Beschreibung:

DescriptionJoyce, JamesFinnegans Wake. London and New York: Faber & Faber and The Viking Press, 1939
8vo (253 x 155 mm). Signed by Joyce on the limitation statement, half-title, title-page; variable but primarily mild browning. In original smooth red buckram, spine gilt lettered, top edge gilt, the others untrimmed; very lightly lightly bumped at head and tail of spine. In the original yellow slipcase, together housed in a red cloth clamshell box. [With:] Photographic portrait of Joyce (61 x 89 mm), inscribed ("James Joyce Paris 30. IX. 35") on the verso.
First edition, limited issue of Joyce's unparalleled modernist experiment, no. 66 of 125 copies signed by the author (out of a total edition of 425 copies). The accompanying photograph inscribed by Joyce was presented to James Stephens. Also an Irish novelist, Stephens claimed to be born on the same date as Joyce, when he was most likely born two years later. The two became friends while living in Paris at the same time, and Stephens was, in fact, nearly essential to Joyce finishing Finnegans Wake. In a period of severe writer's block, Joyce proposed that Stephens complete the work in the event that he could not, suggesting that they attribute authorship to JJ & S, for "Jameses Joyce & Stephens—a pun on John Jameson & Sons' whisky. In the end Joyce would finish his triumph of experimental literature on his own, though the two remained good friends.
Slocum & Cahoon note that in fact "310 copies were sent to the United States instead of the 300 noted in the statement of limitation."
REFERENCE:Slocum & Cahoon A49Condition reportCondition as described in catalogue entry.
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