Lauded as the preeminent Jewish artist of the twentieth century and a pivotal figure of the modernist avant-garde, Chagall's whimsical depictions garner universal appeal. Picasso once remarked that "When Matisse dies, Chagall will be the only painter left who understands what colour really is." This copy contains thirteen original colour lithographs as well as two black and white ones. Although scores of this coveted gem have been illegally pirated, this edition is one of the original 6,000 copies printed. A much sought-after find in the publisher's unprinted acetate dust jacket. more info...

With his fifth alphabet book, The Glorious Nosebleed, Edward Gorey delights us with a familiar cast of fur-ensconced gents, waistcoated wanderers, and divan-draped ladies. The master of whimsical macabre presents them playing whist Distractedly, searching cellars Fruitlessly, sitting in trains Numbly, and exposing themselves Lewdly. Inscribed by the author. more info...

Tom McGuane has often been described as the "dean of Western writers," a brilliant and often absurd chronicler of the changing American West. The Bushwhacked Piano, his second novel, exhibits the best of McGuane's comic lyricism as he relates the madcap adventures of Nicholas Payne in pursuit of "utterly questionable goals." A rollicking and smart read. A beautiful copy of the First Edition. more info...

Set upon the backdrop of a traveling circus, a roadside hotdog stand, and other exotica, Tom Robbins' first novel, Another Roadside Attraction, explores the lives of a motley crew of misfits and oddballs. Some of the most memorable characters include a promiscuous earth mother, a jazz musician turned magician, an endearing baboon, the educated Marx Marvelous, and "Plucky", the sometimes football star/sometimes dope dealer. Robbins' literary debut garnered him a 1960s cult following that catapulted the previously unknown writer to iconic status. He manages to aptly capture the zeitgeist of a bygone era while still maintaining a sense of humor and levity. This is a great copy of the first edition of the author's first novel. more info...

Winner of the Pulitzer prize in 1938, The Yearling is Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings' timeless and tender story of young Jody Baxter and his pet fawn, Flag, in the backwoods of Florida. This limited edition includes illustrations by N.C. Wyeth, which were commissioned by Rawlings' publisher even before her Pulitzer was announced. As late as the early 1950s, however, copies of this illustrated signed edition reportedly remained unsold - an ironic twist that often befalls classic works. This copy of The Yearling is from an edition of only 770 illustrated by N.C. Wyeth and signed by both the author and artist. more info...

First published in Spanish in 1967, Gabriel Garcia Marquez's chronicle of the Buendia family in their town of Macondo firmly established itself as an exemplar of magical realism. This is a very good copy of the first American edition of one of the author's most lauded works. more info...

Dylan Thomas's wistful remniscence of childhood Christmases has been called a twentieth-century Christmas Carol. Its simple yet poignant rendering has made it a classic. First appearing as part of the collection Quite Early One Morning, this is a lovely copy of the first separate edition of A Child's Christmas in Wales. more info...

Theodore Roosevelt's first historical work, The Naval War of 1812, was also the first book on the War of 1812 to study the war with a historical eye. Previous books were largely of the "I was there" school of reminiscences; here, Roosevelt melds together the spotty official records of the Navy department files with ships logs, correspondence from participants, and semi-official British journals (notably the Naval Chronicle) published over the years. Though a well-organized historical work, this book is also a recorded polemic for a large, modern, professional, permanent United States Navy, a policy he put into effect years later as President. This is the first edition of the book and quite scarce. more info...

When Robert Mapplethorpe took female bodybuilder Lisa Lyon as his subject, he redefined the feminine ideal for the 1980's. Over a period of two years, Mapplethorpe photographed Lyon in various locations -- from Paris to Jamaica -- both nude and in costume. Lyon described her "concept of a woman's body" as "neither masculine nor feminine, but feline." Likewise, through his photographs, Mapplethorpe reveals not only Lyon's strength and agility, but her beauty. The Hasselblad Center featured Lady Lisa Lyon as one of the most important photography books of all time in the 2005 exhibition The Open Book: A History of the Photographic Book from 1878 to the present. more info...

Described as having a "certain Borgesian charm," Orhan Pamuk's White Castle grabbed the attention of the English-speaking world. Though written in 1982 and actually his third book, White Castle was the first to be translated. The sweeping narrative covers three generations of a wealthy Turkish family in the capital city of Istanbul and - though considerably shorter - its scope brought comparisons with Thomas Mann's Buddenbrooks. This is a great copy of the Nobel laureate's first work available in English. more info...

This 1737 copy of a working edition of Terentius' Phormio, produced in association with a performance of Phormio at the Collegio Salviati, is bound in the papal binding of Pope Clement XII, Lorenzo Corsini (1652 - 1740). Starting with a library bequeathed to him by his uncle, Corsini devoted a good portion of his life to building of a library that would during his reign become the famed Corsini Library at the Corsini palace. This red-morocco binding, stamped in gilt with the papal arms and elaborate borders, may be a bit worse for wear, but is still a rare example of this papal binding. more info...

"I have seen, and heard, much of Cockney impudence before now; but never expected to hear a coxcomb ask two hundred guineas for flinging a pot of paint in the public’s face." So said the critic John Ruskin regarding the work of James Whistler, instigating the libel case which would go on to become an indicator of the shifting values of Victorian culture. This book is Whistler's account of the case, his first book, and an important step towards the modern aesthetic. more info...

This is C.K. Howard Bury of the first expedition to approach Mount Everest, gathering information for the first attempts to conquer the peak in 1922. Aside from paving the way for the ascent, the book contains Bury's account of tracks "probably caused by a large 'loping' grey wolf, which in the soft snow formed double tracks rather like a those of a bare-footed man," which were interpreted by the sherpas as the tracks of "metoh-kangmi." When translated the English came up with abominable snowman, somewhat of a misnomer, but now, at least, a legendary one… more info...

Few writers have made the impact that Louis-Ferdinand Celine did with his first novel, Voyage au bout de la Nuit (Journey to the End of the Night). From his use of vernacular language and hyperbolic style to his main character (and in many ways, alter-ego) Bardamu's nihilistic intercontinental exploits, Journey's searing wit and cynicism have made it an unflinching landmark of twentieth-century literature. This is a five-volume limited and illustrated edition of Celine's major works, in the original French. more info...

Starting with the publication of Twentysix Gasoline Stations in 1962, Ed Ruscha's work redefined the contemporary artists' book. This is the second edition (without the quarter page flap) of his monumental Every Building on the Sunset Strip, housed in its original slipcase with the wraparound band. A Roth 101 title. more info...

From Treasure Island onward, Robert Louis Stevenson has captured the imaginations and hearts of his readers. This edition of A Child's Garden of Verses is beautifully bound in full blue calf with gilt decorations by Bayntun-Riviere. A lovely copy. more info...

Pierce Egan called boxing the "sweet science of bruising," and it is here that he pays homage to the sport. Included are biographies and engraved portraits of boxers, details of fights, and four folding plates depicting men in the ring ready for action. This copy is beautifully bound in full calf with gilt titles and decorations to spine and boards, a wonderful example of Egan's classic work. more info...

This large-scale photographic endeavor (the book measures 41 x 52 cm) juxtaposes isolated human forms with the powerful, wide expanse of the sea, creating an ambiguous motif that is strangely unsettling. This copy is signed by the photographer and still in its original box. The perfect gift for any photography fan. more info...

Widely considered to be Eloise for a new generation, Olivia has won the hearts of her readers. This is the first edition of the first book in the series, signed by the author and illustrator, Ian Falconer. The perfect gift to jump-start the library of the little one in your life. more info...

First printed in 1947 in a limited edition of 250 copies, Henri Matisse's Jazz is today on of the most successful (in every sense of the word) Livres d'Artistes of the 20th century. This beautiful facsimile edition is printed on unbound sheets specially for the Museum of Modern Art in 1983. The original sold at Christie's in 2007 for over $500,000. This almost full-scale (15 1/2" x 11 3/4") reproduction may just tide you over... for awhile anyway. more info...

Surely the most important diary in the English language, as well as an incomparable glimpse of London life in the 17th century. Covering the years 1660 until his sight was nearly gone in 1669, Pepys Diaries was finally printed in 1825. This is the 2nd edition of 1828 in five volumes, with an additional two volumes comprising his correspondence, the first edition. In all, seven volumes handsomely bound in contemporary full-calf, of the most intimate and detailed accounts of English life. more info...

Perhaps it was Alexandre Dumas' family history which inspired him to write such swashbuckling tales as The Three Musketeers. His father had been a General in Napoleon's army, and although he died when Alexandre was three, Alexandre's mother regaled him with stories of his father's military bravery during the height of Napoleon's reign. It's no wonder that these tales took hold of his imagination! This is a limited numbered edition of Dumas' complete works, in a sumptuous half-leather binding. more info...

From the pioneering Japanese photographer, Moriyama Daido 1970 - 1979 collects his work from the 70's in all its raw glory. more info...

In 1916, with the world at war, Edmund Gosse selected a representative fairy tale from each of the eight Allies fighting as one: Great Britain (with a story from each England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland), France, Italy, Portugal, Japan, Russia, Serbia, and Belgium. In his introduction, Gosse notes the universal existence of tales of enchantment, noting that the magical creatures that inhabit them "have no politics and are ignorant of patriotism...and we cannot be sure what part they take in the quarrels and dissensions of mankind." Their only law? "Be kind to those who are kind to you." This limited numbered edition has been illustrated with 12 color plates by Arthur Rackham, who also signed this copy (and, as a contemporary review notes, "There are lots of little decorations, too, by the same hand, which are delicious"), making it magically entertaining. more info...

Documenting the highs and lows of the '70s, these pictures capture a decade. more info...

Once upon a July 4th in 1862, Reverend Charles Dodgson began an extemporaneous yarn intended merely to liven up a five mile boat trip for three little girls named Lorina, Edith, and Alice. Though Reverend Dodgson had often told tales to pass the time away, according to his diary, young Alice insisted that this one in particular "might be written out for her". In 1865, Alice's wish was ready to be presented to the world in printed form as Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, complete with 42 of John Tenniel's illustrations. However, upon viewing the finished work, Tenniel flatly rejected the printing. Although Tenniel ostensibly took issue with its quality, many historians now suspect that this rather expensive objection might be attributed to his tumultuous working relationship with Carroll. Carroll ultimately acquiesced to Tenniel's objection and pulled the original printings from circulation, but was fortunately able to later sell the 1,952 sets to D. Appleton & Company, who published those sheets in this red cloth-bound first edition of the classic children's tale. Tenniel's illustrations display a simple yet wonderfully fantastic vision of Alice that has become embedded in our collective imagination. What began as Dodgson's small yarn has been spun into the golden, fanciful tale that established Carroll's place in the literary world and still enchants readers of all ages today. more info...

Friedrich Schiller's 1801 work Maria Stuart, set in 17th-century Britain, dramatizes the mounting tension between Mary, Queen of Scots, and her cousin, the Queen of England, Elizabeth I. As Mary persists as a threat to the Queen's throne, the pressure mounts for Elizabeth to sentence her to death and in a stroke of theatrical genius, Schiller gives us the impossible and fictionalizes a fiery meeting between the two women. Schiller's play enjoyed a Broadway rebirth last year in a Tony-nominated adaptation written by Peter Oswald and directed by Phyllida Lloyd. Janet McTeer and Harriet Walter star in the acclaimed production and, in the words of NYTimes theater critic Ben Brantley, "embody what may be the most storied rivalry in English history." Brantley further describes the play as having a "fierce timelessness in its depiction of political power games and the roles played - then as now - by charisma, duplicity, self-editing and what has come to be known as spin." more info...

Albrecht Durer (1471 - 1528) was not only a master Renaissance artist, but also a master theoretician. Toward the end of his life he produced three works on perspective, beginning with Unterweysung der Messung (1525), which would forever alter the landscape of human thought. For the first time in history, Durer explicated the marriage of science and art that was to become the foundation of Renaissance thought, consequently forming the basis of "accepted aesthetic dogma until the 19th century" (Carter, PMM, 54). The second of these works, originally published in German in 1528 as Vier Bucher von menschlicher Proportion, is presented here in its first translation into Latin, as De Symmetria Partium [1532] and De Varietate Figurarum [1534]. It was these Latin translations by Joachim Camerarius that allowed the filtration of Durer's influential ideas throughout the rest of the continent of Europe, to be discovered by Michelangelo and a host of other Renaissance thinkers and artists. These two volumes bound as one are complete except for the final blank in each volume. The plates for this edition were printed using the woodblocks from the original edition of 1528. The full early calf binding is stamped in blind with an armorial device featuring a pelican in her piety and a series of blocked decorative floral borders. A beautiful copy of one of the most influential works on Renaissance art and thought. more info...

Lauded by most as a witty and incisive account of Hollywood's narcissism, Lulu in Hollywood, a collection of essays by quintessential flapper and silent film star, Louise Brooks, casts often unflattering light on show business personalities such as Marion Davies, Humphrey Bogart, W.C. Fields, Greta Garbo, Lillian Gish, and Charlie Chaplin. Brooks astounded critics not only with her abilities as a writer, but also her keen insights into the movie industry. A trained dancer turned Ziegfeld show girl turned actress, she is perhaps most remembered for her unrelenting contempt for celebrity. In Lulu in Hollywood, Brooks justifies her attitude when she calls herself "an inhumane executioner of the bogus," in "cruel pursuit" of truth, while William Shawn describes her as "a brilliant observer of others." Published in 1982, years after Brooks had made her last film, the book garnered much attention, proof that her indelible persona continued to fascinate her many fans. more info...

Jacques Androuet du Cerceau was the most famous of an important family of French architects, engravers, and designers working throughout the Sixteenth and Seventeenth centuries. This volume is the first he produced in conjunction with the royal family. In it he provides models and instructions for the designs of fifty town houses on estates of various sizes, depending on economic and social scale, while still attempting to preserve ties to the classical tradition. According to Millard, this must be seen as the first wholly French publication of French architecture in the new classical style, and the first attempt to systematize French building practice. The book was designed as both a pattern book for the use of masons and carpenters, as well as a illustrative look at design. An important early work from the founder of one of the most important families of French design. Printed in the same year by the same printer as the Latin edition. (Millard 6, p.11). more info...

Called the "inspired idiot" by Horace Walpole, Oliver Goldsmith was an Anglo-Irish playwright famous for his flamboyant lifestyle and popular comedies. This large-format edition of She Stoops to Conquer, a farce that has been performed frequently even to this day, features 10 heliogravures by Edwin A. Abbey, a nineteenth-century artist, illustrator, and painter. Abbey's work appeared in Harper's Weekly and Scribner's Magazine, and he is best known for painting a series of murals for the Boston Public Library as well as murals and other artworks for the rotunda of the new Pennsylvania State Capitol in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Bound in bright blue cloth and stamped in silver, this book brings together two masters, Goldsmith and Abbey, each complementing the other. more info...

Morphed from box of ashes into book and 11" record, this highly personal limited edition comes darkly our way from the esteemed Heartworm Press. Through the plodding, deliberate layout, precise collage work, the finality of the memoir, and dark, intense sound Prurient (Dominick Furnow) and his mother Jean Feraca have given us a glimpse of a strange, disquieting procession. more info...

As a follow-up to Terry Richardson's Clown piece, RxArt returns with a 200-piece puzzle of downtown art star Dan Colen's "ROCK! PAPER! SCISSORS! SH...", "NO! NO! SCISSORS! ROCK! PAPER! SHOOT!" (2007). Edition limited to 700 copies. Also available in a kid-friendly 35-piece puzzle. more info...

Often referred to as "the forgotten man" of legendary pulp magazine Black Mask, Raoul Whitfield produced more work for the publication than any other writer, except for Erle Stanley Gardener. And although many details of Whitfield's life are murky, his imagination generated over 300 short stories and nine books for the publishing world. While known primarily for his detective fiction, Whitfield also published five collections of air adventure and battle stories for young readers, gleaning inspiration from his experience in the United States Army (either as a flying cadet or a Lieutenant, depending on who's telling the story). Indeed, Peter Ruber and Victor Berch, in their article, Raoul Whitfield: Black Mask's Forgotten Man, note that during an interview his ex-wife remarked that Whitfield credited himself as having created a new genre of short fiction, the "Flying Ace" stories. Abounding with nose-diving jets flying through enemy territory and fast paced dialogue, Silver Wings contains a dozen Flying Ace stories, all but one, previously published in Boy's Life Magazine. This copy with the bright Frank Dobias illustrated dust jacket in very good condition. more info...