SHAW, George Bernard.. Cashel Byron's Profession.. The Modern Press, London., 1886.

Price: US$962.45 + shipping

Description: First edition, smaller variant issue with the preliminary blank bound at the rear. First issue copies were cut down slightly following objections from booksellers who found them too tall for their shelves. Octavo. pp [ii, 164. Wrappers printed in red and black. Shaw's first book, preceded only by two Fabian leaflets.Spotting, largely confined to the margins. Some light spotting to covers. Front joint starting to split. Very good. Housed in custom-made cloth chemise and slipcase.

Seller: Peter Ellis, Bookseller, ABA, ILAB, London, United Kingdom

Shaw, George Bernard. Cashel Byron's Profession. A Novel. The Modern Press, [London], 1886.

Price: US$1000.00 + shipping

Description: First Separate Issue, smaller variant, measuring 23.5 x 14.9 cm. 1 vols. 8vo. Originally printed in the April 1885-March 1886 issues of "To-Day", this first edition was printed from the corrected and revised stereos of the original setting for the journal. This is the smaller, variant issue measuring approximately 23.3 x 14.8 cm, and with the preliminary blank leaf bound at the end. Shaw explains the variant this way: 'The size of the bigger copies is due to the fact that they reproduced not only the type but the format of To-day. But the booksellers objected that in this form it occupied too much room to be displayed on their stalls and counters. It was probably cut down as far as the margins would allow to meet this objection' - Laurence. Laurence A3 Wrapper a little soiled, spine worn and skillfully repaired. In green quarter morocco slipcase with chemise First Separate Issue, smaller variant, measuring 23.5 x 14.9 cm.

Seller: James Cummins Bookseller, ABAA, New York, NY, U.S.A.

SHAW, George Bernard.. Cashel Byron's Profession. A Novel.. London: The Modern Press, 1886, 1886.

Price: US$1924.90 + shipping

Description: First separate issue; the smaller trimmed variant with the blank leaf bound at rear. Originally printed in the To-Day journal between April 1885 and March 1886, this edition was printed from the corrected and revised stereos of the original setting for the journal. There is a second larger, variant issue, with the preliminary blank leaf bound at the beginning. Shaw explains the variant this way: "The size of the bigger copies is due to the fact that they reproduced not only the type but the format of To-day. But the booksellers objected that in this form it occupied too much room to be displayed on their stalls and counters. It was probably cut down as far as the margins would allow to meet this objection". Laurence A3a. Octavo. Original blue wrappers, titles to front cover in red and black. Housed in a dark green cloth chemise in green crushed morocco pull-off case, titles to spine gilt. Slight chipping to spine ends, small loss to foot of front cover at spine, small mark to front cover, foxing to covers, edges, prelims and endmatter, a very good copy in the case with faded spine and slight rubbing to extremities.

Seller: Peter Harrington. ABA/ ILAB., London, United Kingdom

SHAW, George Bernard. CASHEL BYRON'S PROFESSION A Novel. The Modern Press, 1886.

Price: US$2245.71 + shipping

Description: First edition, variant issue with the blank leaf bound at the rear. Original blue wrappers printed in red and black. With the author's long signed inscription to the title page dated 1921 giving interesting bibliographical information regarding the printing of the first impression and of the writing of this book. Contents a little crumpled, spine worn, residue of label removed from upper wrapper, some staining. Only a good copy. Housed in a black cloth clamshell box. The author's first novel, which incorporates Shaw's twin obsessions of boxing and social integration (Cashel Byron is a prize fighter who tries to woo an aristocrat). Lawrence A3

Seller: Jonkers Rare Books, Henley on Thames, OXON, United Kingdom

SHAW, George Bernard. Cashel Byron's Profession. The Modern Press, (London), 1886.

Price: US$2250.00 + shipping

Condition: Very Good

Description: First edition, larger variant with the blank leaf bound in at the beginning. Large octavo, measuring 6" x 9¾" (see Laurence for discussion of variant binding sizes). [4], 164pp. Pale blue-green printed wrappers. Fragile wrappers modestly worn with a short split at the crown, wrappers and endleaves lightly foxed, a very good or better copy. George Bernard Shaw's first novel, preceded only by two Fabian Society tracts. Housed in a custom cloth four-fold chemise and quarter-morocco clamshell box by Sangorski & Sutcliffe (light wear, near fine). Laurence A3a.

Seller: Between the Covers-Rare Books, Inc. ABAA, Gloucester City, NJ, U.S.A.

SHAW. GEORGE BERNARD.. CASHEL BYRON'S PROFESSION. A Novel.. The Modern Press., 1886.

Price: US$3208.16 + shipping

Condition: Very Good

Description: First separate issue, larger untrimmed variant, inscribed by the author. Originally printed in the April 1885-March 1886 issues of To-Day, this first edition was printed from the corrected and revised stereos of the original setting for the journal. This is the larger, variant issue, with the preliminary blank leaf bound at the beginning. Shaw explains the variant this way: "The size of the bigger copies is due to the fact that they reproduced not only the type but the format of To-day. But the booksellers objected that in this form it occupied too much room to be displayed on their stalls and counters. It was probably cut down as far as the margins would allow to meet this objection", (Laurence). Inscribed by Shaw, "This is the first Issue, which was so tall that the booksellers refused to exhibit it on their counters, as it took too much room. So it had to be cut down. G. Bernard Shaw 26/7/30." . ---- Housed in a green cloth covered chemise and quarter green morocco slip case with raised bands and gilt rules and lettering to the spine. The slip case is a little rubbed and faded to the spine but generally very good. Laurence A3.

Seller: Paul Foster. - ABA & PBFA Member., London, United Kingdom

Shaw, George Bernard. CASHEL BYRON'S PROFESSION A NOVEL. The Modern Press, [London], 1886.

Price: US$3250.00 + shipping

Description: Large octavo (23.5 x 15 cm). Original printed wrapper. Wrapper slightly handsoiled, 3.5 cm loss at foot of spine, smaller loss at crown, short closed split to upper hinge from toe, otherwise a very good copy of this fragile book. Half morocco slipcase and chemise. First printing in book form of Shaw's first novel, printed from the corrected and revised stereos of it's serialization in the April 1885-March 1886 issues of TO-DAY. Booksellers objected that copies in this format were difficult to display, and consequently many copies, such as that in hand, were trimmed to accommodate their demands, in the course of which the original preliminary blank was transferred to the rear. With Shaw's slightly later inscription on the title-page: "This is the first reprint from the plates made from the pages of the magazine To-Day. The bookstalls would not stock it because it was not the right size for their counters. It did not take off until it got into the hands of the pirates who kept it going for years. It may be going still for all I know, as I never succeeded in recapturing the plates. G. Bernard Shaw." The piracies Shaw references were the US printings issued by George Munro (June 1886, in the Seaside Library), Harper & Brothers in 1886, and Brentanos in 1899. Laid in is a typed note, signed with initials ("F. S. B."): "When in London, in the late summer of 1914, whither I had gone from Bordeau, after getting M. Georges Clemenceau to prepare an article for the S.E.P. [i.e. SATURDAY EVENING POST], I visited several famous authors, including Mr. H.G. Welles [sic], John Masefield, Poet Lauriat [sic], and Mr Shaw, whose Firsts I had long collected. Mr. Shaw received me in his rooms overlooking the Thames and inscribed several of the Firsts that I brought to him. He was particularly interested in this edition of Cashel Byron's Profession and was amused to hear my account of seeing James J. Corbett, Ex-Champion, in the title-role ." The referenced article by Clemenceau was likely "The Cause of France," which appeared in the 24 October 1914 issue of the SEP. LAURENCE A3.

Seller: William Reese Company - Literature, ABAA, New Haven, CT, U.S.A.