[Rarebooks] FS: Some Irish Literature: Colum, Heaney, McCourt, Stephens, Synge

[Charles Agvent]

1.  COLUM, Padraic. CROSS ROADS IN IRELAND. New York: MacMillan  1930.
First  Edition.  Review  copy with slip.  Illustrated.  INSCRIBED  and
SIGNED  in  1931 by Colum to writer L. A. G. Strong  "with  admiration
for  Dewar  Rides."  On the half title page Colum also adds:  "No  one
that  I  love/Is  left alive in Sandy Cove." Fine  association.  Faint
tape stain on pastedown. Very Good, lacking dustwrapper.       $150.00

2.  HEANEY,  Seamus. POEMS AND A MEMOIR. (New York): Limited  Editions
Club  (1982). First Edition. Tall octavo (7-1/2" x 12") bound in  full
dark  brown leather and issued in an edition of 2000 numbered  copies.
The  eight  illustrations by Henry Pearson, adapted  from  prehistoric
carvings  found  just north of Dublin, are original  graphics  printed
directly  from  relief engravings. The selection includes eight  early
and  previously  uncollected poems as well as a preface and memoir  by
Heaney.  SIGNED by Heaney, Pearson, and Thomas Flanagan who wrote  the
introduction.  The nature of the leather of this binding leads to some
variation  in  color and texture. Very mild sunning to spine. Fine  in
slipcase.                                                      $750.00

3.  HEANEY,  Seamus. THE SOUNDS OF RAIN. (Atlanta):  Emory  University
(1988).  First Edition. Wrappers with printed label on front cover; 12
pages.  One  of  300 copies printed at the Shadowy  Waters  Press  for
Emory  University  to  mark  the inaguration of  the  Richard  Ellmann
Lectures  in Modern Literature April 11 - 15, 1988. Fine, lacking  the
envelope.                                                      $250.00

4.  McCOURT,  Frank. ANGELA'S ASHES. A MEMOIR. (New  York):  Scribner
(1996).  First Edition. A moving Pulitzer Prize-winning  autobiography
by  this  Irish-born  New York City teacher. Made into a  film.  Three
pages  toward the center with a tiny tear at the base near the gutter,
hardly noticeable. About Fine in Fine dustwrapper.             $350.00

5.  McCOURT,  Frank.  ANGELA'S ASHES. n.p.:  1996.  First  Edition. A
broadside  excerpt (12" x 18") from the moving Pulitzer  Prize-winning
autobiography  by  this Irish-born New York City teacher. Produced  by
Twenty-Third  Avenue  Books and First Choice Books on the occasion  of
an  appearance by the author in an edition of 250 copies SIGNED by the
author  and  illustrated  with  a  color  woodcut  by  designer  Julie
Freeman.  This copy is not numbered, and though there is no indication
of  such,  it  was  given  by McCourt to a  friend.  "Worse  than  the
ordinary  miserable  chidlhood is the miserable Irish  childhood,  and
worse  yet  is  the miserable Irish Catholic  childhood."  Very  light
soiling to upper left corner, still Fine.                      $150.00

6.  STEPHENS,  James. COLLECTED POEMS. London: MacMillan 1926.  First
Edition.  Vellum-backed  boards. One of 500 large-paper copies  SIGNED
by  the  author  in the original dustwrapper.  Unopened,  small  split
inner hinge. Dustwrapper rather worn.                          $125.00

7.  STEPHENS,  James.  HILL OF VISION. Dublin: Maunsel  &  Co.  1912.
First  Edition. SIGNED with a small drawing by the author on the front
endpaper.  Rear  cover  and  flap and  partial  spine  of  dustwrapper
present. Near Fine                                             $200.00

8.  STEPHENS,  James.  HUNGER.  Dublin:   Candle  Press  1918.  First
Edition.  Wraps. Stephens published this under the pseudonym of  James
Esse  during the Irish rebellion for fear of prosecution. Scarce. Near
Fine                                                           $150.00

9.  STEPHENS, James. INSURRECTIONS. Dublin: Maunsel & Co. 1909. First
Edition.  Author's  first  book. Some foxing of  endpapers,  primarily
rear. Spine a bit sunned with minor fraying of head and heel.  $125.00

10.  SYNGE, J. M. THE PLAYBOY OF THE WESTERN WORLD. Boston: John  Luce
1911.  Charcoal-green  self  wrapper lettered with a cover  design  in
gilt  over  boards.  The  First American Edition,  the  first  British
having  appeared  in  1907, of this modern classic that  fellow  Irish
writer George Moore, usually stingy with praise of his contemporaries,
called  "the  most  significant play of the last two  hundred  years."
Long tears along spine edge of wrapper; still Very Good.       $125.00


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