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Laughing Gas, the Best Jokes
Cecil Hunt
Horace Cecil Hunt was a journalist, editor, novelist and anthologist. He published his first book of 'howlers' in 1928 and his last in 1951 including the three volumes listed here. He also published anthologies of prayers, place names and epitaphs, as well as this collection of jokes. The jokes are very dated.
Blampied only provided a design for the cover and the endpapers. The copy below is dated September 1940, by which time Jersey was under German Occupation.
First edition
Bibliography code: MET-40.1
Publisher: Methuen Publishers, London
Series: none
Year: 1940
Format: 8vo
Pages: vi; half title, pp 136
Binding: orange printed boards with title and author in black on spine
Size: 190 x 130 mm
Dust jacket signed: Blam in the middle of the front panel
Internal illustrations: none
Price: 4 shillings
Printing history: None stated
Printed by: J and J Gray, Edinburgh
Notes: At the end of the Foreword, Hunt wrote: I thank my secretary, Bettine Spear, for giving me its apt title and for other assistance which was no less real because it is less evident.
The inscription shown to the left is opposite this text. The cop of the book also contains Bettine Spear's bookplate, which was designed by Blampied.
Inscription by author (click to enlarge)