8vo. (Small stain on half-title.) Original plain tan wrappers, hand-titled on spine (front hinge cracked); folding case. Provenance: Walter C. Raithel, Jr. (bookplate, author's inscription, and letters laid in, see below); Craig V. Showalter (bookplate); printed matter laid in.

FIRST EDITION, ADVANCE PROOF COPY, INSCRIBED BY MAUGHAM on the half-title: "Jan 20th 1945, Yemassee, S.C., for Walter C. Raithel Jr. Thinking of him for his unusual* consideration, W. Somerset Maugham."
With the footnote below, "*unusual not in him doubtless, but in people who want books signed by the author." Second state of printing with corrections, though Stott notes that these two states were printed simultaneously. EXCEEDINGLY RARE: This is the only proof copy of this title we could trace at auction. Stott A40a.

[With:] typed letter signed by the previous owner to Maugham, 18 November 1944, 1p. Requesting that he sign the book, with Maugham's return note at bottom of the letter, "Yes, by all means send it. W.S. Maugham."

[With:] typed letter signed ("W.S. Maugham"), to Raithel, 9 February 1945, 1p., on Parker's Yemassee, South Carolina letterhead. Thanking him for a letter case, presumably a gift for inscribing his book.