Birch Bark Poems, Vol. 1.

Chillicothe, OH: Charles Lummis. Very good. 1884. 2d edition. 2d edition. 8 pp. 2.5”x3”, stitched, illustrated wrappers. (1 2) pp. A collection of small poems written in the transcendental style, Birch Bark Poems is printed entirely on thin and delicate birch bark, with engravings of birch trees on front and back. Lu mmis cut the bark from the trees, set the type, and did the print ing. This is a later printing [ninth thousand] of the second edi tion. First published while Lummis was working for a small publis hing firm in New Hampshire, the first printing (1878) was only a dozen or so copies. This allowed Lummis to work out the medium's eccentricities. The books proved popular and by the end of the f ollowing summer Lummis had printed more than 3,500 copies in vari ous editions. This lead to a second volume in 1883 and this first work was retitled Volume 1. . fine. Several thin tears in the right margin of the leaves. The se are from natural flaws in the bark, not damage. 1/8” hole at bottom of first leaf; again, this appears to be a natural flaw. ¼” spot of light soiling on the back panel. Although a later p rinting, these are scarce in any edition -- and this is one of th e nicest copies we have seen. .