Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman 1855, First Edition, Signed (12 results)

WHITMAN, Walt. Two Prefaces by Walt Whitman: The Original Preface to Leaves of Grass, 1855, and A Backward Glance O'er Travel'd Roads, 1888, with an Introductory Note by Christopher Morley. Original cloth, printed paper spine label, non-priceclipped dustjacket. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, Page & Company, 1926. First edition, Lee-53. Signed by Morley on front free endpaper. Spine panel sunned, else a very good or better copy.

Hardcover. Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. 1st Edition. 8vo, 64pp, orig. pictorial printed boards. A practically fine copy in a VG+ matching dustwrapper designed by Leslie Atkinson. Signed Presentation copy to M. J. Huxley from Stephen Spender, "To Juliet with love from Stephen. April 2, 1950." ette, Lady Huxley (née Marie Juliette Baillot; 1896 1994) was a Swiss-French sculptor and writer. She provided lifelong support to her husband, British naturalist Sir Julian Huxley. Walter Whitman Jr. (1819 1892) was an American poet, essayist, and journalist. He is considered one of the most influential poets in American literature. Whitman incorporated both transcendentalism and realism in his writings and is often called the father of free verse. His work was controversial in his time, particularly his 1855 poetry collection Leaves of Grass, which was described by some as obscene for its overt sensuality. Inscribed by Author(s).

Hardcover. Condition: Fine+. Dust Jacket Condition: Fine+. First Edition; First Printing. An attractive first edition/first printing, limited to 350 copies. Decorative boards with gilt-stamped olive cloth. In unread Very Fine condition in alike publisher's plain paper dust-jacket. SIGNED by author John Updike directly on the limitation page; Updike's review of Walt Whitman, often called the greatest American poet for his Leaves of Grass (1855.) Originally given as a talk at the Morgan Library in New York City on October 4, 1977. Eventually reprinted as Whitman's Egotheism; 8vo; 28 pages; Signed by Author.

Hardcover. Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Fine. First Edition; First Printing. An attractive first edition/first printing, limited to 350 copies. Decorative boards with gilt-stamped olive cloth. In unread Fine condition in alike publisher's plain paper dust-jacket. SIGNED by author John Updike directly on the limitation page; Originally given as a talk at the Morgan library, in New York City on October 4, 1977, eventually reprinted as Whitman's Egotheism. Updike's review of Walt Whitman, often called the greatest American poet for his Leaves of Grass (1855) ; 8vo; 28 pages; Signed by Author.

1/4 Cloth. Condition: Fine+. Dust Jacket Condition: Fine+. First Edition; First Printing. An attractive first edition/first printing, limited to 350 copies. Decorative boards with gilt-stamped olive cloth. In unread Very Fine condition in alike publisher's plain paper dust-jacket. SIGNED by author John Updike directly on the limitation page; Updike's review of Walt Whitman, often called the greatest American poet for his Leaves of Grass (1855.) Originally given as a talk at the Morgan Library in New York City on October 4, 1977. Eventually reprinted as Whitman's Egotheism; 8vo; 28 pages; Signed by Author.

Hardcover. Condition: Fine+. First Edition; First Printing. An attractive first edition/first printing, limited to 350 copies, in unread Very Fine condition, in glassine, lacking the plain wrapper. SIGNED by author John Updike directly on the limitation page; Updike's review of Walt Whitman, often called the greatest American poet for his Leaves of Grass (1855.) Originally given as a talk at the Morgan Library in New York City on October 4, 1977. Eventually reprinted as Whitman's Egotheism; 8vo; 28 pages; Signed by Author.

Hardcover. Condition: Fine. 1st Edition. 1st Printing. Signed. Unpaginated. Published in 1982. Retrospective collection of photographs, with accompanying text. One of the most beautiful art photography books of the 20th century. The First Hardcover Edition. Precedes and should not be confused with all other subsequent editions. Published in a small and limited first print run as a hardcover original only. The First Edition is now scarce. A brilliant production by E. L. Doctorow and J. C. Suares: Oversize-volume format. Ribbed pictorial cloth boards with gilt titles embossed on the cover and spine, as issued. The design beautifully replicates the American flag. Concept, Introductory Essay, and hymnal text by E. L. Doctorow. Photographs by J. C. Suares and eighty-one other photographers, a Who's Who of 20th-century American photography. All of the images are reproduced "bleed" (in full-color) and appended "miniature-size" (in black-and-white) at the End Credits. Printed on thick, glossy stock paper by Amilcare Pizzi in Italy to the highest standards. The reproduction quality is exemplary in every respect. Without DJ, as issued. Presents E. L. Doctorow's and Jean-Claude Suares' "American Anthem". Magnificent color photographs, accompanied by an Essay and running text by one of the greatest writers of our time. "This is a hymn of praise to the beauty of the American continent and the American people. It is a bold effort to compose, by means of color photographs, a pictorial anthem of the United States, from the snapped moments of its self-revealing character. This is a good thing to be doing these days when we seem to be losing our clarity and crystal purpose as the last best hope of mankind" (E. L. Doctorow). His unabashed photographic realization of Walt Whitman's "Leaves of Grass" (1855), it is a rather surprising achievement for E. L. Doctorow, one of America's fiercest critics when his fellow-Americans get it wrong and lose their way. Doctorow's prose is crisp and elegant in its simplicity. At its best, it soars to an eloquence not found elsewhere. An absolute "must-have" title for E. L. Doctorow and photography book collectors. This copy is very prominently and beautifully signed (in his full name), publication-year dated, holiday-occasioned, and inscribed in black ink-pen on the half-title page by the author: "To the Packs of Pound Ridge. With love, Edgar Lawrence Doctorow XMas, 1982". It is signed directly on the page itself, not on a tipped-in page. There is no person-recipient named. Pound Ridge is the legendary golf course club of which Doctorow was apparently a member. This title is a great art photography book. As far as we know, this is the only such signed-in-full, publication-year dated, holiday-occasioned, and inscribed copy of the First Hardcover Edition/First Printing available online and despite its imperfection (some rubbing and handling wear on the cloth covers, but it's there) is still in fine condition overall: Every single internal page is clean, crisp, and bright. None of that, however, is what makes this copy uniquely collectible: This is the only book we have ever found that Doctorow signed with his full name which, until now, we thought he never did. A rare, one-of-a-kind signed copy thus. 82 photographic plates. Some of the greatest American photographers of our time. A fine collectible copy. (SEE ALSO OTHER E. L. DOCTOROW TITLES IN OUR CATALOG) ISBN 0941434168. Signed by Author.

Glaister, Donald (illustrator). square 4to. half leather with cherry veneer applied to the boards, cloth clamshell box. 42 pages. Excerpted from the Preface of Leaves of Grass, 1855 Edition, First Printing. Limited to 15 numbered copies, 1 deluxe artists proof variant, 1 prototype and 1 variant saved for fine binding, each signed by the author/publisher on colophon. Complete Instructions is conceived, edited and produced as a response to social and political American life in the early 21st century, with guidance by Walt Whitman from the middle of the 19th century. The visual concepts, materials and techniques developed and employed in the edition are primarily of our time, while acknowledging the time, vision, genius and humanity of Whitman. Each page of text is followed by a page spread which visually relates to that text, then the next page of text, visual page spread and so on. The books pages are primarily made of cherry veneer with cut-outs revealing collages of metals, plastics and painted paper. These pages are interspersed with letterpress printed pages on which Whitmans text appears. The binding is half leather with cherry veneer applied to the boards. The front cover veneer is cut to reveal collages of paper and other materials. Complete Instructions is designed and produced by Donald Glaister. Letterpress printing was done by Jessica Spring at Springtide Press, the abaca paper was made by Tom Balbo at the Morgan Conservatory. Suzanne Moore gave invaluable consultation and guidance and Camille Botelho offered her skilled hands and eyes. half leather with cherry veneer applied to the boards, cloth clamshell box.

First edition, first issue of this collection of Emerson's later poems. Octavo, original cloth with gilt titles and botanical emblem to the front panel, top edge gilt. Signed by Emerson on the title page, "R.W. Emerson." In very good condition with rubbing to the crown of the spine and minor chipping to the front free endpaper. Rare and desirable. American essayist, lecturer, and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote on a number of subjects, disseminating the tenets of transcendentalism through dozens of published essays and more than 1500 public lectures. In addition to his many important contributions to literature including 'Walden' and 'Nature', he was instrumental in facilitating the publication of Walt Whitman's 'Leaves of Grass' in 1855 and, in 1862, delivered his best friend and protege, Henry David Thoreau's eulogy. Published when Emerson's health was beginning to decline, May-Day and other Stories includes poems inspired by Emerson's 1858 venture into the wilderness of the Adirondacks to connect with nature among others.

The "suppressed Boston edition" (seventh edition overall) of the most important volume in American poetry, one of 1,010 copies printed. Octavo, original publisher's mustard cloth with gilt titles and tooling to the spine and front panel, tissue-guarded engraved portrait of the author by Hollyer after the daguerreotype by Gabriel Harrison opposite page 29. BAL 21418. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, "Dr. C H Shivers from the author." The recipient, Dr. C.H. Shivers was a Haddonfield, New Jersey-based physician, memberÂofÂthe New Jersey Medical Society for Camden County and friend and dinner companionÂofÂWhitman's (according to The Collected WritingsÂofÂWalt Whitman, Vol. 4, CorrespondenceÂof Walt Whitman, 1989). The Suppressed Edition was the earliest edition to haveÂLeavesÂofÂGrassÂin what is considered the book's final form. The suppressed edition's electroplates were used in all later editions, including the so-called "Death Bed Edition."Â"On March 1, 1882, Oliver Stevens, district attorney for the CommonwealthÂofÂMassachusetts, suggested to James R. Osgood & Co., that this edition should be withdrawn from publication becauseÂofÂits obscene nature. After some discussion between Whitman, the publishers and the attorney general about alterations and excisions to remedy the situation, Whitman decided in early April against making the necessary changes. James R. Osgood & Co., then decided to cease acting as publisher and on May 17, 1882, reached an agreement with Whitman whereby Whitman received $100, 225 copies, more or less, in sheets, and the plates and dies, in return for all claims for royalties and cancelling the contract. On May 19 Whitman wrote to the Boston binder, S.H. Sanborn, requesting him to send the 225 setsÂofÂsheets to James ArnoldÂofÂPhiladelphia, and to the Boston printers, Rand & Avery, requesting them to prepare 225 copiesÂofÂa new title leaf. Whitman sent out the first copiesÂof this this issue on June 11, 1882." (BAL, Vol. 9, p. 43). In very good condition. Exceptionally rare signed by Whitman. â No one knows for certain how Whitman raised the money to pay for the first Leaves of Grassâ ¦ Whitman had taken his manuscript to a couple of friends, the brothers James and Thomas Rome, who had a printing shop at the corner of Fulton and Cranberry Streets. Possibly the author had tried a commercial publisher first and had the book rejected. If so, he kept quiet about it. The Romes did print a few books but specialized in the printing of legal documents. Whitman, a proud and skilled printer, moved in on them to oversee the production of Leaves. They allowed him to set type himself whenever he felt like it. Ten pages or so were his own work. He had a routine and a special chair over in the cornerâ ¦ The engraved portrait facing the title page (showed) a person who looked as if he might be the printer rather than the author. He was unnamedâ ¦ Before a reader reached the dozen untitled poems there stood the barrier of the preface, an off-putting obstacle of ten pages of weirdly punctuated prose in close print, set in double columns. The poems themselves were in more readable type, laid across a wide format to accommodate the strangely long and irregular lines. The inking was spotty and must have given Whitman some qualms, but he had no money to spare for anything betterâ ¦ The centerpiece of his strange book, in the â rough and ragged thicket of its pages,â was a sustained poem of fifty-two sections called â Song of Myselfâ ¦ If Emerson is, in John Deweyâ s words, the philosopher of democracy, then Whitman is indisputably its poet. In Whitman we have a democrat who set out to imagine the life of the average man in average circumstances changed into something grand and heroicâ ¦ He claimed that he had never been given a proper hearing, and spent his whole life trying to publish himself. A hundred years after his death, the strange fate of his book is known. He said often enough that it had been a financial failure, signed it and himself over to posterity, a â candidate for the futureâ ¦ There has never been a more remarkable poemâ (Callow, From Noon to Starry Night). â Always the champion of the common man, Whitman is both the poet and the prophet of democracyâ ¦ In a sense, it is Americaâ s second Declaration of Independence: that of 1776 was political, this of 1855 intellectualâ (PMM 340). The most important and influential volume of poetry written in America, Whitmanâ s literary masterpiece, Leaves of Grass is â one of the most magnificent fabrications of modern timesâ ¦ he never surrenderedâ ¦ his vision of himself as one who might go forth among the American people and astonish themâ ¦â (DAB). The first edition of Leaves of Grass was a failure with the public, but upon receiving a copy, Emerson responded with his famous letter. â I find it [Leaves of Grass] the most extraordinary piece of wit and wisdom that America has yet contributedâ ¦ I greet you at the beginning of a great career.â .

The collection is that of Mr George Humphreys, one of a group of friends who met in Bolton, UK, and called themselves "The College". Their meetings soon became dominated by their interest in Walt Whitman, which later turned into regular correspondence with WW and his orbit of friends, and culminated in two visits by two members of the group to meet WW (their subsequent signed books to GH forming part of the collection). The collection also includes a first centennial edition of Rivulets, complete with signed photograph as called for, a signed photograph of WW, a "Deathbed Edition" of Leaves of Grass and some very scarce books relating to WW. (8 books + photo) 1. WHITMAN, Walt Signed photograph of himself, pencil date 1887, with a distinctive, large signature by Whitman below his image. Photo by "F. Gute Kunst Philadelphia" main image measures 9.5 x 14cms. 2. WHITMAN, Walt. Two Rivulets. Camden, Centennial edition (first edition, second printing), 1876 one of 600 copies. The albumen photograph portrait of Whitman in the front is signed and dated by the author. Additionally, tipped in, is a package label to previous owner (George Humphreys care of Dr Johnston), which bears the author's signature. The label appears to have been cut out of an envelope from the publisher, the verso having the printed address of David McKay, Publisher and Bookseller together with the handwritten address of Walt Whitman and a postal stamp of 2(?) Sept '91 presumably the envelope was opened up so that it could be used as a label for onward shipping for the book, as there are glue spots where it has been attached. The stamp mark on the addressed label side is dated Oct 5 '91). This actual event was noted by J W Wallace (in Visits to Walt Whitman, George Allen & Unwin, 1917 p.192) who was visiting Whitman during 1891, until November of that year: 'He had had "a letter from Dr Johnston yesterday, but no special news in it: all seemed to be moving along as usual." I told him that I had also received a letter from Johnston, and that George Humphreys had been very much pleased with a copy of the centennial edition in two volumes of "Leaves of Grass," etc., which W had sent him. W. smiled kindly, saying: Likes it, eh?' Later in the book (p.199) Wallace writes: 'W. "I had a letter from Johnstone yesterday, and one from George Humphreys, saying that he had got his book and thanking me ' The last section of the book includes extracts from the letters of Horace Traubel (Wallace writes: 'The full story of Whitman's last illness will be published in due course by Horace Traubel. A short installment of it appeared in 1893 in a volume edited by Whitman's literary executors and entitled "In Re Walt Whitman." This account consists of extracts from letters which Traubel wrote to us daily (which we forwarded for circulation amongst Whitman's chief friends in Britain, etc,), and from his letters to Dr Bucke.' One such entry (p.236) reads 'Feb. 12th "I have just had a talk with W., but he was so weak, after passing a bad day, that he was not able to say much or to manifest any great interest. I told him I would go into the next room and send a line to you, whereat he advised me to include his love to you all, with special remembrances to George Humphreys and Fred Wilde and particular affectionateness to J.W.W. He loves you all and his sweet words of you should exalt you for ever.' 3. JOHNSTON, M.D., John Notes Of a Visit To Walt Whitman, Etc. In July, 1890 Printed for Private Circulation / T. Brimelow & Co, 1890 Inscribed on front cover: "George Humphreys /with kindest regards from his friend / the author". Laid in a single page reprint from "Bolton Journal & Guardian", Oct. 8th 1915 concerning Dr J Jonhson taking up war service. Bound in with: 4. WHITMAN, Walt Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman; Preface to the Original Edition, 1855. Published by Trubner & Co., 1881. Only 500 copies were issued in printed wrappers. Inscribed on front cover: "George Humphreys / from J W Wallace / 30-2-92" (J W Wallace co-author of Visits to Walt Whitman, Allen & Unwin 1917) 5. JOHNSTON, J. and WALLACE, J.W. Visits to Walt Whitman in 1890-1891. By Lancashire Friends. George Allen & Unwin 1917. In original dust jacket. Signed by the author to the half-title page. Laid in is a reprinted article from the "Millgate Monthly", October 1917 regarding the forthcoming publication of the book, inscribed by the author "To George Humphreys / Something for a Loner / & a souvenir / JJ". 6. In Re Walt Whitman: Edited by his literary executors, Horace L Traubel, Richard Maurice Bucke, Thomas B Harned. Limited Edition Np. 88/1,000 copies. Inspired by and dedicated to Walt Whitman. Bucke was one of Whitman's three literary executors. Davis McKay, Philadelphia, 1893 G Humphreys name written on title page. 7. BUCKE, Richard Maurice M.D. Man's Moral Nature G P Putnam's Sons, 1879 Inscribed: "George Humphreys from the author with best wishes and regards. Asylum, London, Ontario, Canada. 1 Jan 92." 8. BUCKE, Richard Maurice M.D. Walt Whitman David McKay, Philadelphia, 1883 Inscribed: "George Humphries [sic] from J W Wallace, Camden Oct. 1891" Sent while Wallace (co-author of Visits to Walt Whitman) was visiting Whitman. "An unconventional book, as much anthology of documents about the poet as a biography. It was also a collaboration; Whitman advised throughout, revised Bucke's text, and wrote significant portions of the book himself" (LeMaster: Walt Whitman, An Encyclopaedia; p.87). 9. WHITMAN, Walt Leaves of Grass "Deathbed Edition", first printing with date printed as 1891-'2, 23 South Ninth Street address, yellow endpapers. Myerson A2.7.l2 David McKay, Philadelphia, 1891-'2 "George Humphreys /with kindest regards from his friend / J Johnson / Bolton / Mar 23rd 1892". A wonderful single owner collection. Rainford & Parris Books welcomes enquiries, so please do not hesitate to ask if you require further images or have any questions. All books are packaged with great car.

Condition: Very Good. Signed Limited First Edition. SIGNED FIRST EDTION OF THE DEFINITIVE COLLECTION OF WHITMAN'S WORK; A REMARKABLE COPY FROM WHITMAN'S PERSONAL LIBRARY. On this Edition:â "Whitman never lost his passion for joining disparate parts into a whole: it was the basis of his politics, his philosophy, and his bookmaking. He wrote to one acquaintance in 1886 that 'I think of. bringing out a complete budget of all my writing in one book.'. Horace Traubel was again involved in getting this big book out, and he and Whitman had endless discussions about all aspects of its production." â â Whitman was worried about his failing health and terrified that he would die before his "big book" was published. "At one point the poet told Traubel, 'I am in a hurry-in a hurry: I want to see the book in plates: then I can die satisfied. We will attend to the presswork and binding when we come to it. The main thing is the plates-the plates. Horace, I am on the verge of a final collapse: I look on the future-even tomorrow, next day-with a feeling of the greatest uncertainty. I am anything but secure: let us make the book secure.' . Whitman was immersed in every aspect of his bookmaking" and was very pleased with the result, for upon receiving the first copies he declared to Traubel, "it's better-far, far better-than the best I looked for." (All quotations from Ed Folsom, Whitman Making Books/Books Making Whitman). Whitman's "big book"- what he thought of as the final monument to his career - was published in only 600 copies "for the author's own use", with each copy signed on the title page. This copy is the first issue - without the limitation number added by hand by Horace Traubel. (All copies that were distributed before Feb. 14, 1889 were unnumbered.) In Myerson's binding A. On this copy - from Whitman's own personal library: With presentation inscription on the front free endpaper fromThomas Biggs Harned: "To John Lewis Cochran, Esq., with the compliments of Thomas B. Harned, June 11, 1897 / This book is one of a few copies of this edition found among the author's effects after his death and it came into the hands of his literary executors. T.B. Harned." "One of Whitman's three literary executors, Thomas Biggs Harned [1851-1921] was a prosperous Philadelphia lawyer and a brother-in-law of Horace Traubel. His twenty-year acquaintance with Whitman involved nearly daily contact during the poet's final years. Harned's well-furnished Camden home was a social center where Whitman dined and drank richly, amused Harned's three children, and met prominent religious and political men. Harned funded the construction of Whitman's mausoleum and co-arranged his funeral, at which he participated as speaker and pallbearer. Later, Harned wrote the introduction to the definitive ten-volume Camden Edition of Whitman's works (1902)." (The Walt Whitman Archive). The "Thomas Biggs Harned Collection of the Papers of Walt Whitman" now resides in the Library of Congress.â The recipient, John Lewis Cochran (1857-1923), was a Philadelphia businessman who later moved to Chicago and became a prominent real estate developer. Laid in are prints of four photographs (possibly unique prints) of Whitman's mausoleum in Camden, NJ (funded by Harned). It appears that the man with the long beard in three of the photographs is Richard Maurice Bucke (along with Traubel and Harned, Whitman's literary executor) and that the shorter man with the mustache is Harned. (The third man in one of the photos remains unidentified.) Also with a beautiful phototype portrait of Whitman by the Philadelphia photographer Frederick Gutekunst and a broadside printing of "An impromptu criticism on the 900 page Volume 'the Complete Peoms and Prose of Walt Whitman'" by Bucke laid-in. Book complete with title page portrait (Linton engraving after G.C. Potter photograph) and engraved portrait of Whitman as a young man (used as frontispiece in the 1855 Leaves of Grass) bound in at page 28, before Leaves of Grass. Complete Poems & Prose of Walt.