A Birthday Book

[Merle Armitage] Kent, Rockwell

Published by Random House, New York, 1931

About this Item

Lovely copy of this fairy tale, one of Rockwell Kent's most beautifully produced books for children. Kent found an early admirer in art director ofLookmagazine and book designer, Merle Armitage. Armitage was part of the vibrant Los Angeles book and arts scene surrounding Jake Zeitlin, Ernest Dawson, and their circle. Major authors of the time, Kent, Sherwood Anderson, Christopher Morley, and others would visit and be wined and dined before being taken down book row on Sixth Street, meeting the likes of Lawrence Powell, Ward Ritchie, Armitage, and other bibliophiles. It is through his promotion of Kent's art and these Los Angeles visits, Armitage and the great illustrator became friends. In 1929, Kent designed the beautiful bookplate for Armitage. Three years later, in 1932, Armitage wrote and designed one of the early monographs on Kent's work, which included several illustrations from the artist. A nice association on a very attractive book. 26x18cm, unpaginated, printed rectos only with black and white wood block prints surrounded by cut borders and text all by Kent, and signed by him at the colophon. Pictorial silk boards in blue and red, beige silk endpapers in original acetate jacket. Toning to very edges of boards, else a fine copy in yellowed jacket with some chipping at head. Merle Armitage's copy with his Kent-designed bookplate to front pastedown, and ownership signature to fly First edition, number 353 of 1850 signed copies.

Seller Inventory # 8291

Bibliographic Details

• Title: A Birthday Book
• Publisher: Random House, New York
• Publication Date: 1931
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: 1st Edition
• Dust Jacket Condition: Dust Jacket Included
• Signed: Signed by Author(s)
• Seller catalogs:
  • Illustration
  • Art & Photography
  • Children's
  • Fine Press