Wodehouse, P. G. (1881–1975)

The Prince and Betty [True First Edition] [Precedes British First] [Illustrated by Will Grefé]

New York: W. J. Watt and Company, 1912. Illustrated by Will Grefe. First American Edition, published January, 1912, preceding the British First.

The true first appearance of Wodehouse's early satirical romance, published in January 1912 and preceding the British edition by several months. This American version features a significantly different plot and character set than the later UK release, making it a critical variant for bibliographers.

KEY FEATURES 
+++ Visuals: Features a tissue-guarded frontispiece and three additional full-page plates by the celebrated 'Grefé Girl' artist, Will Grefé. 
+++ Binding: Original dark brown cloth; front cover features large gilt titles and two distinctive oval color portraits outlined in gilt. 
+++ Content: A sharp social critique of the early 20th-century aristocracy, blending farcical humor with romantic entanglement. 
+++ Rarity: Uncommon in the original Watt binding; specifically sought after as the 'True First' state of the text. 
+++ Imprint: New York: W. J. Watt and Company, January 1912. 
+++ Specs: 7.5 inches tall / [8], 300 pages.

CONDITION: Good -- Bindings remain square. Front hinge is starting but currently holding. Text block is clean with light, even age-toning. General shelf wear to extremities; spine titles are sun-faded as is common with this edition. A small, faint damp-stain affects the lower corner of the first few leaves, not encroaching on text.

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE --
'The Prince and Betty' is a landmark in the Wodehouse canon, representing the author’s transition into the comedic style that would define the 20th-century humor genre. It is famously 'two books in one'; Wodehouse rewrote the story almost entirely for the British market, meaning this American edition contains unique prose and plot points found nowhere else.

The novel was adapted into a 1919 silent film starring William Desmond and Mary MacLaren; tragically, the film is now considered lost. This 1912 Watt edition remains the primary physical record of Wodehouse's original intent for the story, showcasing his early mastery of the 'bumbling aristocrat' trope that would eventually lead to the creation of Bertie Wooster.

SUBJECTS: P. G. Wodehouse, British Humor, Satire, Aristocracy, 1910s Literature, True First Editions, Will Grefé, Lost Films, Romantic Comedy, First Edition, Literary Fiction, Humor, Illustrated Books.

BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCE: McIlvaine A15a.

Item #20591

Price: $185.00