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POUND, Ezra (1885-1972). A Lume Spento. Venice: A. Antonini [for Ezra Pound], 1908.
The first edition of Pound’s first book. Publisher James Laughlin’s copy, inscribed by Pound. An important association copy of “one of the rarest and most desirable books of modern poetry” (Goldwasser). Laughlin, founder of New Directions, was instrumental in restoring Pound’s reputation following the poet’s wartime support of fascism. Critics and the reading public had abandoned Pound as a result. Laughlin’s was no apologist but believed that Pound’s behavior was symptomatic of mental illness; he campaigned tirelessly to persuade readers to judge Pound’s work on aesthetic grounds alone. Without Laughlin’s dedication and effective marketing, it is certain that Pound would have far fewer readers today, if any.
Laughlin first met Pound in 1933 when, as a Harvard freshman, he travelled to Rapallo, Italy, to meet the poet. He returned the next year to join Pound’s Ezuversity, but Pound encouraged Laughlin away from writing and into publishing. By the time they met, Pound had no copies left to give of this, one of rarest of all 20th-century books. Laughlin bought his copy from John S. Van E. Kohn in 1936, the year that Laughlin founded New Directions – the press that went on to publish many of Pound’s works. Pound’s inscription, in the margin of the last leaf, reads: “20 copies trimmed before I stopped the blighter [88, crossed out] 80 rough edged. EP. May anno XVII [i.e. 1939]”. This copy is one of 20 with the edges trimmed. This copy has the misprints noted by Gallup in the dedication and pages 10 and 24; those in the dedication and page 24 show Pound’s penciled corrections. Gallup Pound (1983) A1; Goldwasser, Thomas, “Ezra Pound’s ‘A Lume Spento’: A Preliminary Census”, in PBSA, vol. 83:1, March 1989, pp.17-42 (copy C in the census).
Quarto (195 x 135mm, with trimmed edges). Pound’s inscription in pencil in the margin of the index (edges very faintly and evenly yellowed; some gatherings slightly loose but holding; a small paper flaw in the margin of leaf 2.1). Original light grey-green printed wrappers (spine evenly faded and splitting at the foot with small losses; wrappers with shallow creases and one very short tear); custom blue morocco backed slipcase and chemise. Provenance: John S. Van E. Kohn, bookseller (offered in catalogue no.3, 1936) – James Laughlin (1914-1997, publisher; his bookplate laid in) – by descent to the consignor.
The first edition of Pound’s first book. Publisher James Laughlin’s copy, inscribed by Pound. An important association copy of “one of the rarest and most desirable books of modern poetry” (Goldwasser). Laughlin, founder of New Directions, was instrumental in restoring Pound’s reputation following the poet’s wartime support of fascism. Critics and the reading public had abandoned Pound as a result. Laughlin’s was no apologist but believed that Pound’s behavior was symptomatic of mental illness; he campaigned tirelessly to persuade readers to judge Pound’s work on aesthetic grounds alone. Without Laughlin’s dedication and effective marketing, it is certain that Pound would have far fewer readers today, if any.
Laughlin first met Pound in 1933 when, as a Harvard freshman, he travelled to Rapallo, Italy, to meet the poet. He returned the next year to join Pound’s Ezuversity, but Pound encouraged Laughlin away from writing and into publishing. By the time they met, Pound had no copies left to give of this, one of rarest of all 20th-century books. Laughlin bought his copy from John S. Van E. Kohn in 1936, the year that Laughlin founded New Directions – the press that went on to publish many of Pound’s works. Pound’s inscription, in the margin of the last leaf, reads: “20 copies trimmed before I stopped the blighter [88, crossed out] 80 rough edged. EP. May anno XVII [i.e. 1939]”. This copy is one of 20 with the edges trimmed. This copy has the misprints noted by Gallup in the dedication and pages 10 and 24; those in the dedication and page 24 show Pound’s penciled corrections. Gallup Pound (1983) A1; Goldwasser, Thomas, “Ezra Pound’s ‘A Lume Spento’: A Preliminary Census”, in PBSA, vol. 83:1, March 1989, pp.17-42 (copy C in the census).
Quarto (195 x 135mm, with trimmed edges). Pound’s inscription in pencil in the margin of the index (edges very faintly and evenly yellowed; some gatherings slightly loose but holding; a small paper flaw in the margin of leaf 2.1). Original light grey-green printed wrappers (spine evenly faded and splitting at the foot with small losses; wrappers with shallow creases and one very short tear); custom blue morocco backed slipcase and chemise. Provenance: John S. Van E. Kohn, bookseller (offered in catalogue no.3, 1936) – James Laughlin (1914-1997, publisher; his bookplate laid in) – by descent to the consignor.