The Origin: A Novel of Charles Darwin.
Franklin Center, PA: The Franklin Library, 1980. Hardcover. Edited by Jean Stone. Illustrations by Mitchell Hooks.Small 4to. Full brown calf with raised bands and gilt lettering, rules and decorations, publisher's thin card stock slipcase with gold foil label. 766pp. All edges gilt. Illustrations, tan moire silk endpapers, sewn-in tan satin page marker. Fine/near fine. Minor wear to slipcase (only). Item #52157
Pristine first edition of this huge historical fiction, a volume in this publisher's "First Edition Society" series. This edition is prefaced by an appreciative essay on Stone by Pulitzer prize-winning American historian Allan Nevins (1890-1971) -- and tipped to the front flyleaf of this unique copy is a superb-content letter from Stone regarding Nevins: 1p, 8½" X 11", San Marino, CA, 23 March 1973. Addressed to Ralph G. Newman (1911-98, founder of Chicago's noted Abraham Lincoln Book Shop and close friend of Nevins). Very good. Two light original folds. Writing on letterhead of "The Huntington Library Allan Nevins Memorial Fund," the superb contents read in part: "A fund to make available a number of annual research grants for scholars in the field of American History has recently been established at the Huntington Library in memory of Allan Nevins who, as you know, spent his last eight years as an honored member of the Huntington Senior Research staff. A group of outstanding academic, professional and political leaders has agreed to serve as the Board of Directors for the Allan Nevins Memorial Fund...." Stone inks out "Mr. Newman" and replaces it with "Ralph" in blue ballpoint, signing simply "Irving" at the close. He also pens a nice postscript: "Ralph: Would you be willing to mail a few of these out to your long-time customers? And keep a little pile of them in the shop, that customers could pick up? I hope so. Allan deserves the best from all of us. Please do let me know. My best to you, I." Laid in is a copy of the item to which Stoe refers, a 4-page 8vo leaflet with Nevins' portrait on the front that describes the fund; the board of directors listed on the rear panel begins with Irving Stone as Chairman.
Price: $125.00