Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
[Kittredge, William]; Kent, Rockwell. N by E.. Random House, New York, 1930.
Price: US$850.00 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: First edition, signed limited issue. A stunning presentation copy, inscribed by Rockwell Kent to William Kittredge, the director of design and typography at The Lakeside Press. Kittredge commissioned Kent to design and illustrate the iconic three-volume aluminum slip-cased 1930 Lakeside Press edition of Moby Dick, which was hailed as a triumph of Machine Age book design. Kittredge's bookplate (rather well designed, of course) on front paste down, and his business card laid in, chipped at one corner. First edition. Number 560 of a limited 900 copies signed by Kent at rear. Bound in publisher's light blue cloth with elaborate silver stamping to front cover and spine, in blue paper covered slip case with matching limitation number on title label on spine. Near Fine with light fading to spine and light general wear to slipcase.
Seller: Burnside Rare Books, ABAA, Portland, OR, U.S.A.
Kent, Rockwell. Spirit Spout" Print from Moby Dick. R.R. Donnelley & Sons Chicago 1930, 1930.
Price: US$1950.00 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: A possibly unique inscribed print by Rockwell Kent titled the "The Spirit Spout.Ó Image size is 7 7/8" x 5 1/2".Sheet size is 10" x 7.5". An illustration for the famous Lakeside Press (Chicago) version of Melville's Moby Dick (1930). The print is signed in pencil by the artist on the front lower right, "Rockwell Kent," and is inscribed "To Mary Sahula - from her friend." Writing on the back of the frame says this is a woodblock print. This is a mistake, rather it is a print made from Kent's original pen and ink drawing. The writing also says it is from an edition of 90, but the is also incorrect. No such issue is mentioned in Dan Burne Jones' Catalogue. More likely it is one of the very small number of proof prints Kent received from the Lakeside Press. Mary Sahula was the sister of Chicago / Detroit artist, Ignate Sahula-Dyck, who inherited the print from Mary. Ignate Sahula-Dycke's mother descended from the Flemish painter van Dyck. CONDITION: Image is bright. Toning from mat. Otherwise in fine condition.
Seller: Different Drummer Books, Niantic, CT, U.S.A.
Melville, Herman; Kent, Rockwell [Illustrations]. Moby Dick. The Lakeside Press, New York, 1930.
Price: US$18500.00 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: First edition thus, limited to 1,000 copies. Three volumes in publisher's acetate jackets, in aluminum slipcase. Presentation copy signed by Rockwell Kent on the front free end paper of Volume I, "Inscribed with affectionate friendship to Putzie - Rockwell Kent, 1950." Volumes II and III bear Rockwell Kent-illustrated bookplates of Marie Luise Hinrichs. Near Fine. Narrow strips of sunning to spine cloth at ends, light rubbing to cloth at extremities and light abrasions to black topstains. Pages toned and with offsetting from illustrations. Acetate wrappers are wrinkled and shrunken with age, as is typical, and show a bit of chipping and edge wear, with some separation starting between the acetate and a paper flap on both volumes II and III; acetate on volume II with light staining. Aluminum slipcase is lightly worn, bumped at top and bottom edge. A stunning presentation copy, inscribed by Kent, and with bookplates designed by him as well.
Seller: Burnside Rare Books, ABAA, Portland, OR, U.S.A.