A MAN OF DEVON: Short Stories Including the First Appearance of a Forsyte Character (the Florence Henniker-Oliver Brett Copy)

[Galsworthy, John) Sinjohn, John (pseud.) A MAN OF DEVON. Edinburgh and London: William Blackwood and Sons, 1901. FIRST EDITION of the author's fourth and rarest book, a first edition which, in terms of survival and as a condition-rarity, ranks #1 out of all Galsworthy's major works. This is the NEAR FINE (one corner bumped, tiniest bit of wear) copy which belonged to Florence Henniker, Thomas Hardy's collaborator and love-interest, a woman who was part of Galsworthy's literary circle (her bold ink ownership signature on half-title). An excellent ASSOCIATION COPY and particularly desirable in the light of Galsworthy's later refusal to reprint or acknowledge any his first four "John Sinjohn" pseudonymous books (which fictionalized poorly-veiled personal life details, including the illicit affair he had with his cousin's wife). Curious Florence Henniker may have found out about Galsworthy's authorship of A MAN OF DEVON on the sly as Galsworthy did not present, as far as we know, a single copy of the four Sinjohn first editions to friends or family. This copy's provenance further includes the legendary collection of Oliver Brett, 3d Viscount of Esher (1881-1963, bookplate). A MAN OF DEVON consists of four short stories, one of which contains the first appearance of a Forsyte Character: "The Salvation of Swithin Forsyte." This short story was the seed that launched the nine legendary Forsyte novels as well as two TV miniseries (1967 & 2002). So here you have it: his rarest book in superb original condition, with an alluring association, and the first place one can read the story that launched a literary saga which still has relevant and iconic value to our 21st century.…