James Branch Cabell : An Illustrated Bibliography
THE JUDGING OF JURGEN
Hall Codes |
Description |
*JoJ-X1 / *G15 |
Calligraphy Copy n.d. |
COMPILATION
Full Title:
Title page recto: [ownership signature at upper right, flush right] James Branch Cabell | [all text in black] [all enclosed in a thick brown box outlined in black, light purple background] The Judging | [in italic] of | Jurgen | [below box] JAMES BRANCH CABELL (see image above).
Title page verso: Copied from the book | printed October, 1920, by | THE BOOKFELLOWS | CHICAGO | by permission from the NEW YORK TRIBUNE | for | JAMES BRANCH CABELL | Bookfellow no. 513 | by | James H.W. Althouse | Bookfellow No. 603 (see image above).
Publication:
n.p: privately produced by James H.W. Althouse, n.d.
Collation:
Thin large duodecimo, [18.3 cm. (7 3/16 in.) x 14.1 cm. (5 9/16 in.)]; 1 blank leaf + 22 un-numbered pages + 3 blank leaves; 1 blank leaf; (1) title page; (2) publication data, (3) sonnet by Vincent Starrett (verso blank); (5) 4 line author's note by James Branch Cabell, dated 29 May 1920 (verso blank); (7) bookplate of Charles Ridgely (verso blank); (9) bookplate of James Branch Cabell (verso blank); (11)-(18) text; (19) decoration in lower right corner, else blank (verso blank); (21) reprint of the dedication of Jurgen in acrostic verse, preceded by a 2 line introduction (verso blank); 3 blank leaves.
Binding:
Pale green paper boards. Spine blank, white paper label on front cover. All untrimmed. Front cover: [all enclosed in a double ruled box, initial letters in red] The Judging | of | Jurgen | JAMES BRANCH CABELL (see image above).
Dust jacket:
Not seen.
Notes:
This beautifully done copy of The Judging of Jurgen was made by James H.W. Althouse, who was clearly a master calligrapher. As a one-off, it has no real bibliographic significance, but it certainly has an artistic one, and we have accordingly listed it in both the bibliographies (as *JoJ-X1) and the art book section (as *G15). So far, we have not been able to find out any information on Mr. Althouse, and we would be grateful for any information on him. The piece is undated, but we can date it to 1927 or earlier. Mr. Cabell's signature on the title page is in his later style. The signature on the FFEP, though, is his earlier one, and most likely dates from no later than 1927.
In addition to Mr. Cabell's bookplate, the book also carries a bookplate of Charles Ridgely. We haven't found anything about him, either.
This book was part of Mr. Cabell's personal library, now preserved in the Cabell Room in the James Branch Cabell Library at Virginia Commonwealth University. Scans by Ray Bonis.
