Books and Manuscripts

[Baker, Josephine] Camara, (Felix Achille) de la, and P(epito). Abatino
Mon sang dans tes veines Roman d'apres une idee de Josephine Baker
Paris: Les Editions Isis, 1931. First edition. 8vo. (viii), 178, (4) pp. Presentation copy, signed by Baker and Abatino, and inscribed and signed by Camara: “To Doctor Berthe Fournier / With respects from: / Paris, August ‘31 / Josephine Baker / Pepito Abatino / la Camara". Illustrated by G. de Pogedaieff. Publisher’s illustrated stiff wrappers, cocked, spine worn and chipped, wear along extremities, rear wrapper starting; small chipping and short closed tears along some leaves at front and rear; text leaves toned as usual. 

A very good presentation copy, signed by American-born French dancer, singer, and civil rights activist Josephine Baker, as well as author/editors Felix de la Camara and Pepito Abatino. "In Mon Sang dans tes Veines…Josephine devises the character of Joan (also called Jo), a young mulatto girl whose mother is the maid in the home of a Boston millionaire, Ira Cushman Barclay, and his son, Fred. Joan selflessly saves Fred's life through a blood transfusion. The primal Baker and the new saintly image meld in Mon Sang dans tes Veines. Baker continued to develop this image as part of her humanitarian self-sacrifice in World War II and in the domestic experiment with her adopted Rainbow Tribe at Les Milandes." (Bennetta Jules-Rosette, Josephine Baker in Art and Life: The Icon and the Image, p. 4)

A very good example of a very fragile production. Uncommon.