Chim: His Washington Winter.
New York: Charles L. Webster & Co., 1892. Hardcover. Small 8vo. Green cloth with gilt and silver lettering and decorations. 334pp. Top edge gilt. Tissue-guarded frontispiece, floral endpapers. Very good. Tight and fairly attractive, with lightly shellacked spine (thus glossy) and front hinge bearing old but strong archival cloth tape reinforcement; endpapers noticeably age toned; hand-lettered paper shelf label near foot of spine; text block tight and nice. Item #50807
First edition of this fiction by the author, translator and ANTI-suffragist (1829-98) and widow of Union admiral John A. Dahlgren -- who boldly inscribes and signs an inner flyleaf: "Senator Allison / with / the friendly regards / of The Author" in brown ink. From the collection of William B. Allison (1829-1908), the powerful Iowa Republican who, as U.S. senator from that state (1873-1908), was one of the "big four" who controlled the Senate. Early 20th century bookplate on front pastedown notes "This book is part of Allison Memorial Collection Gift of Mrs. Jennie A. Brayton" and until deaccessioned was part of Allison's non-circulating collection at his hometown public library across the street from his Dubuque residence. According to Leland L. Sage in his 1956 biography "William Boyd Allison: A Study in Practical Politics," Allison owned "hundreds of books on government, economics, history, banking, finance, and the tariff [as well as] volumes of American and English literature. An omnivorous reader, Allison doubtless read most of these volumes, if only for relaxation from the strain that accompanied his efforts to solve the many problems facing the Nation." A scarce title and rarely found signed.
Price: $295.00