Bitter Sweet

London: Chappell & Co.. n.d. [1929].

Signed by Coward and bound for his lover and manager John Wilson. First edition of the complete vocal score. Quarto. 275x210. pp. [4], 163, [1 advert]. Bound by Bumpus in red morocco with double fillet border in gilt to upper and lower cover, lettered in gilt to upper cover and spine. Some rubbing and wear to the corners. Original wrappers bound in. The front pastedown has the bookplate of Herbert Schimmel who put together the greatest collection of books and material related to Noel Coward and Ivor Novello. The title page has Coward's (somewhat faint) signature in mauve ink. A nice copy, with an excellent provenance, of this popular and highly successful romantic operetta which contains the wonderfully sentimental and nostalgic song "I'll see you again".

In centre of the upper cover, stamped in gilt is "J.W. from N.C.". J.W. is John Wilson and N.C. is, of course, Coward. Wilson was a stockbroker from New Jersey whose life became considerably more glitzy than these unpromising beginnings might have suggested. He and Coward met in 1924. Coward fell in love and Wilson became his business manager, in part so that they had an explanation for the amount of time they spent together. The two men lived together for a while (along with Coward's parents who no doubt provided additional cover). But Wilson was a loose cannon. A heavy drinker, he stole money from Coward who ignored his behaviour and demanded that others do so too. By the late 1930s, even Coward had tired of Wilson who returned to America where he became a successful theatre director and producer, Kiss me Kate being his biggest hit. He then married an emigrée Russian princess who found him amusing and, given that she disliked sex, was happy to ignore his gay philandering. Bitter Sweet indeed.