Books and Manuscripts

Whitman, Walt
Leaves of Grass with Sands at Seventy & A Backward Glance o'er Travel'd Roads
(Philadelphia, 1889). Special and limited 70th birthday edition, signed by Whitman on title-page (one of only 300 copies printed). 12mo. 404, 18 pp. Illustrated with mounted frontispiece photograph of Whitman, Hollyer engraving of Whitman facing p. 29, and portraits facing pp. 132, 214, 296, and (383). Publisher's full black pocket-book style leatherette with tongued flap at rear (Myerson's Binding B), stamped in gilt, rear board detached, extremities rubbed, small chips to spine ends; all edges trimmed; marbled endpapers; rear bellows pocket with accordion side flaps; front hinge worn; gutter of frontispiece reinforced; final two texts, blank, and rear free endpaper loose. Myerson A2.7n; BAL 21435; Wells and Goldsmith, pp. 32-33

A scarce copy of Walt Whitman's 70th birthday edition of Leaves of Grass, one of only 300 copies published. "To-day, finishing my 70th year, the fancy comes for celebrating it by a special, complete, final utterance, in one handy volume, of L. of G., with their Annex, and Backward Glance--and for stamping and sprinkling all with portraits and facial photos, such as they actually were, taken from life, different stages. Doubtless, anyhow, the volume is more A PERSON than a book. And for testimony to all, (and good measure,) I here with pen and ink append my name: Walt Whitman".