To Have and to Hold. (3 Page Autographed Letter F.W. Halsey to Book Editor of the New York Times, and Previous Owner, Vincent Starrett also Signed )
Boston: Houghton Mifflin and Co., 1900. First Edition. Octavo. Item #028471
403 pages with a 3 Page Autographed Letter F.W. Halsey to Book Editor of the New York Times. Illustrated by Howard Pyle, E.B. Thompson, and A.W, Betts. Kunitz and Haycraft wrote that "a whole generation formed its picture of early days in Virginia from this book." This book was the number one bestseller in 1900 and was made into a motion picture. The letter was a reply to Halsey sending her a copy of the review which she notes was "not altogether uninteresting". She thanks him for his offer to print her ideas. Although the daughter of a Confederate officer, she took a very enlighted position on the role of women and is seen as a feminist (in her later novel Hagar) and a view that strongly disagreed with racial views of the South. Her later historical books dealt with the Scottish dissenters who pioneered the Virginia valley. Bound in original brown cloth, paper spine label reading "first edition". Some chipping to spine ends. The book is somewhat taller than the trade edition. Two previous owner's bookplates: Vincent Starrett's bookplate placed on the rear pastedown, and he has signed the front free endpaper and the other owner's bookplate is on the front pastedown, that of noted collector Dorothy Furman. A very nice association copy.
Price: $550.00