Literary Lapses
London and New York: John Lane the Bodley Head, 1919. A. H. Fish [Anne Harriet]. Eleventh Edition. Hardcover with Dust Jacket. 12mo. Pp. 248 followed by eight of publisher's advertising for Leacock books. Printed in England. Pale red cloth, titles stamped in black on the cover and spine, blind stamped borders, head edge dyed red: leaves unopened, spine ends pushed, spine tail damp stain, paint spots to cover, gutters perforated, endpaper transfer. In the color illustrated dust jacket: edges chipped and rubbed, mellowed creases, front panel separation at hinge repaired, old cello tape repairs to edges. Good + / Good -. Item #6325 Anne Harriet Fish's distinctive illustrations graced the covers of Vanity Fair and other Condé Nast publications in the nineteen teens and twenties. And while the book is not common, this edition with the Fish dust jacket, presenting a doleful couple reading on a sofa, is uncommon. Dust jacket preserved in a clear, removable archival sleeve.
Leacock's first book as a humorist, first published 1910, is a collection of short sketches, some previously published in magazines. The Canadian political scientist and economist's dry wit was appreciated around the English-speaking world, and was a important influence on many comics including Robert Benchley, Groucho Marx and Jack Benny.
Price: $25.00