The Silver Stallion

Cabell's Contributions to Books

THE WORM OUROBOROS, by E.R. Eddison

Hall Code
Description
Cabell Contribution(s)
A13
First American Edition 1926
Untitled Letter

IMAGES

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COMPILATION

Full Title:

Title page recto: [Initial "T" across first two lines of text] THE WORM | OUROBOROS | A ROMANCE BY E. R. | EDDISON, ILLUSTRATED | BY KEITH HENDERSON | [device of Ouroboros biting his own tail, by Keith Henderson] | ALBERT & CHARLES BONI | NEW YORK 1926 (see image above).

Title page verso: [in italic] Copyright, 1926, by Albert & Charles Boni, Inc. | Printed in the United States of America (see image above).

Publication:

New York; 1926, Albert & Charles Boni, Inc.

Collation:

Crown octavo [20.8 cm. (8 3/16 inches)] x 14.7 cm. (5ΒΌ inches)]; pp. xviii +445 (verso blank, followed by one blank leaf); FFEP followed by one blank leaf not counted in pagination; (i) half-title (verso blank and not counted in pagination); leaf, recto blank and not counted in pagination; verso (ii) frontispiece; (iii) title page; (iv) publication data; (v) letter from James Branch Cabell (verso blank); vii-ix Contents; (x) books by Mr. Eddison; xi-xiii Introduction; (xiv) poem of 24 lines in six quatrains, signed THOMAS THE RHYMER; (xv) dedication (verso blank); (xvi) fly title (verso blank); pp. 1-445 text (verso blank); one blank leaf. Illustrations: (ii) frontispiece, (versos of following illustration leaves are blank, and illustration leaves are not counted in pagination) facing p. 12, p. 194, p. 336, p. 360, p. 415. Argument: With Dates pp. 440-443. Bibliographic Note on the Verses pp. 444-445.

Binding:

Black cloth: text and decorations in gilt, all edges trimmed, tops stained blue. Spine: [triple rule in gilt] | THE WORM | OUROBOROS | ALBERT & | CHARLES BONI | [double rule in gilt]. Front cover: design in gilt of a hippogriff in flight, enclosed in a circle (by Keith Henderson), centered on cover. Rear cover: blind stamped image of a faun playing pipes in an oval panel at lower right corner (see image above).

Frontispiece:

Pen and ink drawing by Keith Henderson, subscribed: GORICE XII. IN CARCE. (see image above).

Letter by James Branch Cabell:

Two paragraph letter dated 21 November 1925, on Dumbarton Grange stationary, from Cabell to Albert & Charles Boni, discussing and praising the book (see image above).

Dedication:

To W. G. E. and to my friends K. H. | and G. C. L. M. I dedicate this book | It is neither allegory nor fable but a Story to be read for | its own sake. | [7 line paragraph explaining the pronunciation of some of the names in the text ] | 9th January 1922 E. R. E. (see image above).

Note: "W. G. E." is Winifred Grace Eddison, the author's wife. "K. H." is Keith Henderson, his brother-in-law and the decorator and illustrator of The Worm Ouroboros (and some of Eddison's later works as well). "G. C. L. M." is Eddison's friend G.C.L. Maunder, with whom he worked at the Board of Trade. The dedication copy of The Worm Ouroboros presented to Mr. Maunder by Mr. Eddison is in the Stanford University Library.*

*We are endebted to Professor Bradford Haas, Chair of the Department of English and Modern Languages, Washington Adventist University, for identifying "G.C.L.M." for us.

Endpapers:

Pictorial endpapers: the same crowned dragon image that was used on the dust jacket, except that it has been clipped on both the right and left sides (see image above).

Dust jacket & Belly band:

Dust jacket:

White paper printed in blue, black, and gold, with artwork by Boris Artzybasheff*. An art deco image of a crowned dragon, with a background of a castle on a hill and oriental style cloud motif, done in black, blue, gold, and white, is used for the spine, front, and rear panels of the jacket , overprinted with text on the spine and front panel (see image above).

Spine: [text in white] THE WORM | OUROBOROS

Front panel: [text in white] THE WORM | OUROBOROS

Rear panel: [no text]

Front flap: [in italic] The Worm Ouroboros - - $3.00 | THE WORM | OUROBOROS | By E. R. Eddison | [three reviews in 38 lines] | The Worm Ouroboros - - $3.00

Rear flap: [in italic] "The Finest Novel | of the Year" | - The New York Herald Tribune | blurb and three reviews of Ford Madox Ford's No More Parades, 21 lines | blurb and two reviews of W. R. Sunderland Lewis's Cubwood, 15 lines] | ALBERT & CHARLES BONI | 66 Fifth Avenue New York (see image above).

* Thanks to Mark Terry of Facsimile Dust Jackets for identifying the artist!

Belly band:

White paper wrap-around band; lettering and decorations in blue; blue decorative border top and bottom (see image above).

Spine: THE WORM | OUROBOROS | [rule] EDDISON | [device] Albert & | Charles Boni

Front panel: THE WORM OUROBOROS | By E. R. EDDISON | [rule] | JAMES BRANCH CABELL says: | "A majestic example of pure romance, which purchases, through its own | unaldulterated magic, and for no utilitarian ends whatsoever, the momen- | tary 'suspension of disbelief' in so many very beautiful impossibilities." | JAMES STEPHENS says: | "A very wonderful book . . . from whatever heaven Mr. Eddison came, he has | added a masterpiece to English literature."

Rear panel: THE WORM OUROBOROS | By E. R. EDDISON | [rule] | Foreward by JAMES BRANCH CABELL | Introduction by JAMES STEPHENS | Albert & Charles Boni Publishers, N. Y.

End flaps: blank

Notes:

kalkiCabell's letter was reprinted in Kalki, vol. II no. 4 (whole no. 8a, 1968), along with Eddison's autograph letter of gratitude. Clicking on the image at left will bring up a PDF copy of the two letters and article. As usual, you'll need to use your browser's "back" button to return to The Silver Stallion after accessing it.