About this Item
"Don, A Comedy in Three Acts" was written by Rudolf Besier, who is best remembered for his delightful play, "The Barretts of Wimpole Street". "Don" was first published in 1908, and performed in London in 1909.
This is the First American Edition, issued by Duffield in 1909. Rudolf Besier (1878 - 1942) really only had one successful play, and that was "The Barretts of Wimpole Street" ? a true hit. "Don" remains mostly forgotten except by students of theatre history. However, this is a very nice production, with a combined Art Nouveau and Arts & Crafts design for the cover, and a handsome halftone photograph of Besier as frontispiece. I might go so far as to say that the play might well be an amusing read! This seems to be the only copy of this edition offered for sale on line.
If one examines the attachment of the title page, one can clearly see that the title page is a cancel (replacing the London title page printed by T. Fisher Unwin) . T. Fisher Unwin obviously produced a number of copies for American distribution, printing Duffield on the spine . but keeping the large monogram device of T. Fisher Unwin on the rear cover; and inside, on the verso of the half-title is a promotional spot for another play published by T. Fisher Unwin. Furthermore, at the rear of the book is the statement of printing by the Gresham Press, of the Unwin Brothers, in London
SERIES : Plays of Today & Tomorrow
TITLE : Don, A comedy in Three Acts.
AUTHOR : Rudolf Besier (1878 - 1942)
IMPRINT : Duffield and Company
PLACE : New York
DATE : No date [ but 1909 ]
EDITION : First American Edition [Issued for American distributed by the London firm T. Fisher Unwin, and printed by The Gresham Press of Unwin Brothers, Ltd, Woking and London]
SPECIAL ATTRIBUTES : Art nouveau cover; cancel title page; photograph of Besier as frontispiece.
STATUS : OP - Out of Print
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION : Trade hardcover; Contains a photographic frontispiece; 175 pages; 5" x 7 1/2" (12mo); decorated dark blue, cloth-covered boards with lettering stamped in gilt on spine and front cover. Art Nouveau design of three thistles stamped in dark red and black on front cover. Rear cover has the monogram of publisher T. Fisher Unwin stamped in dark red and black. Publisher Duffield stamped in gilt at foot of spine.
CONDITION - VERY GOOD - This is a previously owned book which has seen use, but remains clean and attractive, with the following particulars noted:
EXTERIOR - Spine extremities are compressed and display abrasion, the head also displaying a touch of fraying. Moderate weathering and surface rub - a few small transparent water droplet marks on rear cover; Joints rubbed; board corner tips softly bumped. Spine color darkened, but board color strong, and gilt lettering still fairly bright. Text-block edges are toned, else clean.
BINDING - The book has obviously been read and thus the text-block is hardly as tight as when issued, with leaves opening widely, exposing binding works here and there; however, no leaves are detached or loose, and the whole presents as fairly solid.
INTERIOR - End-papers are foxed Paper is lightly toned throughout. There are a few scattered edge nicks ,possibly a few minute spots or smudges; there is a previous owner's penciled signature on the front flyleaf, and the same hand has made a brief note (on the rear leaf with printer information) of two further titles by Besier : "Mini Latimer's Husband" , and "Lady Patricia". [ It's possible that "Olive Latimer's Husband" was issued at some point as Mini Latimer's Husband", but I think the person mis-wrote 'Mini'.].
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