A group of five volumes, comprising:

McKAY, Claude (1890-1948). Banjo. A Story without a Plot. New York and London: Harper & Brothers Publishers, 1929.
First edition, presentation copy of McKay’s second novel. Octavo. (Occasional light marginal spotting.) Original black cloth-backed decorative orange and black boards, spine lettered in gilt, decorative endpapers, top edge stained orange (slightly cocked, front and back hinge split and only just holding, extremities rubbed and soiled, spine sunned); original dust-jacket apparently supplied from another copy (backstrip tanned, large closed tear to upper panel, small chips to edges); housed in modern red cloth clamshell box. Provenance: ‘For one who has been in Marseille- his souvenir of the docks, Claude McKay’ (authorial presentation inscription to front pastedown) — later ownership inscription (front pastedown).

— Home To Harlem. New York and London: Harper & Brothers Publishers, 1928.
First edition of the author’s breakthrough novel and the first bestseller by any African-American author. Octavo. Original black half cloth and checked boards, spine lettered in pink, decorative endpapers, top edge stained purple (extremities lightly rubbed); original dust-jacket, with yellow printed label pasted to upper panel (spine and folds sunned, a few chips and minor closed tears, those to ends of backstrip causing some minor textual loss, tear to upper panel repaired with tape on verso). Please note that this is an historical artefact. Some of its language and terminology, which reflects the context and culture of the time of its creation, is now considered outdated and culturally offensive; its contents may be at odds with contemporary views. This volume by McKay is offered with the original dust-jacket, but, owing to a contemporary sticker on its front panel advertising works by other authors containing racial slurs, the dust-jacket is viewable on application to the department.

— Harlem: Negro Metropolis. New York: E.P. Dutton, 1940.
First edition of one of McKay’s final works. Octavo. Frontispiece and 18 photographic illustrations on 7 leaves. Original maroon cloth, spine and upper cover decorated and lettered in gilt, upper edge stained red (extremities lightly rubbed and stained, front hinge faintly split); original dust-jacket (backstrip faded and extremities lightly rubbed, evidence of removed label at foot of spine). Provenance: The Old Corner Book Store Inc., Boston (bookseller’s ticket to front free endpaper).

— A Long Way From Home. New York: Lee Furman, 1937.
First edition of McKay’s autobiography. Octavo. Original russet cloth with printed labels to spine and upper cover, top edge stained black (lightly cocked and rubbed); original dust-jacket (ightly rubbed and creased, a few small closed tears, nicks and faint stains).

— Spring in New Hampshire and Other Poems. London: Grant Richards Ltd., 1920.
First edition of the author’s seminal collection of 31 poems. Octavo. Photographic frontispiece of author (light spotting). Original tan wrappers, label with printed titles to upper wrapper ( a few tiny nicks and creases to edges).