The Petersfield Bookshop
@pfieldbookshop.bsky.social
Sending books to every corner of the known universe since 1918
Pinned
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.
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
December 9, 2025 at 2:32 PM
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.
December 9, 2025 at 11:39 AM
"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.
December 9, 2025 at 10:09 AM
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!
December 4, 2025 at 10:20 PM
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!
December 4, 2025 at 10:06 PM
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.
December 3, 2025 at 6:33 PM
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.
December 3, 2025 at 3:57 PM
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".
December 3, 2025 at 3:39 PM
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!
December 2, 2025 at 9:46 PM
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.
December 2, 2025 at 4:10 PM
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!!??
November 29, 2025 at 12:46 PM
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!
November 29, 2025 at 10:23 AM
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.
November 28, 2025 at 4:10 PM
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.
November 28, 2025 at 1:56 PM
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.
The Amateur's Greenhouse and Conservatory from 1873 by prolific Victorian gardening writer Shirley Hibberd. This is the scarce first edition, pretty to behold from the outside and with fold-out colour plates on the inside.
November 28, 2025 at 1:45 PM
The Amateur's Greenhouse and Conservatory from 1873 by prolific Victorian gardening writer Shirley Hibberd. This is the scarce first edition, pretty to behold from the outside and with fold-out colour plates on the inside.
E. A. Wallis Budge, one of the great Egyptoligists of the British Museum (with all the sensitivities that involves), but a great scholar able to produce whole volumes of translations from multiple dead languages.
November 28, 2025 at 1:35 PM
E. A. Wallis Budge, one of the great Egyptoligists of the British Museum (with all the sensitivities that involves), but a great scholar able to produce whole volumes of translations from multiple dead languages.
A lovely early edition of "At The Back of the North Wind" by George MacDonald but this one a little bit special. It was given on her 9th birthday to Eleanor Farjeon who grew up to be a poet and childrens author, best known today for the words of "Morning has Broken".
November 27, 2025 at 2:54 PM
A lovely early edition of "At The Back of the North Wind" by George MacDonald but this one a little bit special. It was given on her 9th birthday to Eleanor Farjeon who grew up to be a poet and childrens author, best known today for the words of "Morning has Broken".
Persian Tales from 1919, translated by two Lorimers and illustratated in both b/w & colour by Hilda Roberts.
A desirable book in any form but this one has been bound in full navy blue leather with ornate gilt decoration, marbled endpapers and page edges. Quite the school prize.
A desirable book in any form but this one has been bound in full navy blue leather with ornate gilt decoration, marbled endpapers and page edges. Quite the school prize.
November 27, 2025 at 10:28 AM
Persian Tales from 1919, translated by two Lorimers and illustratated in both b/w & colour by Hilda Roberts.
A desirable book in any form but this one has been bound in full navy blue leather with ornate gilt decoration, marbled endpapers and page edges. Quite the school prize.
A desirable book in any form but this one has been bound in full navy blue leather with ornate gilt decoration, marbled endpapers and page edges. Quite the school prize.
What a stunner. "Familiar Garden Flowers" by Shirley Hibberd and illustrated with 160 full colour plates by F. E. Hulme. A common book but not in this extraordinary binding issued about 1880 with hand-painted flowers on the inset gold panels in the binding. Just... wow!
November 26, 2025 at 9:22 PM
What a stunner. "Familiar Garden Flowers" by Shirley Hibberd and illustrated with 160 full colour plates by F. E. Hulme. A common book but not in this extraordinary binding issued about 1880 with hand-painted flowers on the inset gold panels in the binding. Just... wow!
A stunning green leather binding on this copy of The Oxford Book of French Verse from 1908. Leather on the inside of the boards a real sign of quality. Full gilt edges on the pages and inscribed by the editor as well. Has an amazing feel in the hand, tactile like a prayer book.
November 26, 2025 at 3:03 PM
A stunning green leather binding on this copy of The Oxford Book of French Verse from 1908. Leather on the inside of the boards a real sign of quality. Full gilt edges on the pages and inscribed by the editor as well. Has an amazing feel in the hand, tactile like a prayer book.
Nearly 1200 pages of The Lord of the Rings. All of it. In one volume.
That's the beauty of india paper, sometimes called Bible paper.
This is a really excellent copy of the Deluxe Edition of LOTR from 1985, complete with its two part box.
That's the beauty of india paper, sometimes called Bible paper.
This is a really excellent copy of the Deluxe Edition of LOTR from 1985, complete with its two part box.
November 25, 2025 at 10:17 PM
Nearly 1200 pages of The Lord of the Rings. All of it. In one volume.
That's the beauty of india paper, sometimes called Bible paper.
This is a really excellent copy of the Deluxe Edition of LOTR from 1985, complete with its two part box.
That's the beauty of india paper, sometimes called Bible paper.
This is a really excellent copy of the Deluxe Edition of LOTR from 1985, complete with its two part box.
Not the first printing of this cycle of controversial radio plays by Dorothy L. Sayers but nicely signed by her. The Protestant Truth Society got very agitated about these broadcasts and "obligingly did all our publicity for us at considerable expense to themselves"
November 25, 2025 at 1:10 PM
Not the first printing of this cycle of controversial radio plays by Dorothy L. Sayers but nicely signed by her. The Protestant Truth Society got very agitated about these broadcasts and "obligingly did all our publicity for us at considerable expense to themselves"
This is a really interesting copy of Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy from 1903, in which lots of the blank pages have been covered with articles about Hardy, in particular about the burial of his heart.
November 25, 2025 at 11:51 AM
This is a really interesting copy of Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy from 1903, in which lots of the blank pages have been covered with articles about Hardy, in particular about the burial of his heart.
Of course when we think of war poetry we think of Owen & Sassoon and their bitter & pungent poetry of WW1, but it is a much broader field than that. Here is "Some Volunteer Verse" from 1905 from The Inns of Court Rifles: lawyers with guns!
November 25, 2025 at 11:07 AM
Of course when we think of war poetry we think of Owen & Sassoon and their bitter & pungent poetry of WW1, but it is a much broader field than that. Here is "Some Volunteer Verse" from 1905 from The Inns of Court Rifles: lawyers with guns!
Are you catering for the equivalent of a country house over Christmas? This is the book you need. From 1813 John Simpson's "System of Cookery", the 3rd ed "with the addition of pickling etc." A bill of fare for every day of the year. Beautiful modern binding by the Abrams Bindery
November 20, 2025 at 11:02 AM
Are you catering for the equivalent of a country house over Christmas? This is the book you need. From 1813 John Simpson's "System of Cookery", the 3rd ed "with the addition of pickling etc." A bill of fare for every day of the year. Beautiful modern binding by the Abrams Bindery