Anita Loos, H. G. Wells and others

A group of three volumes, comprising:

BENSON, E. F. (1867-1940). Mapp and Lucia. London: Hodder and Stoughton Limited, 1931.
First edition, in the rare dust-jacket, of a comic novel which satirises the rivalries between upper-middle-class women in an English village. Octavo. (A very few spots.) Original blue cloth, titles and author’s and publisher’s device stamped in black to upper cover and spine (extremities lightly rubbed, a few white speckled marks, spine sunned); original dust-jacket (rubbed, particularly to spine, several closed tears and chips, some repaired on verso with tape, long tear along fold of lower flap); housed in modern blue cloth clamshell box.

LOOS, Anita (1888-1981). Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. The Illuminating Diary of a Professional Lady. New York: Boni & Liveright, 1925.
First edition of a comic novel epitomizing the Jazz Age, the inspiration for the 1953 film starring Marilyn Monroe. Presentation copy, inscribed by both the author and her mother. Octavo. 31 illustrations by Ralph Barton (occasional spotting). Original red cloth, spine and upper cover lettered in gilt (extremities very lightly rubbed); original dust-jacket priced at $1.75 (rubbed and stained, a few chips to edges). Provenance: David Tomlinson (authorial presentation inscription to front free endpaper) — Charles and Eleanor (gift inscription to front free endpaper, from Minerva Ellen ‘Minnie; Smith, the author’s mother) — Hollywood Bookstore (bookseller’s ticket to rear pastedown).

WELLS, H. G. (1866-1946). The History of Mr. Polly. London: Thomas Nelson and Sons, 1910.
First edition of a comic novel about an ordinary middle-aged man tired of his dreary existence. Hammond A6; Currey p.519. Octavo. 5 leaves of ads at end, including ‘Trepanned’ by Masefield, aditional loosely inserted sheet of publisher’s ads. Dated April-December 1910 Colour-printed frontispiece. Original green cloth, titles to spine in gilt on white ground double ruled in gilt, decorative green and white endpapers; original dust-jacket (somewhat tanned, a few small nicks, faint stain to bottom edge of lower panel).