Sadness

New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1972. First Edition, First Printing. [Uncorrected Proof]. Wraps. Very Good +. 118 p. Tall set of [Cranes] galleys in robin's egg blue cardboard wraps with paper label and blue lettering to front cover. Refered to on the cover as an "uncorrected proof" and on the label as "A set of galleys"; Crane Duplicating Service Inc. stamp on inside back cover (these proofs were known colloquially as "Cranes" within the publishing industry). Faint old paper clip mark to front cover and a couple interior pages. Covers show a tiny ding or two else Fine. Hand written pagination. These would be the first issue galleys, we've seen a different set with a date of typed onto the label of this set is the more specific Nov. 15, 1972 while this set simply states 11/72. Scarce, the definitive Barthleme bibliography estimates a scant 20 copies printed. From the Donald Barthleme bibliography (1977 Archon Books, Klinkowitz, Pieratt, & Davis): "Approximately twenty sets of galleys, set before page proofs and bound in tall green paper wrappers were distributed in advance of publication. The order of the stories varies considerably from the finished edition...