First edition of this illustrated edition of Mark Twain’s The War Prayer, published in 1968 by St Crispin Press. Large 8vo (7.25” x 10.25”), quarter black cloth and gray-paper covered boards, pictorial dust jacket, illustrated throughout with reproductions of John Groth’s expressive drawings. Twain’s anti-war prose, written during the Philippine-American War and withheld from publication during his lifetime, is particularly well-matched by Groth’s experience as a wartime artist and correspondent. Inscribed by John Groth on the front free endpaper, dated August 24, 1969, with a large original two-color ink drawing comprising two figural groups, including a woman fleeing with an infant. An unusually elaborate example of Groth’s presentation drawings for this title; other inscribed copies are known with simpler single-group drawings of a woman and child. Contents near fine. Some bumping and rubbing to edge-chipped dust jacket. 1.5” closed tear to bottom edge of front cover; small open tears to spine ends; 4” open tear to bottom of rear cover, not affecting cover design.
First edition of this illustrated edition of Mark Twain’s The War Prayer, published in 1968 by St Crispin Press. Large 8vo (7.25” x 10.25”), quarter black cloth and gray-paper covered boards, pictorial dust jacket, illustrated throughout with reproductions of John Groth’s expressive drawings. Twain’s anti-war prose, written during the Philippine-American War and withheld from publication during his lifetime, is particularly well-matched by Groth’s experience as a wartime artist and correspondent. Inscribed by John Groth on the front free endpaper, dated August 24, 1969, with a large original two-color ink drawing comprising two figural groups, including a woman fleeing with an infant. An unusually elaborate example of Groth’s presentation drawings for this title; other inscribed copies are known with simpler single-group drawings of a woman and child. Contents near fine. Some bumping and rubbing to edge-chipped dust jacket. 1.5” closed tear to bottom edge of front cover; small open tears to spine ends; 4” open tear to bottom of rear cover, not affecting cover design.
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