DUNSANY, Lord (Edward John Moreton Drax Plunkett, 18th Baron Dunsany, 1878-1957). The Travel Tales of Mr. Joseph Jorkens. London: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1931. 8vo. 305 pp. Publisher's blue cloth stamped gilt in original price-clipped dust jacket. FIRST EDITION, FIRST PRINTING OF DUNSANY'S FIRST COLLECTION OF JOSEPH JORKENS TALES. 

Dunsany's Joseph Jorkens (often just "Jorkens") first appeared in "The Tale of the Abu Laheeb" in The Atlantic Monthly in 1926 and went on to become the subject of more than 150 stories and several collections. This volume is Dunsany's first full collection of Jorkens tales, presenting thirteen individual stories, including "The Tale of the Abu Laheeb." "In recording these tales that I have had from Mr. Jorkens, as nearly verbatim as I am able to remember them, I trust that I may have filled a gap here and there amongst the experience of travellers. I even hope for these tales that they may at certain points advance the progress of Science, and establish our knowledge upon a firmer basis..." 

Jacket soiled and edge worn, price-clipped, with several tears and sections of minor paper loss. Despite the jacket, this is a fine, bright copy.