Over My Left Shoulder: A Panorama of Men and Events, Burlesques and Tragedies, Cabbages and Kings and Sometimes W and Y.

Introduction by Irvin S. Cobb. 8vo. Green cloth with gilt lettering . xvii, 349pp. Frontispiece. Very good. A bit of edgewear, with spine lettering rubbed; inner front hinge starting but expertly, archivally strengthened, thus tight; rear flyleaf bears pencilled sketch of a Dalmation in unknown hand. A nice, clean first edition. Entertaining collection of "Bob Davis Recalls" articles by this "New York Sun" reporter/editor (1869-1942). He boldly signs and inscribes the front flyleaf in purple ink "To Ray: / I guarantee the / introduction. The / rest is silence / R.H. Davis / 1926-27." Below this, prolific humorist and columnist Cobb (1876-1944) also signs and inscribes, also in purple ink: "Dear Ray -- / I unqualifiedly endorse / Pages VIII to XI inclusive of / these contents. You accept / the rest on your own re- / sponsibility -- / Irvin S. Cobb." ("Ray" was likely Ray D. Smith, a noted Civil War scholar and collector from Illinois.) Copies of "Over My Left Shoulder" signed by Davis aren't terribly uncommon, but copies also signed by Cobb are rarely seen. A great pair of tongue-in-cheek signed inscriptions.…