Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
Price: US$3000.00 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: (48)pp. Title-page woodcut by Gustav Wolf. Boards. Slightly sunned. Front board slightly scuffed. One of 26 copies on Dacian paper, numbered and signed by Lowell on the colophon, from the limited edition of 250 in all. Lowell's first book of poetry.
Seller: Ars Libri, Ltd. (ABAA), Charlestown, MA, U.S.A.
Price: US$5000.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: The 1944 original printing of Robert Lowell's first published book, limited to 250 copies. THIS COPY BELONGING TO POET ROBERT DUNCAN, WHO SIGNED HIS NAME ON THE FRONT FREE ENDPAPER AND WHOSE WILDLY DECORATIVE 1945 BOOKPLATE (SHARED WITH AND UNDOUBTEDLY DESIGNED BY HIS PARTNER JESS COLLINS) ADORNS THE FRONT PASTEDOWN. A solid, presentable copy to boot. Clean and VG in its dark boards, with light offsetting along the panel edges, limited, very light blotching to the rear panel and its usual (in this case mild) fading along the spine. Introduction by Allen Tate. Also includes a handsome, custom-made chemise and printed slipcase, with its gilt-titled, dark-leather label along the spine.
Seller: APPLEDORE BOOKS, ABAA, WACCABUC, NY, U.S.A.
LOWELL, Robert. LAND OF UNLIKENESS. Cummington Press, (Cummington, MA), 1944.
Price: US$6250.00 + shipping
Description: Publisher's blue boards stamped in orange, title page printed in red and black with woodcut in blue by Gustav Wolf. Introduction by Allen Tate. Lowell's first book, limited to a total of 250 copies printed. This is Copy #11 of only 26 on Dacian paper SIGNED by the author on the limitation page. Allen Tate, in his introduction to this collection, tempers his praise with a fair assessment of Lowell's current stature and potential, heralding a lasting presence in American poetry: "The history of poetry shows that good verse does not inevitably make its way; but unless, after the war, the small public for poetry shall exclude all except the democratic poets who enthusiastically greet the advent of the slave-society, Robert Lowell will have to be reckoned with." Two years later, Lowell would win the Pulitzer Prize for LORD WEARY'S CASTLE, at the age of 30. Slight fading to boards, moreso to the spine which has a couple of small tears, one neatly repaired. Very Good and scarce
Seller: Charles Agvent, est. 1987, ABAA, ILAB, Fleetwood, PA, U.S.A.
LOWELL, Robert. Land of Unlikeness. The Cummington Press, (Cummington), 1944.
Price: US$7500.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: First edition. Blue printed papercovered boards, lettered in red. Introduction by Allen Tate. Woodcut by Gustav Wolf. Light rubbing to the crown, spine a little faded, with two very small spots, and a small, light smudge on the front board, lacking the original unprinted glassine dustwrapper. A nice, very good copy of a fragile volume, and internally fine. This copy Inscribed by Lowell to Stanley Hyman, important American literary critic, and husband of the novelist Shirley Jackson: "For Stanley Hyman From Robert Lowell With Great Respect." The author's first book. One of 224 copies of a total edition of 250. An important title and a keystone of American poetry.
Seller: Between the Covers-Rare Books, Inc. ABAA, Gloucester City, NJ, U.S.A.
Price: US$12500.00 + shipping
Description: Publisher's blue boards stamped in orange, title page printed in red and black with woodcut in blue by Gustav Wolf. Housed in a half blue morocco leather slipcase. Introduction by Allen Tate. Lowell's scarce first book, limited to a total of 250 copies printed. INSCRIBED and SIGNED by the author on the front free endpaper to poet Randall Jarrell: "For Randall/with affection and admiration/and no apologies for dogma,/Cal." Lowell was nicknamed Caligula at preparatory school, and the diminutive "Cal" stuck with him throughout his life. Lowell and Jarrell met at Kenyon College, where they were roommates, and became lifelong friends, each providing valuable criticism of the other's work. In 1965, Lowell eulogized the friend who had been one of two beneficiaries of his will: "Randall Jarrell was the only man I have ever met who could make other writers feel that t heir work was more important to him than his own." Along with the copies Lowell presented to John Crowe Ransom--at the University of Texas--and Allen Tate--in a private collection--this is one of the three most compelling association copies imaginable. Allen Tate, in his introduction to this collection, tempers his praise with a fair assessment of Lowell's current stature and potential, heralding a lasting presence in American poetry: "The history of poetry shows that good verse does not inevitably make its way; but unless, after the war, the small public for poetry shall exclude all except the democratic poets who enthusiastically greet the advent of the slave-society, Robert Lowell will have to be reckoned with." Two years later, Lowell would win the Pulitzer Prize for LORD WEARY'S CASTLE, at the age of 30. Small ink date of 1944 at the bottom right corner of the title page, likely in Jarrell's hand. Mild sunning to the spine which has a small, neat repair at the head; lacking the plain tissue dustwrapper. Near Fine in a Fine box
Seller: Charles Agvent, est. 1987, ABAA, ILAB, Fleetwood, PA, U.S.A.