Full Title:

Title page recto: [Initial "T" across first two lines of text] THE WORM | OUROBOROS | A ROMANCE BY E. R. | EDDISON, ILLUSTRATED | BY KEITH HENDERSON | [device of Ouroboros biting his own tail, by Keith Henderson] | ALBERT & CHARLES BONI | NEW YORK 1926 (see image above).

Title page verso: [in italic] Copyright, 1926, by Albert & Charles Boni, Inc. | Printed in the United States of America (see image above).

Publication:

New York; 1926, Albert & Charles Boni, Inc.

Collation:

Crown octavo [20.8 cm. (8 3/16 inches)] x 14.7 cm. (5¼ inches)]; pp. xviii +445 (verso blank, followed by one blank leaf); FFEP followed by one blank leaf not counted in pagination; (i) half-title (verso blank and not counted in pagination); leaf, recto blank and not counted in pagination; verso (ii) frontispiece; (iii) title page; (iv) publication data; (v) letter from James Branch Cabell (verso blank); vii-ix Contents; (x) books by Mr. Eddison; xi-xiii Introduction; (xiv) poem of 24 lines in six quatrains, signed THOMAS THE RHYMER; (xv) dedication (verso blank); (xvi) fly title (verso blank); pp. 1-445 text (verso blank); one blank leaf. Illustrations: (ii) frontispiece, (versos of following illustration leaves are blank, and illustration leaves are not counted in pagination) facing p. 12, p. 194, p. 336, p. 360, p. 415. Argument: With Dates pp. 440-443. Bibliographic Note on the Verses pp. 444-445.

Binding:

Black cloth: text and decorations in gilt, all edges trimmed, tops stained blue. Spine: [triple rule in gilt] | THE WORM | OUROBOROS | ALBERT & | CHARLES BONI | [double rule in gilt]. Front cover: design in gilt of a hippogriff in flight, enclosed in a circle (by Keith Henderson), centered on cover. Rear cover: blind stamped image of a faun playing pipes in an oval panel at lower right corner (see image above).

Frontispiece:

Pen and ink drawing by Keith Henderson, subscribed: GORICE XII. IN CARCE. (see image above).

Dedication:

To W. G. E. and to my friends K. H. | and G. C. L. M. I dedicate this book | It is neither allegory nor fable but a Story to be read for | its own sake. | [7 line paragraph explaining the pronunciation of some of the names in the text ] | 9th January 1922 E. R. E. (see image above).

Note: "W. G. E." is Winifred Grace Eddison, the author's wife. "K. H." is Keith Henderson, his brother-in-law and the decorator and illustrator of The Worm Ouroboros (and some of Eddison's later works as well). "G. C. L. M." is Eddison's friend G.C.L. Maunder, with whom he worked at the Board of Trade. The dedication copy of The Worm Ouroboros presented to Mr. Maunder by Mr. Eddison is in the Stanford University Library.*

*We are endebted to Professor Bradford Haas, Chair of the Department of English and Modern Languages, Washington Adventist University, for identifying "G.C.L.M." for us.

Endpapers:

Pictorial endpapers: the same crowned dragon image that was used on the dust jacket, except that it has been clipped on both the right and left sides (see image above).

Notes:

Cabell's letter was reprinted in Kalki, vol. II no. 4 (whole no. 8a, 1968), along with Eddison's autograph letter of gratitude. Clicking on the image at left will bring up a PDF copy of the two letters and article. As usual, you'll need to use your browser's "back" button to return to The Silver Stallion after accessing it.