Cabell, James Branch. THE WAY OF ECBEN: A COMEDIETTA INVOLVING A GENTLEMAN . New York: Robert M. McBride & Company, 1929. Octavo, pp. [1-2] [i-vi] vii-viii [1-10] 11-209 [210: blank] [211: tail piece] [212-214: blank] [note: first and last leaves are blanks], numerous vignette illustrations by Frank C. Pape, original cloth-backed patterned boards (gold on black), spine panel stamped in gold, top edge stained black, other edges untrimmed. First edition, first impression. The trade issue. Part of Cabell's interminable "Biography of Manuel." Many of the illustrations are quite amusing. Bleiler, The Guide to Supernatural Fiction 329. Bleiler (1978), p. 37. Reginald 02419. Bruccoli 48 (noting that the first impression of the trade issue preceded the 850-copy large paper issue). A nearly fine copy; lacks the paper slipcase. (#119352)