James Branch Cabell : An Illustrated Bibliography

THE HIGH PLACE: A Comedy of Disenchantment

Hall Code
Description
*HP-A3a (K)
Third Printing, variant binding 1923

IMAGES:

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COMPILATION

Full Title:

Title page recto: [in italic] THE | HIGH PLACE | A Comedy of Disenchantment | By | JAMES BRANCH CABELL | [rule] | [in italic] "Build on high place for Chemosh, the abomination | of Moab, and for horned Ashtoreth, the abomination | of Zidon, and for Moloch, the abomination of the | children of Ammon." | [rule] | ROBERT M. McBRIDE & COMPANY | NEW YORK : : : : : : 1923 (see image above).

Title page verso: Copyright, 1923, by | JAMES BRANCH CABELL | [rule] | [in italic] Printed in the | United States of America | Second Printing | Third Printing | [rule] Published, 1923 (see image above).

Publication:

New York: Robert M. McBride & Co., 1923

Collation:

Crown octavo [20 cm. (7⅞ in.) x 14 cm. (5½ in.)]; Pp. viii + 312; (i) half-title; (ii) BOOKS BY MR. CABELL; (iii) title page; (iv) publication data; (v) dedication (verso blank); xvii-xviii Contents; (1) fly-title (verso blank); 3-312 text. Pages (1), (95), and (217) are fly-titles. Pages (2), (94), (96), (216), and (218) are blank.

Binding:

Kalki binding: brick red cloth; gilt lettering and decorations on spine and front cover; top edge trimmed, else untrimmed. Spine: THE | HIGH | PLACE | [rule] | CABELL | McBRIDE . Front cover: [Kalki device in lower right corner] (see image above).

Note: This is a binding variant that differs slightly from the binding we've listed as HP-A3 (K). Looking at the binding comparison above, the most obvious difference is the publisher's imprint at the base of the spine. In HP-A3, the "c" is raised and underlined, and "McBride" is 23 mm. wide. In this variation, the "c" is raised but not underlined, and "McBride" is only 20 mm. wide. The text heights are the same, but two different typefaces were used. A second, slightly less obvious difference is the overall with of the binding. HP-A3 is 34 mm. across, while *HP-A3a measures only 30 mm. This suggests that a slightly different paper was used in the two variants: either two different printers were used (there is no printer's imprint) or the single print run used two different types of paper.

It's also important to note that we have assigned this variant as *HP-A3a and the other one as HP-A3 based solely on a very scientific principal - we saw and described HP-A3 first. We have no actual knowlege of precedence between the two variations.

Dedication:

To | ROBERT GAMBLE CABELL III | [in italic] this book, where so much more is due. (see image above).

Dust jacket:

White paper, black lettering and decorations (see image above).

Spine: THE | HIGH | PLACE | [rule] | [in italic] By | JAMES | BRANCH | CABELL | [in italic] Third | Printing | [McBride Liberty Bell device] | McBRIDE

Front panel: THE | HIGH PLACE | A COMEDY OF DISENCHANTMENT | [device] [in italic] By James Branch Cabell [device] | [21-line blurb in three paragraphs] | [device] | ROBERT M. McBRIDE & COMPANY, [in italic] Publishers | SEVEN WEST SIXTEENTH STREET : : NEW YORK

Rear panel: JAMES BRANCH CABELL | [in italic] Certain Opinions | [quotes from nine reviews of Mr. Cabell] | [double rule] | ROBERT M. McBRIDE & CO: | PUBLISHERS -:- -:- NEW YORK

Front flap: [device of man in chair] $2.50 net | [rule] | Are You Interested | In Book News? | [9-line blurb] | [rule] | [coupon]

Rear flap: :: The Books of :: | James Branch Cabell | [double rule] [list of 14 Cabell titles published by McBride]