The Ballad of Reading Gaol. By C.3.3

London, 1898. First edition, ONE OF 30 COPIES on Japanese vellum. 1 vols. 8vo. Cinnamon-colored cloth, vellum spine. Covers show slight insect damage and minor soiling, spine a bit soiled, otherwise a very good copy in a quarter blue morocco slipcase with chemise and with the bookplate and signature of actress LENA ASHWELL (1872-1957) on the front pastedown. First edition, ONE OF 30 COPIES on Japanese vellum. 1 vols. 8vo. First edition of Wilde's legendary poem, written while he was imprisoned, in its rarest state - being one of only 30 copies printed on Japanese vellum.

This copy comes from the distinguished library of the actress Lena Ashwell (1872-1957), who as a young actress toured in Wilde's Lady Windermere's Fan in 1891, later becoming actor-manager of the Savoy Theatre. Ashwell was particularly troubled by the news of Wilde's arrest, and wrote later: "... the atmosphere of London was horrible and cruel. His plays were so very brilliant, and I had seen this when I was in Lady Windermere's, so I felt that he was a friend and in desperate trouble." Later, during WWI, she is known to have pioneered the organization of entertainments on a large scale for the British troops in France (Leask, Margaret, Lena Ashwell: Actress, Patriot, Pioneer, 2012).

An excellent association copy of an essential Wilde rarity. Mason 372