Rhys, Jean

Wide Sargasso Sea. Deutsch, 1966, first edition, presentation copy inscribed by the author "For John + Teresa | Jean Rhys | Best wishes for a happy | New Year", dust-jacket, extremities of dust-jacket very slightly frayed; The Left Bank and other stories. Cape, 1927, FIRST EDITION OF THE AUTHOR’S FIRST BOOK, PRESENTATION COPY INSCRIBED BY THE AUTHOR "For Teresa + John | with best wishes | Jean Rhys… 1976", some browning, slightly skewed, binding slightly soiled; After Leaving Mr. MacKenzie. Cape, 1931, first edition, binding slightly soiled; Good Morning Midnight. Constable, 1939, first edition, slightly skewed; My Day. Hallman, 1975, one of 750 copies, dust-jacket, some browning; Sleep It Off Lady. Deutsch, 1976, first edition, presentation copy inscribed by the author "For Teresa | and John | from | Jean Rhys | Happy New Year", dust-jacket; Jean Rhys Letters, 1931-1966. Deutsch, 1984, first edition, presentation copy inscribed by the editors "For John and Teresa |with best wishes | from Diana [Melly] | + Francis [Wyndham]", dust-jacket; 'Life Without You', four leaves relating to the song by John Chilton with lyrics by Rhys and Chilton; typed letter signed ("Jean") to George [Melly] declining to attend a party, explaining "I've been falling about a lot lately and have managed to hurt my back" and noting "your book made me laugh a lot inspite of my back" (1 page, small 4to, Cheriton Fitzpaine, 26 August 1977) together with a postcard, in another hand, but signed by Rhys; together with 13 other volumes by or relating to Rhys and a small folder of newspaper clippings; all 8vo, original bindings, mostly with dust-jackets, some spotting and browning, occasional wear (20)

George Melly, the writer and jazz singer, and his wife, Diana, became close friends of Jean Rhys in her later years. As noted by Carole Angier in her biography of Rhys, "…one day she [Rhys] gave him [Melly] a poem of hers which John Chiltern [sic], the bandleader, set to music. It was a satirical little jeu d’esprit which much appealed to George". The four leaves included in this lot comprise a carbon typescript of Rhys' original lyrics. A photocopy of this with four typed lines inserted between Rhys' second and third stanza show the additions of John Chilton (1932-2016), the jazz trumpeter and writer. A photocopy of musical notation is also included together with a copy of a letter from Francis Wyndham, dated 20 January 1988, agreeing to Chilton's adaptation.