Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
William Beckford. Vathek. The Nonesuch Press, London, 1929.
Price: US$33.49 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: 1929 version of the iconic French Gothic novel of an Arabian tale. An elegantly produced publication with gilt titles along the spine and Arabic lettering/design (trans: confidence?) on the front dark orange board. There are ten colour illustrations by Marion V. Dorn. See image for contents. The boards' edges are rubbed. There is a hint of tanning internally although this may reflect the choice of paper more than any ageing process. Marble effect endpapers - the front of which also displays a tapped-in name plate. Printed on laid paper. Uncut edges. pp.172. This is number 1,311 (1,050 for sale in England, 500 for sale in the U.S.A) of this 'new translation by Herbert B. Grimsditch.' Please note that, depending on destination, we may request an additional payment to cover any extra shipping/postage charges. Abe2314.
Seller: Amnesty Bookshop - Brighton, Brighton, United Kingdom
Beckford, William. Vathek. Nonesuch Press, Bloomsbury, 1929.
Price: US$49.01 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: 8vo. Frontis., 172 pp., illus., teg. Translated by Herbert B. Grimsditch. Illustrations (10) in full colour by Marion V. Dorn. Printed by Oxford University Press on pale grey mottled Van Gelder paper and limited to 1550 numbered copies, this being number 781. Illustrations printed by lithography at the Curwen Press. Marbled endpapers. Boards are worn, particularly at edges and corners, head of spine is chipped, spine is darkened and soiled, Still a good copy of this rare and lovely book. Marion Dorn (1899-1964) was a Californian living in London.
Seller: Karol Krysik Books ABAC/ILAB, IOBA, PBFA, Toronto, ON, Canada
Price: US$50.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Quarter vellum gilt with gilt decorated paper-covered boards, small 4to., (iii), 172, (1) pages, ten illustrations by Marion V. Dorn colored by stencil at the Curwen Press. One of 1,550 numbered copies printed at the Oxford University Press on grey-tinted mould-made paper. Marbled endpapers. Small bookplate of Robert Wayne Stilwell engraved by Will Carter, slight soiling to spine, moderate edgewear, else a clean, bright, very good copy in archival mylar.
Seller: Entropy Books, Ferndale, MI, U.S.A.
Beckford, William. Vathek. The Nonesuch press, 1929.
Price: US$52.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: 1/4 parchment spine over paper, gilt cover & spine lettering. Marbled endpapers. Color illust. Heavy wear to bottom corners. Binding tight and inner pages unmarked. Deckled page edges. From the estate of Dr. Oscar Janiger. ; "Written in 1782 by the near-legendary hedonist William Beckford, Vathek was the first Oriental-Gothic horror novel in English literature. It tells the story of Vathek, the debauched and pleasure-seeking ninth Caliph of the Abassides, who decides to build a great tower to "penetrate the secrets of heaven."
Seller: Books on the Boulevard, Sherman Oaks, CA, U.S.A.
Price: US$60.77 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Limited numbered edition number 108. Regarded by Beckford as providing the definitive edition of his text. Grimsditch?s translation has stood the test of times. The illustrations by Marion Dorn the long-term partner and briefly the wife of the graphic designer E.McKnight Kauffer 8 colour litho plates incl colour frontispiece,Vellum spine sl faded and gilt stamped decoration on upper cover (slight wear to outer edges of boards, but a good copy, very fresh and clean). One of 1550 numbered copies (1050 for England, 500 for the USA). This is number 108.
Seller: Trinity Books, Boyle, ROSCO, Ireland
BECKFORD, WILLIAM.. Vathek.. London: The Nonesuch Press, 1929.
Price: US$61.84 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: No 1287 of 1550 copies. A new translation into English from the original French published in London in 1815, by Herbert B. Grimsditch. 230 x 160 mm. (4), 172 pp., (2) pp, illustrated with 10 colour lithographs by Marion Dorn printed a the Curwen Press. Vellum backed paper covered boards, blocked and titled in gilt on front cover and spine, marbled endpapers. Spine a little dull, corners slightly bumped. A near very good copy free from ownership inscriptions
Seller: David Strauss, FOLKINGHAM, Lincolnshire, United Kingdom
Beckford, William. Vathek. Nonesuch Press, London, 1929.
Price: US$75.00 + shipping
Description: 172 pp. Illus. with color drawings. 8vo. Translation by Herbert Grimsditch. Ten illustrations by Marion V. Dorn. Number 580 of 1050 copies for sale in England. The text was printed by John Johnson, Printer to the University at the University Press, Oxford; the illustrations by the Curwen Press, London. Edges rubbed, spine lightly soiled, else a very good+ copy. Quarter vellum with gilt decorated boards. Marbled end papers
Seller: Kaaterskill Books, ABAA/ILAB, East Jewett, NY, U.S.A.
Price: US$83.74 + shipping
Description: This edition of Vathek provided a new translation into English from the French language version published in London in 1815, regarded by Beckford as providing the definitive edition of his text. Grimsditch?s translation has stood the test of time and has been utilised in subsequent editions (see those items). The illustrations in the present edition are by the American graphic artist and textile designer Marion Dorn (1896-1964), the long-term partner and briefly the wife of the graphic designer E.McKnight Kauffer. 4to. (4) + 172 + (2)pp, 8 colour litho plates incl colour frontispiece, colour litho vignette on title leaf and colour litho headpiece on p.13. Publisher?s boards, with original publisher?s vellum spine and gilt stamped decoration on upper cover (slight wear to outer edges of boards, but a good copy, very fresh and clean). The Newport Public Libraries copy, with small circular library blind stamps at the foot of each plate but no other library markings of any kind. One of 1550 numbered copies (1050 for England, 500 for the USA). Millington p. 262.
Seller: Hugh Pagan Limited, Brockenhurst, HANTS, United Kingdom
Beckford, William; Grimsditch, Herbert B. (Trans.). Vathek. Bloomsbury: Nonesuch Press, 1929.
Price: US$83.74 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: With ten illustrations by Marion V. Dorn. Limited edition, no. 746 of 1050. 8vo. [vi]. 172pp. Parchment spine with orange papered boards, gilt decorated. TEG. Marbled end papers. Some light rubbing to corners, a few minor markings to front board. An attractive copy.
Seller: Kerr & Sons Booksellers ABA, Cartmel, CMA, United Kingdom
[Nonesuch Press] Beckford, William. Vathek. Nonesuch Press, London, 1929.
Price: US$96.62 + shipping
Description: 8vo, pp. 172. Original tan boards, Arabic script in gilt to front panel. Vellum spine, lettered in gilt. Corners bumped, gilt to spine very faded, wear to edges. No better than very good. Illustrations by Marion V. Dorn. Nonesuch edition. One of 1050 copies, this copy out of series, with a handwritten note to that effect on limitation page. The Gothic classic here presented in a new translation by Herbert B. Grimsditch. No marks of ownership, but this copy is from the library of Heathcote Williams.
Seller: Neil Pearson Rare Books, London, United Kingdom
William Beckford. Vathek. The Nonesuch Press, London, 1929.
Price: US$103.06 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: A limited edition, newly translated copy of William Beckford's gothic tale, illustrated by Marion V. Dorn. Limited edition. Number 731 out of 1050.Private press.Illustrated by Marion V. Dorn with a colour frontispiece, a headpiece and six colour plates. Collated complete.With an introduction by the translator Herbert B. Grimsditch.This limited edition work features a beautifully colour illustrated copy of William Beckford's popular gothic novel, Vathek, otherwise known as Vathek: An Arabian Tale or History of the Caliph Vathek. In the publisher's original quarter vellum with cloth to the boards. Externally smart with bumping and slight rubbing to the extremities, minor marks to the boards and handling marks to the spine. Internally, firmly bound with bright and generally clean pages with the odd spot only. Very Good
Seller: Rooke Books PBFA, Bath, United Kingdom
Price: US$199.68 + shipping
Description: 8vo (24cm). With ten chromolithograph illustrations by Marion V. Dorn (1896-1964) lithographed at the Curwen Press. No.1410 of 1050 copies for UK and 500 copies for USA. Original quarter vellum over paper covered boards, blocked and titled in gilt on front cover and spine; some edge wear and small chips to paper at corners; top edge gilt, others uncut; marbled endpapers; a few signs of age and use to this delicate binding, but otherwise good. It was composed in French in 1782 and then translated in 1786, claiming to be translated directly from Arabic. Printed in Monotype Plantin by the Oxford University Press on pale grey mottled Van Gelder paper Beckford wrote Vathek when he was only 21 years old in 1782. It was first translated in to English in 1786 and claimed to be transcribed from an original Arabic manuscript. Beckford brilliantly drew on his contemporaries obsession with all things "Oriental" and combined an Arabic setting with the supernatural, horror and chills of a Gothic novel. Vathek is seen as one of the main classics of early Gothic literature, alongside Shelley's Frankenstein.
Seller: Worlds End Bookshop (ABA, PBFA, ILAB), LONDON, United Kingdom
Price: US$199.99 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: No DJ. In a case. On the last printed page it states: This edition consists of 1050 copies for sale in England by the Nonesuch Press and 500 copies for sale in the United States by Random House Inc. The Text has been printed by John Johnson, printer to The University, At The University Press, Oxford, The Illustrations by The Curwen Press, London. This is Copy Number 1309. Some wear along the edges, tips, and along the spine. Some rubbing wear to covers. Case in VG condition with light wear along the edges, tips, and surfaces. THIS IS A HEAVY AND OVERSIZE BOOK/CASE. INTERNATIONAL AND PRIORITY ORDERS MIGHT REQUIRE ADDITIONAL SHIPPING CHARGES.
Seller: Sabra Books, Naperville, IL, U.S.A.