Sir Allen Lane and Penguin Books.- A Collection of Allen Lane's Christmas books and others, many Privately printed, 12 volumes, 1957- 1973. comprising: LINKLATER (Eric. (1899 - 1974). Private Angelo. Privately printed for Sir Allen Lane and Richard Lane. 1957. first edition, Limited edition of 2000 copies on India paper, 8vo, (193 x 122mm), pink and grey paper boards, gilt lettering to spine, within tissue paper wrapper, pictorial e/ps., designed by David Gentleman, 235pp; LANE (Allen. (1902 - 1970). Boxwood & Graver. A Miscellany of Blocks. Privately printed for Allen Lane, Westerham Press, 1958. first edition, Limited edition of 1500 copies printed on Hosho-Shi paper, 8vo, (180 x 128mm), quarter vellum with Japanese wood veneer boards, gilt title to spine, foreward by Allen Lane, 31 wood-engravings formerly used in Penguin books, printed on recto pages from the original blocks by Reynolds Stone, David Gentleman and others, pages uncut; with a loosely inserted Christmas Greetings card for 1958-1959 SIGNED by Allen Lane; ROLFE (Frederick William. [Baron Corvo]. (1860 - 1913): WOOLF (Cecil. (1927 - 2019). Without Prejudice: One Hundred Letters from Frederick William Rolfe to John Lane. Privately printed for Allen Lane. Westerham Press, 1963. first edition, Limited edition of 600 copies, tall 8vo, (250 x 165mm), grey paper boards with orange panels titled in gilt to upper cover and spine, original salmon pink paper wrapper, edges untrimmed, printed on hand-made paper by Hodgkinson's, Somerset, (water-marked 'Corvo to Lane') half-title and title pages printed in red and black, Introduction by Cecil Woolf, 4 illustrations, 2 facsimile letters; with Allen Lane's presentation letter on the publication loosely inserted, 119pp; LANE (Allen. (1902 - 1970). For such as are the Riper Years. Privately printed for Allen Lane, The Curwen Press, 1965. first edition, oblong 8vo, (158 x 209mm), quarter orange pictorial cloth, gilt lettering to spine, half-title, illustrated throughout by Mel Calman, pages uncut, 16pp; COLERIDGE (Samuel Taylor. (1772 - 1834). The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. In Seven Parts. Drawings by Duncan Grant. Privately printed for Allen and Richard Lane, 1945. first edition, Limited edition of 700 copies printed on Arnold hand-made paper, tall 8vo, (235 x 150mm), blue niger pictorial morocco by Henderson & Bisset, gilt lettering to spine, gilt top, others untrimmed, half-title, 5 full-page colour plates (including frontispiece) by Duncan Grant, 35pp; [GRAVES (Robert)]. APULEIUS, Lucius: The Transformations of Lucius, otherwise known as The Golden Ass by Lucius Apuleius. Translated by Robert Graves. SIGNED. 1950. first edition, Limited edition, No. 3 of 2000 copies numbered and SIGNED by the translator, 8vo, (197 x 123mm), original quarter parchment marbled boards, gilt lettering to spine, plain dust-jacket titled in black to spine, gilt top, SIGNED by Robert Graves to rear limitation page, 298pp., within original publisher's card slipcase; ROLPH (C. H. [Editor]). The Trial of Lady Chatterley. Privately printed for Allen Lane. 1961. first edition, Limited edition of 2000 copies for private circulation, numbered and SIGNED by Allen Lane, 8vo, (201 x 137mm), publisher's green cloth, gilt lettering to spine, original plain yellow paper wrapper, pictorial e/ps., a selection of cartoons by Paul Hogarth, with the report of a debate in the House of Lords, SIGNED by Sir Allen Lane to rear limitation page with the limitation number crossed through and INSCRIBED beneath in Lane's hand 'out of series'; Allen Lane's presentation letter on the publication loosely inserted, 292pp; LAWRENCE (D.H. (1885 - 1930). Lady Chatterley's Lover. Penguin Books, 1484, 1960. first edition paperback, 8vo, (181 x 111mm), publisher's orange and cream covers lettered in black, further within blue vinyl wrappers with the penguin logo in blind to upper cover, 317pp; The much publicised trial was held at the Old Bailey, London, from October 20 to November 2, 1960, with eminent writers such as E.M. Forster giving evidence in court. The jury returned a verdict of not guilty and Penguin published an unexpurgated edition with all 200,000 copies being sold on the first day; SINE. [Maurice (Albert Sinet]. (1928 - 2016). Massacre. Penguin Books, 2553, 1966. first English edition, 8vo, (195 x 131mm), pictorial covers, priced 6/- to upper cover, Introduction by Malcolm Muggeridge, illustrated throughout, 94pp. Siné was a French political cartoonist whose work was noted for its anti-capitalism, anti-clericalism, anti-colonialism and anarchism. Penguin's founder, Allen Lane, took offence to the obscene cartoons within the book, it is speculated he removed every English edition from the company's warehouses that had not yet been sold and disposed of them; WILLIAMS (W.E. (1896 - 1977). Allen Lane. A Personal Portrait. 1973. first edition, 8vo, )188 x 118mm), original blue cloth, top edge blue, dustwrapper in the style of Penguin books, unclipped, half-title, b/w. plates, 96pp; The Penguin Story. Q21. 1956. first edition, paperback, pictorial wrappers, illustrated throughout, 124pp. An account of the beginnings and initial successes of Penguin Books published to mark its twenty-first birthday July, 1956; Tributes to Allen Lane at a Service of Thanksgiving for his Life and Work 1902-1970. Privately printed, Cambridge: Rampant Lions Press, 1970. first edition, Limited edition of 750 copies designed and printed for the family of Sir Allen Lane, 8vo, (230 x 140mm), patterned paper wrappers with printed label to upper cover, the text of tributes given at a service of thanksgiving for Sir Allen Lane at St Martin-in the Fields, 18 August, 1970, by Harry Paroissien, Richard Hoggart and Sir Robert Lusty, 16pp., with the 4pp. Order of Service loosely inserted.

Provenance: Collection of the late Malcolm Kelley, Penguin Books, 1958-1972.

Malcolm Kelley began his career with Penguin Books as a sales representative, promoted to managing the distribution and overseas export business, he worked closely with Sir Allen Lane until Lane's death in 1970 when Penguin merged with Longman/Pearson. Kelley moved to Ladybird Books in 1972, first as sales director and later as manging director for twenty years. Kelley considered himself a Penguin man and treated the whole company as a family, just as Sir Allen Lane had done, all those years ago.

Condition: 1. Private Angelo, Christmas, 1957 - a fine copy.2. A Miscellany of Blocks. Christmas, 1958 - a fine copy.3. Without Prejudice. Christmas, 1963 - a fine copy.4. For such as are the Riper Years - toning and light marks to edges of white cloth, o/w. a clean crisp copy.5. The Rime of the Ancient Mariner - light marks to spine, toning to edges of pastedowns and leaf edges, o/w. a near fine copy. 6. The Transformations of Lucius, otherwise known as The Golden Ass by Lucius Apuleius - light marks to spine, light marks to foredge, o/w. internally clean and crisp, light foxing and toning to publisher's card slipcase.7. The Trial of Lady Chatterley, Regina V. Penguin Books Ltd., 1961 - a fine copy. marginal foxing spots to original yellow paper wrapper.8. Lady Chatterley's Lover. Penguin Books, 1960 - bright covers with light marks, toning to edges and pages, o/w. a clean copy.9. Massacre - light wear and scuffs to wrappers, foxing to edges affecting some leaf edges. 10. Allen Lane. A Personal Portrait - light wear to dust-jacket, a near fine copy.11. The Penguin Story. Q21 - light marks and creases to wrappers, toning to edges, o/w. a clean copy.12. Tributes to Allen Lane at a Service of Thanksgiving for his Life and Work 1902-1970 - a near fine copy.