Oxford Poetry 1925-1930. Edited by Patrick Monkhouse and Charles Plumb; W. H. Auden & C. Day-Lewis; Clere Parsons and B. B.; Louis MacNeice; Stephen Spender and Bernard Spencer.
Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1925-30. Crown 8vo. 6 volumes. First editions. Original navy wrappers (1925) and parchment backed navy boards (1926-30) with printed paper labels to the spine and front cover. 1925: Wrapper edges curled with a little rubbing to the spine head and a short tear to the front joint. 1926-30: Parchment tanned as usual. Contents clean and fresh. Near fine. Item #8357
1925 includes three poems by Harold Acton and two by Graham Greene (the same year as his 'Babbling April') but this group was clearly collected by the former owner to contain all the contributions by 'MACSPAUNDAY' and begins with two poems by Cecil Day-Lewis in this issue. W. H. Auden appears as co-editor the following year and allowed himself three poems (C.D.L. scores four). They share the editing in 1927 and wrote a Preface together but this year marks the first appearance of Louis MacNeice with three poems. Day-Lewis has gone by 1928 but Auden and MacNeice are joined by Stephen Spender and the latter two are co-editors in 1929 after Auden has moved on. Spender co-edits again in 1930 and that year brings the contributions of these four poets to an end. Uncommon individually and scarce as a set and in this condition.
Price: £1,100.00