James Branch Cabell : An Illustrated Bibliography

THE JUDGING OF JURGEN

Hall Code
Description
JoJ-A1
First Printing 1920

IMAGES:

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COMPILATION

Full Title:

Title page recto: The Judging of Jurgen | By | James Branch Cabell | [device of the dolphin and anchor emblem of Aldus Manutius] | CHICAGO | THE BOOKFELLOWS | 1920 (see image above).

Title page verso: The Judging of Jurgen, by James Branch Cabell, BOOKFELLOW | No. 513, is reprinted by permission from the NEW YORK | TRIBUNE. Acknowledgement is also made to Vincent Starrett, | BOOKFELLOW No. 8. | [in italic] This is the Bookly Joy for October, 1920 (see image above).

Publication:

Chicago: The Bookfellows, October 1920.

Collation:

Thin demy octavo, [21.5 cm. (8 ½ in.) x 14.5 cm. (5 ¾ in.)]; 16 pp.; (1) half title (verso blank); (iii) title page; (iv) publication data; (v) sonnet by Vincent Starrett (verso blank); 4 line author's note by James Branch Cabell, reproduced in his hand and dated 29 May 1920 (verso blank); text 9-13; (14) reprint of the dedication of Jurgen in acrostic verse, preceded by a 3 line introduction; last leaf blank.

Wraps:

Both Brussel and Hall report copies in buff wraps, in addition to the blue, green, and brown ones shown above. This color has not been observed by the present bibliographers, but we have seen pale grey wraps, which have not, as far as we know, been previously reported (see images above).

Yapp edged paper wraps in various colors, bottom edges of pages trimmed, otherwide untrimmed. Tied with twine of various colors. White paper label on front cover: The Judging of Jurgen | By James Branch Cabell (see image above).

Sonnet by Vincent Starrett: In Gratitude

JBC: In Gratitude - In place of the usual dedication, there is a sonnet by Vincent Starrett, thanking Mr. Cabell for his creation of Jurgen (see image above).

Author's Note:

In a facsimile of Mr. Cabell's hand:

In this, as in every other fable | I have written about Jurgen, I have | endeavored to write that wherein | each man will find what his nature | enables him to see. | James Branch Cabell | 29 May 1920 (see image above).

Moral:

NOW THE MORAL OF THE JUDGING OF JURGEN, WHICH | IS ALSO THE DEDICATION OF JURGEN, IS, AS IT WAS IN | THE BEGINNING :

Followed by the dedicatory verse from Jurgen, a 12-line acrostic poem in three stanzas, the initial letters reading "BURT ONRA SCOE" (see image above).