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

247 c   GREENE, GRAHAM. Brighton Rock. 8vo, original printed wrappers, spine slightly faded with a small chip at head and foot; faint finger soiling; preserved in custom drop-back case. uncorrected proof copy with a short signed presentation inscription : “For Bruce Howard / from / Graham Greene.” According to Wobbe, “...the novel was written under circumstances not unlike those surrounding his earlier books. He was still not out of debt to the publisher and his novels were not yet bringing in enough money to live on” (Wobbe, p. 42). One of a scant few as pre-war proof copies were produced almost exclusively for editorial purposes.Wobbe A13. London: Heinemann, (1938) [8,000/12,000] with — Rocher de Brighton. 8vo, publisher’s decorated wrappers; glassine overwrap; contents browned, front free endpaper splitting at half-title gutter. Inscribed “For Virgil Verunca from Graham Greene - with best wishes for the future.” French trade edition (“33e édition”). (Paris), 1947.