The Stupid Joke; Eduard Blutig's Der Stiefelknecht in a translation by Mrs Regera Dowdy with the original pictures by O. Müde
n.p. The Fantod Press, 1990. Gorey, Edward. First and Limited Edition. Wraps. First separate printing, no. 3 of 500 copies, oblong sixmo size, 32 pp., signed by Edward Gorey at the colophon as "Mrs. Regera Dowdy" Fine. Item #19092048
Edward St. John Gorey (1925-2000) is well-known and well-loved for his poisonously funny picture books which are complex, humorous, serious, and provocative. This work, "The Stupid Joke", is the first separate printing of the story which was first published in "Dark Forces" (in 1980, edited by Kirby McCauley), and would subsequently be reprinted in "Amphigorey Also". The story revolves around a young boy named Friedrich who "One winter morning...woke With an idea for a joke". The joke was....well, let us say...unfortunate for Friedrich.
All of the names in the subtitle (which in the book are the first page of text, almost serving as a "title page") are spoofs; Gorey has signed this book at the colophon using one of the names, "Mrs. Regera Dowdy", being one of the many anagrams he used.
___DESCRIPTION: Stapled binding in illustrated black over grey cardstock wraps, the first page of text being "spoof" names, the story unfolds with two lines of text on the versos and the corresponding Gorey monochrome illustrations on the facing rectos, colophon printed on the recto of the rear wrap with the limitation number of "3" written by Gorey, his signature below signing as "Mrs Regera Dowdy"; oblong sixmo size (5" tall by 6" wide), unpaginated with sixteen leaves (thirty-two pages).
___CONDITION: Fine; the wraps are clean and without edgewear, the stapled binding is strong, the staples have not rusted, the interior is clean and bright, and it is entirely free of prior owner markings; clean, crisp, as new.
___CITATION: Toledano A100.
___POSTAGE: International customers, please note that additional postage may apply as the standard does not always cover costs; please inquire for details.
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Price: $250.00