Books

True first edition, first printing, of the author's early romance novel, preceding the first British edition by three months. We can trace only two other examples of the jacket in auction records. This copy is from the collection of Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts (1941-2021), with his posthumous bookplate. Octavo. Original black cloth, spine and front cover lettered in gilt, two oval onlaid illustrations to front cover. With dust jacket. Housed in a green cloth flat-back box by the Chelsea Bindery. Frontispiece, with tissue guard, and 4 illustrated plates by Will Grefé. Binding remarkably bright, just a few small bumps to extremities; dust jacket slightly soiled, edges lightly chipped with some loss to head of spine affecting first word of title, flaps without price as issued: a fine copy in an exceptionally well-preserved dust jacket. Jasen 15; McIlvaine A15a.

The Prince and Betty is a romantic novel by P. G. Wodehouse, set partly in New York City. It features a young couple, Betty Keith and John Maude, who navigate various interpersonal and societal obstacles to be together.