The Garden Behind the Moon. [Association Copy; Inscribed by Pyle to Eugene Fields; Letter Laid in to Field's Widow]

New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1895. First Edition. Hardcover. Very Good+ [Textblock Fine]. No DJ.. First Edition. Hardcover. One of Pyle's last books for young people, the backstory to particular this volume is second to none. It was inscribed by Pyle to renowned poet and author, Eugene Field, "To Eugene Field, My fellow worker in the world of art" and below the inscription, also in Pyles hand is a lovely 12 line poem [N.B. no reference to the poem can be found and it is possible that this is a previously unknown Pyle work]. The inscription and poem are dated November 3rd, 1895. Eugene Field died, unexpectedly, on November 4th, 1895, and Pyle clearly heard about it very quickly as there is a letter laid in to his widow, dated November 10, 1895, expressing his deep sympathies and fond memories and presenting the inscribed copy to her in memory of her husband. An exceptional addition to a sophisticated Pyle collection. Light shelf/edge wear, bottom fore-tip gently bumped, lengthy inscription by author at first blank, else tight, bright and unmarred. Green cloth boards, gilt lettering and decorative elments, green and red ink lettering, frontispiece. 8vo. 192pp. Illus. (b/w plates).