BOOK BUYING SERVICE

Although we are situated in the North East of England, we are able to travel the length of the United Kingdom to view specific collections, libraries, or single volumes. We particularly serve the area of North Yorkshire, including Ripon, Harrogate, Ilkley, York and Leeds. We also travel to London and the South to buy books.

If you have a list of the books you wish to sell, do email this to us. Selling books directly to us can give you the opportunity for a much higher price than selling via auction.

We do not buy every book offered to us and try to stay within our area of expertise. However, we are happy to point you in the direction of people who may be interested, even if we cannot help.

We do not perform valuations for books.

We are full members of the ABA, ILAB and PBFA and adhere to their rules and guidelines.

We give fair and quick prices for your books and have a proud of history of buying and selling.

If you have any old, rare books which may be of interest, please do not hesitate to get in touch via:

01423 561461 / 07540 279 897

Alternatively, you can email us on: admin@johnatkinsonbooks

Please note that we’re not wanting any Harry Potters from Order of The Phoenix onward… thank you.

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dr seuss the cat in the hat first uk edition 1958

URGENTLY SEEKING

Please find a selection of books below which we are looking for:

Ian Fleming:

We purchase any good quality Fleming James Bond first UK edition books and pay high prices for fine to mint copies with or without wrappers.

We are particularly interested in the first three Bond first UK editions in dust wrappers (Casino Royale (1953), Live and Let Die (1954) and Moonraker (1955)) published by Jonathan Cape and in good condition.
Other titles: OHMSS 1st Pan paperback 1964 without the price on the front cover
Any proof copies of the Bond series with/out proof wrappers
Any signed or inscribed Fleming novels.

ian fleming goldfinger first uk edition 1959 fine

George Orwell:

We buy any UK First Editions by this author – especially first editions published by Gollancz prior to 1941:

‘Burmese Days’ First UK Edition published by Gollancz in 1934
‘A Clergyman’s Daughter’ First UK Edition published by Gollancz in 1935
‘Keep The Aspidistra Flying’ First UK Edition published by Gollancz in 1936
‘Coming Up For Air’ First UK Edition published by Gollancz in 1939
‘Down and Out in London and Paris’ First UK Edition published by 1933
‘The Road to Wigan Pier’ First UK Edition published by Gollancz in 1937 also ‘Homage to Catalonia’ First UK Edition published by Secker and Warburg in 1938
‘Animal Farm’ First UK Edition published by Secker and Warburg in 1945
‘1984’ First UK Edition published by Secker and Warburg in 1949

Other Authors Required:

  • Elizabeth Bowen: We are actively looking for first UK editions published by Gollancz/Constable of first editions of her first novels – ‘A House in Paris’/’The Hotel’/’Last September’/’To The North’.
  • Barbara Pym: A very popular and underestimated writer, we are always looking for signed and inscribed first UK Editions in wrappers of her first five novels published by Jonathan Cape: ‘Some Tame Gazelle’/’Jane and Prudence’/’Excellent Women’/’A Glass of Blessings’ and ‘Less Than Angels’ – published by Cape.
  • Evelyn Waugh: We are actively seeking first UK Editions in wrappers of the following books: ‘Decline and Fall’, ‘Scoop’ (in the first issue wrapper), ‘A Handful of Dust’, ‘Vile Bodies’ and ‘Brideshead Revisited’ – all published by Chapman and Hall.
  • Vera Brittain: ‘Testament of Youth’ First UK Edition 1933 published by Gollancz in dust wrapper published by Gollancz
  • Cecil Lewis: ‘Sagittarius Rising’ First UK Edition 1936 published by Peter Davies in dust wrapper
  • E E Cummings: ‘Enormous Room’ First US Edition 1922 (first state) published by Boni and Liveright in wrapper
  • William Golding – Lord of the Flies First UK Edition 1954 published by Faber
  • Nancy Mitford: ‘Highland Fling’ Thornton Butterworth 1931/’Christmas Pudding’ Thornton Butterworth 1932 First UK Editions. The Pursuit of Love/ Love In A Cold Climate First UK Editions published by Hamish Hamilton and Pigeon Pie published by Hamish Hamilton in 1940 in the dust wrapper
  • J R R Tolkien – Any first edition, first issue editions of The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, The Return of the King in dust wrappers – URGENTLY NEEDED – Published by George Allen and Unwin between 1954-55 J R R Tolkien – The Hobbit first edition published by George Allen and Unwin in 1937 with or without wrapper
evelyn waugh decline and fall first uk edition 1928

Children's Books Required:

  • A A Milne: Any First Editions, especially ‘Winnie The Pooh’ First UK Edition published by Methuen in dust wrapper and ‘Now We Are Six’/’When We Were Very Young’ published by Methuen
  • Roald Dahl: Particularly signed or inscribed first UK editions published by Jonathan Cape in dust wrappers
  • E B White – ‘Stuart Little’/’Charlotte’s Web’ First Editions (US/UK) in dust wrappers published by Harper Row/Hamish Hamilton
  • Nesbit, Edith – ‘Railway Children’ First UK Edition in dust jacket
  • Enid Blyton – Any First Editions with jackets published by before 1945
  • J K Rowling – The Philosopher’s Stone First UK Edition 1997 hardcover published by Bloomsbury – anything signed and Bloomsbury Review 1997
  • Julia Donaldson – The Gruffalo First UK Edition 1999 published by Macmillan – hardback book
  • Judith Kerr – The Tiger Who Came To Tea First UK Edition 1968 published by Collins and Mog First UK Edition 1970 and any signed titles by this author
j k rowling harry potter and the philosophers stone first uk edition paperback 1997

All other Books Required:

  • Agatha Christie: We are actively seeking any Pre-1944 First Editions published by Collins. We especially wish to acquire the following titles in dust wrappers:
    ‘Murder at the Vicarage’ / ‘The Mystery of the Blue Train’ / ‘The Seven Dials Mystery’ / ‘The Sittaford Mystery’ / ‘Peril at End House’ / ‘Lord Edgware Dies’ / ‘Murder on the Orient Express’ / ‘Why Didn’t They Ask Evans’ / ‘Three Act Tragedy’ / ‘Death in the Clouds’ / ‘The ABC Murders’ / ‘Murder in Mesopotamia’ / ‘Cards on the Table’ / ‘Dumb Witness’ / ‘Death on the Nile’ / ‘Appointment With Death’ / ‘Hercule Poirot’s Christmas’ / ‘Murder is Easy’
  • Alan Sillitoe: Any signed First Editions in dust jackets including ‘The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner’.
  • Albert Camus: ‘The Outsider’ First Edition 1946 published by Hamish Hamilton
  • Aldous Huxley: Brave New World in dust jacket, published by Chatto and Windus in 1932 – even second, third, fourth and fifth editions wanted.
  • Aleister Crowley: ‘Moonchild’ First Edition Mandrake Press 1929
  • Anne Rice – Interview With The Vampire – First UK Edition Signed
  • Anthony Burgess – ‘A Clockwork Orange’ & ‘The Worm and the Ring’ First Edition in dust jacket – any signed First UK Editions
  • Anthony Powell – Any Pre-1960 First Editions in the ‘Dance To The Music of Time’ series – published by Heinemann
  • Arthur C Clarke – ‘2001 – A Space Odyssey First UK Edition 1968
  • Arthur Conan Doyle – ‘The Hound of the Baskervilles’ and ‘The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes’ First Editions published by George Newnes
  • Rand, Ayn – ‘Atlas Shrugged’ US First Edition (Random House) in dust jacket
  • Hines, Barry – A Kestrel for a Knave – First UK Edition published by Michael Joseph
  • Easton Ellis, Bret – American Psycho First UK Edition published by Picador (hardcover only)
  • Isherwood, Christopher – Any Pre-1950 first UK editions in dust jackets/any signed editions, published by The Hogarth Press
  • David Lodge – ‘Out of the Shelter’ UK First Edition published by Macmillan/any pre 1970 first edition
  • Storey, David – ‘This Sporting Life’ First UK Edition published by Longmans
  • Lawrence, D H – Any first editions prior to 1930 in wrappers
  • Colin Dexter – Any first editions in jackets published before 1979.
  • C S Lewis – Any ‘Narnia’ First Editions in dust jackets published by Bles/The Bodley Head
  • Daphne Du Maurier – ‘Rebecca’ First Edition in wrapper, ‘Jamaica Inn’ First Edition in dust wrappers published by Gollancz
  • Dick Francis – ‘Dead Cert’ First Edition in wrapper published by Michael Joseph
  • EM Forster – Any first editions with or without jackets, any signed editions pre 1930
  • John Minton – Any illustrations/dust wrappers – especially ‘Scamp’ by Roland Camberton First UK Edition published by John Lehmann
  • Roland Camberton – Rain on the Pavements, Scamp in dust wrapper published by John Lehmann
  • Ernest Hemingway – Any US or UK First Editions in dust wrappers
  • Frank Herbert – Dune First UK Edition Published by Gollancz, 1966
  • Franz Kafka – Any first editions published by Martin Secker
  • Gabriel Garcia Marquez – Any first UK editions
  • Graham Greene – Any UK First Editions with jackets or pre-1940 without jackets
  • Hermann Hesse – Any UK First Editions, particularly ‘Siddhartha’ published by Peter Owen
  • HG Wells – UK First Editions published before 1910 and any with dust wrappers
  • Irvine Welsh – UK First Edition of Trainspotting published in 1993 by Secker and Warburg
  • Italo Calvino – And hardback UK First Editions in jackets, especially ‘Adam, One Afternoon’
  • Jack Kerouac – ‘On The Road’ First UK Edition published by Andre Deutsch and any others published by Deutsch
  • James Joyce – Any First UK Editions – especially ‘Finnegan’s Wake’ and ‘Ulysses’ published by Faber in dust wrappers
  • JD Salinger – ‘The Catcher in the Rye’ First UK or US Edition
  • JG Ballard – Any First UK Editions of ‘Crash’ published by Cape and any published by Gollancz. Any signed items considered.
  • J M Barrie – Any First UK Editions, especially ‘Peter Pan and Wendy’ published by Hodder 1911 in the dust wrapper
  • John Banville – Any Secker and Warburg First UK Editions – Birchwood/ Long Lankin
  • John Braine – ‘Room At The Top’ First UK Edition, especial signed
  • John Buchan – Any early First UK Editions
  • John Fowles – Pre-1970 UK First Editions and ANY signed material or first editions
  • John Le Carre – Any First UK Editions – Call For The Dead/A Murder of Quality/The Spy Who Came In From The Cold published by Gollancz
  • John McGahern – The Dark and The Barracks First UK Edition
  • John Wyndham – The Day of the Triffids First UK Edition, as well as any under the pseudonym John Beynon
  • Joseph Heller – First UK Edition of Catch 22 published by Cape 1962 in dust wrapper
  • Ken Kesey – One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest First UK Edition published by Methuen 1963
  • Kenneth Grahame – The Wind in the Willows First UK Edition 1908 Methuen
  • Kurt Vonnegut – Any First UK Editions published by Gollancz
  • Lawrence Durrell – We require signed ephemera/signed novels and Justine First UK Edition published by Faber in 1957 in dust wrapper
  • Len Deighton – The Ipcress File First UK Edition published by Hodder in 1962
  • Louis De Bernieres – Captain Corelli’s Mandolin First UK Edition Secker 1994
  • Malcolm Lowry – Ultramarine or Under the Volcane UK First Editions published by Cape
  • Martin Amis – The Rachel Papers/Dead Babies First Editions published by Cape
  • Mervyn Peake – Any UK Gormenghast Novels published by Eyre Spottiswoode in dust wrappers
  • Muriel Spark – Any signed novels and all Pre-1962 First UK Editions in wrappers
  • Nevil Shute – A Town Like Alice First UK Edition, any pre-1944 novels in dust wrappers published by Heinemann – any signed copies
  • Norman Mailer – The Naked and the Dead – US or UK First Editions
  • Oscar Wilde – Any First Editions
  • Pat Barker – Any First UK Editions – ‘Union Street’, ‘Blow Your House Down’ any First UK Editions published by Virago
  • Patricia Highsmith – Any UK or US First editions published before 1960 and by the Cresset Press
  • Patrick Hamilton – First UK Editions prior to 1950
  • Patrick O’Brian – Any first editions pre-1990 published by Collins, especially ‘The Ionian Mission in a dust wrapper
  • Philip K Dick – Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep First UK Edition published by Rapp and Whiting in 1969
  • Philip Pullman – Northern Lights/The Subtle Knife First UK Editions and any signed titles
  • Pierre Boulle – The Bridge Over the River Kwai / Monkey Planet First UK Edition
  • Ralph Ellison – Invisible Man First UK Edition published by Gollancz
  • Ray Bradbury – Fahrenheit 451 First UK Edition
  • RD Wingfield – A Touch of Frost First UK Edition in dust wrapper
  • Reginald Hill – Any Dalziel and Pascoe Collins Crime Club First Editions up to 1981
  • Richard Adams – Watership Down First UK Edition published by Rex Collings
  • Richard Dawkins – The Selfish Gene First UK Edition
  • Richmal Crompton – Any ‘William’ first editions in hardback and with wrappers pre-1940
  • Robert Bloch – Psycho First UK Edition published by Robert Hale
  • Robert Graves – ‘I, Claudius’, ‘Good-Bye To All That’ First UK Edition, first issue in the dust wrapper published by Jonathan Cape in 1928
  • Robert Harris – Fatherland First UK Edition Hutchinson 1992
  • Salman Rushdie – Midnight’s Children First UK Edition/ Satanic Verses First UK Edition any signed copies of either
  • Seamus Heaney – Signed copies or any First UK Editions before 1995, especially signed
  • Sebastian Faulks – A Trick of the Light, The Girl at the Lion d’Or or Birdsong First UK Editions
  • Siegfried Sassoon – Anything before 1930 in dust wrapper and anything signed
  • Stanley Middleton – Holiday First UK Edition in dust wrapper and also signed
  • Stella Gibbons – Cold Comfort Farm First Edition in the dust wrapper
  • Stephen King – Any pre-1980 first editions, UK or US, proof copies, signed copies and limited editions.
  • Sylvia Plath – Ariel, The Collosus First UK Editions Heinemann/Faber
  • T E Lawrence – Seven Pillars of Wisdom First Edition published by Jonathan Cape
  • Ted Hughes – Signed copies and all First UK Editions (The Iron Man, A Hawk in the Rain) published by Faber
  • Terry Pratchett – Any first editions Pre-1990 and any limited editions
  • Thomas Pynchon – First UK Editions of V, The Crying of Lot 49 or Gravity’s Rainbow
  • Truman Capote – US First Editions up to 1950, any signed copies.
  • TS Eliot – First UK Editions, and any signed
  • Ursula Le Guin – Hardbacks pre-1980 First UK Editions and any signed
  • Virginia Woolf – Any First UK Editions published by The Hogarth Press and in wrappers
  • Vladimir Nabokov – Any UK first editions considered
  • VS Naipaul – First editions up to In a Free State (1971) – anything signed
  • W E Johns – Any first editions in Dust Jackets, without dust jackets considered for early novels
  • William Faulkner – Any first editions
  • William Gibson – Neuromancer UK First Edition (Gollancz, 1984) With or without jacket
  • William S Burroughs – Any first editions published before 1960, or signed editions
  • William Trevor – First editions published before 1970 considered.

We also buy novels without dust wrappers which were published by the Collins Crime Club prior to 1942.
We buy Collins Crime Club first editions by any author in dust wrappers/ jackets.