DARREL OF THE BLESSED ISLES - WITH AUTOGRAPH NOTE LAID-IN by Bacheller, Irving - 1903

Boston: Lothrop Publishing Company, 1903. First Edition. Attractive, well-preserved copy of this early novel by Bacheller, founder of the first modern newspaper syndicate in the United States. Scarce in dustjacket. Octavo (19.75cm); maroon cloth, with titling and decorations stamped in gilt and in blind to spine and front cover; dustjacket; [10],11-410,[6]pp, with illustrated frontispiece by Arthur I. Keller. Laid into this copy is an autograph note from the author: "Dear Mr. Gridley: Will you let this book express my thanks to you? If you ever drop your knitting I hope it may fall into the hands of someone as kind as yourself. Sincerely, Irving Bacheller / Canton, N.Y. / Aug.9, 1917." Mild wear to spine ends and board edges, touch of dustiness and foxing to upper edge of textblock, else clean throughout; Near Fine. In the original illustrated dustjacket, lightly edgeworn, with a few tiny nicks and several small splits and tears, and seven clear tape mends on verso; Very Good+.