Arthur Rackham: The Little Mermaid's Home Life

London publisher George G. Harrap gave us an edition of Hans Christian Andersen's Fairy Tales in 1932 featuring illustrations by Arthur Rackham. A signed edition was issued of five hundred twenty-five copies, five hundred of which were offered for sale. The first nine of these included original illustrations by Rackham; eight of these were for sale to the public.

Copy eight is today on the market from Whitmore Rare Books, Inc., of Pasadena. It contains an original illustration which Rackham has titled The Little Mermaid's Home Life. The book is priced at $37,500. 

Me, I'm just browsing.

Pouring tea underwater must be a neat trick. Ditto for keeping sugar cubes from dissolving. Anderson's mermaid has some distinctly British tastes.

Spine

The limitation page

Title page

Arthur Rackham
AbeBooks listing accessed March 28, 2026

https://www.abebooks.com/signed-first-edition/Fairy-Tales-Signed-limited-edition-original/32414564551/bd

Arthur Rackham
AbeBooks item descritpion

05246

William James, Jr.'s, Copy of Conclusive Evidence by Vladimir Nabokov

 Vladimir Nabokov's memoir Conclusive Evidence retailed for $3.00 when it was published in 1951. Chapter 6 is "Butterflies," which was originally published in The New Yorker. In 1952, the author, a lifelong lepidopterist, signed a copy for William James, Jr., and added a detailed drawing of a butterfly. This exquisite copy of the book, with James's printed name and Cambridge address, isavailable today from Whitmore Rare Books, Inc., of Pasadena, for $35,000.

Vladimir Nabokov
AbeBooks listing accessed March 10, 2026

https://www.abebooks.com/signed-first-edition/Conclusive-Evidence-Inscribed-original-butterfly-artwork/32402485628/bd?cm_ven=nl&cm_cat=trg&cm_pla=want_CM&ref_=pe_aep_AEP_wants_buyer-wants&cm_ite=viewbook_high

Vladimir Nabokov
AbeBooks item description

Chapter 6 got its start in The New Yorker of June 12, 1948.

With a cartoon by Robert Day, left, and then a spot drawing of a mailbox by Esther Pressoir on the first page of "Butterflies" by Vladiimir Nabokov

https://archives.newyorker.com/newyorker/1948-06-12/flipbook/024/

April 19, 2026 Update:  Sold, apparently.

Note:  Peter Kuper pays tribute to Nabokov's passion for butterflies in Insectopolis: A Natural History (2025). I photographed the original Nabokov artwork at his Society of Illustrators show here.

05224

Patrick Callahan's Copy of Stay Hungry by Charles Gaines

Every now and then I like to indulge my antiquarian side. Last spring, a signed copy of the 1972 novel Stay Hungry was sold on eBay. The author, Charles Gaines, inscribed it to Patrick Callahan of New Orleans. It was sold on eBay by the seller rialtos, who always does such a commendably thorough job of scanning his books and writing his copy. 

Charles Gaines
eBay listing ended June 8, 2025

https://www.ebay.com/itm/205540401711?itmmeta=01K39JYESBTAM74EJP7PRPB74S&hash=item2fdb29a22f:g:l8gAAOSw5VhoQ071&itmprp=enc%3AAQAKAAAA4FkggFvd1GGDu0w3yXCmi1dvmKyjJ2KNhTVp7DyQ1J5TCDSfo%2By3%2F4gqCs1FVZoUascMGrexBKci4Xl3evlAuKr5C189FabKMa%2FVkViMO3G1TO%2FowgAvZ6oQDgO9vJSYM8NGbXvkkMnVirQwkAqgThkDl5ph63PQyp2q8QPPiRnNE416GlTX7k5yYKHDfGKB8q%2FzWpjyx%2BZXJ9WdIxRdu8pHbLeP7FJx97ILXywPVO4MqA%2BOO2KednXIgnkv%2FmJzE2e5sWURHwXA%2F9T2Ck9DHCH5KKTTzEZwwKAzqw61Pt3K%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR-Ls-bKaZg&pfm=1

05223

Damn the Good Doktor: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson and Ralph Steadman

A first edition copy of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream (1971) by Hunter S. Thompson is signed by the book's illustrator, Ralph Steadman. He includes a striking color drawing of Thompson, his friend and collaborator, about whom he writes, "Damn the Good Doktor." Thompson never earned a genuine doctorate but he appropriated the title anyway.

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
AbeBooks listing accessed February 2, 2025

https://www.abebooks.com/signed-first-edition/FEAR-LOATHING-VEGAS-HUNTER-THOMPSON-Random/32116644651/bd#&gid=1&pid=5

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
AbeBooks item description

 

04868

Lea and Ira Gershwin's Copy of Carry On, Jeeves! by P. G. Wodehouse

With the new year come new post-holiday sales to torment the insolvent. For any who somehow still have reserves of cash in the bank, though, there are bargains to be had. Peter Harrington of London, for example, offers Lea and Ira Gershwin's lovely copy of Carry On, Jeeves! by P. G. Wodehouse. It has a very desirable full-page inscription made out to one of the author's collaborators and his wife. The price has been significantly discounted but it's still up there.

P. G. Wodehouse
Peter Harrington listing accessed January 1, 2024

https://www.peterharrington.co.uk/carry-on-jeeves-133688.html?utm_source=Klaviyo&utm_medium=campaign&utm_campaign=2024-01-01+-+Sale+Launch&utm_id=01HJ3DQM9S30AFXHAGX1N8SKF8&_kx=7G1UE88cNRdsEEL8Q3aMQw2YiOU6icgku9wdN1MvciE%3D.TYGexm

The price in U.S. dollars

P. G. Wodehouse
Peter Harrington item description

04545