COLLECTED POEMS

First edition, first printing. An inscribed presentation copy from the editor, Anthony Thwaite to Edwin Dawes, Larkin's friend and a founder of the Philip Larkin Society with, in addition, a loosely laid in typed letter from Thwaite to Dawes. With Dawes' distinctive bookplate affixed to the front pastedown. Original dark olive cloth with white lettering to the spine, in the dustwrapper with Sue Linney's drawing of Larkin to the front panel. A fine, bright copy, the binding tight and square, the contents clean throughout. Complete with the fine dustwrapper. Not price-clipped (£16.95 to the front flap). A lovely association copy of a volume notably scarce in signed or inscribed state.

Inscribed by the editor, Anthony Thwaite, to the front free endpaper, "for Eddie from Anthony Thwaite / signed at a / celebration of Philip / Larkin, Brynmor Jones Library [Larkin's library at Hull], / October 13 1988.". Also laid in to this copy is a typed letter (signed by hand) from Thwaite to Dawes dated June 2, 2010, apologising for being unable to attend that year's Larkin Society AGM following a recent bout of "atypical pneumonia". The recipient, Edwin Dawes (1925-2023) was Reckitt Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Hull, later serving as the University's Pro Vice Chancellor, Dean of Science, and also Chair of the Library Committee. Dawes first knew Larkin in the latter's capacity as chief librarian at the university, but they soon became good friends. Dawes was also a founder and chairman of the (posthumous) Larkin Society. He was also an award-winning magician and historian of magic, which explains his Ex Libris bookplate showing an alchemist presiding over a steaming concoction with, at his left hand, a copy of Giovanni Battista Della Porta's 1558 'Natural Magick' (the figure bears an uncanny resemblance to Sigmund Freud). The design, he later explained, married his two passions of science and magic. This posthumous collection, which presents all Larkin's published poems (and a selection previously unpublished) in chronological order of composition, was edited by Larkin's friend and fellow poet, Anthony Thwaite. It was later ousted by a less comprehensive (if more immediately user-friendly) edition, also edited by Thwaite, which printed the contents of each of the poet's four published collections intact, with some uncollected poems tucked away in appendices. Both versions have their adherents. Larkin arranged his slim volumes very carefully, so it's good to have the poems printed that way. This original edition, however, prints the date of composition at the foot of every poem (the dates drawn from the poet's manuscript notebooks), allowing the reader to witness the growth of a great poet. It includes an appendix indicating the ordering of the individual volumes, along with relevant page numbers. Published on 10th October 1988, 11,563 copies of this first impression were printed. Such was the appetite for a Collected Larkin, a further 8460 copies had to be printed later the same month (and another 12,700 the following month). (Bloomfield A19)