Proems

The first edition of this impressive collection of heretofore unpublished poems by living writers, including examples of the poems of individuals including Lawrence Durrell and Patrick Evans. The first edition, first impression. In the publisher"s original unclipped dust wrapper. Durrell was the principal contributor to this anthology, which included also works from Ruthven Todd, Patrick Evans, Rayner Heppenstall, Edgar Foxall and Oswell Blakeston. A publication from the Fortune Press, which made most of its money selling pornography, providing its owner Reginald Caton with a method of avoiding tax. Caton would occasionally commission works of serious literature, such as this, to provide his pornographic publications with a veneer of respectability. With a small number of vignette illustrations by Rayner Heppenstall. With a contemporary owner"s inscription, dated 1939, to the front free endpaper, reading "To Jeffrey, with love. The hang dog look: the sneer of understanding, Take my heart for the bonfire burning. Jones. Donald. Christmas 1939". In the publisher"s original cloth binding, with unclipped dust wrapper. Externally, excellent, but with minor hole in cloth towards head of front joint. Inscription to front free endpaper. Dust wrapper significantly age toned, with significant loss of paper to centre of back strip. Handling marks to wraps. Minor losses of paper to back strip head and tail. Further losses of paper to fold at rear flyleaf. Internally, firmly bound. Pages clean and bright. Very Good Indeed.…