[Rarebooks] FS: Early Somerset Maugham with superb inscription

[Charles Agvent]

MAUGHAM, W. Somerset ORIENTATIONS
T. Fisher Unwin London 1899 First Edition. The second issue of three 
with edges trimmed smooth. There was no American edition. INSCRIBED and 
SIGNED by the author on the half-title page incorporating the printed 
title of the book in the inscription: "These are quite the 
author's/first stories & were written/when he was very, very/young & did 
not know/how to write./ORIENTATIONS/by/W. Somerset Maugham." A scarce 
title by Maugham, his first book of short stories, rarely found signed 
let alone with such a fabulous inscription. As usually the case with 
this book, the weak hinges are cracked, in this case with complete paper 
separation though both covers are still tight. The text of this title is 
often found browned, but here it is bright and clean but for the 
endpapers and the half-title page, though with no serious effect on 
Maugham's inscription. The front free endpaper is detached but present. 
The dark green cloth with black lettering is fresh and bright. Very Good 
with a singularly superb inscription.         $3500.00
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CHARLES AGVENT
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