SUSPENSE. A Napoleonic Novel

1925. Garden City NY: Doubleday, Page & Company, 1925. Original dark blue cloth decorated in gilt, with dust jacket.

First Trade Edition, first issue, of Conrad's last (unfinished) novel, posthumously published three months after DP&Co's 377-copy limited edition (the first impression) -- but one day before Dent's London edition. This "first trade issue" is actually the second impression: it has no Introduction by Richard Curle (nor a reference to it on the title page). This volume is in fine condition. Included is the first-state dust jacket, which features portraits and emblems both of Conrad and of Napoleon -- in gold, black and orange; the "second trade issue" (actually third impression) of the book, does have the Introduction like the British edition, and has a non-pictorial light blue jacket. This jacket's condition is very good-plus, with minor edge-wear. The American SUSPENSE is much less common than its English counterpart, especially in this first-state dust jacket. Supino A26.2.0 and Plate 31 (this copy); Smith pp 100-101. Note: ink-stamped onto the white spine of the dust jacket is "POPULAR COPYRIGHT": we don't know the purpose of this, but it is hard to imagine anyone but the publisher stamping it there. Provenance: discreet bookplate of Conrad bibliographer David J. Supino.