Moby Dick, or the Whale.
NY: Random House, 1930. First edition thus. A trade edition of the "magnum opus" first enfranchised by the Lakeside Press. With almost 300 of Kent's finest wood engravings. Kent put in many weeks of intensive research on whaling lore before starting the drawings. "In June of 1927, he sent the first completed drawings to William Kittredge, design director of the Lakeside Press, who wrote, 'These are magnificent and exceed our fondest expectations. Your great genius as a thinker, painter, and draughtsman was never more successfully demonstrated.'" (Johnson, p. 44) It took Kent nearly four years to complete Moby Dick. Bound in full black cloth with titling and whale designs stamped in silver to upper cover and spine. With original dust wrapper, which shows general edgewear and has front panel detached but nicely preserved in original position by mylar. A near fine book with a good wrapper. Item #31271
Price: $950.00