1930 Rockwell Kent-illustrated "Moby Dick" Set
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GUEST:
These "Moby-Dicks" originally belonged to my grandfather. Was given to my mother, and my mother has passed away and since gave them onto me as the oldest surviving son. They've been in my house now for about 12 years.
APPRAISER:
So this is the famous Rockwell Kent illustrated edition of "Moby-Dick," published by the Lakeside Press. How did your grandfather get them?
GUEST:
My grandfather sold the books for Lakeside Press. He originally started with R.R. Donnelley, who's the overall publisher, and then worked for Lakeside Press. And he was good friends with a guy named William Kittridge, who was the supervising producer of this book.
APPRAISER:
Okay.
GUEST:
He met the illustrator Rockwell Kent.
APPRAISER:
The original first edition of "Moby-Dick" was first published in 1851. It actually came out a month earlier in a two-volume set under the title, "The Whale."
GUEST:
Okay.
APPRAISER:
But what we have here today is the first Rockwell Kent illustrated edition of "Moby-Dick," the most famously illustrated edition of "Moby-Dick" of all time, and it was issued in 1930. And the title page here, but if we can turn the page back to the front flyleaf-- we have an inscription.
GUEST:
That is to my grandfather, William Bowes.
APPRAISER:
So it's to your grandfather, but it's signed by the illustrator, Rockwell Kent.
GUEST:
By the illustrator, yes.
APPRAISER:
It's a limited edition that was done in 1,000 copies, but the limited edition wasn't called for to be signed. So to have Rockwell Kent, the famous woodcut illustrator, sign it, is an extra bonus. And also, it's a three-volume set-- we've got all three volumes on display here. But also, here in the center, we have this machine-made aluminum, I believe, slipcase that fits all three books. And could you tell me about this Rockwell Kent-designed wrapping paper here?
GUEST:
Yes, this is the actual wrapping paper that this aluminum case came in. Somehow, it was never used for a birthday present or anything else, and it's survived all the way down.
APPRAISER:
This wrapping paper, I've never seen before, and I have to assume that most people just discarded it and threw it away. And this whole set, your grandfather took very good care of them, because they're in immaculate condition. They still have their original glassine dust wrappers on each of the three volumes.
GUEST:
Yes.
APPRAISER:
And the aluminum slipcase is in pristine condition, as in the wrapping paper. It's a bonus to have this set inscribed by the famous illustrator, Rockwell Kent. This is one of the high points in a masterpiece of machine-age design. Let me just turn it back to the title page for a moment. On this side, we have the title page proper, but notice the ghost image that's imprinted onto the other page. It's the only flaw in the books, really.
GUEST:
Yeah.
APPRAISER:
And without tissue guards being issued in the books in the first place, there's almost no way to stop that. The three-volume set, in the original glassines, with the aluminum slipcase and the virtually unheard-of wrapping paper, I think this set at retail would bring between $12,000 to $15,000.
GUEST:
Oh, oh-- good, excellent. (chuckling) Good-- I can go out for dinner tonight. (laughing)
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