DERLETH, August (1909-71). The Mask of Cthulhu, Sauk City, Arkham House, 1958, 8vo, original black cloth gilt, dust-jacket. AN EXCEPTIONALLY FINE COPY OF THE FIRST EDITION.

DERLETH, August (1909-71).  The Mask of Cthulhu. Sauk City, Wisconsin: Arkham House, 1958. 8vo (186 x 132mm). Half title, woodcut printer's device on the title. Original black cloth, the spine lettered in gilt, the dust-jacket by Richard Taylor with the price of $3.50 unclipped (some light staining to the pastedowns). AN EXCEPTIONALLY FINE COPY OF THE FIRST EDITION. A printed note at the end states: "Two thousand copies of this book have been printed by The Collegiate Press, George Banta Company, Inc., Menasha, Wisconsin, from linotype Garamond on Winnebago Eggshell. The binding cloth is Holliston Black Novelex." A printed publisher's note on the front turn-in states: "With publication of The Lurker of the Threshold in 1945, it was patent that themes and concepts of the Lovecraft Mythos had fallen into able hands. The Mask of Cthulhu will confirm the belief of one reviewer, who wrote, 'It is evident that August Derleth, who has already revealed his creative talents in other fields, is fully capable of adding to the Cthulhu Mythos in a vein and a manner which would certainly have won Lovecraft's approval.' These are tales of terror and horror, grown from mankind's ageless struggle between good and evil ..." Please note that the original dust-jacket has been photographed in its modern protective archival Mylar wrapper, thereby avoiding any risk of damage through its temporary removal. Bleiler The Guide to Supernatural Fiction (1983) 521; Jaffery The Arkham House Companion (1992) 53.