New poems. The Bookfellow in Sydney., 1927

Component identifier:

Item 25

Content Summary:

Limited edition. Green cloth. Title in gilt on cover. Two lines in the autograph of the poet, from the poem Stony Town, written upon the end paper. Signed "John Shaw Neilson".

Although this copy is numbered by A.G.S. as "No. 9" there is no indication to show the number of copies of which this edition consisted. This is unusual with A.G.S. for although not a collector himself, he knew how to make up "collectors' items" and nobody knew better than he the importance of correctly certifying a limited issue.

Upon pages 10 and 12 are minor corrections to the text, made by A.G.S. in pencil. In this copy the lines of the poem Song Without Wine are printed on the verso of half-title, however, without any title to the poem. The title appears in the list of contents as being at page 2. The list of poems contains twenty-three titles.

Inserted in this copy is typewritten letter from A.G.S. (initialled) to Neilson, dated 11 November 1927. "...Sorry I cannot manage three more cloth books; as explained the edition must be strictly limited to give it value; and there is no escape from the free copies. You must not mind me saying that I stretched a point to give you 15 (now 14, with Miss Baker out), because I hoped to sell the lot to profit, and the profit is wanted to make ends meet. This special edition looks now like costing about £5 extra; against which I get (when it is paid) total sales 10 for £5.5.0. Of course I am pleased for you to have the books, and I hope some of the recipients will help you along, but we cannot squeeze out any more from 25. I suggest giving paper copies; they can bind them themselves if they wish. Your kind thought matters most. I am not keen on the gift to Mannix. I think a cloth copy is over the odds, since you are not of his faith; please yourself. I will send 25 extra paper copies for you to sign; you return and they will be bound when they come back to me. If you feel like it you can write one line of poetry out of the book over your signature - a different one in each book; if too much trouble no matter. Your copy will be No. 1 and mine No. 2; then you get the next 13. Or Mrs Dyer No. 1, if you like; yours 2, mine 3. This is in case you think of any difference you wish to make in the writing. The binding may run along to a fortnight; so, if you are going out to the hay fields better fix up while you are in Melbourne. I may be able to post copies at the end of next week, that is, about 18 or 19. You understand that Mrs Dyer, Mrs Fowler, and Miss Baker do NOT come out of your 14; they are debited against the job."

From the foregoing I infer that the Limited Edition was of 25 copies. These did not arrive in the subscriber's hands until March, 1928. This copy, which was R.H. Croll's, is accompanied by the envelope in which it was posted, dated at Miller's Point, 8 March 1928. The name, "R.H. Croll", has been printed by A.G.S. in ink, upon the end paper.

Names:

John Shaw Neilson

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