8vo. Original orange cloth, spine lettered in red, top edge stained orange (slight staining); dust jacket (some chipping and creasing with a few short tears with cellotape repairs verso, light toning to flaps).

FIRST EDITION, hardbound issue. In FIRST ISSUE DUST JACKET, with the "$15.00" price on upper front flap, publisher’s "0273" date code on lower front flap, and SBN printed in white on rear panel. Gravity’s Rainbow won the National Book Award in 1974, and Pynchon famously refused to acknowledge the award, sending the comedian “Professor” Irwin Corey in his stead; adding to the surrealism of the moment, a streaker ran across the stage during Corey’s acceptance speech. [With:] A copy of the FIRST EDITION, paperbound issue, which was simultaneously published with the hardbound edition. In original pictorial wrappers (slight chipping to edges).