此书有碧绿和深红两色封面,均为布面精装。碧绿色封面为作者罗素自留样本,深红色封面为出版商罗伯特自留样本(详情参见下文)。碧绿色封面本从未在市场出现,深红色封面本曾于2006年3月16日出现在伦敦骑士桥(Knightsbridge)善本书籍和手稿专场(Fine Books and Manuscripts),成交价16160英镑,包括佣金。
完成全部所有权转让手续后,罗伯特告诉我他斥巨资收回了所有罗素的自留本,高价售给英美大型图书馆,以此维持《情色评论》的发行直至2009年,期刊发行100期整,安然告终。告别语由罗素亲自撰写:“情色评论始终如一,注重两件事:机智、风趣、聪慧、知识渊博的优秀文字以及,性”(The Erotic Review has to be about two things – great writing, which is witty, funny, intelligent, knowledgeable and sex)。
关于情色评论,罗素最终定义:“性非爱,非感情,其是为那些对性有真正发自内心欣赏的人而写作”(Sex. Not love, not relationships. It's for people who have a genuine, visceral appreciation of sex qua sex)。
THE SECRET CARNIVAL [EROTICA Pop-Up Book] by DAVID RUSSELL In-4(31.3×22cm), Hobart & Maclean, 1988,hardcover, first edition from English.
1 OF 20 DE LUXE COPIES, SIGNED BY THE ARTIST AND WITH AN ORIGINAL WATERCOLOUR(number 297), It is also one of the copies that the author kept for himself. from an overall edition of 320 copies, But the actual print run was only 50 copies.
6 double-page hand-coloured plates with movable parts and "pop-ups", the oiginal watercolour (30×20.2cm) mounted as issued on inside front cover of solander box, publisher's pictorial rare green cloth, Fine Books and Manuscripts,excellent condition. Formerly collected by Robert Frew, The Collection of the late Denis Collins.
One of 20 de luxe copies of this erotic pop-up book illustrating decadent goings-on at the Venice Carnival. The original watercolour depicts a gondolier and a bewigged gentleman engaged with three naked women on the side of a canal.