[Literature] (Whitman, Walt) Leaves of Grass

The Swann-Streeter Copy of "America's Second Declaration of Independence": Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass

Brooklyn, New York: (Printed for the Author by Andrew Rome), 1855. First edition, first issue (one of only 337 copies printed): first state of p. iv with "cities adn" uncorrected; without flyleaves; without the eight pages of press notices, later inserted; before the gilt was removed from text edges and much of the cloth covers. Second state of copyright page, as in all but three known copies. Small folio. 95, (1) pp. From the library of preeminent American collector Thomas Winthrop Streeter, and with his book-plate (now loose), as well as from the library of Arthur Swann, and with his book-plate on front paste-down; black morocco book-plate of Haven O'More (The Garden Collection) on same. Illustrated with the first state engraved frontispiece portrait of Whitman by Samuel Hollyer, printed on thick paper with a lightly embossed frame and retaining the original tissue-guard. Publisher's first state binding (Myerson's Binding A) of dark green coarse-ribbed cloth, elaborately stamped in blind and in gilt, boards and extremities very lightly rubbed; all edges gilt; marbled endpapers; gutter split at p. (iii)--as noted in the Streeter sale ("spine cracked"), moderate foxing to frontispiece; title-page lightly foxed; in full green morocco folding case and in glass display case. Streeter VII: 4200 (illustrated); Myerson A2.1.a; BAL 21395; Grolier, American 67; Printing and the Mind of Man 340

The superb Arthur Swann-Thomas Streeter copy of the first edition of Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass, considered the most influential collection of American poetry. Unmatched in its magnitude and effect on American literature, Whitman's collection of twelve untitled poems is "imbued with the spirit of brotherhood and a pride in the democracy of the young American nation." (PMM 340). Completely unsophisticated, this is almost certainly one of the most attractive extant copies of this fragile, and often restored, publication. Described in the 1960 sale of Arthur Swann's collection as a "magnificent copy" and by another previous owner as "a splendid copy in remarkable state...one of the finest copies in existence," this description still rings true 63 years later, as it has been exceptionally well preserved.

Whitman, then only 36-years-old, was intimately involved with the publication of this work, as he helped fund, design, set some of the initial type, pull proofs, and was almost daily present in Andrew Rome's small Brooklyn print shop when this first edition was printed in the summer of 1855. Exceedingly rare, this is one of only 337 copies published in the more ornate first issue gilt binding, beautifully preserved, almost as new. Later issues would forego this elaborate gilt to save on the cost of printing. Furthermore, this copy is from very early in the print run and is one of the very few known copies with the uncorrected text in the preface ("cities adn"), which, according to Whitman scholar Ed Folsom, was corrected very early by Whitman himself. According to Folsom's ongoing census of first editions of Leaves of Grass--of which this copy is not yet accounted for--there are only 17 copies with this error, of which 15 are in this first state binding. In total, Folsom's census identifies 106 copies of the first issue.

Although it did not sell well upon its publication, and would often be attacked for its content, Whitman considered Leaves of Grass his "favorite child," frequently editing and expanding it up until his death in 1892. This first edition was followed by a second and enlarged edition in 1856 (see lot 65), a third edition, dated 1860-61 (see lot 66), and ultimately, the "Deathbed Edition", dated 1891-92 (see lot 69). Many other iterations were printed in between those editions (see lots 67, 68, 70, 71, and 72). As is often repeated, quoting John Carter in Printing and the Mind of Man, Leaves of Grass is "America's second Declaration of Independence: that of 1776 was political, this of 1855 intellectual."

A fantastic copy with exceptional provenance.

Provenance

Arthur Swann

Parke-Bernet Galleries, Inc., First Editions of American Authors Collected by the Late Arthur Swann, New York, March 22, 1960, Sale 1961, Lot 420 (illustrated in catalogue)

Thomas Winthrop Streeter

Parke-Bernet Galleries, Inc., The Celebrated Collection of Americana Formed by the Late Thomas Winthrop Streeter, New York, October 21, 1969, 20th Session, Sale 5927, Lot 4200 (illustrated in catalogue)

Maury A. Bromsen Associates

The Collection of The Garden Ltd. (Haven O'More), bought in November, 1977

Sotheby's, New York, The Collection of The Garden Limited, Magnificent Books & Manuscripts, November 9-10, 1989. Sale 5927, Lot 187

Private Collection, New York