Lovecraft, H. P.

The Cats of Ulthar.  (Cassia, Fla.: Printed at the Dragon-Fly Press), 1935



In 8s (6  1/4  x 4  3/4 in.; 158 x 120 mm).  Title page printed in red and black with feline ornament in red with whiskers drawn on in red ink by R. H. Barlow; title very slightly browned.  Plain green wrappers, sewn with green thread; some fading, chips at center of right edge and at lower right corner of upper cover and upper right corner of lower cover.  

Samuel E. Loveman (presentation inscription)

Currey p. 321; Joshi I.A.8.a.1

First edition.  One of only 40 copies. A presentation copy of "the legendary pamphlet issued by [R. H.] Barlow as a Christmas present for Lovecraft" (Joshi) .  The present copy inscribed on the upper cover, "To Samuel E. Loveman, Esq., A 'Rare First Edition' with ye Perpetrator's Compliments — H. P. Lovecraft — MCCCCCXXXVI." 

"The Cats of Ulthar" was first published in Tryout in November 1920.  This cat-lover's story concerns a village with a cat-hating couple.  A young boy's tiny black kitten disappears and the boy prays in a strange tongue to unknown gods.  That night all the cats in the village disappear.  They return the next day and refuse to eat for two days.  The skeletons of the malevolent couple are found a few days later—picked clean.  While not exactly a Christmas classic, "The Cats of Ulthar" is a unique Christmas publication.