The River Girl, Wendy Cope — 1st Edition (Advance Proof)

£75.00

The River Girl, Wendy Cope — 1st Edition (Advance Proof)

Name: The River Girl, Wendy Cope — 1st Edition (Advance Proof)
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 6079
Price: 75.00 GBP
Availability: InStock

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Publication: London, Faber and Faber, 1991

Formatting: Small 8vo, pp. 52.

Condition Report: Near Fine. A remarkably well-preserved example of this pre-publication issue. The glossy pictorial dust-wrapper exhibits only the most trivial rubbing to the spine tips and extreme corners, remaining bright, unclipped, and free from any significant creasing or tears. Beneath the wrapper, the printed green card covers of the proof itself are crisp, sharp-cornered, and entirely unblemished, showcasing an unread tightness to the binding. Internally, the text block is pristine; the pages are uniformly bright, clean, and entirely devoid of foxing, thumbing, or previous ownership markings, justifying a high antiquarian grade for what is typically a fragile, disposable format.

Catalogue Note: An intriguing and scarce Uncorrected Advance Proof of Wendy Cope's modern poetic fairy-tale.

Notably, this volume is issued in the publisher's preliminary green printed wrappers, detailing probable publication dates and provisional pricing, yet it is uniquely housed within the finished, first impression glossy dust-wrapper intended for the cased hardback edition. This unusual pairing offers a fascinating bibliographical insight into the production and promotional processes of the era.

The narrative is brought to vivid life by Nicholas Garland's striking black-and-white block illustrations, which perfectly complement the melancholic whimsy of the verses.

True advance proofs of Cope's work are genuinely scarce on the open market, rendering this hybrid proof-and-wrapper state an exceptional acquisition for collectors of contemporary British poetry.

Written in the style of a traditional myth, The River Girl explores poignant themes of love, longing, and sacrifice. The narrative follows Isis, a water nymph and daughter of Father Thames, who falls hopelessly in love with a mortal poet. Defying her aquatic nature, she pleads to be freed from the river to join him on land, setting in motion a beautifully crafted and deeply moving sequence of poetry.

Book Condition: Near Fine

Book Authors: Wendy Cope

Book Publisher: Faber and Faber

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Fiction

Genre: Poetry

Book edition: First Edition

Signed: No

Book Pages: 52

Book Publication Year: 1991

Book Publication Date: May 7, 1991

Book Binding: Softcover

Illustrator: Nicholas Garland

Book Series: N/A

Country/region of manufacture: London, United Kingdom

Book Dimensions:

Book Condition Guide

We stock thousands of books in a wide range of conditions. To make things clear and to help you know exactly what to expect, Please refer to these condition categories to understand the condition of the book you will receive.

Condition	Description
New	A brand-new, unread and professionally handled book. Carefully preserved from publication to purchase, these books are offered in the best attainable condition. This grade applies to recently published titles that have not entered long-term storage.
As New	The book is in pristine, original condition as if just published. No signs of use or handling. The dust jacket (if present) is equally flawless. This grade applies to any book that has remained untouched in storage for years.
Fine	The book is close to As New. It remains bright and attractive, but could show minor imperfections to the boards and/or dust jacket (if present). Its pages are typically clean and unmarked.
Near Fine	The book has a number of small flaws, i.e. slight rubbing to the edges, or tiny chips or creases to the dust jacket (if present). Its pages may have faint marks, or creases that are barely perceptible — nothing that detracts from their overall condition.
Very Good	The book maintains its structural integrity, and has no major flaws such as tears to its binding or pages. It may, however, show signs of careful use, handling, or storage — small marks and creases, light foxing. Its dust jacket (if present) remains fully intact, but small tears may be present.
Good	A book that remains intact and readable with complete text pages, but shows moderate signs of wear and use to both the book and dust jacket (if present). It may have noticeable creases, nicks, or stains, and the spine likely shows fading, bumping, and rubbing. There could be writing, underlining, and other marks on some pages, though the majority will be clean and tidy.
Fair	A book with significant wear or damage. The text pages will be complete, but there may be heavy underlining, highlighting and staining throughout, and the book’s endpapers, half-title, and copyright pages could be damaged or missing. The binding could be loose, and the dust jacket (if present) may have notable scuffs or tears. These copies are usually of interest for content, signature(s) or scarcity.
Poor	A heavily worn book whose value lies in its complete and legible text. A poor book will have substantial defects — loose joints or hinges, detached covers, loose and/or missing pages, and could be heavily soiled. A poor book is also known as a reading copy, and although compromised, can hold historical or bibliographic significance.