The Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath, first edition, signed by Ted Hughes and her daughter

Description: The Bell Jar, Victoria Lucas (Sylvia Plath), Heinemann, 1963. First edition, second print. Signed to the front free endpaper by Ted Hughes and Plath's daughter, Frieda Hughes. A fine copy of the rare second printing of the first Heinemann edition (1963), originally published just four weeks to the day before the death of its author. The book was published under a pseudonym to disguise Plath's identity, to protect various real individuals illustrated in the novel. The Bell Jar was not published under Plath's real name till the Faber publication in 1966 and not published in the United States until 1971. Printed at Kingswood in Surrey. Very rare with the ownership inscription of Plath's husband Ted Hughes and their daughter, Frieda. The first print was published in a token quantity , according to Heinemann (Tabor), generally considered to be 2000 copies. The second print is considered to be an even smaller print run and is harder to find. The black calico-grain cloth boards are entirely unmarked and unworn, with title, author name and publisher in bright gold on an un-creased spine. No sunning to the cloth. All four corners remain sharp and firm. Spine foot very lightly pushed, spine tip firm. Board edges are sharp, no bumps. Book is straight and firm, with no lean. Heinemann windmill stamped in blind on back cover; internally very clean with lightest of spotting to front free endpaper and to some page edges. Foxing to the top edge of the text block, and light spotting to the other edges of the text block. The rare and unrestored original dust-jacked is not price-clipped, with the price 18s NET on the in-flap. No tears. Some brown splash marks near the spine to the rear panel and spine. Crease along length of in-flap and foxing to the spine of jacket verso and edges. A near fine copy in a near fine jacket of this hard to find landmark novel, the sole novel written by Sylvia Plath, with a direct family association. Provenance: Frieda Hughes.

Price: 7950 GBP

Location: Epsom

End Time: 2025-01-15T12:59:03.000Z

Shipping Cost: 37.84 GBP