Angels on the Bough
Caldwell, ID: The Caxton Printers, Ltd., 1936.
First edition, first printing. Bound in publisher's grey cloth stamped in gilt. [x], 317 pp. Very Good+ with lean to binding, rubbing to spine ends and corners, and small spots of ink staining to fore edge not affecting margins. Bookplate of former owner on front free endpaper with small closed tear and associated creasing at bottom edge. Sepia portrait photograph of Steward pasted at recto of half-title page; contents lightly toned. In a Very Good+ unclipped dust jacket with slight darkening to spine, chipping to crown with closed tear and thin scrape to center of spine. Samuel Steward's scarce first novel, concerning his family life during the Great Depression in Ohio. He was included in Gertrude Stein's literary circle in the 1930s, became involved with Dr. Kinsey, and worked as a tattoo artist through the 1960s after being ousted from his professorial role. Preceded only by his self-published collection of stories, Pan and the Fire-Bird and several poems in literary magazines and journals.
Price: $4,800