Between the Covers

Hardcover. First edition. Original wrappers bound into contemporary cloth stamped in gilt: "Collection Du General Read. First Edition of Hans Breitmann's Party Presented by The Author." Cloth worn and torn at the spine, front hinge cracked, very good, internally near fine. Tipped in is an Autograph Letter Signed from Leland dated in 1868 on the stationery of The Press in Philadelphia, presenting the pamphlet to Read. On the verso of the front wrap, Read has written: "This is the first edition of this work which has since become so famous. John Meredith Read, Jr. Paris; 37 Avenue d'Antin, Champs Elysees. Dec. 12th, 1872." Read, the great-grandson of two signers of the Declaration of Independence, and an early supporter of Abraham Lincoln, was named by Lincoln as the country's youngest brigadier-general at age 23, and later served a distinguished career as a diplomat, much of that time as United States Consul-General to France. A nice association copy of this Johnson Highspot, a collection of humorous German-American dialect ballads.

Item #283274