Joyce, James | First edition of Ulysses, one of 750 numbered copies

Joyce, James

Ulysses. Paris: Shakespeare & Company, 1922

4to (240 x 184 mm, uncut & mostly unopened). Small area of discoloration to first page of text, early bookseller's description tipped to front hinge. Publisher's blue wrappers, upper cover lettered in white; rebacked, extremities chipped and repaired with some recoloring. Gray morocco folding-case.

First edition of the most important and influential novel of the twentieth century; copy 912 of 750 numbered copies (of a whole edition of 1000).

The official date of publication for Ulysses was Joyce's birthday, 2 February 1922, but difficulties with the cover meant that in fact only two copies, both from the 1/750 issue, were actually ready that day. No further copies of any issue of Ulysses appeared from the printer until 9 February (when a further batch of the 1/750 arrived), followed by the first of the 1/100 on 13 February, and the 1/150 series on 4 March. It is now thought that this reflects the order in which Ulysses was actually printed.

REFERENCE

Slocum & Cahoon A17