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James, M. R. [ Montague Rhodes ]. Ghost-Stories of an Antiquary. Edward Arnold, London, 1904.

Price: US$2079.27 + shipping

Condition: Very Good

Description: Plates all present, no adverts at rear but no priority established. Spine darkened with light bumping to ends and wear to cloth at top of rear hinge. Both boards darkened around edges and generally rubbed with a dark spot near top of rear board. Yapp edges in similar condition with minor small staining on the front one. Internally offsetting to end papers, front hinge lightly cracked at top and bottom (see images) and rear hinge cracked at top 1". Previous owner's name in pencil on end paper. Tissue guard to frontis is tanned offsetting to title page. Previous owner's name in pencil on end paper. Apologies for the sideways images that I seem to be uploading, it's a technical problem with the way my new phone works and I haven't figured it out yet. :( Postage will be confirmed when you enquire or order and for light or very heavy books will vary from the ABE quote which is based on a 1kg parcel. N.B. Postage to the USA will often be quite a bit less than the quote on ABE.

Seller: The Book Business (P.B.F.A), London, United Kingdom

JAMES, M. R.. Ghost-Stories of an Antiquary. With four illustrations by the late James McBryde.. London: Edward Arnold, 1904, 1904.

Price: US$4873.30 + shipping

Description: First edition, first impression, with the publisher's adverts dated November 1904, in notably bright condition. Montague Rhodes James (1862-1936) began writing ghost stories upon entering Cambridge in 1882 and quickly become known for his candlelit readings. Several of James's ghost stories were printed in magazines in the 1890s and, in 1904, he was persuaded by the publisher Edward Arnold to bring out the present collection of eight tales. The illustrator, James McBryde, died in June 1904 from complications following an appendix operation, leaving the illustrations unfinished. Although Arnold suggested another illustrator, James, a close friend of McBryde's, was adamant that he could not be replaced. Ghost-Stories of an Antiquary was accordingly published with just the four completed works as a tribute to McBryde. The fourth plate in the book (facing p. 222) was the last McBryde prepared before his death. He wrote excitedly to James on 6 May 1904: "I have finished the Whistle ghost. I covered yards of paper to put in the moon shadows correctly and it is certainly the best thing I have ever drawn". "There is no question of apprenticeship here; the first story, 'Canon Alberic's Scrap Book', contains the donnish tone, the massing of verisimilitudinous detail (often of a tongue-in-cheek scholarly sort), and the using of that detail to intensify the terror when it comes, that are James's trademarks" (ODNB). The popularity of this collection led to widespread requests for more: consequently More Ghost Stories of an Antiquary followed in 1911, A Thin Ghost and other Stories in 1919, and A Warning to the Curious in 1925. The influence and import of James's 31 published ghost stories has been a topic of scholarly discussion since publication. Many of James's tales were read contemporaneously as Christmas Eve entertainments, an idea that was taken up by the BBC in 2000 when they filmed Christopher Lee reading James's stories in King's College, Cambridge, as the author himself had done years before. Bleiler 911. Octavo. Original brown buckram, yapp edges, spine and front board lettered in black, boards double ruled in red, top edge brown, others untrimmed. Frontispiece with tissue guard and 3 plates. With 16 pp. of publisher's advertisements at rear. Ownership inscription of Frank Leslie Nightingale (1881-1915) and newspaper clipping from The Daily Telegraph, dated 12 March 1956 in manuscript, on front free endpaper; undated newspaper obituary for James loosely inserted, once attached to front pastedown with consequent skinning and glue residue. Spine and board edges browned, ink splashes to foot of rear board, inner hinges starting, book block remaining firm, scattered foxing to contents, tide mark to fore edge of front free endpaper, a very good copy.

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

James, Montague Rhodes. Ghost Stories Of An Antiquary. London Edward Arnold 1904, 1904.

Price: US$5847.96 + shipping

Description: First edition, first printing. Published by Edward Arnold in London, 1904. This is a near fine copy. Issued without a dust wrapper and in the original publishers cloth binding with yapp edges. Bordered in a deep red, embossed stain, the black titling is bold and clean. There is slight toning to the front panel which slightly continues to the tail of the spine. The internals are mostly clean and free from foxing, though so slightly toned. The frontispiece and three plates are finely illustrated by James Bride who, whilst illustrating this book, died. The publisher consequently suggested another illustrator, but the author rejected the proposal. The boards are markedly sturdy, which is uncommon for this production. This copy is free from previous owners ink. Overall, this is a near fine copy of a spooky work, with an equally spooky back-story. The authors first short story collection, which precedes the later published 'More Ghost Stories'.

Seller: John Atkinson Books ABA ILAB PBFA, Harrogate, United Kingdom