A Conrad Memorial Library

Publication: Garden City, New York, Doubleday, Doran & Company, Inc., 1929 Formatting: 4to, pp. xvi, 452. Condition Report: Near Fine. The exquisite full morocco binding remains remarkably tight and structurally sound, showing only slight, negligible rubbing to the board extremities and raised bands. The intricately blind-tooled diamond diaper pattern on the boards retains a sharp and deep impression, while the spine exhibits faint, even fading typical of blue leather, yet the gilt lettering remains unoxidised and notably bright. The heavy text block is exceptionally crisp and internally pristine; the untrimmed deckle edges show only the faintest, expected natural toning without any intrusion into the margins. Crucially, the delicate moirà silk endpapers and flyleaves are beautifully preserved, completely free from the fraying or sun-bleaching that commonly affects such materials over time. Catalogue Note: This beautifully executed bibliography was limited to a single printing of 501 copies. While standard issues were bound in the publisher's blue cloth with a central medallion, this particular volume represents a significant departure, presented in a luxurious custom full morocco fine binding. The interior is handsomely finished with broad morocco dentelles and moirà silk endpapers, and it features a striking frontispiece portrait of Joseph Conrad reproduced from a painting by Walter Tittle. Although a binder's stamp is unrecorded, the exceptional craftsmanship, from the heavily corded spine to the precise blind-tooling, suggests the work of a master bindery. It was likely commissioned as a special presentation copy or executed for a prominent collector shortly after publication. Such bespoke leather bindings of this important reference work are scarce on the open market. A cornerstone for any serious collector of Joseph Conrad, this exhaustive catalogue details the legendary collection of George T. Keating, one of the most comprehensive archives of Conrad's work ever assembled. Organised chronologically, the volume functions not only as an indispensable bibliography but as a profound literary tribute, featuring introductory essays for each of Conrad's major works by a host of celebrated literary contemporaries.…