Porgy. - 1925

New York: George H. Doran Company,, 1925. An association copy, presented by one of the leading artists of the Charleston Renaissance First edition, first printing, rare in the striking jacket. This copy has a pleasing familial association, with a gift inscription on the front free endpaper, "Mrs Susan H. Bradley from Anna Heyward Taylor, Sept. 30th 1925". Taylor (1879-1956) was an influential artist and a relative of the author. She and Heyward shared a common ancestor in the affluent planter Daniel Heyward (1720-1777). Anna was the great-great granddaughter of Daniel's son, Nathaniel Heyward (1766-1851); DuBose was the great-great-great grandson of Thomas Heyward (1746-1809), a signatory to the Declaration of Independence and another of Daniel's children. Taylor was one of the leading figures of the Charleston Renaissance. She was an exceptionally well-travelled artist, visiting Europe extensively, and travelling around China and Japan. She accompanied William Beebe's 1916 expedition to British Guiana as a scientific illustrator and became famous for her prints illustrating life in the South Carolina Lowcountry; in 1939, her print Harvesting Rice was one of five works chosen to represent Charleston at the New York World's Fair. At the time of this inscription, Taylor was living in New York City. This novel was adapted for a 1927 play by Heyward and his wife, Dorothy. Even before the play was finished, Heyward was in discussions with George Gershwin for an operatic version of his novel, which appeared in 1935 as Porgy and Bess. Octavo. Original black cloth, spine and front cover lettered in gilt, fore edge untrimmed. With dust jacket, with printed advertisements on verso as issued. Illustrations by Theodore Nadjen throughout. Edges and gilt on spine rubbed, spine ends and corners lightly bumped, spot of wear to one corner, inner hinges slightly tender; spine panel sunned with slight loss at head, a few discreet repairs, edges a little chipped and creased, slightly rubbed, unclipped. A very good copy indeed in like jacket.