The Enormous Room : The First Issue : Signed By The Author

The First USA printing published by Boni & Liveright, New York in 1922. The BOOK is in near Fine condition. The first state with the word 'shit' uncancelled on p. 219 and original publisher's tan buckram. Mild offsetting of the wrapper flaps to the blank end papers. Light toning to the text block but the pages remain clean. Frederick Baldwin Adams Jnr.'s bookplate (designed by Rockwell Kent) to the front pastedown (Adams Jnr. had been a former President of the Morgan Library and had served also as President of the 'Association Internationale de Bibliophile', the most prestigious organisation of bibliophiles in the world). The original WRAPPER is complete and is in Very Good++ condition. It is the correct first issue bearing the price of $2 to the spine and the 'Of Vocations' title description on the rear cover is priced at $2. The wrapper is notoriously fragile and brittle and this wrapper has benefitted from some expert professional Japanese tissue repairs to the verso which do not show through to the front. Some loss to the spine ends, corners and a little to the upper edges - see images. The wrapper looks very striking in the removable Brodart archival cover. The book has been signed (without dedication) by the author to the upper front blank end-paper. Kennedy, Cummings' biographer, says less than 2,000 copies of this debut title were published. Very scarce with no records of a copy with such attributes appearing at auction in the last 15years. Cummings' first separately published book and one of the lasting accounts to come out of WW1. More images available on request. Ashton Rare Books welcomes direct contact.…