8vo. Original green cloth gilt (spine lightly darkened and leaned, fore-corners and front joint lightly rubbed). Provenance: Dorothy Buckle? (gift inscription on half-title, dated 1916); Stephen Francis Clarke, Clearwater Books (copy of a letter laid from Grenville Cook discussing the identification of this book: "this is a very special book!"); Craig V. Showalter (bookplate).

FIRST EDITION, IN AN UNRECORDED VARIANT BINDING. This appears to be a trial binding and not a remainder as the cover and spine are stamped in gilt, the publisher's imprint is not at the foot of spine, Maugham's symbol is not on the front cover, and it is bound in first edition sheets which collate the same as the first trade edition. Stott A9 (this binding not recorded).