THE WAGGONER AND OTHER POEMS

First edition, first printing of the poet's first trade publication. Publisher's original [first state] purple cloth with white paper label, printed in black to the spine, in dustwrapper. An excellent near fine copy, the binding square and firm, the cloth with small areas of fading (corresponding with the minor chips to the dustwrapper) otherwise bright and fresh. The contents, with the bookplates of Simon Nowell-Smith and Anne Powell to the front pastedown are otherwise clean throughout and without inscriptions or stamps. Spare paper title label tipped in at the rear (as issued). Complete with the very good rubbed and nicked dustwrapper that is toned and slightly chipped to the spine, and has a piece of archival tape to the underside. An attractive example.

The first state of the first printing, issued with encouragement from Siegfried Sassoon (who remained a life-long friend of Blunden) was issued in an edition of 250 copies. A further 100 sheets were sent America to be bound for the Alfred Knopf first edition. A second issue of 150 copies, bound in green cloth but otherwise identical was issued in the UK later the same year.