Nine Experiments [SIGNED]

Cincinnati, OH: Elliston Poetry Foundation University of Cincinnati, [1964 Copyright]. First Thus. Hardcover. Very good. An about Very Good copy of the first facsimile edition of Stephen H. Spender's first book, showing only mild wear and tide markings to the boards -- otherwise about Fine. [Only about thirty [30] copies of the ORIGINAL first edition in 1920 were printed, and those were done so by Spender himself. Per Encyclopedia dot com: The facsimile shows a presentation of the original copy presentation by Spender to "Winifred" on the second front free endpaper as well as the book's limitation notice with a note in Spender's hand stating that the copy reproduced here was number 1 of the group of "about thirty" of the first edition copies. [Please Note: the foregoing are facsimiles of Spender's handwriting.] Copies of this facsimile edition are uncommon to the market, and the great and distinguishing feature of this copy is the ORIGINAL SIGNED PRESENTATION OF THIS COPY BY STEPHEN SPENDER TO WILLIAM S. GRAY [presumably the famed educator] in blue ink found on this volume's title page. [Also per Encyclopedia dot com: "Spender printed his first volume of poetry, Nine Experiments: Being Poems Written at the Age of Eighteen (1928), on his own handpress. He later destroyed copies of his early efforts, but several of the poems he wrote between 1928 and 1930 would appear in his volume Poems published in 1933." ] While the book does have tide marks to the cover, it likely is the ONLY EXAMPLE OF STEPHEN SPENDER'S FIRST BOOK SIGNED BY SPENDER that is, or perhaps ever will be, available to collectors. The book is housed in its near fine (presumed original) slipcase which shows only mild wear, the only example of the slipcase that we ever have seen. A decent example of this volume, with a PRESENTATION TO WILLIAM S. GRAY. A SCARCE TO RARE INSCRIBED AND SIGNED COPY.

"Spender was acquainted with fellow Auden Group members Louis MacNeice, Edward Upward and Cecil Day-Lewis. He was friendly with David Jones and later came to know William Butler Yeats, Allen Ginsberg, Ted Hughes, Joseph Brodsky, Isaiah Berlin, Mary McCarthy, Roy Campbell, Raymond Chandler, Dylan Thomas, Jean-Paul Sartre, Colin Wilson, Aleister Crowley, F. T. Prince and T. S. Eliot, as well as members of the Bloomsbury Group, particularly Virginia Woolf."] Interestingly, At the Shakespeare and Company bookstore in Paris, which published the first edition of James Joyce's Ulysses, historic figures made rare appearances to read their work: Paul Valéry, André Gide and Eliot. Hemingway even broke his rule of not reading in public if Spender would read with him. Since Spender agreed, Hemingway appeared for a rare reading in public with him. Also, Spender taught at various American institutions including University of California at Berkeley and Northwestern University, and he accepted the Elliston Chair of Poetry at the University of Cincinnati in 1954. In 1961, he became professor of rhetoric at Gresham College, London.