Joyce at Sotheby's

Europe Intelligence Wire, July 26, 2003 pNA
James Joyce at Sotheby's.

(From Irish Independent)

A LONG-lost presentation copy of A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man sold
at Sotheby's on 10 July for GBP 90,000. Three weeks after its publication the
book had been inscribed by James Joyce to Ezra Pound.

It was one of approximately 750 copies, the first English edition from
Huebsch's American sheets, and the inscription read: "To Ezra Pound most
gratefully and in friendship James Joyce Zurich: Switzerland 7 March 1917".

The legendary presentation copy from Joyce to Pound was long thought to have
been lost.

Only last year a copy sold in New York and inscribed to Grant Richards was
described as possibly the one "earmarked for Pound".

A close friendship between Pound and Joyce was central to Joyce's literary
career. Pound was responsible for the publication of A Portrait of the Artist
and other early works; he canvassed friends and patrons for financial support
for Joyce and his family; he sent Ulysses in manuscript to Margaret Anderson in
New York in 1918 where instalments appeared for the first time in The Little
Review; he encouraged Joyce to settle in Paris and found the family an
apartment; and he arranged a party in Paris where Joyce met Sylvia Beach of
Shakespeare & Co. who was to become the first publisher of Ulysses in 1922.

The first of 25 instalments of A Portrait appeared in the Egoist magazine on 2
February 1914, Harriet Shaw Weaver shouldering the main burden of editorial
responsibility.

After the publication of the book, Joyce asked Harriet Weaver to send him three
copies, two of which he wished personally to inscribe, one being the above copy
for Ezra Pound. The other was sent to Harriet Weaver of 7 March 1917 when he
wrote to her: "My sight is still weak but I hope out of danger. I have been ill
for four weeks. Many thanks for your letter, 3 books and reviews. I send you
today a copy for yourself."

This copy was inscribed: "To Harriet Weaver in token of gratitude James Joyce
Zurich:Switzerland 7 March 1917." It is now known that he inscribed Pound's
copy on the same day.

The Ezra Pound copy is being looked upon as the long-lost twin 'foundational'
presentation copy: Harriet Weaver as Joyce's greatest patron, and Ezra Pound as
his greatest mentor, publicist, and unofficial literary agent, "without whom A
Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man and Ulysses may never have been
published".