Dr. Seuss, 1938

SEUSS, Dr. (Theodore Geisel, 1904-1991). The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins. New York: The Vanguard Press, 1938.

Presentation copy from Dr. Seuss to Maurice Sendak, warmly inscribed by the author on the inside front cover: “For Maurice / with many thanks / for the Future! [squiggle] Dr. Seuss.” There is a small note above this that Sendak acquired the signature on 1 July 1980 at the ALA in New York. This would be the American Library Association conference. At the time, the two men must have both been among the best-selling authors in attendance. Sendak had already acquired this book for his collection before having it signed for himself personally. It bears an additional, earlier presentation inscription on the verso of the front free endpaper: "For Alice / Best wishes / —Dr. Seuss.” This is an early, but not a first printing, with the jacket price listed as $2.00.

Quarto. Black-and-white illustrations by the author, with Bartholomew's red hat appearing in red. Original cloth-backed pictorial boards, decorated endpapers (few handling creases, tips just showing); original pictorial dust jacket (folds rubbed, small chips at spine panel ends and to edge of lower panel). Provenance: “Alice” (presentation inscription) – Maurice Sendak, 1928-2012 (presentation inscription).