BEYOND THE HORIZON. A PLAY IN THREE ACTS
New York: Boni and Liveright, (1920). First Edition. Hardcover. INSCRIBED and SIGNED by the author on the front endpaper: "To Edith---/With all my best, and/in the hope that our dune-/hiking took off a pound or/two/Gene/Provincetown, Nov. 1920." Edith was the wife of Frank Shay, one of O'Neill's first publishers and one of the Provincetown Players (He appeared in John Reed's FREEDOM in 1916.). Shay bought the Boni brothers bookshop (Boni later joined Horace Liveright, becoming O'Neill's next, and major, publisher) and brought out the three Provincetown Plays series: the first appearance in print of BOUND EAST FOR CARDIFF and BEFORE BREAKFAST. In 1920, he and Edith, along with the Hutchins Hapgoods, the Wilbur Daniel Steeles, Susan Glaspell, and Jig Cook were frequent visitors at Peaked Hill Bar with Agnes and Eugene O'Neill, all having children who were playmates. Atkinson A 14-I-i.a: Binding A: 1250 copies published. Both hinges split nearly completely with covers loose but still attached. Dampstain to bottom third of spine extending partly to the covers but not showing internally. A Good copy at best with a fine inscription. Item #016407
Provenance: Parke-Bernet, 18 May 1971, lot 85.
Price: $4,000.00