First edition. Three volumes, bound in later half morocco over marbled boards by Riviere for Sotheran. The dedication copy, inscribed to friend and poet, Bryan Waller Procter, on the dedication page, on the day of publication, "From Wilkie Collins, August 15th 1860", above the printed dedication, "To Bryan Waller Procter; from one of his younger bretheren in literature, who sincerely values his friendship, and who gratefully remembers many happy hours spend in his house." Tipped in to the dedication page is a single page als from Collins, dated 13 May 1875, probably to Procter's widow, regretting he must refuse a dinner invitation due to illness. A very good set, internally clean with a trace of wear to the bindings.

The dedication copy of Wilkie Collins's best known novel and one of the most influential novels of the nineteenth century.
Although Collins's inscription is not personalised (the printed dedication making that redundant), book and inscription exactly match the description of Procter's copy in the sale of the his and his widow's books in 1888 (lot 145).
Bryan Waller Procter (1787-1874), solicitor, poet and essayist (under the pseudonym Barry Cornwall) and later Commissioner in Lunacy, counted many of the leading writers of the mid nineteenth century among his personal friends. He and his wife, the formidable Anne Benson Procter (neé Skepper) would hold lavish dinners for their literary friends. He was regarded as one of Dickens's closest friends, the young author writing that he was honoured with Procter's friendship. It was probably through Dickens that Procter met Collins in the early 1850s, and very soon became a regular at the Procter's literary soirées, though it would appear he was prone not to take up invitations. In a letter to Mrs Lehmann, Anne Procter, wrote "Wilkie, of course, did not come. He had dined out, and had smoked, so although some men who dined at the same house, he did not."
It is likely that Collins utilised Procter's specialist knowledge in lunacy for some of the details of The Woman in White. Whilst the book was in preparation, Procter had been called to examine the case of Ronisa Bulwer-Lyton, who at the request of her then husband, the aristocratic playwright, Edward Bulwer-Lyton, had been confined to the private lunatic asylum, Inverness Lodge. Following questions over the impartiality of the doctor in the matter, John Conolly, the Lunacy Commissioners, including Procter, released her.
"The case gained wide coverage, particularly as it came in the wake of recent liberalisation of the divorce laws, which highlighted questions about the rights of women in marriage.
It is inconceivable that Wilkie did not discuss Rosina's case with Dickens and Procter, who significantly was later the dedicatee of The Woman in White." - Andrew Lycett (Wilkie Collins: A Life of Sensation)
Wilkie Collins was apparently very sparing with his presentation copies and they are of the utmost scarcity in commerce. Only two inscribed first editions are recorded at auction in the last forty years, and a brief census of institutionally held presentation copies, shows but a mere handful more and also strongly indicates that Collins only inscribed to close friends such as Lizzie Graves (Collins's daughter in law), Henry Buller (literary friend), F Carr Beard (Collins's doctor) and Dickens. We can locate no other presentation copy of the first edition of Woman in White having been offered for sale.

PROVENANCE: Bryan Waller Procter (1787-1874); by descent to his widow, Anne Benson Proctor (1799-1888); Sold at auction by Puttick & Simpson, "The Library of the Late Mrs. Anne B. Procter (widow of Barry Cornwall) Consisting Mostly of Presentation Copies of Modern Works with Authors' Autograph Inscriptions", lot 145, 16 July 1888 (copy of page from auction catalogue included).

Stock ID: 33065