New York: McClure, Phillips & Co., 1901.
Price: $500.00
Hardcover. First edition. Gray cloth stamped in black in white with a picture of a frigate at sea illustrated by Florence Pearl Nosworthy. Very good with slight darkening of the spine, front hinge cracked, light foxing on endpapers, still an attractive copy. Inscribed by the author on the front fly: "To C.C. Converse, from his friend, T. Jenkins Hains, Sept 26, 03, Echo Boy, Yacht Edna." Seven relatable newspaper clippings laid in on preliminary pages causing some offsetting. Also, tipped in is a gelatin silver photograph of the author behind the ship's wheel, posing with a male and two female companions (one of which may be Amélie Troubetzkoy). An added bonus to this already phenominal item is a small piece of paper affixed to the page preceding the contents with the signature of the author and poet, Amélie Troubetzkoy.
Thornton Jenkins Hains, 1866-1953, was an American novelist who found popularity with his nautical tales. His maternal grandfather, Admiral Thornton A. Jenkins, served in the War of 1812 and Hains used the logbooks he kept as inspiration for *The Cruise of the Petrel*. Hains is mostly remembered for his part in the "Regatta Murder", the killing of William Annis by Hains' brother, Peter C. Hains. Peter's wife was having an affair with Annis and it was Thornton that told his brother this information. This resulted in Peter murdering Annis at the Ladies' Regatta while his brother stood watch. Although not convicted of any crime the event soiled his reputation and he adopted the pen name Mayn Clew Garnett from then on. A scarce and intriguing copy of an interesting title.
Item #391909
