Back Editor's Choice: Number Eighteen

Editor's Choice: Number Eighteen

We hope you enjoy this weekly list of favourite new arrivals, which we carefully selected and put together to provide you with an an easy browsing. Here you will find the most special volumes among the hundreds of additions we get a Rooke Books each week. Don't fail to experience the magic a rare book can give, and make sure you grab your own favourite before it's gone!

1902 Pa Cats and Ma Cats and Their Kittens

A very scarce first edition copy of one of Louis Wain's charming children's works, illustrated with his trademark colour plates of anthropomorphised cats.

£1,500.00



1973 The Juniper Tree and Other Tales From Grimm by Maurice Sendak (illustrator)

A beautiful set of Maurice Sendak's illustrated edition of the tales of the Brothers Grimm, in a superb condition. The first edition of the work in the publisher's slipcase.

£260.00

2008 The Arabian Nights by Malcolm C. Lyons; Ursula Lyons

A deluxe limited edition of Malcolm C. and Ursula Lyons' new English translation of this important collection of Middle Eastern folk tales. Explore our catalogue of literature from all over the world with one click here

£235.00


1892 Indian Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs

The first edition of Joseph Jacob's collection of Indian fairy tales, illustrated throughout by John D. Batten.

£225.00


1959 Cat Among The Pigeons by Agatha Christie

The first edition of this Hercule Poirot detective novel 'Cat Among the Pigeons' by Agatha Christie, held in the original dust wrapper.

£190.00


1954 Destination Unknown by Agatha Christie

An excellent first edition copy of Christie’s novel, Destination Unknown, in the original dust wrapper. A lovely copy. To check out more volumes by the queen of crime, click here.

£165.00


1961 The House at Pooh Corner by A. A. Milne

A. Milne's second Winne-the-Pooh story collection, with the original charming illustrations by E. H. Shepard. If you enjoy children's books, explore this section.

£95.00 

1913 Arabische Nachte Erzahlungen aus Tausenduneine Nacht

A beautifully bound limited edition German edition of 'Arabian Nights', illustrated in colour vividly by Edmund Dulac. In a near fine binding with original working clasps.

£1,650.00


1806 A Sporting Tour through Various Parts of France in the year 1802 by Colonel Thornton

A handsomely-bound first edition detailing a sporting tour of France at the turn of the 19th century, illustrated with folding plates. Two volumes bound together as one. Click here for some European history. 

£985.00


1835 The History of Greece by William Mitford

A very attractive eight volume set of William Mitford's important history of Classical Greece. Complete in eight volumes, with a title page illustrated vignette to each.

£985.00


1813 The History of Rome by Adam Ferguson

A lovely five-volume set history of the Roman Republic by Adam Ferguson, illustrated with folding maps and bound in contemporary morocco. Complete in five volumes. Check out more historical volumes here.

£900.00


1877 Childhood a Hundred Years Ago by Sarah Tytler

A scarce historical study of eighteenth-century childhood, populated with bright reproductions of artist Sir Joshua Reynold's portraits of children.

£58.00 

1964 Bibliotheca Bibliographici by Geoffrey Keynes

A smart limited edition catalogue of the library collected by Geoffrey Keynes. Profusely illustrated throughout.

£135.00 

1978 Catalogue of the Pepys Library by Robert Latham

A detailed catalogue referencing the many printed books held by the Pepys Library at the Magdalene College in Cambridge. To check out Samuel Pepys' works, click here.

£85.00 

c1969 The French Revolution: A History by Thomas Carlyle

A smart calf-bound edition of this important work charting the course of the French Revolution from 1789 to 1795.

£320.00 

1861 The Autobiography and Correspondence of Mary Granville by Mary Delany and Lady Llanover

A nicely bound first edition set of Mary Delany's autobiography and selected correspondence, illustrated beautifully throughout.

£310.00


1633 The Survey of London by John Stow

A scarce seventeenth-century edition of John Stow's chorographical study of London. This is the fourth edition of this work.

£1,250.00


1686 Anekdota Heterouriaka by Antoine Varillas and Ferrand Spence

The first English edition of Antoine Varillas' anecdotal history of Florence and the Medici's, a fascinating work in full calf.

£750.00 

1838 The Life of William Wilberforce by Robert and Samuel Wilberforce

A first edition of the biography of William Wilberforce penned by his sons, complete in five volumes.

£195.00

1837 The Life of Thomas Jefferson by George Tucker

The exciting first edition of the first-ever comprehensive biography of the third American president. To explore some American history, click here.

£195.00 


1832 Letters of Eminent Men, Addressed to Ralph Thoresby by Ralph Thoresby

The first edition of this selection of letters, written by various men to the noted antiquarian Ralph Thoresby.

£120.00

1830 The Life and Correspondence of the late Admiral Lord Rodney by Major-General Mundy

A fascinating first edition correspondence of Admiral Lord Rodney, complete in two volumes.

£125.00


1939 The Minerva Press 1790-1820 by Dorothy Blakey

The first edition of this lovely illustrated history of the Minerva Press, an important publisher of Gothic literature during the Georgian era.

£170.00


c1875 Cre-Fydd's Family Fare by Cre-Fydd

A smartly rebound cookbook regarding cookery. Containing recipes such as Palestine soup, baked macaroni pudding and rolled jam pudding.

£95.00


1929 Fairy Flowers by Isidora Newman

A delightful volume of fairy tales and fables, brightly illustrated throughout. From American poet and artist Isidora Newman, this is a collection of twenty-four fairy tales and fables, many of which seek to explain the origins of certain varieties of flowers. Browse our children's books selection here.

£150.00 


1951 The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

A bright edition of this children's classic, with twelve full colour plates from celebrated illustrator Arthur Rackham. A lovely edition of Kenneth Grahame's classic of children's literature, depicting the exciting lives of various anthropomorphised animals living in pastoral Edwardian England.

£60.00


1650 The Art of Making Devises by Henri Estienne; Thomas Blount

A very scarce early edition of Henri Estienne's important early work on the art of devises illustrated with beautiful and detailed engravings.

£1,500.00


1914 Assyrian Sculptures in the British Museum by E. A. Wallis Budge

A smart first edition detailing Assyrian sculptures and art held at the British Museum, illustrated with fifty-three plates. Don't miss out on our vast catalogue on archaeology and architecture! Browse here.

£290.00

1727 Syphillis a Practical Dissertation on the Venereal Disease by Daniel Turner

The third edition of Daniel Turner's scarce and important dissertation on syphilis, illustrated with a portrait frontispiece. Interested in medicine? Why don't you check out this catalogue.

£375.00


1816 Colonial Policy of Great Britain

A scarce first edition of this anonymous dissertation attacking the Americans, proposing a cease of trade with the U.S.

£370.00

1930-36 Motoring Scrapbook

A unique scrapbook, replete with pictorial cuttings of motor cars extracted from various periodicals of the 1930s.

£240.00