(Bumpus Binding), Noel Coward: [Works], a collection of work...

Hammer

£750

(Bumpus Binding), Noel Coward: [Works], a collection of works by Coward in fourteen volumes , including first editions of the authors first three books, all specially bound for Jack [John C.] Wilson, comprising: 'A Withered Nosegay', L, Christophers, 1922, 1st edition, 'The Young Idea', [1924], bound together with "I'll Leave It to You", 1920; 'Chelsea Buns', [1925]; 'Three Plays (The Rat Trap; The Vortex; Fallen Angels)', 1926, 2nd impression; 'Three Plays with a Preface (Home Chat; Sirocco; This Was a Man)', 1928; 'The Queen Was in the Parlour', L, Benn, 1932, 3rd impression, bound with 'The Marquise', 1930, 2nd impression, and 'Easy Virtue', 1937, 4th impression; 'Spangled Unicorn', [1932]; 'Conversation Piece', 1934; 'Point Valaine', L, Heinemann, 1935; 'Operette', 1938, 1st edition, 'Present Indicative', 1937, 1st edition; 'Tonight at 8.30', 1937, first one volume edition; 'Collected Sketches and Lyrics', [nd], 14th thou., uniform fine full crushed blue green morocco gilt by Bumpus Ltd, Oxford, front covers each with single fillet gilt borders, each front cover with central "JN" monogram (the initials of the first names of Coward and Wilson) intertwined with a circle gilt, spines in compartments with raised bands, gilt rules and lettering, all edges gilt, inner dentelles gilt, spines a little suned and just a little wear, a very nice set. Bookplates of the New York collector Herbert Schimmel to front pastedowns. John C. Wilson (1899-1961) was an American theatre director and producer. During the run of The Vortex by Noël Coward in 1924, Wilson met Coward and soon became his business manager and lover. Wilson used his position to steal from Coward, but the playwright was in love and accepted both the larceny and Wilson's heavy drinking. Wilson began his theatre career in 1931 as General Manager for the original Broadway production of Coward's hit play Private Lives. He began producing shows on Broadway in 1935, including Coward's Tonight at 8.30 in 1936 and Set to Music in 1939. Wilson's first project as a director was another Coward work, Blithe Spirit, in 1941. (14)