[Rarebooks] FS: Ten by James Joyce, including signed and scarce pieces and a true first of Ulysses

[Charles Agvent]

1.  JOYCE, James. ANNA LIVIA PLURABELLE. New York: Crosby Gaige  1928.
First  Edition. Brown cloth with gilt decorations. Preface by  Padraic
Colum.  The  first book publication of this, or for that  matter  any,
excerpt  from  FINNEGANS WAKE, this text perhaps being the best  known
part  of  the  book.  Copy  #233 of 800 SIGNED  by  the  author.  Some
discoloration to the covers, still a Near Fine copy.          $3500.00

2.  JOYCE,  James.  CHAMBER MUSIC. London: Egoist Press  1923.  Of  an
edition  of  500 copies of this, the Third English Edition,  only  107
were  bound  before Jonathan Cape acquired the sheets. This is one  of
those  now  quite uncommon 107 copies. Minor foxing to  the  endpapers
and  the  half title page. Light wear to the green cloth  and  slight,
small  spots of discoloration to the top of the front board. Very Good
and very difficult to locate.                                  $750.00

3.  JOYCE, James. COLLECTED POEMS OF JAMES JOYCE. New York: Black  Sun
Press  1936. First Edition. Decorated white boards. Copy #212 of  800,
the  first  50  being  signed by Joyce.  Frontispiece  from  a  crayon
portrait   of  the  author  by   Augustus  John.  Includes  the  first
appearance  in  America  of  "Pomes   Penyeach"  and  the  first  book
appearance  of "Ecce Puer." Mild soiling to boards. Near Fine, lacking
original glassine.                                             $600.00

4.  JOYCE, James. DUBLINERS. [New York]: Limited Editions Club (1986).
Quarto  (8-1/2"  x 11") bound in quarter green Oasis goat leather  and
Irish  handkerchief linen turned over the boards. Illustrated with six
photogravures    by  Robert  Ballagh   printed  on   handmade   paper.
Introduction  by  Thomas Flanagan. One of 1000 numbered copies  SIGNED
by  the  photographer  and  by Flanagan. Fine in  Fine  slipcase  with
Monthly Letter laid in.                                        $700.00

5.  JOYCE,  James.  DUBLINERS.  London:  Grant  Richards  1914.  First
Edition.  Original  red  cloth with gilt lettering.  The  very  scarce
original  edition  of  Joyce's  landmark book comprised  of  15  short
stories  including  the  title story, "Araby," and  "The  Dead."  Of a
total  of  1250  copies,  this  is one of only  746  copies  bound  by
Richards  with the other 504 sent to America for the edition published
by  B. W. Huebsch. A rare book seldom seen in any condition, this copy
seems  to  have  been either retouched or is something of  an  anomaly
from  the publisher. The red dye to the cloth seems streaked  somewhat
on  the front cover with the gilt there mostly dull though the gilt on
the  spine  is  very  strong.  The  endpapers,  which  are  completely
original,  are  dyed  red and are wove while the text is  laid  paper.
Slocum  in  his bibliography of Joyce notes that the endpapers  should
be  cream-white  and wove. We are unaware of any other copy  that  has
red  endpapers as does this one. In addition all edges are trimmed and
dyed  red  as well; Slocum notes the trimming but says  nothing  about
the  color. Both blanks and the half title are of course present.  The
text  is  very  clean  with  one  page  having  several  words  rubbed
resulting  in  light inking and someone has inked over several of  the
letters.  On the front endpaper is the owner name of Fagge dated 1914.
Overall   Near  Fine,  lacking   the  extremely  scarce   dustwrapper.
                                                             $12,500.00

6.  JOYCE,  James.  EXILES.  A PLAY IN THREE ACTS.  New  York:  B.  W.
Huebsch  1918. First Edition. Cloth-backed boards. Published the  same
day  as  the British Edition and likely in very small numbers  as  the
publisher  stated  in  1921 that only 388 copies had sold.  Very  nice
copy  with  just minor edgewear to the boards, the contents and  spine
clean and bright. Near Fine, lacking the scarce dustwrapper.   $450.00

7.  JOYCE, James. TWO TALES OF SHEM AND SHAUN. FRAGMENTS FROM WORK  IN
PROGRESS.  London: Faber & Faber (1932). First Edition. First  English
Edition  of these excerpts from what would become Finnegans Wake. Only
3,849  copies  of this first edition sold. Dustwrapper is  quite  nice
with  a chip at the head of the spine and minor soiling and wear. Near
Fine in a Very Good dustwrapper.                               $200.00

8.  JOYCE, James. ULYSSES. Paris: Shakespeare and Company 1922. First
Edition.  The true First Printing of this modern classic. Copy #482 of
750  numbered  copies printed on handmade paper of a total edition  of
only  1000. Bound without the original blue paper covers in half brown
morocco  with  matching  corners,  spine   lettered  in  gilt,  with a
matching  half  morocco  slipcase.  A   very  nice  copy  priced  very
attractively  because  the  half title and title pages are  in  expert
facsimile.  There  is also a facsimile corner repair to one page.  The
initial  and  rear blanks as well as the colophon leaf at the end  are
lacking;  the  limitation leaf at the beginning is original. In  order
to  bring  the  book into an English-speaking country  before  1934, a
number  of  people  evidently tore off the wraps and  title  pages  to
smuggle  it  in through customs. If you can live with this,  you  will
have  on  your shelf perhaps the most notable work of fiction  written
in  the  twentieth century at a price you are not likely to  encounter
elsewhere.  Despite  the  defects, Very Good in a  handsome  slipcase.
                                                               $6000.00

9.  JOYCE,  James.  VERBANNTE.  SCHAUSPIEL  IN  DREI  AKTEN.  Zurich:
Rascher  &  Cie.  1919. First Edition. Printed green wraps  with  pink
errata  slip  tipped  in.  The First German Edition  of  Joyce's  play
EXILES.  Translated  by Hannah von Mettal and published in an  edition
of  600 copies at Joyce's expense. Typical browning to the cheap paper
of  the  text, which is largely unopened, with the covers intact  with
very  little  edgewear.  Very Good or better for this  fragile  piece.
                                                                $400.00

10.  [JOYCE,  James]. THE VENTURE. AN ANNUAL OF ART  AND  LITERATURE..
London:  John  Baillie 1905. First Edition. Decorated cloth.  Includes
"Two  Songs" by James Joyce, preceding his first book CHAMBER MUSIC by
two  years.  Other contributors to this annual include Arthur  Symons,
Alice  Meynell,  Oliver Gogarty, and illustrators J. McNeil  Whistler,
Frank  Brangwyn,  Arthur Rackham, and J. S. Sargent. Two of the  minor
illustrations  lacking  in this copy. Rubbing and soiling  to  covers.
Very Good or better.                                           $600.00


-- 

All books subject to prior sale.  Cash with order; institutions may be billed. 
Postage additional:  $8.00 for the first book, $4.00 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 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