CATHER, Willa
Publisher's cardboard box addressed from Alfred A. Knopf to Willa Cather
Empty Cardboard box. Approximately 10.5" x 7.5" x 3". Affixed is the printed green mailing label of Alfred A. Knopf, Publisher, which is addressed in type to Miss Willa Cather, 570 Park Ave., New York 21, N.Y. Postmarked on 20 December 1945. Some wear and soiling, still a pleasing, very good specimen, in a custom cloth clamshell case. The printed label indicates the contents to be: "Books; 4th Class Matter," but the date might indicate that Knopf abused the mailing discount to enclose a holiday fruit cake. Perhaps ultimately this is a silly item, but we were fascinated by it, and are still ruminating on the Zen-like conundrum of why we commissioned a custom clamshell box to house an empty box. Some enlightened scholarship could probably determine the ultimate contents of the container, our offhand guess is that it contained two author's copies of the illustrated edition of Death Comes for the Archbishop. If unsold, we will be auditioning appropriate books to fit inside of it. Not.
[BTC #99178]
