The Door in the Wall H.G. Wells & A.L. Coburn, Grant Richards Ltd. 1915. Signed.

Description: The Door in the Wall and Other Stories by H. G. Wells, Grant Richards Ltd., 1915. Illustrated with Photogravures from Photographs by Alvin Lamgdon Coburn. DESCRIPTION: First edition of the UK Grant richards Ltd. issue, one of only sixty copies signed by both Wells and Coburn in the handwritten limitation statement facing the half-title, dated January 1915. A collection of eight short stories gy H. G. Wells illustrated with 10 tipped-in photogravures by Alvin Langdon Coburn, hand-pulled by Coburn and printed under his direct personal supervision. Large quarto 14.75 x 11.25 inches; 375 x 285 mm., 153 pages. Original quarter tan cloth and brown paper-covered boards binding, gilt titling on front cover, paper spine label, edges of text block untrimmed. Publisher's device printed in red on the title page. Photogravures protected with full page tissue guards, book is protected with a clear, archival Grafix Dura Lar dust wrapper. CONDITION: Text block firm and square, no ex-libris or personal inscriptions, external and internal hinges intact. Light soiling and rubbing to paper-covered boards with damp stain at upper right of front cover and larger area of rubbing and paper loss at upper part of rear cover. Paper spine label toned but intact. Rubbing and paper loss at corners and scattered area of the binding cover edges. All ten photogravures present and intact with several having 1 or 2 corners unglued. Marginal tear 1/4 inch pg 77. (see close-up photo) resulting from toning to uncut front edge. Usual (normal) offset from the photogravures to opposite pages. Internal text pages and photogravures in fine condition, free of foxing and toning. DISCUSSION: Perhaps the darkest, most pessimistic of H. G. Wells literature, dealing with the irreconcilable gulf between rational thought and the mysterious forces arising from our imaginations. This is a groundbreaking twentieth century private press book, marking the rare instance of world-class author and artist/photographer planning and working collaboratively on a book, fully integrating the photogravures with text rather than retrospectively searching for pre-existing photographs as "best fit' for the text. This is one of only sixty copies of the Mitchell Kennerley edition issued in Great Britain in 1915 with Grant Richards' title page, numbered and signed by both Wells and Coburn. Exceedingly scarce in the market. Please examine all photos carefully and ask all questions prior to purchase as sale is final. Domestic shipping with UPS Ground (fully tracked) and Signature Required is $25. International shipping is with the U.S. Postal Service Priority Mail International service through the eBay Global Shipping Program and eBay cost calculation is determined by shipping destination (estimate $60-$80 due to the folio size of book and necessary UPS package).

Price: 7000 USD

Location: Peoria, Illinois

End Time: 2024-10-18T17:48:44.000Z

Shipping Cost: 25 USD