RED PONY by STEINBECK, JOHN

STEINBECK,JOHN. THE RED PONY. NY: Covici Friede 1937. 4to (7 x 10 1/8"), flexible tan pictorial cloth, no glassine, spine and rear edge faded, mark at finger slot level corresponding with the finger hole cut out on slipcase for book removal, owner bookplate tipped onto free endpaper purportedly belonging to a Covici Friede associate. Housed in the publisher's slip case with the limitation LETTER on the spine of the case. (The edge of case stained in two areas, else tight and VG) 1st edition. LIMITED TO 699 NUMBERED COPIES SIGNED BY STEINBECK, THIS IS A SCARCE "LETTERED" EDITION, presumably for private distribution to friends. In addition to being lettered not numbered, this is printed on Marais hand made paper (watermarked) while the numbered copies are on La Garde paper. The limited edition originally sold for $10.00 - a large sum for the time, but it sold out. The story features young Jody Tiflin and his life on his father's northern California ranch. The first edition has no illustrations; an illustrated expanded edition came out in 1945. This "lettered" limited edition is quite scarce and would make a special addition to any book collection.