Boston: The Four Seas Company, 1924. First Edition of the author’s first book. Original paper covered boards with spine and cover labels; about fine in the rare dust jacket with tiny chips at the extremities and only very minor wear; in a custom cloth slipcase. Especially scarce in this condition, this fragile volume’s spine is often either damaged or entirely perished. Inscribed at publication on the title page by the author, “William Faulkner/ 24 December 1924.” The dedication copy, inscribed to his parents, was presented at Christmas. While the Four Seas Company published many well-known literary authors, such as Williams, Stein and Aiken, it was largely a vanity publishing house, where authors were expected to advance the costs of publication. Faulkner’s first attempt to do so in 1923 was a failure, but, with the help of his friend Phil Stone, he managed to provide the firm with $400.00 the following year to print 500 copies, an optimistic number. Fewer than 100 copies were probably sold, and most of the printing was remaindered, much of that likely pulped.

[Book #16359P]