Books and Manuscripts

Rare Inscribed Copy of Salinger’s Second Book

Salinger, J.D.
Nine Stories
Boston: Little, Brown and Company, (1953). Second printing (“Reprinted April 1953”). 8vo. Presentation copy, inscribed by Salinger on front free endpaper in the month of publication: “April 26, 1953 / To Vera Talcott, / with good wishes, / J.D. Salinger”. Publisher’s black cloth, stamped in gilt, unevenly faded, gilt almost completely worn away; in original unclipped dust-jacket, loss at top of spine panel, small losses at top of flap folds, small open tear at bottom of rear flap fold; spine faded; foxing to verso.

Signed or inscribed books by Salinger are rare to market. When found they are typically in later editions of his most famous work, The Catcher in the Rye. We cannot locate another inscribed or signed copy of Nine Stories at auction, in any edition.