Robert Frost. North of Boston, the first edition, first issue, final binding state, inscribed by Frost in Amherst in April 1935. David Nutt, London, 1914.

Price: US$5400.00 + shipping

Description: This first edition, first issue, final binding state of the author’s second published book is inscribed by Frost in black ink in four lines on the front free endpaper recto: "To Gladys C. Combes | from | Robert Frost | Amherst April 1935". This inscribed "Binding F" copy is in very good condition. The green cloth binding is tight and square with bright spine and front cover gilt and no discernible fading to the green cloth or color shift between the boards and spine. We note only trivial wear to extremities and faint mottling to the cloth. The book is clearly unread; signatures from page 13 on remain uncut. We find no spotting or previous ownership marks apart from the author’s inscription. The contents show modest age-toning and transfer browning to the pastedowns and facing endpapers from the pastedown glue. Frost and his family moved to Little Iddens in early April, 1914, occupying a two-story cottage with a vegetable garden and orchards of apple, plum, and pear. Mid-May 1914 saw Frost’s second published book, North of Boston, which bolstered his newly minted literary reputation and precipitated his return to the United States. North of Boston opens with the famous poems "The Pasture" and "Mending Wall" and was swiftly hailed by important reviews. Complicating publication history, the 1,000 sets of first edition sheets saw six different binding variants over an eight-year period, due both to transfer of sheets for an American edition and to bankruptcy of the original publisher and resulting sale of remaining first edition sheets. (See Crane, A3, pp.14-15) In 1922, Dunster House Bookshop of Cambridge, Massachusetts, acquired the remaining 259 sets of first edition sheets, all of which were rubber-stamped "Printed in Great Britain" on the title page verso. Of these, 59 were already bound in blue cloth, subsequently rebound in green cloth taller and narrower than the original 1914 binding. The final 200 sets of first edition sheets were bound in 1923 in coarse green linen cloth "almost identical in dimension with the original Nutt copies which were being imitated. Similarities of cloth and gilt-stamping in binding A and bindings E and F indicate that the work was done by the same binder in England before the later copies were sent to America." (Crane, A3, p.15) These final 200 first edition, first issue copies ("Binding F" per Crane) were bound with untrimmed fore and bottom edges. Iconic American poet Robert Lee Frost (1874-1963) was the quintessential poetic voice of New England. Ironically, Frost was born in San Francisco and it was a 1912 move to England with his wife and children – "the place to be poor and to write poems" – that catalyzed his recognition. A Boy’s Will was completed in England, published by David Nutt in 1913. A convocation of critical recognition, introduction to other writers, and creative energy supported the 1914 English publication of Frost’s second book, North of Boston, after which "Frost’s reputation as a leading poet had been firmly established in England, and Henry Holt of New York had agreed to publish his books in America." Accolades met his return to America and by 1917 a move to Amherst "launched him on the twofold career he would lead for the rest of his life: teaching whatever "subjects" he pleased at a congenial college and "barding around," his term for "saying" poems in a conversational performance." (ANB) Frost eventually won four Pulitzer Prizes for Poetry and spent his final decade and a half as "the most highly esteemed American poet of the twentieth century" with a host of academic and civic honors. Two years before his death he became the first poet to read in the program of a U.S. Presidential inauguration (Kennedy, January 1961). Bibliographic reference: Crane A3.

Seller: Churchill Book Collector ABAA/ILAB/IOBA, San Diego, CA, U.S.A.

Frost, Robert. North of Boston. David Nutt, London, 1914.

Price: US$5463.00 + shipping

Description: First edition. From an edition of 1,000 copies, this is one of 200 in the sixth binding state. This was one of two binding states that were done by the Dunster House Bookshop in 1923 in Cambridge, MA when the remaining first edition sheets were sold off by Simpkin Marshall. Signed by Frost on the front endpaper, dated "Amherst 1924," and with a notation as to the name and location of the cottage in England where Frost wrote the poems for this, his second book. A fine copy in leaf-green cloth, gilt-titled. Book label from the Hampshire Bookshop of Northampton, MA on rear paste-down. (Crane A3, Binding F).

Seller: Bromer Booksellers, Inc., ABAA, Boston, MA, U.S.A.

Robert Frost. North of Boston, the first edition, first issue, final binding state, signed by Frost in 1924, the year he won his first Pulitzer Prize for Poetry with Frost's notation of the location of the cottage in England where he was living when North of Boston was published and the year of publication, 1914. David Nutt, London, 1914.

Price: US$6500.00 + shipping

Description: This first edition, first issue, final binding state of the author’s second published book is signed by Frost in black ink in four lines on the front free endpaper: "Robert Frost | Amherst 1924 | (Little Iddens, Leddington, | near Ledbury, England, 1914)". Frost and his family moved to Little Iddens in early April, 1914, occupying a two-story cottage with a vegetable garden and orchards of apple, plum, and pear. Mid-May 1914 saw Frost’s second published book, North of Boston, which bolstered his newly minted literary reputation and precipitated his return to the United States. In 1924, when this copy was signed, Frost was ensconced at Amherst College and won his first Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. North of Boston opens with the famous poems "The Pasture" and "Mending Wall" and was swiftly hailed by important reviews. Complicating publication history, the 1,000 sets of first edition sheets saw six different binding variants over an eight-year period, due both to transfer of sheets for an American edition and to bankruptcy of the original publisher and resulting sale of remaining first edition sheets. (See Crane, A3, pp.14-15) In 1922, Dunster House Bookshop of Cambridge, Massachusetts, acquired the remaining 259 sets of first edition sheets. Of these, 59 were already bound in blue cloth, subsequently rebound in green cloth taller and narrower than the original 1914 binding. The final 200 sets of first edition sheets were bound in 1923 in coarse green linen cloth "almost identical in dimension with the original Nutt copies which were being imitated. Similarities of cloth and gilt-stamping in binding A and bindings E and F indicate that the work was done by the same binder in England before the later copies were sent to America." (Crane, A3, p.15) These final 200 first edition, first issue copies ("Binding F" per Crane) were bound with untrimmed fore and bottom edges. This inscribed Binding F copy is in very good condition. The green cloth binding is tight and square with sharp corners and only trivial wear to extremities, a tiny split at the upper rear hinge, and modest toning to the spine and perimeter of the boards. The book is clearly unread; signatures through that of pages 125-8 remain uncut. We find no spotting or previous ownership marks. The contents show modest age-toning and a 1.5 inch closed tear to the lower blank margin of page 16 (part of the uncut p.13-16 signature). There is transfer browning to the pastedowns and facing endpapers from the pastedown glue. The book is housed in a full green goatskin preservation case with hubbed spine, darker green spine labels, and marbled paper interior. Iconic American poet Robert Lee Frost (1874-1963) was the quintessential poetic voice of New England. Ironically, Frost was born in San Francisco and it was a 1912 move to England with his wife and children – "the place to be poor and to write poems" – that catalyzed his recognition. A Boy’s Will was completed in England, published by David Nutt in 1913. A convocation of critical recognition, introduction to other writers, and creative energy supported the 1914 English publication of Frost’s second book, North of Boston, after which "Frost’s reputation as a leading poet had been firmly established in England, and Henry Holt of New York had agreed to publish his books in America." Accolades met his return to America and by 1917 a move to Amherst "launched him on the twofold career he would lead for the rest of his life: teaching whatever "subjects" he pleased at a congenial college and "barding around," his term for "saying" poems in a conversational performance." (ANB) Frost eventually won four Pulitzer Prizes for Poetry and spent his final decade and a half as "the most highly esteemed American poet of the twentieth century" with a host of academic and civic honors. Two years before his death he became the first poet to read in the program of a U.S. Presidential inauguration (Kennedy, January 1961). Reference: Crane A3.

Seller: Churchill Book Collector ABAA/ILAB/IOBA, San Diego, CA, U.S.A.

FROST, Robert. North of Boston. David Nutt (1914), London, 1914.

Price: US$7500.00 + shipping

Description: 8vo, original green cloth. A fine copy, preserved in black cloth slipcase with chemise. A fine copy, preserved in black cloth slipcase with chemise First edition of Frost's second book, binding A. One of 350 copies bound in coarse green linen out of a total edition of 1000 copies printed. Crane A3. Presentation copy, inscribed by Frost on the front free endpaper: "For his friend, Earle Bernheimer", above which Frost has transcribed "Triple Plate", a twelve-line poem which Frost used for his 1939 Christmas card. Frost's signature book, including "Mending Wall", "The Death of the Hired Man", "After Apple Picking", "The Wood-Pile", among other poems. The present copy was sold as lot 82 in the sale of Bernheimer's collection at Parke-Bernet Galleries in 1950.

Seller: James S. Jaffe Rare Books, LLC, ABAA, Deep River, CT, U.S.A.

Frost, Robert. North of Boston. David Nutt, London, 1914.

Price: US$8500.00 + shipping

Description: First edition, first issue, binding C. Signed by Robert Frost on the front free endpaper, inscribed with opening lines from the poem "The Plowmen" that Frost was working on at the time, "Plowmen / I hear men say they plow the snow. / They cannot mean to plant it, though- /Unless in bitterness, to mock / At having cultivated rock. / [signed] Robert Frost / Franconia N.H. 1920." Third variant of the poem's opening line as per Crane at F9.21. Bound in publisher's original green cloth with single rule and titles in blind on upper board, titles in gilt on spine; one of 200 copies thus. 144 pp. Very Good with a little staining to cloth at front and back along bottom, dulled spine lettering, toned contents, internally clean, lacking dust jacket. The American poet's second book. From an edition of 1,000 copies, issued in five variant bindings over the course of eight years. Crane A3.

Seller: Burnside Rare Books, ABAA, Portland, OR, U.S.A.

Frost, Robert. North of Boston. David Nutt, 1914.

Price: US$15000.00 + shipping

Condition: Fine

Description: First Edition, First Printing SIGNED by Robert Frost. A beautiful copy bound in the original green cloth. This First Issue binding is vibrant in color with a hint of wear to the spine and is seldom seen in this nice condition. The binding is tight, and the boards are crisp. The pages are clean with no writing, marks or bookplates in the book. Overall, a spectacular copy of this TRUE FIRST EDITION authentically SIGNED by the author. We buy Robert Frost First Editions.

Seller: Magnum Opus Rare Books, Missoula, MT, U.S.A.

FROST, Robert. NORTH OF BOSTON Inscribed to Sidney Cox. David Nutt (1914), London, 1914.

Price: US$18750.00 + shipping

Description: Crane A3: Binding A, one of 350 copies in this first binding of a total of 1000 printed of Frost's second book. INSCRIBED and SIGNED by the poet at a very early date on the front endpaper "Sidney Cox/from/Robert Frost/Ryton Dymock/England/October 1914." The lifelong friendship between Frost and Cox began while Frost was teaching at the New Hampshire State Normal School in the academic year 1911 - 1912, before the publication of Frost's first book. Cox described their friendship in his own book, A SWINGER OF BIRCHES: A PORTRAIT OF ROBERT FROST. Frost's several months living in the old parish of Dymock was shared in part with the poet Edward Thomas whom Frost considered the closest friend he ever had. Thomas compared Frost to Wordsworth in one of his several favorable reviews of NORTH OF BOSTON. England's entry into the First World War hastened Frost's return to America early in 1915 with Thomas volunteering for service later that year and in 1917 giving his life in battle. According to THE OXFORD COMPANION TO TWENTIETH-CENTURY POETRY IN ENGLISH, Frost told Cox in 1914, the very year of this inscription, that the true poet's pleasure lay in making "his own words as he goes" rather than depending upon words whose meanings were fixed: "We write of things we see and we write in accents we hear. Thus we gather both our material and our technique with the imagination from life; and our technique becomes as much material as material itself." An important copy of this early and essential collection by Frost. Near Fine, lacking the scarce dustwrapper

Seller: Charles Agvent, est. 1987, ABAA, ILAB, Fleetwood, PA, U.S.A.