(#164478) ODES AND SONNETS. George Sterling, Clark Ashton Smith.
ODES AND SONNETS.
ODES AND SONNETS.

ODES AND SONNETS. San Francisco: The Book Club of California, 1918. Quarto, pp. [1-6] [i-ii] iii-v [vi-viii] 1-28 [29] [30: colophon] [31-34: blank] [note: first three and last two leaves are blanks]. decorations by Florence Lundborg, printed throughout in black and light green, title page printed in red, black and light green, original blue-gray boards with quarter linen shelf back, printed paper label affixed to spine panel, untrimmed. First edition. Number 8 of 300 numbered copies. Smith's second book, a collection of fifteen poems with preface by George Sterling. Tipped in on front flyleaf is a signed 2-page handwritten letter by Sterling on the New York Lambs Club letterhead, dated Nov. 24, 1914, signed "George." Sterling's letter reads: "Dear Albert: / Just a few / hasty lines, to say that / if Miss Coolbrith is to have a chance to write / an ode for the Exposition / I don't want any mention / made of my work, as / I love and admire her too / much to stand in her way / at whatever benefit to myself. / If I write anything about / the Exposition I can, I / think, sell it to some / S. F. newspaper. And I can / write to Ned Hamilton / as to that. / I want to thank you most / heartily for all the trouble / you've gone to in my behalf, / and assure you that I ap- / preciate it immensely. But / I can't keep any laurels / or endorsements from so un- / fortunate and gifted a / singer as Miss Coolbrith. / Affectionately, George." A postcard addressed to Sterling care of the Bohemian Club from an "E.K.H" is taped to the front free endpaper. A photographic portrait of Sterling is tipped onto the front paste-down, which bears the ownership label of Mrs. M. E. Heymes of San Francisco. Clark Ashton Smith (1893-1961) achieved early local recognition, largely through the enthusiasm of his mentor George Sterling (1869-1926), an influential California poet and proponent of Bohemianism during the first quarter of the twentieth century. Cloth worn at spine ends, corner tips of boards worn, mild bump to front board at lower front corner, light tanning to boards at edges, some chipping to spine label, a good copy with fine interior. A fine association copy and apparently a Sterling family copy as well. The post card (with photograph of a church in Sag Harbor, New York, George's birthplace) appears to have be written by a relative on his mother's side. (#164478).

Price: $1,500.00

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Printing identification statement for this book:
"THREE HUNDRED COPIES OF THIS BOOK / WERE PRINTED FOR THE BOOK CLUB / OF CALIFORNIA BY TAYLOR & TAYLOR, / SAN FRANCISCO. THE DECORATIONS ARE / BY FLORENCE LUNDBORG, NEW YORK / JUNE MDCCCCXVIII" on colophon page.