-1930 Madman’s Drum

118 wood engravings ranging in size from 100 x 76 to 127 x 102 mm.

NOTE: Mad Man’s or Madman’s?? Looking at the dust jacket – there appears to be a slight space between “Mad” and “Man’s” suggesting two words. However Ward in some quotes appears to lean to Madman’s (this could just be the person taking notes as Ward speaks????)

The novel centers on a slave trader who kills an African man and steals his drum, which is engraved with a distinct face of a demon… [His son’s] wife’s and daughters’ lives end tragically, and with a demented expression on his face, he ends up walking away hand-in-hand with the jester.

Beronä, Wordless Books. p. 52

Madman’s Drum is set a hundred years or more ago and takes place in an obviously foreign country. But the things that happen to the central character, from boyhood through adolescence to the final crisis of his maturity, are not unique to a distant time and place. Given the modifications imposed by varying social systems, they can be encountered almost anywhere at any time. . .
Lynd Ward on Madman’s Drum.

Madman’s Drum – Proof Copy

Publishers produce proofs for a variety of reasons not the least of which is to allow the author to review the book before it goes into production. In May of 2023 Royal Books Inc advertised a copy described as follows: unbound signatures, in a plain contemporary box as issued.

Images from Royal Books

Madman’s Drum – Limited Edition

pages were printed directly from the wood blocks.
132 leaves, including two blanks
pages printed recto
Signed and Numbered.
309 copies of which 299 are for sale. I am not sure how the 10 copies are designated, if at all, ie #5 appears to be the same as all other numbered copies – Any information is welcomed.
Published by Jonathan Cape & Harrison Smith Inc. of 139 East 46th Street, New York (it was published simultaneously by the firm’s offices at 91 Wellington Street, West Toronto, Canada and Cape’s own office at 30 Bedford Square, London).
The book was printed by the Plimpton Press of Norwood, Massachusetts.
Limited edition is all black cloth with woodcut on upper corner of front cover and a woodcut label on the spine.
Came in a slip case but presumably no dust jacket.

5, 190, and 306 all appear to be numbered in the same manner, so were the 10 copies that were “not for sale” differentiated in any way OR are there 319 copies?

Madman’s Drum Trade Edition – two 1st printings?

Printed from electrotypes.

1st trade done in New York as well as a slightly different printing in London England – does anyone have further details? wn@wordlessnovels.com

—-Trade New York 1st Printing 1930

Top edge tinted black; for-edge uncut; bottom edge cut.
Published by Jonathan Cape, Harrison Smith in New York.
the end papers used on the limited edition were used here for the cover of this book