Eric Chaim Kline, Bookseller - Old and Rare Books

My South Sea Island [WITH] Original Typed Ben Abramson Article [AND] "The Theatre" Issue November 1895 [PRINTER'S DUMMY WITH SIGNED NOTE BY NORMAN W. FORGUE AND SIGNED BY FORGUE ON COLOPHON]

Maugham, W. Somerset; Rex Cleveland (Ill.) Ben Abramson (Typescript)

Chicago: Black Cat Press, 1936. Original document. Softcover. Octavo. 11 [1]pp. Original string-bound blue-green stiff wraps with black lettering and framed green design on glossy paper plate laid to cover, housed in small ochre handmade paper portfolio with handwritten "My South Sea Island Printer's Dummy" on cover. Title page design in three colors printed to plate.

"Printer's dummy" with spelling of the author's name incorrect on title page for the first edition, with handwritten instructions and corrections by the publisher, e.g. note "reprint title page!" for the second issue. Page with printed pagination "4" corrected to "5" by hand, with additional penciled note at bottom edge. Inside cover with penned note "Printer's Dummy 8-21-26." Contains handwritten printer's note on front endpaper with instructions, signed Forgue, including direction to print 50 copies, not more than 5 over, and further details regarding paper choice and color. Verso of front free endpaper and page "5" with handwritten printer's instructions. Back endpaper with unsigned, handwritten note "Printed on Ben Abramson's order..." in ink and pencil.

A 1936 unauthorized edition, limited to 50 copies, had been published with a double M in Somerset on the title page, as seen in this printer's dummy. My South Sea Island was originally published in "The Daily Mail" in London in 1922. The unauthorized edition had been destroyed but for two copies, due to the spelling error in the author's name, and was reprinted immediately. All pages pasted to paper with spots from glue showing along corners. Printed plate of page 4 loose but intact and present.

[WITH]

Abramson's three page typed rendering entitled "Hell's Paving Stones," describing a conversation between Maugham and himself on collecting in general, and Maugham's publications in magazines in particular. Maugham had forgotten where he had published "My South Sea Island," and misplaced his own typescript of it. Abramson eventually located the piece in a 1921 issue of The Daily Mail. No copies of the issue were available and requested Photostats were defective. As a result Abramson decided to print it himself and contacted his printer. The following one and a half pages reflect a conversation between Abramson's printer and the "publisher." The final paragraph describes the surprise discovering that Somerset was spelled with two Ms in the first 50 copies printed. Abramson closes with "And that, Ladies and Gentlemen, is how I came to write "The Raven." Contains pencil note at top of first page: "for Reading and Collecting," a monthly review of rare and recent books.

[WITH]

The Theatre. Special Series.–No. 155. Vol. XXVI, Nineteenth Year. November, 1895. Includes original, pasted down sepia-toned photograph of Mr. & Miss Somerset, with tissue guard. Wraps with very light wear and some sunning along edges and spine of wraps. Block lightly age-toned. Very good to near fine condition. Item #55231

Norman Forgue was the founder of several private presses, including At the Sign of the Gargoyle, The Black Cat Press, Normandie House. and The Norman Press. Born in 1904 Forgue saw his first printing press in his uncle's basement. At the age of 13 Forgue took his first jobs at printers in Chicago. After getting his apprentice card he took various jobs offered by Chicago printers and eventually worked for Western Electric. He joined the Navy when dissatisfied with the compensation, and eventually worked in the Navy print shop.

Price: $3,000.00