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Lovecraft | H.P.

Shadow Over Innsmouth

First Edition | First Printing

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SKU: 11978 Category:

Description

The first edition of Shadow Over Innsmouth, with both the first state and second state dust jackets. The only book of H.P. Lovecraft’s fiction published during his lifetime.

Octavo, 158pp, [13 blank]. Black cloth, title stamped in silver on spine and front cover. The first edition, first issue, with “April, 1936” on copyright page. Complete with four full page illustrations by Frank A. Utpatel. Short closed tear to corner of the front free endpaper, solid text block, the expected creasing to the cloth spine, a fine example. Includes the scarce errata slip. This copy includes two dust jackets, both variants, one with an illustration by Utpatel on the cover and the other on white paper stock. Both near fine, faint dampstain to the rear endpaper of variant B. (L.W. Currey 324) An exceptionally scarce example.

…No – I don’t intend to offer The Shadow over Innsmouth” for publication, for it would stand no chance of acceptance,” H.P. Lovecraft (1931). Originally intended as a series of short stories for Strange Tales or Astounding Stories magazine, the book was rejected by the publishers. In 1934, he agreed to let William L. Crawford publish the story as a complete book, the final product arriving in November of 1936 (despite a publication date of 1936 on the copyright page). The final publication contained so many errors that an errata slip was added, some copies even include corrections in pencil by the author. A total of 400 copies were printed, with 200 being bound for sale and the remaining 200 destroyed. (Shultz, 239)

Additional information

Location Published

Everett, Pennsylvania

Publisher

Visionary Publishing Co.

Edition

First Edition, First Printing

Date Published

1936

ISBN
Binding

Cloth

Condition

Fine

Jacket Condition

Near Fine

Author

Lovecraft | H.P.

Author Display

H.P. Lovecraft