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BARRIE**, J[ames] M[atthew]: : THE GREENWOOD HAT BEING A MEMOIR OF JAMES ANON 1885-1887

LONDON.PETER DAVIES LTD.,1937.

ISBN No ISBN.

UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn.[This,the first trade edition,preceded only by a privately printed edition of only 50 copies in 1930 for the author.That edn wholly re-set and published in this edn/issue,1937. This trade edn precedes the US, Charles Scribner's Sons,1938 edn,by a year.Publisher ceased trading mid-1980s so this edn now out-of-print. ] NFINE/GOOD. Handwritten ink,owner's inscrptns, location+dates (Christmas 1937 and Manchester 7: XII:37) at either top or lower corners of front pastedown, but obscured and hidden by dw/dj inner flap,and no price-clip to dw/dj. Dw/dj lightly grubbed,with blemishes, discolouration and other imperfections commensurate with age - a small fluid stain to front panel of dw/dj,white background with contemporary b/w author portrait photograph to front with black+ green lettering,spine/backstrip slightly darkened,rear panel with publisher's advert for author's work 'THE BOY DAVID.' also lightly grubbed.Top edges lightly toned from light dust-soiling and with a couple of foxing spots,fore-edges brighter and cleaner and lightly affected with some minimal sporadic foxing/spotting; contents bright,tight,clean with very occasional page-edge foxing/spotting,solid and sound - no dog-ear reading creases to any pages' corners,appears unread - apart from my own collation.Bright,crisp,clean and blemish free,sharp-cornered - front top corner has a miniscule dent,publisher's original dark blue buckram cloth boards/covers with bright,crisp,stamped gilt letters within gilt panels; title+author and publisher separately at head+foot of spine/ backstrip respectively; with negligible shelf-wear,bumping or creasing to edges and corners - no nicks,splits,tears or any fraying present - plain white eps - verso of ffe edges with off-set shadowing from opposing pastedown,rear fep with off-set shadowing from dw/dj inner flap.UK,8vo HB+ dw/dj,1st edn,v-xipp+2-285pp [paginated] includes lightly foxed verso+recto of preface by the Earl of Bewdley,K.G., lightly foxed separate contents+ illustrations lists/tables,XXIV (24) chapters and an Envoi,9 (includes frntis) contemporary b/w photographs includes facsimile reproductions of book cover of Barrie's first work and a manuscript - all called for and present,interspersed throughout the text and the book,plus [unpaginated] lightly foxed verso+recto of half-title page with book's subject's contemporary b/w illustrated frntis to recto of same,both verso +recto of title page also lightly foxed,and blank at the rear of the book.Uncommon with dw/dj. Now published for the first time (then 1937) it was the only purely autobiographical work of the much-loved author. Peter Llewelyn Davies the middle son of five was befriended by Barrie and later informally adopted by him.Barrie publicly identified him as the source of the name for the title character in his play 'Peter Pan,or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up.' That public identification as "the original Peter Pan" was to plague Davies throughout his life,which he ended in suicide in April,1960. Within three years,1907-10,both his father first and then his mother,died.In the mother's will she named Barrie as one of several guardians.Barrie took on the duties of the main guardian and supported the boys financially. Peter Davies in 1926,set up his own publishing company with financial help from Barrie,Peter Davies Ltd.When Barrie died in 1937,the majority of his estate and fortune went to his secretary,Cynthia Asquith,and as the copyright to the Peter Pan works had already and previously been given to Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children in London,in 1929, Davies (and his surviving brothers) received a legacy, In 1937 William Heinemann Ltd took a majority interest in the firm of Peter Davies Ltd.,and the two firms were closely linked for the next forty years.In 1977 Peter Davies Ltd was fully incorporated into Heinemann. William Heinemann began his publishing business in 1890.By the end of 1957, control of William Heinemann Ltd belonged to Tillings.Tillings was acquired in 1983 by BTR,who then sold the Heinemann Group to Octopus Publishing in 1985.Octopus was in turn,taken over by Reed Books in 1987.In 1997 Reed Elsevier sold a number of its companies, including William Heinemann Ltd.,to Random House.William Heinemann is now part of Random House UK,which is owned by Bertelsmann. Please contact seller,because of the weight and the value of this item, for correct,insured (where necessary) quotes - particularly ALL overseas buyers - BEFORE ordering through the order page!

UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn.
Not SIGNED.

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