A53 PROCEED, SERGEANT LAMB [1941]
a. First edition:
PROCEED, | SERGEANT LAMB | by | ROBERT GRAVES | AUTHOR OF | ‘SERGEANT LAMB OF THE NINTH’ | [publisher’s emblem] | METHUEN & CO. LTD. LONDON | 36 Essex Street, Strand, W.C.2
Collation: π61–198 206 164 leaves.
2 pp. blank, as front pastedown endpaper; p.[i] PROCEED, | SERGEANT LAMB; p.[ii] list of regiments; [frontispiece, back blank]; p.[iii] title-page; p.[iv] publicationand printing notices; pp.v–vii FOREWORD; p.[viii] blank; p.[ix] PROCEED, SERGEANT LAMB; p.[x] blank; pp.1–314 text; p.[315] blank; p.[316] printer’s notice; [map tipped to rear endpaper].
18.6 × 12.3 cm. Bulk: 2.3/2.6 cm. White wove paper; all edges trimmed. White wove rear endpaper. Bound in sea-green cloth; front and back blank; spine stamped in white: PROCEED, | SERGEANT | LAMB | ROBERT | GRAVES | METHUEN
Price: 8s. 6d. Number of copies: 10,000. Published 13 February 1941 in white dust-jacket printed in black, red, blue and brown.
Notes: I have noted two states of the book. One is similar to that described above except the vertical dimension of the pages is 18.4 cm.– not 18.6. In this state there is neither a free front endpaper, nor a blank (2 blank pages) preceding p. [i]. I have examined two copies, one of which inscribed by Graves on February 12, 1941, one day before publication. Both have a free front endpaper, followed by 2 pp. blank, the remainder as above.
The dust-jacket’s advertisements on the back panel offer SERGEANT LAMB OF THE NINTH at 8s. 6d, I, CLAUDIUS at 6s, and CLAUDIUS THE GOD at 6s.
The dust-jacket was designed by John Aldridge.
According to Methuen, 4,000 copies of signatures 1–16 ‘were destroyed by enemy action during 1942’ and were reprinted. Perhaps this explains the two states of the book and how to differentiate them. Perhaps the state with the free front endpaper, followed by a blank leaf (2 blank pages) is the first state.
Cedric Chivers, Bath, in association with the Library Association published a photographic reprint in 1970. A hadcover with dust-jacket.
Hutchinson published a photographic reprint of this edition 18 March 1985. pp.[i], [iii], [iv] have been reset and pp.v–vii either reset or reimposed so that FOREWORD is now on pp.[v] –vi and there is no blank p.[viii]. There are no blank pages at the end and there is no map at the end and no frontispiece. However, a note at the foot of p.[v] says: ‘Not reproduced in this edition.’ The book is perfect bound in white covers printed in black, red, and tan. It measures 21.5×13.6 cm. Bulk: 2.1 cm.
This book has been translated into Spanish.
A53b. First American edition ([1941]):
[whole enclosed within double-rule rectangular box:] PROCEED, | [in red:] SERGEANT LAMB | [rule] | by Robert Graves | Author of | SERGEANT LAMB’S AMERICA | [rule] | [in red: publisher’s emblem] | RANDOM HOUSE | New York
Collation: [1]–[21]8, 168 leaves.
p.[i] PROCEED, | SERGEANT LAMB; p.[ii] list of regiments; p.[iii] title-page; p.[iv] publication, printer’s and copyright notices; p.[v] facsimile of letter; p.[vi] transcript of letter; pp.vii–xi Foreword; p.[xii] blank; p.[1] PROCEED, | SERGEANT LAMB; p.[2] map; pp.3–322 text; pp.[323] – [324] blank.
21.3 × 14.3 cm. Bulk: 3.0/3.6 cm. White wove paper; all edges trimmed; top edges stained blue. Cream wove endpapers. Bound in red cloth; back blank; blue label on front printed in white: [whole enclosed in double-rule rectangular box:] PROCEED, | SERGEANT | LAMB | [rule] | by Robert Graves; blue label on spine, printed in white: [whole enclosed in double-rule rectangular box:] PROCEED, | SERGEANT | LAMB | [rule] | ROBERT | GRAVES | Random House
Price: $2.50. Number of copies undisclosed. Published 15 October 1941 in white dust-jacket printed in black, red, orange, brown, tan, blue and gold.
Notes: I have examined one copy with plain top edges.
The second impression of this edition varies in changing “First” to “Second Printing” on the verso of the title-page. The second impression was printed by American Book-Stratford Press, Inc. The first impression was printed by The Haddon Craftsmen, Inc.
A abridgement of the American edition was published in Omnibook Magazine, November 1941, pp. [5] 6-34.
A53c. Second English edition ([1947]):
PROCEED, | SERGEANT LAMB | by | ROBERT GRAVES | AUTHOR OF | ‘SERGEANT LAMB OF THE NINTH’ SECOND EDITION | [publisher’s emblem] | METHUEN & CO. LTD. LONDON | 36 Essex Street, Strand, W.C.2
Collation: [A]8 B–Ll6, 168 leaves.
p.[i] PROCEED, | SERGEANT LAMB; p.[ii] list of regiments; [frontispiece, back blank]; p.[iii] title-page; p.|iv| publication and printing notices; pp.v–vii FOREWORD; pp. viii–ix NOTE TO SECOND EDITION; p.[x] blank; pp.1–321 text; p.[322] printer’s notice; [map tipped to following page]; pp. [323]–[324] blank; pp.[325] –[326] pasted down to back cover.
18.2 × 12.3 cm. Bulk: 2.1/2.4 cm. White wove paper; all edges trimmed. White wove front endpapers. Bound in sea-green cloth; front and back blank; spine stamped in white: PROCEED, | SERGEANT | LAMB | ROBERT | GRAVES | METHUEN
Price: 8s. 6d. Number of copies: 5,000. Published in February 1947 in white dust-jacket printed in black, red, blue and brown; pictorial portion of jacket as in A53a.
Notes: The last 1,750 sheets of this edition were issued 10 September 1953 at 6s. The edition notice gives 1946 as the publication date but the work was not issued until the following year.
A53d. Third English edition ([1961]):
ROBERT GRAVES | [rule] | PROCEED, SERGEANT | LAMB | MAY FAIR BOOKS
Collation: [A]10 B–H16 [I]16, 144 leaves.
p.[1] publisher’s advertisements; p.[2] list of books by Graves and copyright and printing notices; p.[3] title-page; pp.[4] – [5] map; p.[6] list of regiments; p.[7]– [8] FOREWORD; pp.9–288 text.
17.4 × 10.6 cm. Bulk: 1.6 cm. White wove paper; all edges trimmed. Bound in white paper covers printed in blue, magenta, black, ceam,red, brown and green.
Price: 3s. 6d. Number of copies: 25,000. Published 15 July 1961.