Ward Lock & Bowden Ltd, London, New York & Melbourne, 1895
First UK edition, Second Printing:: Scarce Second printing in Book form with the title page showing “Ward Lock & Bowden Ltd”, instead of Ward Lock & Co. The most popular of Wilde’s books, The Picture of Dorian Gray appeared first in Lippincott’s magazine in 1890. The story, as published in book-form, contains six new chapters, many alterations and much additional matter. After the 1891 famous trial the publishers, although inundated with orders for copies, withdrew the book from circulation. The second printing was not until 4 years later in 1895.
“The Picture of Dorian Gray” is a classic novel by Oscar Wilde, first published in 1890 in Lippincott’s Monthly Magazine. This copy is the first issue in book form. It tells the story of a young, handsome man named Dorian Gray, who becomes the subject of a portrait painted by an artist named Basil Hallward. Dorian is introduced to the pleasures of life by his friend, Lord Henry Wotton, who encourages him to pursue beauty and pleasure above all else. Dorian becomes obsessed with his own youth and beauty, and he wishes that his portrait would age instead of him. His wish is granted, and he remains youthful while his portrait shows the physical and moral decay of his life. As Dorian becomes increasingly depraved, his portrait becomes more and more grotesque, reflecting the ugliness of his soul. “The Picture of Dorian Gray” is a haunting and thought-provoking novel that explores themes of beauty, morality, and the corrupting influence of society.” The unforgettable dark and brooding chiller set in high-society late-Victorian London; a coded and epigrammatic melodrama inspired by his Wilde’s own tortured homosexuality.
Bound in the original parchment backed grey paper-covered beveled boards, with the decorative gilt titles and the ornate gilt decoration to upper. The front board depicts the cover design in gilt. The book was rebacked maintaining the original boards, with a replaced contemporary vellum spine, and new end papers. The boards are in very good condition with the corners showing wear, especially to the lower right. The binding is tight and square, and the book is quite readable as such. The internal pages are rough cut as issued and remarkably clean, with only a very occasional handling mark. Otherwise, no other foxing, no handling marks, no writing, no bent pages and no stains.
An overall fantastic clean copy of this extremely scarce title. With the price of first printings being quite high when located in the same condition of this copy, the second printing is a wonderful alternative. (To better note the value of a first/first printing of this title, copies that still retain the scarce original jacket list for $85,000.)
