Of Human Bondage

Garden City, New York: Doubleday, Doran & Company, Inc, 1936. First and Limited Edition. Hardcover. Near fine. Schwabe, Randolph. The first illustrated edition, one of 751 copies, quarto size, 698 pp., signed by both Maugham and Schwabe, with publisher's slipcase. William Somerset Maugham (1874-1965) became a renowned author and playwright; this work, "Of Human Bondage", is now regarded as his masterpiece. The novel was made into a film on three separate occasions: in 1934 starring Bette Davis; in 1946; and again in 1964 starring Kim Novak.

First published in 1915, this the first illustrated edition, issued as a limited edition (this no. 578 of 751 copies) signed by both the author and illustrator. The illustrations by Randolph Schwabe (1885-1948), a recognized British painter and etcher who, among many other achievements, was the Slade Professor of Fine Art at University College, London, for eighteen years. Schwabe also worked as a draughtsman, and his attention to detail and lines are apparent in the evocative illustrations.

___DESCRIPTION: Bound in full tan linen cloth over bevelled boards, publisher's device in gold and brown stamped onto the front board, stamped brown spine "label" with gilt lettering, top edge gilt, fore- and bottom edges uncut, limitation page preceeding the half-title with the signatures of both Randolph Schwabe and W. Somerset Maugham, this no. 578 of this first illustrated edition, monochrome (in sienna) frontis one of twenty-four bound in throughout, title page in brown and black; quarto size (9 3/4" by 7 1/8"), pagination: [2, limitation page with blank verso] [i-iv] v-x [2, half-title with blank verso] 1-684. Housed in the original publisher's slipcase of sturdy cardboard covered in brown paper, frontis illustration reproduced on one side with title, author and illustrator; note that this copy is lacking the scarce dust jacket.

___CONDITION: Volume near fine, with clean boards, three corners straight (the top front corner bumped) and all four without rubbing, a strong, square text block with solid hinges, the interior is clean and bright, and entirely free of prior owner markings; toning to the endpapers and the aforementioned bump to one corner, else fine. The slipcase a bit better than good; all component parts present and attached, although with evidence of a prior owner gluing some of the seams, with overall soil and wear.

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