Author: De HARTOG, Jan
Title: The Inspector
Description: New York, Atheneum, 1960. Hardcover. 8vo. Full dark blue calf with gilt and white spine lettering and rules, blue cloth slipcase. 312pp. Top edge gilt. Marbled endpapers. Fine/near fine. Exceptional first edition of this drama that was turned into the 1962 Stephen Boyd drama film -- exceptional not only in that it's the scarce leatherbound edition (not the more common first trade edition, clothbound with dust jacket), but that this was the first novel published by the upstart new firm Atheneum Publishers, founded the previous year -- and this a presentation copy signed by the author, its editor and the firm's founders. Laid in is a Typed Letter Signed from editor HARRY FORD (1919-99), Knopf's long-time poetry editor who left that firm to join Atheneum. 1p, 5½" X 8½", New York, NY, 22 June 1960. Addressed to C.H. "Curley" Wilhelm of Kingsport Press. Near fine. On Atheneum letterhead, Ford informs "Curley" that "At long last I send you herewith your personal copy of the leather-bound edition of THE INSPECTOR. It has been signed by the author and by all of us here, and goes to you with our very warmest wishes and thanks, and gratitude for your extremely generous gesture. The more we live with this edition, the more delighted we are by it.." Signed simply "Harry" in red ink. The half-title page is signed large and bold by JAN DE HARTOG (1914-2002, prolific Dutch-American novelist and playwright) in black fineline, and beneath this the trio who founded Atheneum in 1959 (top to bottom): HIRAM HAYDN signs in black fineline (1907-73, writer, editor, and prior to 1959 Random House editor-in-chief), ALFRED KNOPF JR. signs in blue ballpoint (1918-2009, who left the family firm to help found Atheneum), and SIMON MICHAEL BESSIE signs in blue ballpoint(1916-2008, Atheneum co-founder and its president 1963-75 known for bringing in fine literature and works by Nobel Prize winners). Below all these, Harry Ford signs in red ink. What the "extremely generous gesture" was that sparked this extraordinary copy of the firm's first fiction is not known, but Ford's comment suggests that Wilhelm may have somehow facilitated the printing and/or binding process. In any case, a spectacular presentation copy. .

Keywords: American Literature


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