Wailing Well
The Mill House Press, 1928.
First edition, number 27 of a limited edition of 150 copies. Publisher's rust coloured buckram over oatmeal hessian boards. Author's presentation copy, inscribed on the front endpaper, "G.McB from M.R.J Jan mdccccxxix". Woodcut illustration to title page. A near fine copy with some fading to the spine.
Gwendolyn McBryde was the widow of James McBryde, M.R. James's great friend, student and protégé and the illustrator of James's first book, Ghost Stories of an Antiquary. McBryde died in 1904 of complications following an appendix operation and James became the legal guardian to the McBryde's young daughter, Jane, and a lifelong friend of McBryde's widow. James remained close to the McBrydes throughout his life and was a frequent visitor when they moved to Herefordshire. Both the McBryde's Elizabethan house, Dippersmoor, and surrounding countryside were used by James in his stories.
M.R. James presentation copies are of the utmost rarity and almost never appear in commerce.
Stock ID: 34731
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