Work in Progress not only appeared in various literary and artistic magazines, such as transition, from April 1924 — March 1938, but Joyce also published eight beautiful and limited deluxe editions of selected fragments from October 1928 — February 1938. Several of these publications included lettrines drawn and colored by his daughter, Lucia, whose artistic talents Joyce sought to encourage.

A. The largest of the fragments is Storiella as She Is Syung, Corvinus Press (London, 1937), with illuminated capital letter by Lucia Joyce. Limited to 175 numbered copies (with one additional, lettered copy) of which copies 1—25 are signed by the author. Of the three copies at Buffalo, this is "Copy #16" and belonged to Sylvia Beach. The text that appeared here was "The Opening and Closing Pages of Book II, Section II" (Finnegans Wake, pp. 260—275.02; 304.05—308).

B. The Mime of Mick, Nick and the Maggies, Servire Press (The Hague, 1934), with initial letter, tail-piece and cover designed by Lucia Joyce. The edition consisted of one thousand copies on Old Antique Dutch, numbered 1—1000 and 29 copies on Simili Japon of Van Gelder Zonen, bound in parchment, signed by James Joyce and Lucia Joyce and numbered I—XXIX. The number 29–the number of the special issue of this edition–is also the number of the Maggies. Open at the rear colophon, we see that this is "Copy #I": James Joyce’s copy. The text that appeared here was an earlier version of Book II, chapter 1 (Finnegans Wake, pp. 219—259).

C. A photo of Lucia Joyce in an advertisement for The Mime of Mick, Nick and the Maggies issued by the Servire Press, which was also the printer of transition at the time.

D. The most admired of the fragments: Anna Livia Plurabelle, Crosby Gaige (New York, 1928), with a preface by Padraic Colum. This edition was limited to 850 numbered and signed copies in brown cloth. A special issue of 50 unnumbered copies on green-tinted paper and bound in black was also printed: this is a copy of that special issue. The text that appeared here was an earlier version of Book I, chapter 8 (Finnegans Wake, pp. 196—216).

E. Below it is Nancy Cunard’s Obelisk Press edition of A Chaucer ABC (Paris, 1936), with all the initial lettrines designed and illuminated by Lucia Joyce, and a preface by Louis Gillet. This is copy #59 of 300 and it, too, was an item in Joyce’s personal, Paris library.

F. This is a photo by Berenice Abbot of Lucia in a dancing costume in the late 1920’s.

G. A composite of various fragments, Tales Told of Shem and Shaun, The Black Sun Press, rue Cardinale (Paris, 1929), was printed and published by Harry and Caresse Crosby. There is also a portrait of the author by Constantin Brancusi and a preface by C.K. Ogden. The edition was limited to 100 signed copies on Japanese Vellum; 500 copies on Holland Van Gelder Zonen; and 50 copies hors-commerce. This copy belonged to Joyce.

• Return To Top