[Rarebooks] FS: W. Somerset Maugham's First Book of Short Stories with a Superb Inscription

[Charles Agvent]

  MAUGHAM, W. Somerset. ORIENTATIONS. London: T. Fisher Unwin, 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.         $3,500.00

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