The Collector

The Collector by John Fowles. London: Jonathan Cape. 1963. First edition, first impression. Sized 19.5 x 13 cm. Pp. 282. In its original, unclipped dust wrapper in a design by Tom Adams, priced 18s net. Publisher's original red-brick cloth binding with gilt lettering to spine and coloured top stain. Bumps to corners and spine tips, slight lean to text block, foxing to edges with one or two spots to prelims. Some shallow indentations left behind to FFEP after some previous pencil inscription was erased, as well as an ex-library stamp to copyright page. Strong hinges and joints, pages tightly bound and free of any inscriptions with the exception of the aforementioned. In an unclipped dust wrapper with foxing to panels, chipping to extremities, a few small tears and very small areas of loss. Now placed in an archival, protective sleeve (easily removable if desired). A nice, good first edition of John Fowles' landmark first book, with a dust wrapper design that hints darkly at the novel's contents.

[together with]

Loosely inserted card signed by author John Fowles, dedicated to Neil Walden, and dated 1979 in Lyme Regis. John Fowles had moved to Lyme Regis in October 1965 and helped to make the town and its geological setting world-famous through the success of The French Lieutenant’s Woman (published in 1969) and the film made from it. Having had a keen interest in Lyme and its history, Fowles was Curator of the Lyme Regis Museum for ten years, and afterwards its archivist. On the verso of the card is a handwritten description by the previous owner of John Fowles' biographical details. This card came as part of a large collection of letters, photographs and cards signed by prominent authors and playwriters, amassed in the 1970s and 1980s by collector Neil Walden.