Portraits and Places.
Stein, Gertrude. Portraits and Places. New York: Random House, The Modern Library, 1934.
8vo, 264pp; gray boards with photograph of Gertrude Stein by Carl Van Vechten at front cover; muted purple and gold wove cloth at spine; printed paper label at spine; top edge stained maroon. [This binding appeared on the first printing. While Random House changed the second printing binding to plain brown covers, Wilson, Stein’s bibliographer, notes that some second printings retained the first printing binding, as here.) Paper label darkened and upper right corner nicked; boards a little darkened. Very good.
With an exuberant autograph 'portrait' inscribed at the half-title page: Fir Moira and more her. / Which may be for her / And is for her and more her. / And therefore / This is for her / And a portrait for her is more her. / The best of wishes / So much the best of wishes, / Gertrude Stein.” The writer’s longtime companion has written at the rear flyleaf, “A very fond remembrance to Moira from Alice Toklas.”
First edition. Second printing. Portraits And Places collects verse and prose from 1915 to 1933 and thus traces the arc of Stein’s writing for nearly two decades. As promised, the book provides portraits of Stein’s wide-flung friends, enemies and casual acquaintances: Erik Satie, Ernest Hemingway, Sylvia Beach, Jo Davidson, Virgil Thomson, Juan Gris, Cezanne, Dame Edith Sitwell, Mabel Dodge, Jean Cocteau and, of course, Picasso. Stein’s word play is more than clever; it gently insists the reader engage with the text, rather than allow it to slip by quietly. Stein’s American tours during the '30s had brought her a new popularity and acceptance encouraging publisher Random House to bring out this appealing collection. Stein’s inscription, a charming poem unique to this volume together with an additional inscription by her intimate Alice Toklas make this an especially attractive copy. Wilson A22b.
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