Remembrance of Things Past.

London: Chatto & Windus / Alfred A. Knopf,, 1922-31. First printings in English of this modern masterpiece First editions in English, first impressions, scarce as a complete set. Proust himself read Scott-Moncreiff's translation of Swann's Way, which came out on 19 September 1922, and wrote to him on 10 October 1922 to compliment his "fine talent". The translation was published episodically: Swann's Way (2 vols., 1922), Within a Budding Grove (2 vols., 1924), The Guermantes Way (2 vols., 1925), Cities of the Plain (2 vols., 1929, this number 361 of 2,230 copies), The Captive (1929), and The Sweet Cheat Gone (1930). The final volume of the sequence, Time Regained (1931), was completed after Scott Moncrieff's death by his friend Sydney Schiff, under the pseudonym Stephen Hudson (this number 571 of 1,300 printed). Knopf, then attempting to break into the English market, published Cities of the Plain, The Captive, and The Sweet Cheat Gone under his own imprint, though uniform with the Chatto & Windus volumes. It is difficult, therefore, to find the complete set of first impressions together. Proust's À la recherche du temps perdu was first published in France from 1913 and 1927. It is universally acclaimed as among the most influential works of modern fiction. 11 vols, octavo. Original blue cloth, spines lettered in gilt. Time Regained with dust jacket. Swann's Way, in two vols (1922), the spines darkened and with small nicks at the head and tail. The contents, toned and with a small gift inscription at the head of each front endpaper, a couple of nicks to the fore-edge of then endpaper of volume II, are otherwise clean throughout. Within A Budding Grove, in two vols (1924), the spines a touch darkened and bumping at the head and tail. The contents, toned but clean throughout. The Guermantes Way, in two vols (1925), the spine of volume II a little darkened and with a previous owner's name to the front pastedown. Both vols are spotted to the endpapers but otherwise clean throughout. Cities of the Plain, in two vols (1929) lightly rubbed to titles and extremities, some very minor spotting within, Times Book Club tickets to rear pastedowns. The Captive (1929), the binding square and firm, the cloth bright with a few light marks to the upper board. The contents, with previous owner's signatures to the front endpaper and mild foxing of the prelims, are otherwise clean throughout. The Sweet Cheat Gone (1930), the binding square and firm, the cloth a little marked at the bottom edge of the upper board and a touch darkened to the spine. The contents, a little spotted to the prelims are otherwise clean throughout. Time Regained (1931) is a near fine copy, the binding square and tight, the cloth and gilt bright. The contents, with some offsetting to the endpapers are otherwise clean throughout. Complete with the very good, rubbed and nicked dustwrapper that has small chips to the spine tips and fold corners, and a closed tear to the upper edge of the rear spine fold. The spine a touch darkened.