MAUGHAM, W. Somerset (1874-1965). The Land of the Blessed Virgin. Sketches and Impressions in Andalusia. London: William Heinemann, 1905.
8vo. Original parchment-backed blue boards [binding variant ii] gilt, spine lettered in gilt, uncut and unopened; DUST JACKET (some splitting along flap fore-edges, faint restoration to spine ends and corners); folding case. Provenance: Gerald Kelly (1879-1972), British painter (author's inscription); sold, Sotheby's, 9 December 1968, lot 492; Craig V. Showalter (bookplate).
FIRST EDITION. PRESENTATION COPY, INSCRIBED BY MAUGHAM TO GERALD KELLY on front free endpaper. Kelly was a British painter best known for his portraits and a close friend of Maugham. Kelly painted Maugham multiple times, including the famous 1911 painting "The Jester" and the 1932-37 portrait "A Glass of Sherry in the Studio." Maugham, in turn, featured Kelly as a character in some of his stories. The Land of the Blessed Virgin was Maugham's first travel book.
IN THE EXCEEDINGLY RARE DUST JACKET: This is the only copy that we could locate with the original dust jacket. Stott A8.
Selections of W. Somerset Maugham from the Collection of Craig V. Showalter
This lot is located in Chicago.
