Written in 1748 while the author was in debtor’s prison in London, it is considered the first original English prose pornography, and the first pornography to use the form of the novel. One of the most prosecuted and banned books in history, it has become a synonym for obscenity.

Being one of the most banned books in history, it was also published a number of times by a number of people (see a list and read about it’s author, John Cleland). Copies of the book were mostly sold “underground” and often without markings on the cover. Many anonymous reprints exist without discernible/reliable publication/printing dates. It was not successfully published uncensored in England until 1970. It was first published in the US in 1821 then immediately banned. In a landmark decision in 1966, the United States Supreme Court ruled in Memoirs v. Massachusetts that the banned novel did not meet the standard for obscenity and could then be published and sold in the US.

  • Die Abenteuer der Fanny Hill, John Cleland (np, München, 1919) 7.25" x 5", 2 vol., 178pp, 179-370pp, hardbound, marbled paper boards with cloth spine. Paper label on spine. Good condition for age, showing wear at hinges, both slightly cocked, pages yellowing. Boards worn at edges and corners Written while the author was in debtor's prison in London and first published in 1749, Fanny Hill is considered the first original English prose pornography, and the first pornography to use the form of the novel. One of the most prosecuted and banned books in history, it has become a synonym for obscenity. This German version of Fanny Hill is without mention of publisher. This was German "Bückware" or an item that was kept under the counter only for customers who asked for it. A nice 2 volume set in German.
  • Fanny Hill (Erlebnisse eines Bordellmädchens.), John Cleland (Dieses Buch wird als Privatdruck für die Mitglieder des Clubs 'Carpe Diem' herausgegeben und darf nicht öffentlich verkauft oder weitergegeben werden. John Freer's Druglin, Rotterdam, 1949) 6.5" x 5.25", 78pp, hardbound tan paper over boards, faux leather spine. Good condition, slight foxing around edges of front cover. "This book is privately printed, published for the members of the 'Carpe Diem' club and must not be passed on or sold to the public." This was German "Bückware" or an item that was kept under the counter only for customers who asked for it. The book is labeled "Erstes Buch" (First Book). It is unknown whether this is a complete book. With only 79 pages, it might be a loosely translated edition or just the first volume. I have not found any similar books labeled anything but "Erste Buch"
  • Fanny Hill (Hoboken frontispiece), artist unknown Printed from: Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure or The Life of Fanny Hill John Cleland (Hoboken, np, 1929 [Philadelphia?] limited edition 700 (unnumbered)) Image: 6″ x 10″, high-resolution ink-jet print Paper: 8.5″ x 11″, your choice of 65lb White or 67lb Ivory Parchment
  • Fanny Hill in America, by Frank Fosdick and David Sierra, cover by Jerry Schiano (Parallax Publishing Company, Inc, New York, Distributed by Simon & Schuster, Inc.) 7" x 4.25", soft cover comic book, cover scuffed and slightly soiled Stated "The first Go-Go Comic Novel in Full Color".  As far as I can find it is the ONLY "Go-Go" Comic Novel.  The Man from M.O.T.H.E.R. was also published in similar form saying "A Super-Cool Comic Novel in Full Color".  Parallax is also hard to track down. I've only found mention of a few other comic books.  all published in 1966 (The Great Society Comic Book[a parody of LBJ's social policies], it's companion comic, Bobman and Teddy [parodying Robert and Ted Kennedy], and the VERY rare Kosher Comics [featuring The Lone Arranger, Supermax, Tishman of the Apes, & Dick Shamus]). I can't find this publication listed at all. Other Parallax publications are similarly very rare.  
  • Fanny Hill print 5.5 x 8.25" This print came from someone's private collection.  The rest of the prints I have from this estate are also from various editions of Fanny Hill by John Cleland.  Print is by "PIZAN" and is possibly from a 20-30s edition printed clandestinely in NY.
  • Fanny Hill print 5.5 x 8.25" This print came from someone's private collection.  The rest of the prints I have from this estate are also from various editions of Fanny Hill by John Cleland.  Print is by "PIZAN" and is possibly from a 20-30s edition printed clandestinely in NY.
  • Out of stock
    Fanny Hill print 5.5 x 8.25" This print came from someone's private collection.  The rest of the prints I have from this estate are also from various editions of Fanny Hill by John Cleland.  Print is by "PIZAN" and is possibly from a 20-30s edition printed clandestinely in NY.
  • Fanny Hill print 5.5 x 8.25" This print came from someone's private collection.  The rest of the prints I have from this estate are also from various editions of Fanny Hill by John Cleland.  Print is by "PIZAN" and is possibly from a 20-30s edition printed clandestinely in NY.
  • Fanny Hill print 5.5 x 8.25" This print came from someone's private collection.  The rest of the prints I have from this estate are also from various editions of Fanny Hill by John Cleland.  Print is by "PIZAN" and is possibly from a 20-30s edition printed clandestinely in NY.
  • Out of stock
    Fanny Hill print "Kissing me in every part, the most secret one so far excepted that it came in for most of that homage." 6 x 8", hand colored This print came from someone's private collection.  The rest of the prints I have from this estate are also from various editions of Fanny Hill by John Cleland.  I'm unsure of the edition but this seems to be a print from the 1920-30s and hand colored.
  • Fanny Hill print "Then, taking the fine handle that so invitingly offered itself, she led the youth to the bed." 6 x 8" This print came from someone's private collection.  The rest of the prints I have from this estate are also from various editions of Fanny Hill by John Cleland.  I'm unsure of the edition but this seems to be a print from the 1920-30s.
  • Fanny Hill's Cook Book, Lionel H. Braun & William Adams, illustrations by Brian Forbes (Taplinger Publishing Co., Inc., New York, 1971 [first edition]) 9 3/8" X 6 1/8", 137pp, hardbound with DJ, good condition, binding tight, some soiling to front boards, few tears in dust jacket Rare and raunchy 70's cookbook. Highlights include "Whores d'oeuvres and snacks" featuring "Dildoughs with Warts in Hot Lips", "Pickled Peckers" and Marquise d'Salade with Crafty Ebbing Undressing". In the "Meat Dishes" section there is "Suc d'Meat", "Rump Roast or Backside Entree", and "Fellatio Mignon". There is a whole section "On Stuffing." The pasta section features "Cunnilinguini with Pietro's Tongue" and the dessert features among others "Jock's Strap", "The Nutcracker Sweet" and "Virgin's pushups with a few bawdy stories thrown in between the recipes. The illustrations are very fun. Very 70's. A good copy of a rare book.
  • Mémoires de Fanny Hill, Femme de Plaisir, John Cleland (Bibliothèque Des Curieux, Paris, 1914) 9" X 5 5/8", 281pp, soft bound, deckle edges, many pages uncut/unread, "decorated with six compositions from the series of engravings by William Hogarth: La Destin_e d'une Courtisane", fair condition, good considering it's age, pages yellow and small rips near spine Written while the author was in debtor's prison in London and first published in 1749, Fanny Hill is considered the first original English prose pornography, and the first pornography to use the form of the novel. One of the most prosecuted and banned books in history, it has become a synonym for obscenity. This book appeared as a part of a series "Les Maitres de l'amour" (The Masters of Love). "With documents about life in London in the eighteenth century, including Life after the gallant Serails of London, Introduction and bibliography by Guillaume Apollinaire"
  • Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure or The Life of Fanny Hill, John Cleland (Hoboken, np, 1929 [Philadelphia?] limited edition #621/700 first edition) 5 3/4 X 8 1/4, 211pp, quarter-bound red cloth over decorated boards, white label affixed to spine, color illustrations (rare) in an “art deco” style in  similar to Aubrey Beardsley [or Elliot Dodd], excellent condition for age. Written while the author was in debtor’s prison in London and first published in 1749, Fanny Hill is considered the first original English prose pornography, and the first pornography to use the form of the novel. One of the most prosecuted and banned books in history, it has become a synonym for obscenity. The Hoboken copies of Fanny Hill are quite rare. This is the first edition original published c. 1929 with color illustrations and is extremely rare. An other edition appeared c. 1932 with the illustrations in black and white. It is unknown who the artist is but the illustrations are quite detailed and good.
  • Memoirs of Fanny Hill, John Cleland (Privately Printed, The Kamashastra Society, 1907 [likely pirated copy of the Paris Kamashastra edition, likely clandestinely printed in the US, c. 1920-30s]) 8.75" X 5.75", 287pp, hardbound no DJ, top edge dyed blue, fair condition, binding good, boards are loose but holding. Written while the author was in debtor's prison in London and first published in 1748, Fanny Hill is considered the first original English prose pornography, and the first pornography to use the form of the novel. One of the most prosecuted and banned books in history, it has become a synonym for obscenity. The title page is printed in black with green decorations. The contents mirror the Carrington versions of the book, reformatted and lacking the plates. The title is in black (not black and green as other Kamashastra editions) This leads me to believe that it is a likely US pirate of the Kamashastra (which is, itself a pirate of the Carrington version).
  • Memoirs of Fanny Hill [Memories of Fanny Hill], John Cleland (Published for Bibliophiles, London, 1900 [a facsimile copy, valid publishing date not known]) 7 1/4' X 4 3/4", 312pp, hardbound no DJ, red cloth boards with gilt lettering on front, nothing on spine, red stippled edges, very good condition, binding slightly cocked Written while the author was in debtor's prison in London and first published in 1749, Fanny Hill is considered the first original English prose pornography, and the first pornography to use the form of the novel. One of the most prosecuted and banned books in history, it has become a synonym for obscenity. I have not been able to find mention of this edition anywhere. It is an obvious reprint of a popular 1900 edition published by Charles Carrington. This book is unique in that it does not appear to be rebound yet the front cover reads "Memories of Fanny Hill" (Memories, not Memoires). Is this an attempt at a unique title, a mistake by the publisher/binder? I don't know.
  • The Illustrated Fanny Hill, John Cleland, illustrated by Zevi Blum, introduction written by Erica Jong, designed by Herb Lubalin (The Erotic Artbook Society [Ralph Ginzburg], 1978, first edition thus, stated "NE PLUS EDITION") 12.5" X 10.5", 127pp, hardbound with DJ, very good condition, minor tears to dust jacket Written while the author was in debtor's prison in London and first published in 1748, Fanny Hill is considered the first original English prose pornography, and the first pornography to use the form of the novel. One of the most prosecuted and banned books in history, it has become a synonym for obscenity. Dust Jacket shows some wear but in good condition. This copy is an excellent and beautiful "legal" (meaning post-1966 Supreme Court Case) edition of Fanny Hill. It was published by Ralph Ginzburg (Eros Magazine, Fact Magazine, served 8 months of a 5 year prison term for obscenity). The illustrations are beautifully done and have a psychedelic feel to them.
  • The Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure, John Cleland (no author given) (Rare Book Co., 1949 "privately printed and a limited edition") 6 1/8" X 4 5/8", unpaginated, red limp cloth binding, illustrations by Ron Hart Written while the author was in debtor's prison in London and first published in 1749, Fanny Hill is considered the first original English prose pornography, and the first pornography to use the form of the novel. One of the most prosecuted and banned books in history, it has become a synonym for obscenity. This copy of the book only slightly resembles the original (they also neglected to name Cleland as the author). I believe this to be a "cleaned-up" version of the story. To the best of my knowledge, all eroticism has been purged. It was published by the Rare Book Company which was the publishing house for the Christian Scientists! I cannot find any mention of this little book anywhere else.
  • Tied & Birched, artist unknown Print from:  l'Histoire de Juliette Marquis de Sade (Hollande, 1797) Image: 6" x 9.5", high-resolution ink-jet print Paper: 8.5" x 11", 65lb White paper
  • Woman with Whip, artist unknown Printed from: Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure or The Life of Fanny Hill John Cleland (Hoboken, np, 1929 [Philadelphia?] limited edition 700 (unnumbered)) Image: 6″ x 9.5″, high-resolution ink-jet print Paper: 8.5″ x 11″, 65lb White
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