Cabell, Branch

Smirt: An Urbane Nightmare with: Smith: A Sylvan Interlude

New York, NY: Robert M. McBride & Company, 1934; 1935. First Editions. Hardcovers. "In this scoffing strange book Mr. (Branch) Cabell has written the only existing novel whose reality is the astounding reality of that world of dreams in which we pass a third of our lives. Lewis Carroll alone has guided his readers on a similar journey in the company of his world-famous Alice; but Alice was both immature and Victorian, Smirt, in the very mildest terms, is neither. Smirt is a modern Virginian, with the past of an experienced man of the world and the future of a pagan diety...Here, in brief, is your chance to enjoy a Virginia Knight's dream, and to compare it with your own escapades in the lands beyond common-sense." (from front flap of Smirt: An Urbane Nightmare) The first two novels in "The Nightmare Has Triplets" trilogy by Branch Cabell (1879-1958), the very prolific American author of fantasy-fiction who was popular & acclaimed by his illustrious contemporaries (including H.L. Mencken, Edmund Wilson & Sinclair Lewis) especially in his earlier career. A life-long Virginian himself, the hero of these two novels is the same dream-person who morphs from Smirt (1934) to Smith (1935) & finally to Smire in Smire: An Acceptance in the Third Person (1937). Offered here are the first editions of the first two novels of the trilogy, hardcovers in unclipped (except for slight clips at all flap-corners as issued) dust jackets; Smirt is "First Edition, March, 1934" as stated on copyright page; Smith is "First Edition" as stated thereon. The first two volumes of this imaginative trilogy; among the most collectible Cabell classics. Both books in relatively quite near-fine condition: Smirt with mild-to-moderate rubbing esp. at upper areas of black cloth front, back covers (spine incl. silver-gilt letters, silver-gilt circular medallion at lower right front cover both bright & complete); light wear & some tiny bumps, creases at edges & corners of same; light rubbing, browning to side & lower edges of text block (the former untrimmed as issued); medium-to-significant fading, mild scratching to dyed (we're not exactly sure what color) upper edge of same. Interior fine with moderate browning to blank paste-downs, endpapers & page leaves (the latter esp. at blank margins/edges); circular embossed seal of previous owner at lower right area of blank front endpaper near corner. Unrestored dust jacket relatively good-to-near-fine with moderate rubbing, scratching & browning to front, back covers, spine & flaps; mild wear & some tiny bumps, creases at edges & corners of same; some chipping & short, mostly enclosed tears esp. at/near spine-edges, corners & upper edge, corner between back cover & flap, with minimal loss of paper, surface paper. Smith book with barely any rubbing to front, back covers & spine; edges & corners of same & edges of text block in same condition as Smirt above. Interior also fine with same levels of light browning as Smirt above except for several rectangular areas of more significant browning at blank front paste-down & endpaper; same placement of previous owner's seal as Smirt above, but with additional gothic blue-font name of same owner stamped at blank front paste-down; small rectangular cut-out advertisement for Smith found & retained loosely between front paste-down & endpaper, browned & with small area of missing paper at upper edge near left corner (an interesting piece of ephemera). Unrestored dust jacket also relatively good-to-near-fine with substantially the same attributes, minus the short tear at upper edge-corner between back cover & flap, as Smirt above. An extra handling fee will be added for shipping due to the weight of this item. Near Fine / Good- Near Fine. [Item #5609]

Price: $120.00