Swann Galleries - 19th & 20th Century Literature

282

●

WELLS, H.G.

The First Men in the Moon.

Illustrated with 12 inserted plates

by Claude Shepperson. 8vo, original gilt-stamped dark blue cloth, spine darkened with

head and foot rubbed including short splits to head, small nick to rear joint, few superficial

surface marks; black endpapers (Currey’s priority A), short closed tear to blank margin of

penultimate plate, Eugene Plunkett bookplate and bookseller’s label to front pastedown.

London: George Newnes, 1901

[6,000/9,000]

TRULY FINE ASSOCIATION COPY OF THE FIRST ENGLISH EDITION

FIRST PRINTING IN THE

FIRST STATE BINDING

SIGNED AND INSCRIBED BY THE AUTHOR

“To W.E. Henley.With affec-

tion, from H.G.Wells [flourish].”

William Ernest Henley was a noted editor, man of letters, and poet as well as collaborator with Robert

Louis Stevenson on four dramatic works. As editor of several important London and Edinburgh peri-

odicals Henley published contributions by such distinguished writers as Barrie, Hardy, Kipling and

Yeats. It was he who encouragedWells to develop his early versions of The Time Machine into a full-

length book, publishing the novel in serial form inThe New Review.Wells’ gratitude was such that he

dedicated the book to him. Signed copies of this title are scarce; we trace only three others at auction.

Currey, p. 518; Hammond B7;Wells 18.