Sale 2530 - Fine Books & Manuscripts, February 20, 2020

234 c   FIRBANK,ARTHURANNESLEY RONALD. Odette D’Antrevernes andA Study inTemperament. 8vo, original green wrappers lettered in gilt, front wrap neatly split along front joint, bottom of spine with 45mm chip, bottom of front wrap corners and fore-edge of rear with tiny chips; ¼ morocco folding box with spine scuffed. London: Elkin Mathews, 1905 [3,000/4,000] first edition of firbank ’ s first book , presentation copy inscribed to forrest reid : “To the author of / The ‘Garden God’ / in / admiration / Arthur Firbank / 06.” The Garden God represents Reid’s first book with an openly homoerotic theme, and although Odette has no apparent gay focus, Firbank would soon turn to such subject matter and it’s quite possible that Reid’s book served as a source of inspiration. Benkovitz A1.