WHITMAN, Walt (1819-1892). Walt Whitman's Books. [Washington, 1872.]

A very fine example of the rare broadside designed by Walt Whitman for distribution in bookstores. RBH records only three copies selling at auction in the past 25 years. The broadside advertises four of the author's most recent publications, together with a biography of Whitman by his friend John Burroughs. Leaves of Grass, first published in 1855 and continually revised until Whitman's death, was in its fifth edition by 1871-72. Democratic Vistas, a lengthy prose work originally intended for publication in Galaxy magazine, was first published in 1871 by J.S. Redfield. The broadside is attractively matted and framed. Myerson F94; Tane & Karbiener, Poet of the Body, 241.

Broadside, 754 x 605mm. Paper (a couple small losses mostly at upper margin). Matted and framed. Provenance: Bill’s Books and Bindery, Ann Arbor (c. late 1980s).