The rather wonderful looking "Cahiers Series" 41 substantial booklets in slipcases, all illustrated and all exploring in some way the art of translation.

A very cool image of HMS Invincible just acquired. A copper plate engraving by John Boydell from 1751.

Enjoying this archive of letters, poems, stories and original artwork by 20th century illustrator W. S. Foyster who was known for work in childrens annuals, women's magazines and for Enid Blyton.

A Russian childrens book published on Moscow in 1910. Amazing illustrations but the best I can do with the title is something like "Fairy Tale of the Underground People" a poem by A. A. Fedorov-Davidov, illustrator uncredited.

This is a very pretty edition of The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge using illustrations by, among others, Gustave Doré. It was published in Boston in 1883 less than 10 years after Doré's illustrated editon was first published.

There must be books on "Wildflowers of..." almost every continent, region, country and county in the world. Some are better than others. This is "...of Canada" and is full of rather lovely coloured illustrations.

The painting is coming along quite nicely.

"Bogus Sausages" ! Not THE book by Bram Stoker that everyone knows but an interesting sideline of his detailing "Famous Impostors". UK first edition from 1910 and this copy from the library of renowned collector of conjuring books, Jimmy Findlay, with his great exlibris plate.

A bit of a Scottish theme today. Two more maps, these probably from the 1620 edition of "Famous Islands of the World" engraved by Girolamo Porro. One of the whole of Scotland, one of the Hebrides and Orkneys.

New paint colour going on slowly but surely...

A map of Scotland, mounted in sections on linen for folding but would look amazing framed. Cartographer was James Knox and it was published in 1788.

Other fun books priced up and listed today...

"It is the ambition of most gardeners to excell each other in the production of early cucumbers" apparently. At least it is according to Thomas Mawe in this 1776 edition of his Gardener's Kalendar.

One finds the strangest things in boxes of books sometimes!

I am staying at my desk today...!

Enjoyed The Forsytes on the telly last year? This is 1960s copy of the book but bound in leather with all the trimmings by the prestigious Bayntun bindery in Bath.

As you know I am always here for the gilt

I see a fresh coat of paint in the shop's future...

Had enough chocolates recently? This is the original artwork for a 1lb box of chocs.

Had enough chocolates recently? This is the original artwork for a 1lb box of chocs.

Nominative Determinism strikes again!

Here's a nice little oddity. It's a zinc printing block in Art Nouveau style for the publisher Longmans, Green and Co. from 1902. (Last picture reversed)

Just a quick note to wish you all a Happy Christmas and an an extraordinarily good New Year. We are so very grateful to you all for your continued support of the shop. Don't go anywhere... we'll be back after the break

96 tartans in colour!

The screenplay of Emma Thompson's movie of 'Sense and Sensibility' signed by her and with the premiere ticket inside too.

Someone practicing their typing chooses a passage from Brideshead...

An unexciting outside on this 'book' hides over 100 samples of crochet lace probably from the early 20th century.

I wouldn't normally trouble y'all with a "prize binding" of The Complete Works of Shakespeare but I like this one for a couple of reasons. First, Midhurst Grammar School is local to us and second, how cool to get a prize simply for "common sense".

Sometimes I depair of myself. Why have I just bought a bundle of manuscript pages that I can't possibly hope to read!!

Anyone's bookclub want to read a modern classic? We find ourselves with an embarrasdment of Atonement.

From 1912, a collection of "Folk Tales of Bengal" by the Rev. Lal Behari Day, with jewel like illustrations by Warwick Goble.

So this morning we arrived to find this little ball of fur asleep on a pile of boxes on our forecourt. Small, cold, very skinny and hungry. Of course we will do all the vet things & see if theres a chip but if anyone locally knows of a missing black cat we would be glad to hear

"Unlucky Plants. A Folklore Survey" by Roy Vickery... but someone has inserted pressed samples. There's so many you have to wonder if this thing might be cursed!

I can't get over this little Bible and Book of Common Prayer combo. Nearly 200 years old and look like they were made yesterday. Astonishing intricate decoration on the leather bindings and they sit together in a black leather case. Just beautiful.

A copy of "The Idylls of the King" by Tennyson from 1868. It took Tennyson about 40 years to settle on a 'final version', this edition is about half-way through that process. Bound in stunning green leather with gilt stamped decoration.

It's that time of the year again! Gathering some books to put in the window!

Books don't have to be leather bound and centuries old to be scarce and interestimg. This is a wartime paperback encouraging people to grow their own food as much as possible. The book itself was manufactured under restrictive wartime standards meaning this is an unusual survival

"Dickens's Dictionary of The Thames" from 1880. The Dickens in question is Charles Jr., son of the famous author. The best thing about this though is surely the advertising.

With deep sadness The Westwood family announces the death of Mrs Ann Westwood, senior partner of The Petersfield Bookshop. She passed away peacefully on 23rd November 2025. The Funeral will be at 3.30pm on 15th December, at Chichester Crematorium.

James Shirley Hibberd wrote books on a huge variety of gardening themes and we are busy cataloging a small group of them of which this is one, "The Amateur's Greenhouse and Conservatory" from 1873. They knew how to produce a book back then!

Any Scots in your life in need of a pressie they will treasure? The Poetical Works of Robert Burns in 3 volumes bound in full red leather and published in 1839... I mean!

In 1927 the first collected edition of The Flower Faries by Cicely Mary Barker was published. It contains fairies of the spring, summer and autumn.

This is a real rarity. "The Tourmaline" a book about just one crystal, its natural history and properties. Published in Boston it is particularly concerned with tourmaline from Maine. A slim volume but very scarce.

This is a gorgeous little book. Undated but probably about 1880 it gives practical instructions on pattern and lettering in churches with the author given as just "A Practical Illustrator".

Fans of the mad genius of Antonin Artaud should be beating a path to our door about now!

For 80 years this spectacular work of "active imagination" by Carl Jung was locked away in a Swiss bank by his estate, fearful that the contents were so 'out there' that his reputation might not survive publication. But in 2009 this huge & beautiful facsimile was finally issued.

What in the name of the Infernal Library of the Goblin King is that!!??

Let's start today with a rarity. Yes, the book itself is rare for sure, The Douay New Testament (wiki link below). But there is some historic damage to some of the pages and the repair is something I have only heard about, never seen: they have been STITCHED back together!

Two stunning bespoke gift bindings by Bumpus of Oxford to "My Lambkin" (whose full name is tooled in gilt inside). "The Princess and the Goblin" by George MacDonald, and "Puck of Pook's Hill" by Kipling.

Last night we had an event in the shop. The lights were low, the cabinet was looking sparkly. I couldn't resist a bit of a scan along the shelves.