Clayhanger by Arnold Bennett (FIRST AMERICAN EDITION), 1910 🇬🇧✍️🎄

This is a rare First American Edition, First Printing of Clayhanger by Arnold Bennett, the first book in his acclaimed trilogy.

The volume is classified as a top-shelf literary artifact, appealing to collectors of British Modernist/Realist fiction and Edwardian gift culture.

Its value is secured by its verifiable First Printing status in 1910 and a non-replicable Provenance Premium: a dated handwritten gift inscription from Christmas 1910.

2. About the Artwork/Book/Object 📖✍️✨ Clayhanger is a masterful work of Edwardian realism, set in the Staffordshire Potteries ("Five Towns"). It meticulously documents the early life of Edwin Clayhanger, his struggle against his rigid father, and his personal and artistic growth.

The book is bound in publisher's red cloth with the title and ornate decorative elements stamped in gold gilt . A unique internal feature is the printed NOTE detailing the author's future plans for the sequel novels (Hilda Lessways in 1911), which places this copy specifically at the moment of the trilogy's launch.

3. About the Artist/Author/Maker ✍️🏛️ Arnold Bennett (1867–1931) was a central figure in the literary world of early 20th-century Britain, celebrated for his detailed, realistic portrayals of working-class and provincial life. The Old Wives' Tale (1908) is cited on the title page as his previous famous work.

The publisher, E. P. Dutton & Company, was a major American house known for bringing influential British literary titles to the United States. This book's publication confirms the significant cross-Atlantic transfer of major literary works during the Edwardian era.

4. Historical/Political Era Context 🌍🕰️📜 This First Edition was published in 1910, marking the height of the Edwardian Era (which ended that year with the death of King Edward VII). The novel reflects the social realism movement that emerged to challenge the idealism of Victorian fiction.

The inscription "Christmas 1910" documents the book's acquisition as a new release, reflecting the practice of giving new, highly-regarded literary novels as premium holiday gifts. The inscription "From Doctor C." suggests the book was a personal gift among educated professionals.

5. The Ideal Collector 💡🧐🏛️ This volume is an essential acquisition for a curator of British Modernist Fiction and Edwardian Gift Provenance.

It is ideally suited for a collector who specializes in First Editions of major literary trilogies and seeks items with specific, dated personal inscriptions from the year of publication. The book belongs in a collection that prioritizes literary history and verifiable personal narrative.

6. Value & Rarity 💎✨🏛️ This book is a First American Edition, First Printing, a key bibliographical milestone. The volume is approximately 115 years old.

Its rarity is high due to its importance as the first book of the trilogy. The value is significantly elevated by its strong Provenance Premium: the handwritten inscription dated Christmas 1910, confirming the book was a first-day-of-sale gift. The internal Publisher's Note adds to its documentary rarity.

7. Condition 🔎📚✨ The physical condition has been assessed directly from the provided high-resolution photography. The book is deemed to be in Very Good Antique Condition.

• Binding: Bound in original publisher's red cloth with gilt stamping on the cover and spine .

• Printing: Confirmed as the First American Edition, First Printing.

• Inscription: Contains a clear handwritten, dated inscription in green ink on the front free endpaper.

• Internal Note: Includes the printed "NOTE" detailing the future trilogy plans.

• Wear: The cloth binding shows light rubbing and darkening along the spine and edges consistent with its age, but the gilt remains strong.

8. Fun Facts & Unique Features 🤓📜🤩

• The Trilogy: Clayhanger is the first part of a trilogy, followed by Hilda Lessways (1911) and These Twain (1916).

• The "Five Towns": Bennett famously based his fictional setting on the real-life industrial towns of the Staffordshire Potteries, lending his work a powerful sense of place.

• The Dedication Detail: The inscription is a rare example of a book being gifted on the exact holiday following its publication, underscoring its status as a literary event.

• The Literary Realism: The novel is a major example of literary realism, contrasting the romanticized view of Victorian life with the mundane details of industrial provincialism.

9. Supporting Information 🏷️📦💰

• Object Type: First Edition Novel (Literary Provenance Copy)

• Author: Arnold Bennett

• Title: Clayhanger

• Year/Period: 1910 (Copyright and Publication)

• Publisher: E. P. Dutton & Company

• Place of Origin: New York

• Format/Binding: Publisher’s Red Cloth with Gilt Stamping

• Edition/Rarity: First American Edition, First Printing (Provenance Artifact)

• Transcription of Inscription (Verbatim): To Clarence L. From Doctor C. Christmas 1910