Former People (Only Signed Copy, Inscribed to Theodore Bikel)

Boris Watson

Published by Harvill Press, London, 1953

About this Item

First Edition (Harvill Press= NAP). This book was first published in England by the Harvill Press in 1953. There was an American edition published in 1954. Once listed, this will be the Only signed copy of either edition for sale on the Internet. Moreover, it is inscribed to the renowned actor Theodore Bikel (read about his fascinating life and career in his Wikipedia profile). The inscription is on the first front end paper. It reads 'To Theodore Bikel, a crypto-Russian, from the author, with best regards, Boris Watson.' The author also dated the inscription: '25/4/53'. And, as you can see from the photo, there are few parenthesized words between the inscription and the date. I can't make them out. probably a place, possibly a different language. Maybe you can identify it. You can see the green covers of the book in the photos. They are exceptionally clean. The gilt lettering on the spine is very bright. There actually isn't any wear on the covers. The edges and corners are in excellent shape. The page edges are quite clean ( a couple of specks on the top one). The book is quite solidly bound with nicely tight pages throughout. The covers are nicely tight as well. The rear inside cover does have two very tiny tears on its inside edge, quite irrelevant. Both the first front end paper and the last rear end paper have a vertical discoloration adjacent to their juncture with the inside covers. It looks like it was caused by the slightly rougher surface of the opposing area on the inside covers, just the way it's bound. The pages are exceptionally clean. I don't think there's any soiling. There is an tiny bit of spotting off the top edge of both inside covers. The condition of the pages is excellent until you reach the last nine pages (199-213, which is the last page, followed by a blank rear end paper). On these pages you will find a crease running from the top corner down as far as the middle of the outer edge (a fewf inches on some and around 5 inches on some others). The crease does not come anywhere near the print. Although I've owned the book for a number of years, I didn't notice that these pages were folded in at this edge. I've flattened them out now. Because the pages were subjected to being folded in, several of them developed two or three very small brown spots along the crease, nothing dramatic. Seemingly unrelated, there is a very vague vertical impression (not really a crease) on a dozen or so of the preceding pages. It is quite inconspicuous, but visible. I would want to make clear that the creases off the edge of the last nine or so pages (double that if you're counting sides) are quite conspicuous, although there are no tears. It may or may not get a little less so as a result of no longer being folded over. There are no markings in the book. There are no attachments. And with the exception of the signed inscription, no one has written their name or anything else anywhere. You can see the dust jacket in the first few photos. The front cover is quite clean. The spine is a little bit faded and the lettering there, while visible, has also faded. The rear cover has some toning. At the top edge of the spine there is a tiny loss and some small tears as well as loss of color. There are two tiny tears off the top edge of the front cover and there is a little scuff at the front top corner. The flaps are in solid condition, one very tiny tear off the front flap's top edge. There is toning off the top edges of both flaps. The jacket is NOT price-clipped, not clipped at all. It will be fitted with a protective cover. A blurb on the front flap from Compton MacKenzie about what was Mr. Watson's first novel: "I was much impressed by this most unusual picture of Russian Life just after the Revolution. The book is really well-written, and it provides a valuable illumination of what for most of us is dark.". Seller Inventory # 003259

Bibliographic Details

Title: Former People (Only Signed Copy, Inscribed ...

Publisher: Harvill Press, London

Publication Date: 1953

Binding: Hardcover

Condition: Very Good

Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good Minus

Signed: Inscribed by Author(s)

Edition: 1st Edition