Somerset House Books

    Member of ANZAAB - Australia


    Aboriginal Australia Children's Books Literature: Modern Firsts Local History Militaria Transport

Somerset House Books operates from retail premises in Willoughby, Sydney.

Our shop called Love Vintage Books, caters for all subject and genre interests. However we tend to concentrate on transport, military history, art, architecture and photography as well as all aspects of Australiana. We have a section devoted to childrens' collectable books including, classics, favourite novels, annuals and novelty books.

We aim at making our shop a restful oasis for all readers and collectors by keeping it as interesting, enjoyable and welcoming as possible.

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563 Willoughby Rd Willoughby, 2068 Australia Get Directions


Store Hours

Mondays Closed

Tuesdays 10am – 4pm (“ish”)

Wednesdays 10am – 4pm (“ish”)

Thursdays 10am – 4pm (“ish”)

Fridays 10am – 4pm (“ish”)

Saturdays 10am – 4pm (“ish”)

Sundays Closed

Otherwise by chance or appointment

Highlights

Wind in the Willows | Kenneth Grahame | 1908 (First UK Edition)
$5160
1908 (First UK Edition) The first US edition is technically four days earlier and even the second UK edition was printed in the same month and year, too, but this example is the more recognised (and now increasingly rare) UK first edition, so sought after worldwide. No explanation is necessary about the beloved characters Mole, Toad, Ratty and Badger, remembering that it was not until 23 years later that Ernest Shepard did the first illustrations of these characters.
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And Quiet Flows the Don | Mikhail Sholokhov
$3100
And Quiet Flows The Don by Mikhail Sholokhov (1934 First UK Edition, First Impression in April):8vo, 755pp. Obviously very scarce as a first edition and impression from April 1934, the wonderful patina of age is very obvious as the novel in four volumes traces the lives and struggles of the Cossacks of the Don River Valley during the First World War, the Russian Revolution and the terrible Russian Civil War for the White armies against the Red Bolsheviks. Originally published in a Soviet magazine in 1928-1932 and then in 1940.
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The Origin Of Species By Means of Natural Selection | Charles Darwin
$2950
According to the well-credentialled Forum Auctions in London:- “The printing of 1876 is the final text as Darwin left it. The issue was limited to 1,250 copies only. This number is as small as any, being equalled only by that of the first edition and is remarkably hard to come by (Freeman pp 80-81 of F401)" So, this copy is a very good example of the Sixth 'Eighteenth Thousand' Edition but note: the actual print number as quoted has recently been disputed elsewhere and possibly may have been as many as 2000 copies. Still, very scarce with about 150 years of age patina.
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