Comprises: Arkham House books (most with Louttit’s bookplate), 14 volumes, contains: The Outsider and Others. Dj (art by Virgil Finlay). 1st. 1939. First book published by Arkham House; only 1268 copies printed. Assembled by August Derleth & Donald Wandrei. First of 3 projected volumes of Lovecraft’s works, this title was designed to include his best stories along with his monograph ‘Supernatural Horror in Literature’ (1927), which appears here for the first time in its’ fully revised state” – Joshi, Sixty Years, p.22. [Joshi I-A-15]; Bleiler 1040. * Beyond the Wall of Sleep. Dj (art by Burt Trimpey). 1st. 1943. Assembled by August Derleth & Donald Wandrei. Only 1217 copies. “The second Lovecraft omnibus, containing his remaining fiction, an array of his ‘revisions’…and an extensive selection of his poetry…[and] two previously unpublished short novels…” – Joshi, Sixty Years, p.25. [Joshi I-A-17]; Bleiler 1041. Offsetting to rear endpaper due to related newspaper clipping (which is included). * Marginalia. Dj (art by Virgil Finlay). 1st. 1944. Only 2035 copies. “Contains a number of important articles and memoirs about Lovecraft…the first biographical essay on Lovecraft…” – Joshi, Sixty Years, p.29-30. [Joshi I-A-19]; Bleiler 1042. * The Lurker at the Threshold by Lovecraft & Derleth. Dj (art by Ronald Clyne). 1st. 1945. Only 3041 copies. The first of sixteen “posthumous collaborations” between Derleth & Lovecraft, in which Derleth wrote tales around fragments and plot-germs found among Lovecraft’s papers. [Joshi I-C-33]. No bookplate. * Something About Cats and Other Pieces. Dj (art by Ronald Clyne). 1st. 1949. Only 2995 copies. [Joshi I-A-25-a]. * The Survivor and Others by Lovecraft & Derleth. Dj (art by Ronald Clyne). 1st, one of 2096 copies. Seven “posthumous collaborations.” [Joshi I-E-i-22 & I-A-46]. * The Shuttered Room and Other Pieces. Dj (art by Richard Taylor). 1st, one of 2527 copies. 1959. [Joshi I-A-32]. * Dreams and Fancies. Dj (art by Richard Taylor). 1st, one of 2030 copies. 1962. [Joshi I-A-33]. * The Dark Brotherhood and Other Pieces. Dj (art by Frank Utpatel). 1st, one of 3460 copies. 1966. [Joshi I-A-43]. * The Arkham Sampler. Wrappers. 4 issues. Vol. I, Nos. 1-4. Entire 1948 year. 100 pages each. Each 1 of 1200 copies. “A fine mixture of tales, articles, poems, and reviews. [Joshi Nos. 27-30]. One without bookplate. * Sixty Years of Arkham House, compiled by S.T. Joshi. Dj (art by Allen Koszowski). 1st, one 3500 copies. 1999. * VARIOUS other related publications, each with Louttit’s bookplate (except one): The Weird Shadow Over Innsmouth. Color pictorial paperback. 1st. Bartholomew House, [1944]. [Joshi I-A-18]. * The Dunwich Horror. Color pictorial paperback. 1st. Bartholomew House, [1945]. [Joshi I-A-23; Bleiler, p.126]. * Supernatural Horror in Literature. Dj. 2nd printing. Ben Abramson, 1945. [Joshi I-A-21-a-2]. * Best Supernatural Stories of H.P. Lovecraft. Dj (price clipped). 3rd printing. World Pub., [1945]. [Joshi I-A-22-a-3]. * H.P.L.: a memoir by August Derleth. Tipped-in frontispiece portrait from photo of Lovecraft. Dj. 1st. Ben Abramson, 1945. [Joshi I-C-32]. * H.P. Lovecraft and Lovecraft Criticism: An Annotated Bibliography by S.T. Joshi. Cloth, no dj (as issued). 1st. Kent State Univ. Press, [1981]. (No bookplate). * Other wrapper-bound booklets and catalogues (most with Louttit’s bookplate), include: Walter, Dorothy. Lovecraft and Benefit Street. 1 of 150 copies. Driftwood Press, 1943. [Joshi III-C-25]. * Scott, W. Townley. “The Haunter of the Dark: Some Notes on…Lovecraft” in Books at Brown, Vol. VI, No. 3, March 1944. [Joshi III-D-555]. * Grant-Hadley. Rhode Island on Lovecraft. Dec. 1945. [Joshi III-C-14]. * Publisher’s Weekly. 2 copies: “News from the Rare Book Sellers” by Jacob Blanck, Vol. 148, No. 25, 2726-27. Dec. 22, 1945 & Vol. 150, No. 22, 3046-47. Nov. 30, 1946. (Notes on the hoax surrounding the mysterious / mythical Necronomicon). [Joshi III-D-46]. * Saturday Review of Literature, Vol. XXX, No.16. April 19, 1947. * An Infrequent Catalogue, 1954. House of El Dief: Lew David Feldman. Jamaica, NY: Lew David Feldman. With Lovecraft selections for sale. * The University of Detroit Quarterly, Fresco: Howard Phillips Lovecraft Memorial Symposium. Vol. 8, No. 3. Spring, 1958. * Brown University Library Staff Bulletin, Vol. 23, No. 3. With “Special Collections, III. The Howard Phillips Lovecraft Collection” (John Hay Library) by SKC. Jan. 1962. * “H.P. Lovecraft: Genius of the Macabre” by Laurence Goldstein in the Herald Review, Vol. 36, Jan. 1966. (With Louttit’s subscription label addressed to Brown University). * A Bibliographic Catalog of the largest collection ever offered for sale of the works of Clark Ashton Smith & H.P. Lovecraft. Roy A. Squires, June 1968. [Joshi III-G-iv-7]. * Bloch, Robert, Fritz Leiber, T.E.D. Klein. The First World Fantasy Convention: Three Authors Remember. Loosely laid in is a typed letter to Mrs. Louttit, signed by Marc Michaud, expressing his thanks for her kind letter and states: “While I never had the pleasure of meeting your husband, I am well aware of the many fine things he did for Brown University and in particular the John Hay Library, where I have worked since first coming to Brown. Prof. Sherman has always spoken highly of Mr. Louttit, and I am sure that your husband’s memory will live on with the many fine volumes he donated to Brown over the years.” On Necronomicon letterhead, dated Feb. 1, 1981. Also with Vol.I, No. 3 of the Necronomicon Notes (1980). Necronomicon Press, 1980. * Catalogue No. 78 of Philip C. Duschnes listing The Necronomicon (Item 511) for sale. Gives a full catalogue entry for the book, as written by Abdul Alhazred, translated from Arabic into Latin by Olaus Wormius, published in Madrid, 1647. This was a hoax created by Mr. Duschnes. This entry shook up the antiquarian book trade and caused a major confusion to Lovecraft scholars / collectors. The Necronomicon was believed to be an ancient book of demonology, which existed only in Lovecraft’s mind. Includes two related newspaper clippings (from Oct. 13 and 20, 1946 Bookman’s Galley, Joshi III-D-551, of which whole copies are exceedingly rare), laid in. * Plus, a few paper items, including: “The Ten-Cent Ivory Tower” by John Wilstach, 6 pp. extracted from Esquire, 25, No. 1 (Jan. 1946). (With Louttit’s loose bookplate). [Joshi III-G-iv-11]; “Howard Phillips Lovecraft as His Wife Remembers Him” by Sonia H. Davis the article clipping from The Providence Journal newspaper, 64, No. 8 (Aug. 22, 1948). [Joshi III-D-134]; and one other related newspaper clipping. Together, 33 volumes + various related paper items. Illustrations. 8vo. 14 cloth-bound, all but one in jackets; rest wrappers, some placed inside old envelopes with typed titles, presumably by Louttit himself. First Editions, first printings (except two).
Rare and important Lovecraft collection, with special provenance. Nearly every book and item assembled here is from the library of William Easton Louttit of Providence, Rhode Island, most containing his bookplate. Has every significant Arkham House book, scarce booklets, catalogues and other interesting ephemeral pieces. Mr. Louttit was the official archivist for the John Hay Library at Brown University during the 1950’s to 70’s. He was an avid collector of material by or about John Hay as well as H.P. Lovecraft. He also donated many rare and early Rhode Island manuscripts and several Lovecraft related items. According to the University’s website, their Lovecraft collection includes “Extensive holdings of manuscripts, letters, editions…works in all languages, periodicals, biographical and critical works, and many supportive collections of manuscript and printed materials of Lovecraft friends and associates.” The John Hay Library at Brown University holds the largest special collection of H.P. Lovecraft material for public display. Many of which due to the contributions of Mr. Louttit. As most Lovecraft followers know, his readership was limited during his life and it wasn't until the late 1930's (just after his death) that there was a great appreciation for his significance to the horror genre and to 20th century American literature. Lovecraft has been hailed as the 20th century equivalent of Edgar Allan Poe and wrote in a style he called "cosmic horror."