Hamsun, Knut

Mysteries with: Pan

New York, NY; London, England: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.; The Artemis Press, 1927; 1955. First Editions Thus. Hardcovers. Two rarities by Knut Hamsun (1859-1952), the Nobel Prize-winning Norwegian author whose literary innovations were & remain acclaimed & influential- but whose legacy is forever darkened by his having supported Adolf Hitler & the Nazis during World War II (as with Louis Ferdinand Celine, Ezra Pound et al.): (1) Mysteries, first American edition, translated into English from the Norwegian by Arthur G. Chater. Hardcover, first edition thus, second printing issued the same month & year (July 1927) as the first printing per copyright page, originally published as "Mysterier" in Denmark during 1892 as noted thereon. Without dust jacket. This pioneering psychological novel about an eccentric stranger who arrives at & proceeds to rattle the residents of a small Norwegian town was again translated into English for a 1971 edition with a laudatory afterword by (of all people) Isaac Bashevis Singer, who we suppose should have gotten a citation for his ability to separate the work from the man...(2) Pan: From Lieutenant Thomas Glahn's Papers, first UK edition thus, translated into English from the Norwegian by James W. McFarlane. Hardcover in unclipped dust jacket, presumed first printing with no references to subsequent printings, originally published in Norway during 1894, & published in an earlier American English-translated edition in 1921. "Lieutenant Thomas Glahn lives alone in the mountains, hunting for his daily meat and now and then going down to the trading station for bread. There he meets Edvarda, and the desperation and the happiness of their love is the theme of this book- their love, and Glahn's life in the forest through which Iselin wanders." (from front flap) This, perhaps Hamsun's most famous novel, was the basis of several film versions, including a 1937 German production in which Josef Goebbels (a big fan of Hamsun's works) unsuccessfully attempted to lure Greta Garbo into portraying Edvarda. With jacket back cover image of Hamsun that we think strongly resembles that of Beat comedy legend Lord Buckley. Two highly collectible Hamsun rarities. (1) in fine condition with very slight rubbing to black-cloth front, back covers & spine; slight wear, fading to edges & corners of same; small areas of mild vertical blistering at/ near upper edges of covers; mild fading at spine (with green & red lettering, graphics thereon & on front cover only slightly dulled & quite intact); mild browning to side & lower edges of text block (the former untrimmed as issued); mild rubbing, moderate fading to orange-dyed upper edge of same. Interior very fine with mild browning, occasional spotting to blank paste-downs & endpapers; elegant cursive signature of former owner & the date "July '33" in black ink at mostly blank upper margin of title page; a hint of browning mostly to blank margins of page leaves. (2) book very fine with only very slight rubbing & fading to edges & corners of front, back covers & spine; slight bend of spine toward front; mild browning to edges of text block; one tiny spot at upper edge of same near spine. Interior very fine with only a bit of browning mostly to blank margins of page leaves. Dust jacket fine with light rubbing to front, back covers & spine; mild wear & some tiny bumps, creases at edges & corners of same & flaps; one closed tear at/ near upper edge of front cover near spine; chipping with minimal loss of paper at thin upper spine-edge & corners. An extra handling fee will be added for shipping due to the weight of this item. Fine; Very Fine / Fine. [Item #4900]

Price: $125.00