Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
Seuss, Dr. (Theodore Geisel). The Seven Lady Godivas. Random House, NY, 1939.
Price: US$1438.00 + shipping
Description: First edition. Inscribed by Seuss "For Lulu Godiva, II / with lots of thanks for / nice things done." Illustrated throughout in red and black, with one three-color page. In this version of an old tale, the seven Godiva sisters (Arabella, Dorcas, Mitzi et al.), "who were simply themselves and chose not to disguise it," are betrothed to the seven Peeping bothers (Peeping Tom, Peeping Jack, Peeping Frelinghuysen, et al.). As to the genre, the publisher states "Dr. Seuss is the author of two tremendously successful juveniles. We hope it is unnecessary to point out to you that The Seven Lady Godivas belongs in a very different category." Some soiling to cloth-covered boards, else very good in a shabby original dust wrapper.
Seller: Bromer Booksellers, Inc., ABAA, Boston, MA, U.S.A.
SEUSS, Dr.. The Seven Lady Godivas.. Random House, New York, 1939.
Price: US$2000.00 + shipping
Description: Written and Illustrated by Dr. Seuss. 8vo, publisher's cloth in dust jacket. First edition. Younger 71 (not noting the bookmark). A bright, very near fine copy. The top edge of the dust jacket's front panel is chipped to a depth of about 1/4", just touching the top of the "T" in the title; with a few other tiny chips and a 1" tear to the rear panel. Signed in green ink by Dr. Seuss, with his characteristic paraph, on the verso of the front free endpaper. Laid in is the illustrated die-cut publisher's "A Godiva Book Mark," which has a few light creases.
Seller: Jeffrey H. Marks, Rare Books, ABAA, Rochester, NY, U.S.A.
Price: US$3552.33 + shipping
Description: First edition, first printing, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper verso, "For Noel, Who can sue but he damn well can't collect - Dr. Seuss". This title is one of the author's few books written for adults, and is, unusually for Seuss, written in prose. Younger & Hirsch 71. Quarto. Original pale pink cloth, spine and front board lettered and blocked in red, pictorial endpapers. Illustrations throughout by the author. Slight lean to spine, extremities toned, offsetting to endpapers, a couple of spots to preliminary leaves, a very good copy indeed, in the unclipped jacket, spine and flap folds toned, extremities nicked, short closed tear to foot of front flap fold, a very good example.
Seller: Peter Harrington. ABA/ ILAB., London, United Kingdom
SEUSS, Dr. The Seven Lady Godivas. Random House, New York, 1939.
Price: US$4000.00 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: First edition. Quarto. Pictorial cloth boards. Laid in is the die-cut Godiva bookmark as issued. Fine in price-clipped and lightly spine-toned else near fine dust jacket. A presentation copy Inscribed by Seuss: "With best wishes to Arnold Rogow [underscored with a paraph] Dr. Seuss." An early and unusual adult book by this noted children's author and certainly one of his most risqué works featuring seven tales of nude Lady Godivas prancing (often literally) in their birthday suits. A failure upon release, it has since gained in popularity and was eventually re-issued in 1987.
Seller: Between the Covers-Rare Books, Inc. ABAA, Gloucester City, NJ, U.S.A.
SEUSS, Dr.. The Seven Lady Godivas.. New York: Random House, 1939, 1939.
Price: US$4198.21 + shipping
Description: First edition, first printing, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper verso, "For Max Autrey, Connoisseur of Red Dogs, photographer de luxe, and, after reading this book, a rare judge of Horse Flesh. Best Wishes - Dr. Seuss". This title is one of the author's few books written for adults, and is, unusually for Seuss, written in prose. The recipient of this copy is the famed Hollywood photographer Max Munn Autrey (1891-1971). Autrey was foremost a portrait photographer, taking photographs of leading film stars from his studio in downtown Los Angeles throughout Hollywood's Golden Age. This Hollywood association is apt for Dr. Seuss, who produced films for the US Army during the Second World War and whose story Gerald McBoing-Boing was adapted into an animated film, winner of the 1950 Academy Award for Best Animated Short. This copy also includes a scarce publisher's bookmark loosely inserted. Younger & Hirsch 71. Quarto. Original pale pink cloth, spine and front board lettered and blocked in red, pictorial endpapers. Illustrations throughout by the author. A fine copy in the unclipped dust jacket, spine toned, head of spine and top corners chipped, extremities rubbed and a little nicked, a very good example, still sharp.
Seller: Peter Harrington. ABA/ ILAB., London, United Kingdom
Seuss, Dr.. Seven Lady Godivas. Random House, 1939.
Price: US$7500.00 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: First Edition, First Printing SIGNED by Dr. Seuss. An attractive First Issue dustjacket with some chipping to the spine and some wear to panels. The book is in nice shape with light wear to the edges. The binding is tight, and the pages are clean with NO marks or bookplates in the book. Overall, a collectable copy of this TRUE FIRST EDITION SIGNED by the author. We buy Seuss First Editions.
Seller: Magnum Opus Rare Books, Missoula, MT, U.S.A.
Seuss, Dr. [Theodor Seuss Geisel]. The Seven Lady Godivas.. Random House, New York, 1939.
Price: US$9500.00 + shipping
Description: First edition, first printing of this classic Dr. Seuss title. Quarto, original cloth, pictorial endpapers, illustrated throughout. Association copy, inscribed by the author opposite the title page, "For Josephine Kimball Godiva with very best thanks - Dr. Seuss." The recipient, Josephine Dodge Kimball co-founded the first book store to specialize in children's literature, Young Books, on Madison Avenue in 1929 with former Bryn Mawr classmate Joan Whitney Payson. Both women were from prominent families and had connections that brought the store instant fame. The store's opening brought headlines in the New York Times, Life and the Saturday Review of Literature and Kimball's expertly curated selection of children's books, art, and toys were often featured in the "On and Off the Avenue" shopping column of the New Yorker. In 1931, Time reported that Kimball and Payson presented an autograph manuscript signed by Albert Einstein to Yale University, an acquisition made through one of the ladies' patrons and, by 1944, the store had expanded to include a gallery, rare book room, and adult book department. Kimball also soon contributed reviews of children's books to Harper's and Scribner's including a column in the December 1937 issue of Scribner's Magazine praising Geisel's first book And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street. The publication of the present volume coincided with the tenth anniversary of the grand opening of Young Books. Kimball celebrated both with an exclusive cocktail party during which the present volume was most likely inscribed to her by Giesel. In addition to Geisel, the party also included guests such as Ludwig Bemelmans and Clement Hurd, original drawings by whom were hung in the gallery and their new books displayed in the shop's window (Kahn, 93; Kimball, 62; Long, 93). Near fine in the original dust jacket which is in very good condition with small chips to the crown and foot of the spine. With the original accompanying Random House book mark laid in. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box. Next to the dedication copy, the finest association copy available. "Referring to his recent children's books and advertisements for Flit and Essomarine, Seuss explained that The Seven Lady Godivas was written 'to escape the monotony of writing about nothing but men folks and children, dragons or fish' In his college studies of Tennyson, Seuss may well have come across the 1842 poem 'Godiva.' During his time in England after Dartmouth, he no doubt came across the legend again. The theme of the Lady Godiva story-championing the rights of the common man-is what links this 'adult' book to his 'children's' stories and his political cartoons" (Cohen, 195).
Seller: Raptis Rare Books, Palm Beach, FL, U.S.A.