THE PURPLE SAPPHIRE AND OTHER POSTHUMOUS PAPERS SELECTED FROM THE UNOFFICIAL RECORDS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF COSMOPOLI by Christopher Blayre Sometime Registrar of the University. London: Philip Allan & Co., [1921]. Octavo, pp. [1-8] [1] 2-210 [211] [212: blank], title page printed in orange and black, publisher's blue-gray paper covered boards, printed paper label affixed to spine panel, fore and bottom edges untrimmed. First edition, first binding. "Eight science fiction and weird short stories supposedly deposited with the registrar of the University of Cosmopoli in 1952, and narrated by various professors ..." - Locke, A Spectrum of Fantasy, p. 35. "The ironic wit is not to everyone's taste, but these are among the best satirical weird tales." - Barron (ed), Horror Literature 3-28. The ninth "paper" listed on the contents page, "The Cheetah-Girl," does not appear in the book. Instead, p. 211 bears a note under the story's title: "The Publishers regret that they are unable to print this M.S." This is the case in all editions of this book, the story in question having been deemed too explicitly sexual for the standards of the day. It was separately and privately printed in a very small edition. Ashley, Who's Who in Horror and Fantasy Fiction, p. 92. Bleiler, The Guide to Supernatural Fiction 204. Clareson, Science Fiction in America, 1870s-1930s 080. Sullivan (ed), The Penguin Encyclopedia of Horror and the Supernatural, p. 201. Bleiler (1978), p. 25. Reginald 07139. Boards dusty and rubbed, spine panel scuffed and stained, 20x15 mm v-chip from lower right edge of spine panel, a sound, good copy. (#176421).
Price: $150.00
"First published in April, 1921" on copyright page.