Frances Williams A SOUL ON FIRE + 1st 1915 + Weird Occult Vampire + SIGNED +"

Description: + Warmly Inscribed + + Rare Deleted 1st + A SOUL ON FIRE By Frances Fenwick Williams Publishing Details: Published in Toronto by S.B. Grundy for Humphrey Milford in Canada and by John Lane Company (The Bodley Head) in New York & London. Original khaki cloth with orange titles to front cover and spine plus pictorial design of a woman's head. 316pp + 2pp rear ads, trimmed edges. This is the rare 'true' first edition. On publication, Florence Marryat's publisher objected to the book copying the title of her own work by the same name, published in 1898, resulting in the book being withdrawn from sale and reissued as "Theodora: A Soul On Fire" in a plain binding. Warmly inscribed to "Madame Petrova" aka "Olga Petrova" aka Muriel Harding, a British actress from Liverpool who relocated to Hollywood, styling herself as having hailed from Polish-Russian nobility. Condition: A sharp very good plus copy. Spine somewhat darkened. Small rubbing along top edges of boards. A couple of indentations in same location. One small stain to bottom of text block. Binding very sturdy. Pages very clean. There are numerous pencil inscriptions front and rear (which can be easily erased) from former owners that comment on the book. Now protected in plastic covering. The photographs are the most accurate guide to condition. Please note: the last photographs are just pictures of Olga Petrova for reference purposes. Context: An intriguing, well-written novel set in Canadian high society, featuring a strikingly beautiful & icily confident femme fatale who exerts a malign occult power over people, animals and even the weather. Possessed of a weary, centuries old wisdom, Theodora Carne has the power to becalm savage rampaging wolves and fatally drain life energy from besotted male suitors i.e. psychic vampirism & witchcraft. The insinuation - never resolved - is that she may indeed be a reincarnated witch. Mostly known for her journalism & feminism, Williams has warmly inscribed this copy - four years after publication - to the intriguing 'Olga Petrova', an eccentric British girl from humble, dull beginnings in England, who left home to study dance & drama in London before joining the Folies-Bergere cabaret in New York. Petrova passed herself off as descending from East European nobility, adopting a suitable accent. She starred in a series of early movies inc. "The Tigress" (1914), "The Vampire" (1915) and "The Panther Woman" (1918). My wholly speculative theory is that the two women were attracted to each other's personalities given the affectionate nature of the inscription, and that Williams may have thought her fictional character Theodora Carne might be a suitable role for Petrova to play. Indeed, she may have even based her character on Petrova. Anyway, not only a very rare book in its original withdrawn first edition state, but a copy with significant research potential in relation to the inscription. Furthermore, it is in very pleasing collector's condition. Important Terms: Returns are not accepted. Books are accurately described. However, in the unlikely event that a relatively serious error in description has occurred, we will of course be happy to explore a mutually satisfactory resolution. If sent overseas, the book will be sent by Royal Mail'sInternational Tracked & Signedservice.At all stages you will be able to monitor the book's transit progress online, from dispatch to delivery. Other Rare Books: ELEGANT HORRORShas hundreds of similar titles. Please feel free to make speculative enquiries. We do not have the time to list every title but are happy to list specific items that may be of interest. 7.50 POSTAGE WITHIN THE UK (TRACKED) 25.00 ELSEWHERE (TRACKED AIRMAIL). + ELEGANT HORRORS + SUPERIOR CHILLS + + OFT COPIED + RARELY BETTERED +

Price: 975 GBP

Location: The Shire

End Time: 2024-11-25T08:32:54.000Z

Shipping Cost: 31.73 GBP