Anthony Powell – Three Key First Editions of his early novels ALL SIGNED AND INSCRIBED TO HIS CLOSE FRIEND, JOHN HEYGATE – Consisting: Venusberg/A View To A Death and Agents and Patients

Description

Three key first edition of his early novels ALL SIGNED AND INSCRIBED TO HIS CLOSE FRIEND, JOHN HEYGATE, the second work being the dedication copy. Published in London by Duckworth, his former employers, from 1932-1936.

Venusberg: 

A first edition, first printing published by Duckworth in 1932. Spine darkened but with some fading at foot, covers rather marked, a little cocked, edges a little spotted, some spotting of prelims. Inscribed by the author to the future Sir John Heygate Bt, “For John Heygate, from Tony Powell, with every sort of noble sentiment, October 6th 1932. ‘And Oh! far worse than all beside’”. Heygate’s manuscript notes feature on the rear free endpaper. Two pages of publisher’s advertisements at end. The author’s second novel, dedicated to the British composer Constant and Florence (Constant Lambert and his wife Florence). Heygate was at Eton and Oxford (Balliol College) with Powell and had published his own first novel, ‘Decent Fellows’, in 1930; Powell would later review Heygate’s third novel, ‘Talking Picture’ (1934), in ‘Now and Then’, and his sixth novel, ‘Kurumba’ (1949), anonymously for ‘The Times Literary Supplement.’

A View To A Death: THE DEDICATION COPY OF THE AUTHOR’S THIRD NOVEL:

A first edition, first printing, published by Duckworth in 1933. Two pages of publisher’s advertisements at end. Spine slightly faded, covers mildly marked, corners slightly rubbed, a little cocked, fore-edge slightly spotted, endpapers a little spotted and embrowned. Printed ‘For John and Evelyn’ on the half-title and inscribed: ‘For John with the author’s love. Oct 4th 1933.’ ‘John and Evelyn’ were John Heygate and his wife, Evelyn, nee Gardner, one of ‘The Bright Young People’ of the 1920s who had been the wife of Evelyn Waugh. Their affair had become public in 1929, soon after her marriage to Evelyn Waugh and the Waugh’s marriage was annulled soon after.

Agents and Patients:

A first edition, first printing published by Duckworth in 1936. Spine slightly faded, covers somewhat marked, a little cocked, some spotting of prelims. Three pages of publisher’s advertisements at end. Inscribed by the author to the future Sir John Heygate, ‘For John from Tony [within a decorative HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE garter drawn by Powell] January 8th 1936’. Loosely inserted is a news-cutting of The Daily Telegraph’s obituary (part by Allan Massie), 1991, of Heygate’s elder son, Sir George Heygate Bt. The author’s fourth novel, dedicated to Violet Georgiana, his wife, Lady Violet Powell who he had married on 1 December 1934. “As a friend of both bride and groom,” records Powell’s biographer Hilary Spurling, “John Heygate threatened to disrupt proceedings by changing his seat from one side to the other at intervals throughout the service”.

Heygate occupies an unfortunate place in 20th-century literary history as the man who stole Evelyn Waugh’s first wife, née Evelyn Gardner, at a party that Powell himself and Constant Lambert gave in June 1929. An event which marked, writes Powell’s biographer Hilary Spurling, “a stage of no return in the break-up of the Waughs’ marriage”. Evelyn married John in 1930 but the couple divorced six years later. Heygate would later appear as ‘John Beaver’ in Evelyn Waugh’s ‘A Handful of Dust’ in 1934. This novel would become known as one of Waugh’s finest works. Heygate remained a close friend of Powell’s, a regular correspondent and his trusted literary confidant. He died by suicide in 1976.