THE SHADOW OVER INNSMOUTH .. by Lovecraft, H[oward] P[hillips] - 1936

Everett, Pennsylvania: Visionary Publishing Co., 1936. First edition. A fine copy in a fine dust jacket. (27981). Octavo, pp. [1-16: blank] [1-12] 13-158 [159-176: blank] [note: first and last leaves are used as front and rear paste-downs], illustrations by Frank A. Utpatel, original black cloth, front and spine panels stamped in silver. Of two known bindings, this copy has title on front panel stamped in upper and lower case letters. Lovecraft's first published book, preceded by THE SHUNNED HOUSE (1928) that was printed, but not circulated beyond a tiny circle of Lovecraft's friends. Publisher William H. Crawford has stated that approximately 400 copies were printed, of which about 200 were bound, the remainder destroyed at a later date. Binding and typography were wretched and a handful of the earliest copies had corrections in Lovecraft's hand. The errata leaf and printed dust jacket, prepared after publication according to Crawford, accompany this copy. The dust jacket is Currey's variant 3 (no priority established) with lettering in silver and no illustration. "A fine story of supernatural adventure and discovery, despite the unfortunate surprise ending which does much to spoil what went on before." - Bleiler, The Guide to Supernatural Fiction 1039. Sullivan (ed), The Penguin Encyclopedia of Horror and the Supernatural, p. 272. Survey of Modern Fantasy Literature IV, pp. 1624-26. In 333. See Barron (ed), Horror Literature 3-132. See Tymn (ed), Horror Literature 4-160. Bleiler (1978), p. 127. Reginald 09259. Joshi I-A-11.