A rare COMPLETE RUN of THE PENGUIN NEW WRITING (40 individual numbers published 1940-1950)

Edited by John Lehmann

Published by Penguin Books, Harmondsworth, Middlesex, 1940

About this Item

A rarely found complete run of the famous literary periodical PENGUIN NEW WRITING, edited by John Lehmann. Many contributions were specially written for the series, and are the first publication in the UK. Vol. 13 onwards are illustrated, both in photogravure and colour, and 27-30 also have colour illustrations - artists include Ceri Richards, Edward Burra, Keith Vaughan, Graham Sutherland et al.

***All the volumes are complete in their original thin card covers. The covers are generally clean, with inevitable rubbing and creasing commensurate with age and handling. The wartime issues in particular are very fragile, but there is no significant damage, although a couple of the early numbers have front cover detached but present, and a few numbers have some bumping and creasing to the page block. Some of the numbers have previous ownership inscriptions, but most do not. Paper stock tanned as usual in the earlier numbers due to the wartime paper stock used - lighter tanning in the later issues with better paper stock.

Details of the set below: Vols. 1-5 (1940-41) vg-nf with no inscriptions / Vols. 6-10 (1941) vg, 6 has writing on cover, 8 has slightly damaged cover and name inside, 9 has slightly damaged cover and some top corners creased / Vols. 11-15 (1941-42) vg-nf, 11 has slightly damaged cover / Vols. 16-22 (1943-44) vg-nf except 16 & 17 have front cover detached. Vols. 23-26 (1945) all nf. ***Larger format with illustrated covers (apart from 39 & 40): Vols. 27-30 (1946-47) nf / Vols. 31-35 (1947-48) vg-nf, 31 & 32 bumped at top corner of page block / Vols. 36-40 (1949-50) vg-nf, 36 has owner's stamp, 37 spine slightly torn. ***Early numbers 180mm x 112mm / later numbers 180mm x120mm. Issues vary between 128 - 192 pages.

New Writing was a popular literary periodical in book format founded in 1936 by John Lehmann and committed to anti-fascism. During the Second World War, in 1940, with New Writing's future uncertain, John Lehmann wrote New Writing in Europe which was published by Penguin Books, a critical summary of the writers of the 1930s.
Allen Lane of Penguin Books managed to secure paper for a new series which became Penguin New Writing, a monthly book-magazine, this time produced as a paperback. Penguin New Writing ran to 40 issues in total, surviving until 1950.

***A very uncommon and rarely found complete run of the famous literary periodical PENGUIN NEW WRITING, edited by John Lehmann - of interest to collectors of period Penguin paperbacks. It is most unusual now to find a complete run of the 40 volumes. The run has a multiplicity of authors and artists from the period. The wartime issues have adverts on the back and inside covers which are particularly evocative of the era (see scans).

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Seller Inventory # PB900

Bibliographic Details

• Title: A rare COMPLETE RUN of THE PENGUIN NEW WRITING (40 individual numbers published 1940-1950)
• Publisher: Penguin Books, Harmondsworth, Middlesex
• Publication Date: 1940
• Language: English
• Binding: Original Wraps
• Illustrator: Ceri Richards, Edward Burra, Keith Vaughan, Graham Sutherland et al
• Edition: First Edition
• Printing: First Impression
• Condition: Very Good
• Dust Jacket Condition: No Jacket, as Issued
• Seller catalogs:
  • First Editions
  • Collectable Paperbacks
  • Wartime & Post War Publishing 1939-1950