[Rarebooks] FS: Pilgrim: Alaska (etc.) inscribed, signed, association in DJ

[The Prints & The Paper]

FS: Pilgrim: Alaska (etc.) inscribed, signed, association in DJ

A special new acquisition: price $125 before listing ppd. (Price will be
higher when I list this online.)

Pilgrim, Mariette Shaw. Alaska, Its History, Resources, Geography, and
Government. Caldwell, Id: Caxton printers, 1939. First edition. Green cloth
hardcover with silver stamped spine and cover titles and pictorial vignette,
in SCARCE dust jacket, green with B&W photo of church in Sitka, author’s
photo on back panel. Small 8vo, 296 pages with folding map (front) and
illustrated with B&W photos. Inscribed: “To my dear Mother, Catherine
Rebecca Austin from Your loving ‘Sourdough’ daughter, Mariette Shaw Pilgrim.
Dec 19, 1939, Stampede, Alaska.” Additionally inscribed: from Grandma &
Grandpa Austin too [sic] our Grandaughter [sic] Patsy Shaw, Xmas Dec 25 –
1944, Newport Oregon” There is also a very faded inscription on the dust
jacket rear panel, signed “Mariette” and apparently to her mother. The front
jacket flap carries the additional note, “Wurtsmith School Clark Air Base
A.P.) 74 San Francisco Calif.” The book is in good condition with bright
clear lettering, light edgewear with a few spots rubbed through the cloth on
the bottom edges; the first signature is somewhat sprung and there is a
small Christmas sticker on the front pastedown, also the bottom corner of
the pastedown has some surface paper loss. The jacket is edgeworn, with
several chips (a largish one in the lower corner) none of which affect text
or image; the rear flap is mostly missing.

Mariette Shaw was born and raised on a homestead in Idaho. She became a
teacher and taught in Bear Creek and Silver City Idaho, and in Bend, Oregon.
In 1929 she went to Alaska where she became principal of the grade schools
in Cordova and Juneau. She married Earl Richard Pilgrim, a mining engineer,
while in Alaska. This was the first textbook on Alaska history for use in
schools, as well as for the public.