2500 copies were printed and very scarce in its original binding. The book was adapted very successfully for the 1951 John Huston film of the same title starring Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn. A very sharp collectible copy.
As World War I reaches the heart of the African jungle, Charlie Allnutt and Rose Sayer, a dishevelled trader, and an English spinster missionary, find themselves thrown together by circumstance in German Central Africa. Fighting time, heat, malaria, and bullets, they make their escape on the rickety steamboat The African Queen... and hatch their own outrageous military plan. Originally published in 1935, The African Queen is a tale replete with vintage Forester drama - unrelenting suspense, reckless heroism, impromptu military manoeuvres, near-death experiences - and a good old-fashioned love story to boot.
Cecil Louis Troughton Smith (27 August 1899 – 2 April 1966), known by his pen name Cecil Scott "C. S." Forester, was an English novelist known for writing tales of naval warfare. He is most remembered for his 12-book Horatio Hornblower series, depicting a Royal Navy officer during the Napoleonic wars; indeed, Hornblower has become embedded in the consciousness of generations growing up in the earlier part of the 20th century.
One of the author's most sought books, as a consequence of the classic John Huston film of 1951 starring Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn. Photo in the gallery of the early The African Queen movie poster {for information only} read more
750.00 GBP
1st Edition James Bond, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, by Ian Fleming. Part of The ‘Blofeld’ Sequence. The Most Infamous Villain In The James Bond Canon. Written By Fleming at ‘Goldeneye’ Whilst Sean Connery Was Filming His First Bond, “Dr. No” Nearby
Part of another small collection of James Bond First Editions that just arrived
1st Edition, 1st impression. Published by London: Jonathan Cape. 1963 original cover. (1963) On Her Majesty's Secret Service is the tenth novel in Ian Fleming's James Bond series, first published in the UK by Jonathan Cape on 1 April 1963. The initial and secondary print runs sold out, with over 60,000 books sold in the first month. Fleming wrote the book in Jamaica whilst the first film in the Eon Productions series of films, Dr. No, was being filmed nearby.
With a delightful hand written birthday dedication dated April 1963, the same month this Ist edition, first impression was published, with its original Richard Chopping designed dust cover.
On Her Majesty's Secret Service is the second book in what is known as the "Blofeld trilogy", which begins with Thunderball and concluded with You Only Live Twice. The story centres on Bond's ongoing search to find Ernst Stavro Blofeld after the Thunderball incident; through contact with the College of Arms in London Bond finds Blofeld based in Switzerland. After meeting him and discovering his latest plans, Bond attacks the centre where he is based, although Blofeld escapes in the confusion. Bond meets and falls in love with Contessa Teresa "Tracy" di Vicenzo during the story. The pair marry at the end of the story but Blofeld kills Bond's wife, hours after the ceremony.
Fleming made a number of revelations about Bond's character within the book, including showing an emotional side that was not present in the previous stories. In common with Fleming's other Bond stories, he used the names and places of people he knew or had heard of and Blofeld's research station on Piz Gloria was based on Schloss Mittersill, which the Nazis had turned into a research establishment examining the Asiatic races.
On Her Majesty's Secret Service received broadly good reviews in the British and American press. The novel was adapted to run as a three-part story in Playboy in 1963 and then as a daily comic strip in the Daily Express newspaper in 1964–1965. In 1969 the novel was adapted as the sixth film in the Eon Productions James Bond film series and was the only film to star George Lazenby as Bond. On Her Majesty's Secret Service was written in Jamaica at Fleming's Goldeneye estate in January and February 1962, whilst the first Bond film, Dr. No was being filmed nearby. The first draft of the novel was 196 pages long and called The Belles of Hell. Fleming later changed the title after being told of a nineteenth-century sailing novel called On Her Majesty's Secret Service, seen by Fleming's friend Nicholas Henderson in Portobello Road Market.
As with his previous novels, Fleming used events from his past as elements in his novel. Whilst at Kitzbühel in the 1930s, Fleming's car, a Standard Tourer, had been struck by a train at a level crossing and he had been dragged fifty yards down the track. From that time on he had associated trains with death, which led to their use as a plot device not just in The Man with the Golden Gun, but also in Diamonds Are Forever and From Russia, with Love.
To demonstrate just how much all things original Bond are appreciated in the world of collectors, the Walther pistol used by Connery in the poster of From Russia With Love, in 1963, and also drawn in the man With The Golden Gun is in fact just an air pistol. A .177 (4.5mm) Walther 'LP MOD.53' Air Pistol, Serial No. 054159. That pseudo pistol was sold by Christies in 2010, with an estimate of £15,000 to £20,000, but for an incredible £277,000. {We dropped out of the bidding at a mere £22,000} Incredible in that it was never used in any film, it was just an air pistol, not a real automatic, and only ever used in promotional posters. It was 'said' to have been used by accident in fact as they couldn't find a correct Walther.
A full set of 1st edition Ian Fleming's 14 James Bond novels published by Jonathan Cape between 1953-1966 could now cost in the region of £90,000. plus
Comprising of:
Casino Royale,
Live and Let Die,
Moonraker,
Diamonds are Forever,
From Russia with Love,
Dr No,
Goldfinger,
For Your Eyes Only,
Thunderball,
The Spy Who Loved Me,
On Her Majesty's Secret Service,
You Only Live Twice,
The Man with the Golden Gun
and
Octopussy and the Living Daylights {two storys in one volume}.
The dust jacket has a few small tears, but overall a jolly nice volume.
Out of interest, our last example of this super Ist edition James Bond, in around the same condition, we sold as a gift for an American megastar, who is now, apparently, the most famous and biggest selling movie actor in the world.
For those that have interest in World War II clandestine operations, we have acquired a small unique collection or original German badges personally collected by a former 30 AU commando, during clandestine raids, serving in Lt Commander Ian Flemings, so-called, “Red Indians”, of 30 assault commando.
Each superb iconic piece of history is for sale separately. Naturally, each piece comes with our usual certificate of authenticity, just as we have issued for all our pieces since after the war.
The partners of The Lanes Armoury have, for many decades, a very special interest in the clandestine forces of World War II, thus, offered and sold over the decades since the war, some of the most incredible artifacts of former SOE and OSS secret equipment and weaponry that you could ever find.
An interest that was likely formed as the current partner‘s father was an RAF bodyguard of Barnes Wallis, one of the greatest top-secret ‘boffins’ to have ever lived, the brains behind the dam-busters and so many other intriguing inventions for the RAF.
Also, the partner’s mother was a dear friend of former agent 365 of the Belgian Resistance, Countess Anita Vulliamy, who remarkably survived capture and torture by the Gestapo in WW2, and relocated to Hove after the war, and Mark, the elder partner, knew quite well a very famous spy, but for the ‘other side’, of Joe Stalin’s KGB, the ‘Cambridge Five Spy Ring’ recruiter. Of course it wasn’t until she had died that it was revealed to the public she was indeed one of the infamous World War II traitors and communist spy. Edith Tudor-Harte lived only a few hundred yards from the The Lanes Armoury gallery. read more
1200.00 GBP
One of The Most Famous 20th Century Writers in The World. James Bond Ist Edition "You Only Live Twice" Ist Issue, Fleming, Ian Published by Jonathan Cape, London, 1964. Basis for the James Bond Movie, Sean Connery & Karin Dor As Bond-Girl Helga Brandt
Our latest addition to our small Ian Fleming 1st Edition collection.
Jonathan Cape, London, 1964. the 2nd Bond book. Black Cloth with Japanese kanji . Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition:Good. First Edition. A first edition/first Impression.
A first edition, first impression (stating 'First Published 1964' versus the second state 'March 1964') of Ian Fleming's You Only Live Twice, here in highly collectible condition. With the original dustjacket designed by Richard Chopping, It is the last novel by Fleming to be published in his lifetime, with subsequent works (Man with The Golden Gun and Octopussy) being published posthumously. First edition, first impression (stating 'First Published 1964' versus the second state 'March 1964'), correctly priced at 16s.net. Original black cloth boards with the spine lettered in silver, with title in Japanese on front board in gilt. Internally fresh Original dustjacket by Richard Chopping with the pink presenting beautifully mild toning to the jacket spine. A near-fine example. Published by Jonathan Cape, London, 1964.
Ian Fleming was probably one of the most interesting Englishman of the 20th century. 90% of the world would believe that is because solely of his contribution to the literary world of his eponymous icon, James Bond. Also, for his other well known and famous literary masterpiece, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
However, long before the escapades described of Mr Bond, he was indeed a WW2 master spymaster himself, creating some of the most clandestine groups of special forces the world has ever known, but it is hardly, in fact, known around the world at all.
His clandestine force, called 30 commando or X force, Aka the Red Indians, contained some of the bravest and most resourceful men to have fought in World War II. In fact all of them versions of James Bond himself and his connection to so many other clandestine operations, such as The Dieppe Raid, and some still secret today, is not frequently known by all of the admirers of his post war craft. His clandestine force was actually referred to in one of his early books, and he subtly described them, as Bonds affinity to playing like Red Indians.
The Metaphorical Meaning in the novel, Casino Royale is when the villain, Le Chiffre, mocks James Bond by telling him he is "playing Red Indians". He implies that Bond is acting like a naive child who thinks the world is simple, mistakenly believing it is easy to tell black and white, or absolute good and evil, apart. The real-life inspiration outside of the narrative, is that the term refers to the previously described 30 Assault Unit (30 AU). This was a real-life commando unit formed by Ian Fleming during World War II, made up of specialist intelligence troops tasked with infiltrating enemy lines and securing documents. Fleming originated the idea for this group and personally nicknamed his commandos his "Red Indians
Throughout a jolly nice copy. "When Ernst Stavro Blofeld blasted into eternity the girl whom James Bond had married only hours before, the heart, the zest for life, went out of Bond" (from the dust-jacket). Basis for the James Bond movie with Sean Connery and Karin Dor as Bond-Girl Helga Brandt. This film is the first Bond movie to deviate from the source material. Other than the Japanese setting, and several characters, the two stories are very different. A first edition/first Impression (stating "first Published 1964" versus the second state "March 1964")
You Only Live Twice
Cinema poster showing Sean Connery as James Bond fly his monocoptor over the villains lair.
British cinema poster for You Only Live Twice.
The movie was Directed by Lewis Gilbert
Produced by Albert R. Broccoli
Harry Saltzman
Distributed by United Artists
Release date
12 June 1967 (London, premiere)
You Only Live Twice is a 1967 British spy film and the fifth in the James Bond series produced by Eon Productions, starring Sean Connery as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. The film's screenplay was written by Roald Dahl, and loosely based on Ian Fleming's 1964 novel of the same name. It is the first James Bond film to discard most of Fleming's plot, using only a few characters and locations from the book as the background for an entirely new story.
In the film, Bond is dispatched to Japan after American and Soviet manned spacecraft disappear mysteriously in orbit. With each nation blaming the other amidst the Cold War, Bond travels secretly to a remote Japanese island to find the perpetrators and comes face to face with Ernst Stavro Blofeld, the head of SPECTRE. The film reveals the appearance of Blofeld, who was previously a partially unseen character. SPECTRE is working for the government of an unnamed Asian power, implied to be the People's Republic of China, to provoke war between the superpowers.
During the filming in Japan, it was announced that Sean Connery would retire from the role of Bond, but after a hiatus, he returned in 1971's Diamonds Are Forever and later 1983's non-Eon Bond film Never Say Never Again. You Only Live Twice is the first Bond film to be directed by Lewis Gilbert, who later directed the 1977 film The Spy Who Loved Me and the 1979 film Moonraker, both starring Roger Moore.
You Only Live Twice was a great success, receiving positive reviews and grossing over $111 million in worldwide box office.
For those that have interest in World War II clandestine operations, we have acquired a small unique collection or original German badges personally collected by a former 30 AU commando, during clandestine raids, serving in Lt Commander Ian Flemings, so-called, “Red Indians”, of 30 assault commando.
Each superb iconic piece of history is for sale separately. Naturally, each piece comes with our usual certificate of authenticity, just as we have issued for all our pieces since after the war.
The partners of The Lanes Armoury have, for many decades, a very special interest in the clandestine forces of World War II, thus, offered and sold over the decades since the war, some of the most incredible artifacts of former SOE and OSS secret equipment and weaponry that you could ever find.
An interest that was likely formed as the current partner‘s father was an RAF bodyguard of Barnes Wallis, one of the greatest top-secret ‘boffins’ to have ever lived, the brains behind the dam-busters and so many other intriguing inventions for the RAF.
Also, the partner’s mother was a dear friend of former agent 365 of the Belgian Resistance, Countess Anita Vulliamy, who remarkably survived capture and torture by the Gestapo in WW2, and relocated to Hove after the war, and Mark, the elder partner, knew quite well a very famous spy, but for the ‘other side’, of Joe Stalin’s KGB, the ‘Cambridge Five Spy Ring’ recruiter. Of course it wasn’t until she had died that it was revealed to the public she was indeed one of the infamous World War II traitors and communist spy. Edith Tudor-Harte lived only a few hundred yards from the The Lanes Armoury gallery. read more
1495.00 GBP
A Superb Leather Bound Volume of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's, - The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes. Leather Bound, Ist "Longmans' Colonial Library" Edition, Published In 1894
It has all the classic Sydney Paget illustrations, including this famous one of "The Death of Sherlock Holmes."
The Longmans, Green & Co. Colonial Library edition of The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, typically published in 1894, is a scarce and highly collectible variation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's classic second collection. It is highly sought after by collectors of antique literature and Arthur Conan Doyle editions
Longmans, Green & Co. released this as part of their Colonial Library series in 1894.
Unlike the larger 1893 Newnes quarto edition, the Longmans release is a standard crown octavo format.
These vintage printings typically include the original, iconic illustrations by Sidney Paget.
The first version of the stories were published in Strand Magazine 1892-93, once bound in a single volume they generally featured standard publisher's cloth or paper-wrapped boards (such as pale green decorated cloth) rather than bespoke leather.
True leather-bound deluxe copies, from 1894 and beyond, such as this one, are almost always custom, bespoke bindings or rebound versions from private collectors or museum collections.
"The Adventure of Silver Blaze"
"The Adventure of the Cardboard Box" – not in the first British edition, thus, not is this 1894 bound volume
"The Adventure of the Yellow Face"
"The Adventure of the Stockbroker's Clerk"
"The Adventure of the Gloria Scott"
"The Adventure of the Musgrave Ritual"
"The Adventure of the Reigate Squire"
"The Adventure of the Crooked Man"
"The Adventure of the Resident Patient"
"The Adventure of the Greek Interpreter"
"The Adventure of the Naval Treaty"
"The Adventure of the Final Problem"
The first London edition of the Memoirs in 1894 did not include "The Adventure of the Cardboard Box", although all twelve stories had appeared in the Strand Magazine. The first U.S. edition included the story, but it was very quickly replaced with a revised edition that omitted it. The reasoning behind the suppression is unclear. In Britain the story was apparently removed at Doyle's request as it included adultery and so was unsuitable for younger readers. This may have also been the cause for the rapid removal of the story from the U.S. edition, and some sources state that the publishers believed the story was too scandalous for the American public.
The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes features illustrations by Sidney Paget throughout. An iconic work authored by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, it is a collection of 12 stories originally appearing in The Strand Magazine from 1892-1893. Late 1893 saw its first appearance in book form, printed with a 1894 date. Doyle intended to kill off Sherlock Holmes in the final story, 'The Final Problem'; but, reader demand prompted the author to produce a novel sequel, 'The Hound of the Baskervilles', and the character's 'return' in the equally successful 'The Return of Sherlock Holmes'. This edition of The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes provides an essential piece of literary history and a unique glimpse into the Victorian era, complete with Paget's classic illustrations throughout. Enjoy the iconic stories of Holmes and Watson as they were originally intended, in their original form and with the illustrations that made them so popular. read more
1200.00 GBP
Rare Ist Edition Of 'The Hunting of the Snark', Publication Date 29 March 1876, Subtitled An Agony, in Eight Fits By Lewis Carroll. Ist Impression. With * Supposed Error; 'Baker' instead Of 'Butcher' Page 83 Line 6
The Hunting of the Snark, subtitled An Agony, in Eight Fits, is a poem by the English writer Lewis Carroll. It is typically categorised as a nonsense poem.
Written between 1874 and 1876, it borrows the setting, some creatures, and eight portmanteau words from Carroll's earlier poem "Jabberwocky" in his children's novel Through the Looking-Glass (1871).
First Edition. First Impression, with "Baker" instead of "Butcher" on p.83, line 6. Octavo (18.75cm); publisher's original buff cloth, with titling and decorations stamped in black on spine and covers; all edges gilt; surface losses to the spine; contents nice. A well-preserved copy of Carroll's wildly popular nonsense poem, drawing language and characters from his earlier poem "Jabberwocky." "A comic narrative in verse in which ten would-be heroes go in quest of the legendary Snark, the difficulties of finding it compounded by the possibility that it might turn out to be a Boojum" (Barron, Fantasy Literature 2-24). Williams 31.
Macmillan published The Hunting of the Snark in the United Kingdom at the end of March 1876, with nine illustrations by Henry Holiday. It had mixed reviews from reviewers, who found it strange. The first printing of the poem consisted of 10,000 copies. There were two reprints by the conclusion of the year; in total, the poem was reprinted 17 times between 1876 and 1908. The poem also has been adapted for musicals, movies, opera, plays, and music.
The narrative follows a crew of ten trying to hunt the Snark, a creature which may turn out to be a highly dangerous Boojum. The only crew member to find the Snark quietly vanishes, leading the narrator to explain that the Snark was a Boojum after all.
Carroll dedicated the poem to young Gertrude Chataway, whom he met in the English seaside town Sandown on the Isle of Wight in 1875. Included with many copies of the first edition of the poem was Carroll's religious tract, An Easter Greeting to Every Child Who Loves "Alice".
Various meanings in the poem have been proposed, among them existential angst, an allegory for tuberculosis, and a mockery of the Tichborne case.
While Carroll denied knowing the meaning behind the poem, he agreed in an 1897 reply to a reader's letter with an interpretation of the poem as an allegory for the pursuit of happiness.
Henry Holiday, the illustrator of the poem, considered the poem a "tragedy"
This Ist edition of Hunting of The Snark, valued at £200,000, became the central theme of an entire film episode of 'Lewis' from the cannon of works based around Inspector Morse the now world famous Oxford detective. His sergeant, Lewis, had his own Oxford based series after he was promoted to Inspector following the death of his dear friend, mentor and senior colleague of the Thames valley Police.
The Soul of Genius.
DI Lewis and DS Hathaway investigate the murder of Murray Hawes, an Oxford professor whose body was found in a shallow grave in the woods. Dawes lived in a spartan apartment but had recently made an expensive purchase: an edition of Lewis Carroll's The Hunting of the Snark, annotated by the author himself, for £200,000. In fact, their investigation shows that he was fanatical on the subject of the snark and was determined to solve Carroll's intricate riddle. Where he got the money is one line of inquiry but it's clear that he and his brother, the Rev. Connor Hawes, were in dangerous competition, something they had been doing since childhood. Making life more difficult for the police is Michelle Marber whose son was found dead several years ago. Although the coroner ruled death by misadventure, she is convinced that he was killed by Dr. Alex Falconer who had some type of connection with Hawes. Falconer, a medical research scientist, denies any knowledge of Hawes. Several suspect ts have lied to the police and the motivation of one of them leads the police the to killer.
*Please note, although it is often recorded that ‘Baker for Butcher’ is a 1st Edition first impression printing error, it is supposedly a myth, and there are no actual copies that do have Butcher.
This is yet another example of the numerous myths and legends that seem to surround this famed poem. Maybe it should be re-titled ‘The Hunting Of The Myth’ as it’s easier to find the myths than the likely true meaning of Dodgson’s iconic work. read more
845.00 GBP