UNDER SAIL TO GREENLAND. Being an Account of the Voyage of the Cutter "Direction", Arthur S. Allen, Jr., Captain, to Greenland in the Summer of 1929, together with the Log, Letters and Other Memoranda. [With,] N BY E

New York: The Marchbanks Press [and,] Brewer & Warren, 1931 and 1930. First Edition of the first book. One of 900 copies only, this copy one of 300 for private distribution and A PRESENTATION COPY from Hal Marchbanks, the publisher, inscribed in his hand [with,] First Edition of the second book, the true first trade issue preceding the issue by Random House. The first book Illustrated throughout with photographs taken on the cruise, with a facsimile page from the logbook, and a folding map in colour at the end of the volume, and with endpapers depicting the naval architecture of the sailing ship '"Direction". The second book with over 150 dramatic woodcut illustrations by Rockwell Kent, most are quite large and 8 are full page. 4to and 8vo, publisher's tan grained cloth and gray-blue paper covered boards, the spine panel lettered in gilt, the upper cover decorated and lettered in gilt and pictorially decorated in gilt, green and red, the endpapers printed in white on a turquoise background. The second book in the original light tan buckram lettered and decorated in navy-blue on the upper cover and spine with a compass rose design also by Rockwell Kent, top edge blue, with the original dustjacket. 91, [1]; xi, 281, [1] pp. Very fine copies indeed, each book, beautifully preserved both inside and out. The rare dustjacket for N by E with some wear and mellowing, including a chip to the top edge of the rear panel. THE RARE FIRST EDITION OF THE STORY OF A SHIPWRECK ON THE COAST OF GREENLAND, A VOYAGE UNDERTAKEN BY SAM ALLEN AND ROCKWELL KENT. THIS COPY, A RARE PRESENTATION COPY FROM THE PUBLISHER. After a long and successful voyage from New York to Greenland, the Direction, a 33 foot cutter owned and captained by Sam Allen with Rockwell Kent as mate, was wrecked after she had anchored in beautiful Godthaab Fiord. A gale came in on the morning after making the anchorage and dragged the Direction and its three anchors onto the rocks. The tale of friendship, survival and hardship that followed the incredible journey is the making of a legend. And it was written about not only by Sam Allen, the captain, but also by Norman Rockwell who accompanied Allen on the journey. Rockwell Kent's N by E is the story and this second book is THE TRUE FIRST TRADE EDITION. N BY E, is one of the earliest of books both written and illustrated by Kent. It is the amazing result one gets when a person who voyages to, and gets shipwrecked on the rocks of Greenland happens to be a skilled and poetic writer who is also one of the greatest illustrators of his generation and his genre. There are many books on Greenland, but this one is truly unique. It is the story of three adventures, told in a most unusual way. Echoing through it are the voices of Greenlanders themselves, translated freely by the author of Rasmussen's Gronlandsagen.
Rockwell Kent writes a stirring tale of a master sailor and an incredible adventure. Sam Allen was remembered by a friend and fellow sailor in the following way: "A friend of rich companionable kind"----such was Arthur Allen. His was naturally a retiring, modest disposition, but the host of friends who loved him knew his perfect courage, his bravery, his generosity of spirit, his genius for friendship. His unusual talent for navigating had already been recognized and attracted much attention. Those who were fortunate enough to be chosen as his companions on his voyages of adventure and exploration came back with their loyalty and devotion even greater than before; and the discomforts and constant facing o danger, which are part of such voyaging, are supreme tests of character.