Fowey Festival Online Winter Auction – How about bidding on some of these hardback early novels by Daphne du Maurier

As well as the two Daphne du Maurier first editions in the Fowey Festival Online Winter auction that we told you about in our last 'Online Winter Auction' bulletin, there are several other early du Maurier titles, all of which are reprints, so probably a little more affordable than the first editions.  Here is what you need to know about them.

The Loving Spirit was Daphne du Maurier's first novel, a family saga set against a background of Cornish shipbuilders.  Daphne wrote this novel at Ferryside, and it was originally published in 1931.  The copy in the auction is a hardback 1946 reprint in dustwrapper.  You can see from the image that the dustwrapper has some chipping to the edges and a little fading to the spine.  Also, the page edges are a little foxed.  The overall condition is Good Plus.  Hardback copies of The Loving Spirit are not that common, so this would be an excellent opportunity to get a copy.  Expect to pay about £30 - £40, depending on how many people are bidd

Jamaica Inn is one of Daphne du Maurier's most famous books.  It was her first novel to be published by Victor Gollancz in his familiar yellow, black and magenta dustwrappers.  Originally published in 1936, this copy is a hardback 1947 reprint, in dustwrapper, with chips and foxing to the dustwrapper, but in overall Good Plus condition.  As you can see in the image, this copy is described as a 'Cheap Edition' on the front of the dustwrapper.  This strategy made printing large quantities of books possible despite wartime paper shortages by using thinner, cheaper paper and a smaller typeface.  A second set of plates had to be made for the cheap editions to be printed.  Printing reverted to the original plates once the need to conserve paper had ended.

 

Frenchman's Creek is the only novel that Daphne du Maurier acknowledged as being a romance.  She wrote it during wartime and wanted it to be a more light-hearted novel and cheer people up during the desperation of war.  It has become a book of enduring popularity.  Originally published in 1942, this copy is a hardback, 1947 reprint, 'Cheap Edition.  The dustwrapper has some foxing and discolouration to the spine, and the endpapers are lightly foxed.  Overall, the book is in Good Plus condition.

Hungry Hill is Daphne du Maurier's family saga about a copper mining family in Ireland.  It was originally published in 1943.  This copy is a hardback, 1948 reprint, 'Cheap Edition.  The dustwrapper has some foxing and discolouration to the spine, and the page edges are a little discoloured.  Overall, the book is in Good Plus condition.   

The Parasites is Daphne du Maurier's most autobiographical novel.  It tells the story of the Delaney's, a theatrical family, and includes several hilarious moments.  It was the first book Daphne wrote in her writing hut in the grounds of Menabilly.  Originally published in 1949, this copy is a 1951 hardback reprint 'Cheap Edition.  The dustwrapper has discolouration to the spine and a small hole to the front.  The page edges are discoloured.  The book is in overall Good Plus condition.