First Trade Edition, With a Full-Page Inscription Signed by "George" And Lyrics to "Nobody But You"
George Gershwin's Song-Book. Alajalov Illustrator.
New York: Simon and Schuster, 1932.
composer]. ALAJALOV, [illustrator]. George Gershwin's Song-Book. Alajalov Illustrator.. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1932.
Full Description:
GERSHWIN, George, [composer]. ALAJALOV, [illustrator]. George Gershwin's Song-Book. Alajalov Illustrator.. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1932.
First trade edition, first printing. With a full page signed inscription and musical quotation by Gershwin on the front free endpaper. Quarto (12 5/8 x 9 5/8 inches; 320 x 245 mm). xi, [1, blank], 167, [5, blank] pp. With eighteen songs of printed music, each which include a full or double- page color illustrations by Alajalov. Title-page with a illustrated vignette and printed in red and black.
Inscription reads "For Ella-/In memory of many/ happy times together./With love,/from/George." Followed by a hand-drawn musical notation of four bars and six notes along with lyrics reading "No-body but you" and then dated "September 16, 1932." The printed music of this line can be found at the top of page 14. Inscription is in black ink and takes up the full page. Full page Gershwin inscriptions are very rare. This might possibly be inscribed to Ella Fitzgerald as they were friends and Fitzgerald sung songs from Gershwins song book.
Quarter rust flocked cloth over tan woven cloth boards. Front board ruled and lettered in blue. Spine lettered in blue. Some rubbing and scuffing to boards and spine. Title-page a little frayed. A bit of toning, mainly to endpapers. Still a very good copy with a wonderful provenance.
The "Ella" in the inscription refers to Ella W. Aarons Crouch, who was a concert pianist and wife of Alexander Alfred Aarons who was a producer on most of Gershwin's Broadway productions.
HBS 69154.
$7,500.
Price: $7,500.00
Item #69154