Beschreibung:

WILDER, Thornton (1897-1975). The Bridge of San Luis Rey . New York: Albert & Charles Boni, 1927. 8 o. Frontispiece and plates by Amy Drevenstedt. Original tan cloth, lettered and decorated in black (slight edgewear, small stain at head of spine). Provenance : John A. O'Neal, of the Holliday Bookshop (presentation inscription; ALS from Wilder laid-in). FIRST EDITION, ONE OF ONLY 21 "PRELIMINARY ISSUES", issued a day prior to the Longman's, Green's London edition and a full week prior to Boni's American edition. This issue is printed on a different stock, and has the title-page printed in black only (versus in black and green). PRESENTATION COPY, INSCRIBED BY WILDER on the front flyleaf: "For John With all my best Thornton." Edelstein suggests that the preliminary issue was not issued with a jacket, although he may have only examined one example. A copy from Wilder's mother's library had the jacket, although it was identical to the first trade issue jacket and therefore may have been wedded to the book later. Edelstein A2a. [ With: ] WILDER, Thornton. Autograph letter signed ("Thornton W." and "T.W.") to John A. O'Neal, Princeton, 4 May 1926. 1 page, 8 o, with envelope . Wilder thanks O'Neal for his interest in his work and mentions that "there's a bushel of misprints in the old book [ The Cabala ] (Not my fault!) try and correct as much as you can CONVERSATION on page 196 to CONVERSION. Isn't that a whopper." [ With: ] WILDER, Thornton. The Bridge of San Luis Rey . New York: Albert and Charles Boni, 1927. 8 o. Frontispiece and plates by Amy Drevenstedt. Original tan cloth, lettered and decorated in green and black, top stained green; pictorial dust jacket (few tiny tears at edge, tiny tape repair on verso, generally fine). FIRST EDITION, trade issue. Edelstein A2b. A VERY FINE COPY. (2)