Beschreibung
[Adelaide, The Author, 1942]. Quarto, 63 pages. Saddle-stapled grey card covers (lettered in black) very slightly creased and marked, with one trifling snag at the foot of the spine; edges slightly thumbed; a near-fine copy. Two typographical errors have been corrected in pencil by the author: on the dedication page, it is now 'juvenilia' not 'juvenalia' at the end of the first line; and on page 55, 'spoilation' is now 'spoliation'. However, we note in passing that 'daguerrotype' in the line above got through unnoticed. Number 138 of an undated limited edition (with the upper limit not stated), numbered and signed by Hal Porter. This is a presentation copy of his first stand-alone work, additionally inscribed and signed in ink at the head of the title page 'To dear Lucy Lockett with love and gratitude | from | Hal. | 14 xii 1944'. The recipient, Lucy Lockett Ayers (1886-1971), was a granddaughter of Sir Henry Ayers. The revised edition of Porter's biography by Mary Lord ('Hal Porter - Man of Many Parts', 1993) states '"Short Stories" came out late in 1942 in a limited edition of 250 copies. Most if not all were numbered and signed, then distributed randomly and recklessly by the author. The volume contained fourteen stories, none of which had been published and one of which was the prize-winning "And from Madame's [sic]"' (page 28). The precise details of the publication remain unclear. Lord's checklist indicates that the book was printed by the Adelaide 'Advertiser' and gives a date of '[1942]', but the very few perfunctory press notices relating to the book appear in April and May 1943, perhaps suggesting a later date of publication. Although copies are undoubtedly now extremely scarce, whatever the truth of the matter, this presentation inscription demonstrates that Porter still had copies to hand in December 1944. The stories contained in this collection are 'The Room', 'And, from Madame's .?', 'The Two Bachelors', 'At Aunt Sophia's', 'No-one Knows!', 'Miss Rodda', 'Carnival Piece', 'Cafe Samovar', 'Scene: The Bend of a River', 'Otto Ruff', 'Gone Away', 'The White Rabbit', 'Miss Brockel', and '- And Nothing More'. Loosely inserted is a typescript of a contemporary review of the book (1 page, quarto, with two of the six paragraphs struck out with pencil). We have been unable to determine whether or not it was published, or if Lucy Lockett Ayers is the reviewer. [2 items]. Bestandsnummer des Verkäufers 140203
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