[Rarebooks] FS: First Edition of PYGMALION, basis for MY FAIR LADY, in dustwrapper, 1916

[Charles Agvent]

 From our new list of GEORGE BERNARD SHAW items, 130 pieces including 
manuscripts , letters, ephemera, and inscribed books.  See the entire list at: 
http://www.erols.com/agvent

SHAW,  George  Bernard. ANDROCLES AND THE LION, OVERRULED,  PYGMALION.
London:  Constable  and  Company Ltd. 1916.  First  Edition.  Laurence
A137b.  First English Edition, published about a month earlier in  the
United  States,  of  one of Shaw's most  popular  plays,  PYGMALION, a
radical  reworking of Ovid's classic tale with a feminist twist.  Shaw
wrote  PYGMALION for the actress Mrs. Patrick Campbell who appeared to
be  the only actress willing to say the taboo word "bloody" spoken  by
her  character  Eliza  Doolittle. In 1938 the play was  made  into  an
excellent  movie,  for which Shaw's screenplay won an Oscar,  starring
Leslie  Howard  as  Professor Higgins. The play reached a  much  wider
audience  when it was transformed by Alan Jay Lerner into the  musical
MY  FAIR LADY and later the film of the same title directed by  George
Cukor  and  starring Rex Harrison and Audrey Hepburn who  replaced  an
irate  Julie  Andrews  the  star of the Broadway  musical.  The  Irish
playwright,  who  wrote  more plays than Shakespeare,  won  the  Nobel
Prize  in  1925  and lived to the age of 94 dying  from  complications
resulting  from  a  broken leg suffered after falling out of  a  tree.
Bookplate  of  Henry  Pennell  Frank  on  the  front  pastedown.  Mild
darkening  to  the  endpapers,  as  often the  case  for  this  title.
Dustwrapper  with  light  chipping to the head and heel of  the  spine
with  no  loss of letters; rear panel neatly detached from spine  with
some  loss  of paper extending about halfway up the spine,  again  not
affecting  any  text.  Fine  in a Very Good example  of  the  uncommon
dustwrapper.                                                   $500.00

-- 

All books subject to prior sale.  Cash with order; institutions may be billed. 
Postage additional:  $7.00 for the first book, $3.50 each thereafter.  Overseas 
postage billed at approximate cost. Pennsylvania residents must add 6% sales 
tax.  Mastercard, Visa, American Express and Discover accepted.  Books may be 
returned within 7 days of receipt for any reason provided they are in the same 
condition as sent and prior notice is given. Please insure returns for their 
full value.  We carry a diverse stock with major specialties including Modern 
and 19th Century Literary First Editions, Autographed Books, and Limited 
Editions Club books.  We are proud to be members of the Antiquarian Booksellers 
Association of America (ABAA) and the International League of Antiquarian 
Booksellers (ILAB) as well as the International Autograph Dealers Alliance 
(IADA), the Manuscript Society, and the Universal Autograph Collectors Club 
(UACC).  Please feel free to contact us with any wants or offerings.  Thank you.

CHARLES AGVENT
291 Linden Road
Mertztown, PA  19539-8750
Voice/Fax: 610-682-4750
agvent at erols.com
Visit our home page:  http://www.erols.com/agvent