Spice and the Devil's Cave [VINTAGE 1930] [FIRST EDITION, FIRST PRINTING]

Hewes, Anges Danforth

Published by Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1930

About this Item

Fine condition red cloth boards with gold front cover decorations and gold spine lettering contained in a good condition non price-clipped color illustrated dust jacket. Includes Dedication; and Introduction by Curtis Howe Walker, Vanderbilt University. Illustrated with enchanting black-and-white woodcuts by Lynd Ward, plus a black-and-white woodcut frontispiece, color woodcut illustration on the full title page, and color map illustrated front and rear endpapers. The jacket has general spine edgewear, spine chips and a 1 1/2 inch closed tear at the lower front jacket edge. All pages are in fine condition and the binding is exceedingly tight and square. (see photographs). Newbery Award Winner. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Author Agnes Danforth Hewes won the first of her three Newbery Honor awards with this book, which was praised by The New York Times as "one of those engrossing works of historical fiction whose appeal is nearly universal . a colorful history of a far-reaching commercial struggle and a vivid drama of individual hopes and aspirations." "A tale of the struggle between Venice and Portugal to gain control of the all-sea route to the spices of India and the Far East. The scene is laid in Lisbon, at the end of the fifteenth century. We are haunted with pictures of the young Magellan with his burning eyes, Vasco da Gama, Bartholomew Diaz, and the amazining character of Able Zakuto, the Jewish banker and inventor of navigation instruments, in whose workshop in Lisbon are laid all the plans for the first trip. The sudden and dramatic appearance of a beautiful and mysterious Arab girl, Nejmi, turns the whole plot and leads to the eventual discovery of the Way of the Spices. This incident of the Arab girl is based upon a real happening in Beyrout, Syria. The story is told brilliantly, vividly, and with a rare atmosphere of the time. This is excellent historical fiction, for older byys and girls, about a period in history of which there is little written. Lynd Ward has done arresting decorations." - from the inner front jacket flap.

Seller Inventory # 004332

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Spice and the Devil's Cave [VINTAGE 1930] [FIRST EDITION, FIRST PRINTING]
• Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf, New York
• Publication Date: 1930
• Language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Ward, Lynd
• Edition: 1st Edition
• Condition: Fine
• Dust Jacket Condition: Good