Albert Pulcipher [pseud.]; Jonathan A. Taylor [illus.]

Simon Son of Maria: A Novel [Illustrator's Copy]

N.p. 1934. First Edition. Very Good. Item #21543

N.p.: 1934. Quarto (28cm.); original black cloth, printed paper label mounted to upper cover; [5],350ll. printed mimeographed from original typescript, pagination added in blue ink manuscript; original pencil and ink drawing signed "J. Taylor" bound in place of half title. Cloth a bit soiled and worn at extremities with brief exposure at corners, paper label slightly dampstained, else Very Good, internally sound. Slip tipped into title page notes that "Of the two novels submitted for the major award in Fiction, 'Simon Son of Maria' is first in order of writing. The name signed in the illustrated title-page is not that of the author." This copy presumed to be that of the artist Jonathan A. Taylor with his signature on front pastedown.

Unpublished and unrecorded religious novel "Submitted for Major Contest in Fiction" by Albert Pulcipher ("Nom de Plume"), retaining the lovely original artwork of a Jonathan A. Taylor depicting the cathedral around which the action is centered, looming above a snowy cottage. The titular character Simon is the result of the brief marriage between Maria, a lapsed Ursuline sister and a sickly young man named Peter. Much of the tension resides between Simon and his mother (who herself suffers at the hands of her own difficult mother) though the discovery of Simon's talents at the organ in the cathedral next door provides some catharsis in the end. A quietly unremarkable work of fiction by an author perhaps rightly reticient to divulge their real name--perhaps they did not want Mother to find out about this work.

Price: $500.00