Catalog 160, P-S
71. (Photography). PETERKIN, Julia and ULMANN, Doris. Roll, Jordan, Roll. NY: Robert O. Ballou, 1933. A presentation copy of the limited edition of this classic, with text by Peterkin and photographs by Ulmann. According to the colophon, 350 copies were numbered and signed, of which 327 were for sale. This is one of the 23 copies hors commerce, inscribed "For H.L.B." where the limitation number would have been, and signed by Peterkin and Ulmann. With 90 full-page stunningly produced copperplate hand-pulled photogravure plates, with tissue guards; the trade edition was not only a lower quality production, it only had 72 plates in total. The copies of the limited edition that were offered for sale came with a separate print of one of the photos and a slipcase. Neither is present here, and it is unknown if the hors commerce copies would have included such items, or if they were selling points intended to help market the commercial deluxe edition. Bound in brown textured paper over boards with white cloth spine and tips. Spine cloth slightly dusty, a hint of offsetting to the title page as the opposing photo lacks tissue; still a fine copy. We have never seen one of the hors commerce copies offered for sale, and none appear in the auction records. A scarce issue of a high spot of 20th century photography; a Roth 101 title.
72. PYNCHON, Thomas. Gravity's Rainbow. NY: Viking (1973). Pynchon's editor's copy of his landmark third novel, winner of the National Book Award as well as the William Dean Howells Medal for the best work of fiction by an American over a five-year span. Gravity's Rainbow became the benchmark for postmodern American fiction upon publication and secured its mysterious and reclusive author's place in the postwar American literary pantheon. The hardcover first printing was only 4000 copies. Small bookplate of Pynchon's editor, Ray Roberts, on the front pastedown. Fine in a near fine dust jacket with a small creased tear to the crown.
73. PYNCHON, Thomas. Slow Learner. Boston: Little Brown (1984). One of two leatherbound copies prepared by the publisher, one of which went to Pynchon; this one belonged to Pynchon's editor, Ray Roberts. Small bookplate of Ray Roberts on the pastedown, and a letterhead note card identifying the issue laid in. Fine. This collection of stories featured a new introduction by Pynchon.
74. PYNCHON, Thomas. Vineland. Boston: Little Brown (1990). Inscribed by Pynchon to his editor, Ray Roberts: "For Ray, who saw it first but went for it anyway -- Thanks for everything. Thomas Pynchon." A great, and grateful, inscription, with Pynchon's characteristic self-deprecating humor about his own writing. Pynchon's signature is among the rarest in modern literature, and meaningful presentation copies seldom appear on the market; the best Pynchon inscription we've ever handled, or seen. Roberts' bookplate on the pastedown; fine in a fine dust jacket.
75. PYNCHON, Thomas. Mason and Dixon. NY: Henry Holt (1997). Pynchon's editor's copy of the uncorrected proof, with a trial jacket. This is the second issue of the uncorrected proof copy: all proofs were issued in plain blue wrappers and are not to be confused with the later two variants of advance reading copy in beige wrappers. This second issue proof, in blue wrappers, has a tipped-in title page that adds the ampersand missing in the first issue. This is a fine copy with the bookplate of Ray Roberts, Pynchon's editor, inside the front cover, and two dust jackets (a bit crimped at the crown where they extend past the proof). One jacket corresponds to the trade edition design of graphics only (with the type later being supplied on an acetate overlay). The second jacket is unique, having the information (author, title, publisher, ISBN code) printed directly on the jacket.
76. (PYNCHON, Thomas). Cornell Writer, Vol. V., No. 2. Ithaca: Cornell University, 1958. A pivotal volume dating from Pynchon's years as an undergraduate at Cornell. Pynchon, as "Tom Pynchon," is listed as being on the editorial board; Richard Fariña contributes the undergraduate short story winner "With a Copy of Dylan Under My Arm" and two poems. In his introduction to Fariña's novel Been Down So Long It Looks Up to Me, Pynchon recounts his first encounter with Fariña as being when he worked on Cornell Writer as a junior editor and these pieces by Fariña came in. The two eventually became great friends, with Pynchon being Fariña's Best Man at his wedding to Mimi Baez. Pynchon wrote that he idolized Fariña in college, but the relationship changed after Pynchon's first novel was published and he became a mentor to Fariña. Label of novelist James McConkey, faculty advisor, on the front cover; vertical crease to rear cover and final pages. Near fine in stapled wrappers.
77. ROBBINS, Tom, as "GOMEZ, Slick." Still Life With Woodpecker. (n.p.): (n.p.)(n.d.). Robbins' own unproduced screenplay of his 1980 novel, written pseudonymously as "Slick Gomez." Robbins has altered the novel's ending and given himself a cameo appearance in the film. Signed by the author as both Robbins and Gomez. Photocopied sheets, bradbound in plain black covers. Fine. An extremely uncommon, unpublished work by the author, who was not responsible for the screenplay of Even Cowgirls Get the Blues.
78. ROTH, Philip. Goodbye, Columbus. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1959. A review copy of his first book, a collection of short fiction including the title novella -- which was the basis for a well-received movie in the Sixties -- and five short stories. Winner of the National Book Award. Mild indentation to front board, otherwise a fine copy in a very near fine, very slightly rubbed dust jacket. Author photo (no review slip) laid in. One of the nicest copies we've seen of this book, and extremely scarce as an advance copy.
79. ROWLING, J.K. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. (London): Bloomsbury (1999). The uncorrected proof copy of the third Harry Potter book. Inscribed by Rowling on the dedication page, where the printed text reads "? dedication" and has been circled by Rowling with an arrow pointing to her words: "To Thomas, with very best wishes, J.K. Rowling." She has also added an "X" under her name. After the third book, Bloomsbury did not issue prepublication proofs. This is the second issue of the Azkaban proof, in green and white wrappers, with 316 pages (although the rear cover states the pagination at 256 pages.) Reportedly there were only 50 copies of the first issue purple proof, and some greater number of the green proof, but the green proof doesn't appear to be any more common on the market. This copy has been read: handling in evidence on rear cover; spine creases; and corner creases to front cover. Very good in wrappers. Uncommon, and especially so signed.
80. SMITH, Clark Ashton. Typescript of "The Mirror in the Hall of Ebony." Undated. A one-page prose poem, typed, and signed "Clark Ashton Smith/Auburn, California." This version of the prose poem differs in a number of particulars from the published version, which was included in The Abominations of Yondo (Arkham House, 1960) and Poems in Prose (Arkham House, 1965). Previously folded in thirds but now in a custom binder, bearing the bookplate of horror writer Stanley Wiater, from whose library this came. Fine, with a letter laid in to Wiater from Roy Squires, the noted science fiction collector and dealer, from whom Wiater purchased it. Squires' lengthy letter comments extensively on the appallingly high prices "being asked -- and paid -- for the more desirable Arkham House books," in 1972, and then goes on to justify the high price Wiater had just paid for the Clark Ashton Smith manuscript, and says that he knows of only four prose poem manuscripts by Clark Ashton Smith in existence -- this one; one that he himself still had; and two that Smith's widow had at that time. A rare typescript by one of the most important American horror writers of the 20th century, with a long, illuminating letter from one of the great collectors and dealers in the field, and from the library of a horror writer who has been a three-time winner of the Bram Stoker Award, given by the Horror Writers of America.