MODERNIST MARITIME NOVELIST

Harrington, Frank G.

James Hanley: A Bold and Unique Solitary [Association Archive with Ben Raeburn]

Francestown, NH: Typographeum, 1989. Limited edition.

A three-part research archive documenting the evolution of Hanley scholarship, featuring the limited edition study, an inscribed source article, and an autograph contact slip sent to Hanley’s American publisher, Ben Raeburn. 

This grouping pairs the Typographeum edition with its originating 1987 'American Book Collector' article, which Harrington inscribed to Raeburn. The inclusion of a handwritten note on Bryn Mawr College Library stock provides a primary record of the working exchange between the critic and the publisher who championed Hanley’s legacy.

PHYSICAL FEATURES: 
+++ The book in original blue cloth with a clean paste-on spine label. Octavo, 9.5 inches tall, Pagination: 9–34, [35–36], 37–41 pages. Printed on high-quality laid paper with a deckled fore-edge; includes a surplus spine label tipped in at the rear. Printed and bound by R. T. Risk at the Typographeum; Four photographic plates, including a portrait of Hanley circa 1930. 
+++ The magazine published by The Moretus Press in original pictorial wrappers.
+++ The glossy bookmark  2.5 by 8 inches with pictorial front and issued by FOL Bryn Mawr College Library.

KEY FEATURES:
+++ Content: Includes the expanded 1989 study and the foundational 1987 article 'Considering and Collecting James Hanley', featuring an essential checklist of works.
+++ Associated Names: Both items from the estate of Ben Raeburn (Horizon Press). Inscribed by Harrington to Raeburn on the first page of the article.
+++ Laid-in Material: Includes a handwritten contact slip from Harrington to Raeburn on Bryn Mawr College Library bookmark stock.

LIMITATION & SIGNATURES: 
+++ The 'American Book Collector' article is inscribed at the head of page 3: For Ben Raeburn: With the affection & admiration of Frank Harrington. 
+++ The Typographeum edition is limited to 150 copies; this copy is unnumbered but originates from the recipient's archive.

CONDITION: Fine / Near Fine.
+++ THE BOOK: The bindings are tight and square. The blue cloth is bright and the internal pages are pristine, printed on crisp laid paper. A superior, well-preserved example.
+++ THE MAGAZINE: The wrappers show only light handling wear consistent with the format. Internally clean; the inscription is bold and clear.

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE —
Frank G. Harrington was instrumental in shifting the narrative of James Hanley from a 'neglected' figure to a subject of serious bibliographic study. His work provided the framework for collectors and institutions to catalog and value Hanley's sprawling, often difficult-to-track output.

This archive is significant because it preserves the 'working tools' of that scholarship. The transition from the magazine article to the limited book—supported by direct correspondence on the Bryn Mawr bookmark—records the transatlantic partnership between the scholar (Harrington) and the publisher (Raeburn). It documents the systematic way Hanley’s legacy was codified, moving the relationship from a private exchange into a permanent bibliographical record.

SCHOLARLY FEATURES
+++ Archival Component: Serves as a primary document for the study of James Hanley’s late-century reassessment in the American market.
+++ Evolution of Criticism: Documents the expansion of Harrington’s work from a periodical checklist into a formal, limited-edition bibliography.
+++ The Raeburn Link: The presence of the handwritten contact slip on library bookmark stock provides technical evidence of the informal, collaborative network that sustained Hanley's reputation.

SUBJECTS: James Hanley, Ben Raeburn, Horizon Press, British Literature, Irish Literature, Literary Scholarship, Small Press Publishing, Association Copy, Limited Edition, Archive, Literary Criticism.

Item #21938
ISBN: 0930126289

Price: $225.00