Rare, cult, secondhand books and ephemera based in Dalston, London.

We are devoted to curating a fine selection of books and printed material of the arts. Specialties include rare and out-of-print items on Film, Art, Fiction, Music and Photography. Alongside some collections of Poetry, Fashion and Design.

The image on this page is a photo taken by Judy Linn of Patti Smith's bedroom wall in New York, at some point between 1969 and 1976. It's most likely from her room in the Chelsea Hotel which she shared with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. After a while of buying and selling books I came across this image and realised it's a good summation of some of the things at the core of what we read, collect and sell here at Window Books. There's a portrait of Jean Genet, or Saint Genet as both Smith and Sartre would come to call him, aptly displayed under some rosary beads. Friend and contemporary of Burroughs and Ginsberg, Genet would go on to write Querelle of Brest which inspired the Fassbinder film of the same name. Unsurprisingly there are multiple photos of Bob Dylan, another previous resident of the Chelsea hotel, which is also where Hanuman Books was ran from, the publishers of Dylan's 'Saved' gospels among others. There's also Camus, James Dean and Albertine Sarrazin. We have books about or by all of these figures. By no means does it sum up Window Books in it's entirety, but it's a pretty good place to start.

In addition to our current stock, which will be updated on a weekly basis, we offer personalised consultation services for collectors, readers, researchers, and institutions.

If you’re looking to build your own personal collection or seeking assistance in researching a specific topic we can help you source what you're looking for. 

We are also always interested in acquiring new items within our sectors of interest, so please don't hesitate to get in touch.

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