[Rarebooks] FS: Helen Hayes's copy of the First Edition of UNCLE TOM'S CABIN bound by Bennett & presented by cast of play

[Charles Agvent]

 From our new internet catalogue just posted on our web site.  Highlights this 
month include a group of letters by the commander of an African-American 
regiment, signed copies of UNCLE TOM'S CABIN, UNCLE REMUS, and UP FROM SLAVERY, 
books signed by Louis Armstrong, M. L. King, and Joe Louis, as well as a book 
inscribed by poet Robert Hayden to Jimmy Carter, and much much more.  Have a look at
http://www.erols.com/agvent  where you can also access our powerful search 
engine and over 5000 other select books and autographs.

STOWE,  Harriet  Beecher. UNCLE TOM'S CABIN; OR,  LIFE  AMONG  THE
LOWLY.  Boston:  John  P.  Jewett & Co.  1852.  First  Edition.  First
Printing.  Two  volumes  bound by Bennett in early  twentieth  century
full  brown morocco with gilt lettering and rules, five raised  bands,
gilt dentelles, and marbled endpapers. [iii]-x, [13]-312; [i]-iv, [5]-
322  pages. Illustrated with title page engravings and six plates. Per
BAL  19343,  this set has the single imprint on both copyright  pages.
Interestingly,  all 7 points of the first volume are later issue,  and
all  11 points of the second volume are first issue. Grolier  American
100,  61;  Printing and the Mind of Man 332: "In  the  emotion-charged
atmosphere  of  mid-nineteenth  century   America  Uncle  Tom's  Cabin
exploded  like  a bombshell. To those engaged in fighting  slavery  it
appeared  as  an  indictment of all the evils inherent in  the  system
they  opposed; to the pro-slavery forces it was a slanderous attack on
'the  Southern  way of life.' The social impact of [the novel] on  the
United  States  was  greater than that of any book before  or  since."
When  Abraham Lincoln met its author at the White House in 1862, he is
said  to have exclaimed, "So this is the little lady who made this big
war?"  This first printing of five thousand copies was exhausted  in a
few  days,  and  the  book eventually sold more  copies  in  the  19th
century  than any other book except the Bible. This set was  presented
to  Helen  Hayes in 1943 when she starred as Harriet Beecher Stowe  on
Broadway  in  HARRIET. Laid in are two cards, one signed by  the  crew
and  the other by the cast of the play which was staged by Elia  Kazan
and  ran for 377 performances. A clean set, beautifully bound and with
a fine provenance.                                            $5000.00

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CHARLES AGVENT
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Mertztown, PA  19539-8750
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