The Farallones, The Painted World, and Other Poems of California by Ray, Milton S - 1934

San Francisco: John Henry Nash, 1934. Limited Edition. Hardcover. Fine. One of 2000 copies, quarto size, two volumes (complete), 225 pp., inscribed by Milton S. Ray. "The Farallones" is a collection of poems by Milton S. Ray (1881-1946), an engineer and industrialist native to San Francisco; his success in business gave him time to pursue his passion for ornithology. He also wrote poetry about his experiences in nature, and these volumes comprise his poems about the Farallon Islands, depicting the loneliness and isolation of island life, and photographs of the islands, with an emphasis on the bird-life of the island. Included also are descriptions of plant and animal life native to California. Ray was an avid ornithologist; his studies of nature were often published in various magazines, and he accumulated a vast collection of eggs from all around the world, which, after his death, was donated to the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology at the University of California, Berkeley.

___DESCRIPTION: Quarter white vellum with green paper boards, gilt lettering on the spines, fore- and bottom edges rough cut, colour engraved frontispieces in both volumes (of Rose Carolyn Ray (the author's wife) in Volume One, and Cecily Ray (the author's daughter) in Volume Two), fifty plates of black-and-white photographs of the Farallon Islands and their bird-life in Volume Two; Garamond type, American paper, quarto size (11.5" by 8.25"), pagination: Volume One: [i-iv] v [vi] vii-xii [1-4] 5-86 [1 colophon]; Volume Two: [i-iv] v-vii [viii-xii] xiii-xxiv [1-101] [1 colophon], one of 2000 copies, this number 1094, Volume One is inscribed by Milton S. Ray. Tasteful Ex-Libris book plates on both front paste-down endpapers ("Herbert Seebohm San Francisco"). In a matching green slipcase, paper spine label with black lettering.

___CONDITION: Both volumes are fine; the covers clean, the corners straight and unrubbed, the bindings tight with solid hinges, the interiors clean and bright, and other than the Ex-Libris plates entirely free of prior owner markings; very slight rubbing to the head and tail of the spine of Volume Two and the tail of the spine of Volume One, else fine. The slipcase is about good; some soiling to the sides and some water damage to the sides and spine, some rubbing to the head, tail, and edges of the spine, edges of sides are rubbed, and a partial split at the seam of the top edge (two inches); otherwise strong and sturdy. Although the slipcase has some wear, the two volumes are in impeccable condition.

___CITATION: O'Day, p. 87.

___POSTAGE: Please note that due to weight additional postage may apply; please inquire for details.

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