The classic Rockwell Kent illustrated edition. #21 in the collection, purchased on Ebay.New York, Random House, 1930. First trade edition. Thick small 8vo. 280 woodcut illustrations (including chapter headings and tailpieces), spine, upper cover illustrations by Rockwell Kent. Original black pictorial cloth stamped in silver. NEAR FINE, fresh bright copy with minor rub to cover stamping a
bove whales head, lower tips little bumped. No signatures or bookplates. Nice copy of a handsome edition of this classic.
I have choosen this edition to begin a series of postings of the illustrated books in the collection. And specifically, Kent's choice to introduce an Ahab illustration in Chapter XXX, is classic: no peg leg, no crazy eyes, just Ahab in a strangely pedestrian hat, pondering his pipe and its addiction, just before heaving it over board, in a way denying himself its pleasure....
Rockwell Kent is awesome. I saw a wonderful exhibition of his work at the Norman Rockwell museum a few years back. He is wonderful at capturing the sea.
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