Rare Frank Ocean printed memorabilia - 17th Aug 2025

New to the website: 2019 edition of Frank Ocean's BOYS DON'T CRY magazine, depicted here. But also, some rarer, early magazine appearances eg Fader: Fall Fashion 75 (Aug/Sept 2011), Garagisme Issue No 3 April 2013, The Advocate, October 2012.

Have a look here

DOCTOR WHO - 4th Feb 2025

Usually have plenty of DOCTOR WHO novelisation paperbacks, recently have had an additional influx

Early DARWIN editions - 26th Oct 2024

Recent additions to website, early editions of the various works of Charles Darwin (check them out here)

Early editions of Lord of the Rings - 7th Oct 2024

New to website: early impressions of LOTR, in the original jackets. Also depicted, the India paper edition: given the price, maybe don't read in the bath, but the most "user friendly" copy: thin paper like a Bible, so you can have all the books in one slim volume, sought after

Details here:
Lord of the Rings

URSULA LE GUIN 1st ED's - 12th Sep 2024

Ah, whenever we are listing a standard paperback "reading copy" of one of Ursula's books, you lot are snapping it up immediately the same day... Makes us look like we never have any of her books... These ones should stick around for a smidge longer though, given the price tags!

Check 'em out here (all online listings are physically held in our DUNEDIN store)

1885 "rocket making apparatus" from THE ART OF PYROTECHNY - 15th Aug 2024

Making fireworks the 19th century way, "Specially Designed for Use of Amatuers" so what could go wrong — also, some great Victorian advertisments at rear. Rockets, roman candles, Bengal fires, crackers, serpents, stars and "the mortars from which they are fired"

https://www.hardtofind.co.nz/book/2s11-41/The-Art-of-Pyrotechny-being-Comprehensive-and-Practical-Instructions-for-the-Manufacture-of-Fireworks-specially-designed-for-the-Use-of-Amateurs



 

Recent chat with Jesse Mulligan on RNZ - 16th May 2024

A good chat between Warwick & Jess Mulligan of RNZ — famous book collection yarns and a peek behind the scenes :)

https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/afternoons/audio/2018938179/expert-feature-warwick-jordan-on-looking-after-books 

First ENGLISH TRANSLATION: Dostoevsky's CRIME AND PUNISHMENT - 20th Jan 2024

New addition to our website: the very first English translation of CRIME AND PUNISHMENT, by Vizetelly & Co. 1886 — price comensurate with condition and rarity!

Last recorded sale in March 2017 for NZ$25,900: here's a Guardian article about finding it in a box for £14!
www.theguardian.com/books/2017/apr/06/crime-and-punishment-dostoevsky-auction

The Vizetelly's are quite interesting in and of themselves: Vizetelly elder also oversaw the first English translation of Flaubert's Madame Bovary, and was fined for the obscenity of publishing Zola in English in 1888 and then again in 1889 — for which he was imprisioned for 3 months and bankrupt by 1890!

http://www.victorianresearch.org/atcl/show_genre.php?gid=71

Clearly a good eye for literature — just like yourself, if you find yourself browsing our Hard to Find Books' website :P