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Locus Solus Rare Books, Ltd
New York, NY
MAD Humor in a Jugular Vein. Vol. 1, No. 1 - Vol. 1, No 23; with: MAD: Humor in a Jugular Vein, Vol. 1, No, 24 - Vol. 1, No. 51. New York: EC / Educational Comics, (1952-1959). A consecutive run of the first 51 numbers of the iconic periodical of irreverent satire that has entertained several generations of postwar youth. Founded by Harvey Kurtzmann and William L. Gaines, for its first 23 numbers MAD was a comic book; in July 1955 it changed over to a magazine format. In the course of its long life—which continues to this day—there has been virtually no aspect of American culture that MAD has not satirized. It established a model for irreverent humor that led to offpspring such as National Lampoon, The Simpsons, and, it could be argued, a vast array of television, movies, and print-format humor. Among the roster of talent that helped to create MAD have been cartoonists Al Jaffee and Don Martin, Mort Drucker and comic giants such as Ernie Kovacs, Steve Allen, Bob Elliott & Ray Goulding (“Bob and Ray”) and Stan Freberg. An excellent run in uncommonly nice condition. $16,500.
Lucius Books
York, U.K.
Eliot, T. S.: Four Quartets comprising East Coker, Burnt Norton, The Dry Salvages and Little Gidding London: Faber and Faber. 1940-1942. First editions, first printings (first Faber edition of volume one). Four volumes, each signed by the author to the title page. An excellent very good or better set showing only minor rubbing and dustiness to the extremities of the wrappers. East Coker is very good with a short closed tear to the bottom edge of upper wrapper and light spotting to the margins of some pages. Burnt Norton is near fine with only light rubbing to the wrapper edges. The Dry Salvages is very good with light rubbing and some bumping/reasing to the corners. Tiny pencil name of Mr [H. G.] Martin to the top edge of preliminary blank. Little Gidding is in the earliest state with sewn rather than stapled wrappers and is in near fine condition with only the lightest of rubbing to the extremities and the neat pencil name of Mr Martin to the front blank. All in all an excellent set in entirely original condition. Housed in purpose made quarter navy blue morroco solander box. Signed copies of any of the individual volumes of Four Quartets are rare, all four together exceptionally so. $29,000.
Beckett, Samuel: Krapp’s Last Tape and Embers London: Faber & Faber. 1959. First edition, first printing. Original card covers. Inscribed by the author, “For Pat Magee/In friendship/Sam. Beckett/Paris Xmas/1959.” Very much a working copy with underlining and various inscriptions/diagrams in Magee’s hand. From the condition, one could assume that he carried it around in his back pocket for the 20 years following presentation, the covers are loose, chipped and worn but the pages are generally clean and without tears. Housed in purpose made quarter black morocco solander box by The Chelsea Bindery. A landmark copy of one of the most significant plays of the twentieth century. $18,250.
Stuart Lutz Historic Documents, Inc.
Short Hills, NJ
Since there will be an Amelia Earhart movie out later this year, this photograph signed by Earhart and fellow aviator Fred Noonan may be of interest. It was signed just before they left on their fatal around-the-world flight and is exceptionally rare. This photograph was taken at the Oakland Airport on March 17, 1937. The crew is shown below the nose of Earhart’s Lockheed Electra, the same one that was delivered to her in July 1936 and financed Purdue University; it is also the plane that she disappeared in. This photograph came from the estate of Carl Bigelow, a long-time photographer for the Oakland Tribune. The American Book Prices Current shows only one other photograph signed by Earhart and Noonan ever selling at auction, and it hammered for $15,000 (plus commission) in 2000, and that photograph only showed Earhart’s plane in flight and had no image of the great aviatrix. A true aviation rarity. $11,500.