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, Love Vintage Books, caters for all subject and genre interests. We concentrate on transport, military history, art, architecture and photography as well as all aspects of Australiana. Our section devoted to children's collectable books, including classics, favourite novels, annuals and novelty books, is well regarded. We aim at making our shop a restful oasis for all readers and collectors by keeping it as interesting, enjoyable and welcoming as possible.

Contact Information
Phone: +61 2 9967 0017
Website: https://lovevintagebooks.com.au/
Loading map...

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
One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich | Alexander Solzhenitsyn
$150
This novel caused a sensation when first published in the USSR in 1962. Internally there is no foxing original prior owner markings on front free endpaper, so the text is in very good condition and with no cracking of spine, the book remains in a very good original better state overall.
View More
Cancer Ward | Alexander Solzhenitsyn
$105
Solzhenitsyn, Alexander (Translated by N. Bethell and D. Burg ) 1968 (First UK Edition). The Bodley Head, London, England Considered by the author (1918-2008) to be his most important novel, 'Portraying the relationships of a group of people from a remarkable cross-section of contemporary Russian characters and attitudes' in the cancer ward of a provincial Soviet hospital.
View More
The Land | Sackville-West, Vita
$890
First published in 1926, this is a famous poetry collection of the changing of the seasons with secondary subjects such as the British Yeoman, Cider making and wildflowers, etc., annotated at the edge of each subsequent page. Good Condition - Note: Internally, it is devoid of any extraneous markings or prior ownership identifiers. The book is largely free of foxing other than two strips of tanning on both fep's. Hardcover done in burgundy publisher's cloth with minor scuffing and corner bruising.
View More
More For Your Garden | Sackville-West, Vita
$1100
1955. Michael Joseph , Bloomsbury, London, United Kingdom Another of her books about gardening following from In Your Garden and In Your Garden Again. Renowned for many reasons Vita wrote large numbers of poetry collections and at least 13 books on various subjects. Important in the Bloomsbury literary group and bears a neat inscription on front end free paper from ‘V’. Very Good Condition - Note: Done in light red publishers cloth with gold title on a very firm spine, the corners are bumped but otherwise there is no major wear and tear seen.
View More
The Wind in the Willows | Kenneth Grahame
$1500
Grahame, Kenneth 1931. Methuen and Co., London, England Arguably one of the most famous of children's books, it was not until the 38th edition that the great illustrator Earnest Shepard was invited to produce his classic drawings of the different characters on the riverside and despite multiple other illustrators trying their hand, it is these pictures that have stood the test of time. Surprisingly scarce, this edition is quite difficult to track down and this particular example is very beautiful indeed.
View More
The Illustrated Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy | Douglas Adams
$165
994 (First Edition Thus). Weidenfeld & Nicolson , London, England The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is at last published in panoramic, earth-shattering, hyper-hysterical format, illustrated in glorious technicolor, bringing alive horridly quivering Vogan monster flesh and vividly throbbing spacecraft by means of revolutionary digital graphic 'paintbox' technology. In short, a truly amazing book and interior design with spectacular endpapers.
View More
Crossing the Water Uncorrected Proof | Sylvia Plath
$835
1971. Faber and Faber , London, United Kingdom A soft card covered Uncorrected Proof of one of her most famous poems. Very Good Condition - Note: The spine is in excellent condition with a simple flat stitched bind that remains very sound and there are no loose or absent pages nor are there any tears or blemishes other than that the edge browning continues throughout on the classical poor quality paper stock used in early proofs. No pen marks are present with no prior ownership name either.
View More
The Great Dune Trilogy | Frank Herbert
$820
1979 (First Edition Thus). Victor Gollancz Ltd , London, England These three volumes have been hailed as collectively three of the finest achievements of post-war science fiction. This is the first time that three great Dune novels have appeared in one volume. Worthy of a spot in anyone's library.
View More
Cry the Beloved Country | Alan Paton
$2100
1948 (First US Edition). Charles Scribner's Sons , New York, United States Said to be one of the most significant novels to have ever come out of South Africa. " The book came out in 1948, some few months before The National Party took power and made apartheid law ... so the novel is a famous social protest against the structures in South African society that would later give rise to apartheid ", written by this strong Christian and Anglican outspoken critic of the South African government. Not quite as rare as the UK first edition, but it is a great addition to any library.
View More
Those Were The Days Signed | A A Milne
$950
1929 (First and Limited Edition). Methuen, London, England A collection of stories and essays. This is a signed limited edition of 250 copies, of which this is numbered 249, printed on India paper.
View More
May We Borrow Your Husband Signed | Graham Greene
$980
1967 (First and limited edition). The Bodley Head Ltd , London, England An extra-fine and autographed copy of his famous book that encompasses twelve brief tales including that of the book title that inspired the famous 1963 Dirk Bogarde film of the same name. A rare and totally complete book for Greene devotees.
View More
The Audacity of Hope Signed | Barack Obama
$3150
2006. Crown Publishers , New York Thoughts "On Reclaiming the American Dream" purchased at auction from Forum Auctions London, and written by Obama when he was the junior member for Illinois and not the President. Provenance is excellent and the book has been signed on the 31st October 2006 at Alverno College in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, following a Democrat rally in Pere Marquette Park.
View More