Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
D. H. Lawrence. A Propos of Lady Chatterley's Lover. Mandrake Press LTD, London, 1930.
Price: US$61.57 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: The second trade edition of D. H. Lawrence's essay defending his controversial novel 'Lady Chatterley's Lover', published by The Mandrake Press. The second expanded trade edition of this work, previously published as 'My Skirmish With Jolly Roger'.'A Propos of Lady Chatterley's Lover' was written as Lawrence's response to the pirated editions of 'Lady Chatterley's Lover' being published in the States and in Europe. The piracy was rampant for this novel after it was banned for obscenity in many countries, including in the U.K.In this work, Lawrence defends the contents of 'Lady Chatterley's Lover'. 'Lady Chatterley's Lover' was a controversial novel when first published in a private edition in Italy in 1928 and France in 1929. An unexpurgated edition was not openly published in the U.K. until 1960, when it was the subject of an important obscenity trial against Penguin Books. The book had been banned due to its obscenity in being sexually explicitly, and for its use of the then-unprintable four-letter words. The romance in the novel was also notorious at the time as it took place between an upper-class woman and a working-class man.This was an important novel of the twentieth century, ushering in the sexual revolution that happened post-World War Two into the 60s and 70s.Published by the Mandrake Press, a small British press that was founded by Edward Goldston and P. R. Stephensen in 1929. The company ran into financial issues in 1930, leading to a consortium led by the occultist Aleister Crowley formed Mandrake Press LTD. The consortium was also unsuccessful and the press was dissolved in 1930. During their short publishing run the press published over thirty items, including works by D. H. Lawrence, Giovanni Boccaccio Cecil Roth, and more.Prior owner's ink inscription to the recto to the front endpaper, 'Fenton Braithwaite, Mill Lane, Lr Manton, N Blackpool'. Braithwaite was a plastic and reconstructive surgeon, working at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. In the original publisher's cloth binding. Externally, generally smart, with light marks and discolouration to the boards. Six puncture marks to the rear board, puncturing through to the rear endpapers. Prior owner's ink inscription to the recto to the front endpaper. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are bright and clean. Very Good
Seller: Rooke Books PBFA, Bath, United Kingdom
D. H. Lawrence. A Propos of Lady Chatterley's Lover. The Mandrake Press LTD, London, 1930.
Price: US$166.75 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: An advance copy of the first trade edition of D. H. Lawrence defensive essay about his controversial novel, 'Lady Chatterley's Lover'. An advance copy, stated to the half-title 'Advance Copy with compliments from Mandrake Press Ltd. Date of Publication is June 24th. Price 3s. 6d.'. This is the advance copy of the first trade edition.'A Propos of Lady Chatterley's Lover' was written as Lawrence's response to the pirated editions of 'Lady Chatterley's Lover' being published in the States and in Europe. The piracy was rampant for this novel after it was banned for obscenity in many countries, including in the U.K.In this work, Lawrence defends the contents of 'Lady Chatterley's Lover'. 'Lady Chatterley's Lover' was a controversial novel when first published in a private edition in Italy in 1928 and France in 1929. An unexpurgated edition was not openly published in the U.K. until 1960, when it was the subject of an important obscenity trial against Penguin Books. The book had been banned due to its obscenity in being sexually explicitly, and for its use of the then-unprintable four-letter words. The romance in the novel was also notorious at the time as it took place between an upper-class woman and a working-class man.This was an important novel of the twentieth century, ushering in the sexual revolution that happened post-World War Two into the 60s and 70s.Published by the Mandrake Press, a small British press that was founded by Edward Goldston and P. R. Stephensen in 1929. The company ran into financial issues in 1930, leading to a consortium led by the occultist Aleister Crowley formed Mandrake Press LTD. The consortium was also unsuccessful and the press was dissolved in 1930. During their short publishing run the press published over thirty items, including works by D. H. Lawrence, Giovanni Boccaccio Cecil Roth, and more.In the original glassine wrap. In the original publisher's cloth binding, in the original glassine wrap. Externally, smart. Spine is a little faded. Glassine wrap is torn with a little loss. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are bright and clean, with just a couple of light handling marks. Near Fine
Seller: Rooke Books PBFA, Bath, United Kingdom
D. H. Lawrence. A Propos of Lady Chatterley's Lover. Mandrake Press LTD., London, 1930.
Price: US$205.23 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: The first trade edition of D. H. Lawrence's essay defending his controversial novel 'Lady Chatterley's Lover', one of the few works published by the Mandrake Press. The first expanded trade edition of this work, previously published as 'My Skirmish With Jolly Roger'.In the original unclipped dustwrapper.'A Propos of Lady Chatterley's Lover' was written as Lawrence's response to the pirated editions of 'Lady Chatterley's Lover' being published in the States and in Europe. The piracy was rampant for this novel after it was banned for obscenity in many countries, including in the U.K.In this work, Lawrence defends the contents of 'Lady Chatterley's Lover'. 'Lady Chatterley's Lover' was a controversial novel when first published in a private edition in Italy in 1928 and France in 1929. An unexpurgated edition was not openly published in the U.K. until 1960, when it was the subject of an important obscenity trial against Penguin Books. The book had been banned due to its obscenity in being sexually explicitly, and for its use of the then-unprintable four-letter words. The romance in the novel was also notorious at the time as it took place between an upper-class woman and a working-class man.This was an important novel of the twentieth century, ushering in the sexual revolution that happened post-World War Two into the 60s and 70s.Published by the Mandrake Press, a small British press that was founded by Edward Goldston and P. R. Stephensen in 1929. The company ran into financial issues in 1930, leading to a consortium led by the occultist Aleister Crowley formed Mandrake Press LTD. The consortium was also unsuccessful and the press was dissolved in 1930. During their short publishing run the press published over thirty items, including works by D. H. Lawrence, Giovanni Boccaccio Cecil Roth, and more. In the original publisher's cloth binding, in the original unclipped dustwrapper. Externally, smart. A touch of fading to the spine and extremities. Dustwrapper with light edgewear, resulting in a couple of small chips. Spine of dustwrapper is discoloured, with a couple of marks to the wraps. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are bright and clean. Fine
Seller: Rooke Books PBFA, Bath, United Kingdom
Price: US$5500.00 + shipping
Description: First Edition. Staplebound. Scarce pamphlet is a printed original specimen and sold on the streets of Oxford the day after Crowley was told not to turn up Poetry Society. The lecture by Crowley was due to take place on 4th February 1930. But shortly before Crowley received a letter from the secretary of the society. In it he says, "I am writing to tell you that we have been unfortunately forced to cancel next Monday's meeting of the poetry society. It has come to our knowledge that if your proposed paper is delivered disciplity. In this circumstance you will, I trust, understand why we had to cancel the meeting." Crowley responded to this letter publicly and says "Perhaps the refusal to let me lecture has come because Gilles de Rais is said to have killed 500 children in ritual murder and in some way, this was connected with myself. Since the accusation that I have not only killed but eaten children is one of many false statements that have been circulated about me in the past." He was quick to use his connections to print a good number of these pamphlets and distribute them on the streets of Oxford. His banned lecture received far more attention and readership than he could have hoped for. Even though there was purported to be a decent number printed, due to the ephemeral nature of them, none have been on the market in recent years. "The Oxford Poetry Society, a typically worthy undergraduate club, decided to venture on a strange fields by listening to a lecture by Mr Aleister Crowley on Gilles de Rais, a fifteenth-century magician known to history as the companion-in-arms of Joan of Arc and to children as the celebrated Bluebeard. The dons, however, took alarm, and so Mr Crowley has had to stay behind in Kent, leaving, one imagines, his inquiring young disciples to the less exciting delights of a paper on Wordsworth." The lore of de Rais is beyond fascination, including black magic, Satanism, and serial killer, a pop culture delight. This ephemeral work also informs how printing history responds to controversy and censorship not the basis of minor opinion. An exceptional piece of Crowley collectibility and text never spoken. Lightly shelf worn, toning, else tight, bright, and unmarred. In original wrappers. 24 pp. 8vo.
Seller: Lux Mentis, Booksellers, ABAA/ILAB, Portland, ME, U.S.A.