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One of the great rarities of early midwestern books, here in an entirely unsophisticated copy, in the original binding. The author, William Littell, was a prominent Kentucky lawyer with a taste for satire and poetics. His first published work, An Epistle from William, Surnamed Littell, to the People of the Realm of Kentucky, was issued in Frankfort in 1806 and reprinted in Festoons of Fancy. According to the DAB, these works were "of such a character to bring him into disrepute and to give him a reputation for flippancy and scurrility that he never succeeded in living down." In fact, they are lively political satire, and it seems unlikely that Littell suffered the castigation that the priggish DAB biographer suggests. This copy bears contemporary ink notes and ownership inscriptions of Samuel Cooper, a Louisville resident, on the endpapers. The notes read "Samuel Cooper his Book price 75 cents - 1818," "August 4 1818 Coopers" and "Mr. Saml Cooper's Book Bought in Louisville Price 75 cts 1818," providing significant provenance and early price information. "Festoons of Fancy is not only the first important book of poems printed west of the Alleghenies, but it is almost certainly the first book of any kind printed in Louisville" - Streeter. Howes calls it "the first humorous book produced West of the Alleghanies [sic]." Quite rare in the market, this is only the second complete copy ever offered by this firm. No complete copies are listed in auction records since the Streeter copy, which sold to Goodspeed's for $2,000 in 1967. STREETER SALE 1648. HOWES L378, "c." GRAFF 2508. AII (KENTUCKY) 507. KENTUCKY HUNDRED 35. JILLSON, RARE KENTUCKY BOOKS, p.52. JILLSON, EARLY KENTUCKY LITERATURE, p.53-55. COLEMAN, KENTUCKY RARITIES 78. Contemporary three-quarter calf and paper-covered boards. Calf and boards heavily worn, paper partially perished on boards, substantial chips to upper outer corner of both boards. Moderate to heavy foxing throughout, as usual. Minor marginal loss to a few leaves (one just touching a few letters), closed horizontal tear across five leaves neatly and unobtrusively repaired. Contemporary ink notes and ownership inscriptions on endpapers. Withal, a good copy, in unsophisticated condition. In a half morocco and cloth clamshell case, spine gilt.
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