Psmith Journalist

1915 first edition, in the very rare original dustwrapper

Author

Publisher

Printing Details

First edition under this title (third overall). Hardback in exceptionally rare original dustwrapper. Bound in blue decorative cloth with illustration to front and spine (repeated from the wrapper). 20 × 13.5cm, viii, 247pp, [1pp], with 12 full page plates (frontis and 11 within the text).

Psmith Journalist was originally published in serial form in The Captain magazine between 1909 and 1910, and then under the title The Prince and Betty in 1912, before having the story quite heavily edited and issued as Psmith Journalist.

The story begins with Psmith accompanying his fellow Cambridge student Mike to New York on a cricketing tour. Through high spirits and force of personality, Psmith takes charge of a minor periodical, and becomes imbroiled in a scandal involving slum landlords, boxers and gangsters.

This copy comes in the original dustwrapper which follows the design from the binding, I have not been able to locate another copy with wrapper.

Condition

The book itself is in very good condition. There is a little mottling to the fore-edge of the rear board, and a small bump to the top edge of the front board. Minimal rubbing and bumping to the boards and the titling and design remain in very crisp condition. It appears a small name has been rubbed out to the ffep, leaving a little scarring to the page. The inner binding is secure, the pages clean apart from some very minor isolated spots of foxing. There is a little spotted foxing to the page edges. The book has been collated and all plates are present. The dustwrapper, this has quite significant wear to the spine which has darkening as can be seen, and the top of the t and the h of Psmith is detached but held in place by the mylar. There is loss to the bottom right corner of the front panel, and chipping to the spine ends. Please see the images. The rear flap has been folded a but scruffily. However, it has done a good job in protecting the cloth binding and is now within a protective sleeve.

Further images available on request.