Journey’s End : The Scarce UK First Printing

The true First UK printing published by Gollancz in 1929. The Book is complete and is in Very Good+ condition. The wraps binding remains tight. The covers are mildly soiled and toned. The spine is intact with two small closed tears to the upper spine folds. The end papers and prelims are spotted with somemild spotting to the page edges in places throughout. Free from inscriptions and erasures. Sherriff's good fortune with the phenomenal success of what is essentially a mediocre play depended in large part on the appearance in the intital production of the work - by the Incorporated Stage Society in a two-day run at the Apollo Theatre in December 1928 - of the 21-year old Lawrence Olivier (directed by the equally unknown James Whale). The production transferred to The Savoy Theatre for a three-week run in January 1929 and thence to The Prince of Wales where it ran for two years, during which time it was also produced by 14 other companies in the Anglophone world and in 17 other languages across the world. Hollywood beckoned . . . The luck also rubbed off on Victor Gollancz, for whom the text was a first major publishing coup, selling 175,000 copies. Self-wraps mention a cloth issue of which it appears there was no such. A very scarce title to find with such attributes. The Trade hardback edition was not to be published until the following year. Ashton Rare Nooks welcomes direct contact.