Sleeveless Errand

Scarce. Likely one of just a few published copies of the British edition in existence. Hardcover Near Fine. No DJ. First edition of author's first book. Banned very shortly after publication. Suppressed in England on March 4, 1929. As a result, there is likely only a handful of copies remaining. In fact, the copy in the British Library is one of the 'French' copies published subsequent to the English copies. Sleeveless Errand was ruled obscene at the Bow Street Police Court. All but a few representative copies were ordered to be destroyed. The police had been tipped off about the content by the editor of the Morning Post after they had received a review copy. It was subsequently printed in Paris the same year by Jack Kahane's Obelisk Press.

According to one publication, "Sleeveless Errand was probably the most suppressed novel ever published in England; every store containing copies was raided; and a guard stood for a week-end at the window of one store containing one copy, until the owner could be found to remove it. Nobody has ever given an adequate explanation of why it was thus censored and, in the later English edition, expurgated - the theory is that the objection was to one word in the book."

Some light foxing to end papers and a few light spots of foxing to text block edge. Light push at top of spine. Some light dust spots to front and rear boards.

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