Whispering Smith

New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1906. Hardcover. Illustrations by N.C. Wyeth. Small 8vo. Burgundy cloth with gilt and white lettering and black, white and blue pictorial stamping. 421pp, (2pp ads). Tissue-guarded color frontispiece, 3 full-page called-for plates. Very good. Mild binding edgewear only. Handsome first edition of this huge 1906 bestseller by the Nebraska bank president (1859-1937) who penned highly-regarded Western fiction as well as novels and nonfiction about railroads. This unique copy bears two interesting autograph additions: Tipped to front flyleaf is Spearman's elegant 3" X 1½" heavy stock calling card; above the printed "Mr. Frank H. Spearman" he pens in bold purple "with a holograph / ms." (not present). Fine. Below this is an irregularly-trimmed, rough rectangular 3½" X 1½" slip (three tape stains at margins touching upon several letters; undated, but circa 1960) inscribed and signed in blue ballpoint by actor ALAN LADD (1913-64). "Whispering Smith" proved so popular that there were four silent film versions and four talking film versions, plus a television series starring Audie Murphy. Ladd portrayed lead character Luke "Whispering" Smith in the 1948 version. A wonderfully unusual copy of this scarce title.