First Editions by Kenneth Roberts
Arranged alphabetically by title.



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    Roberts, Kenneth:  Antiquamania.  New York: Doubleday, Doran, 1928. First Edition. Very good in 1/4 pebbled, black leather and printed paper covered boards with gilt text stamping on the spine which remains bright and readable. A 12mo measuring 7 1/2" by 4 3/4" with a water stain which runs across the lower one inch of the pages and with very slight rubbing to the paper at the lower edges of the boards. In a very good+, unclipped dust jacket with a 1/4" chip at top edge of the spine area and with very light soiling to the panels. Reportedly, only 1,165 copies of this title were sold by the publisher. 260 pages of text illustrated by Booth Tarkington.
    TB01489  $75.00



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    Roberts, Kenneth:  Arundel.  Garden City: Doubleday Doran, 1930. First Edition, First Printing. Very good+ in dark blue cloth covered boards with orange text and decorations on the spine and on the front board. A small octavo measuring 7 1/2 by 5 1/8 inches with rubbing and wear to the cloth at the head and heel of the spine. With only the front panel of the first issue dust jacket done by Stafford Good under a clear acetate dust jacket protector. As noted above this copy has only a portion of the Stafford Good first state dust jacket which was originally used to cover the initial copies of the first edition. Roberts complained so bitterly about this jacket that the publisher (Doubleday) had to remove the book from the market to have a new jacket designed and painted by N.C. Wyeth. Any collector of Roberts' books aspires to have a first edition copy of this title in the first state dust jacket.
    TB32230  $1000.00



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    Roberts, Kenneth:  Arundel (300th Anniversary Edition).  Garden City: Doubleday Doran, 1953. Reprint of May 1953. Fine in navy blue cloth covered boards with gilt text on the spine and front board with map end sheets. A small octavo of 7 1/2 by 5 1/8 inches In a very good+, unclipped dust jacket with two 1/4 inch long closed tears to the upper edge of the spine area and a small chip from the rear upper fore corner of the rear board over the tip of the board. This is the very scarce 300th Anniversary Edition which has a specially tipped-in page in advance of th title page bearing the signature of the author. 652 pages of text followed by a number of pages of ads for other titles by Roberts. Reportedly there were only 701 copies of this edition celebrating the 300th anniversary of the founding of the town of Arundel, Maine. The special tipped-in page is signed by Kenneth Roberts. An extremely handsome and clean copy with no prior ownership markings of any kind.
    TB32231  $250.00



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    Roberts, Kenneth:  Black Magic.  Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill Co., 1924. First Edition. Very good in black cloth covered boards with faded gilt text stamping on the spine and on the front board. An octavo measuring 8 1/2" by 5 1/2" with a 1/8" hole in the cloth at the head of the spine and with fading of the cloth on the spine. Without a dust jacket. Signed and inscribed by the author on a Kenneth Roberts' book plate and signed a second time with "Best wishes" over his signature on the second free end paper. 250 pages illustrated with a black and white photographic frontispiece. A fairly scarce title and one seldom seen signed.
    TB01445  $350.00



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    Roberts, Kenneth:  Black Magic.  Indianapol: Bobbs-Merrill Co., 1924. First Edition, First printing. Very good+ in black cloth covered boards with gilt text stamping on the spine and gilt text and decorations on the front board. The cloth on the spine is slightly faded and there is mild rubbing to the cloth at the head and heel of the spine. There is a rubber stamp notation of "Naples Women's Club" on the front and rear paste downs. Without its extremely scarce dust jacket. A rather uncommon book although we have not been able to determine the number of copies printed by the publisher. Its was Roberts' fifth title and one that he wanted his reviewers to overlook in later years. In fact, Roberts even failed to mention this title in his autobiography. 250 pages illustrated with a frontispiece representing the author's treatise on the Black Shirts of Italy and the fascist movement lead by Mussolini.
    TB24419  $175.00



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    Roberts, Kenneth:  Boon Island.  Garden City: Doubleday & Company, 1956. First Trade Edition. Near fine in tan cloth covered boards with a gilt on black title block on the spine and a gilt anchor on the front board and with map end sheets. An octavo measuring 8 1/4 by 5 1/2 inches with map end sheets. In a very good+ unclipped dust jacket with minor light wear and rubbing to the ends of the spine area and a 1/4 inch closed tear at the upper edge of the front panel. 275 pages of text followed by eight pages of notes on other books by Roberts. A novel based on the facts of an actual shipwreck on this Maine island in 1710 and the fight for survival by the ship's crew even though they were within sight of the mainland.
    TB32157  $30.00



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    Roberts, Kenneth:  Captain Caution.  Garden City: Doubleday Doran, 1934. First Edition, First Printing. Very near fine in blue cloth covered boards with gilt text on the spine and with a pattern to the cloth and a gilt eagle on the front board. A 12mo of 7 7/16 by 5 1/8 with the cloth at the head and heel of the spine is very lightly rubbed. In a very good, unclipped dust jacket with 1/4 inch deep chips at the upper and lower edges of the spine area and two closed tears at the lower fore edge of the front panel. Signed and inscribed by the author on the title page with "With Best Wishes | Kenneth Roberts". An historical fiction novel which takes place during the War of 1812. 310 pages of text followed by ads from the publisher.
    TB31422  $200.00



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    Roberts, Kenneth:  Captain Caution.  New York: Editions for the Armed Services, Inc., 1934. Armed Forces Overseas Edition. Very good+ in printed, heavy paper wraps over a stapled binding. An oblong 32mo of 4 1/2 by 6 1/2 inches with light rubbing to the edges of the front cover and a stamp of the "Army War College Washington, D." stamped on the front cover and the second to last page of the text. An historical fiction novel which takes place during the War of 1812. 285 pages followed by a page of acknowledgments by the author and a list of other volumes in the Armed Services Editions.
    TB30869  $35.00



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    Roberts, Kenneth:  The Collector's Whatnot.  Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1923. First Edition. Very Good in patterned paper covered boards with paper labels on the spine and front board. A small octavo measuring 8" by 5 1/4" with two, shallow chips from the head of the spine. In a good+ dust jacket dust jacket which is heavily faded especially on spine. Inscribed by Milton Kigallen and Kenneth Roberts at Christmas time of 1923. 147 pages of text illustrated with line art and other comical works of art.
    TB01465  $350.00




  • Roberts, Kenneth:  The Collector's Whatnot.  Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1923. Second Edition. Very good in illustrated paper covered boards which are worn and bear at the corners and the spine is lightly soiled and tanned. The end paper bears a prior owner's book plate and the first free end page shows another prior owner's name neatly written at the upper edge. Without a dust jacket. Remarkably this book was actually reprinted in 1,000 copies! The copyright page states "The Second Edition consists of one thousand pure and pink copies, bound to sell." It would appear that they did!
    TB11076  $75.00



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    Roberts, Kenneth:  Concentrated New England.  Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill, 1924. First Edition. Near fine in bright red cloth covered boards with black text stamped on the front board. A small octavo measuring 7 3/4" by 5" with a prior owner's name neatly written on the first free end page. In a very good- dust jacket with the upper 3/8" of jacket missing from the front panel and spine area. An extremely scarce copy in dust jacket. The jacket in this case shows the small, black and white photographic reproduction of Coolidge on the front panel. (58) pages of text.
    TB01478  $500.00



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    Roberts, Kenneth:  Cowpens: The Great Morale-Builder.  Hanover: Westholm Publishing, 1957. First Edition, Limited Edition.. Near fine in illustrated paper covered boards with black text on the spine. Without a dust jacket as issued. One of only 400 limited edition copies printed this copy being identified as number 354 as noted at the rear of the book. 35 pages of text and one map frontispiece. The text of the book is the same as the text within the trade edition of The Battle of Cowpens.
    TB13924  $175.00



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    Roberts, Kenneth:  Don't Say That about Maine!.  Waterville: Colby College Press, 1951. First Edition. Fine in heavy, printed brick red paper wraps over a stapled binding. A 12mo measuring 7 1/4 by 4 3/4 inches. A reprint of one of Kenneth Roberts' articles from the November 6, 1948 issue of the Saturday Evening Post. 31 pages of text. Illustrated with a black and white photographic frontispiece.
    TB13927  $65.00



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    Roberts, Kenneth:  Europe's Morning After.  New York: Harper & Brothers, 1921. First Edition. Very good in light green cloth covered boards with faded gilt text stamping on the spine and the same on the front board. A small octavo measuring 8" by 5 1/2". Without a dust jacket. The author's first book and extremely scarce as only 1,300 copies of the title were sold. 410 pages of text.
    TB01501  $200.00




  • Cournos, John:  Famous Modern American Novelists.  New York: Dodd, Mead & Company, 1952. First Edition. Very good+ in red-brown cloth covered boards with black text stamping on the front board and on the spine with rubbing to the ends of the spine and lower edges of the boards. The book is one of the series of Biographies for Young People. This one contains tributes to nineteen authors amoung which are Booth Tarkington, Sinclair Lewis and Kenneth Roberts. 181 pages including an index.
    TB14292  $50.00



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    Roberts, Kenneth:  Florida.  New York: Harper & Brothers, 1926. First Edition. Good+ in green cloth covered boards with faded gilt text on the spine and readable gilt text and decorations on the front board. An octavo measuring 8 1/2" by 5 1/2" with a 1/8" tear to the cloth at the head of the spine which is well tanned so that the gilt text is unreadable Signed and inscribed "For Bingham Morris | from a fellow sufferer " by the author on the title page. Fewer than 5,000 copies of this title were sold by Harper and Brothers. 324 pages of text illustrated with black and white photographs.
    TB05743  $175.00




  • Roberts, Kenneth:  Florida.  New York: Harper & Brothers, 1926. First Edition, First printing. Very good with the spine faded and with light wear at the spine ends in decorated green cloth covered boards. Without a dust jacket. Fewer than 5,000 copies of this title were sold by Harper and Brothers. 324 pages of text followed by three pages of ads from the publisher. Illustrated throughout with black and white photographs. As it is difficult to generalize the content of this book, let's use some of the chapter headings to describe what Roberts was trying to say: " Of the modern passion for explanations - and the peculiar mass movement to the tropics."; "Of Florida Migrants, Starting with ankle tourists"; Of another Florida Gateway and the Starry-eyed motorists who pass through it daily - and of a comparison between the Florida migration and other great migrations in history"; "Of the financial shortcoming of various Florida Real-Estate Dealers - of Astute and Trusworthy Advisers who are neither astute nor trustworthy - and of certain sad features of paper profits."
    TB06445  $75.00



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    Roberts, Kenneth:  For Authors Only.  Garden City: Doubleday, Doran, 1935. First Edition, First Printing. Very good+ in dark blue, patterned cloth covered boards with bright gilt stamped on the spine and on the front board. There is slight wear to the cloth at the head and heel of the spine and the end sheets show minor foxing due to a reaction to the glue used in binding. There is also a prior owner's small name tag on the front paste down behind the jacket flap. In a very good-, unclipped dust jacket with several closed tears and related creases at the ends of the spine area and at the upper and lower edges of the front panel. Signed and inscribed "With Best Wishes" on the first free end paper by the author. 446 pages followed by four pages of ads for other books by Roberts. Very scarce in dust jacket as only 5,603 copies of the first printing were produced.
    TB03703  $250.00



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    :  Harper's Magazine (February, 1922).  New York: Harper & Brothers, Feburary, 1922. . Very good in printed, paper wraps over a double staple binding. A small quarto of 10 7/8 by 6 7/8 with small chips to the outside edges of the covers and with a few closed tears to the ads at the rear of the magazine. 412 pages of text followed by many pages of ads. Included in this issue are: Unpublished Chapters from the Autobiography of Mark Twain; Science and Religion by Charles P. Steinmetz; My Boyhood, Part II by John Burroughs; and Drifting Leaves by Kenneth L. Roberts which focuses on the rejection from the Soviet Russia of anyone with "money, brains, education, social position or official position" by the Bolsheviks.
    TB30870  $25.00




  • Roberts, Kenneth:  Henry Gross and his Dowsing Rod.  New York: Doubleday & Co., 1951. First Edition, First printing. Very good- in tan cloth covered board with a mild crease to the spine and with much of the title block on the spine worn off. Two prior owner's names are written on the front free end paper and there are tape stains on the front fixed end paper which once held the letter noted below. Missing its issued dust jacket. Laid-into the book is a typed letter signed by Kenneth Roberts on Water Unlimited, Inc. letterhead. The letter is dated January 16, 1951 and makes reference to another author's works on dowsing and the human race's "inability...to absorb what is set forth clearly in the English language."
    TB17574  $100.00



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    Roberts, Kenneth:  I Wanted To Write.  Garden Cty: Doubleday & Company, 1949. First Edition. Near fine in tan, linen covered boards with a gilt on read text block on the spine with decorated map end papers with the spine slightly tanned and at bump to the upper corner of the spine. In a fine jacket with the price intact but a later issue jacket with a price of $5.95 on the flap. Signed on a Kenneth Roberts book plate and tipped on to the second free end page. 471 pages including an index followed by several pages of ads for Roberts' books. The closest thing to Roberts' autobiography.
    TB13925  $200.00



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    Roberts, Kenneth:  I Wanted To Write.  Garden City: Doubleday & Company, 1949. First Edition, First Printing. Near fine in tan cloth covered boards with a gilt on red background title block on the spine and with gilt stamped "KR" on the front board and map end papers. The The cloth at the upper edge of the spine area shows a minor 1/16 inch deep closed tear. In a very good+, price clipped dust jacket with rubbing and wear and flecking of the colors to the ends of the spine area, a 1/2 inch chip to the upper fore corner of the rear panel and small chips over the tips of the boards. The closest title by Roberts to his autobiography. 471 pages of text and an index followed by several pages of ads.
    TB32144  $75.00




  • Roberts, Kenneth:  It Must Be Your Tonsils.  New York: Doubleday, Doran, 1936. First Edition, First printing. Near Fine Without a dust jacket.
    TB01475  $21.00




  • Roberts, Kenneth:  Kenneth Roberts A Biographical Sketch An Informal Study.  New York: Doubleday Doran, 1936. First Edition, First printing. Good+ in heavy blue paper wraps with a stapled binding but with an archival tape repair at the upper edge of the front and rear panels with rubbing and flecking of the colors at the spine fold and two creases on the rear panel. Signed by the author on the verso of the front panel. A tribute to Kenneth Roberts prepared by his publisher, Doubleday The full title reads: Kenneth Roberts A Biographical Sketch An Informal Study His Books & Critical Opinions. 32 pages.
    TB14303  $50.00



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    Roberts, Kenneth:  Kenneth Roberts an American Novelist.  New York: Doubleday Doran & Co,, 1938. Probable first edition. Near fine in printed, heavy blue paper wraps over a stapled binding with very light rubbing to the spine edge of the cover and with two handwritten, marginal notations on pages 5, 22 and 23. Doubleday Doran normally uses the statement "First Edition" in their books; however, this lacks that typical slug and in 25 years of specializing in Roberts' books we have yet to see a copy with that statement. Signed and inscribed by the Roberts to "Jesse E. Walker | with best wishes" on the title page and dated "1952". A tribute to Roberts by his publisher, Doubleday Doran with several articles by individuals reviewing his work. 40 pages. Accompanying this signed and inscribed copy is a signed, typed letter from Roberts to Jesse E. Walker containing a brief discussion of the last edition of March To Quebec and the fact that as of that date (Nov. 22, 1952) there had been no further changes to that title. The letter goes on to note that this copy of Kenneth Roberts an American Novelist is enclosed which contains "the automobile routes that mark, as nearly as possible, the marches in some of my books." Also included is the original envelope from Roberts to Walker.
    TB29952  $85.00



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    Roberts, Kenneth:  Northwest Passage.  Garden City: Doubleday Doran, 1937. First Edition, First Printing. Near fine in decorated dark green cloth covered boards with map end papers with the hinge areas of the end papers showing very faint foxing due to a reaction with the glue employed in binding as is often found with this printing. In a very good+, unclipped dust jacket with very minor rubbing and wear to the ends of the spine area. Signed "With all the good wishes of | Kenneth Roberts" by the author on the title page. 709 pages of text. This was one of Robert's most popular books dealing with Major Robert Rogers, of Roger's Rangers and the French and Indian War. Very uncommon in such nice condition and signed without a personal inscription.
    TB32328  $225.00



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    Roberts, Kenneth:  Northwest Passage .  Sydney: Angus & Robertson Limited, 1941. First Australian Edition. Near fine in bright green cloth covered boards with gilt text and parallel gilt rules on the spine and a blind embossed decoration on the front board. An octavo of 8 3/8 by 5 3/8 inches with only hints of rubbing to the cloth at the head and heel of the spine. In a pictorial, unclipped dust jacket with numerous small illustrations from from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's 1940 film of the same title which starred Spencer Tracy, Robert Young, Ruth Hussey and Nat Pendleton. The jacket is chipped across the top edge of the spine area to a depth of 1/3 of an inch and there are small chips at the fore corners of the panels over the tips of the boards. 673 pages of text illustrated with map end sheets. This was one of Robert's most popular books dealing with Major Robert Rogers, of Roger's Rangers and the French and Indian War. Very uncommon in this movie-tie-in dust jacket.
    TB32226  $200.00



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    Roberts, Kenneth:  Oliver Wiswell (Limited Edition).  New York: Doubleday, Doran Co., 1940. First Edition, Limited Edition. Both volumes of this two volume set are in near fine condition specially bound in full, red leather covered boards with five raised bands on each spine with gilt text in two of the compartments and gilt tooling in the others. The top edge of the text blocks are gilt, the end sheets are marbled paper and the leather turn-ins are decorated with gilt dentelles. This binding was most probably ordered by Roberts to be gifted to his friend, Doubleday, Doran publishing executive, Malcolm Johnson, who's name is listed in the collection of names who provided "generous assistance" in the creation and publication of this title. Both volumes are small quartos of 9 1/4 by 6 1/4 inches. There is a faint dampness stain to the extreme lower, inside edge to the first 70 pages of volume I. That stain does not impact on any of the text as it is limited to the lower margin. The lower quarter of the front joint to volume I shows a slight weakness. The hinges and joints for both volumes are otherwise fine. The trade version of this set was sold with glassine jackets and a paper covered slipcase. It is doubtful that a slipcase was made for this specially bound set. The binding was produced by The French Binders of Garden City, New York as evidenced by their gilt stamp on the front paste downs. This set is signed by Roberts and numbered 182 out of only 1,050 copies printed and sold. Volume I contains 411 pages of text and illustrated with a frontispiece portrait by Grant Wood and two, double page maps. Volume II contains pages 415 to 849 including a bibliography and text and is illustrated with two, two page maps. This title was a best selling novel for Roberts. It provides an insightful look at the American Revolution from a Loyalist's point-of-view. After reading it one is astounded that the war was even won by the American forces.
    TB33418  $350.00



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    Roberts, Kenneth:  Sun Hunting.  Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill Company, 1922. First Edition, First state. Near fine in dark green cloth covered boards with gilt text on the spine and on the front board. A 12mo measuring 7 1/4" by 5" with a prior owner's book plate on the front paste down behind the dust jacket flap. In a very good+, unclipped dust jacket with 1/8" deep chips at the upper and lower edges of the spine area, rubbing and light wear to the folds to the panels and with several short closed tears to the upper edge of the spine area with related creasing. Signed by the author on a Kenneth Roberts' book plate. A total of 4,790 copies of this title were sold by the publisher. Quite uncommon when signed.
    TB01739  $400.00



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    Roberts, Kenneth L.:  Why Europe Leaves Home.  New York: Bobbs-Merrill, 1922. First Edition. Very good in dark red cloth covered boards with gilt text stamping on the spine. The cloth at the head and heel of the spine is very slightly rubbed. In a very good dust jacket chips at top of spine & small chip at bottom. Signed and inscribed by the author to Frederick S. Bigelow of the Saturday Evening Post and dated in the year of publication (April 20, 1922.) Reportedly only 2,011 copies of this book were published making it an extremely rare find and particularly so in a collectible jacket and inscribed by the author.
    TB00569  $900.00






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