[Rarebooks] FS: Theodore Dreiser, quite likely the finest copy in existence

[Charles Agvent]

DREISER,  Theodore.  THE  HAND OF THE  POTTER.  New  York:  Boni &
Liveright  1918. First Edition. Cloth-backed boards. First state, with
the  half  title on a stub, of the First Published Edition; there  was
also  a  pre-publication  copy which obviously was printed in  a  very
small  number.  Twenty-five  copies of this issue were signed  on  the
title  page  by Dreiser. This copy is SIGNED on the verso of the  half
title  page above the ads. Boni and Liveright printed this book  early
in  1918,  but  it  was not actually published  until  September  1919
because  it was being considered for production on the New York stage.
Laid  in  is  a TYPED LETTER SIGNED from  publisher  Horace  Liveright
dated  26  September  1919, the month of publication,  forwarding  the
book  to  the  noted  collector Lafayette  Butler.  Liveright  states,
"Instead  of  persuading  Mr. Dreiser to finish the  trilogy,  I  have
succeeded  in getting him to finish THE BULWARK," mentioning that  the
novel  would be published the following September. In fact, unknown to
Liveright  at  the time, Dreiser had stopped working on the  novel  to
begin  work on AN AMERICAN TRAGEDY, and he would not resume work on it
for  twenty-five  years.  THE BULWARK was not  published  until  1946,
after  Dreiser's  death. This is an absolutely stunning copy  of  this
first  collaboration between Dreiser and Liveright in a bright,  fresh
dustwrapper  that  was  in Butler's private collection for  80  years,
from  the time it was published until we purchased it in the summer of
1999.  A  small  sticker  with a crossed-out price  is  on  the  spine
presumably  placed  there  by the publisher. Quite likely  the  Finest
copy in existence.                                            $3500.00

-- 

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CHARLES AGVENT
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