The Very Scarce Hardback First Issue
2 Vols. set : Stoppard, Tom ~ Arcadia : With A H/W Letter From The Author To Carl Toms, The Theatre Set Designer
Faber, London : 1993
2 Vols. set : Tom Stoppard ~ Arcadia. Vol.1 : The First UK printing published by Faber, London 1993. The BOOK and WRAPPER are both in near Fine condition. The very scarce first issue with a full number line 1-10. Usual light toning to the text-block and paper edges due to the quality of the paper stock used. Free from inscriptions, erasures and bookplates. The wrapper is protected in a removable Brodart archival cover. The wrapper design for the first issue was used only for this issue. The subsequent issues had a completely different wrapper design and publisher blurb the flaps. Extremely scarce as the first issue as whilst copies were being printed, the contents required correcting. There was a soft-back edition issued simultaneously which bears the same wrapper cover art. The hardback edition was consequently only issued in very small numbers. The first copy that I have handled. It was subsequently re-issued later in the same year with the applied corrections. Vol.2 : Arcadia : The second UK printing published by Faber, London in 1993. The BOOK and WRAPPER are in near Fine condition. The second issue with ‘reprinted with corrections 1993’ to the printing details page. Free from inscriptions, erasures and bookplates. The wrapper design is completely different to that of the first issue in artwork and publisher blurb. The wrapper is protected in a removable Brodart archival cover. The title page bears the publisher Faber logo as 'London ~ Boston', denoting this as the UK issue. Interestingly, this UK second issue book was printed in the USA and not the UK. Loosely laid in is a H/W letter from Tom Stoppard to Carl Toms, the theatre designer. The letter is on Stoppard’s personal notepaper addressed as 'Chelsea Harbour' and is dated Jan 23rd (I am presuming this is 1993). Stoppard writes : ‘Dear Carl, I am so delighted that you have accepted ‘Arcadia’. I think you are the ideal designer for it. And I hope we will meet in Zurich if not before, Love Tom ‘. It is in fine condition and has been folded twice. Toms undertook the set design for the Swiss 1993 production in Zurich after it premiered in London. Carl Toms OBE (29 May 1927 – 4 August 1999) was a British set and costume designer who was acclaimed for his work in theatre, opera, ballet, and film. Toms met and befriended Tom Stoppard in the 1970’s with whom he would work frequently on plays in both New York and London productions. Toms worked with Stoppard on such plays as 'Arcadia', 'Travesties', 'Night and Day', 'The Real Thing', 'Jumpers', and 'Hapgood' et al. Stoppard's masterpiece went on to win the 'Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play' of 1993. A handsome and scarce two volume set, more-so with the association letter.
BINDING: Hardcover
CONDITION: Near Fine
JACKET: Near Fine
£1350