George Abbott; Ann Preston Bridgers — Coquette: A Play in Three Acts

New York, Longmans, Green and Co, 1928 . First edition. Cloth. An exceptional example of the scarce first edition of George Abbott and Ann Preston Bridgers's tragic drama about a flirtatious Southern belle. The first edition, first printing, in the publisher's original unclipped dust wrapper. George Abbott and Ann Preston Bridgers's three-act tragedy follows a smalltown belle of good family who falls in love with an unsuitable young man. The play takes part over the course of seven months, and has eleven speaking characters. The 1927 first production starred Helen Hayes, and it was adapted into an early sound film in 1929 by United Artists. From the library of Clive Hirschhorn, theatre critic at the Sunday Express from 1966 to 1995, and a noted book collector of 20th century authors, with his collection including all the major works of Fitzgerald, Hemingway, Steinbeck and others. With Clive's characteristic inscription with his date of acquisition to the upper corner of the front pastedown.  In the publisher's original cloth backed, paper covered boards, with unclipped dust wrapper. A touch of shelf wear to back strip tail, otherwise fine. Dust wrapper back strip lightly age toned, with minor loss to back strip tail. Wraps bright. Internally, firmly bound. Pages clean and bright. Fine . Ill.: None. Fine/Near Fine.