A COLLECTION OF EIGHT FIRST EDITIONS, OFFERED AS A GROUP

1927-24.
1) LAWRENCE, D. H., and M. L. SKINNER. THE BOY IN THE BUSH. (London: Martin Secker, 1924) 196 x 130 mm. (7 3/4 x 5"). 1 p.l. (blank), vi, 369, [7] pp. FIRST EDITION. Publisher's straw-colored cloth boards, covers with frame ruled in black, smooth spine with lettering in black, top edge dyed black, bottom edge untrimmed, fore-edge trimmed, a few leaves unopened. With the original dust jacket printed in red. Housed in a grey cloth chemise and slipcase backed in purple-gray morocco (spine sunned to tan), raised bands, gilt lettering. Pastedown with gilt morocco armorial bookplate of Beach with the motto "Tout en Bonne Heure." Roberts A29. Jacket a little soiled in places and with a few minor tape repairs along folds on back; a little offsetting to endleaves from binder's glue, but the binding and contents in very fine condition.
Set in Western Australia in the 1880s, this work, a collaboration between D. H. Lawrence and Mary Louisa ("Mollie") Skinner, follows the exploits of a young Englishman called Jack Grant, who has come to the colony in search of a fresh start. According to Roberts, Skinner had shown her manuscript, originally titled "The House of Ellis," to Lawrence in 1922; Lawrence rewrote substantial parts of the text and also suggested the new title.

2) LAWRENCE, D. H. ST. MAWR, TOGETHER WITH THE PRINCESS. (London: Martin Secker, 1925) 195 x 135 mm. (7 3/4 x 5 1/4"). 238 pp., [1] leaf. FIRST EDITION, First State. Publisher's brown cloth, covers with blind-stamped frame, smooth spine with gilt lettering, bottom edge untrimmed, others trimmed. Housed in a brown cloth chemise and slipcase backed in brownish-red morocco, raised bands, later dark green morocco labels with gilt lettering (in excellent condition, but slightly oversized for the dimensions of the book). Without the dust jacket. Roberts A31a. A hint of rubbing to extremities and corners very gently bumped, edges of text block a bit foxed, occasional minor foxing internally (though somewhat heavier in first and last few signatures), but still a very good copy in an excellent binding.
Written while Lawrence was in New Mexico, the two stories included in this work both feature female protagonists and are set in Taos area.

3) THE PLUMED SERPENT. (London: Martin Secker, 1926) 198 x 128 mm. (7 3/4 x 5"). 476 pp., [2] leaves (excerpts of reviews). FIRST EDITION. Publisher's brown cloth, covers with blind-stamped frame, smooth spine with gilt lettering, partially UNOPENED. Housed in a light green cloth chemise and matching slipcase backed in dark green morocco (spine faded to tan and with spotting to top of cloth, apparently not custom made for this book and thus a little oversized), raised bands, later dark green morocco labels with gilt lettering. Without the uncommon dust jacket. Roberts A33. A hint of rubbing to extremities, top edges slightly bumped, otherwise the binding in excellent condition; a couple spots of foxing to endleaves, but THE CONTENTS NEAR PRISTINE.
This is a fine copy of the work that Lawrence considered his most important to date, written largely while the author was in Mexico, and set in the days following the Mexican Revolution.

4) MORNINGS IN MEXICO. (London: Martin Secker, 1927) 208 x 150 mm. (8 1/8 x 6"). 178 pp., [1] leaf (blank). FIRST EDITION. Publisher's mustard brown buckram, gilt lettering on spine, top edge stained green, fore edge rough trimmed, and bottom edge untrimmed. Housed in a light brown cloth chemise and slipcase backed in tan morocco, with raised bands and gilt lettering (light spotting to top edge, slight darkening to spine, otherwise fine). Without the dust jacket. Roberts A37. Cloth with fading to spine and edges, one corner slightly bumped, half title somewhat foxed, occasional minor foxing to gutters or edges, other negligible imperfections (including a couple of rough openings), but still a very nice copy.
This collection of travel essays was primarily written while the author was visiting the American Southwest and Mexico. Though it is without the original dust jacket, the custom slipcase made for our copy makes a very handsome appearance on the shelf.

5) THE WOMAN WHO RODE AWAY. (London: Martin Secker, 1928) 195 x 130 mm. (7 3/4 x 5 "). 292 pp., [2] leaves (ads). FIRST EDITION. Publisher's brown cloth, covers with blind-ruled frame, smooth spine with gilt titling. Housed in a tan cloth slipcase backed in tan morocco, raised bands, tan morocco labels with gilt lettering. Without the dust jacket. Pastedown with gilt morocco armorial bookplate of Beach with the motto "Tout en bonne heure." Roberts A41a. Cloth with a few imperfections and light rubbing to edges, a few small, light stains internally (a couple touching text but not obscuring the words), otherwise a very clean copy in a sound binding.
This is the last collection of stories printed before the author's death in 1930 and includes the previously unpublished story "None of That."

6) THE LOVELY LADY. (London: Martin Secker, 1932 [but 1933]) 185 x 130 mm. (7 1/4 x 5"). 246 pp., [1] leaf. FIRST EDITION. Publisher's brown cloth, covers with blind-ruled frame, smooth spine, gilt lettering. With original cream-colored dust jacket printed in red. In an orange cloth slipcase backed in orange morocco, raised bands, dark green morocco labels, gilt lettering (morocco and top edge a little spotty, spine a bit faded). Pastedown with ex-libris of Stuart J. Eckerson. Roberts A63. Jacket a little toned, spine darkened, and several small chips and tape repairs to edges, but in very good condition overall. A hint of shelfwear, negligible traces of foxing on pastedowns and a few leaves, otherwise the binding and contents in very fine condition.
This posthumous collection of Lawrence's fiction includes the previously unpublished story "The Overtone." Although the verso of the title shows a date of 1932, it was actually published in January 1933.

7) THE PLAYS OF D. H. LAWRENCE. (London: Martin Secker, 1933) 193 x 135 mm. (7 5/8 x 5 1/4"). 1 p.l., 312 pp., [2] leaves (ads). First Collected Edition. Publisher's green cloth, smooth spine, cream paper label with repeating shamrock border and black lettering, top edge stained green, a few leaves unopened. Housed in a green cloth chemise and matching slipcase backed in green morocco, raised bands, light green labels with gilt lettering (spine faded, spotting along top edge). Without the dust jacket. Roberts A65. Cloth with light wear, bottom corners slightly bumped, upper edge of about half the leaves slightly rounded (probably from pest activity), endpapers with light offsetting, some signatures just a shade darker than others, but overall still in excellent condition, very clean throughout.
This posthumously published work contains three plays by Lawrence: "The Widowing of Mrs. Holyroyd" (1914), "Touch and Go" (1919), and "David" (1926).

8) A MODERN LOVER. (London: Martin Secker, 1934) 190 x 130. (7 1/4 x 5"). 312 pp. FIRST EDITION. Publisher's brown cloth covers with blind-ruled frame, smooth spine, gilt lettering. With the original cream-colored dust jacket printed in red. Housed in an attractive red cloth chemise and slipcase backed in red morocco, raised bands, gilt lettering (spine slightly sunned, small spot on morocco). Pastedown with gilt morocco armorial book label of Beach, with the motto "Tout en bonne heure." Roberts A71. Jacket with some dampstaining and several small chips along edges, cloth with very light fading in places, tide mark along upper edge of text book block, a handful of pages with light dusting of foxing (heavier on final page), last few signatures a shade darker than the rest (probably printed on different paper stock), but a very good, clean copy, and attractively presented.
This is the last original collection of Lawrence's fiction, containing six short stories written in 1910 and 1911 ("A Modern Lover," "The Old Adam," "Her Turn," "Strike-Pay," "The Witch a la Mode," and "New Eve and Old Adam") as well as 12 chapters of the novel, "Mr. Noon," left unfinished at his death..