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First edition, first printing of Fitzgerald's masterpiece, inscribed by Fitzgerald to Zelda's sister and her husband Newman Smith in the year of publication and in the exceptionally rare first issue dust jacket. Octavo, original dark green cloth with gilt titles to the spine. First printing with "chatter" on p. 60, line 16; "northern" on p. 119, line 22; "itâ s" on p. 165, line 16; "away" on p. 165, line 29; "sick in tired" on p. 205, lines 9-10; and "Union Street station" on p. 211, lines 7-8. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper in the year of publication, "For Rosalind and Capitan with affection from Scott and Zelda June (May) 1925." During their extended stay in Europe from 1924 to 1925, F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald lived and traveled in several parts of France and Italy, including the French Riviera (notably Saint-Raphaël and Antibes), Paris, Rome, and the island of Capri. They were residing on the island of Capriâ "an isolated yet fashionable retreat in the Bay of Naplesâ "at the time of The Great Gatsbyâ s publication on April 10, 1925, having temporarily withdrawn from the social pressures of the Riviera and the literary scene in Paris. While on Capri, Fitzgerald, still awaiting delivery of the published novel, sent Scribnerâ s a series of personalized inscriptions written on loose slips of paper to be affixed into presentation copies for fellow writers such as Sinclair Lewis, H. L. Mencken, Carl Van Doren, and Van Wyck Brooks (see Letters, ed. Bruccoli, pp. 156â "158). By the time of this inscription to Rosalind and Capitan, Fitzgerald had access to an actual copy of the first edition. Fitzgeraldâ s relationship with his wife Zelda's sister and brother-in-law, Rosalind Sayre Smith and her husband, Judge Newman "Cap" Smith, was complex. Fitzgerald had long harbored resentment toward Cap, who had vehemently opposed his courtship of Zelda. A Southern aristocrat and a judge, Capâ s adherence to Southern traditions and his sense of familial duty made him an imposing figure in Zeldaâ s life, and his disapproval of Fitzgeraldâ s unconventional, somewhat bohemian lifestyle only fueled the tension between them. Moreover, Zelda's sister, Rosalind had been an active participant in discouraging the relationship from the outset. She viewed Fitzgerald as an unsuitable match for her sister, citing his lack of social standing and financial stability, as well as his uncertain future as a writer. This dynamic between Fitzgerald and the Smiths was fraught with familial tension and class-based animosities, much like those explored in Fitzgerald's work. Nevertheless, by 1925, tensions had eased enough to justify this gesture of literary diplomacy. That he now had access to a physical copy of the novel underscored a shift not only in Fitzgeraldâ s circumstances but in the novelâ s initial circulation. Bruccoli A11.1.a; Connolly, The Modern Movement 48. The iconic dust jacket design for The Great Gatsby, created by Francis Cugat in 1924, has become an integral part of the novelâ s identity, despite being designed before Fitzgerald had completed the manuscript. Commissioned by Scribner's Sons, Cugat was given minimal direction, relying instead on his understanding of the novelâ s themesâ "wealth, excess, and the disillusionment of the American Dream. Featuring a striking, ethereal likeness of a womanâ s face with large, captivating eyes set against a blue night sky filled with city lights, the jacket painting evokes the image of Dr. T.J. Eckleburgâ s billboard in the novel, symbolizing the moral decay of society, while the vibrant city lights suggest the allure and emptiness of Gatsbyâ s world. Fitzgerald reportedly reacted positively to the design, feeling that it captured the essence of his novel, even before its completion. Near fine in a very good first issue dust jacket, with the lowercase "j" in "jay Gatsby" on the back panel, corrected in ink. Jacket art by Francis Cugat.ÂHoused in a cus.
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