Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
Price: US$50.00 + shipping
Description: 1 vols. Sm. 8vo. A fine copy of this facsimile of Riley's first published book. Original printed wrappers and dust jacket. Fine. From the collection of Byron Price with bookplates
Seller: The Old Mill Bookshop, HACKETTSTOWN, NJ, U.S.A.
Price: US$135.00 + shipping
Condition: Poor
Description: Author's first book, signed, with twelve poems mainly dealing with memories of childhood. Written in "eye dialect," in which the misspelling of words suggests the use of a dialect even though the pronunciation is the same. Whitcomb used the pseudonym "Benj. F. Johnson, of Boone." Presentation copy, "Compliments of Jas. Whitcomb Riley, Indianapolis, Ind. 1887" (1883 is written over) on a blank page at front. Missing printed wrapper. Detached pale green "bound" wrapper is included and in many pieces. Booklet is mostly torn along spine. Very fragile condition, sold as-is.; Book; 8vo - over 7¾ - 9¾" tall; Signed by Author(s)
Seller: Back of Beyond Books, Moab, UT, U.S.A.
Price: US$200.00 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: 16mo, in unprinted wraps with printed paper cover; printing in red ink. Light soil on printed cover. 50 pages. There is a Christmas inscription signed James Whitcomb Riley on a preliminary blank, dated 1896. Some separation between a preliminary blank and the half-title page. This copy has no notice of being a facsimile, but is missing the "W" from "William" on page 41 in the next to last line, which Russo cites as being a characteristic of a facsimile. Enclosed in a custom chemise and slipcase with "The Old Swimming Hole" / Reilly (sic) / Presentation Copy / printed on the spine. 042407B
Seller: Alkahest Books, Deerfield, IL, U.S.A.
Price: US$400.00 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: Softcover. 16mo. 6 3/8" x 4 7/16". 50pp. Folded white wrappers with tan parchment paper dust-jacket, both with title printed in red. Author's first book with twelve poems mainly dealing with memories of childhood. Written in "Hoosier" dialect. Publishers note indicates that some of the poems originally appeared in the Indianapolis Journal. White wrappers are very clean and nice with one tiny edge tear; dust jacket has light edge wear, some short edge tears and delicate corner. This copy is missing the "W" from "William" on page 41 but has printed wrappers on laid paper with horizontal chain lines as called for in Bal 16525.
Seller: Lost Horizon Bookstore, Santa Barbara, CA, U.S.A.
Price: US$500.00 + shipping
Description: Small octavo, title page printed in red, original cream vegetable parchment wrappers printed in red, sewn, all edges untrimmed. First edition, first printing. The author's first book, twelve Hoosier dialect poems first published in THE INDIANAPOLIS JOURNAL. 1000 copies were printed, the poet and the publisher sharing the expense. The supply was exhausted in three months, by which time the partners had cleared $83.20 each. "Riley has been called the 'People's Laureate,' and in a measure he deserves the title. He was a native of Greenfield, Indiana, the son of a lawyer, and himself dedicated to law by parental decree. After leaving school he ran away and became in turn a sign painter, patent medicine vendor and actor. Before long he began contributing to THE INDIANAPOLIS JOURNAL and his dialect poems quickly brought him national recognition. If one is to accept unqualifiedly the opinion of the critics, Riley is neither a great nor a good poet. He is accused of having prostituted real powers, abetted by a facile sense of rhythm, to the pleasing of the multitude. Possibly he did. But no contemporary equaled the popularity he attained through such poems as 'The Old Swimmin'-hole,' 'When the Frost is on the Punkin,' 'The Elf Child' ('Little Orphan Annie') and 'A Life-Lesson.' Despite the critics, he seems destined to retain his place as a favorite of the people." - Fullerton, Selective Bibliography of American Literature 1775-1900, 229-230. Merle Johnson, High Spots of American Literature, p. 64. BAL 16525. Russo, pp. 3-6. Early owner's name, "Mrs. A. de Leur," rubber-stamped at upper edge of title page. Light wear at spine ends, a very good copy. The parchment paper wrapper has a clean split along the front spine fold professionally mended and is otherwise intact. A very nice copy of a fragile book rarely found in decent condition. (#160973)
Seller: Currey, L.W. Inc. ABAA/ILAB, Elizabethtown, NY, U.S.A.
Price: US$966.92 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: First Printing, The famous book collector, H. Bradley Martin's copy with his bookplate also bookplate of Arthur Swann, 50pp., printed wraps in rare printed dust jacket with some chipping at head and tail of jacket's spine and tape mends inside jacket, a very scarce author's first book housed within a cloth covered clamshell
Seller: The Antiquarian Shop, Bend, OR, U.S.A.