SARDIA: A Story of Love
Inscribed first edition of this Gilded Age romance — featuring a bisexual femme fatale and a hashish party that makes the heroine shine.
Very good plus.
Price: $3,000.00
SARDIA: A Story of Love
"Oh, let's have a hashish party! Wouldn't it be glorious!"
In this romance among the American elite, a marriage of convenience slowly develops into the deeper stirring of true love based upon mutual respect and admiration. What makes the novel particularly remarkable is its depiction of bohemianism among upper-class New Englanders vacationing together. One night, the hosts throw a party where hashish is passed around, its effects discussed at length. On another occasion, the "other" woman, with her eye on the husband, also attempts to seduce another female house guest: "Her bare, rounded arms and full, throbbing throat softly caressed Lulu, who, with an enraptured expression and filmy haze in her eyes, still kept her charmed gazed on the other's face"; she placed "soft, clinging kisses on the high, white forehead, and hot, flushed cheeks [...] Lulu felt herself losing all power of reasoning."
Such unexpected elements in a popular romance of the era are less surprising from the pen of Daniels, a career journalist and editor who was also part of the Theosophy movement. In fact, Daniels includes Theosophy leader Helena Blavatsky as a (quite compelling) character in the novel; her wise machinations are partly what bring the couple to a happy ending. We locate only eight institutional holdings via OCLC, plus one more at the Lilly Library. An excellent example of the largely unplumbed depths of American popular romance novels of the 19th century.
The Object
Boston: Lee and Shepard, 1891. 7.25'' x 4.75''. Original light brown cloth, gilt-lettered spine and front board. Publisher's ads at rear. 299, [1], [4] pages. Inscribed by Daniels on front free endpaper: "To My Good Friend / Lucy, / With best wishes of the / Author. / May 1904. / Six weeks of Adventure." Ink owner name of Lucy A. Playze to verso of same leaf. Light edgewear to boards, slight spine lean. Thin strip of toning to title and dedication page. Else bright.
The Fine Print
We work hard to meet our ethical responsibility to describe our material accurately. All items are guaranteed as described and may be returned for any reason within 30 days. Please notify us before mailing a return.
We guarantee the authenticity of our items. All materials are original (meaning not facsimiles or reproductions) unless otherwise noted. First editions (meaning first edition, first printing) are explicitly stated. TPM is a member of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America and upholds their Code of Ethics.
All photographs are of the actual item for sale. We're happy to provide additional images on request.
All domestic orders ship gratis. For orders under $250, free USPS media mail shipping is included; orders $250 and over ship USPS Ground Advantage. International orders over $1000 also ship gratis. Expedited, overnight, as well as other carriers (UPS, Fed-Ex, etc.), may carry additional costs beyond quoted rates. All orders receive tracking information and a direct contact in case of any questions.
International buyers are responsible for any customs, taxes, and related import fees. Please note that we are unable to accomodate requests to misrepresent, misdeclare, or otherwise falsify customs documents when shipping internationally. We appreciate your understanding.
We accept all major credit cards, Paypal, Venmo, check, money order, and bank wire. We are happy to bill institutional buyers' needs. Sales tax will be added to applicable purchases. Items subject to prior sale.
If for any reason you are dissatisfied with your purchase, please contact us. We prioritize our long-term relationships far above any individual purchase, and we want you to love your item as much as we loved cataloguing it.
