Full Title:

Lud-in-the-Mist

Publication:

London; W. Collins Sons & Co. Ltd., 1926

Binding:

Lud-A1: Crown octavo, 7½ in. x 5⅛ in.; all edges trimmed. Textured buff cloth (Winterbottom Art Vellum P), green leather spine label lettered in gilt; else dark brown decorations and lettering. Spine label: [all enclosed in a zig-zag ruled box] LUD-IN- | THE-MIST | [rule broken by ooo] | by HOPE | MIRRLEES | [base of spine, in italic] Collins. Front cover: [bordered with a single ruled box in brown, otherwise blank] (see image above).

Lud-A1a: Crown octavo, 7½ in. x 5⅛ in.; all edges trimmed. Textured buff cloth (Winterbottom Art Vellum P), dark brown decorations and lettering. Spine: [all enclosed in a zig-zag ruled box] LUD-IN- | THE-MIST | [rule broken by ooo] | by HOPE | MIRRLEES | [base of spine, in italic] Collins. Front cover: [bordered with a single ruled box in brown, otherwise blank] (see image above).

Lud-A1b: Crown octavo, 7½ in. x 5⅛ in.; all edges trimmed. Blue cloth. Black lettering and decorations. Spine: [all enclosed in a zig-zag ruled box] LUD-IN- | THE-MIST | [rule broken by ooo] | by HOPE | MIRRLEES | [base of spine] [Collins device] COLLINS (see image above).

Lud-A1c: Crown octavo, 7½ in. x 5⅛ in.; all edges trimmed. Red cloth. Black lettering and decorations. Spine: [all enclosed in a zig-zag ruled box] LUD-IN- | THE-MIST | [rule broken by ooo] | by HOPE | MIRRLEES | [base of spine] [Collins device] COLLINS (see image above).

From what I have seen, there appear to have been FOUR different bindings for this edition. The first binding, Lud-A1, is bound in a textured buff cloth with a green leather spine label lettered in gilt. The second binding, Lud-A1a, is identical except that the leather label has been replaced with a boxed title printed directly on the spine. The third binding, Lud-A1b, is in blue cloth. The boxed title is printed directly on the cloth, and at the base is a Collins device and COLLINS in capitals. The fourth binding, Lud-A1c, is in red cloth. This binding is identical to my third binding except in red cloth.

Just so it's clear: I have no real information on the precedence of these bindings. My assignments of first, second, third, and fourth states are pure guesswork and made on the basis of what seems to me to be a logical sequence, but with no factual evidence to back it up.

Notes:

The dust jacket shown at left is a modern reproduction from Facsimile Dust Jackets, L.L.C. The jacket at right is an original, the photo shamelessly stolen from an internet ad.