J O N K E R S R A R E B O O K S
P R E S E N T A T I O N C O P I E S & M A N U S C R I P T S
SHAW’S FIRST NOVEL WITH FULL PAGE INSCRIPTION 68. SHAW, George Bernard CASHEL BYRON’S PROFESSION A Novel The Modern Press, 1886. First edition, variant issue with the blank leaf bound at the rear. Original blue wrap- pers printed in red and black. With the author’s long signed inscription to the title page dated 1921 giving interesting bibliographical information regarding the printing of the first impression and of the writing of this book. Contents a little crumpled, spine worn, residue of label removed from upper wrapper, some staining. Only a good copy. Housed in a black cloth clamshell box. [26221] £1,750 Shaw’s first novel, which incorporates his twin obsessions of boxing and social integration.
M.P. SHIEL TO LEONARD SHRUBSALL
69. SHIEL, M. P. PRINCE ZALESKI John Lane, 1895. First edition. Original publisher’s purple cloth with gilt titles to the spine and white printed design by Aubrey Beardsley to covers. Inscribed by the author at length to the front end paper, “A trinity here: the first about a father, the second about a son, or scion, the third about a ghostly hole; yet as the Athanasian creed says, “there are not three omniscients, but one omniscient,” who, lying on a couch, argues, seeing through walls. But there is no detective but the detective and father of detectives, the “Dupin” of Poe, of whom this Zaleski is a legitimate son, and the notorious Holmes a bastard son. 1924 M.P.Sheil” A very good copy, faded to the spine and a little worn at the edges. Internally fresh with the occasional leaf carelessly opened. [40897] £9,500 The author’s first book, a collection of three connected crime stories, all featuring the eponymous detective and showing clear influences of Poe and Doyle, as the author obliquely refers in his in - scription. Although Shiel was to write only one further Zaleski story before turning his hand pro- lifically to the supernatural, this work is regarded as a classic of the genre and is a Haycraft-Queen cornerstone. The inscription was solicited, probably by Leonard Shrubsall, in 1924 with other books by Shiel, “who equally obviously asked Shiel to make a cogent comment about each one. The collection... was bought by Otto Penzler of New York, who sold most of them to Vernon Lay who, in turn, sold them to a number of people.” (George Locke - A Spectrum of Fantasy) PROVENANCE: Leonard James Shrubsall (1879-1952, book collector, bookplate to front paste- down); Otto Penzler (bookseller and collector of detective fiction)
SEWELL TO HER COUSINS 67. SEWELL, Anna BLACK BEAUTY: His Grooms and Companions. The Autobiogra- phy of a Horse. Translated from the Original Equine Jarrold and Sons, [1877]. First edition. Small 8vo. Original green cloth with decoration embossed in gilt and black, Carter’s variant B. Author’s presentation copy, inscribed on publication, “Mary and Catherine Sewell from their affectionate cousin, the Author, Christmas 1877.” En- graved frontispiece after C. Hewitt. A very good copy with the front joint neatly re- paired, lacking the front endpaper. Light wear to the spine ends and corners. [33970] £35,000 A wonderful family association being a Christmas gift from Anna Sewell to her spinster cousins. Anna Sewell lived only a few months after the publication of her book making inscribed copies extremely uncommon. Confined to the home after a childhood accident, Anna first mentioned that she was writing Black Beauty in her journal on 6th November 1871. She wrote “I am writing the life of a horse, and get- ting dolls and boxes ready for Christmas”. In December 1876 she wrote, “I am getting on with my little book ‘Black Beauty’.” By this time Anna was becoming more and more crippled and spent much of her time on a sofa writing in pencil, with her mother making a copy. She wrote “I have been confined to the house and to my sofa, from time to time, when I am able, been writing what I think will turn out a little book, its special aim being to induce kindness, sympathy and an under- standing treatment of horses”. Black Beauty was published at the end of 1877 and Anna lived just long enough to hear of its success. The book has a strong moral purpose and is said to have been instrumental in the abolition of the cruel practice of using the check rein.
74
75
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs