Hanff, Peter E.; [and] Riley, Michael O.

Cyclone on the Prairies: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and Arts & Crafts of Publishing in Chicago, 1900 [with] A Bookbinder's Analysis of the First Edition of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

San Francisco: The Book Club of California [printed by Peter R. Koch], 2011. Limited Edition. Hardcover. One of 300, folio size, 143 and 49 pp. respectively, with prospectus and errata slips. Fine. Item #22032206

From prospectus: "The chief aim of Peter Hanff's study and analysis of 'America's most famous fantasy' is to explore some of the particular facts and circumstances that helped establish Baum's 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz' as an American classic, despite formidable obstacles to success....The companion volume by Michael Riley is a scholarly and readable study of the production of the first edition of this children's classic."

Designed and printed by the inimitable Peter Koch, the production shows his work as a master printer throughout. Included in the book is an original leaf from the first edition of "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz"; an absolutely charming page, with a chapter headpiece of Dorothy, Toto, and the Cowardly Lion seated atop the amazing first letter ("All") in a large, flowing font.

___DESCRIPTION: "Cyclone" quarter green cloth with decorated orange paper boards, orange paper spine label with black lettering and ruled border, rust-coloured endpapers, tipped-in between the half-title and title pages is an original leaf from the first printed edition of "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz", double-spread title page in red and black with a decoration in green, aproximately half of the book with full-colour reproductions of a variety of Oz and Baum books, errata loosely laid in at the colophon; Adobe Jenson type, folio size (12 1/8" by 9 1/4"), pagination: [1-12] 13-141 [1, blank] [1, colophon]. The companion volume, "A Bookbinder's Analysis of the First Edition of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" softbound in rust cardstock wraps, illustration of the Tin Man on the front, black lettering on the spine, orange endpapers, frontis a full-colour reproduction of the first edition; also folio size (12 1/8" by 9 1/8"), pagination: [1-8] 9-47 [1, blank] [1, colophon], errata slip loosely laid in at the colophon. Loosely laid into the main volume is the prospectus, a single sheet folded once to four pages, oblong measuring 8 3/4" tall by 11" wide. Both volumes enclosed in a slipcase covered with brown cloth and lined with rust paper, by John DeMerritt Bookbinding.

___CONDITION: Both volumes fine, with clean boards/wraps, straight corners without rubbing, strong, square text blocks with solid hinges, the interiors are clean and bright, and both books entirely free of prior owner markings; a hint of sunning to the spines, else clean, crisp, and as new. The prospectus near fine with a few very light crease at the edges.

___POSTAGE: Please note that this is an unusually large and heavy volume and additional postage may apply; please inquire for details.

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Price: $350.00