[Rarebooks] FS: Unique Bliss Carman, The Rough Riders, signed

[powersrarebooks at comcast.net]

I can offer... 




Carman, Bliss. The Rough Rider and Other Poems. New York: Mitchell Kennerley, 1909. First edition. Small 8vo, original flexible ochre cloth lettered in brown on spine and cover. [v], 78 pp. Some slight bubbling to the cloth, slight soiling to the edges, and with some offsetting on the rear cover from some unidentified object. Still, a very good copy. 



Signed on the pastedown, “Very Sincerely, Bliss Carman, 29 August 1910.” This copy was also in the hands of the Santa Cruz Reading Circle,” the members of which have added their own poetic inscriptions and two pieces of artwork.” The name “Santa Cruz Reading Circle” is written in decorative letters on the flyleaf, accompanied by a watercolor of a hemlock tree, and the upper quarter of the second blank has a lovely watercolor entitled “Sunset at Rippowani” dated August 29, 1910, by S. W. Johnson. The half-title has two small images from magazines pasted on that seem to be travel related, with the inscription “The[y] crown her ‘Queen of the Parks.’” 



One of the poetic inscriptions includes the lines, “I do not mind the road’s fatigues / to read an hour with you,” and another is signed, “a grateful listener.” Based on the date of Carman’s inscription and the watercolor, it seems likely that the author visited the reading group and did a reading. Or the volume may have been presented to a member who was departing. Or both. Whatever the circumstances, this is a unique and charming volume. 

$100 plus shipping 


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Greg Powers 
Powers Rare Books 
344 Orange Street 
Manchester NH 03104 
603-624-9707 
powersrarebooks at comcast.net