[Nelson Algren]; [Peter De Vries]; [George Sessions Perry]; Gray, Wailes - editor

The Calithump Vol 1 Nos. 1-4 and Vol 2 [whole] no. 5, March-July, 1934 [with] The Calithump Vol 1 No. 2, April, 1934, proof copy

Georgetown, TX: Wailes Gray, 1934. First edition. 6 vols., 8vos, 25x16cm, 32, 37, 34 (proof), 40, 52, and 49pp. chronologically. Wood block illustrations. Staple bound, printed wrappers, yapped edges, varying in design and color, proof copy sans wrappers. Generally very good with wear and soiling to wraps. Five of six issues of this important, regional literary magazine published by the husband and wife team of Wailes and Eunice Gray (although credited as Albert in the publication) of Georgetown, TX. The Calithump was published monthly from March to September of 1934, with no issue appearing in August. A blurb from the Marshall [TX] News Messenger, April 8th, 1934, described the publication as "a liberal literary journal... printed in an attic on ten dollars worth of type, but is a very neat piece of work with pleasing typography."


The Grays were helped in their publishing efforts by fellow Southwestern University attendee and Texas novelist, George Sessions Perry, who spent just a year at the Georgetown institution. Perry contributed four articles to the journal under the name Nick Kalantar.

Also found in these issues are two very early appearances by Nelson Algren in "Buffalo Sun," and "Lest the Traplock Click." In the June number, a tipped in note states "Beginning with the July number The Calithump makes an entré into modest payment, with five dollars for the first story in each issue." Algren, along with Peter De Vries whose very first appearances in print appear in the journal ("Nahum, I Baptize Thee," and "Men Marry Because they are Tired,") were thereby not paid for their efforts.

The proof in this lot is designated as such due to the lack of a table of contents, which in the comparative issue is printed on the recto of the Calithump definition page, where this proof begins with a blank. The proof ends with page 34, lacking the list of contributors and the final piece called "These Early Thirties," likely a last minute addition.

The Calithump is institutionally scarce, OCLC locating 12 listings under the title, most just an issue or two, and very few if any complete. This run lacks only the final issue, September, 1934.

Bruccoli C5, C7. Item #5054

Price: $650.00