Between the Covers

Unbound. Gelatin silver print. Measuring approximately 10¼" x 13". Print lightly rippled, light foxing on verso, edges nicked from a poor framing job, about very good. Inscribed by Shaw to Saxe Commins, his editor at Random House: "To Saxe, with friendship, gratitude, and admiration. Irwin." Commins was a senior editor at Random House from 1933 to 1958, publishing Irwin Shaw, William Faulkner, Eugene O'Neill, Budd Schulberg, and many others. The photographer Richard L. Simon, cofounder of the publishing house Simon & Schuster, was a friend and colleague of both men; a nice association. (Simon is not credited on the photograph, but a a similar portrait of Shaw, wearing the same clothes and credited to Simon, was published by Random House in 1950.).

Item #524942