397. West (Nathanael) Miss Lonelyhearts, first edition, first issue with Boni and Liveright imprint to title, original cloth, spine a little faded, spine ends and corners a little bumped, otherwise very good, dust-jacket, spine a little creased, repairs and restorations to spine ends and corners, short tear to foot of upper fore-edge, a little rubbed, still in effect an excellent copy, preserved in custom drop-back box, 8vo, New York, 1933.
est. £2000 – £3000
Miss Lonelyhearts was originally issue by Liveright in April 1933 in an edition of 2,200 copies. Liveright went bankrupt as the novel was being published however, and the printer refused to release most of the copies. Despite favourable reviews, copies were unavailable to bookshops. In early June, Harcourt Brace took over the edition (their imprint comprises the second issue) but, by then, demand had diminished and the book was remaindered by Greenberg in 1934 (the third issue). Of all three issues only about 800 copies had been sold. First issues of this work therefore are exceptionally rare.