TWELVE TALES WITH A HEADPIECE, A TAILPIECE, AND AN INTERMEZZO: BEING SELECT STORIES BY GRANT ALLEN CHOSEN AND ARRANGED BY THE AUTHOR. London: Grant Richards, 1899. Octavo, pp. [i-iv] v-ix [x-xii] [1-2] 3-351 [352: printer's imprint], original red cloth, printed paper labels affixed to front and spine panels, all edges trimmed, spare label tipped in ahead of rear free endpaper. First edition. A variant binding of unknown status, the binding usually seen being gold-stamped blue cloth, sheets untrimmed. Perhaps so bound for the use of the author or publisher; it is not a remainder binding; the only copy so bound we have seen or heard of. The author's best story collection. Fifteen stories chosen by Allen, seven reprinted from earlier books (STRANGE STORIES, THE BECKONING HAND and IVAN GREET'S MASTERPIECE), the other eight first appearing here in book form, plus one, "The Churchwarden's Brother," that is original to this collection. The author died (at 51) in the year of the book's publication. Bleiler, The Guide to Supernatural Fiction 15. Bleiler, Science-Fiction: The Early Years 40. Tymn (ed), Horror Literature 3-3. Wilson, Shadows in the Attic, p. 31. Bleiler (1978), p. 4. Upper corner tips bruised, else a fine copy. The perhaps original unprinted tissue jacket accompanies the book. This first printing is very elusive and is rarely found in nice condition. (#130595).
Price: $2,250.00
No statement of printing.