The Well of the Saints, J. M. Synge — 1st Edition

£210.00

The Well of the Saints, J. M. Synge — 1st Edition

Name: The Well of the Saints, J. M. Synge — 1st Edition
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 6839
Price: 210.00 GBP
Availability: InStock

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Publication: London, A. H. Bullen / Dublin, The Abbey Theatre, 1905

Formatting: 8vo, pp. 91.

Condition Report: Very Good. The original green cloth-backed boards remain firm and structurally sound, showing moderate signs of shelf-wear, primarily consisting of lightly bumped corners and slight rubbing to the board edges. The printed paper spine label is fully intact though noticeably darkened and lightly chipped. The greyish-green boards display minor age-toning and very faint handling marks. Internally, the binding is tight, with no cracked hinges or loose leaves. The text block is largely bright, featuring an authentic, crisp letterpress impression. There is only scattered, mild foxing, chiefly to the preliminary leaves and extreme page edges, alongside natural paper aging that does not intrude upon the legibility of the play.

Catalogue Note: A scarce and important first edition of J. M. Synge’s first full-length three-act play. This volume represents the true first printing, issued jointly by A. H. Bullen in London and The Abbey Theatre in Dublin.

This copy is presented in the publisher’s scarce original cloth-backed boards with the printed spine label. It serves as a cornerstone piece of the Irish Literary Revival, capturing Synge's departure from extreme spiritualism into a deeply grounded realism that challenged the prevailing nationalist narratives of the era.

Set in a lonely, mountainous district of eastern Ireland centuries ago, The Well of the Saints is a dark, tragicomic exploration of illusion, reality, and the human condition. When a wandering friar miraculously restores the sight of Martin and Mary Doul, an elderly, blind beggar couple, they are violently thrust into a world far uglier and crueller than the one they had imagined. Synge’s masterful deployment of Hiberno-English dialect exposes the harsh truths of physical existence, ultimately asking whether the comforting blindness of the imagination is preferable to the stark, unforgiving light of reality.

Book Condition: Very Good

Book Authors: J. M. Synge

Book Publisher: A. H. Bullen / The Abbey Theatre

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Antiquarian

Genre: Modern Fiction

Book edition: First Edition

Signed: No

Book Pages: 91

Book Publication Year: 1905

Book Publication Date:

Book Binding: Hardcover

Illustrator: N/A

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.