Rare and First Edition Books from Buckingham Books

Dealer in Rare and First-Edition Books:  Western Americana; Mystery, Detective, and Espionage Fiction

The Will James Cowboy Book JAMES, WILL [EDITED BY ALICE DALGLIESH]

The Will James Cowboy Book

JAMES, WILL [EDITED BY ALICE DALGLIESH]

Other works by JAMES, WILL

Publication: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1938, New York

First edition. 8vo. Orange pictorial cloth, titles and drawing printed in black on the front cover and spine, yellow pictorial endpapers with A Letter From Will James printed on the inside front cover and About Will James on the rear fly leaf, 158 [2] pp., illustrated, frontispiece in color. This is a scarce title as it was issued in only 100 copies that were not offered for retail sale. According to Jeff Dykes, the late collector, dealer and acknowledged expert of many phases of Western Americana, believed this book to be the most difficult to locate. He further stated, "while the publisher refuses to confirm or deny this, I have long suspected that this book was issued in a very small edition with the intent of getting it adopted as a supplementary reader by schools. No dealer can remember ever being offered copies of this book for over-the-counter sales. My own copy was evidently submitted to the Texas State Textbook Commission, but was not adopted." It has been stated that the Texas school system did not accept it because of James' cowboy vernacular and that 90 % of the books were destroyed. Abe Hays, noted Will James historian and authority says of this book, "Only 100 copies were printed; I can prove it!" Don Frazier says, "There are surely very few around and it is probably the most rare Will James book." Minor wear to the spine ends and corners else a fine copy housed in a clamshell case with titles on the spine.

Inventory Number: 46463Sold -- Contact us