THE UPPER BERTH. London: T. Fisher Unwin, 1894. Tall octavo, pp. [1-4] 5-189 [190: blank] [191: printer's imprint] [192: ad], original publisher's oatmeal linen cloth, all panels stamped in black, top edge gilt. First edition of this combination. Published simultaneously in cloth and in paper wrappers as volume one of Unwin's "Autonym Library." Collects "The Upper Berth" and "By the Waters of Paradise," first collected respectively in THE BROKEN SHAFT (1886) and THE WITCHING TIME (1887). "'The Upper Berth ...' is Crawford's weird masterpiece; and is one of the most tremendous horror-stories in all literature." - Lovecraft, Supernatural Horror in Literature, p. 70. "The title story is one of the best material-horror stories, convincing and strong" - Bleiler, The Guide to Supernatural Fiction 445. Both tales were collected later in UNCANNY TALES a.k.a. WANDERING GHOSTS (1911). This edition is more ornate than Putnam's American edition, with its seven Baroque pictorial initial capital letters in the text as well as attractive tailpieces. This is the first volume in Unwin's "Autonym Library," initiated in response to the success of its "Pseudonym Library" (the forty titles of which are listed opposite the title page). Ashley, Who's Who in Horror and Fantasy Fiction, p. 59. Barron (ed), Horror Literature 2-17. Sullivan (ed), The Penguin Encyclopedia of Horror and the Supernatural, p. 101. Survey of Modern Fantasy Literature IV, p. 2055. Bleiler (1978), p. 52. Reginald 03547. BAL 4181. Wright (III) 1288 (citing American edition). Slight spine lean, some dust soiling to cloth, a very good, attractive copy. This British edition, unlike the later Putnam edition, is quite uncommon. (#170424).
Price: $1,000.00
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