Poems by Pinchbeck Lyre [pseudonym]

WITH AN INTERESTING INSCRIPTION - AND IN THE GLASSINE DUST JACKET

first edition [4 (half-title and title)], 22pp., black cloth lettered in green on front board, fine copy in the original glassine wrapper (wrapper cracked and with some holes along its 'spine' fold).

Interesting contemporary inscription on the secrecy surrounding the book's authorship on verso of half title by Richard Valentine Williams (see below)

Siegfried Sassoon was the pseudonymous author of these parodies of Humbert Wolfe.

Richard Valentine Williams (1877-1946), Irish poet, playwright and small-press publisher who wrote under the pseudonym of Richard Rowley, was friendly with many contemporary English writers. His publisher in the 1920s was Duckworth and the Sitwells were particular friends, providing the context for his interesting note in this copy. Williams wrote: "At the time of writing S. S. was on very friendly terms with the Sitwells, between whom and H. W. existed one of those literary feuds which were the great amusement of that eccentric and talented family. I suspect it was Edith who inspired Siegfried to this little jeu d'esprit. The secret of the authorship was well kept for a while, but gradually became known. Before the name of the author was made public, I was lunching in the Gargoyle with Tom Balstron, a director of Duckworth's, and my great friend. H.W. who was a member of the club came in. And joining us did his best to extract the name of his parodist from T. B., but Tom assumed a mysterious air, and would give nothing away. H.W. professed great amusement and praised the skill of the parodies generously. About the same time I met Jack Squire at a cock-tail party in Tite Street; he asked me if I knew who Pinchbeck Lyre was, and I said yes but I was bound to secrecy. I rather irritated J.S. by saying they were the best parodies written in our time (which they were not). Squire fancied himself as the best English parodist, and indeed some of his parodies are excellent. RVW".
Thomas Balston (1883 - 1967), director of publishers Duckworth and Co., was a scholar of English book production and illustration and his papers relating to the Sitwells, published by Duckworths, are at Washington State University. John Collings ("Jack") Squire (1884-1958), poet, writer, historian, and editor of literary The London Mercury, was known for his witty parodies. Williams managed a family cotton handkerchief manufacturing business in Belfast until it collapsed in 1931 and until then was an avid purchaser of modern literature.