Ravenna
London: Thos. Shrimpton and Son, 1878. First Edition. With crest on wrapper, title page, and with woodcut on the last page. Wilde’s first book.
Wilde’s poem was the Newdigate Prize winner for 1878, presented at Oxford University for best poetry. “During a vacation ramble in 1877 [Wilde] started from Greece, [and] visiting Ravenna by chance on the way, he obtained material for a poem on that ancient city, and singularly enough, Ravenna was afterwards given out as the topic for the Newdigate competition.” (Hamilton, The Aesthetic Movement in England, as quoted by Mason, pg. 243).
8vo. 16pp. Mason, pg. 241. Very good in original gray-green printed wrappers which are a bit browned at edges and with a few small chips. Now housed in a custom chemise and green morocco-backed slipcase. Item #236
Price: $2,000.00