163 résultats
194134927New York: The MacMillan Company 1941. 1st edition. PRESENTATION copy "of the Author's Six Copies this is Number 1" with warm 'Day of Publication' inscription from Holbrook as "Hols" to close Seattle-based friends Jim & Theresa Stevens. Black cloth binding. Black & yellow dust jacket. VG/Abt VG edgeworn with small triangular pc missing from top right edge of front panel. viii 2 283 3 blank pp including Index. 8vo. <br/><br/> The MacMillan Company hardcover books
186743987.1Cincinnati 1867. 1st Edition Sabin 19107. Original publisher's printed pale green wrappers. Some general wear soiling & light edge chipping to wrappers. A touch of foxing. Some paper loss at spine ends. Withal an About VG copy. 128 pp. 8vo. 8-1/4" x 5-1/2" <br/><br/>De Beck describes over 100 people who committed murders in and around Cincinnati. Curiously enough the front wrapper describes this volume as "A Book for the Family". Reissued later in the year with the author's name with the title amended to "The Horrors of Queen City. Being an Account.". unknown books
18672143Cincinnati: s.n. 1867. FIRST EDITION. Softcover. Good. Original publisher's printed pale green wrappers chipped. 128 pp. 8vo. 8-1/4" x 5-1/2". Some general wear & soiling. A touch of foxing. Unsightly abrasion to rear wrapper resulting in some loss. "A Book for the Family" in which are described in the most graphic detail over 100 murders in Cincinnati and environs. This highly curious volume represents a genuinely early American work in the literary genre now known as "True Crime" about which see especially Mark Steltzer "True Crime: Observations on Violence and Modernism" 2007 passim. True Crime as a form of entertainment created important American pop culture icons namely the sociopaths the psychopath the mass murderer and the serial killer all of whom are represented herein. The full title adds useful information about the crimes including: "Trials and Executions of John May ; Philip Lewis colored ; John Cowan the Murderer of his Family ; Washburn and his Associates Davis and Hoover the Butchers of over 30 Persons ; Byron Cooley who killed John Rambo ; Henry Lecount ; Patrick McHugh the Murderer of his own Wife ; and a Careful History of the Hughes Murderers with a Precise Account of the Murder of John Brasher the Watchman ; the Summons Massacre ; Arrison and the Infernal Machine ; Mrs. Howard who Avenged her Own Wrongs ; Nancy Farrer the Child Poisoner ; with a Correct Detail of Over a Hundred Other Murders which have Taken Place in this City and County." Scarce. ¶ Sabin 19107. s.n. unknown books
186719303Cincinnati: n. p. 1867 First edition. Wrappers somewhat stained with some chipping and a few closed tears and some creasing to the rear wrapper; upper edges of the text block somewhat foxed and dust-soiled; a very good copy. Original printed blue-green wrappers 8.25 x 5.5 inches 128 pages. Accounts of some of Cincinnati's most memorable executions and murders including such episodes as "The Summons Massacre; Arrison and the Infernal Machine; Mrs. Howard who Avenged her own Wrongs; Nancy Farrer the Child Poisoner" and many more. With perhaps one of the finest known epigraphs in American literature with the title at the head of the front wrapper claiming "A Book for the Family." Sabin 19108; not found in McDade. [n. p.], unknown books
199621931NY: Knopf 1996. First edition first prnt. One of an unspecified number of copies issued by the publisher with a tipped-in page signed by Ellroy for promotional purposes. Unread copy in Fine condition in a Fine dustjacket with an archival cove. Ellroy's first memoir. Signed by Author. First Edition. Hardcovers. Fine/Fine. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. Knopf Hardcover books
199617639New York: G. P. Putnam 1996. First edition. Paperback. Fine/none. 8vo. 201 pp. First edition first printing of this unusual formatted novel written in part by thirteen different authors. Fine condition in bound wrappers. Uncorrected Proof Copy for Limited Distribution. INSCRIBED by John Dufresne on the title page. G. P. Putnam paperback books
199013628New York: St. Martin's Press 1990. First edition. Hardcover. Near Fine/near fine. First edition of this murder mystery novel that won the Edgar Award for Best Crime Novel of the year. A sharp near fine copy in near fine unclipped dustwrapper. This copy nicely INSCRIBED by the author and dated in year of publication. Great New Orleans setting. <br/><br/> St. Martin's Press hardcover books
192747093Hartford: Clarence W. Seymour 1927. Reprint. 12mo. Burgundy cloth boards stamped in gilt. Reprint from the original plates of the 1876 edition. Minimal evidence of wear or handling; close to fine copy with gilt bright on cover and internally sound clean unmarked. Simultaneously issued in wraps this is the somewhat less common clothbound issue. History of Newgate Prison in Connecticut. Clarence W. Seymour unknown books
196819276New York: Doubleday & Co 1968. 1st edition. Black cloth binding. White dust jacket. NF/VG light age toning. 656 pp. 8vo. <br/><br/> Doubleday & Co hardcover books
195325649New York: Dell 1953. Reprint. Paperback. Good. Pocket paperbound book. Dell 738. An early reprint edition of this Thompson classic. 1949 on copyright page but this edition actually printed in 1953. A fair to good copy. Two small random ink markings on first endpaper. Some paper scaring/loss at top of front cover. Still well bound and ready for devouring. Dell paperback books
193022159Cleveland OH 1930. Large 8vo. Original color pictorial wraps. Good only. Covers chipped and worn. Pages toned. But still sound. 127pp. <br/><br/>A detailed account of the great Ohio Penitentiary fire of 1930 published within the year of the April 21 blaze the deadliest prison fire in American history which killed 322 inmates. Written by Cleveland newspaper reporters Dan W. Gallagher and T.J. Thomas the book provides a comprehensive portrait of the state of the prison during 1930 concentrated on its miserable conditions which the authors compare to Medieval torture chambers and 19th Century prison ships and severe overcrowding. According to the text at the time of the fire more than 5000 prisoners were kept in a facility originally designed to house about 1500. SPOTLIGHT indicts the prison's guards and administration notably a Captain John Hall head guard on duty who refused to unlock the cell block where most deaths occurred. The text is illustrated throughout with 22 photograph reproductions most being of the fire’s aftermath many with African-American prisoners figuring prominently and Thomas and Gallagher appear to have extensively interviewed prisoners for the book. Novelist Chester Himes was incarcerated in the penitentiary where his writing career began during the fire and he wrote about in his breakout article “To What Red Hell” which appeared in Esquire in 1934. Rather poorly produced and likely intended for regional distribution only SPOTLIGHT appears genuinely scarce. OCLC notes 7 holdings only 2 of those outside of Ohio. A rich and largely unheralded work of journalistic advocacy for prisoners’ rights. paperback books
191631420Boston: Small Maynard & Company 1916. First Edition. Octavo 19.5cm; olive green buckram with printed title labels at spine and front cover; dustjacket; 340 4pp. Mild sunning to spine with two faint stains to upper edge of textblock; contents clean; Near Fine. Dustjacket priced $1.50 at mid-spine; hint of sunning and faint vertical crease to spine light dustiness overall with a few small tears and nicks; Very Good. "Human documents from the experiences of a Massachusetts probation officer in the application of the probation system to the problems of men and women who without it would have been permanently lost to useful citizenship" from front panel. Small, Maynard & Company unknown books
199528556New York: Alfred Knopf 1995. First American edition. Hardcover. Very Good/very good. 8vo. Stated First American Edition. An Adam Dalgliesh crime novel. 416 pp. A very good copy in unclipped dustwrapper. SIGNED by Ms. James on a bookplate afixed to the half-title page. Alfred Knopf hardcover books
1939WRCLIT73482Los Angeles: Republic Pictures 1939. Pictorial window card 22 x 14" printed in black and white with lurid green titling on recto only of stiff card stock. Uniform tanning along edges otherwise very good or better unused. A promotional window card for this low budget crime thriller based on an original story and screenplay by Robert A. Andrews with contributions by Ben Markson. Barton MacLane Beverley Roberts and Clarence Kolb starred. Aubrey Scotto directed. Andrews was a prolific screenwriter who in addition to potboilers such as this adapted to the screen works by Eugene O'Neill and A. Conan Doyle. Republic Pictures unknown books
193628984New York: E.P. Dutton & Co. Inc 1936. First Edition. First Printing. Octavo 21cm; mauve cloth with titling and decorations stamped in black on spine and front cover; black topstain; dustjacket; illus.frontispiece 368pp. Slight musty odor else Fine in a Very Good dustjacket unclipped priced $3.00 sunned and edgeworn with small chips to extremities short tears and splits along flap folds. Life story of a career criminal incarcerated in the Oregon State Prison after a career of check forging hold-ups safe-blowing and theft. "Principal incidents are Duncan's escape and recapture; otherwise this is a diary of a criminal's routine prison life" SUVAK 98 p.32. Scarce in dustjacket. E.P. Dutton & Co., Inc unknown books
197325698New York: Viking Press 1973. First edition. Hardcover. Very Good /near fine. First edition. 150 pp. Small spine lean. Otherwise a near fine copy in price-intact dustwrapper. Viking Press hardcover books
200223902NY: Putnam. Fine in Fine dust jacket. 2002. Hardcover. 0399149325 . First printing. Fine in a fine dust jacket. . Putnam hardcover books
195019794Bearsville NY: Retort Press 1950. First Edition. 8vo. Stiff printed pictorial wraps in original dustjacket. One of 2000 copies "entirely hand-set hand-bound and printed on a footpedal press by the editors." Jacket lightly rubbed with some chipping esp. to lower spine. Faint staining. Unclipped. Mild wear to yapp edge of book. Very good overall. INSCRIBED in pencil by contributor James Peck to verso of front endpaper: "Mildred - You said you wanted to read what I wrote about the jig. Well here is some of it and some of what others wrote. It gives you the feel of jailhouse sic. I think the book will interest you. I think they did a groovy job on the cover. -Jim." <br/><br/>Noted but slightly misleadingly-titled "anthology of the Prison Writings of Conscientious Objectors to World War II" front flap inscribed by one of its contributors legendary activist and pacifist James Peck. Peck devoted himself to nonviolent resistance and in addition to serving three years at Danbury for refusing to serve during the war he fought for decades for labor peace and civil rights and was arrested dozens of times during his life. Indeed he was a prominent figure in the 1970s prison reform movement in no small measure because of his numerous incarcerations whose earliest experiences are detailed here. Includes a lengthy jacket blurb by Aldous Huxley Bromer B75 as well as striking illustrations by Lowell Naeve. While the book is not terribly uncommon it is complete and in collectible condition. And scarce when inscribed by a contributor. An interesting inscription even almost certainly a later one given the slang. Retort Press paperback books
194114614New York: War Resisters League 1941. First Edition. Staple-bound pamphlet 23cm x 10cm. Printed wrappers 11pp. Mild toning & soil to cover extremities else Near Fine. Brief description of life in a federal penitentiary prepared by a convicted C.O. to give others a notion of what to expect. Rather literal - the author discusses routines policies and regulations but supplies no personal impressions - but an interesting and uncommon document. War Resisters League unknown books
192419572Philadelphia & London: J.B. Lippincott Company 1924. First Edition. Octavo 18.5cm; maroon cloth white labels on spine and front panel with titles printed in black; dustjacket; 105pp. Contemporary inscription on the front endpaper: "The call of these men behind the walls ought to be heard. Cordially / Leslie L. Sanders / 1963 Ruckle St. Indianapolis Ind." Light dustiness and faint spotting to upper edge of text else Near Fine. Dustjacket is unclipped priced $1.25 dust-soiled with chips at spine ends corners and upper rear panel affecting text and a dozen small tape mends verso and to rear panel; Good substantially complete example. Late volume written by the former chairman of the New York Commission on Prison Reform who once famously volunteered to spend a week in prison. Osborne grapples with the challenges of prison administration prisoner welfare and making "an intelligent plan of prison management a thing of general social concern." While the exact identity of the inscriber is not known we find one Leslie Lee Sanders of Indianapolis IN a former convict sentenced to four years in Leavenworth for mail fraud in June of 1925 as a likely candidate The Indianapolis News - 8 June 1925; p.12. A scarce volume and unseen by us in the very fragile dustjacket. J.B. Lippincott Company unknown books
193325939New York: Appleton-Century 1933. First Edition. Octavo. Red cloth boards lettered in gilt on spine and front cover; dustjacket; 261pp. First printing with 1 present on final page of text. Gilt a trifle oxidized else a fine tight copy in scarce original dustwrapper lightly nicked at extremities but unusually bright and unfaded VG to Near Fine. A juvenile delinquent novel set in the tenements of New York told from the point of view of a hard-boiled probation officer. Quite scarce especially in dustwrapper. HANNA 2910. Appleton-Century unknown books
1781302787In Venezia ed in Torino: Per il Giuliano 1781. 4 pp. 8vo. Later drab boards. Some foxing and staining to text paper repair to lower corner of second leaf. 4 pp. 8vo. An apparently unrecorded work on the grisly murder of Francis Cestonaro in 1779 by his wife Veneranda Porta and her lover Stefano Fantini. Cestonaro's body was cut up and the various parts dumped in the Venice canals. The murderers were hanged and Fantini was fittingly drawn and quartered. The story has passed into Venetian legend - William Dean Howells recounts it in Venetian Life as one of the three quintessential Venetian tragic legends that every gondolier has at the ready to recount. Not in OCLC Per il Giuliano unknown books
1966492731966. President's Commission on Crime in the District of Columbia. Report of the President's Commission on Crime in The District of Columbia. Washington D.C.: United States Government Printing Office 1966. xxix 1041 pp. Ex-library with stamps. Cloth worn with gilt lettering. Internally clean. $75. unknown books
183444354Liverpool: W. Bethell Printer 1834. 1st printing presumed. Age-toned. Edge-chipping with largish chunk ~1" square from top edge just touching headline title. Old tape repair to the right of missing chunk. A Good copy. Broadside printed four column after a 9 line drophead title with two horizontal typographical ornament seperators. 19-1/2" x 15" <br/><br/>"Trial of William Riley aged 29; John Coakley aged 27; Thomas Simcock aged 18; and George Atkinson aged 28; by Sir Thomas Brancker for having feloniously borken and entered the Shop of Ralph Isaacs and stolen 80 Watches 130 Spoons 100 Rings 30 Forks and other Articles the Property of the said Ralph Isaacs -- Patrick Coakley aged 73 for receiving divers and sundry property knowing the same was stolen; and Elizabeth Cumpsty aged 35 charged upon oath with having feloniously incited aided and abetted hired and commanded John Coakley William Riley and Thomas Simcock feloniously to break and enter the Shop of Ralph Isaacs and steal therin the property before recited." So proclaims the headline of this crime broadside followed by 4 columns of text describing the trial of the accused individuals with the result that the jury "after being absent for about half-an-hour returned and found all the prisoners GUILTY." No copies found on OCLC. Rare. W. Bethell, Printer unknown books
19731558New York: The Viking Press Inc. 1973. First American Edition 1st Printing. 8vo 8 1/2 x 5 1/2 inches; 215 x 140 mm 244 pages in light gray boards titles in black to spine silhouette of a spy to upper board pink topstain. Tiny ink mark near top of fore edge some fading and spotting to topstain. Internally clean and bright. A Very Good or better copy in a a Very Good dust jacket. The jacket is bright and unclipped with light edge wear and a tiny chip to the bottom of the rear panel where it meets the spine. A young British agent is assigned to trail a cold-blooded Russian "diplomat." Then things start to go wrong for both sides. "You're sorry when it's over" The New York Times wrote in a laudatory review published October 28 1973. Striking cover illustration by Michael Codd. <br /><br /> The Viking Press, Inc. hardcover books
