L'AMOUR, Louis

Smoke from this Altar

First edition. Modest wear to the top edges of the spine, and a little scuffing to the finish of the boards, a very good or better copy in a near very good example of the rare dustwrapper with a large chip on the unprinted rear panel, small chips, tears, and light staining on the front panel. Signed by the author above what is likely an authorial gift inscription dated May 31, 1939. The prolific and popular Western author's first book, a volume of verse. Much has been speculated about which of the many bindings precede, but few of these speculations are very convincing. After L'Amour's death, he was found to have remainders of orange, light green, and gray, of identical textured cloth, and each stamped in black in his possession (we have seen reference to orange as the first binding) and many of these, in suitably fine condition, but unjacketed, subsequently made their way to the market place. This copy is in dark green cloth, of what appears to be a thicker texture than the other three bindings, with gold stamping. If one were wont to engage in speculation, one might hazard that such a copy as this, with the more expensive cloth and gold stamping, an obviously contemporary dustwrapper, and a dated, early presentation might precede the other uniform and more cheaply produced orange, gray and light green bindings, which may all of have been remainder bindings. At any rate a signed and jacketed copy of a book seldom found in either state.

[BTC #72443]