KALKI

Franklin Cente, PA: The Franklin Library, 1978. First Edition. . Full-Leather. Very Good to Near Fine/Issued Without Jacket. An unusual and scarce copy of Vidal's novel about an ex-American GI, a chemical-biological warfare expert during his time in Vietnam, who suddenly appears in Nepal, claiming to be Kalki, a Hindu god on a mission to destroy mankind to make way for a better race of humans. This copy of The Franklin Library's Limited Edition, the true first edition, first printing, is in fact a prototype, one of six created during the process leading up the the novel's print run to check the quality of all the elements that go into the production of a full leather bound edition of a best-selling author's novel. According to a "Quality Control Report" laid-in, dated 3/29/78, a first print run of 11,100 copies was scheduled for completion on 4/13/78. The report is basically a checklist of the status of the various work and parts that go into production of the novel, such as paper, presswork, covers, stamping, etc. Several needed small improvements are noted; the only major element still incomplete -- gilding, still "to come." The prototype itself is bound in full red leather with three raised bands on the spine and with gold-stamped lettering and decoration on the covers and spine, and with silk moire end papers. 318 archival-quality pages, illustrated by George H. Jones, with a sewin-in ribbon bookmark. As noted in the quality control report, the text edges are not gilded. This copy shows a touch of scuffing on the covers' bottom edges, with some light soiling on the text edges and light foxing on the free end papers. Also, a small sticker on the front end paper notes that this is the second of six copies, that this is a prototype, etc. O/w the book is clean and unmarked, tight and square. Certainly collectable for any Vidal completist.