Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
Ruth Krauss. A Hole is to Dig. Harper & Row, Publishers, 1952.
Price: US$320.00 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: Condition: Fine in near-fine jacket. Inscribed first edition, later state, of the commercial and critical success that established Sendak's talent as an illustrator and Krauss's reputation for capturing child-like lyricism - an especially nice copy inscribed by Krauss. Krauss enjoyed enormous acclaim, particularly in the 1950s, as a writer on her own terms for her children's books that are now better known today as early "Sendak titles." Biographer Philip Nel argues that, because she "treated them as equals, children accepted Krauss as one of them, confiding in her, telling her stories, or just playing while she watched. She listened, wrote down what they said, and used her poet's ear to select phrases that displayed a natural, unrehearsed lyricism." Krauss, along with her husband Crockett Johnson, was a formative mentor for Sendak. While their relationship was often strained, Sendak felt that "part of her fury was educating me, the dumb Brooklyn kid, into a more interesting human being. She was determined that I have more insight, that I think higher" (quoted in Nel, 178-9). Their first collaboration. 6.5'' x 5.25''. Original quarter teal cloth, color pictorial paper boards. In original unclipped ($1.95) color pictorial dust jacket, clipped on bottom portion. Illustrated by Sendak on every page. Later state, with "Grr-r-r" present on page [23]. [48] pages. Jacket slight chipping at base and top.
Seller: Turn and Temper Books, Rockville, MD, U.S.A.
Krauss, Ruth; Sendak, Maurice. A HOLE IS TO DIG. Harper & Brothers, [New York], 1952.
Price: US$350.00 + shipping
Description: Inscribed first edition, later state, of the commercial and critical success that established Sendak's talent as an illustrator and Krauss's reputation for capturing child-like lyricism - an especially nice copy inscribed by Krauss. Krauss enjoyed enormous acclaim, particularly in the 1950s, as a writer on her own terms for her children's books that are now better known today as early "Sendak titles." Biographer Philip Nel argues that, because she "treated them as equals, children accepted Krauss as one of them, confiding in her, telling her stories, or just playing while she watched. She listened, wrote down what they said, and used her poet's ear to select phrases that displayed a natural, unrehearsed lyricism." Krauss, along with her husband Crockett Johnson, was a formative mentor for Sendak. While their relationship was often strained, Sendak felt that "part of her fury was educating me, the dumb Brooklyn kid, into a more interesting human being. She was determined that I have more insight, that I think higher" (quoted in Nel, 178-9). Their first collaboration. 6.5'' x 5.25''. Original quarter teal cloth, color pictorial paper boards. In original unclipped ($1.50) color pictorial dust jacket. Illustrated by Sendak on every page. Later state, with "Grr" present on page [23]. [48] pages. Jacket rubbed at spine head.
Seller: Type Punch Matrix, Silver Spring, MD, U.S.A.
Price: US$450.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Hardcover with dustjacket. Pictorial boards with blue/green cloth spine. Binding good and clean and tight. Original DJ in pretty good condition, but faded at the spine and edges. Some dustiness, but no tears. Front flap is price clipped, but has the code of 30-70 on the bottom edge. Unpaginaged. No date on the title page. Copyright page dated only 1952. LOC number present but no ISBN. the "G-r-r-r-r" on page 23 indicates that it is not the first printing. But it is an early printing (perhaps 2nd), with no mention of any other Sendak works except The Wonderful Farm in the biographical blurb on the read DJ flap. Signed on the title page by Sendak - just his name - no date or inscription. Please email with questions or to request photos.
Seller: Riverby Books, Fredericksburg, VA, U.S.A.
Krauss, Ruth. A Hole Is To Dig ( inscribed by Sendak ). Harper and Row, 1952.
Price: US$500.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: First edition, but not the first issue inscribed and signed by Sendak. A nice copy with $1.50 on the flap. Someone has written Rolfie in red ink on the title page.
Seller: Ink, Portland, OR, U.S.A.
Price: US$1500.00 + shipping
Description: Maurice Sendak. Later printing. [48] pp. 1 vols. Small 8vo. Inscribed, with a Drawing. Signed by Sendak on the front endpaper with an original drawing in black ink and dated "Feb. '69 / for Bob Wilson". Hanrahan A4 Paper dust-jacket over cloth-covered illustrated boards. Upper corner of front inner flap clipped, with price of $2.57 net on lower corner and "Harper Crest" foil sticker to front cover, otherwise fine
Seller: James Cummins Bookseller, ABAA, New York, NY, U.S.A.