Chatto & Windus (British) (1895)

London: Chatto & Windus, THE KING IN YELLOW, By Robert W. Chambers, RARE 1st English Edition ~ A Superb Collection of Weird & Supernatural Stories (including The King In Yellow an H.P. Lovecraft favorite)
THE KING IN YELLOW By Robert W. Chambers: Truly a magnificent and important book in the VERY rare First English Edition (printed from the American Plates -- True First 1895 Chicago/New York F. Tennyson Neely). Published in London by Chatto & Windus in 1895.Probably fewer than 1000 copies of this book were printed, of which very few survive. 16 mo. (3.75" x 6.25"), 316 pages. Original black cloth, with red and yellow stamped "weird" cover (so much nicer than the green lizard that adorns the US first edition). Chamber's second book (and easily his most influential).
CONDITION: Book is a VG-. The strenght of the book is the front panel with very little fading and rubbing to the red and yellow (still quite bright, scan does not do it justice). Would rate this front panel as a Very Good Plus to Near Fine just based on the colors. However, I tend to grade conservatively and extensviely. The negative is the front panel is a bubbled in places due to age. It doesn't really show when looking straight on, but upon close inspection or at an angle, you can see that humid English climate has taken its toll on this book. There is no damage really, just the bubbling/rippling that comes when the front cloth separates a bit from the actual board. Spine is also bright and attractive with just a wee bit of fading to the yellow lettering. Back panel is sharp, with little to no fading on the red mark. Book is slightly cocked and edges have some shelf wear. Text block is untrimed at bottom and fore edge. Top edge is gilt, but dust soiled. Pages are yellowed due to age, but not brittle. No separation, still tight and bright. As with all of ArkhamBooks items, the scans you see are not stock, but the item you will receive.
BOOK: The author's second book and first story collection. "One of the most important works of supernatural horror between Edgar Allan Poe and modern horror fiction." – Bleiler (ed), Supernatural Fiction Writers: Fantasy and Horror, p. 739. "Surprisingly vital stories, undoubtedly the best work that Chambers did. A landmark book in abandoning the ghosts of Victorian literary tradition and concentrating on the nightmare." – Bleiler, The Guide to Supernatural Fiction 364. ".one of the basic documents in the history of fantastic fiction." – Bleiler, Science- Fiction: The Early Years 396.
($1099.00)