The Globe By The Way Book - photo 1
The Globe By The Way Book - photo 2

The Globe By The Way Book

Lot 122
28.09.2023 13:00UTC +00:00
Classic
Sold
£ 22 680
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUnited Kingdom, London
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ID 1016352
Lot 122 | The Globe By The Way Book
Estimate value
£ 15 000 – 25 000
The Globe By The Way Book

P. G. Wodehouse

WODEHOUSE, P. G. (1881-1975) and Herbert WESTBROOK (d.1959). The Globe By The Way Book. London: The Globe Publishing Company, [1908].



First edition of a legendary Wodehouse rarity: we are able to trace just two copies in auction records. It gets its title from the ‘By the Way’ column, the front-page humour section of the British newspaper The Globe. Written in the spirit of the column, each page offers a nonsensical, whimsical and easily digestible slice of humour; it is, as the full title suggests, ‘a literary quick-lunch for people who have only got 5 minutes to spare’.



Westbrook was hired by Wodehouse as his assistant writer at The Globe in 1905 and the two authors would go on to collaborate on a total of five works: the semi-autobiographical novel Not George Washington (1907) the plays The Bandit’s Daughter (1907) and Brother Alfred (1913), the short story Rallying Round Old George (1912) and the present The Globe By the Way Book. Whilst Wodehouse would continue to have a prolific literary career, Westbrook ultimately remained almost anonymous with only three further book credits to his name: The Cause of Catesby, or Gunpowder Treason and Plot from 1905; The Purple Frogs in 1914; and Back Numbers in 1918. However, his influence on Wodehouse would be paramount and Westbrook is believed to have been an early model for the beloved character Stanley Featherstonehaugh Ukridge, known for his desire for success alongside his lack of motivation for work. The illustrations were carried out by William Kerridge Haselden (1872-1953), a celebrated English cartoonist and caricaturist, who worked for Tatler, St. James’s Gazette and The Daily Mirror. McIlvaine A10a (erroneously calling for a 10pp. insert).



Octavo (209 x 167mm). 2 leaves of publisher’s ads, illustrated throughout by W. K. Haselden, with 32 full-page illustrations, 8pp. insert between pp.32 and 33 (marginal chip to title not affecting text, small marginal tears to leaves E2-8 occasionally into text). Original wrappers printed in red and white (extremities rubbed, most heavily affecting spine, several small chips to lower edge of wrappers, front wrapper with two repaired tears, the largest 140mm, the lower wrapper with scattered creasing and four large tears expertly repaired); housed in modern red half morocco box.

Place of origin:Northern Europe, Europe, United Kingdom
Auction house category:Printed books
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
8 King Street, St. James's
SW1Y 6QT London
United Kingdom
Preview
28.09.2023 – 28.09.2023
Phone +44 (0)20 7839 9060
Email
4FQ.AYGKAGLUQ@FO3G@
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