Book Question

[violsva]

This is the copyright page of my copy of Dorothy L. Sayers’ The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club:

The relevant information is “First published in Great Britain by Victor Gollancz Ltd. in 1921.”

The problem is, afaict this book was first published in 1928, by Ernest Benn Ltd. Cursory investigation indicates that Gollancz split off from Benn in 1927, so it may have had something to do with the publication; but it didn’t exist at all in 1921, and Sayers didn’t publish her first novel until 1923.

Does anyone know why this is in the New English Library edition?

(My copy was purchased in a used book store in Ontario in the 2010s, so that's not much help.)

Comments

[niqaeli]

My first guess would be that the date is a typo that slipped past a copy editor and that the date ought've been 1927 or 1928. The inconsistent imprint information is probably due to confusion resulting from the one splitting off from the other in that timeframe.

[violsva]

7 would definitely be a lot easier to confuse with 1.

[antisoppist]

My UK NEL paperback published in 2003 says "First published in Great Britain in 1928 by Ernest Benn".

I checked in The Letters of Dorothy L. Sayers volume 1. A note before a letter to Gollancz in October 1927 reads: "Victor Gollancz was the managing director of the books department at Benn Brothers. In 1927 he set up his own publishing firm, with Stanley Morrison as typographer. DLS was impressed by him and told him she wished him to act as her publisher when her contract with Benn ran out."

In the following letter to Victor Gollancz (29 October 1927) Sayers says that unfortunately Benn is going to hold her to her contract ("I gather he rather means to have his bond") for two more books. This means she can't offer Gollancz the current book, which is The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club, but she suggests he could publish her short stories instead. "Of course I haven't lost all hope of rescuing the novels, but I don't actually want a violent row with Benn, because it never pays to make enemies of people, does it? You never know how things might come back on you - and of course legally the man has his rights, and if he says he paid money for a thing and I'm now trying to take the thing away, I suppose he has a claim to what he has paid for."

He then asks her to edit a collection of short stories of detection, mystery and horror for him to which she replies (25 November 1927) "Also many thanks for what you say about my short stories. I will start as soon as I can to lick them into presentable shape. I am seeing Benn on Tuesday, so we shall know then about the novels. If he is adamant, then I'll push the Bellona Club story ahead for him and the shorts for you - and if his publicity and yours should burst on the world side by side it will no doubt be to everybody's advantage and the admiration of a dazzled world!"

Benn published Unnatural Death, Bellona Club and Documents in the Case, the last two being the ones she was still contractually obliged to produce for him at the time she wanted to switch publisher, and Gollancz published them after that.

This doesn't help at all with why your copy has the wrong date in it but it is definite evidence that it is wrong, and I hope interesting background information!

[violsva]

Thanks, that's fascinating!