The XIT Ranch of Texas and the Early Days of The Llano Estacado by HALEY, J. Evetts - 1929

Columbus: Gilmore & Brush, 1870. Hardcover. 8vo. Black cloth, heavily blind-embossed. vi, 626pp, (6pp). Very good. Newly, expertly rebacked in black cloth with gilt lettering; original front and rear boards slightly edgeworn; lacks five leaves (70a-b, 88a-b, 247-48, 281-82, 329-30), but quality facsimiles of those leaves on appropriate vintage paper have been expertly and archivally tipped in. Tight and attractive later printing.

London: John Murray, 1907. Hardcover. Edited by E.W. Williams. 8vo. Red cloth, gilt, white and black pictorial stamping. xviii, 478pp. Top edge gilt. Frontispiece, illustrations. Very good. Mild edgewear, with spine slightly sunned but spine gilt bright; 1909 ownership signature on front flyleaf. First British edition, a tight and nice copy of this account by an Englishman who in America became a Confederate partisan, Texas Ranger, rancher, Indian fighter, sailor and of course "Border Ruffian." Quite scarce. Wright Howes comments, "After a lurid frontier apprenticeship in Kansas, this young Englishman ranched in Western Texas and served with the Rangers." GRAFF 4686. HERD 2528. HOWES W473. NEVINS II, 247. SIX GUNS 2411.

(Denver: Fred and Jo Mazzulla, 1966. Hardcover. 8vo. Full red leather, gilt, brass coin inlaid. 56pp. Numerous illustrations, 4 full-page color illustrations. Near fine. A tight and superb first edition -- the deluxe "Open Hearted Edition / Limited To Twelve Copies" (so giltstamped on front board) and boldly signed by both authors on the front flyleaf in (what else?) bright red ballpoint. The four color plates of Charles M. Russell watercolors are titled "Just a Little Sunshine," "Just a Little Rain," "Just a Little Pleasure" and "Just a Little Pain." Inlaid into the front board is a 1 3/4" diameter "brass check," an actual parlor house token whose text reads "Silver Dollar Hotel / Denver, Colo." around the rim and in the center "Good / for One / Screw / Madame / Ruth Campbell / Prop." Another limited edition of this title numbers 30 copies.

Boston: J.G. Cupples Co. Publishers, 1890. Hardcover. Small 8vo. Half calf with raised bands and gilt spine lettering and glazed marbled paper over bevel-edged boards. xiii, 485pp, (3pp), (4pp ads). All edges gilt. Frontispiece, illustrations, marbled endpapers. Very good. Inner front hinge a tad delicate but expertly, archivally strengthened, thus tight. First edition -- second volume (only) of this scarce standard work. Other than the reinforced delicate front inner hinge, this is an exceptionally handsome example in custom quarter leather, with a text block clean and bright. Only volume two, alas, but a drop-dead-gorgeous example. NEW HOWES L 79. SIX-GUNS 606.

Chicago: The Westerners, 1946. Hardcover. Small 4to. Tan cloth with gilt lettering and decoration. 151pp, (9pp). Line drawings. Near fine. A tight, handsome first edition of the first title published by this well-known group of Chicago-area Western Americana buffs. Features such articles as Everett D. Graff's "The Westerners Go Overland; Retread the Various Routes to California," Albert S. Johannsen's "The House of Beadle and Adams, and Its Dime and Nickel Novels," Clarence S. Paine's "She Laid Her Pistol Down; or The Last Will and Testament of Calamity Jane" and Don Russell's "Jesse James -- Postwar Bandit." Tipped to the front flyleaf is a Typed Letter Signed from contributor Don Russell, 2pp, 7¼" X 10½", Elmhurst, IL, 29 March 1956. Addressed to Arnold F. Gates (1914-93, noted Lincoln and Civil War scholar). Near fine. On Chicago letterhead of "The American Peoples Encyclopedia" where Russell served as assistant editor, Russell cordially agrees to review books for the "Lincoln Herald" column… Read More

Columbus: Gilmore & Brush, 1870. Hardcover. 8vo. Black cloth, heavily blind-embossed. vi, 626pp, (6pp). Very good. Newly, expertly rebacked in black cloth with gilt lettering; original front and rear boards slightly edgeworn; lacks five leaves (70a-b, 88a-b, 247-48, 281-82, 329-30), but quality facsimiles of those leaves on appropriate vintage paper have been expertly and archivally tipped in. Tight and attractive later printing.

London: John Murray, 1907. Hardcover. Edited by E.W. Williams. 8vo. Red cloth, gilt, white and black pictorial stamping. xviii, 478pp. Top edge gilt. Frontispiece, illustrations. Very good. Mild edgewear, with spine slightly sunned but spine gilt bright; 1909 ownership signature on front flyleaf. First British edition, a tight and nice copy of this account by an Englishman who in America became a Confederate partisan, Texas Ranger, rancher, Indian fighter, sailor and of course "Border Ruffian." Quite scarce. Wright Howes comments, "After a lurid frontier apprenticeship in Kansas, this young Englishman ranched in Western Texas and served with the Rangers." GRAFF 4686. HERD 2528. HOWES W473. NEVINS II, 247. SIX GUNS 2411.

(Denver: Fred and Jo Mazzulla, 1966. Hardcover. 8vo. Full red leather, gilt, brass coin inlaid. 56pp. Numerous illustrations, 4 full-page color illustrations. Near fine. A tight and superb first edition -- the deluxe "Open Hearted Edition / Limited To Twelve Copies" (so giltstamped on front board) and boldly signed by both authors on the front flyleaf in (what else?) bright red ballpoint. The four color plates of Charles M. Russell watercolors are titled "Just a Little Sunshine," "Just a Little Rain," "Just a Little Pleasure" and "Just a Little Pain." Inlaid into the front board is a 1 3/4" diameter "brass check," an actual parlor house token whose text reads "Silver Dollar Hotel / Denver, Colo." around the rim and in the center "Good / for One / Screw / Madame / Ruth Campbell / Prop." Another limited edition of this title numbers 30 copies.

Boston: J.G. Cupples Co. Publishers, 1890. Hardcover. Small 8vo. Half calf with raised bands and gilt spine lettering and glazed marbled paper over bevel-edged boards. xiii, 485pp, (3pp), (4pp ads). All edges gilt. Frontispiece, illustrations, marbled endpapers. Very good. Inner front hinge a tad delicate but expertly, archivally strengthened, thus tight. First edition -- second volume (only) of this scarce standard work. Other than the reinforced delicate front inner hinge, this is an exceptionally handsome example in custom quarter leather, with a text block clean and bright. Only volume two, alas, but a drop-dead-gorgeous example. NEW HOWES L 79. SIX-GUNS 606.

Chicago: The Westerners, 1946. Hardcover. Small 4to. Tan cloth with gilt lettering and decoration. 151pp, (9pp). Line drawings. Near fine. A tight, handsome first edition of the first title published by this well-known group of Chicago-area Western Americana buffs. Features such articles as Everett D. Graff's "The Westerners Go Overland; Retread the Various Routes to California," Albert S. Johannsen's "The House of Beadle and Adams, and Its Dime and Nickel Novels," Clarence S. Paine's "She Laid Her Pistol Down; or The Last Will and Testament of Calamity Jane" and Don Russell's "Jesse James -- Postwar Bandit." Tipped to the front flyleaf is a Typed Letter Signed from contributor Don Russell, 2pp, 7¼" X 10½", Elmhurst, IL, 29 March 1956. Addressed to Arnold F. Gates (1914-93, noted Lincoln and Civil War scholar). Near fine. On Chicago letterhead of "The American Peoples Encyclopedia" where Russell served as assistant editor, Russell cordially agrees to review books for the "Lincoln Herald" column… Read More