(Erotica) Lawrence, D. H. Lady Chatterley's Lover. [Florence]: Privately Printed, 1928. FIRST AND LIMITED EDITION; "This edition is limited to One Thousand copies. No '81' [signed] 'D. H. Lawrence.'" 8vo - 9-1/16" x 6-1/4". Mulberry-colored paper covered boards with Lawrence's phoenix device printed in black to front cover, and white paper paste label printed in black on spine, with two minute spots of foxing to paper label but absolutely no signs of handling or wear for what is a magnificent copy of the book. Original publisher's plain cream paper dust jacket with minor darkening to spine panel and along flap folds, light foxing to tail of spine panel and along front flap fold, small chips to three flap fold corners and a few scattered finger marks for what is still a much nicer example of the scarce original dust jacket than one normally encounters. Plain end papers. [2] preliminary leaves, 365, [3] pp.; uncut and unopened with light spotting to the uncut fore-edges.
D. H. Lawrence's controversial novel faced numerous obstacles as he tried to get it published. He finally resorted to having it privately printed in Florence, Italy by the Tipografia Giuntina at his own expense, and sent order forms to friends in America and Europe who acted as his agents in distributing copies. An unexpurgated copy would not be published in the United States until 1959 and in the United Kingdom until 1960. The condition of the book is NEAR FINE. The condition of the dust jacket is VERY GOOD +. RARE WITH THE BOOK AND THE ORIGINAL PUBLISHER'S DUST JACKET IN SUCH NICE STATE OF PRESERVATION. # 001260