The Book of Robo. Being a Collection of Verses and Prose Writings, with a Biographical Sketch by his Wife, Tina Modotti Richéy and an Introduction by John Cowper Powys.

MODOTTI, Tina (ed.); RICHÉY, Roubaix De l'Abrie.

Published by Los Angeles: [for Modotti Richéy,] 1923

About this Item

First and sole edition, number 158 of 210 copies only, inscribed by Tina Modotti on the front free endpaper, "To the Abdys, appreciating the good fortune of having met them, Tina M. Richey 1923", with Harry Abdy's note beneath, "Presented at San Francisco, California". The Book of Robo was Robo's sole literary work, a collection of verse published posthumously by Modotti. Modotti was a radical photographer, member of the Mexican Communist party, de-facto photographer for Diego Riviera and the Mexican muralists, and it-girl of the avant-garde. Robo was her first partner, a farm boy from Oregon named Ruby Ritchie (1918-1922) who assumed the name Roubaix "Robo" de l'Abrie Richey to sound more bohemian. He worked as an illustrator, cartoonist, and painter, and was a skilled fabric designer; the book's paper sides are likely his work. Modotti and Robo met and became lovers in San Francisco in 1917, moving to Los Angeles shortly after, where they lived as a married couple. When Robo died in 1922, Modotti endeavoured to preserve his legacy, mounting an exhibition of his work and publishing this book in his memory. She met the Adbys in San Francisco during a short stint in 1923. Rowena Meeks Abdy was a renowned modernist painter and married to the writer Harry Bennett Adby. His bookplate is on the verso of the frontispiece, along with two annotations: one remarking that the bookplate depicts a view of the old Spanish Mission of San Huan Capistrano and the other noting a further presentation, "to my dear young friends, Pauline (the poetess) and William (the painter), H. Bennet Abdy, New York, June 1943". Octavo. Portrait frontispiece, tipped-in black and white illustrations opposite p. 22 and 28. Original tan quarter cloth, green and black patterned paper sides, paper label on front board. A little sunned, edges worn, front inner hinge cracked but firm, text block toned, remains very good.

Seller Inventory # 144828

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Book of Robo. Being a Collection of Verses and Prose Writings, with a Biographical Sketch by his Wife, Tina Modotti Richéy and an Introduction by John Cowper Powys.
• Publisher: Los Angeles: [for Modotti Richéy,] 1923
• Edition: 1st Edition
• Signed: Signed by Author(s)