The World of Sex
A25a 1941 FIRST J.H.N. [ABRAMSON] EDITION
Natural finish black cloth boards. Red, gold and black mottled dust jacket
Published in June 1941, at $7.50. Although the limitation of "Two Hundred and Fifty Copies Printed" copies is stated on p. [1], the actual number of copies printed exceeds this number considerably and is believed to numbered from 750 to 1,000 copies.
Note: Only the First Edition was issued in a dust jacket and had gold lettering stamped onto the front board. All three variants which follow have printed paper labels glued to the front board. Actual binding of these variants would have occurred between 1941-1945.
A25b 1941 FIRST VARIANT FIRST EDITION
Natural finish black cloth boards with label lettered in black
Later binding of First Edition sheets, issued, at $7.50.
A25c 1941 SECOND VARIANT FIRST EDITION
Glossy finish black cloth boards with label lettered in black
Later binding of First Edition sheets issued at $7.50.
Note: The black cloth used for this variant is different from that described in A25b. Not only does the cloth of this edition have a noticeable sheen to it, but the criss-crossing of the linen fibers in the cloth are very pronounced.
A25d 1941 THIRD VARIANT FIRST EDITION
Natural finish blue cloth boards with label lettered in black
Later binding of First Edition sheets, issued at $7.50.
A25e 1946 SECOND J.H.N. [ABRAMSON] EDITION
Navy blue cloth boards
Published in February 1946, at $7.50, in an edition of (at least) 1,000 copies.
Note: This Second Edition was published by Ben Abramson of The Argus Bookshop, now relocated to New York City. Our listing of "Navy blue cloth boards" first, is arbitrary. The specific years the many bindings variants were first issued could not be determined, but would have been issued between 1946 and 1955.
A25f 1946 FIRST VARIANT SECOND EDITION
Bright blue cloth boards
Later binding of Second Edition sheets.
A25g 1946 SECOND VARIANT SECOND EDITION
Brown cloth boards
Later binding of Second Edition sheets.
A25h 1946 THIRD VARIANT SECOND EDITION
Red cloth boards
Later binding of Second Edition sheets.
A25i 1946 FOURTH VARIANT SECOND EDITION
Navy blue cloth boards
Later binding of Second Edition sheets.
Note: This variant appears is of the same cloth as A25e, but lacks the thick and thin rule which appears at the top and bottom of the spine of A25e.
A25j 1946 FIFTH VARIANT SECOND EDITION
Navy blue cloth boards
Later binding of Second Edition sheets.
Note: Though apparently the same cloth as in A25e, this variant has no lettering on the spine and the leaf size has been reduced.
A25k 1946 SIXTH VARIANT SECOND EDITION
Navy blue cloth boards
Later binding of Second Edition sheets.
Note: This variant also appears to be of the same cloth as A25e, but differs in that the thick and thin rule which appears at the top and bottom of the spine area is absent.
A25l 1946 SEVENTH VARIANT SECOND EDITION
Midnight blue cloth boards
Later binding of Second Edition sheets. See notes to A25d.
Note: The cloth for this edition looks black, but with proper light, is a very dark blue.
A25m 1956 EIGHTH VARIANT SECOND (PAPERBACK) EDITION
Gray wrappers with faint outline in white of a human figure showing a network of veins over the whole body
Later binding of Second Edition sheets.
Note: The pages have been trimmed and bound in wrappers rather than cloth boards. Several copies have been located in California with Emil White's inscription, and all are dated between 1960 and 1962. During this time period White was heavily into book selling and publishing, as noted by his Big Sur Guides, Henry Miller: Between Heaven and Hell, and other books. It is believed that he purchased unbound sheets of the Second Edition and began binding and distributing them following Abramson's death in 1955.
A25n 1956 NINTH VARIANT SECOND EDITION
Glossy, stiff red paper
Later binding of Second Edition sheets.
A25o 1957 FIRST OLYMPIA PRESS EDITION
Olive green wrappers
Published in May 1957, at 1.200 francs.
Note: Errata slip lists printing mistakes on pages 14-15, 32, 43, 45 and 110.
A25p 1959 SECOND OLYMPIA PRESS EDITION
Olive green wrappers
Published in April 1959, at 1.200 francs.
Note: Printing mistakes which appeared in the body of the text of the Third Edition have been corrected; however, a new error occurs on the copyright page where Henry is spelled, "Henri."
A25q 1959 VARIANT SECOND OLYMPIA EDITION
Olive green wrappers
Published in April 1959, and now reflects a price increase by having "15 N.F." printed over Franc: 1.200 on back wrapper.
A25r 1959 VARIANT SECOND OLYMPIA EDITION
Olive green wrappers
Published in April 1959 with a black sticker lettered in white that reads, "NEW PRICE / NF 18."
A25s 1959 THIRD OLYMPIA EDITION
Olive green wrappers
Published in April 1959 with "18 francs" printed on the back wrapper.
A25t 1959 VARIANT THIRD OLYMPIA PRESS EDITION
Olive green wrappers
Published in April 1959 at 9 FRANCS.
A25u 1959 PIRACY OF 1959 OLYMPIA EDITION
Cream-yellow wrappers flecked with green fibers
Published in 1959.
Note: On copy inspected only a portion of the manuscript fascimile is present on p. [109]. The world "SERIES" on the front wrapper is misspelled "SERIER." This pirated edition, produced by photo-offset from the April 1959 Olympia Press edition, has reduced leave measurement and uses thinner paper.
A25v 1965 FIRST GROVE BLACK CAT EDITION
White wrappers
1st - 2nd Printings: Published at 75¢.
3rd Printing: Published at 95¢.
5th Printing: Published at $1.50.
A25w 1965 FIRST GREENLEAF EDITION
White and red wrappers.
Published in 1965, at 60¢.
A25x 1967 FIRST COLLECTORS PUBLICATIONS EDITION
Published in December 1967, at $1.75.
Note: This unauthorized edition of The World of Sex which claims to be the First American edition, is in fact, the Fifth American Edition.
Any questions about Miller's book, corrections or new variations. Please email to:
washley@pacbell.net
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