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Silk: A Legend as Narrated in the Journals and Correspondence of Jan Po
by Merwin, Samuel
- Used
- near fine
- Signed
- first
- Condition
- Near Fine
- Seller
-
Portland, Oregon, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
[np]: [no publisher], 1923. Near Fine. Original handwritten manuscript of the 1923 novel. 3 single page manuscript letters by Merwin, including two original envelopes, 125 numbered manuscript pages, tipped-in on larger blank pages. Rectos only. Folio, finely bound in red calf with gilt borders, gilt design on top board, spine with raised bands and gilt-decorated compartments, lettered in gilt. House in red cloth slipcase. Near Fine with sunning and light rubbing to spine; first manuscript page laid in loose. Slipcase a little discolored with boards starting to separate, head a little frayed.
The original handwritten manuscript of Merwin's historical novel set in China, with penciled and inked edits and corrections throughout in the author's hand. Among the edits are Merwin's decision to abandon a false "editorial" role in favor of outright authorship. Tipped in at the front are three pages of correspondence from March 1923 from Merwin in Concord, Massachusetts to screenwriter Albert "Bert" S. LeVino, discussing aspects of the manuscript, including N.C. Wyeth's plans to paint color plates for the first edition.
Samuel Merwin, Sr. (1874-1936) was an American playwright and author. After attending Northwestern University, he worked between 1905 and 1911 as associate editor and then editor of Success magazine. In 1907 the magazine sent him to China to investigate the opium trade. His novels and stories were often historical, romantic, war-themed, and/or set in the Far East, often with feminist themes. The first edition of Silk was published in 1923 by Houghton Mifflin, illustrated with color plates by N.C. Wyeth. It would be reprinted during the 1940s in the UK as a Penguin paperback.
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Details
- Bookseller
- Burnside Rare Books, ABAA
(US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 140937868
- Title
- Silk: A Legend as Narrated in the Journals and Correspondence of Jan Po
- Author
- Merwin, Samuel
- Book Condition
- Used - Near Fine
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Publisher
- [no publisher]
- Place of Publication
- [np]
- Date Published
- 1923
- Bookseller catalogs
- Literature;
Terms of Sale
Burnside Rare Books, ABAA
30 day return guarantee, with full refund including shipping costs for up to 30 days after delivery if an item arrives misdescribed or damaged.
About the Seller
Burnside Rare Books, ABAA
Biblio member since 2010
Portland, Oregon
About Burnside Rare Books, ABAA
Burnside Rare Books specializes in literary first editions and works of cultural and historic significance. We are located in Portland, Oregon and welcome visitors by appointment.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Cloth
- "Cloth-bound" generally refers to a hardcover book with cloth covering the outside of the book covers. The cloth is stretched...
- Gilt
- The decorative application of gold or gold coloring to a portion of a book on the spine, edges of the text block, or an inlay in...
- Raised Band(s)
- Raised bands refer to the ridges that protrude slightly from the spine on leather bound books. The bands are created in the...
- Fine
- A book in fine condition exhibits no flaws. A fine condition book closely approaches As New condition, but may lack the...
- First Edition
- In book collecting, the first edition is the earliest published form of a book. A book may have more than one first edition in...
- Spine
- The outer portion of a book which covers the actual binding. The spine usually faces outward when a book is placed on a shelf....
- Calf
- Calf or calf hide is a common form of leather binding. Calf binding is naturally a light brown but there are ways to treat the...
- Rubbing
- Abrasion or wear to the surface. Usually used in reference to a book's boards or dust-jacket.
- Tipped In
- Tipped In is used to describe something which has been glued into a book. Tipped-in items can include photos, book plates,...
- Folio
- A folio usually indicates a large book size of 15" in height or larger when used in the context of a book description. Further,...
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