This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/13/2021
BRADBURY, Ray (1920–2012). Dark Carnival. Sauk City, Wisconsin: Arkham House, 1947. 8vo. Publisher’s black cloth, spine lettered in dark yellow; original unclipped dust jacket (faint horizontal crease along spine panel, minor shelf wear at corners, few tiny spots of marring to front panel); custom morocco backed Solander box. FIRST EDITION, FIRST PRINTING of the author’s first book. PRESENTATION COPY TWICE INSCRIBED BY BRADBURY TO WILLIAM TARG: 1.) On front free endpaper: “For William Targ…/This rare first/edition of/”Dark Carnival”/–with the/admiration and/friendly/wishes/of/Ray Bradbury/Friday/Feb. 13, Apollo/Year one./(1970).” 2.) On title: “For William Targ!/This [Dark Carnival]/Ray Bradbury/1970”. Currey, p. 55; Derleth, Arkham House: The First 20 Years, p. xxx. A warm inscription to G. P. Putnam’s former editor–in–chief, William Targ, who is known for publishing Mario Puzo’s “The Godfather” which became the single most profitable book ever published by Putnam. In 1978, Targ founded his own fine press imprint, Targ Editions, which, in 1979, published a signed limited edition of Bradbury’s “Beyond 1984: Remembrance of Things”.