WHYTE'S THE ECLECTIC COLLECTOR Saturday 6 May 2017 at 10am

THE ECLECTIC COLLECTOR · 6 MAY 2017 AT 10AM

Books

637

James Joyce (1882-1941) CHAMBER MUSIC, first edition of Joyce’s first book

Provenance

Cathach Books, Dublin; Whence purchased by the present owner

John J. Slocum and Hervert Cahoon, A Bibliography of James Joyce (1882-1941), Greenwood Press,

Westport, CT, 1971, A3, pp. 5-9

Elkin Mathews, London, May 1907. First edition, third variant binding. Slocum and Cahoon record that

509 copies of the first edition were printed. Of these, fewer than 100 copies appeared in the first variant

binding (with thick laid endpapers). The priority of the second and third variants is undetermined. Joyce’s

first book, consisting of thirty-six poems, was rejected by both Grant Richards and Constable, but was

eventually published at the urging of Arthur Symons by Elkin Mathews, who had previously published

works by Yeats and Synge. 16mo; original green cloth lettered in gilt on front and spine; thin, near-

transparent endpapers with traces of former ownership signature, since removed; pages evenly yellowed

as usual. Cloth is clean; light edge wear; spine slightly sunned. A very good copy of Joyce’s first book .

Estimate €2000-€3000 (approx £1700-£2550)