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The Golden Bowl
by Henry James
- Used
- very good
- Hardcover
- first
- Condition
- Very Good
- Seller
-
BATH, Somerset, United Kingdom
Item Price
NZ$947.63NZ$852.86
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
London: Methuen & Co, 1905. First edition. Cloth. Very Good. 8" by 5". None. A scarce to see first U.K. edition of 'The Golden Bowl', published only a few months after the first U.S. edition. The scarce first U.K. edition of this work, first impression, this UK first edition is complete in one volume.Forty pages of publisher's adverts to the rear, dated February 1905.Half-title is present.Henry James' brilliant novel 'The Golden Bowl' offers an intensive study of marriage and adultery. Set in England at the turn of the century, the reader follows the marriage of the charismatic Italian nobleman Prince Amerigo and his wife Maggie Verver, the only child of a very wealthy American financier and art collector.This is generally considered to be one of James' best works. Prior owner's ink inscription to the recto of the front endpaper, 'Mayard Guthrie, From D. G., Oct 27 1909'. In the original publisher's cloth binding. Externally, smart. A few minor marks to the boards. Light rubbing to the joints. Very light bumping to the head and tail of the spine and to the extremities. Cockling to the tail of the front board. Hinges are starting but firm. A little wear to the paste downs, with evidence of formerly adhered labels being removed. Prior owner's ink inscription to the recto of the front endpaper. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are bright and clean with the occasional spot only. Very Good
Synopsis
The Golden Bowl, Henry James’ last completed novel, is widely considered to be one of the author’s best works (along with The Ambassadors and The Wings of a Dove). In it, James continues to explore his favored themes of marriage, money, and psychological warfare. The novel, set in England, tells the story of American heiress Maggie Verver, who is engaged to Amerigo, an impoverished Italian prince. Maggie’s father, Adam, travels to London for the wedding and meets Charlotte Stant, a friend of both Maggie and the prince. In a nutshell, The Golden Bowl is about Maggie’s education on marriage, adultery, and the aftermath. The title of the novel comes from a Biblical passage, Ecclesiastes 12:6-7: "Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern… then shall the dust return to the earth as it was…” The golden bowl, first seen in a London curio shop, is used emblematically throughout the novel. The Golden Bowl is ranked 32nd on Modern Library’s “100 Best” English-language novels of the 20th century and 36th on The Guardian’s list of the 100 best novels. Adaptations include the highly praised 1972 BBC six-hour-long televised version and the 2000 film directed by James Ivory, starring Uma Thurman, Nick Nolte, Kate Beckinsale, and Jeremy Northam.
Reviews
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Details
- Bookseller
- Rooke Books
(GB)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 839P5
- Title
- The Golden Bowl
- Author
- Henry James
- Illustrator
- None
- Format/Binding
- Cloth
- Book Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Edition
- First edition
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Publisher
- Methuen & Co
- Place of Publication
- London
- Date Published
- 1905
- Size
- 8" by 5"
- Keywords
- The Golden Bowl henry james england prince amerigo henry james
Terms of Sale
Rooke Books
Books are sent on approval and may be returned in like condition for any reason within 14 days of receipt. Responsibility of return to be with the purchaser.
About the Seller
Rooke Books
Biblio member since 2007
BATH, Somerset
About Rooke Books
Welcome to Rooke Books Antiquarian Bookseller
We are a small team dedicated to bringing you very scarce books at reasonable prices. We specialise in rare and hard to come by works on all subjects over the last 500 years, together with modern first editions and decorative sets and bindings. Our library has something for every interest and specialism. We deliver worldwide using a fully tracked and insured courier delivery service.
Where are We?
Based in the literary city of Bath, our offices are housed in the Eastern Dispensary. Built in 1845, the building originally existed as a charitable institution providing medical care. The building now houses our collection of over twenty thousand books and has five full time members of staff.
We are a small team dedicated to bringing you very scarce books at reasonable prices. We specialise in rare and hard to come by works on all subjects over the last 500 years, together with modern first editions and decorative sets and bindings. Our library has something for every interest and specialism. We deliver worldwide using a fully tracked and insured courier delivery service.
Where are We?
Based in the literary city of Bath, our offices are housed in the Eastern Dispensary. Built in 1845, the building originally existed as a charitable institution providing medical care. The building now houses our collection of over twenty thousand books and has five full time members of staff.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Recto
- The page on the right side of a book, with the term Verso used to describe the page on the left side.
- Rubbing
- Abrasion or wear to the surface. Usually used in reference to a book's boards or dust-jacket.
- First Edition
- In book collecting, the first edition is the earliest published form of a book. A book may have more than one first edition in...
- Publisher's cloth
- A hardcover book comprised of cloth over hard pasteboard boards. ...
- Tail
- The heel of the spine.
- Spine
- The outer portion of a book which covers the actual binding. The spine usually faces outward when a book is placed on a shelf....
- G
- Good describes the average used and worn book that has all pages or leaves present. Any defects must be noted. (as defined by AB...
- Cloth
- "Cloth-bound" generally refers to a hardcover book with cloth covering the outside of the book covers. The cloth is stretched...
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