[Signed, plus ALS] Of Human Bondage – William Somerset Maugham

Of Human Bondage. Maugham, W. Somerset. London: William Heinemann Ltd., 1915. First UK Edition.

Signed, inscribed, also accompanied by signed notecard (ALS). Housed in custom slipcase.

First English Edition, printed in England from stereotype plates of the American first issue, with the title-page reset and retaining the characteristic misprint on p. 257, line 4 (“help” for “helped”). One of approximately 5,000 copies. Octavo (7⅜ × 4⅞ in.; 188 × 123 mm). [viii], 648 pp. Half-title present, no inserted advertisements, as issued in many copies.

Signed and inscribed by Maugham on the front free endpaper. A later presentation, executed some decades after publication. Inscribed to Kenneth B. Jaffray, thanking him for wanting Maugham’s name in his book, signed and dated January 25, 1949, San Francisco. Accompanied by a postal card addressed to Jaffray, handwritten and signed by Maugham, stating, “I leave on Wednesday. If you can have the book here by some time on Tuesday or on Wednesday morning, I will gladly sign it. W. S. Maugham.”

Publisher’s dark blue cloth, gilt lettering to spine and upper board, publisher’s device in blind on rear cover. Light overall wear, gilt on spine gently dulled, corners sharp and not bumped, spine ends rubbed gently, some damp staining at lower portion of covers near spine and corners; hinge cracked but not separated. Mild offsetting to preliminaries; text otherwise clean and sound. Housed in a custom slipcase of light green cloth and dark green Morocco, gilt ruled, gilt-lettered on the spine. Lacking jacket. Very Good Minus.

A solid, presentable copy of the first English edition of Maugham’s autobiographical masterpiece, uncommon signed.

(Toole Stott A21b; Rothschild 85.)