Shaw (George Bernard) Widowers' Houses, a Comedy...First Acted at the Independent Theatre in London, FIRST EDITION, bookplate of Frank L. Hogan, long inscription by Conan O'Riordan to John Galsworthy on flyleaf, a further inscription by Shaw to E.V. Lucas filling recto and verso of half title, very light overall browning, original blue cloth, gilt lettering, some rubbing to extremities, front hinge cracking, 8vo, preserved in a morocco case by Bennett of N.Y., Henry and Co. 1893. ***The first edition of Shaw's first play, printed in an edition of no more than 500 copies. O'Riordan writes to Galsworthy to excuse his absence from a fundraising event, offering the book to be sold for the benefit of the Royal Literary Fund instead, and suggesting that it could fetch £50. Galsworthy must have passed it to E.V. Lucas, who sent it to Shaw to ask for valuation. Shaw then replied that it is "quite the rarest of my published first edition...I should suggest a reserve price of fifty millions...The printing, which I designed myself, is alone well worth the money; and the paper is of the best. William Morris taught me to be particular about such things".