JARROLDS – BRITISH PULP FICTION AT
ASH RARE BOOKS
43 HURON ROAD
LONDON SW17 8RE
UNITED KINGDOM

London : Jarrolds (Publishers) London, [1940]. First British paperback edition. “The revealing portrait of a bad woman” – the official state guide to Louisiana called it “a story of the restricted district of New Orleans”. Originally published in the USA in 1930 and in London in 1931. Beth Brown, or Mrs John Barry as she was known in society, also wrote “Applause”, “Lady Hobo”, “Riverside Drive”, “Universal Station”, etc.
Crown 8vo (19cm). 192pp. Original wrappers with an attached pictorial jacket – red-headed Lily Love as conceived by Merlin; jacket just a touch worn and a little dusty and soiled; mild spotting of edges; some light tanning, but overall a very good copy. No copy of this edition traced in any major UK library.

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London : Jarrolds (Publishers) London, [ca.1941]. First published in 1939 and here in a very early paperback edition advertising that the book had already reached its 164th thousand copies. George Orwell’s famous “Raffles and Miss Blandish” essay appeared in “Horizon” in 1944 and propelled the book to an even greater level of notoriety, while the 1948 film, although only passed for screening after extensive cuts, caused national outcry, subsequently leading to an apology from the head of the British Board of Film Classification for having failed to protect the public. “Once or twice in a generation someone writes a book that establishes a new standard in literature; a book that starts a new trend of fashion; a book that everyone knows and talks about and which several million people read. And one which certainly must be included in that class is the world-famous ‘No Orchids for Miss Blandish’” (Sunday Dispatch).
Crown 8vo (18cm). 192pp. Original pictorial wrappers over thin card – a design by Merlin; chipped at foot of spine, with the loss of a few letters; lacks inner front flap of the wrappers; some minor marks, nicks and creases, with a short tear to the upper wrapper, but a good and sound copy. There would not appear to be any copy of this edition in any major library worldwide.

£40

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London : Jarrolds (Publishers) London, [ca.1954]. A fresh edition of the notorious title first published by Jarrolds in 1939. Although both Chase and his publishers had been heavily fined at the Old Bailey for publishing obscene books in 1942, the stage-play of “No Orchids” successfully opened in that same year. The present edition offers a revised text based on the play. George Orwell’s famous “Raffles and Miss Blandish” essay appeared in “Horizon” in 1944 and propelled the book to an even greater level of notoriety, while the 1948 film, although only passed for screening after extensive cuts, caused national outcry, subsequently leading to an apology from the head of the British Board of Film Classification for having failed to protect the public. “Once or twice in a generation someone writes a book that establishes a new standard in literature; a book that starts a new trend of fashion; a book that everyone knows and talks about and which several million people read. And one which certainly must be included in that class is the world-famous ‘No Orchids for Miss Blandish’” (Sunday Dispatch).
Crown 8vo (19cm). 192pp. Original pictorial wrappers; all edges red; a little rubbed and lightly worn; a few spots, but overall a very good copy. No copy of this edition traced in the major UK libraries.

£25

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London : Jarrolds Publishers (London), [ca.1943]. First paperback edition (83rd thousand). Reporter witnesses an execution – a clue precipitates him into a network of crime and murder – meets and marries the beautiful Mardi – “the end comes like the crack of a whip”.
Crown 8vo (19cm). 192pp. Original pictorial wrappers – a design by Campbell; slight bruise and short tear at head; a few marks and nicks, but overall a good copy. No copy of this paperback edition traced in any major library worldwide.

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London : Jarrolds Publishers (London), [ca.1952]. First British paperback edition. Later published in French as “Gin et Laudanum” – a Mike Shayne mystery: frightened little man at Miami airport pays Shayne over the odds for a ticket to New Orleans, and then there is the blonde who inspired the French title. Originally published in hardback in the USA in 1947, with a UK hardback from Jarrold’s in 1950.
Crown 8vo (19cm). 176pp. Original pictorial wrappers – blonde, gun, man, hat, telephone; all edges red; just a hint of rubbing and slight wear; slight cover crease; a few spots, but a very good copy. No copy of this edition located in major libraries worldwide.

£20

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London : Jarrolds Publishers London, [1944]. A paperback edition of this spy novel from a real spy – the Belgian Marthe Cnockaert, first awarded the Iron Cross and then later sentenced to death by the Germans. Her autobiography, “I was a Spy!” (1932) had a preface by Churchill and was filmed in 1933, with Madeleine Carroll, Herbert Marshall and Conrad Veidt. She and her husband, Jock McKenna, then went on to write a succession of popular spy novels – in the present example, first published in 1937, the brilliant and steely Colonel John Templeman needs to disappear for a few hours.
Crown 8vo (19cm). (128)pp. Original pictorial stapled wrappers in a design by J. Abbey – Joseph van Abbé; some minor wear; one short tear; upper staple rusted, but otherwise a very good copy. Just a single copy of this edition (Bodleian) located in major libraries worldwide.

SOLD