Leaves of Grass

Leaves of Grass, by Walt Whitman.

Philadelphia: David McKay, Publisher, 1891-'2. With the annex "Sands at Seventy", followed by the second annex "Good-Bye My Fancy" and "A Backward Glance o'er Travel'd Roads". David McKay, Publisher, at 12 South Ninth Street. 1891-'2.

Whitman's final arrangement of his masterwork, which is technically not an edition, produced from the sheets of McKay's 1888 edition with additional annexes tacked on at the end in a race against the poet's declining health.

A unique, bespoke fine binding of Withman's deathbed edition

Sumptously and recently rebound in full, deep-green top-grade Chieftain goatskin leather, using the finest mill boards, with four raised bands. New marbled endpapers, silk cane head and tail bands, as well as a silk marker ribbon have been added. Single, blind lines have been embossed to the spine; head and tail, plus either side of the raised bands. 

The book has been stripped back to its original sections and resewn by hand using the finest linen thread. Gold block to spine in part-facsimile to the original publisher's binding, with additional gold block design to lower-right corner of front cover depicting Whitman's signature. The top edge has been lightly trimmed and re-gilded; the other edges are deckled.

A unique, open-spine clamshell slipcase has been created to house the book in a matching green colour. This is made from grey board and covered in green Colorado cloth and lined with soft suede.

About this edition

On 18 June 1890, Whitman announced: "I shall put in order a last little 6 or 8 page annex (the second) of my Leaves of Grass—& that will probably be the finish" (Correspondence, V, 54). Known as the "Deathbed Edition" because Whitman's impending death forced him to "create" copies of his final "edition" of Leaves of Grass from the 1888 sheets with cancel title and contents leaves and with the annexes added.

Re-bound from BAL's extremely rare Binding B (which Myerson notes is only reported by BAL and does not include this binding variation in their own categorisation). Complete with cancels (title leaf and last general contents leaf at pp. 7-8 are tipped to the stub).

With the annex "Sands at Seventy", followed by the second annex "Good-Bye My Fancy" and "A Backward Glance o'er Travel'd Roads". Complete with portrait (original daguerreotype by Samuel Hollyer) after page 28 with intact tissue guard.

Contents: p. 1: title page; p. 2: copyright page; pp. 3-8: contents; pp. 9-382: text of Leaves of Grass; p. 383: half title; p. 384: contents; pp. 385-404: text of "Sands at Seventy"; p. 405: '2D ANNEX. | GOOD-BY MY FANCY. | Copyright, 1891, by WALT WHITMAN.'; p. 406: contents; pp. 407-422: texts of poems; p. 423: 'A | BACKWARD GLANCE | O'ER | TRAVEL'D ROADS.'; p. 424: 'Copyright, 1888, by WALT WHITMAN. | See "November Boughs." '; pp. 425-438: text of "A Backward Glance O'er Travel'd Roads"; pp. 439-440: blank.

Myerson A.2.7.l2; BAL 21441 (Vol. IX, p. 53).

Condition

Slight tanning to pages with a small amount of foxing and spotting, particularly to prelims, but also a bit throughout. Some small nicks to some of the page extremities, however with no loss of content. A few sporadic light earmarks.

From America's world poet, a work celebrating democracy, nature, love, and friendship, and chanting praises to the body, as well as to the soul, finding beauty and reassurance even in death. Beautifully rebound herewith by the wonderfully talented and experienced bookbinder Paul Berry of The Abbey Bookbindery in Hampshire, England; a bindery steeped in the finest tradition of English craft bookbinding.