MAN WHO COULD WORK MIRACLES: A FILM STORY BASED ON MATERIAL IN HIS SHORT STORY; bound with THINGS TO COME: A FILM STORY BASED ON MATERIAL IN HIS HISTORY OF THE FUTURE 'THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME'.

First edition, first printing of both volumes, bound in one. Signed by the author. Inscribed presentation and association copy. Mid-twentieth century half calf for Henry Sotheran, five raised bands, gilt decorated compartments and titles on red morocco labels to the spine. Brown cloth boards. Ownership initials of (Richard Kayne in gilt to the bottom right corner of the upper board. Top edge gilt. Marbled endpapers. A very good copy, the binding square and firm with some rubbing to the spine hinges and corners. The contents, with the bookplate of Richard Kayne to the front pastedown, and four pages of additional dialogue in the form of carbon-copy typescript (annotated in the hand of Wells), are clean throughout.

The Man Who Could Work Miracles is inscribed by the author in black ink on the half title "for Philip Charlot / H. G. Wells / April 1936". The recipient was the film editor on the 1937 Lothar Mendes production starring Ralph Richardson, Joan Gardner and Roland Young. Underneath Wells' inscription Charlot has later inscribed "for Richard Kayne / with very best wishes / Philip Charlot / October 1956". The page preceding the half title of the second title 'Things to Come' is further inscribed by Charlot "Sorry, Richard, but H.G. forgot to sign this one for me - Philip". The recipient of Charlot's presentation is the writer, composer and musician Richard Kayne (pseudonym of William Sydney Kuttner), who is perhaps best remembered for composing the haunting theme from the 1959 Horror film 'House On Haunted Hill' (starring Vincent Price). [Bleiler; Locke: Spectrum of Fantasy].