The Diary of a Nobody (Signed Presenation Copy)

Signed Presentation copy from Weedon Grosssmith with inscription dated 1894 to head of the titlepage, "To Mrs Perryman". First Edition thus, in book form of this classic work of humour from which derived the term "Pooterish". It originated as an intermittent serial in Punch magazine in 1888–89. 8vo (7.5 x 5 ins); pp viii, [5], 14-300, [2]. Embellished throughout with in-text and full-page captioned illustrations by Weedon Grossmith. The last two leaf is a list of the Arrowsmith Bristol Library books available, followed by a list of books in the Arrowsmith 2/- series, then a list of book in the 3/6 series which is presented as the final pastedown. Half-title present,double portrait frontispiece, lacking tissue-guard, publisher's device to titlepage plus line drawn illustrations in the text by Weedon Grossmith. Publisher's original brown decorative cloth with lettering to upper board in blue and to the spine in gilt. Small stain to front, light rubbing to edges, head of spine lightly pulled. With the large bookplate of Anthony R. James, of Southwick, West Sussex, pasted inside front cover. A near fine copy, exceptionally rare to find in signed state. Considered a masterpiece of British humour, the Grossmiths's diary of the daily doings of Mr Charles Pooter and his wife, Carrie, has drawn praise from a galaxy of English literary figures. Hilaire Belloc hailed it "one of the half-dozen immortal achievements of our time", while Evelyn Waugh, having initially been scoffing, later heralded it as "the funniest book in the world". Other fans were Jerome K. Jerome, J.B. Priestly and Osbert Lancaster, who considered it "a great work of art". First edition thus, Volume XI in Arrowsmith's Three & Sixpenny series, originally published in Punch from 1888-9.