The Syllabus of a Novel to be Called Anthony Adverse Plus ALS to Noted Book Collector

New York: Farrar & Rinehart, 1932. Book. Fine in Wraps, as Issued. Stapled Wrappers. SIGNED AND INSCRIBED BY AUTHOR. Limited and Numbered First Edition. #619/1000 copies printed " for presentation to friends of the author and the publishers". SIGNED AND INSCRIBED BY AUTHOR on verso of front wrapper "Autograph for Eugene L. Delafield, Esq. by Hervey Allen". Delafield was a noted New York book collector (1907-2001), the bulk of whose collection now resides in the Yale Collection of American Literature at the Beinecke Library. Laid in is a 1 page letter, signed with the initials "H.A." that reads- "One of the few remaining copies of my first book- newspaper reviews(?) with the exception of the "Weakling" which was printed in El Paso and sold to the troops along the Mexican Border in 1916. As you remember, I told you, I destroyed perhaps foolishly a few copies that remained in my possession and have been able to get ahold of only one or two since then that turned up in an old trunk. I am not anxious to have this book known as it contains verse written when I was very immature." On the back of this letter, in a different hand (presumably Delafield's) is "written circa 1925". Indeed, very few copies of Allen's 1st book survive today, and after a promising start as a poet, Allen turned to fiction and became best known for his novel "Anthony Adverse", which became a huge best-seller and was made into a memorable movie, winning 4 Oscars..