1st Edition West Winds
$125.00
Jack London is one of the included writers and Maynard Dixon is one of the included illustrators. This book is in overall good condition for its age.
This book is very special because of its inscription to the first fiction writer to become president of the California Writers Club, dated 1930.
Paul Elder and Company is a legendary publisher of Western writings that operated from 1989-1968 and were known for their quality works. In March 1898, Elder and Morgan Shepard formed a partnership and opened ‘The Book and Art Shop’ at 238 Post Street. From 1898 to 1903 the firm of ‘D. P. Elder and Morgan Shepard’ published about forty books. Many of these were illustrated, mostly by Shepard and mostly in the Art Nouveau style. Elder wanted mow control over the printing of his books so he formed a partnership with the Twentieth Century Press, which was rechristened The Tomoye Press. Elder's preference for Arts and Crafts Movement soon found expression in his books until the earthquake and fire of April 18, 1906 completely destroyed the Elder bookshop and the Tomoye press. In 1909 that Elder opened the second ‘Arts and Crafts Bookshop’, at 239 Grant Street at Tillman Place, with interiors designed by Bernard Maybeck. The San Francisco Chronicle wrote that ‘while it is a store, it has about the same degree of commercial appearance as a Gothic cathedral.’ When the store moved to Post Street in 1921, and then to Sutter and Stockton Streets in 1948, Maybeck’s distinctive wall decorations were brought along each time. Although his bookstore remained prosperous, Elder’s publishing business never recovered from the financial impact of the earthquake, the New York years, and several economic recessions. Even a popular series of books on the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition did not improve the company’s finances. Inflation and paper shortages during World War I also took their toll, and in 1917 Elder retired from active publishing.
For the next three decades Elder contented himself as bookseller, though he did occasionally publish books in the 1920s and 30s. As his health failed, his son Paul Jr. became general manager. About 1945 he retired to his home in Berkeley. He died on 23 January 1948, aged 76.
Year: 20th Century
Measurements: approximately 6 inches wide x 9 inches long x 1 inch high
Catalog Number: F2152
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