Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman 1855 (988 results)

First edition, first issue. First edition, first issue. Engraved frontispiece portrait of Whitman by Samuel Hollyer after a photograph, printed on thick paper. xii, [13]-95 pp. 1 vols. Small folio (11-1/8 x 7-3/4 in.; 284 x 197 mm). 'I see and hear the whole'. "He was and is the poet and prophet of democracy, and the intoxication of his immense affirmative, the fervor of his 'barbaric yawp,' are so powerful that the echo of his crude yet rhythmic song rings forever in the American air" (Grolier One Hundred). The self-publishedLeaves was at least partially personallytype-set by the author on a small handpress in Brooklyn. The portrait of Whitman is here in superior condition, without the foxing often encountered. This copy bears the printed copyright statement on the verso of the title page and has the first version of line 2 of page 49 ("And the night is for you and me and all") identified by Schmidgall in his article, "1855: a Stop-Press Revision." Of the original 795 copies, only 337 were issued in the first binding with extensive gilt stamping, marbled endsheets, and gilt edges (in the second binding only the title was gilt, and plain yellow endsheets were used). A beautiful copy of a landmark work in American literature. BAL 21395; Grolier American 67; Johnson, High Spots 79; Meyerson A.2.1.a1; PMM 340; Wells & Goldsmith 3; Feinberg/ Detroit 269; Schmidgall, "1855: a Stop-Press Revision," Walt Whitman Quarterly Review 18, Fall/Summer 2000, pp. 74-76 Original green cloth, boards with floral decorations in blind, gilt-lettered ornamental title within a triple-fillet border, spine gilt with title and floral ornaments, marbled endsheets, a.e.g. Title-page very lightly toned, gilt title of upper board a bit dull. Tiniest of repairs to spine (scuffs at center and ends, conserved with no loss). Old description slip tipped to front flyleaf. A fine copy. Half green morocco slipcase, chemise Engraved frontispiece portrait of Whitman by Samuel Hollyer after a photograph, printed on thick paper. xii, [13]-95 pp. 1 vols. Small folio (11-1/8 x 7-3/4 in.; 284 x 197 mm).

Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. Small folio. Engraved portrait of Whitman (state A, printed on heavy paper). Original gilt decorated green cloth, all edges gilt (binding A), inner hinges expertly repaired. Copyright notice printed in two lines as usual, cities and correctly printed on p. iv. Very minor wear, several leaves neatly repaired at gutter. Morocco case. A very handsome copy. First edition, first issue, one of only 337 copies of the first issue, distinguished by its elaborately gilt-stamped cloth binding prepared in June/July 1855. Whitman reported that only 800 copies were printed; this copy is from the first group to be bound. The copies bound later did not have the extensive gilt stamping. Whitman paid for the book, supervised its production, and even set a number of pages in type. If one attempts to list the artistic achievements of our nation against the background of Western tradition, our accomplishments in music, painting, sculpture, architecture tend to be somewhat dwarfed. The exception is in literature. No western poet, in the past century and a half, not even Browning or Leopardi or Baudelaire, overshadows Walt Whitman or Emily Dickinson. The book that matters most is the original 1855 Leaves of Grass (Harold Bloom, The Western Canon). The 1855 edition [of Leaves of Grass] is brilliantly sui generis and it is the American equivalent of the 1609 sonnets of Shakespeare the single most important volume in its nation s poetic patrimony (Schmidgall). Always the champion of the common man, Whitman is both the poet and the prophet of democracy. The whole of Leaves of Grass is imbued with the spirit of brotherhood and a pride in the democracy of the young American nation (Printing and the Mind of Man). Provenance: a rare example with an 1855 ownership signature, this copy is signed and dated October 1855 by Edmund G. Baker on the verso of the frontispiece. Printing and the Mind of Man 340. Grolier 100 American Books 67. [offered with] Whitman s own signed copy of the famous 1860 portrait WHITMAN, WALT. Signed portrait of Whitman standing, one hand holding his hat, the other in his pocket. 1860, printed in 1889. Photomechanical print on heavy stock, 8 1⁄2 x 6 1⁄4 in. Near fine. Whitman s friend, biographer, and literary executor Horace Traubel pulled this very portrait out the poet s trash. Traubel has written See Notes Mar 3, 91 in the upper right corner. The March 3, 1891 entry in Traubel s With Walt Whitman in Camden states I rescued also from his waste papers a portrait he had marked 1860 usually given about 1850 as date. Whitman sat for the portrait in 1860. He later called it a devilish, tantalizing mystery that he could not date with certainty. Declaring that he would hate to give it up! the poet appreciated its calm don t-care-a-damnativeness its go-to-hell-and-find-outativeness: it has that air strong, yet is not impertinent: defiant: yet it is genial. Provenance: Walt Whitman, rescued from his waste papers by Horace Traubel, as he relates in With Walt Whitman in Camden, March 3, 1891. Signed by Author(s).

FIRST EDITION, First issue. Half morocco on marbled boards with original front cover bound inside (at the back).

No Binding. Condition: Near Fine. Two pages on a single leaf (7 7/8 x 7 in.). Original folds. Boldly penned in dark ink, with a large signature. The Good Gray Poet to the Poet Laureate. Tennyson was the most important of of the many English literary figures who subscribed to the Author s Edition of Leaves of Grass, privately issued by Whitman in 1876. Hearing that Whitman was in great straits, almost starving, Tennyson sent him five pounds virtually as an outright gift, rather than the more modest subscription price (Kaplan, Walt Whitman). In this tremendous letter Whitman approaches the celebrated Tennyson as an equal, writing: The last letter I sent you was Sept 14 76 to which I have received no response I also sent you about same time my Two Volumes new edition [Leaves of Grass and Two Rivulets] having rec d your subscription of 5 [pounds] (with an intimation from Robert Buchanan that no books were expected in return, but I preferr d to send them.) Whitman goes on to discuss his improved health and enjoyment of the outdoors: As you see, I am still in the land of the living much better & robuster the last two years, & especially the last six months, (though a partial paralytic yet) I find the experience of invalidism & the loosening of corporeal ties not without their advantages at last, if one reserve enough physique to confront the invalidism as it were. But all this summer I have been & am well enough to be out on the water or down in the fields & woods of the country more than half the time Best regards & love to you, dear friend Write me, first leisure & inclination Whitman and Tennyson differed dramatically in their views on poetry, but Whitman highly respected Tennyson as a man, defending his character as warm and worthy of any man s regard and respect and valuing his letters so much that he carried them in the inside pocket of his gray coat (Sanfilip, Walt Whitman Encyclopedia). In 1855 Whitman published an anonymous review comparing his own Leaves of Grass with Tennyson s Maud and other poems. In the review, he casts himself as the spokesman of a newer, more dynamic civilization that questions the validity of following the old models of poetic form represented by Tennyson. He linked Tennyson with Shakespeare as a poet of the old school, describing him as a bard of ennui and of the aristocracy, a writer strictly for the English upper class and not America s democratized common man. In his later years, Whitman believed that, although Tennyson had accepted him as an equal, he may not have really understood his character or the intentions of Leaves of Grass that Tennyson still considered his work decadent, but only as a result of the literary tastes and inclinations of his time (Sanfilip). Late in life Whitman was pleased to be told by British visitors that he looked like Tennyson (Allen). The poets both died in 1892, bringing to a close one of the great ages of poetry in the English language. This fine letter linking the age s foremost poets is the most physically striking Whitman letter we have ever encountered. A draft at the University of Texas shows that Whitman went to great pains to compose the letter. He then determined to write the final text clearly and boldly to show his English counterpart that he was still a man of energy and vitality. Provenance: Papers of Alfred Lord Tennyson, Sotheby s, London, 22 July 1980, lot 457. Signed by Author(s).

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.

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. Landmark second edition of the epic American poetry collection, the first to include among the most famous blurbs in literature - Emerson's complimentary quote stamped, without permission, on the book's spine. When LEAVES OF GRASS was first published in 1855, few recognized the transformative effect it would have on American literature - but Ralph Waldo Emerson, the era's most respected literary critic, was among those who did. Upon receiving a complimentary copy from Whitman, Emerson responded with a letter of thanks and perceptive praise as to Whitman's achievement: "I find it the most extraordinary piece of wit and wisdom that America has yet contributed." A section at the rear of this edition entitled "Leaves-Droppings" prints Emerson's complimentary letter in its entirety, but Whitman also printed one part of the letter - "I greet you at the beginning of a great career" - on the spine, becoming one of the first modern blurbs. Unfortunately, he did not seek Emerson's permission to make the correspondence public, and Emerson was displeased to learn of it. This second edition is expanded from the first with twenty poems added to the original twelve, including "Song of the Open Road." Because it is not only so much larger, but also because Whitman rearranged and revised poems, many scholars argue that "it is, in effect, a new work" (Aspiz). Published only a year after the first of only 795 copies, this is also the first pocket edition; the original edition was printed in an odd large format because Whitman had to use the materials on hand at his friends' print shop. Both were self published by Whitman, who brought an energy and creativity to book promotion rarely seen in this era: "despite his seeming self-confidence (colossal egoism, some have said) and his unlimited faith in a democratic society in which all are equal, Whitman engaged in a lifelong manipulation of the public and posterity through an unrelenting publicity campaign. [.] He left nothing to chance" (Miller, xiii). The use of Emerson's quote as a blurb was a prophetically skillful use of borrowed authority for marketing, unauthorized though it was. As Harold Aspiz notes, "Despite its artistic merit, [this edition] was Whitman's greatest publishing failure [.] sales were even poorer than those for the first [.] copies are now quite rare." A lovely copy of this transformational book in modern poetry. 12mo, 6'' x 3.75''. Original green cloth stamped in blind, front board and spine lettered in gilt. Illustrated with engraved frontispiece portrait of Whitman. Single page of ads at rear. iv, 5-384, [2] pages. Early 20th century engraved bookplate to front pastedown. Light rubbing to spine ends and corners, spine rather toned with gilt dulled. Some scattered foxing. Hinges strong. Firm.

THE AUTHOR'S EDITION, was the fifth overall, third printing, second issue,with integral title-page (600 copies). A SIGNED, INSCRIBED, PRESENTATION COPY FROM WALT WHITMAN TO CHARLES OSCAR GRIDLEY. For the Author's Edition, Whitman signed his name beautifully in ink on the title-page. In this copy he has inscribed the book to "Charles Oscar Gridley / From the Author." Gridley's handsome engraved bookplate is opposite on the front pastedown. In an 1885 letter to Herbert Gilchrist, Whitman referred to Gridley as a "friend of L of G. and W. W." With the engraved Samuel Hollyer portrait of Walt Whitman and the W.J. Linton engraved portrait of Walt Whitman from the G. C. Potter photograph, both on inserted plates. 8vo, in the original binding designed and executed for Whitman by James Arnold of Philadelphia, this being three-quarter tan calf over marbled boards, the spine blind-tooled in a hatch grillwork motif and a single brown morocco label gilt lettered and ruled, coated yellow endpapers. vi, 384, [2], [1 ads.] pp. Very well preserved internally, the text-block clean and tight, the binding with some wear to the extremities, front board tender at the hinge, an important survival of an Whitman association item. AN INSCRIBED PRESENTATION COPY OF WHITMAN'S "AUTHOR'S EDITION" OF LEAVES OF GRASS, and a copy with a pleasing association as well. Whitman presents this copy to Charles Oscar Gridley. Gridley was the secretary of the Carlyle Society and had visited Whitman in April 1884. Afterwards, Gridley privately published a pamphlet called "Notes on America" describing the visit with Whitman just after he moved to his Mickle Street home and giving his impression of the poet's personality, appearance, opinions, and philosophy. The following year Gridley contributed to William Michael Rossetti and Herbert Gilchrist's fundraiser for Whitman. Whitman called Gridley a "friend of L of G. and W. W." in a letter to Gilchrist of September 15, 1885. Later, Gridley would publish his own collection of poetry under the title "Ivy Leaves", perhaps inspired by the title of Whitman's great body of work. This edition was printed from the important fifth edition of LEAVES OF GRASS. In early may 1876 Whitman wrote printer Samuel W. Green to order 600 copies. Whitman then had Green send these to his chosen binder, James Arnold. He would distribute them over the next several years Whitman s LEAVES OF GRASS is, arguably, the greatest work in all of American literature. LEAVES OF GRASS portrayed America at the crossroads between an old world, soon to be caste off, and the new world of our future present. With the publication of LEAVES OF GRASS in 1855, Whitman, the poet of democracy, ushered in a new era in American letters, describing specifically American experiences in a distinctly American idiom. From its first publication in 1855, he had complete confidence in the greatness of both the book and its author. "Always the champion of the common man, Whitman is both the poet and the prophet of democracy. The whole of LEAVES OF GRASS is imbued with the spirit of brotherhood and a pride in the democracy of the young American nation. In a sense, it is America s second Declaration of Independence: that of 1776 was political, this of 1855 intellectual. .The poems are saturated with a vehemence of pride and audacity of freedom necessary to loosen the mind of still-to-be-formed America from the folds, the superstitions, and all the long, tenacious, and stifling anti-democratic authorities of Asiatic and European past . To the young nation, only just becoming aware of an individual literary identity distinct from its European origins, Whitman s message and his outspoken confidence came at a decisive moment. LEAVES OF GRASS was Whitman s favorite child. From the time of its original publication,.until the year of his death, he continued revising and enlarging it. If (his) reputation has fluctuated over the years and his position among, if indeed not at the head of, the list of great American poets was not assured until some time after his death, there was never any doubt of the matter in his own mind. I know I am deathless , he wrote. Whether I come to my own today or in ten thousand or ten million years, I can cheerfully take it now, or with equal cheerfulness I can wait. Time has vindicated his conviction." PMM.

Rare second edition, one of a 1000 copies of the most important volume in American poetry, with an additional twenty poems not found in the first edition as well as a new section of correspondence and reviews entitled â Leaves-droppingsâ that begins with the famous letter from Emerson containing the salutation â I greet you at the beginning of a great career.â Small octavo, original green cloth. Engraved frontispiece portrait of Walt Whitman. Bookplate of Barrett Wendell to the inside panel. Barrett was an American academic and a trustee of the Boston Athenaeum, a member of the Massachusetts Historical Society, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and he was also elected to the Harvard Board of Overseers. Bookplate of William Whitwell Greenough. Greenough was a Boston merchant and politician, trustee of the Boston Public Library, 1856-1888, President of the Board of Trustees, 1866-1888. In very good condition with some toning to the spine and overall light wear. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box. A nice example of this rarity with noted provenance. 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).

10 volumes. The Paumanok Edition, one of only 300 numbered sets printed on Ruisdael handmade paper. With illustrations in gravure and aquatint on japon vellum in each volume, colour frontispiece of Whitman to Volume I, tissue guards intact as issued. Large, thick 8vo, beautifully presented in fine period bindings of three-quarter crushed honey morocco over subtle marbled boards, the turnovers gilt ruled at the borders, the spine with art nouveau decorations incorporating raised bands gilt decorated and gilt ruled, the largest compartment with fine gilt and black tooled art nouveau intertwining decorations, one compartment lettered in gilt, t.e.g., others uncut. xcvi, 294; xiii, 323; vii, 297; xi, 324; vii, 301; v,318; v, 281, v, 300; xviii, 230; v, 309 pp. A very handsome, fine and bright, attractive and especially well preserved set. A RARE AND BEAUTIFUL SET, on fine paper with Gothic titles, illustrated title pages and finely engraved portraits of the author, the people in his life and other important personages of the age. There is a fine introduction to LEAVES OF GRASS and the set also includes an important biography of the poet by Bucke, Harned, and Traubel. There are here presented, the greatest poem of America in its most complete format, and volumes of the wonderful prose writings of Whitman including the inclusion of SPECIMEN DAYS and other significant works. Whitman s LEAVES OF GRASS portrayed America at the crossroads between an old world, soon to be cast off, and the new world of our future present. With the publication of LEAVES OF GRASS in 1855, Whitman, the poet of democracy, ushered in a new era in American letters, describing specifically American experiences in a distinctly American idiom. From its first publication in 1855, he had complete confidence in the greatness of both the book and its author. "Always the champion of the common man, Whitman is both the poet and the prophet of democracy. The whole of LEAVES OF GRASS is imbued with the spirit of brotherhood and a pride in the democracy of the young American nation. In a sense, it is America s second Declaration of Independence: that of 1776 was political, this of 1855 intellectual. .The poems are saturated with a vehemence of pride and audacity of freedom necessary to loosen the mind of still-to-be-formed America from the folds, the superstitions, and all the long, tenacious, and stifling anti-democratic authorities of Asiatic and European past . To the young nation, only just becoming aware of an individual literary identity distinct from its European origins, Whitman s message and his outspoken confidence came at a decisive moment. LEAVES OF GRASS was Whitman s favorite child. From the time of its original publication,.until the year of his death, he continued revising and enlarging it. If (his) reputation has fluctuated over the years and his position among, if indeed not at the head of, the list of great American poets was not assured until some time after his death, there was never any doubt of the matter in his own mind. I know I am deathless , he wrote. Whether I come to my own today or in ten thousand or ten million years, I can cheerfully take it now, or with equal cheerfulness I can wait. Time has vindicated his conviction." PMM One of the rare opportunities to acquire this comprehensive set from one of the greatest of American poets.

Small folio. (156)pp. One of 275 copies. With an Introduction by Helen Vendler. For the one hundredth publication of the Arion Press, Andrew Hoyem pays homage to his mentors, Edwin and Robert Grabhorn - whose 1930 edition of Whitman's seminal text is echoed in the present work. But while the text, format and binding pay tribute to the Grabhorn publication, Hoyem takes as his text from the 1855 first edition, from which he also reproduces the engraved frontispiece portrait of the youthful, ambitious poet. The text is set in Californian - a Goudy typeface used in the first publication bearing the Arion Press imprint in 1975 - and printed upon the Thomson Laureate platen press that Hoyem inherited from the Grabhorns, and on which he printed his Moby-Dick in 1978-79. All these elements combined to form the quintessential modern American press book, one that completely sold out upon publication. Fine in gilt stamped green morocco-backed oak veneer boards, and housed in a green cloth slipcase. Prospectus laid in.

Signed Limited Edition. Limited edition. Signed by Walt Whitman on the title page of Leaves of Grass. Additionally inscribed by Whitman's literary executor, Horace Traubell, on front free endpaper to a Philadelphia doctor, "To Norton Downs from Horace Traubell / April 1893 / In memory of Walt Whitman and gratefulness for services to him + to me." [ii], 382, 374, 140, 2 pp. With three inserted portrait plates + portrait on photo-pictorial title-page. Bound in publisher's original half green cloth and marbled sides, paper spine label (Myerson and BAL's A bindings with priority assumed). Most copies had a handwritten limitation statement by Traubell on the verso of the leaf containing the "Note at Beginning," but a few copies of the A binding did not; this is one of the ones that did not. According to Myerson it was therefore sent out before February 14, 1889, earlier than others. Presented in custom blue cloth-covered clamshell box with morocco lettering piece on spine. Very Good with two small chips to spine label, rubbing and light wear; front hinge cracked, mild toning to contents.Many pages unopened, as issued. The definitive edition of Whitman's work issued in his lifetime, published just three years before his death. It is comprised of printings of slightly altered plates of the Philadelphia, 1882, edition of Leaves of Grass; the Glasgow, 1883 edition of Specimen Days & Collect; and the 1888 second printing of November Boughs; plus, the first printings of the 1-page "Note at Beginning" and the 2-page "Note at End." Myerson A 2.7m. BAL 21431.

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 .

Limited Edition. One of 275 numbered copies, this being copy no.72. Folio (36.5cm); oak plywood boards and quarter green goatskin, with titling and decorative elements stamped in gilt on spine; publisher's matching green cloth slipcase; [iv],[6],7-155,[5]pp, with title page and colophon grass illustrations by Rochelle Youk, and a portrait of Whitman (age thirty-four), preceding the preface. Fine in a very Near Fine slipcase, with some trivial external wear, and a small, faint stain along the upper edge. An exquisitely produced edition of Leaves of Grass, issued as the one hundredth publication of The Arion Press. Letterpress printed in Goudy Californian on Langley paper from the Barcham Green Mill in England, with watermarks of the mill and of Arion Press. "The text is that of the 1855 first edition, just a dozen poems, far fewer than the "Death-bed Edition of 1891-92, which is the body of poetry known today.Our choice of the first edition text was based on two considerations. First, we wished to differentiate this, the one-hundredth book of Arion Press, from the Grabhorn Press masterpiece of 1930 for Random House, which used the text of the 1891-92 edition. Second, we wished to present the version of Whitman's poetry that so astonished and impressed Ralph Waldo Emerson and many other discerning readers then and since with its highly original approach. No one had ever read such revolutionary poetry before, and this book established Whitman as a major poet. In tribute to the Grabhorn edition, we used a similar format, production methods, and materials, but with a new design" (Bibliography of the Arion Press, p.267). With a new, lengthy introduction by literary critic and Harvard professor Helen Vendler, and the full text of Emerson's July 21, 1855 letter to Whitman, after his first reading of Leaves. A masterful work, sold out in advance of publication, and a stopper for collectors of the press. Arion 100.

The Paumanok Edition. Limited to 300 numbered sets printed on Ruisdael hand-made paper (of which this is #92), signed by the publisher. Ten large octavo volumes (236 x 166 mm). Publisher's three-quarter dark green morocco over marbled boards ruled in gilt. Spines lettered and decoratively tooled in gilt in compartments in a floral design, top edge gilt, others uncut, marbled endpapers. Etched and photogravure frontispieces and plates, with descriptive tissue guards. A Fine set. Journalist, essayist, and poet who revolutionized American literature with such poems as I Sing the Body Electric and Song of Myself, which asserted the beauty of the human body, physical health, and sexuality. "Always the champion of the common man, Whitman is both the poet and the prophet of democracy. The whole of Leaves of Grass is imbued with the spirit of brotherhood and a pride in the democracy of the young American nation. In a sense, it is America's second Declaration of Independence: that of 1776 was political, this of 1855 intellectual" (Printing and the Mind of Man). Here, drawn together in a beautiful binding, are some of Whitman's most influential and important works. Myerson B4.

Condition: Fine. A sumptuous 2014 offering by the Arion Press of San Francisco, celebrating the 100th title of the Press with this lovely reprinting of Whitman's timeless "Leaves of Grass". #155 OF 275 COPIES PRODUCED (all of which apparently sold out very quickly to the Press's subscribers) plus an additional 15 copies, "numbered in Roman, for complimentary distribution". An immaculate copy: Light-brown wooden boards backed by a grass-green morocco spine. Folio, deckled fore and bottom-edges. Introduction by Harvard's formidable Helen Vendler (who has worked with Andrew Hoyem on a number of Arion Press titles), this text based on "the text of the 1855 first edition". Also includes a pristine example of the publisher's printed, light-green cloth slipcase. From the colophon: "'Leaves of Grass' is the one hundredth publication of the Arion Press. The book was designed and produced under the direction of Andrew Hoyem. The types are Goudy Californian (designed for the University of California Press in 1938) for the text, and Trajan capitals, also by Frederic Goudy, for initial letters and titling. The poetry was set by hand from type freshly cast by Mackenzie & Harris; the introduction, preface and subsidiary material were composed and cast in Monotype, also by M & H Type. The paper is handmade Langley, from the Barcham Green Mill in England, a special order in 1985, with watermarks of the Press and the Mill. The printing was done on a Thomson Laureate letterpress with paper dampened." One of the great fine press renderings of a work of American poetry.

Artist's book, one of 10 copies, from a total edition of 12 for sale, 10 regular, 2 deluxe (Sold Out), pages on polyester film and various metals and binders board, each copy signed by the artist, Donald Glaister, on the colophon. Page size 14 x 12 inches; 32pp. Bound by the artist: textured and painted paper over boards, hand-sewn with each page on tabs to allow complete opening of each page spread, black morocco spine, with sanded aluminum insets on front and back panels; title indicated by three parallel cut-outs in the aluminum inset on front panel suggesting a counting system, housed in custom-made black cloth clamshell box. The text is letterpress printed in Filosofia in various point sizes, on aluminum and polyester sheets done from photopolymer plates by Jessica Spring at Springtide Press. The drawn images are silkscreen printed on aluminum and individually painted by the artist, Donald Glaister, who designed and produced the edition, assisted by Gabby Cooksey. The texts are Zahra Partovi's thoughtful, elegant translation of VERSES (1986) by Jalaluddin Mohammad Rumi, a 12th century Persian mystic poet, published by Vincent FitzGerald and Company and the verse of Walt Whitman from the 1855 edition of LEAVES OF GRASS, starting, "I celebrate myself." The colophon / artist's statement tells us that this book is dedicated to the memory of Don Moore, Senior Engineer on the Voyager Spacecraft Project, the late brother of Donald Glaister's wife, artist Suzanne Moore. Aside from the family ties, the two Don's were close friends. The artist, Donald Glaister, writes, " 3 IN SEARCH OF THE UNIVERSE is a celebration of the search for what is beyond: beyond what we see, what we think we see, and what we know we don't see. Rumi, Whitman, and the Voyager project all were instruments of this 'grand quest.' The writers wondered at the immensity and the universality of being. The scientist gave Voyager the physical form to that wonder. It fuels our wonder still." The book begins with couplets from Rumi, letterpress printed on textured aluminum with painted accents. The effect is ethereal and timeless, as are the couplets themselves. After the Rumi pages begins a sequence of amorphous, darkly painted, textured pages with angular cut-outs that reveal hard-edged industrial forms of plastics and metals beneath. From the fold of each of these page spreads emerges a translucent page of poetry, excerpted from Walt Whitman's LEAVES OF GRASS. These seemingly incongruous elements make perfect sense given the theme of the book in general and the theme of Whitman's poetry in particular. Interspersed are the cut-out / Whitman page spreads and images reminiscent of engineering drawings painted on brushed aluminum. The aluminum paintings increase in complexity as one moves through the book. These paintings reflect the indefinite process of human creativity: the hard work as well as the flashes of inspiration that allow parts of an idea to appear fully formed in the searcher's mind. They are the visual ecstasy of "the quest." The aluminum paintings are visually oriented to the Voyager part of the trilogy but are equally applicable to the Rumi and Whitman facets as well. Man has, from the very beginning, dared to search not only his immediate environs but the immensity of all he can imagine. It is in that exploration that human beings discover themselves, as is so poignantly detailed by Rumi and Whitman. Donald Glaister's art brings us, breathtaking page by breathtaking page, to the edges of what we know of the universe, with flashes of illumination amidst the darkness, and then brings us back to the light in each of us. As well as a beautiful book, perfectly crafted, this is a profoundly moving book. To open the pages is to embark on the journey, experience the exhilaration of discovery, wonder, and joy!.

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.

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.

Hardcover. Condition: Fine. Limited Edition. Limited Edition. Hardcover. "The text is taken directly from the Preface, intact without breaks or rearrangement. 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. 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." [artist statement]. Tight, bright, and unmarred. Black leather binding with onlays, cherry veneer wooden pages, collages of paper, metals, Mylar, and acrylic paint. Small fo. np. Edition of 15 variants, 1 deluxe artist's proof variant, 1 prototype, and 1 variant saved for fine binding, this being number 4.

No Binding. Condition: Near Fine. This original pen and ink drawing of Walt Whitman is mounted at the front of an 1888 edition of Leaves of Grass. The likeness of a jaunty, casual, Whitman wearing his trademark slouch hat takes its cue from the famous 1855 Hollyer engraving, but here we see an older Whitman with a full beard. 8 x 4 1/2 in. Mounted to front pastedown of an edition of Leaves of Grass published by David McKay in Philadelphia in 1888 (original mustard cloth, front free endpaper removed, inner hinges tender, good condition). Soiling to mounted drawing.

Hardcover. Condition: Fine. 1st Edition. FIRST EDITION. One of 225 numbered copies signed by Bucke. This work prints an extensive collection of manuscript fragments discovered among Whitman s papers on his death. Sections include First Drafts and Rejected Lines and Passages, Mostly verse fragmentary, From Leaves of Grass, Largely Antecedent to the 1855 Edition, Notes on The meaning and Intention of Leaves of Grass,' and Memoranda From Books and From His Own Reflections, Indicating the Poet s Reading and Thought Preparatory to Writing Leaves of Grass.' This is a very handsome copy of this book which, when found, is usually battered. Provenance: Syracuse Public Library, with small stamp on title, with deaccession letter. Myerson A17. 4to. Original dark green-blue cloth. Minimal wear. Fine.

1st Edition thus. 8vo. pp. 31, [1, list of author's works]. A little spotting otherwise a Fine copy in contemporary half vellum. Only 500 copies were issued in printed wrappers, which invariably are chipped and worn where they survive. An important edition of the original preface. Wells & Goldsmith pp. 23-4. "It was the unfortunate fate of Whitman's Preface to the 1855 edition of Leaves of Grass to vanish almost immediately after publication into a shadowy existence that effectively obscured its place as a pioneering manifesto of American literary and cultural history. Whitman never allowed the complete text of 1855 to be reprinted in America during his lifetime, nor did he permit the Preface to be reissued in any form in an American edition of his poems. After 1855, the next reprinting came in London thirteen years later, in the 1868 selected Poems of Walt Whitman edited by W.M. Rossetti. In this text of the Preface, punctuation was normalized, and with Whitman's consent deletions were made in a few passages in order to eliminate potentially objectionable language. After another thirteen-year interval, the Preface was again published in London, in an 1881 pamphlet issued by Trübner and Company under the title "Leaves of Grass By Walt Whitman. Preface to the Original Edition, 1855." The Trübner text restored deleted words and phrases, and in various other ways it was closer to Whitman's original. The 1855 Preface was not reissued in America until 1882, in Specimen Days & Collect. For this printing Whitman made extensive revisions; besides changes in punctuation and style, and some slight additions, there were deletions that reduced the length of the Preface by about one-third, with a consequent diminution of force. This abbreviated version was reprinted in the Complete Poems & Prose of 1888 and in the Complete Prose Works of 1892." from the Walt Whitman Archive.

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Vellum. 8vo. Published by G. P. Putnam's Sons by The Knickerbocker Press, New York & London, UK. 1902. 10 volumes. Each volume contains 4 full-page illustrations, many of Whitman at various stages of life, and also including Lincoln, Emerson, Darwin, Poe, Carlyle, Longfellow and others. #344 of 500 copies with the facsimile signature of G P Putnam on the limitation page. The Book-Lover's Camden Edition. Bound in in 1/2 vellum-backed gray boards with gilt-lettered and decorated spines, top edges gilt. Boards have wear present to the extremities (spines are faded and worn with some of the gilt rubbed off, one volume has a nasty bump present to the rear board; see photo). No ownership marks present. Text is clean and free of marks. Binding tight and solid. In 1855, a small volume appeared, self-published by a failed Brooklyn journalist and carpenter: twelve untitled poems and a preface announcing the author's aims. A commercial failure, this book was the first stage of a massive, lifelong enterprise. Six editions and thirty-seven years later, Leaves of Grass had been recognized as one of the central masterworks of world poetry. This edition, long considered one of the best and most authortative, have the first 3 volumes encompass Leaves of Grass and the remaining 7 contain the Whitman's complete prose works. EB.

Washington D.C. (stampa: New York) [ma: London], s. n. (stampa: Electrotyped by Smith & McDougal) [ma: John Camden Hotten], 1872 [ma: 1873], Prima e unica edizione inglese, vivente l autore. Più che buon esemplare (copertina recuperata e applicata su tela, con dorso molto lacunoso e usura ai bordi; interno in ottime condizioni). Fogli di guardia in carta gialla, con ex libris «Major Bryan Palmes» al contropiatto anteriore. Si tratta di un edizione pirata esemplata in poche copie (circa un centinaio) sulla seconda emissione della quinta edizione, ovvero quella che nel 1872 accorpa ai Leaves Washington 1871 il Passage to India dello stesso anno (legando insieme i fascicoli dell una e dell altra e mantenendo frontespizio e paginazione autonoma). L edizione pirata è riconoscibile per la tela di copertina, in tutto diversa da quella originale verde, per l aggiunta in fine del poema After All, Not To Create Only (anch esso con propria numerazione) e per una serie di specifici rilievi filologico-testuali. -- La raccolta di poesie Leaves of Grass , apparsa la prima volta nel 1855 con solo dodici poesie, conta almeno sette edizioni importanti (notevolmente aumentate e modificate) pubblicate per cura dell autore: la quinta edizione rappresenta uno stato abbastanza vicino alla forma definitiva, se non altro per i titoli inclusi. Myerson, Whitman Bibliography, A2.6 bind. A in 8°, copertina originale in tela color mattone con riquadri e decorazioni in chiave greca sui piatti, titolo e impressione floreale in oro al dorso, pp. 384 (le prime sei pp. num. [I]-VI), 120 (le prime quattro pp. num. [I]-IV), 14. Prima e unica edizione inglese, vivente l autore. Più che buon esemplare (copertina recuperata e applicata su tela, con dorso molto lacunoso e usura ai bordi; interno in ottime condizioni). Fogli di guardia in carta gialla, con ex libris «Major Bryan Palmes» al contropiatto anteriore. copertina originale in tela color mattone con riquadri e decorazioni in chiave greca sui piatti, titolo e impressione floreale in oro al dorso,

First edition of the book and a leaf from the first edition of Whitman's LEAVES OF GRASS. With a frontispiece portrait of Norton and F. J. Child from a photograph taken circa 1854. 4to, publisher's original green cloth gilt lettered on the upper cover and spine. In the very scarce original plain paper dustjacket. 31 pp. + leaf from the first edition of LEAVES OF GRASS. A very fine copy, the text-block still largely unopened, the green cloth essentially pristine. The original 1855 leaf from the first edition of LEAVES OF GRASS well preserved. FIRST EDITION OF THE BOOK WITH A LEAF FROM THE 1855 FIRST PRINTING OF WALT WHITMAN'S LEAVES OF GRASS. The text was issued to commemorate the centenary of the birth of Charles Eliot Norton, this book contains an introductory essay by Kenneth Murdock, a poem by Norton inspired by Whitman's LEAVES OF GRASS, and Norton's review of that work, printed anonymously in "Putnam's Monthly" for September, 1855. The original leaf of the poem comes from the first printing, issued in Brooklyn by Whitman in 1855. It is, to this day, held to be the greatest poetical work in American literature.

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good to Near Fine. Facsimile. One of 50 numbered copies on Japan vellum, signed by Thomas Bird Mosher. Nice copy in very good+ to near fine. Has prior owner's gift inscription and bookplater. Large or heavy book and may require extra postage. No AMAZON international order on this title. Size: 4to - over 9¾" - 12" tall. Signed by Publisher.

Pirated issue of the Thayer and Eldridge edition. Illustrated with and engraved frontispiece portrait of Walt Whitman at an early age. 8vo, publisher's original maroon cloth lettered in gilt on spine, title and pictorial decorations in blind on both covers. iv, 456 pp. An essentially fine copy, very well preserved, the binding clean and strong, the hinges in excellent order, the text-block essentially as pristine and unread, previous owner's name stamped inside. A VERY HANDSOME COPY OF THE WORTHINGTON REISSUE OF THE BOSTON EDITION OF 1860-61. The first Boston printing was the first general trade published issuance of LEAVES OF GRASS. The edition included 122 new poems and two new sections. This is an early reissue of one of the most important editions of this great American literary work which remains attainable. Whitman began this edition with "Proto-Leaf"["Starting from Paumanok"] a lovely apologia for his work. And this edition has the two very important clusters--"Enfans d'Adam" and "Calamus"---focusing on love. Whitman s LEAVES OF GRASS is, arguably, the greatest work in all of American literature. LEAVES OF GRASS portrayed America at the crossroads between an old world, soon to be caste off, and the new world of our future present. With the publication of LEAVES OF GRASS in 1855, Whitman, the poet of democracy, ushered in a new era in American letters, describing specifically American experiences in a distinctly American idiom. From its first publication in 1855, he had complete confidence in the greatness of both the book and its author. "Always the champion of the common man, Whitman is both the poet and the prophet of democracy. The whole of LEAVES OF GRASS is imbued with the spirit of brotherhood and a pride in the democracy of the young American nation. In a sense, it is America s second Declaration of Independence: that of 1776 was political, this of 1855 intellectual. .The poems are saturated with a vehemence of pride and audacity of freedom necessary to loosen the mind of still-to-be-formed America from the folds, the superstitions, and all the long, tenacious, and stifling anti-democratic authorities of Asiatic and European past . To the young nation, only just becoming aware of an individual literary identity distinct from its European origins, Whitman s message and his outspoken confidence came at a decisive moment. LEAVES OF GRASS was Whitman s favorite child. From the time of its original publication,.until the year of his death, he continued revising and enlarging it. If (his) reputation has fluctuated over the years and his position among, if indeed not at the head of, the list of great American poets was not assured until some time after his death, there was never any doubt of the matter in his own mind. I know I am deathless , he wrote. Whether I come to my own today or in ten thousand or ten million years, I can cheerfully take it now, or with equal cheerfulness I can wait. Time has vindicated his conviction." PMM.

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Hardcover. 4to. Published by Limited Editions Club, New York, 1942. 2 Volumes. Xxix + 264 pgs. Illustrated with 49 photographs. Number #536 of a limited edition of 1500 copies, Signed by Edward Weston at the colophon in Volume 2. Lacking the slipcase. Bound in illustrated paper covered boards with titles present to the spine. Boards have wear present to the extremities of the boards (boards are scuffed and worn to the extremities; edges of the spines are chipped). No ownership marks present. Text is clean and free of marks. Binding tight and solid. Leaves of Grass is a poetry collection by the American poet Walt Whitman (1819 1892). Though the first edition was published in 1855, Whitman spent most of his professional life writing and re-writing Leaves of Grass, revising it multiple times until his death. This resulted in vastly different editions over four decades the first a small book of twelve poems and the last a compilation of over 400 poems. EB; 8vo 8" - 9" tall.

Including Sands At Seventy, 1888, 1st Annex; Good Bye My Fancy, 1891, 2nd Annex; A Backward Glance O'er Travel'd Roads, 1888; and Portrait from Life. Large 8vo. 438 pp. Steel engraving portrait, with tissue guard, of Whitman at age 35. Green cloth with gilt lettering to spine; top edge gilt; deckled page edges. Minor wear to extremities; light markings on front cover; internally clean and no markings; else near fine. "As there are now several editions of L. of G., different texts and dates, I wish to say that I prefer and recommend this present one, complete, for future printing, if there should be any." - Walt Whitman. First published in 1855, Whitman spent most of his professional life writing and rewriting Leaves of Grass, revising it multiple times until his death. As the end of 1891 approached, Whitman prepared a final edition of Leaves of Grass, a final compilation of over 400 poems. He died a short time later on March 26, 1892. (BAL 21441). Deathbed Edition, Printing 2, printed from the plates of Leaves of Grass, 1889, with annexes and additional material as in Printing 1; Binding C.